Exchange City
Comments
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mjh1 i am trying. woke up at 5 am, didn;t sleep very well last night. Trying my best to keep my arms at my side and just using my hands and arms below elbow and not lifting them But there is not much you can do!! So I can type and watch ;tv... walk through the house for a little. Going for followup this afternoon.
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hi minivan. My ps used the word sling to mean the use of alloderm or acellular dermal matrix which is sewn to the bottom of the cut pec muscle which is over the implant. I have it to support the implant in the absence of breast tissue. It's keeping things up high really nicely. You can google alloderm and see how it's used in breast recon. Pretty commonly used.
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Follow up with PS for yesterdays surgery went well. He took off all the bandages and showed me how good they both look...and how they look alike. I was impressed as was my husband. I kept thinking there would be all these cuts all over...but the cuts were minimal and I have almost no pain in MX side and a little bit of pain andstinging in the lift and reduction of the good boob. So thank you all for words of advice, encouragement!!
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ThinkingPos--So glad to hear that you are happy with your results and feeling little pain. See how much easier this was than the mastectomy! Now, please don't over do it and remember that even though you may feel fine, you are still healing! Take care.
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loriWNY - thanks. for your advice. I plan on taking it easy. not returning to the office for two weeks. I do have access from home so I can at least keep up with emails and delegate things to others in the office that needs to be done. Couldn't do it after my mastectomy and partially through chemo because my mind was not there... But once I did get back to work I realized thats where I needed to be...so many people there gave me so much support and it actually took my mind of everything..
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Thinkpos, glad it went well and that your surgery is behind you! Please try to rest- it's hard to not do things but it's better for you in the long run.
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momwriter...it is hard not to do anything.. I did a small load of laundry today and got dressed by myself. My daughter asked why didn't i wake her to help me, but she is a nurse and works night shift so I felt guilty to waking her up if I could do it myself. I feel a little tired right now, so I am taking it easy. Don't plan on going back to work for 2 weeks.
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No that wasn't an option unfortunately. Had to have nipple recon.
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Sandgar, how are you healing? Any improvements? I am 2 months post exchange surgery and thinking about whether I should do tattoos, areola nipple recon, or nothing.
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Just an update on my progress. I am 10 weeks post EX. Feeling great and if I say do myself, very sexy! I love my foobs! The gummy bear anatomicals are so natural looking. They fall at the bottom just like a natural breast. Scars are fading and becoming less raised. I am putting Bio Oil on them twice a day. The implants are getting softer to the touch and move more. I know they won't bounce or jiggle as much as a smooth round, but the look is worth it! Robin
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Great to hear Robin! I am having my EX tomorrow! I'm actually pretty calm. I'm not as worried about the surgery itself as the MX but am worried about how the final result will look. I know I'm getting anatomicals but my PS and I have a slight difference of opinion of how the final implants should look. Right now my TEs each look different - one is full on the bottom and I guess looks very natural naked. The other is a little more rounded (has more fullness in the center and top than the TE on the other side). My PS wants them both to look like the one that is fuller on the bottom, but he only ever sees me topless and I care more about how I look in clothes (99% of the time I'm in clothes). I feel like the more rounded one looks better in clothes and I just asked a bunch of friends for their opinions - 8 out of 11 friends agreed with me. I'm really hoping that my PS can achieve the look I want with the anatomicals. I don't want major upper pole fullness, but I want my boobs to always look like I'm wearing an amazing invisible bra. 24 hours from now I'll know what I've got.....
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Jabec, best of luck tomorrow. I think you will be happy without those te's. I am happy overall with my results so far. I think either implant option is good. Just remember that it may take a good while to actually see your final results. Mine were the smooth rounds and are filling out at the bottom with time. Initially mine were full on top and flat on bottom. I believe they are becoming more balanced. Just can't wait for all nerve pain and things to dissipate. Still have pain after using my muscles alot. Take care!
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Thanks Kingster - I hope your pain eases up soon. It's so hard to take it easy for so long. I'm going to tell my PS what I want but ultimately I have to trust him that he will make the right decision. I know he's bringing several different ones to the OR and I hope he tries them all out to get the best result. It's so hard to let go of control. Strangely, I don't mind my TEs (aside from them being a bit lopsided), but I'm assuming I will feel and look even better after tomorrow. I know that I can't go by the initial look but I will be upset if my first look at them isn't what I want. Deep, calming breaths....... I will get through this
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Had my exchange on Wednesday on the MX side and lift and reduction on the good side. PS put a small implant in good side to lift. Had my follow up the next day. PS took off the padding and binder bra and put on my sports bra with pads covering the incisions. He told me I could shower but not to get the incisions soaked at all. There is some tape that goes from my sides to underneath each boob. Did anyone have that and if so what is it for? There is what looks like surgical tape and bandage covering my incisions. I guess I wait for the PS to take that off? I am nervous about touching at all. The pain is not so bad, haven't had to take pain pills the past two days, just one at night to help me get through the night without wakingup. Both seem to be swollen and tender, I assume that is normal? Also I just lifted my bra on the good side that he did small implant and reduction and the side in a small area seemed to have a little fresh blood..is this normal? I am going to keep an eye on it, hoping its just because I lifted the tape that he has going underneath the implants. Can anyone give me any info on what to expect...its day 4.
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Thinking positive, do you have an anchor like incision on your reduction side? My friend had a reduction and had more drainage at the corners where the straight incision met the curved one. If it is a lot of drainage i would call the ps. My ps used skin glue. He does not use tape. He told me not to use tape because it can cause blisters in some people. Each ps has such different instructions, so just follow yours.
Jabec, it really is hard to give up control. I think having that trust is the hardest part. Good luck!
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kingster.. on the reduction side there is an incision which he called a lollipop incision. Right now there is a bandage on it andI can see dried blood. But on the side of that boob, he mentioned that he had to do something there to make it look the same as the MX side. That is where I just saw a little bit of blood when I lifted the bandage. Its not really a bandage..looks and feels like a stretchy ace bandage that is wrapped underneath both boobs. It sticks to my skin. He has what looks like white steri strips covering the incisions; then gauze pads covering that which I was told to change every day. They just sit over the insicion area under my sports bra/ Its also hard to tell if they are swollen or if thats the one way they should be. I go back on thursday, but I guess if I continue to see blood I will call first thing tomorrow.
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The stretchy ace bandage I think is to support the IMF. Steri-strips usually come off on their own when it's time. Did he do any Lipo on the side of the reduction side? I think a bit of drainage is probably normal, but it never hurts to call and ask questions. I always say "that's why they get paid the big bucks", lol. So, you're not really taped. When I get labs done, they use that stretchy sticky type bandage around my arm:) It doesn't hurt the skin at all.
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kingster..he may have, that would probably be the reason that I feel tender in that area. I was still a little loopy when I went for followup the day after so I don't remember very much.
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Trailrose--I didn't see any responses to your post about rippling. I'm wondering the same thing. I'm 3 1/2 weeks post op and the rippling is really upsetting me. I can see and feel it in the upper pole of both breasts. I have an appointment with my PS next week. I hope she has a solution for this. Fat grafting perhaps?
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That is the most compassionate thing I have heard, what a great attitude for a Plastic Surgeon to have.
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Would love some opinions. I had my revision on May 7th with fat grafting. The question is "How long did anyone wear their Marena surgical bra before they switched to a underwire bra? Would love some opinions. Thank You
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Iwannacookie- I'm going into my 3rd week post exchange and notice the upper pole area on my right has a little ripple in it. Everyone says wait at least 3-6 months to say so. So we are a little early on calling it. I see my PS on Wednesday and will ask him his opinion on it. I'm very excited to no longer be T-Rex arms!
Someone mentioned adhesive tape causing blisters. Well it did that to me after my exchange surgery. And it hurt. The outpatient surgery center I went to put that on me. My PS said he prefers not to use it.
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Trailrose--please let us know what your doctor says about the rippling. I don't see how mine could improve on their own since implants have only one direction to go, and that's not up. Lol
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What is rippling?
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ThinkingPositive--be glad you don't know what rippling is.
Rippling is like it sounds--ripples/undulations visible on the surface. I have rather pronounced vertical "waves" on the upper pole of both breasts. :-(
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Iwannacookie- I will keep you posted!
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When does that usually show up? And doe anyone know what the bandage is that is under both of my boobs,its like an adhesive ace bandage. It is sticking to my skin.
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Could be hyper fix tape
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sherry67..what is hyperifx tape? I assume its something that I should wait for the PS to take off at my next visit.
Can anyone tell me how long it takes for the swelling to go down? I still feel like I have my tissue expander in,, maybe just not as tight.
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ThinkingPositive - Hypafix tape is a special tape for sensitive skin. Hospitals sometimes use that or Micropore tape to avoid irritating the skin. Steri Strips are small strips used to hold incisions together. I learned most of this stuff by reading back through previous posts at BCO, but I still had to 'google' things every day when I didn't know stuff. What did we do before the internet?
The swelling can last for several months, and it can be more than 6 months before your new implants assume their final position. As difficult as it is, for now - don't look!!! You just have to be patient for some time to come.
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