Exchange City
Comments
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I am wondering the same thing bikefam. I just expected it to me different. My PS said I had a lot of scar tissue from radiation. Maybe that also has something to do with it.
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I don't believe any implant is like an actual breast, but it's what we have. I don't believe that mine will ever sag or move like real tissue. I have had mine for a year now. Mine did relax and drop though. I have just been trying to focus on the good things. No more mammograms;) I'm free of having cancerous breasts. I have more empathy than ever before. And am surrounded with family and friends that love me with or without breasts. It takes ALOT of getting used to. Mine still feel "pressure" and other times don't really bother me. I do believe mine look better with time and feel better too. Seems like it takes forever. Some implants (like gummies) are more firm, but you get less ripples. I have mentor memory gels. Reminds me of slightly deflated rubber balls, lol.
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Kingster, I'm getting used to my foob (I only have one). It is truly good to have something there, as I was without for several months. I feel good and I'm back to swimming, running and biking, so life is good. Mine has not dropped yet, but they say it can take 4-6 months, and I'm just shy of 4, so looking forward to it (it is alot higher than my natural boob, but the PS hopes it will drop in place.)
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That is encouraging to hear kingster - I had a single mastectomy. Right now the implant side seems to be higher than the other. But PS said it should drop some. Hopefully. I think I do have to get used to it. I actually got used to my TE to the point where it didn't really bother me all that much. So I guess I will get to that point with this too. I just expected "squishy"!
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I do believe they get squishier with time;) Initially my left looked a lot lower than my right, but only a little off now. I massage my right one down gently, and do wear bras all the time (soft bras at night). Actually, looking back at my pre bmx pics, I was more asymmetrical then (but right was lower). Also, I think I have more scar tissue on the left due to needing my TE replaced. No radiation. I'd say, massage gently and stretch;) It's also hard for me to admit it...but I had breast ca and not an "augmentation". Crazy when I think about it. I just saw another celebrity Dx with breast ca. It's just everywhere. We are beautiful and brave, no matter what! Hang in there suzanne and bikefam.
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Suzanne and bikefam,
Kingster is so right on! We have a gift to be able to have reconstruction. We had bc and we have a new normal. I have the gummies and they are more firm as kingster said. I saw my MO last week and she said my reconstruction is beautiful! She asked who did it. I am very happy with mine. "Squshy " means softer than TEs.
Robin
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Exactly Robin, squishy means softer than the TE's. They are soft to the touch but they are firm and stay put, although when lying on my side I do see that it moves with the gravity. (I have rounds) I am now two months post implants and I am so much more comfortable each day. There are times I still get that pocket work pain underneath one of the implants but that happens less frequently. Yawning is still weird or if I do something that contracts my pectoral muscle. One seems to be getting stronger than the other. Although swimming was super hard to do I really believe that is helping me tremendously.
I am scheduled for my nipples in another 6 weeks then I hope they will look even more typical.
I am so happy and grateful to be at this point and just hope it continues.
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PHY: I started swimming 6 weeks after my exchange, after not swimming for 5 months, all through the TE phase. It was slow going at first-5 laps really slowly. But now at 4 months, I am back to my distance (40 laps), although not as fast. Sometimes I have a little soreness after a swim, but generally I think the PECs are getting back in shape. Still feels like everything is moving around, however, but I think that's the new normal. Keep at it.
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Hope you are doing OK. Would love to hear how things are going? How is the pain? did you return to work? Virtual hug! Hang in there!
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I have an appointment with my PS on 4/15. I am going to break the news to him that I want implant only. No flap surgery.
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Does anyone have a really good PS that I can See? I'm in NYC
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Hello All,
I am new to Exchange City. My TE's were exchanged on 3/21 for gummy mentor implants. I am very pleased. On 5/10 my PS will make a nipple from surrounding skin. I will need to have a nipple shield type apparatus to keep the new nipples from being flattened. Has anyone used the Medela Nipple shields sold in pretty much all baby stores? Would this be comfortable?
Thank you ladies!
Thunder7
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RAK!, I use Dr Christien Rhode at Columbia Presbyterian. I had BMX with TE placement (then chemo no rads. I had my exchange surgery at the end of January and hopefully am having the nipple made in May. Thus far I have been very happy with the Dr.
Good luck
Phyllis
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After reading people's exchange stories I'm a little confused. I have tissue expanders in and I'm going to have to get a job soon. I was moving and between jobs when I got my BC diagnosis and have been off work 4 months already. I recently had a tissue expander infection and that means it will be at least 3 more months before I can have the exchange. Being off work for 7 months is out of the question so I started the job search. My PS told me the exchange would be a very easy outpatient procedure and he could do it on a Friday and I'd be back to work light duty on Monday. I have above-the-muscle expanders and the implants will also be above the muscle. I don't know if that makes a big difference? From what I'm reading it sounds to me like the exchanges involve fat grafting and drains......
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Most exchange surgeries do not involve drains. Sometimes you will have drains if you had them in for quite a long time with expanders since some people produce a lot of fluid with any of these surgeries - and others have them if a lot of pocket work is done. Since your implants are over the muscle it seems unlikely that pocket work would be an issue. Only some exchanges involve fat grafting, and it is dependent on whether your PS does it at exchange, does fat grafting at all, or if you even need it - all of that is subjective. At the time of exchange (the first time) I had no drains and no fat grafting. My PS did some fat grafting a year later, after all swelling was gone and we could really see if it was necessary. I am not sure you could do any physical work within that recovery time frame - you will still have a fairly large incision.
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I had a nipple-sparing UMX in January and then had the NAC removed because of close margins. In May I'm having a PMX and must decide between nipple-sparing or not. My PS and BS are leaving the decision to me. I was leaning toward not saving the nipple just for better symmetry, but I'm confused about how they do the exchange surgery. The PSNA told me that they would make the excision across where my nipple was. Do they cut through the muscle to replace the TE underneath? Or do they peel back the skin to put the implant in from the bottom or top of the muscle? In either case, I would prefer to have the nipple-sparing surgery so as not to cut through the muscle or disrupt the blood supply to my skin. Can anyone fill me in on how they do this?0
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Thank you so much, SpecialK. That makes me feel a lot better. Are you about done with your reconstruction marathon? How much do you have left to do?
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grandma - if your nipple is to be removed, or has been, the exchange incision will be in the same spot, usually across the front of the breast. The pectoral muscle is cut or opened with electrocautery to place the implant and perform any revisions to the "pocket" to position the implant correctly. If you have a nipple sparing procedure the incision is made in the inframammary fold (IMF) under the breast, but they will still cut through the muscle in this case as well, and most likely will attach allograft material on the underside of the muscle to hold the expander or implant. One positive with an IMF incision is that there is often better blood supply because the incision is closer to an uninterrupted blood flow area below the breast whereas placing the incision across the front of the breast means the entire incision is in an area that has compromised blood supply.
Stacey - I currently have a TE on the left side that is filled to desired size (480ccs) and am now waiting for surgery May 17 to exchange to a silicone implant, remove the nipple on the right (I had bi-lat nipple sparing) in order to remove extra skin as the right side needs to be downsized to match the left, now smaller, side.
I currently have a 650cc implant on the right, and from 2012-2014 had a 600cc implant on the left. I will also have fat grafting bi-laterally. If all goes well, and that is a big if, this will be the last surgery, but later I will need a 3D tattoo done to place a nipple on the right, Because of all the surgical intervention I have no symmetry between nipples. I can't have the left nipple removed because that side is too fragile and my skin issues are right where the nipple is, so the solution - which turns out to be multi-purpose because it allows my PS a way to use a smaller implant on the right, is to remove the nipple and some skin. This is going to be a long and complicated surgery, but I have been happy with this PS - I changed docs last year and I have had two surgeries with her so far, she is very meticulous and works hard to achieve the best aesthetic result possible. I have other friends who have been her patients and all of us are happy.0 -
Molly-
I know I felt I was letting my PS down when I said I didn't want any kind of flap surgery- he's an artist as much a scientist. But I didn't want to take the time for recovery because I have school age kids and wanted their lives disrupted as little as possible. As it was I didn't even tell them I was doing the exchange - was home the same day- took it a little easy but no one besides my DH knew and that's honestly how I wanted it- so tired of all the drama--
My PS said I could massage after the exchange. But I think yoga has helped/is helping me recover the most.
Good luck with your conversation with the PS!
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Thank you, momwriter!! That's very encouraging.
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Stacey, I too have my TEs placed over the muscle. My exchange is scheduled for next Wednesday, and I will be having fat grafting done at the same time. My PS told me I should probably take 2 weeks off work, but my job is somewhat physical and I also get pretty bad anesthesia side effects. The fat grafting donor site can be quite uncomfortable for a while from what I have been reading.
If your PS didn't mention fat grafting there is a good chance they don't plan on doing it at your exchange. Good luck to you, I hope you find a great job!
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SpecialK, may this be your last surgery and may your results be great!!
MrsGreenJeans I'm a nurse but I'm looking for a nonphysical nursing position as it seems to me it will be quite some time before I can go back to work otherwise. It really stinks looking for a job when I know I'll have surgeries coming up. I imagine they might do fat grafting at some point.. grrrr I just want my life back.
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Stacey - thank you for the good wishes, and I too hope that this will be the last surgery. Did want to add, that my results will not be great, and I am not looking for that - my left side has had 14 surgeries and my right side has had 4 plus ALND, it just needs to be acceptable.
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I've only had 2 surgeries and I'm totally ready to be over and done with cancer. I'm praying hard that the exchange will go perfectly and I can move on with my life. I can't imagine 18 surgeries.
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Stacey - Lol! That is how everyone feels! I hope you have smooth sailing from this point on! Some of my surgeries were bi-lat, so I am about to have number 16 - let's hope it is a sweet 16, right? Honestly, I was diagnosed long ago enough that the recon issues are disconnected from the cancer, it is not emotional for me at this point - more of a nuisance. It is kind of like the movie Groundhog Day, and the pre-op people recognize me now, ha!
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SpecialK - thank you so much for the information about exchange surgery (nipple - sparing vs. not)! I still don't know which one to choose, but leaning toward nipple-sparing again. I had a good outcome last time except for losing the NAC due to close margins.
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SpecialK - since I imagine you've been through this before (did you have tissue expander infections?) I have a question. I feel like an idiot for not knowing what to do since I'm a nurse but it's so different when it's your own body.
Anyway - I was just in the hospital for 4 days/3 nights for tissue expander infection and they gave me lots of IV antibiotics and sent me home on oral augmentin. I was supposed to follow up with the surgeon one week post-op but he's not in the office until 10 days postop. The infection started with a seroma in the bottom of the breast and I went in and had it cleaned out and the seroma has not returned. Ever since the surgery the whole area on the bottom of the breast felt thick and firm and kind of bumpy and inflamed. Today I'm noticing pain in one distinct spot and I can feel that most of the area is getting softer and less lumpy but there are a couple of firm lumps and one of them is tender I don't know if I'm getting better, or worse! I can't see any redness..... It doesn't help that most of the breast is numb.
When I had the infection the entire breast was reddened post-op, extending almost all the way up to my clavicle and down underneath. I can't see any redness at all.
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Stacey - I have not actually had an infection, all of my issues stemmed from necrosis and exceedingly thin skin and pectoral muscles. That said, I have been here long enough to glean info from the experiences of others. Infection usually involves redness, warmth, sometimes a fever, and sometimes pain. A seroma can also cause pain - basically from displacement, does not always cause an infection, but can lead to one. If you are not having redness and warmth that is good. You are not that far out from surgery so it is possible that your discomfort and these small areas are just some inflamed or irritated isolated areas. When do you see your surgeon again
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I'm seeing him on the 12th. I crack myself up sometimes. I swear I've started getting old over the past year - had to get glasses for the first time. I didn't notice my breast was red when I had the infection because my foobs are too close to my eyes LOL. Today I was looking in the mirror trying to find any redness there where the pain was and couldn't see anything. Finally I got the idea to get out the lighted magnified makeup mirror. The sore part is just a teeny pimple. It just happens to be near one of the lumps so I thought the lump was painful. It's strange how the nerves get re-routed and I can't always tell where the pain is coming from. I had some necrosis on my left incision and had to have it revised. Fortunately I think I still have enough skin left (knock on wood). I've noticed a lot of new capillaries forming on the surface. They're not pretty but I guess they're bringing the blood where it needs to go.
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Hi ladies;) was just fishing for opinions on nipple reconstruction vs 3 d tattoos. I have been getting advice to not have nipple reconstruction from a couple ps here. I know that I've heard that they flatten out. Thanks!
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