Exchange City
Comments
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julieped - I swear that the journey from TEs to implants is such a relief. You're going to love the squishie side of life - and you get your armpits back!
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julieped - you'll be fine. If you do have pain after the exchange it's typically quite minimal, just depends on the amount of pocket work or anything else your PS needs to do while he/she's in there. If you feel great after it do be careful, though, and don't over do it. Even though you don't have pain you've still got both internal and external healing that need to happen. Good luck and keep us posted!
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I can't wait to get my armpits back. They drive me crazy!
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yes, like the armpits! Once the rest is healed it should be easy from here on out!
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omg - when I think back to my first attempt at shaving my pits after BMX I can almost laugh out loud! I had such limited ROM and the armpit cave was so bad there were absolutely no flat spots for the razor to work well anyway.....lol! I guess that's just one of those things that I'll never, ever take for granted again - the ability to raise my arm over my head and have a flat enough armpit to get a close shave.....YAY!!
Amazing how this shitty disease changes our perspective, eh?
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Well, sign me up for surgery #4. I saw the PS this morning and will find out my date tomorrow or Monday. He says it will be the first or second week of March. It will be to try to fix the muscles damaged by infection 5 months ago (after the BMX) with muscle Z-plasties and do fat grafting under my arm and on the left side of my chest to give the thin skin some padding and cover the bad rippling. He is not sure if the reduced scope of these procedures will be enough and is afraid he might have to use the LD flap to reconstruct the damage after all later, but says it's such a "big operation", I might have a tough recovery like surgery #3. He wants to try this other idea first.
On one hand, I'd like to have this all over with and would like him to do to the "sure thing" with the LD flap now instead of dragging it out and having to have it anyway later, but on the other hand, if I can get away with a smaller procedure, I guess it's worth a try.
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Anybody else not feel that much different post exchange from TEs? I had gotten used to my TEs and other than them feeling hard when I touched them and having trouble side-sleeping, my implants still have a feeling of tightness 3 weeks post exchange today. I can 'feel' them in there and always have the sensation on the sides that it is my bra poking and I need to adjust it. I think it is the edges of the implant I feel. They are better than the TEs, but not the huge relief I expected.
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Im a bit the same- because my te werent too horrible I feel better now but no huge sigh of relief. Im not as tight, and they are overall smaller and a bit softer. I dont think about them most of the time, even after 4 weeks only. Once theyre tweaked I think itll be good.
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Hi Ladies Im new to this page and am about to go for my exchange in 5 days time, Have to say I am terrified , I had right mx back in 2011 with immediate recon (TE) I did not have to have fills as I am a small B and PS filled my TE while having my mx, I was very pleased with result although they were quite uncomfortable and have become like rocks since rads, I am scheduled to have teardrop implant with a fat transfer to the right to fill in any gaps and an uplift to the non bc side because it is droppy so at the moment the symetry between them is quite differant, I do want to have better symetry but am terrified of the possibility of things going wrong and regretting doing this , if any of you have any encouragement /advice I could really use it right now ,
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summergirl- keep in mind that a lot of those that post are having problems and need assurances and help. I felt the same way before I had the TEs put in. Was this the right thing to do. Haven't had any serious problems and it hasn't been that bad. Everybody deals with the stress differently. I'd say go with your gut and do what's right for you. Hang in there, it does get better.
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Smarty really is smart! LOL. Most have few if any problems. Even myself. I had so many issues with the TES it is still surprising to me that my exchange was textbook ! LOL you just need to take a deep breath and just go with the flow.
Sandy I am glad they are working with you. I hope this one will do it.
Aviva I hope they continue to settle in.
CJ. I am sorry it's taking you a while to get settled in. Perhaps it's because your chest muscles were strong and you feel it more. Mine were so flabby I think I only feel my squishies when actually exercise with my upper body. LOL
Much love to all.
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I've been reading this board but haven't posted in awhile. My exchange was 12/17/13 and while I do need a revision to fix pocket issues and couple other things I too am very aware of my implants. They feel heavy on my chest. Soft but defiantly there. Kinda hard to explain. I hope that changes.
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Sweets - I remember trying to shave my arm pits as well... I tried every other day and each day I said "how in the heck do you get this hair out of here" LOL... I thought I would never get that range again. How about the cold? when I get cold (like yesterday filling up my vehicle) my foobs contracted soooo much I felt like I had TE's in again. Something I suspect I will get use to in time. My left side incision is healing slowly which is concerning my flw up is next Tues. and I am hoping to hear "It looks good" from my ps.
HAPPPY FRIDAY
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Re: Do you feel your implants? I have a foot in both camps. I'm exactly 2 months past my exchange. The right side is perfect. I don't feel it at all. That's the side that has never given me any trouble. Back in August, it accepted the BMX with immediate permanent implants with no complaint, no muscle spasms, not much discomfort, healed nicely, and looked good for the three months I had it. When the implant was changed in December, the only pain was from the pocket work to revise the pocket for the new kind of implant. The right side again healed nicely and has not contributed any drama. Even though it was changed from a round to a much taller anatomical gummy bear, I don't notice the implant.
My other side is a different story. I feel the left every day, all the time, sometimes even when I'm sitting still it will make sure I know it's there with little twinges or aches. That's the side that got the infection, got operated on again, lost the implant, and had the TE put in so I'm sure that has something to do with it. Healing after the exchange took forever and even though both sides had new implants, if I lifted something as light as a magazine, the left pec muscle complained loudly and painfully. I had several set backs (mostly due to my own stupid actions) and had muscle tears & black and blue spots on top of the implant to deal with during the first month. It's better at 2 months, but not what I'd hoped for. My left side did not bring the rush of relief so many report.
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Sandra4611
Thanks for sharing. Sometimes I think mine are just too large (almost up to my collar bone). I'm confident with my 2nd opinion PS and will follow his advise once I'm ready for a revision. Just so tired now -- need a rest before another surgery.
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Hello Ladies,
I am hoping that someone can provide me with an answer to my question. As l am about to lose it. Long story short. I had bilateral mastectomy 8 months ago with immediate reconstruction. My exchange was on Monday with silicone implants 610cc round. I complained about the tissue expanders feeling tight and uncomfortable but then it seemed to subside when the saline injections stopped. All this time l was waiting for exchange and couldn't wait only to have my chest tighter than the tissue expanders were. Is this possible? I also have 4 drainage tubes in me. It feels very tight across my chest and sides, tissue expanders did not even remotely feel this way. Am l going to live with this, please tell me not. I am ready to slice open my breast right now and remove them. Please tell me this tightness is going to go soon and it's common or normal and that my breathing won't be effected and what can l take to relieve this tightness. I do not take narcotics, is there something else. Please Please someone tell me what is this that l am feeling.
Thank you.
Jenna
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So sorry Jenna...I do not have any words except, hugs!
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Jenna, I had my exchange last Friday, a week ago, and the pain was really bad. I have to tell you that the pain is going away, nit as fast as i wanted but today i was able to walk my dogs, with no pain killers.
Give them some time. Surgeries and pain in general is not something we are used to. I have noticed that the sleep helpes me and I get better each day.
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Jenna, You are probably still really swollen from surgery. And since you have drains in yet that is even more swelling. If however you are running a fever call your PS. If the stitches are red and or hot please call your PS. Hugs. Hang in there and give yourself time.. Much love.
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Jenna,
Your PS may have put in larger implants than your TEs....LET YOUR PS KNOW ON MONDAY!
The implants will drop some and swelling will go down....
give it some time
then if you still have pain.........get a second opinion.
Gentle hugs,
Di
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Jenna - I am sorry this is happening to you. It seems too early to tell what is going on. You need to take non-narcotic pain meds, or at least Advil or similar to get relief. I too think something about the size...was 610 your native size?
Sandra - You have been so brave through this whole unlucky situation. I am sending a hug and a prayer that #4 be your last surgery.
Headeast - So good to hear you are doing better!
Everyone - Need opinions please.
A little shoulder pain after my exchange on 12/27 keeps growing. Surgery went fine, I had no complaints. At first, I assumed the little pain I had was related to inflammation and exchange. But at follow-up, PS said any progressive pain should be evaluated by MO and that my pain was not exchange-related. I went to MO this week who said we will get an MRI but emphasized that during the surgery my rotator cuff may have been torn. The repair will mean another pretty involved surgery. The pain now requires medication on some days, and wakes me up as well. Because I am concerned about the possibility of bone mets, my hope is that the MRI will show damage to my shoulder but... has anyone heard of such thing? Can one be "moved around" under anesthesia to point of injury? Thanks, Nisa
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Jenna
Sorry you are going through this. The best advice I received from this site was to know we are not alone and for most of us the time following exchange can be one of the most emotional during this journey and .... to give your body a few months to heal, change and settle. I hope the tightness is temporary.
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nissa, wow. Never heard of that but that doesn't mean it can't happen. If you have access to Physical Therapy try to go. Sometimes they can massage around the arm to relieve some of the pain from the rotator cuff. Mine (pain) shows up about halfway down the outside of my arms between shoulder and elbow. She taught me to massage it gently and it really helps. Much love
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Hey all. I had my exchange in June, three months and one day after the BMX. Although I thought it was a breeze, then the narcotics wore off. Anyway, it did seem to be better than the BMX, but I suffered pain and discomfort for quite awhile. So now it has been 8 months, but I still feel that muscle tighness when I move a certain way. I have returned to lifting weights, but have yet to have the courage to do a push up in all this time. I am just sharing for others...
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Thank you Ladies for your reply. I appreciate it very much. I don't feel as much pain, because the issue as l had mentioned is the tightness. It feels like l am wearing a vice around me. When l had the TE in l never experienced this. It hasn't let down at all. It's very uncomfortable to think that l will have to live with this feeling. It's really tight. Now, having said all this, is it possible and has it been down as l heard it has, that they can just remove my implants and l don't want anything in there now. I want my life back withouth the tightness l am experiencing. Can they do this right away, does anyone know pleast tell me. Thank you,
Hugs to all the women,
jenna
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jenna,
Before you go through another surgery, PLEASE ask your doctor about this OR get a second opinion from a different PS. Many women here have had great relief from physical therapy AND/OR scar release therapy. (Myofascial Release.) My PS wrote me a script for this for some areas of pain that were not resolving. But they ended up going away after 4 months (before I scheduled any therapy).
I am so sorry you are in such discomfort!!!
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Jenna....just to encourage you.....I still have TE's, and for weeks, the tightness was unbearable. My range of motion was small, and I always had pain. After 1 week with a PT, my ROM went from 90 degrees to 165 degrees in my arms. I still felt tight, but not at 90....instead, at 165. It has gotten progressively better, but I still regress because of the TE fills. I have a lot of fear that this won't be gone completely after exchange, but reading here, it sounds like everyone fears that. Just TRY a good physical therapist who can do myofascial release.....preferably one who specializes in Breast cancer reconstruction. Good luck....hang in there. We are all here for you!!
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Jenna, I felt like a band was so tightly squeezing me around my ribs and back, especially at night. Pain medication was very helpful and over time the feeling lessened until it was completely gone. I hope you have relief soon!
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Still have tight breasts every day or two for awhile. I'm 2 months out from the exchange.
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