Exchange City

ljm33,

So great to hear you are feeling much better today! I hope you stay in a steady path of improvement

Hi just wanted to follow up on my exchange pain. I see my PS tomorrow and I'll definitely be asking her these questions but my left side is still in quite a bit of pain. My right side (where the cancer was) is completely pain free. But the left side still feels like the freaking expander is still in there. Really sore around the edges of the implant especially at the bottom outer edges. It's pretty much a constant ache but every now and then if I move the wrong way it stabs. I know pocket work was done there and that side was much more sore with the expanders but it's been almost a week and I'm ready for some relief. Did anyone else have this much discomfort after the exchange? All I read are stories about how the exchange is life changing and I still feel sore as heck.It gets better right? I just need patience, I know, but I've had enough already.

How long was everyone out of work after exchange surgery?

I just went and had a second opinion with a different PS for my exchange this afternoon. Now that's how a plastic surgeon should behave! What a difference! I was putting up with such a disrespectful jerk! I trust that not only is the new doc very capable but I feel like he listened and got my concerns. I feel like I'll be able to work with him if any fine tuning is necessary. I feel safe. This is the hopeful/ rebuilding part. It should be like this.

I will do exchange surgery with prepectoral reconstruction the Tues or Wed of Labor Day week, then return to work the following Monday. Does this sound feasible? My PS says "yes", as do two friends who have had this surgery. Are there drains involved with the exchange surgery? (someone please tell me NO) And how quickly do people bounce back and resume normal activities/exercise? I am a middle school teacher and I coach tennis, so once I return back to work, it's 100%. I love my students, but they have no concept of "taking it easy" even if the teacher isn't feeling well.

I do know this one! There will be o drains for my exchange and I don’t think others have either.

I was told 95% chance no drains but ended up having 2 drains for a couple weeks but I don't think that is a the normal experience. But, after experiencing them the first time it was much easier to adjust. Hopefully you won't need them.

I had drains as well. 

ReadyAbout: my surgeon always uses drains for anatomical ("gummy bear") implants, so I had drains. The drains were in for a shorter period of time, maybe 10 days vs 13 days for BMX.

I substitute for middle school, and we've had a few teachers in and out for BMX, and Ex. Our students are able to take it easy on the teacher. I would not advise playing tennis for a while. Could you demonstrate tennis but be easy on yourself? Demonstrate in slow motion or with less force? Ask your PS in your case. 

I had post op discomfort, especially since PS did a lot of pocket work. 

The left TE had drifted towards left armpit area. So having the implant place correctly in pocket, not in armpit, was a relief! 

Also implants are softer then TEs. 

Best wishes for a successful surgery and a smooth recovery. 

Deb - I completely agree with previous posters. I would not say I had immediate relief due to extensive pocket work. So I was pretty sore in and around the chest cavity for a little more than a week. However the fat grafting wasn't a big deal at all. She took from my stomach and it wasn't much so that helped. It just felt like a bruise. I'll be two weeks out on Wednesday and my stomach is fine. I'd say most of the other pain is gone too but - to be honest - I'm still quite uncomfortable. I'm still stiff, in part, because I'm still sleeping sitting up to help with swelling and I'm not moving my arms much. The foobs are soft but feel foreign. My PS said it could take 6-12 months to feel "normal" again. So while the pain is gone, there's still discomfort if that makes sense. Good luck to you for a speedy recover.

August 17 is my last chemo. I'm scheduled for implant exchange surgery with new PS on September 13th if I'm fit enough. I'm still waiting for an authorization from my insurance to go out of area for this surgery. If I have to fight them I will. I guess they often have to. I might have to write a scathing letter about my original PS. The leader of my support group has helped women write these letters. Man what a difference a week makes. My new PS asked me to send him photos of BC reconstructions that I liked the look of so he could get a sense of my aesthetic. I emailed it on Friday not expecting a response for at least a few day if not more and he replied Saturday morning! ...two whole paragraphs asking for more dialogue about the desired shape and size.

Thank you all for your replies. ljm, I wish you a speedy recovery too. I don't expect to have too much fat grafting but who knows. Restrictions sound similar, no more than 10 lbs for a month, no arm raising for 2 weeks. No pushing, pulling , tugging either. I have the time so I took 3 weeks off work since I work in surgery then light duty if needed. Rachel, so glad your second opinion was better. I was scheduled for the exchange 6 weeks post chemo. I had the most uneventful course, counts stayed up all along. He still asked me to wait if it wasn't a "hardship" of course, it wasn't so I waited. He said 6 weeks was the absolute earliest for the exchange. I could just tell he preferred waiting and if it decreases the chance of infection it's worth it so here I am 9 weeks out. When I read these experiences with seromas and infections it does make me a little nervous. Nothing is without risk as we all know. Thank you all again

Rachel, I had mine exactly four weeks from chemo along with a prophylactic mx on the other side. I was fine. Hope it goes well for you. Let the docs know how you feel

Rachel, same here. My ps preferred doing it before radiation, and I was glad it worked oit