Exchange surgery Friday - Q's

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Urbie
Urbie Member Posts: 154
edited June 2014 in Breast Reconstruction
Exchange surgery Friday - Q's
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  • Urbie
    Urbie Member Posts: 154
    edited December 2007

    My much anticipated exchange surgery is the day after tomorrow and I was wondering if they use drains for this surgery?  After my bilateral surgery (with tissue expanders placed) my drains were in for only a few days, so maybe I don't DRAIN much.  Just curious if I will be spending Christmas with drains hanging off of me...   Thanks!

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  • lvtwoqlt
    lvtwoqlt Member Posts: 6,162
    edited December 2007

    I had bilateral exchange on Nov 2 and prior to the surgery I asked my PS about drains and he said that 95% of the time he does not need to use drains. I did not have drains after the exchange surgery. I guess he used the  95% figure just in case he needed to use drains.

    Good luck on your exchange on Friday. I am going for my nipples tomorrow.

    Sheila

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  • DebNC
    DebNC Member Posts: 90
    edited December 2007
    Hi! I had my exchange back in August and did not require a drain.  The recovery was easy.  I wish you all the best! -Deb
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  • MinAZ
    MinAZ Member Posts: 368
    edited December 2007

    I had exchange on Nov. 7 - no drain. I also had a lift on the other side - no drain for that either. There is more healing, etc., on the lift side; the silicone side was easy - hope it is for you, too!

    Minz 

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  • katesf
    katesf Member Posts: 139
    edited December 2007

    Hey Urbie:

    I'm so happy you're about the get your exchange! I didn't have drains at my exchange last month and it's sounds like most people don't. It's unlikely you'll have them, thank goodness!!

    Hope everything goes smoothly. Mine was a breeze and they're getting softer every week.

    Let us know how you do.

    Happy Holidays too. You'll be feeling good for them too!Wink

    Take care,

    Katie   

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  • Traci-----TripNeg
    Traci-----TripNeg Member Posts: 2,298
    edited December 2007

    Me either. No drains and pretty easy recovery.

    They made me wear this "male jock strap bra" that I hated though. So much in fact that I stopped wearing it after a week.

    Good luck girl.

    Traci

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  • Mookaite
    Mookaite Member Posts: 89
    edited December 2007

    Hi Urbie,

    Lucky lady with the drains! I had two of them for two weeks following my mastect & expanders.  I also had no drains after my Mentor Memory gel implant exchange. However my new 'Foobs' sounded like wet sneakers when I moved, so you might experience some fluid in the implant pockets, which will go away.

    Mook

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  • iodine
    iodine Member Posts: 4,289
    edited December 2007

    Oh, you get to open your Christmas present early!  Merry Christmas or happy holidays.

    I didn't have a drain the first time but did the second.

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  • JustTurnedForty
    JustTurnedForty Member Posts: 289
    edited December 2007

    I had 2 drains after my exchange (that I wasn't counting on) that were in for 4 weeks!  After my BM I had 4 drains that were all out by 2 1/2 weeks!  The exchange is so much easier that you tend to do so much more after surgery which produces more fluid (at least that is what they told me).  After the drains came out at 4 weeks, I had some strange fluid feelings for a few days, but it did go away.  Good luck!

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  • Urbie
    Urbie Member Posts: 154
    edited December 2007

    Thank you all!!  I am running around like a crazy person trying to get all of my Christmas stuff done before my surgery tomorrow.  Kids are in the tub, Christmas cards are almost done, teacher gifts ready, cookies made (with an oven fire, not the cookies ~ the heating element), lots of wrapping to do...  And, I have been making a gazillion gift baskets for our retail store.  I guess I get to slow down tomorrow!  Have a wonderful holiday ladies.

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  • Muffy
    Muffy Member Posts: 144
    edited December 2007

    Baking???  I don't know how you do it.  I did all the other stuff and was planning to bake but after wrapping a gazillion presents, forget it!

    I had my tubes after my expander surgery (1st surgery) for 4.5 weeks.  I was drinking green tea and didn't realize that is a blood thinner and also was doing too much and just never slowed down on those drains.  Then got an infection.

    Now, I just had my exchange surgery (2nd one) to implants and I have only 2 drains this time (had 4 the 1st time) and they have been in for a week and I get them out tomorrow.  I would guess you'll have them for Xmas.  Mainly because their office will be closed on Monday, I'd think.  

    Good luck on your surgery, you'll do great.  :D

    And Merry Xmas. 

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