Exchange City

MERRY Christmas!!!

I have the Allergan 410 and nothing was mentioned about this possibility. But I have had no trouble and almost 3 years have passed.

I guess as with any medical device, there is risk. They are a foreign substance and your body goes into a defense mode. The best defense is to be proactive and tell your MO ir PS if you notice any changes.

Robin

Like Robin - I have the Allergan 410s. I got them in 2011, so going on 7 years. They were only available in a trial program at the time through select plastic surgeons, so I had lots of follow up. And like Robin, I have had no trouble. I do read the ongoing news, but remain very pleased. As she said, with anything that is foreign your body, there is a risk. Talk to your docs if you are concerned or see a problem.

You will probably love those implants. I would recommend going as big as you can if you are worried about them being large enough. I'm tall, but thin and my Inspiras are over 600 cc's and don't look outrageous. I also needed a lift on one side and it turned out great.

Good luck! Feb 8 is just around the corner.

Good luck 3bears. It will be over before you know it.

HI 3bears.  I have 800 Inspira TCX... I am 5' 8" and this is a little large for me...think I may downsize to 750 or 700, but this is definitely the right size range.  In fact it would be perfect if I was a BMX, but it is slightly larger than may native breast and I would rather downsize the implant than do more surgery on my natural breast.  Good luck, exchange was relatively easy. TT 

Lynae:

I was told after post-op appt at one month to ease back into whatever I wanted to do. Modest weight at first. And take care with pec exercises. (Yoga/plank or push-ups.) I'm at almost four months now and just did yoga again. No issues. Although some felt a bit odd with pecs, which I think is normal. I'm not sure I'll do push-ups again.

I think if you're careful and move into it slowly...you can go back to exercising.

Maybe this is a crazy question....but...do any of you ever see your PS with clothes on, or at least in a bra?  Especially for the UMX crowd, this is big.

I never am seen in clothes/bra which for me makes the discussion of happy with where I am or changing size more difficult.  Of course without a bra my implant is high and tight and my native breast is 56 years old...so the difference is big and the immediate response is unless we do more surgery on my native breast there is nothing else for me.

Well, in a bra, I am close but clearly different and it seems like a smaller implant would make a huge difference of bringing the two closer together...like downsizing from 800 to 700.

Any comments???

Hi Lynae I am feeling well. Thanks for asking!No complaints really. I have Replicon extra high profile 665 (textured tear drop). It's been pretty smooth so far. I had visit with my surgeon on Monday and he's pleased with the results, as they're symmetrical and the surgery was minimal and uncomplicated. I have just small incisions within the previous scars. I now am slowly recovering at home for a few weeks. And I need to wait and see how they drop. I do hope they will sink a bit at least. They already feel softer and squishier than those awful turtle shells! 

How long did you wait before lifting arms up, side sleeping and using the postop bra with strap ( if you used it) ?

TrmTab at my preop visit (before exchange) I made sure my surgeon saw me in a bra so that he could see that I look ok in a bra! I have a plain padded bra that I looked and felt ok with in even with the turtles! And yes I made sure he saw that too. To be frank tell him how you feel and see that he sees what you are thinking. Taking photos may be a good idea too. But I think I woul literally make him see what you want him to see. Is that difficult because of the set up? I'm not in the States so maybe it's different there to here.

So nice to know so many are doing well. Glad things are fine for you at last Shoregirl and its great you're doing well Eastcoast!

Happy New Year to you all. At lot of you have unknowingly played a big part in boosting my morale both pre and post- operatively, and I thank God for the gift of your presence in my life!

I am new here, and I am glad to find this thread. January 12 I am having my exchange surgery. I am really looking forward to getting rid of this heavy and enormous tissue expander. I could not hate it more. I stressed to my PS that if there was to be any inequality, that the implant is to be smaller than my real breast.

In terms of recovery, is there a difference with the under the muscle and over the muscle implant? I am dismayed to read that I would have to wait a month to start weight training. I was not a big weight lifter before cancer, just small weights, but I have not done anything since surgery in May, and chemo and my muscles are so sad.

I'm not sure about under vs over pros/cons but can say that mine were under the muscle, and I was advised no weights etc for more than a month. However, I had a lot of pocket work and I wanted to protect that pocket as long as I reasonably could. Plus I had some minor discomfort for weeks after as I healed (nothing like BMX or bad at all but persistent). Others can chime in with advice but you will feel so good (likely) after Exchange that you'll be tempted to do more than you should. Ask you PS.

And yeah to dumping the sucky TEs!!!!!!!!

hi everyone. I'm having my exchange surgery this Friday Jan 5th. I'm nervous. I know I shouldn't be as I've gone through worse I had lat flap in 6/2017. But I still am nervous. I just hope my breast feel a bit more like breast cuz these TEs are hard as a rock. Just can't wait to get this done , heal and do my finishing touch which are my nipple tattoos. Anyways. Hugs

HI, everybody. I’m feeling very uncertain about how to proceed and wonder if you have thoughts.

Background: I had appts scheduled with my BS & PS then my chemo ended 3 weeks early. This moved up my bilateral mastectomy surgery date 3 weeks as well. I ended up mtg the PS just a week before surgery. I had diep flap in mind but she said that I don’t have enough tissue and that I’m not a candidate. So we put in TE’s and said we would decide about lat dorsi w/implants or just implants down the road.

Does anybody put in implants after TE w/o flap surgery or alloderm type products? The PS definitely pushed lat dorsi and said she sees more complications with alloderm. This is total opposite of what my sister was counseled at diff med center 3 years ago. Implants w/o flap surgery or alloderm didn’t seem to be an option.

How long is recovery after putting in implants or implants w/ alloderm? I’m feeling very hesitant about lat dorsi and I’m stressed that we started down a road I wasn’t prepared for. I have my 1st expansion tomorrow- we are doing tumor side 1st, radiation, then other side, then reconstruction. So, I do have time to get other opinions. That said, i’m also a little worried about doing reconstruction out of toand how I would handle with 2 young children at home.

Any comments would be appreciated!

Thanks, TWillis, that’s an interesting thought. I know she does diep but it’s possible another PS might think I’m a candidate.

I’m thinking of meeting my sister’s surgeon up north. I’m over in Tampa if you recommend anybody local!

Hi Flynn, I have 440cc pre-pec implants w/Alloderm. I don't think the pre-pec are done without Aderm, as the skin on its own would probably not be able to support a larger implant. My exchange recovery was different each time. The 1st, from TEs to smooth round 470cc Inspiras, took a good 6-7 weeks before I was feeling pretty good, but I still had a lot of tightness and discomfort even 7 months later. I ended up getting a new ps (long story). She exchanged the 470s for 440cc Sientras and did some fg. My recovery was so quick!! I was out shopping 4 days later. Turns out she discovered hardly any Alloderm was there on the right side. So my guess is the discomfort was due to the implant not being supported, moving around. When I would lean over, it hung off my chest. Eventually started flipping over backwards.The new ones are anchored to my chest and so much more comfortable with an Alloderm "cuff" under lower edge for support.

Personally, I don't see the reason to do lat+implant. So invasive! Maybe look into smaller implant+fat graft as an option. The fat really helped me like my implants so much more. Cushioned, warm, softer, more comfortable.

Wishing you all the best!!