Exchange City

Nurse, I'm waiting to sleep on my side because my PS said at least a month sleeping on my back. It's so annoying, and my back hurts in the morning for a little while until the muscles start to warm up with some walking around, but I was told that it helps the implants take their place and adhere to the tissue.

And yes, night and morning are the times I remember I have the implants in and that I'm in recovery still. Usually otherwise I have little pain now. (I'm just four weeks out of exchange surgery tomorrow.)

I think I'll have nipple reconstruction and tattoo done AFTER summer because I assume there's a period of time you can't go in the wáter with the tattoo (or maybe with the nipple, unsure).

To the peeps who will miss seeing their PS: I totally understand. In the end I chose a technically good but not very social one, so I won't really miss him. I do, and this IS weird hahahahaha, however, miss the PS I didn't choose, because he was so good at explaining things and really empathetic. Just wish he were at a better hospital and I would have done the surgery with him!

I have a question. I had my TE exchanged for round smooth implants at the end of April. I did have radiation to my left side about 9 months prior to my exchange surgery and had 2 rounds of fat grafting prior to this last surgery. My non radiated side is nice and soft and really does feel like a real boob... almost. my radiated side is just a bit more firm in comparison. I don't think its a contracture as it has been this way since surgery just a month ago. My skin is just tougher on the left, so that implant isn't settling down like the non radiated right side. Has this happened to anyone? any advice about how to soften that side up? I am massaging my implants and skin with oil, but things aren't changing much. Has anything worked for anyone else? I knew implants might not work great with radiation, and overall I'm happy with how they look and feel and they healed up fine, but I just want to do all I can to help it heal.

RoJo try this link too...I found it helpful before my revision

Fatgrafting and implants

Has anyone had any problems with a suture poking out? My incisions have been healing really nice but I noticed today I had a little loop of suture popping out on the incision line. I'm exactly 1 month out from exchange surgery and all my sutures we're dissolvable. I couldn't just leave it alone so I tugged lightly on one side with tweezers and it nicely came out. Then I tugged lightly on the other side but that side didn't move. So...now I'm left with a couple millimeters of suture poking out. I realize NOW I should have left it alone. Any suggestions?

Nurse, I'm 4 weeks out of surgery too and the nurse at my PS's office just took an emerging stitch out yesterday with tweezers. Then she put some iodine on it and told me to hold off with the silicone strips for a few days to let that part heal. She said the "self-absorbing" stitches very often come out on their own. I bet if you wait, like SpecialK says, the suture will work itself out.

Nursepatient, I was told to use Vaseline on the dissolvable sutures that we’re sticking out.

thanks for your reply and for the referral to the other board. I will definitely check it out. My exchange surgery went really well...tons of scar tissue released and I no longer have shoulder pain! Hoping they heal well and stay that way. Fingers crossed.

So interesting about different plastic surgeons not wanting to do nipple reconstruction after radiation. After a little pushing, mine said he might consider it, but warned that on radiated skin they always flatten out so it’s kind of useless to do anyway.

Does anyone know where there might be a resource with photos of nipple reconstruction on radiated skin?

Nickel103- Reach out to LeslieNeva or Dancetrancer both of them had radiation and successfully had nip/recon and are happy with their results. They can guide you in the right direction.

OK, weird situation: has anyone noticed pain in reconstructed side before it rains?! I always thought this was something that happened with joints when the barometric pressure dropped, but it's almost like I can feel the chest wall behind my implant...the oddest thing.

Sweet Pea,

I used to ache on my lumpectomy side when rain or bad weather was forecast. But I don’t notice it now that I’vehad a mastectomy and implants.

6/6/18 Exchange surgery

Mom-mom-Congrats and good luck! I also had rads however I had a BMX...my first PS did my exchange and my results were mediocre. However my current PS is fabulous and gave me beautiful results, FG works wonders with radiated skin, remember to step away from the mirror for awhile, it takes time for things to soften and settle.

Alicia good luck tomrrow and update us when you can.

Over70, I too had a rough exchange...not back pain, but a too large implant was placed which clearly required a lot of pulling and straining of me. Afterwards, my natural breast was all bruised and it wasn't operated on. The left that was the exchange was bruised and swollen for over a month and to this day, nearly 9 months later there is a permanent bruise (an echymosis) due to internal bleeding. Given my circumstances, I will have another exchange to a smaller implant and try to remove some of the lingering necrosis...with a Different PS!

So, I can't help your case but to share...odd things do happen when we aren't fully there. TT

Hi ladies,

I have a question about comfort of your implants. I had the smooth rounds done in February of this year. ( 4 months ago). I'm still feeling uncomfortable a lot of the times. my chest hurts a lot of the time and even the skin hurts to touch it. It all feels so tight yet. Is this normal? I don't see my PS for a while now. I've tried sleeping on my side but I can't without it being uncomfortable. Just wondering how long it takes to start feeling normal.... what ever that is.

Thank you. The surgery itself was easy, just so much easier than the mx. Today I took off the gauze pads to look and I apparently was not adequately prepared for what I saw. I'm trying not to freak out, to be grateful, etc., but I don't see how these can settle into normal looking. I knew they would be smaller and was fine with that, but they seem a lot smaller and there is so much puckering, and caverns where there weren't before. Please tell me there will be a big change during the next few weeks. I'm having a really hard time right now.