Exchange City

VegGal, surprisingly fast is 2 days...7 days ____ days?

My exchange surgery is on October 7th. The plastic surgeon told me I can go back to work a week after the surgery. I will not have dreams.

Emily - I'm sure since our bodies are all different that some people feel worse. I couldn't do much with the TEs since they hurt all the time for 6 months before exchange. I'm not sure when you had your exchange. Remember it takes awhile for everything too settle AFTER the internal stitches heal. Most people seem to say 6-8 months.

InfusionConfusion You asked your question about discomfort on the radiated side a whole month ago, and I am just now looking at this thread.

My previously radiated side has never played nice with anything. It took a LONG time to heal after the BMX, it took a long time to feel okay after exchange, and that side did NOT want to stretch much during TE months.

I am, overall, Pretty Comfortable---I'm now 1.5 years past the exchange surgery. Maybe 5 months after the Exchange surgery, I felt pretty much okay. I think that what you describe sounds a bit like some of that 'nerves waking up' and sending those zings. If you have ongoing serious pain, absolutely talk to your PS.

Even though healing is completed, I have little zings in my ribcage sometimes--months go by, and one occurs again, so it's infrequent. I feel bits of cramping, certainly where the stitches that connect the 'pocket' to my pecs probably pull, when I fold myself into certain positions. So, I sleep cradling a pillow, lying on my side. It makes me be thoughtful about reaching across my chest to the opposite side quickly. These are not horrible handicaps, but I must say that my torso doesn't feel the least bit like my original one. However, I'm used to it all at this point, and on the whole, am glad I did reconstruction.

I can do normal things. I can do Plank position. I went kayaking yesterday. My previously-radiated side feels tight. The implant isn't completely comfortable, because the pecs are scarred, and they are just more rigid. However, this is okay. I can live with it. I'm comfortable in a bra that's fitted well to me. My previously-radiated side is a cup size smaller. That's because stretching over the TE just only went so far on that side, so I stopped at B cups, and they're petite but just fine.

I had my exchange surgery 3 weeks ago. Don't like the result completely. I am fine to wait 3 months for the final transformation as PS suggested. But I am not fine with tight lateral sutures. Especially one suture near my right armpit bothers me. I am right handed and have issues with basic activities.

With TEs I didn't have this problem. My armpit is very tight now and has different shape than I had before.

Did anyone else got tight sutures? How did you manage this issue?

Thank you.

Hello,

Thank you so much for your response.

I would like to correct a tight suture, not to adjust to it. I'm relatively young (39 y.o.) and active. I can't imagine changing my lifestyle because of the one tight suture.

Thanks again for your help! I will try to find which invasive procedures can help me with this problem.

Hi all, I had my exchange (to Allergan cohesive implants) in September this year after a prophylactic double mastectomy. I have a question about heavy lifting I was hoping someone could answer!

I'm moving house in ~4 months and wanted to know if heavy lifting (i.e. moving boxes and furniture) is feasible? My PS doesn't give clear answers; he only said that at 8 weeks post-op, I'm restricted to 10lb.

Has anyone here had to lift heavy objects at 4, 5, 6 months post-op? If so, was it doable? Any damage to your implants?

Appreciate any insight!

I’m having the same surgery. Left exchange and right lift. I don’t want a reduction but my PS is wanting to make them match and I’m a big girl so I’m getting a big implant.

Curious for input too

I’m interested in recovery from lift and reduction too. I heard exchange was easy.

Thanks Mods.

This was such a valuable thread for me for many years. I hope more people discover it.

2020 - not sure how heavy boxes are you are thinking about but many of us have returned to heavy lifting exercise in the months after exchange. So start at 10, then 20, then planks, then...big boxes?

That makes sense. Thank you everyone for your help

Hi,

I had my exchange to pre pec gummy bear 495cc implants on Friday. My plastic surgeon said my skin was very thin and to be careful while healing. Over the weekend and this morning both my breast skin, but more so on the radiated side is red, like a sunburn. Neither one is hot to touch. Is this normal?

Thanks for your help. I’m so glad to get those TEs out

MikaMika - mine was sent, I didn't even think about it, and was kinda surprised to see pathology results on my surgery report.

Question to those with subpec implants. Are you doing planks? I had my exchange surgery 7 months ago, I have been exercising regularly but I am not sure if we are supposed to do planks 😊 plus I totally didn't like the way my pec muscle felt 😄

I am having my exchange surgery on February 1. I had a left mastectomy and expander on September 14, 2020. I had chemo in the meantime (preventive) and had 700 cc fills. I am obese so I am not trying to match exactly my right side. If so, I would have to have a reduction on the right most likely. I did want a lift but they seem to do reduction and lifts the same time.

Since I just got done with chemo, I decided to just have the expander exchanged. The PS is going to try 700, 750, and 800 silicone implants and see what looks the best. Later in the year when I recover from my 4 chemo infusions, I will decide if I want something done to my right side to match. I have been using a prothesis with my expander on the left to make it look the same as my right side. It is pretty easy to use so I don't mind continuing to do that. I live in Florida though so when I start being able to get in the water and pool I might want it to match better.

1. Any thoughts about lift without a reduction? Is that even possible? I'm not sure how they do a lift.

2. How long is recovery for just one side exchange? I work from home at a desk and can take breaks when needed. My PS said to take off a week but if I want to answer emails or do a bit of work - no problem as long as I am not on pain meds. I usually only take pain meds for a day or so.

3. Anything else I need to know about an exchange surgery?