Exchange City
Comments
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I have allergen style 20. 750 cc... Just a question- why have so many people switched from style 20 to another kind of implant??
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I'm switching to anatomicals because my 20s look too round on my chest; like grapefruit halves under my skin. PS thinks I'll like them better.
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I switched to the 410's because of the amount of rippling I had
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Are anatomicals same as gummy bears?
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love to have advice from any of you ladies - I have not yet had my swap out surgery - about to get third fill next week and then a 4th one and then swap in November I think - allergan silicone smooth wall is what we discussed - i had been a 34 small C cup naturally - years prior was a 34C/D but lost some weight and they shrunk... i only will have rt implant and left breast life (my own),, advice welcome, and how does it feel to get expander OUT!!!
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At my pre-op PS thought he would be going with Allergen 410. Since I'm a uni he thought that would most closely resemble my natural breast.
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Sparkle, it feels so good to have that hard backed expander out! For me, it was like night and day!
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Frostecat, it looks like we're having our surgery on the same day. A week and a half to go. It's countdown time!
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Andrea - yes we are. You look like you've been through a few more than me. I just posted on the March Surgery Sisters board, how I have decided to proceed with liposuction too that my PS is encouraging me to do for fat grafting. So I've got a little more down time with the lift/exchange and lipo.
Got all of my pills yesterday, need to go through the cupboard to see if I have all of the dressings I am going to need. I am very nervous and excited both. I think I'm more nervous this time around knowing what I'm in for, unlike the last time when I was oblivious.
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Frostecat, it will be a lot easier than the MX. Recovery is quicker and not as traumatic. I'm having scar tissue removed from rads, my rounds swapped out for anatomicals, and fat grafting done. I think we'll both be a bit sore and bruised for a while. We can compare notes!
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I have been reading a lot about not lifting our arms above your head after exchange but I was not told that. I haven't been doing much but tried in a bunch of clothes and sometimes reach for things. What is the concern for not reaching over our heads besides being sore a bit?
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Hi. I just had my exchange yesterday and feeling great. I have Allergan shaped 595cc. So far they don't seem too big. I have one drain on each side. Pain meds are great but make me so tired. Just one sore spot but other than that much much better than I thought!
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babyo20,
Reachingbefore you are healed can affect internal healing, like stitching/pocket work. Similar as with the original mastectomy, there are things healing inside that you can't see, and you also don't want to pull the incisions. So, many of the same restrictions apply though for a different time period usually. I would not worry that you have done any harm, I would just try and be cautious the first couple weeks. I have read stories from a couple women that reached or something suddenly and popped or pulled an internal suture.
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I wouldnt raise my arms too high right after- tho you might be physically able to. and you cannot lift more than 5 lb or so for 2 weeks- whatever your Drs insturctions are. But overall the exchange is waaaaay easier than bmx or mx, for most of us anyway...almost no comparison.
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Congrats KGSN! Keep us updated and get lots of rest
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Darriea and Mischief,
I have Sientra shaped round base 425. I will be coming up on 2 months next week. Am happy with the results. I have pictures in the picture forum.
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I had my exchange surgery 3 weeks ago and I still have tightness in my sternum and a couple of inches on either side (cleavage area). Did anyone else have that? Will it get better over time? Also, when I over use my arms and pecs, I get that extra clenching tightness. She did cram in 100cc more silicone than what my TEs were filled to. I have smooth round silicone Allergan Style 20 550cc.
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Julie- I had my exchange 3 days after you and I still feel a lot of tightness overall especially when I first get up in the am but also at random times during the day and then other times it feels relaxed. I guess it's the pecs adjusting. I'm also getting zingers in my cleavage area and I feel pulling sometimes on the outer areas near the armpits where I know she did a lot of pocket work. I'm trying to not overuse my arms and take it easy but it's hard because it feels so much better than after the MX and I think I'm totally fine but then am reminded by a pull or a sudden pain that I'm not.. Patience, I keep telling myself.. Sigh.
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Olaf, thanks I will head over there and have a peek. Exchange is next week..getting nervous.
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Julie - I had tightness for months after my exchange. I thought there would be a huge difference from the TE's so I was a little disappointed. Not everyone has that "instant relief" feeling so just know that it is normal
I am 5 months out and still only feel comfortable with some support. Not sure if it is because I am small in stature and they weigh a lot or what the difference is from some others?? Hang in there!0 -
For those who had fat grafting, tell me about the compression garment. Is it heavy? Does it affect the fit of your clothing? Was it difficult getting it up and down when you had to use the bathroom? I live in jeans and was wondering if they'll be uncomfortable with the garment. What should I wear to the hospital too? When I had my previous exchanges, my lower body was never touched, so I could wear whatever I wanted on the bottom, but I'm not sure what to expect after the fat grafting.
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Julie, I would have to totally agree with Hipz but I am only 2 months out.
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Thanks, ladies, the tightness is better than the first week but I kept reading about that instant Ahhhh feeking. So I was surprised that I'm still feeling it. There is no real pain except the occasional zinger that Ninany described.
Andrea, I was supposed to have fat grafting with my exchange for a dent but she had to biopsy something so she didn't. She was able to fix the dent anyway and the biopsy was benign (Yay!) Will the hospital provide the garmet or did they say you had to purchase something in particular? I think it also depends on where they take the fat from. I think most just have some taken from the abdomen but others also have fat taken from the thighs. I think some people wear thick garments while others have worn lighter things like spanx. You'll have to ask your ps. I had planned on wearing something similar to a maternity belt like this but I never asked the PS because it was called off beforehand:
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For fat grafting I woke up in a velcroed wrapper but it didn't fit well and chafed at the top, and kept riding up. My surgery was on a Friday, so called the PS on Monday and was told I could switch to Spanx. My donor area was the abdomen, and most people do have swelling, so even with just a Spanx you may not be comfortable in jeans initially.
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Thanks, Julie and SpecialK! He said he'd be taking some from the thighs and flanks. His nurse measured my waist and hips for a compression garment, so I'm not sure what it'll be exactly. My surgery is on a Tuesday, so hopefully if I hate the compression garment, I can buy some spanx instead. I hate even wearing tights, cause I have a thick waist, so this should be interesting.
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Andrea - just an FYI - I had to wear mine for 8 weeks, 24 hours a day. That means to sleep in too - the only time I was not in mine was in the shower. Needless to say, I took some loonnngggg showers.
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My exchange is Oct. 3, and at my last fill on Thursday, my PS told me she wants to do fat grafting. I imagine she'll take it from my abdomen. Is the compression garment really hot? Seven years after my prophylactic ooph, I still have hot flashes from hell. She told me I could take it off at night to sleep. I'm stressing more about that compression garment than about the surgery!
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I won't be getting my exchange till somethime in December. In a perfect world, I'd love to have it done the week between Christmas and New Years so I can work my busy season. I'm trying to decide how much time I'll need to take off work. I'm a hairstylist, it's all arms and upper body. After reading Julie, ninany and hipz posts I'm thinking I'll need 2 1/2 to 3 weeks. What do you all think?
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SpecialK, 24 hours a day for 8 weeks? Guess I'll be taking long showers too! How long were you bruised and sore?
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I still have a little deep raw feeling on the side of my right tissue expander. I had this one removed for 3 months then replaced. Will it intensity after the exchange? Is it my new normal.
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