Exchange City
Comments
-
Frostecat, I'm so glad your doing better and that you didn't rip anything! You have to feel relieved now. I'm still very tired and my back to work day is supposed to be October 1. My PS is out of the country on a medical mission till October 6, so I'm a bit worried about going back next week.
Pilates, I pulled a "Sandra" yesterday too. I have two Alaskan malamutes, who are blowing their coats right now. Well. I thought what harm could brushing them out do? Ha, now I have a burning pain on both sides, so today is definitely a take it easy day for me. I love brushing my dogs and playing with them and have missed doing it, but who knew that would overdo it?
0 -
Hi Ladies. I haven't been on here in months. It's nice to catch up on everyone's journey. Going back to work FT, 3 kids in school & sports, and all the annoying BC appointments doesn't leave much time & energy for this wonderful forum. I have my exchange surgery on 9/29 & I'm so looking forward to getting rid of these TE rocks! It's reassuring to hear your stories & suggestions. Thx to this forum, I learned about myofascial release massage for my radiated breast. Made the fills on that side more tolerable. I need to post photos on the forum but find it a hassle to log on. Maybe I can work on it when I'm home next week. What's the standard recovery time after the exchange? A week?
Gracielou - I'm in Minnetonka so we're fairly close.
Wishing you all well!
0 -
Hi Jill! Congratulations on getting your exchange date. It's going to be such a relief to get rid of those awful TEs. In regard to time off, when I had my first exchange, I had a month off. The second exchange was just to my radiated side, to remove the encapsulated tissue and switch to a smaller implant. I had 10 days off for that one. My last exchange was bilateral, and I have 3 weeks off, but feel like I could use one more week. Don't rush your recovery, you really need the time to heal. Hope that helps some!
0 -
Hi ladies, I had my exchange surgery with fat grafting yesterday. All went well but didn't get good instructions from the recovery room nurses on what I can and cannot do. I have a follow up appt with my PS tomorrow so I will find out what my limitations are. In the meantime, I guess I won't do anything except take meds & sleep.
0 -
Congratulations, Grammy! Okay, you're fresh out of surgery, just rest and keep up on your pain meds. It's so much easier to stay on top of the pain than to wait till it's really bad. No stretching to reach for things, no picking up anything heavier than a gallon of milk. Drink plenty of fluids, load up on proteins, and just take it easy.
0 -
Thank you Andrea623, That is exactly what I am doing. Hope you feel better also.
0 -
Jill, you never know how a recovery from exchange will go no matter how many times you've had surgery. But you can make the assumption that you will be like the majority and will be feeling good after a week or two. It took me a full 4 weeks and I was not prepared for that. Read about the emotional side of exchange recovery on the thread Breast Implant Sizing 101. It's in the header, but not until further down so keep scanning until you find that paragraph.
Hi Grammy, my fellow St. Petersburg girl. You've gotten good advice. Do NOTHING. Let your body concentrate on healing by sleeping and staying away from pain. I could not have picked up a gallon of milk...probably not a half gallon either. Just because you CAN, doesn't mean you have to try to do it.
I'm cracking up with you all saying you pulled a "Sandra." Never thought I'd be known for utter stupidity. Here's something else to make you giggle.
0 -
Where's the "like" feature! Sandra that cartoon was more than a giggle! Hilarious! Love it!
0 -
Olaf, there's many times I wish we had the "like" feature! Maybe I'm in Facebook too much!
Sanda, that was hilarious!
0 -
My Exchange Surgery is coming up. Oct 2nd. Sounds like I will be coming out of the fog by the 4th, my birthday. What a gift to myself to have another step on this return to "somewhat normal" behind me. Feeling angst but no crazy emotional wreckage! No longer having the rush of emotions coming at me - because of associating the Exchange surgery with the BMX surgery. Crossed that off the list over the last two weeks. As usual the ladies on this forum like the March Sisters forum have been delightfully therapeutic as ever.
0 -
Sandra - LOVE it!!!
Sailon - good to see you !! We have come a long way. Hope your exchange goes as easy as mine has so far. And an early Happy Birthday.
I am feeling good - achy, but not pain but I know I had surgery as I tire easily.
grammy - hope your are feeling good.
0 -
Good one Sandra! Sailon glad to hear your exchange is so close, it is a relief to get it over with. Linda, I'm 10 days ahead of you and still taking a daily nap, and I am not a napper, so pretty pooped still. I was under anesthesia way longer than what was expected though, so I'm thinking that is the culprit.
0 -
Andrea--How are you feeling? Just wanted to check in on you.
Sandra, that made my day! Quickly followed by my preteen daughter modeling my prosthesis on her head--maybe you had to be there for that. At least now that I have had my exchange I don't have to worry about finding it after she's decided to put it to alternative uses. It makes getting ready in the morning that much easier!
0 -
Linda505 and Frostecat -- good to hear from you. I like your comment about Exchange and BMX being like night and day. Good to hear. Napping is good on any day -- so I look forward to lots of that to put the surgery behind me. I am happy to hear that your recoveries are going well. We have been through a lot. A LOT. I look forward to 2014 being a distant memory. Only time will allow that -- and clean living!! HA HA. Headed into the City - San Francisco --for an early birthday celebration this weekend. Dinner, Theater, Giants Game -- DH is the absolute best. I am lucky to have him and all of you. I am online with Juliecc on Facebook and Footballnut too. She has just finished lots of Chemo and is doing so well -- soo positive. Sandra's comics and spirit continue to be the best. Deep Breath one more large hurdle --
xo Sailon (Linda)
0 -
Smilinkar, I related to your post. Even though I knew this all in my mind, for some reason, it has just now popped up on my head that I will be starting all over with recovery. I had surgery July 14, 2014 and had TE at the time. I had my last fill this month and now, have to wait until probably December to have the exchange. So, of course from July until just recenlty, no lifting. I have a grandson that turned 1 in August and he really seems to notice that everybody but me picks him up. I had UMX so really only had to be careful with the one side but now, if I do agree to the lift, I won't be able to do even as much as I could before orig. surgery. I want this over and felt sure I was glad I did the reconstruction but now, I"m thinking maybe I made a big mistake. I had just now been able to sleep a little on the good side, and now, there will be no good side for who knows how long. I guess this is one of those damned if you do and damned if you don't deals. Want this done by end of year for deduct. and changing insurance and just because I want it done but I'm thinking its like starting all over again.
0 -
Hey Sailon - look for me on angie's friends list - Linda Schaner and send me a friend request please. i am FB friends with about 5 of the women from here - kind of nice to see other life things from them!!
0 -
Pilates, I am doing better, thanks for asking! My rads side still is cranky, but it has been for a long time. I'm trying to be a little more cautious about using my arms. Seems like I always have to learn my lessons the hard way!
I was laughing when you said your daughter has creative ways to use your prosthesis. You should've taken a picture!
I have to admit, I'm not really looking forward to going back to work next Wednesday. Just blow drying and straightening my hair exhausts me.
0 -
well I hope the rad side decides to calm a bit. My rad side is definitely taking its own sweet time getting with the program. Doing it, but.....
Maybe the answer for you may be to use epic amounts of product on you hair--my hairstylist has a sister with BC and that's how they dealt
0 -
Angelia50, Sailon and smilinkar, I'm amazed by how different the guidelines are for recovery from different plastic surgeons. Mine told me to take a week off work for the exchange. I had actually planned to go back a little sooner--surgery on a Thursday, hoping to be back in the office by the following Tuesday. I was so sleepy that I ended up taking a nap on Monday and resting on Tuesday, but I was back at work on Thursday. I can't say I felt much pain--mostly really tired and sleepy. (I did have a weird pain in my back for a couple of weeks that was apparently a muscle spasm.) I was told not to lift more than 10 pounds for the first two weeks. I was really careful about not using my arms too much. I'm now at three weeks, and I feel fine! My PS told me not to run, swim or do any upper body exercising until 6 weeks. I went in yesterday and asked him about doing things like sweeping (ok), playing tug with the 38-pound dog (ok, but I'm still not sure it's a good idea!), pushing a grocery cart, etc. He said that was all fine. He said most of his patients have an experience similar to mine. I did have pocket work done--one pocket had to be lowered and both had to be moved in toward the center a little. I feel very lucky and hate to even mention this in the presence of those of you who have suffered so much. I just wanted to tell those of you who haven't been through the exchange that my experience was really easy. Yours may be too. Ask your PS what to expect. Best wishes!!!
0 -
Sailon - Some people thought I was nuts but when my PS said the schedule was looking like an early August 2013 exchange I said 'How about August 7 so I can get new boobs on my birthday?' He was fine with that and just a little amused I think. So, happy birthday to you! Hope it goes well and you are please as punch! I'm one of those who had an uneventful and pain free exchange recovery. Minor pocket work to let lefty sit a little lower. No pain meds at all after leaving the hospital. No work or driving for 2 weeks, could walk all I wanted to after the first several days but no weight training or running until a full six weeks. And yes, my BMX and exchange were total opposites too in terms of pain level and ease of recovery.
0 -
Elizabethaw, thank you for the uplifting experience. Actually, my mastectomy wasn't nearly as bad as I feared. I had the TE put in at the same time and that was really the main discomfort I felt, well, and the drains being a pain. I was off work 4 weeks but I washed dishes and did laundry and all of those at home things from the beginning. I only had one breast removed and I'm not dreading that exchange all that much but I am really concerned about he lift on the good side. Now its dawning on me that I'll have discomfort on both sides and I did have difficulty being able to sleep on my back and I still continue to struggle with that. I did express my concern to my doctor and he said the exchange is an easy in, easy out and he says Oh, I've done hundreds of these lifts and they are not that bad. I'm like yeah, you did them, easy for you to say, you haven't had them done to you. Anyway, I do appreciate hearing the exchange wasn't that bad. Hopefully mine won't be either. He hasn't discussed pocket work and I see it on these boards a lot but don't think I really understand what that involves. I am also hopeful not to have to be off work very long. I do office work, so its not lifting an things like that but I guess the worry about not having at least one good arm/side, is worrying me.
0 -
I too would love to have you as Facebook friends. Please send me a friend request. Sandra Pruett Asher.
0 -
Ladies - this is my first time posting to this thread. I've been on the LD flap thread for some time; I had BMX & double LD surgeries on 4/15 & 4/16 of this year. My last TE fill was in August, & my exchange surgery is scheduled for 10/29. Even though all has gone well so far, I am ready to bid farewell to the expanders. My PS told me I should consider 2 weeks out from work, & will have same restrictions/limitations I had following previous surgeries for 6 weeks - no lifting over 5lbs, pushing, pulling, no sleeping on sides for 3 weeks, etc. She told me I will have 2 drains (better than the 8 I had in April), but they shouldn't be in too long. As ready as I am, I am also starting to get a little anxious. She's assured me this procedure is not anything like what I've already experienced. I so hope that is true.
0 -
Sent you a request sandra
0 -
Welcome DPiggy. You've been through a lot with a double LD flap procedure. Your exchange will be so easy compared to that. Most of us do not even have drains and some women have "drive by" exchanges...home within a couple of hours. The danger, of course, is that you feel so much better than after the first surgery, you think you can do everything right away. There are internal stitches and you will still have limitations but they won't be nearly as restrictive as you had, especially because of the LD flaps.
0 -
Sandra, I sent you a friend request too.
0 -
DPiggy, welcome to our group! Am I reading it correctly that your flaps were done on two different days? how did it go? (I'm asking because I'm considering a uni lat flap next year.)
I've had 3 exchanges and all of them were a lot easier than my BMX. I was off work for 4 weeks the first time, 10 days the second, and 3 weeks the third time. This last time I had drains for 10 days, due to the amount of pocket work that was done, and because my PS swapped my rounds out for anatomicals. I go back to work next week, which I'm not looking forward to that much. I could easily enjoy retired life!
I understand feeling anxious; I think any surgery makes us feel that way. Honestly, this will be so much easier than your other surgeries.
0 -
Hey, if anyone else wants to be FB friends, just let me know. Though I tend to post mostly stuff about my dogs.
0 -
Angelia50--I'm a side sleeper, and it was impossible with the TEs. I started out putting a pillow under my hips, which gave me some room to roll to my side. As I got bigger, I realized I needed something bigger. We have these chairs that are made of futon cushions--so normal futon thickness but much smaller. I put one on the bed and pushed it down to the foot. Then I made a giant pillow for my head with 3-4 normal pillows. That left a gap between the chair futon thing and the pillow mountain--a perfect resting place for the TEs. I think you could use a couch cushion too, anything that would give you a "boob gap."
After the exchange, I may have used my futon strategy for a day or so, but I was sort of able to side sleep after that. I'd use a body pillow to keep me from rolling too far over to one side, and I did wake up on my back occasionally--which is not normal for me. As time went by I could sleep more and more flat on my side. It didn't take long. And I did have BMX and reconstruction, so both sides were a problem. I tell ya the implants are so much nicer than the TEs!
0 -
Sandra4611 - thanks for the info. My PS did say this will be about a 3 hour outpatient surgery, so looking forward to going home the same day. Last go around, I was in the hospital for 6 days, & 2 of those in ICU. No complications, just a protocol my PS follows.
Andrea623 - I had BMX on 4/15 w/ nipple sparing & double lat on 4/16. The lat surgery was about 9 hours long since it involved both sides. Was a tough one to recover from, but feeling good now. Glad to hear the exchange surgery will be an easier road.
0
