Exchange City
Comments
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What?????? Wow... I only had one on each side, I can't even imagine 3!
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Yes, 3 came out at one week and the other 3 at week two post-op. There were a couple times during those two weeks that I just bawled and bawled because of the discomfort from the damn drains. DH was awesome - he was the one that drained the drains and recorded the output because it turned my stomach (good thing I got over my middle school plans to be a nurse!). Seems like a long time agonow but it will only be two years this November 5.....
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Six drains?!?! I cannot even imagine. You poor thing. I only had two and that was two too many!
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Mischeif, my exchange was 6 days ago. I have to wear the breast strap for one more week (14 days in total). It is a 3 inch wide elastic band that is wore above where your nipples are or will be. So its worn fairly high up. It's annoying. I've had mine on for a week now and it is supposed to be snug. PS told me, "where it all the time for 2 weeks, no exceptions". It just kinda keeps the breasts down.
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Elizabeth, I had to have my left side filled right up until my exchange. I had a "sweating" effect happening. Kind of like a slow leak. It did not affect my results at all. I was fairly stretched enough at that point. While I was under, my PS filled that side first before she exchanged out the right side. But as I said, it didn't make one bit of difference. I had 550cc expanders and I have 700cc implants. And already I can tell that I will be pleased with my new "C" cups. I'll be posting photos in the forum soon.
Good luck!
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Thanks budrfligal, it's all so confusing, do most everyone get the strap now days or is this another thing that is at the discretion of the PS? Not that it matters I guess, I will do what ever my PS says. Good thing I trust him. I'm happy to hear you like your results. I remember reading about your "sweating", glad it all worked out okay.
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Mischief - I had NO drains and nothing wrapped up! Each Dr. is really different as you can see. Drives me batty all the differences. Ask your PS about drains - I did after I heard others here talking about them and he told me prior to surgery I would have none so hopefully yours can tell you now too.
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Elizabeth - there have been a lot of ladies here who had their exchanges after recent fills. You are not alone. I am just not one of them!
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hjpz, I love the idea of no drains! My PS mentioned using the Sientra Shaped and if he doesn't like the way they look or fit he will go with a round...I wonder if the type of implant matters.
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Mischeif,
I do not have drains either. But I have the "sloshy" boob that sounds like there is a water balloon in my chest. It is normal fluid build up that does not require a drain, as it will disappear on its own.
It's amusing though
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My exchange (4-15-13 ) was in my plastic surgeon's surgical suite in his office....went in a 7am, started at 8am, took these suckers out (pictured below) and implants put in, and was home by 10am....no drains, surgical bra (not compression type). I was awake until midnight!
took one pain pill so I would sleep and it didn't work....no other pain pills used or even..... NO tylenolI was told about 4 days before surgery, I would need a revision...for getting rid of excess skin....12 weeks after my exchange surgery. Revision #1 was PERFECT......for about 4 weeks and then swelling went down.....disappointment.
I did wear a positioning strap for 3 or 4 weeks that PS had me wear.
2nd revision on New Years Eve..... lipo fat grafting divot in cleavage side of upper pole, 5 holes in my upper foob for grafting and nipples "installed"....one nip stayed and one is flat....we talked about revision number 3 for nips (I am leaning towards having them cut off) a "floppy" FOOB (I hated that my PS said that!) fixed but have been putting it off.
Take care ladies.
MY used & deflated tissue expanders:
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interesting to see them used lol that is m concern how they will look after swelling goes down so disappointing o hear you are not happy with that. How much did they go down? Did your PS say she should have used a higher volume one or what was the reason they didn't use it? How did you get excess skin? Is it because the TE got too big?
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there's has been some posts in the final size after exchange topic regarding size if your interested in seeing that too. I really want to learn more about exchange size so would really love o hear more people's inputs on this. The first post explains what information is needed that will assist others in their decisions along with what is recommended by whippetmom who is awesome !
https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44/topic/823221?page=1#idx_26
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I also had no drains and no breast strap for the exchange.
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I don't think it is the type of implant - at least in my PS case. He told me he doesn't really do drains anymore. He is quite young (35ish) so sometimes I think that comes in handy for me because he is so willing to veer away from some of the old norms.
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Stfne
Wishing you an easy time of it!!!!
Babs
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Elizabethlaw don't freak out! My PS is one of the most respected ones in my area and I have seen her work and talked to her patients. You can fill til the end don't worry!
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hipjz - just another example of what sometimes seems to be polar opposites with our various PSs! My PS is older (well, late 50s, which no longer seems old at all to me!) and in his younger days did NOT use drains very often. He became a believer a number of years ago after hearing one of the top breast reconstruction surgeons in the country at a seminar speak about it.
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just had my exchange done yesterday. No drains, no strap, same incisions. I do have a surgical bra on that I need to wear until my follow up in a week but it doesn't feel too tight. I'm not jn any pain but probably still feeling the effects of anesthisia. My armpits feel soooooo much better!!!!! This surgery was nothing like BMX!
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Yay Stfne! I'm so happy for you!
Susan
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YAY!!!!! So glad it went well for you!
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stfne- yippee! So glad to hear it went well for you. Gives me a sense of calm about what to expect in a few months
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stfne, great news! Happy to hear about the underarm pain. That was the worst for me after the BMX. Keep us posted!
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That's awesome, Stfne! That makes me feel less anxious about mine next week.
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Congrats Stfne!
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Stfne - congrats on the exchange and so glad that you are feeling so good. Still waiting to schedule my date - I see my PS on the 18th and will be scheduling then - I am hoping that it can be mid September.
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Stfne- right there with you!! Big hugs!!
Ally
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Drains seem to be more about defensive medicine, theory and some anecdotal evidence. When I was doing my research for BMX I fell on research about drains. It turns out that the research seems to point in the direction that the outcomes( ie. seromas, pockets of fluid etc etc) of using or not using drains are relatively the same. One is not significantly better than the other but I think there is a theoretical piece to it that the PS's can't get rid of ... The idea being that pulling that initial fluid out produced by the tissues will help with healing and preventing seroma's and possibly infection. That is why some PS's use them for initial surgery AND for exchange and some don't use them for either and some use them for one but not the other. All I know is I was grateful not to have them with my exchange cause coming out those three hurt like a b**** for a few min! Stfne...It will only get better with each week! Good luck!
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What puzzles me about the drains is why they hurt some people a lot when they come out and not at all others. I was one of the lucky ones. The PS's PA pulled one out for me, and I felt nothing. I was braced for pain, but felt nothing at all. When the second drain was ready, I called to ask if I could pull it myself. The PA said that was fine, so I had my mom film me removing it. Must have been the drugs!
I thought it was pretty cool. The only problem I had was dumping fluid on my carpet!0 -
Hi Olaf! BS is Jennifer Reed, PS is Theodor Uroskie. Love both of them. Who are yours?
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