Exchange City
Comments
-
Moonflower,
It sounded like they purposely "tacked " it that way. Was it to form the pocket? When they form the pocket, is it only the sling at the bottom with alloderm or do they create a pocket all the way around? I also have lots of "flab" at the bottom of one of the implants. What would cause this? The other one is pretty tight at the bottom where the implant sits but one of them I can literally bundle up the skin to make a roll. that one also droops more than the other. I can literally pinch the skin and it's quite a bit!0 -
Then you really need to talk to your PS. They do tack the implant so it doesn't move too much. Perhaps it is too tight. Good luck
0 -
SpecialK- I have very noticeable rippling on the cancer side. My PS said its because the skin and muscle are a bit thinner in that area. I had the same issue with my expander, so I'm pretty annoyed since it seems that he could have anticipated this result. He said he can repair it by placing aloderm over that part of the implant. I'd like to get another opinion. I'm also thinking about nipple reconstruction. I want to give my poor body a break from all I've endured over the past year, so I plan to delay any further surgery for a while. The rippling isn't visible through my clothing, so I can live with it for now. I'm just concerned that it will be considered cosmetic.
0 -
skool - I had my alloderm replaced in March, as I was starting to have failure and perforation bi-laterally. I have exceedingly thin pectoral muscles and skin, so it was obvious that there was an issue without clothes, but a supportive bra made all look normal. I am the cautionary tale of elective revision surgery though, as I ended up with a tear in that thin and non-viable skin that did not heal. Two additional excisional surgeries to repair the skin, and a try at a smaller implant trying to stress the skin less, and ultimately removal of the implant altogether. I am now left in the situation of a 650cc implant on the right and nothing on the left (since May) which is problematic in terms of trying to make the sides match with a prosthetic, and just had a fat grafting surgery in Nov. to try to beef up the now healed skin to try a new expander to implant. My PS would like to do at least one more FG, then surgery for the expander, then surgery for the implant, and possibly another FG afterward. So my alloderm repair will have spawned a minimum of six additional surgeries, maybe more. That is if this even works - I may require autologous reconstruction in the end. Carefully consider whether fixing the rippling is worth the risk - most people don't have these problems, but I was shocked that this happened two years after I originally exchanged. If I had known what the outcome would be I would never have done the repair - I would have just lived with the problem.
In my experience repair of rippling is not considered cosmetic, and most insurance is cooperative. It should be coded as a revision to reconstruction surgery. You can always have your PS submit a pre-treatment estimate to make sure the insurance company will authorize the procedure.
0 -
Skool, SpecialK is absolutely right. Thin skin is known to have healing issues. We are reading more and more from people who are getting fat grafting done prior to reconstruction to increase their chances of success.
I have very thin skin on one side. The other has a nice normal fat layer so even though I have the same size implants, one side looks quite a bit larger than the other. Right after my BMX with direct to implants, when I acquired the nasty resistant staph infection on day one, it started on my side and crept up onto the left implant. That's where the skin was thin already. The infection destroyed the outside third, the skin and what little soft tissue was below it as well as quite a bit else on my left side. I ended up losing the implant since there wasn't enough skin to cover it, and getting a TE. That stretched the already thin tissue even more. There have been four more surgeries and in the end, I have settled for a nice healed implant and some rippling. It just goes hand in hand with thin skin. I've had fat grafting on my chest but the PS won't even consider doing it over the implants. That's fine. Don't rock the boat.
0 -
Thank you for the information, ladies. I have an appointment with my breast surgeon this month (I see him every 6 months) and I plan to ask him about it. He has been an amazing wealth of information for me and I trust him completely. Your experiences are definitely food for thought.
0 -
Skool, i have had 7 sx on my left and didn't even have any revision sx. It was because of infections. Every time you go under for a sx you take a chance. Now, that's not to say don't do it at all, but really consider what you can live with and what must be fixed. I know we all want an amazing outcome, and many get just that. Sometimes the risk is worth it. But you have to decide knowing all of the facts. I always ought that implants were The "easy" option. I had my sister ask why i tried for my third TE sx, if vanity was worth my life. Sigh. What she did not know was that my ortho would not even consider knee replacement sx until I could handle a breast implant with no trouble. So I had to keep trying! LOL. So balance all the risks with your hopes and wants and what you need. But just so you know, I had my knee sx last June and things went just fine! Much love
0 -
I am approaching my eight week post exchange surgery this Friday. My implants are Allergan Style 410 FF 655g. I had pocket work done during my exchange surgery to tighten the pocket for the 410s. At my post op appointment, my PS instructed me to wear a supportive sports-like bra and to not lift more than five pounds for at least eight weeks, which I have done. For the first few weeks after my exchange, I continued to wear the surgical bra I was given at the hospital. It is stretchy and fastens with Velcro at the front. More recently I have been switching between the surgical bra and a few other sports type bras I had pre and post exchange, including a Genie bra.
The issue I am having is that wearing any type of sports bra causes me discomfort. If I pull the bra I am wearing away from my chest or unfasten the Velcro (which I frequently do), I get relief. Am I wearing bras that are too tight or is this a normal part of the healing process? I am working on losing weight so thought I would hold off on getting professionally fitted for bras. How long did you wait before getting fitted? Could the discomfort I am experiencing have anything to do with the fact that the 410s are textured rather than smooth?
I also have discomfort at my sides under my arms. Some of this discomfort stems from excess fatty tissue I have left over from the mastectomy, hence the reason I am working on weight loss. I also have internal discomfort from the pocket work I had done. For those of you that needed pocket work, how long did it take for you to heal internally? I am trying to be patient, but I thought I would feel better than I do after two months.
I do not see my PS again until May. Your thoughts would be appreciated.
0 -
vfay49 I'm having the same issue with the band on my bras!! I'm 4 weeks out from exchange and got fitted last week at Nordstrom. They measured me at 36 but we went up to 38 band size and I'm still feeling the discomfort. Sorry I don't have any suggestions but I'll be looking forward to see if any one else has any explanations or suggestions.
0 -
I am having similar symptoms...pain where pocket work was done and also pain where back fat and side fat is. He removed some of the fat, but the scar is healing thick and causing discomfort. I am 4 and half week post exchange. I was told I could lift nine pounds after the two week mark. I was told I didn't have to wear a bra...I do when I go out to hide dents and scar line indentation. I see my ps next at end of jan to have nipples made in his office. I am going to call tomorrow and ask to be seen before then. I am iffy on what to do. I feel more surgery may make scar worse, but I am so unhappy with the scar line indenting in or folding over when I sit or lie a certain way. It shows badly. If I were you I would call your ps before May. Best wishes.
0 -
My pre-op for exchange is this Thursday. Any words of wisdom to ask my PS? I am anxious to get this show on the road. I had a lat flap with tissue expander on left side placed last June and will also get a small implant on the native/natural right breast.
0 -
Had my follow-up appt after my 12/19 implant exchange and fat grafting. Got the stitches removed - yay!!! He says the really (really, really!) sore 4 inch circular area is where he did the most fat grafting and the pain is expected and will get better. He will probably do a second grafting at that spot in a few months.The hard areas under my arms and on my sides is from the lipo and is the remaining fat being inflamed (forgot the medical word for it), says it will get better. Told me to start massaging the implants and scars and to come back in 2 months
. Need to get some kind of scar gel. What they sell at his office is 80 bucks a tube, and insurance doesn't cover that!
0 -
Straitlover, the most pain I have had is from the place the fat was removed, hard and SORE. I'm not glad you are having the same thing, but I"m glad to hear I guess I'm normal and its just part of this process.
0 -
Just a suggestion for the bra problems. Have you tried a camisole? Sometimes they work better. Genie has some good ones not expensive, around 25$ each. I still wear my Amoena ones. More expensive though. About 50 bucks. They go down over the abdomen rather than it at the side where the mudflaps are. Also Walgreens has a scar gel that is cheaper and I've heard it works well. Also Scar away strips. And Walgreens has their version.
Much love
0 -
Moonflower, I ordered the camis from the Genie website (6 for $60) but they are on a 4-6 week back order for the 2XL size. I'm going to try and go to Walmart tomorrow and try on a 1X and see if it's too tight and switch my order if they fit.
I think I have an internal suture sticking out. My PS is a 30 minute drive away, so I'm hoping it will either resolve itself or either the MO (appt 1/14) or the BS (appt 2/26) can get it out. Until then, I will try keeping a bandaid on it as it is in the IMF and keeps poking me.
Will check Walgreens for the scar gel. Is the gel better than the sheets I've seen online? Might go to Target, too, since I just got the 5% Pharmacy Rewards card for reaching 5 prescriptions. The last one expired before I could use it.
0 -
Straitlover is it just a clear suture? I get them that stick out periodically. My PS told me to go ahead and pull them a little with a tweezer and clip them off either with a scissor or nail clipper right at the skin. The end will then slip back under the skin. I have one sticking out right now from Surgery I had on 12/23 but I can't quite reach to clip it myself. My husband hasn't seen me yet in my current state of "Holy crap I look butchered now!" so I don't know if he'd be comfortable clipping it for me.
0 -
I discovered what feels like an suture sticking out this morning from my incision line. I found it after I removed the last of the glue from the incision. I'm 4 weeks post-op today and was told to leave the glue in place until the 4 week mark. I think I might try what Noonrider says and clip it (more likely get my husband to clip it). I don't go back to my PS until mid-March, I do however see my BS next week, maybe they can pull it!
I started the use of Scar Away gel today on the incision lines. I was told by my PS to get one that contained silicone and to stay away from Merderma that is commonly sold in drugstores.
0 -
clmtootie- Yesterday, marked 3 weeks post exchange for me. I had a few stitches that had worked there way out as well. I saw my PS on Tuesday and he used tweezers on one of them and had to snip the other with a small scissor....they came out no big whoop. If you don't want to do it yourself (I was nervous to do it myself) your BS will be able to do it for you. I started using a scar treatment yesterday called Kelocote that is silicone gel. I heard about it from someone on the picture forum and asked my PS if it was okay to use. I bought it on amazon for a good price. These scar treatments (silicone gels & silicone strips) are expensive. Congrats on being a month post exchange!!
0 -
Yes, it's a clear/whitish thing. It's in a hard location for me to see. w/ my reading glasses and a magnifying mirror I can just get a good look at it. I'm afraid if I try to clip it myself I'll cut the skin (it's not very long at all). If the MO can't/won't do it next week, then I'll just wait until my 2/26 appt w/ the BS. I have one of those little round bandaids on it today so it's not poking me.
Thanks for the info on the gel. I was planning on getting the Mederma today.
I will look for something w/ silicone instead.0 -
I tried to post the other day, but wiped it out instead.
My exchange was 8 days ago. One drain is out, the other is still producing too much (about 50/day). Left (old side) already had FG from our attempt at Brava/AFT, so it got Allergan 410MM. Right was the more recent mastectomy (Oct. 1), so it did get FG with a 410FF implant. Implants are so much more comfortable than the TEs. I was super sore the first 2 days, but only used pain meds at night. Since then, each day I am noticeably less sore. Lipo spots on the side boob (esp. right) are still sore. Not much bruising or swelling overall.
I have PS visit on Tues., so we will see how things are looking over all and decide if fine tuning is nec. I have Tegaderm bandaging, so I can see quite a bit already. I am mostly happy with it as is. I am still wearing the post-surg. bra and compression belt. Not terribly comfortable, but manageable. I will be looking into the Genie bras. Anxious to try on a swim suit with my Barbie boobs.
0 -
Back from pre-op appt. Lots of questions answered! He will use Mentor High Profile Smooth Round silicone (cohesive gel) implants. We talked about going a tad smaller than my expander and smoothing out the flap so it lays flatter and he will excise a bit of skin from my back scar so it lays flat and will move the whole foob toward the middle of my chest (it is toward my arm now). Then he will put an implant in on the healthy right side to match as much as he can. I will be wrapped when I wake up. He said to buy a front closing soft sports bra (the nurse gave a picture of a Fruit of the Loom one for about $8 to buy, said don't waste money now on anything more expensive). He will try and avoid a drain, but he may have to if needed, put in one on the lat flap side that wouldn't stay in very long.
He told me not to even think about nipples or anything else right now. Also, some of his patients want lots of revisions and some don't. Whatever I want or need is all covered and not to worry about any of that. The other stuff was typical stuff
0 -
K, so much good news! You had a perfect appointment, it sounds like. Isn't it amazing how much better you feel when there is a plan?
0 -
Yes it does Sandra, I feel relieved!
0 -
straitlover, I also had a stitch which just camw out without cutting it after two months from exchange.
0 -
I had a black stitch poking out which finally came out, and a white one that finally disintigrated. Took almost a month tho
0 -
Ladies - I haven't been active on this forum in so long that I have no idea how to get to the picture forum. Sandgar is looking for information on how to access the picture site. Can someone help her? If so, please send a PM to Sandgar w/ instructions. I wish you all the best! - Jean
0 -
The first step in getting admitted to the Picture Forum ishttps://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44/topic/824546?page=2#post_4211245
0 -
Thanks Sandra!! I knew someone could help her! - Jean
0 -
I am so not happy.
Just saw PS and have to go back to hosp for surgery tonight. I had exchange 11/20, but radiated side not doing well and he wants to do some work and perhaps add alloderm. Skin very thin and he is fearful of an infection and possible loss of implant.
A few weeks ago he had said we could go away for a few days, so we had scheduled a trip to Florida for TOMORROW! I feel so badly for my husband, I know he needed the break from all the dr visits and caring for me and cold NYC.
Jet Blue has allowed us to bank the tickets price to use another time within the year, so I hope we can get to go soon.
I hope that all of you are having a MUCH better day!!
0 -
Another, no sorry you have to go through this. It is so much better than getting an infection but an ordeal just the same. I had AlloDerm placed in my 5th surgery in October and it was one of the easiest recoveries I've had. You will need to wear a surgical bra or sports bra 24/7 for awhile until your own tissue grows into the AlloDerm and makes a strong pocket. I was restricted from any kind of movement that would cause the implants to bounce. It all paid off because the surgery worked and I was finally allowed to move on to the final scar revisions and fat grafting nearly 4 weeks ago.
0
