Exchange City
Comments
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goldie1040- will let you know all that he says0 -
I have a friend (my parents age) who had a single MX 7-8 years ago with no reconstruction. She, too, told me that recovery from her MX wasn't bad at all. I kind of think of it this way. With a mastectomy with no reconstruction or delayed construction, your chest is violated by being sliced open and tissue scraped out. With a mastectomy plus TE placement, your chest is violated by being sliced open and tissue scraped out......THEN your muscles are sliced through and separated from the chest wall so your PS can stuff a rigid, stiff medical device behind them and fills them with anything from 50 to 250cc of saline to start those muscles stretching while they're still incredibly traumatized.
No the F**K wonder it hurts like a mo-fo!!!!0 -
Sweet, you can say that again!!!! Lmaoo. Never thought of it like that. But, I just got off the phone with my Aunt, who is 80 now, but had her mx when she was 58. She said that even thought I am miserable now, at least I won't be for the rest of my life like she is. She hates the prosthesis. It is hot, and heavy, and she can't wait to get home to take it out. She wishes she had the option for recon when she had her mx, but now she is too old to mess with it. Bless her heart. I remember when she had it done she seemed old to me, but she wasn't.0 -
Mainegirl - wow, sounds awesome! I am 6 weeks post NS BMX and am so sick of these tight TEs. My exchange is Jan 16 and that can't come too soon. Glad to hear you arm ROM is so much better. I was beginning to wonder if my arm tightness was ever going to go away. I will need fat grafting because I have a divot/sunken spot at the top of each breast. My PS will lipo fat from my stomach to fill those in. She says 20% is reabsorbed by your body and I may need more added later. Sure hope not!
Anyone else have fat grafting for divots and are happy with the outcome?0 -
cc don't borrow trouble! Wait and see. S&s I like the way you put it. City and goldie I hope you hear what you want to hear. Much love to all.0 -
I did have my pre-op visit last night and asked the PS about fat-grafting and he chuckled and said "you have been on the computer, haven't you?". He said that I wouldn't need it and besides, he doesn't recommend it. He said that there is a huge emphasis on it lately due to one PS who is a proponent. He explained that the reason he isn't a supporter is because only about 50% of the fat actually "takes" and the rest either absorbs into the body or will form hard lumps which can be problematic for future examinations since they can be mistaken for possible tumors. Additionally, he said that we are transferring live cells from one part of the body to another which could "awaken" any remaining cancerous cells that may have been left behind. I don't have facts on the other side but those certainly seem like very strong arguments for not doing it.
We are going with rounds - Allergan style 20, 550cc - on 11/29 (still need to get confirmation from the hospital on date/time) and I can't wait!!!
Congrats Aviva on finishing your fills. Good luck Catey & Goldie on your visits today! Can't wait to hear how everything goes.
Jenn0 -
Going to do the Natrelle 410 gummies (300left, 400 right)...
Since Monday Ive been waking up with killer pain in my neck and shoulder on the right side. I keep thinking Ive been sleeping funny but I dont think its changed over the last 6 weeks or so. I wonder if my right te has shifted a bit and is pressing on a nerve somehow that is aggravated when I sleep. Its really annoying and painful (not like the horrible pain from te many ladies have, but still). I hope it clears up...hate to deal with this until exchange might ease it, if it is indeed that.0 -
Aviva - I had the same problem after my last fill too and I do think it was a nerve that was being aggravated by the TEs. I was worried about having to deal with it until exchange also but it ended up going away after about a week. Hope your's does the same!0 -
Thanks, good to know! Of course sitting at the computer all the time and lifting my neck a bit doesnt help too much either...0 -
http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-500165_162-20034385.html
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50153217n
2ns Jenn, I wonder if your PS just doesn't feel comfortable doing fat grafting? I am here after spending months on the DIEP site, because that was what I was going to have done originially Anyway, all those women have fat grafting at there stage2 surgeries. It is a given, and all are very happy. Yes, not all of the fat takes, and some have a second go around, but it sure takes care of lots of issues. As as a matter of fact, the brochure at the PS Clinic I go to has fat grafting as an option for breast reconstruction, which is the wave of the future, from what I have been reading. There is a video I would love for you to see. I am going to try to find it.
Well, I found two. The second one is the procedure the can actually do now.
I came back in to add, that not all DIEP ladies have fat grafting, but many opt to, and I haven't heard of too many issues. It's a choice, or an option if you find something that bother's you enough to try fat grafting.0 -
2ns Jenn,
Fat grafting is a pretty common discussion here it seems, and many women are thrilled with the results. But I wanted to reassure you that my PS (who is EXCELLENT!!) does not like to do it either because of the risk of necrosis and the (understandable!) fear a patient would have with wondering if it was necrosis or cancer. Since he also did a fabulous job of ensuring that I didn't need any fat grafting I'm not going to worry about the grafting/not grafting issue for now. If a huge stepoff appears some day I'll find out what he DOES do!
Just wanted you to know your PS isn't the only one! Another one of those differences among doctors that we hear so much as we all chat here.0 -
2ns_Jenn - My PS assures me that he does lots of fat grafting for various situations so he is well-experienced. He will not do it for implant rippling, however. My BS, who is a very well-respected and experienced breast surgeon also voted NO when I mentioned fat grafting. I've already dealt with ultrasounds and MRIs to follow some lumps so perhaps it is for my individual case, but that's not the impression I got. So, as Dulcigirl wrote, you're not alone.
I know there is the potential for needing imaging and possibly biopsy to evaluate fat necrosis. A radiologist at a breast imaging center told me that they are "getting better" at distinguishing fat necrosis from more ominous lumps on imaging studies, but biopsies are often still done to confirm.
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2ndJenn & Dulci: Just chiming in to say my PS does not recommend fat grafting either - even with a DIEP. Luckily I too have an excellent reconstruction with Allergan 410s so it's not an issue.0 -
Minustwo,
I swapped last week from silicone rounds to allergan 410s. I also have a really good looking reconstruction. However, they are firm and tight. Did your loosen up or soften up a bit? If so, when? They certainly feel heavier than the round silicones. I hope I get used to it! They look very natural. Thanks!0 -
Dlie, congrats!!!!! Sounds like you are happy! What could be better? What size rounds did they take out and what size are your 410'S? I saw my PS today and I am afraid he wants to go too big.
I am really happy for you. I bet they loosen up soon. They say the gummies don't drop and fluff, but I bet when swelling goes down the won't feel so tight.
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Dlie: Goldie is right - they don't 'drop & fluff'. But they do change as the swelling goes down. I'm 2 years out but if I remember correctly I was able to push them around after 6 months or so. I know I was in a bathing suit & doing water aerobics 7-8 months with no one the wiser. I love the shape & the cleavage.0 -
Okay, Catey...looks like I made it here first. This is how my pre op visit went with m PS. He tells me how good my expander's look, and what did I do to make the scars go away? So I tell him about the twice daily massage with bio oil, and he likes that. Then I tell I feel too big a 500cc, but he promises me that the anatomical implants won't look so big because the upper pole won't be so big, but of course the lower part will have more projection. BTW I am getting Mentor anatomicals, not Allergan. He is a little worried about rippling because my tumors were so close to the skin that they scraped me out really close to the skin and left him very little fat to work with, so he is going to do some fat grafting over the top of the implants. He will take it from my inner thigh because he is convinced one day I will be able to have the DIEP, and he doesn't want to touch my tummy because he might damage important vessels needed for a DIEP/TRAM. I hope that is that case, but if I am happy with my implants I am sticking with them for a while. I want to stop thinking about the next surgery, etc for a while. The whole thing should take about 1 1/2 hours, and I will have no drains!!! Yeah!!!!!! And, then he doesn't even want to see me for a week and a half.
Okay, Catey. Waiting on you.0 -
Sweet, thank you for helping me to understand why I was in so much pain after reconstruction:
"THEN your muscles are sliced through and separated from the chest wall so your PS can stuff a rigid, stiff medical device behind them and fills them with anything from 50 to 250cc of saline to start those muscles stretching while they're still incredibly traumatized."
You really hit the nail on the head! In my case, the PS filled me to 350/360 right out of the gate. Knowing what I know now from reading on this board (thank you ladies), I would have told him to remove some of the saline in the expanders. It pisses me off to no end that he never even offered that after I spent four nights in the hospital after the BMX in so much pain and it took that long for the nurses/docs to get my pain meds right (Lortab did nothing but make me uncoordinated and sleepy--switched me to Percocet and I could finally function!). It was four weeks after that before I would even let the PS give me any additional fills.0 -
LoriNWY - Holeeee Crap! 350cc right outa the chute?? Ow!!! I certainly don't want to scare anyone considering reconstruction if they read my frank description but I do think it helps us all to understand there's a reason for the pain and that we're not wimps. Yes, there's physical trauma and there's pain, but to me having the new girls at the end of it all was well worth it. I'm just too damn young and vibrant to be breastless. I know myself well enough to know I wouldn't handle it well. There are some incredibly strong women who do, but I'm glad I went the route I did. It's such a personal journey and every single one of us has to do what feels right for us.
Love all you lovely ladies!0 -
I had 350cc in each TE right at the start too - now I know that's not the norm. I felt pretty tight and uncomfortable, but figured part of it was post-mastectomy discomfort. I'm glad that my PS started out with that much. It really wasn't a shock to see myself the first time, especially with nipple-sparing surgery, just looked like a slightly smaller and beaten up version of my pre-MX self. They let me call the shots regarding timing of fills and always offered to remove if things were too uncomfortable. I was never in pain and once that initial tightness subsided I really didn't have discomfort during the TE phase. I'm grateful!
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Lori, that had to hurt. Even if your PS managed to spare a lot of skin you still had your pec stretched really quickly. Did you have a lot of spasms at the beginning?
Sweet, I agree. I don't think I could be so brave to go without, but there were times I almost said, "screw it." But, today when my PS told me everything looked good, and I was ready to go, it made it all worth it.0 -
goldie,
I am 5' 4" and 140 lbs. I am not sure of my rib cage measurement but I wear a 34 for bra size. My rounds were 600cc. It is difficult to say what bra size I was because I had a hard time finding bras that fit due to not have any breast crease at all. I had 36cs and 34ds mostly. I now have a breast crease made externally and internally (stitched to rib muscles). I tried my old 34d bra and it fit. My allergans are 580cc moderate height full projection. I hear the mentor anatomicals are softer than the allergans! I wish I had that available. I hope everything goes well and you are pleased. I understand the feeling of just wanting to be finished thinking about all of this. Please update us as to how your surgery went!!!
Minustwo: thank you for saying you could move them around! That makes me happy!!0 -
dlie,
I know what you are talking about the no cleavage problem, it's almost like there is one big boob. I have seen examples of it, and it has a name too, but I forget what it is. I am glad you are so much happier.
I specifically asked for the Mentor's because I heard they were softer. At first my PS said the 410's were fine, but then he said that he had people coming to him asking for the Mentor's and he changed his mind. Even the PS's having a learning curve on the new stuff that comes out, and what works best for each patient. If I was a PS I would probably drive myself crazy trying to figure out all the newest stuff, and wanting to do the best for my patients.
Yes, Minus, I too am very happy you mentioned that you can move your gummies around. Yeah!!!!0 -
Goldie....it that a "UNI-boob"?0 -
LoL, Di! Yes, a uni--boob is the best way to put it, but there is a medical name for the condition, but it's just not coming to me. Ah, maybe I should look it up.
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I think when the implants are improperly placed too close together or if they are forced in by capsular contracture it is called synmastia (uni-boob).
Seems there are quite a few recent exchanges and some coming up soon. Hope everyone does well - Happy Healing!!!
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Tina, that's the word! Thank you0 -
I had immediate reconstruction with 800 cc saline implants right after the BMX and never had muscle spasms or awful pain like some people report. Two weeks later when one of the implants was taken out (infection & necrosis) and a smaller TE put in, I had painful muscle spasms for several days even though the TE was empty. Can't imagine how much worse it would have been if the PS had added a big fill in the OR.
Having the TE was no fun but tolerable... until the last fill. NOW I know what some of you talk about. I had shooting pains underneath the TE...I think it was pressing backwards into my chest, my bottom ribs hurt a lot and I had to put lidocaine patches on my chest above the TE. Fortunately it was gone after day two. People who go through that all the time or after every fill have my admiration.
During the same time period, my saline implant has been fine, no pain or even tightness, looks natural, and feels natural and even bounces a little. If you have a choice between having a TE or just going ahead with immediate reconstruction, I say go for it. One and done!
My exchange is in 3 weeks and like everyone else, I can't wait to get this swollen oversized off-center softball off my chest. I'm nervous because the PS is changing me to gummies which will fill the divots & fit the smaller space I now have available for an implant. My good saline implant will go too for the sake of symmetry. I trust my PS and know he is doing the right thing, but I'm a little apprehensive about having heavier, firmer implants. They don't drop & fluff? Bummer.0 -
Sorry I didn't post yesterday after my pre-op PS visit. All went well, NO DRAINS for exchange. He ordered both 500cc and 550cc style 20 and 45 smooth rounds, not sure which Ill end up with just depends on fit, LOL. I am overfilled to 650cc but he said my chest muscles are extremely tight. Im sure that is due to all the heavy lifting I do at work daily. I had Nipple sparring BMX but lost one to necrosis and I was hoping he would fix it at exchange but he wants to wait until things settle. So I will have one more surgery to look forward to, NOT!0 -
I was filled 300 at surgery as well. My PS gave me a muscle relaxant to get through the first few weeks. My chest muscles were extra tight because I was doing some serious working out push ups, pull ups with my trainer prior to surgery. I am glad he did though it lessened the shock of seeing my self the first time. I was a DD and woke up with some cleavage. He knew that was important to me.0
