Exchange City
Comments
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Sandra - I guess I am worrying about capsular contraction. Not sure what that feels like. I think I'm going to call tomorrow and see if I can get in and have PS check it out to put my mind at ease.
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Mimi,
I wore the positioning strap post exchange to push 'em down
It was Design Veronique #510-3 (www.designveronique.com)
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Good decision CJ....I hope your Dr is able to tell you what to expect the next several weeks. Reading all of these posts helps me to put questions in my memory bank for my Dr. whenever he agrees to do my surgery that is.
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Hi Di2012
Yes! This is the one! How long did you wear it and how did it work?
Thx!
Mimi
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my exchange was 10.5 months ago....I think I wore the strap for 2-3 weeks.....it helped the implants move out of the upper pole area....
I had lots extra skin, which PS said the exchange would NOT make a difference in that problem I was told prior to exchange that I would need at least one revision.....had 2 revisions....I hope my last will be end of March or April...but for now Hubby & I will enjoy our 10 day cruise from LA to Mexico, & the warm sunshine...need to finish packing....leaving Friday for San Pedro, CA.....and forget about my foobs & wonky nips for a while.
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Thank you Di...that helps alot..
Enjoy your cruise! What a winter its been
Mimi
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Di...enjoy your cruise. We had to cancel our cruise back in December because I was going through chemo treatment, but we do have one planned for January 2015 on the Quantum of the Seas. I can't wait. Hopefully with having my exchange surgery on April 9th and 3D tattoos sometime in October, I will feel good on the cruise and can have a good time with my husband.
Enjoy!!!
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Sandra...You didn't scare me at all. I just wanted a ballpark figure on how much time I needed to be off from work. I am just soooo very tired of the TEs and having to take Valium all the time. I am going to need some liposuction on both sides. I don't know if that makes any difference in my recovery time. But I need to stop worrying about that.
The Valium makes me look tired, but with no eyelashes, wearing a wig, I guess I do come off looking strange. I am so sick and tired of people telling me how tired I look. I think I look pretty well considering all the poison that has been pushed into my body and all the surgeries. I think some people just don't know what to say.
One thing I have learned is to stop pushing myself. I did in the beginning after having the mastectomy and I paid dearly for it. All I did was cry because I needed pain pills all the time because of thinking I could still do normal things around the house. Thank goodness my husband made me sit down and had to tell me to stop trying to be Superwoman.
Thanks for your advice, I appreciate it very much
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Thanks Mimi, I will check out that forum. Interestingly, my grandson calls me Mimi...lol
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Seeing my PS in the morning to see what this hardened area is at the bottom of my right implant. Hoping its not cap contracture. Will let you all know.
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cjc1961 - It really doesn't sound like capsular contracture, so maybe it's just some weird Alloderm thing... Good luck!
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Hi Shorfi...
Absolutely good advice, you have a wise hubbie...this is nit a time to be Superwoman!
It's my grandma name too!! (I am a step Grandma)
Rest...stay well..
Mimi
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Keep us posted cjc, I'd be curious to see what he says. I am thinking he may just recommend massage
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My exchange surgery is in 4 weeks. When I asked my PS what to expect in terms of recovery, he said "a long weekend." To me, this means that after 4 days or so, I should be able to do whatever I want, since I have asked him this MANY times and he has given me the same answer. BUT, after reading so many posts from all of you, I am seeing that you have weeks of restrictions. I am concerned that he isn't going to give me any restrictions when I should have them.....or that he isn't going to mention them until the day of surgery!
So, I'll ask all of you.....are you able to lift your arms above your head after surgery? Should I plan to be back in button-down shirts? For how long? How about things like getting groceries, driving, etc. Am I going to be able to reach up and grab the hatch of my mini-van? Carry gallons of milk? Can I exercise? What should I expect in terms of pain?
Thanks for all of your wisdom....I don't know what I would do without all of you. I often think of my mom, who died in the 80's of breast cancer. She had no reconstruction options, a more "radical" mastectomy than is common today, nobody to talk to, no support. I cannot imagine. I am just so grateful for you all.
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mmbeck: You will have stitches that need to heal even if it turns out to be a simple matter of "popping in" implants. No - don't lift your arms above your shoulders. Yes go back to button down shirts or step in camis. I'd say you could start gradually phasing in after 2 weeks but not before your 1 week post op doc visit. No lifting for the same time - so no carrying groceries. Buy the 1/2 gal milk - or send someone else to the store - or have someone else unload the car if the grocery store loads it. Exercise should be similar to easy stretches after BMX but probably not for a week. Transition slowly. Walking is good. I had a drain on each side for 9 days so that was another issue. I only took pain meds for 2 days, but I have a very high pain tolerance. I did have a problem with nausea from the antibiotics - three different kinds. Really glad my grown son was here to call doc & keep running to drug store to try different RX. I spent all my time lying in front of the porcelain throne for 2 days.
That said - you'll do fine. Just don't push yourself.
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mnmbeck..I agree with minustwo, I had my exchange 2/17 and I was able to finally blow dry my hair the last few days. Anything that activates your pec muscles which for me was about a pound, has to be avoided for several weeks while sutures heal. This also allows the pec muscle to relax enough to "accept" the implants into the pocket. I drove yesterday but turning the wheel was hard, it pulled, a lot. I am usually very active and this is difficult but i do walk on the treadmill everyday just to move. I feel way better every day and if my job did not involve lifting and driving I would feel good about two weeks off. You want to avoid a revision if you can, the only way to do this is to heal right by taking your time.
Excited for you !!
Mimi
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My PS said no lifting more than 10 pounds for 2 weeks. No exercise for the same.
I would avoid the pulling action for closing the back hatch based on personal experience.
You may very well feel good enough to do everything, but there are internal/external stitches that need time to heal. I went back to work after one week but just made sure I did not lift. And I'm only part time.
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cjc...Wishing you the best and keep us posted.0 -
My PS said I would have no drains and could go back to work in 2 weeks. He will be doing some liposuction. I feel like I have pillows under each arm and so tired of feeling like that.
Mimi...so glad you are feeling well enough to blow dry your hair. I wish I had hair to even comb...lol...but it's coming back, but white!!! I always colored my hair black. Fortunately, I have a job where I can sit behind my desk and relax.
Minustwo...I did terrible with vomiting after my mastectomy. I hope I don't have that problem with the exchange.
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I'm hoping someone has had some experience like mine and can give me some advice.....
I had my exchange surgery a week and a half ago. I have Mentor smooth high round silicone implants, 350. I had skin and nipple sparing BMX, cancer on left side and prophylactic on the right. My tumor was very small but for some reason after diagnosis the nipple on the left side seemed to pull away a little towards the arm. I knew that wouldn't change after the exchange, was told so by my PS. After exchange surgery, each breast looks quite different. The cancer side is lower and slightly smaller. The right is higher and rounder and has more of a fake boob look on the top which I was trying to avoid. The PS knew I wanted more of a natural look on top and we had over expanded on top with the TEs to try to achieve that.
Unfortunately at my one week follow up he was called away and I met with the partner. I do have some rippling on the cancer side....not worried about that. But he said it looked good. Both doctors said no bra, no massage, nothing. But I'm getting more and more concerned about the size difference and each nipple is in a different position and direction. My next appointment is in four weeks. Is it better to wait the next four weeks and see if anything changes or should I be concerned about trying to do something to correct it now? The differences aren't horrible but it's not what I was expecting.... I removed a healthy breast partly so that I would, in essence, match and now I feel like I gave up something for nothing. I hate myself for thinking that way and I wasn't expecting perfection but the PS (who I love) never warned me about any of this so I was very unprepared.
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Shorfi - ask to talk to the anesthesiologist before the surgery and tell him you want a scop patch (scopolamine). It was absolutely a miracle for me after exchange surgery.
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Thanks Minus...I sure will.0 -
PamelaC47 - Hi and welcome! It's still very early for you to be this worried (and this coming from the queen of overanalyzation). I just hit nine weeks post exchange and my foobs (smooth Mentor HP rounds) have changed a lot and yours will too! I also had two foobs that looked completely different at the beginning and I was so disappointed... But now, they've dropped (albeit at VERY different rates of speed
) and are starting to round out more. You don't realize it quite yet - I know I didn't - but you're still swollen in places you don't even realize and that generally takes quite a bit of time to go away. I also have nipples that point in two different directions, but until everything is done settling into place, I'm going to try to ignore them for now. So take a big deep breath and step away from the mirror! You'll be amazed at the changes your new girls will make in the next few days / weeks... Good luck to you!0 -
shorfi, there's also a pill they can give you just before you go in. I get the patch also, but apparently it's not enough anymore. Good luck.
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Saw PS this morning. The hard area at bottom of right breast is tissue swelling. She showed me in the mirror the orange peel look of the skin and at 6 weeks out, this is very normal. She also explained that it will go down at night then form again once I am up and around. What a relief!!! It can take up to three months for this to resolve. Thankful it isn't anything to worry about.
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AZ85048, I'm so grateful for your reply. That's exactly what I needed to hear, thank you so much! I'm a huge worrier, but the funny thing is I never worried at any stage up until now....I guess because I'm at the final product stage it's a lot more anxiety provoking! Thanks again
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cjc1961 - YAY! I've never heard of that particular condition, but then as I recall (and forgive me if I'm wrong) but you got some pretty good sized implants. So maybe it has to do a little with weight and volume...? Regardless, it's GOOD NEWS! You have to be so relieved....
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PamelaC47 - Anytime, girl, anytime.... We're all worried and scared about something, so I'm glad I could help a little.
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Pamela,
It's WAY too early to judge the outcome of your surgery. Over the next three or four months you will change quite a bit. At the beginning where you are, the shape of your implants and their location on your chest changes so quickly. I'm three months ahead and you and I would say I've just now settled down (I think...we'll see.
) Your healing journey will also depends on what kind of implants you have, what size they are, and how your body adapts to them. We are all different. I did not bounce back quickly like nearly everyone else or like I did with two previous surgeries. Relax. What will be will be. 0 -
CJC,
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