Exchange City
Comments
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I have had a mentor anatomical implant for about 3 weeks now. It is notably larger than my healthy breast that got a lift. PS assistant says it is swollen, will go down. Anyone else experiencing this? I am afraid i got the wrong size!
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Pamela, it was about six weeks before I noticed the swelling was easing up. Give it time. I am two months post op and my implants look much better.
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Pamela: As you will see all through the previous posts in this thread... The hardest and best advice is to step away from the mirror. It can take up to 6 months for all the swelling to go down - internal & external - and muscles & nerves to readjust.
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Gentle (((HUGS))) Pamela, you are probably very swollen. Yes, the mastectomy breast will probably be much more swollen than the lift breast. Give yourself some time to heal.
OG56 and Memyself 17: I hope you both had restful weekends and are healing well.
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Just over a month post exchange and my right Inspira ultra high profile has suddenly developed a flat spot in the front projection area and the upper edge is very visible.and distorted looking. Also now noticeably smaller than left, although both were 470cc, giving me a D cup. I did not have radiation.I have an appointment with my PS tomorrow to evaluate. Just prior to me noticing the flat spot I had been changing position while lying in bed and felt a sharp pull on my side incision that burned painfully for about an hour. I know there are a lot of internal stitches, and my PS had said he will likely be revising the right side as it is a bit tight. He had to take my incisions from IMF all the way around to my shoulder blades to correct dog ears. I don't know what could have happened, I wouldn't think the implant is stitched in place like TEs.
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Hi Ladies, I have had multiple exchange procedures due to infection, CC, etc. Last surgery we went to smaller implant thinking this might help with some of the complications. Problem is I'm left with funky side boob and about an inch of pinchable skin/flap about 1-2" below each armpit. Also some at the very top of the armpit that kind of bulges out of a bra when I put my arm to the side. I've had so many more serious issues with my implants that this is not exactly pressing but I would be curious if any of you have dealt with something similar and how your PS handled. It's as if my skin needs tightening if that makes sense. Oh, PS tried to address this somewhat in a prior procedure by doing some lipo but honestly the skin didn't tighten and there is very little difference (if any). I'm seeing PS tomorrow and will ask his opinion. No rush to go back to the OR but I know I'll want to fix this at some point since wearing a tank style top/dress or swimsuit isn't pretty.
Shoregirl, good luck getting an answer to your question. I am not sure what could be causing your problem but good you're seeing your PS. Appearance of size difference is sometimes caused by our own internal anatomy (ribcage or spine I think) causing one side to stick out further than the other. But as far as I know, implants shouldn't be stitched in place.
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Exchange surgery scheduled for June 28 - a year to the date of my bm. Hoping for the best and prepared for all kinds of things thanks to the knowledge gained from this lists.
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Hi everyone! I got home today from the hospital after I had my exchange surgery on May 31, and all went well. I got Polytech anatomical implants and they already look better than the tissue expanders! I am having a little pain at the incisions and from drains, but almost no muscle pain, anyway it's less painful than it was after the double mastectomy. Dr. said drains will probably come out tomorrow. This time I only have two drains. I hope I'll get rid of them as soon as possible! So to everyone awaiting your exchange, it is definitely much easier! I will take pain meds before bed. I also have an antibiotic to take since I have drains.
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shoregirl.....I had a lot of displacement with my TE, so my PS sutured my implants under my arms to keep them from moving around. Maybe yours did something similar?
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My TEs are very far apart. BIG gap. (Whippetmom agreed.)
I was really small (AA/A cup) and am only expanded to 270cc and done. Ha ha. I know that seems tiny but to me, I'm HUGE. I'm about 95lbs soaking wet. You get the drift.
Anyway, since the TEs are so far apart, I'm going to have to have lots of pocket work. Does this terrifically complicate the process?
Hugs to all.
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hercules, I think someone already mentioned that suturing the implants is very unusual! Most of us have pocket work to make the implants fit better and more snug. The textured ones fit snug to keep them from rotating, but not actually sewing them in place. Hope they work out good for you.
Robin
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EastcoastTS - my TEs are somewhat far apart, my PS said he will try to bring them closer together. I imagine that means pocket work for me too.
I would also like to know if it increases the recovery time or pain after exchange.
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Shoregirl and marketingmama: how were your appointments? Any solutions to your problems?
marketingmama: I'm having surgery on June 30 for CC. I'm guessing the recovery is similar to EX. What was your experience? Did the surgery correct your CC?
1040law: good luck on your EX on June 28.
Goldene: welcome to the squishy side! I hope your recovery is smooth.
EastcoastTS and farmdream: I had extensive pocket work during my EX. Recovery was still easier than BMX.
Happy Weekend to All!!
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marketing - my PS lipo-ed that weird puffy area below the underarm after my implant downsize and it solved the problem. Insurance covered it as part of the revision.
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Specialk, I asked my PS to fix that area, too, but he said it wasn't part of thecfat grafting.
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Leslie - my PS May have been able to get insurance approval to lipo in that area because I was downsizing implants to more than 100ccs smaller
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Congrats Goldene on your exchange, glad to hear you are doing well!! Thank you ladies for your well wishes
Hercules, I asked my ps if the implants are stitched and he told me no. Now I need to vent a little, I don't know what to do or say as I am very non-confrontational. I asked my ps if it is possible for the implant to flip over, as that is how it appears. He looked at it and said, "you are about 6 weeks post op, I think you are seeing the swelling has gone down, and this is how it looks." He showed me one of the anatomical implants with the textured shell. He said "these can rotate, which is why they textured them, it acts like velcro to the skin. But you have the smooth rounds. It can rotate but that won't affect how it looks, its round." I said no, no way. Look at the other one, it is perfect, round, nothing has changed. I went to bed and both were the same, perfect. I woke up and the right one was flat in front, and you can grab the whole edge from the side. It looks like the projection side has flipped toward my back. He looked some more, called his assistant to look, and finally agreed saying "it is very, very rare, but I agree with your diagnosis, the implant has flipped!" I was dismayed that he tried to dismiss me, but then he added insult to injury saying to watch it and do nothing for 6 weeks, maybe it will flip back on its own!! I didn't think to ask him what would prevent it from flipping constantly if that is the case. He said they could try to manipulate it in the office, but it would be very aggressive and he worried the incision could open, so he nixed that idea. He said if it didn't flip back he would have to operate Now, he knows he already has to get me back in the OR to revise the scar on that side that goes all the way to my shoulder blade, so why wait? I also brought up the fact that my left breast has a hard knot on the flat part of my chest just above the implant. I brought this to his attention 2 weeks ago. He dismissed it as being "the edge of the implant." I can move my implant while holding my finger on the knot. The knot doesn't move with the implant. Then I mentioned that the implants are very uncomfortable when I cross an arm over my chest and when I lean over. They are above the muscle, with just my skin over the implants. When I do those motions I can feel the implant hanging off my body and the skin stretching and it hurts. I asked if FG whould make it more comfortable and he replied it absolutely would, although 2 weeks ago he told me he didn't think I needed FG. So now he has 2 reasons to schedule OR time, flip my implant, and do some FG. The final thing I brouight up was that the left is bigger than the right, and since he will be in there anyway can he make them symmetrical. I feel they are too big anyway, so he could put a smaller one in the left to make it match the right. He said,"let me wrap my head around this, usually people want FG to make the breast bigger, you want to make it smaller and FG." Well yes!! They are too big, uneven, and the implant edges hurt my skin. I don't think that will change with a smaller implant, it should still be F grafted to cushion the edges since my skin is so sensitive to them. He said he could, but that I need to think about something. " Better is the enemy of good." I said what does that mean" He said "I think you look great. When you go chasing perfection, it can bite you. You could get an infection every time we go in with implants, or you could end up losing it. Just meditate on that." I am just so discouraged. I really liked my ps, but now I am very concerned at his LACK of concern!! As my mother said, he should have taken one look and said "your implant has flipped over. Its rare, but we need to fix it in the OR, what day is good for you?" Do you think he is being egotistical and not wanting to admit its not his best work? Or could he get penalized in some way for having to revise? So, my thought is this. I will call my bs Monday. She is the director of the whole breast center, and he is on her team. I will ask for her to evaluate the knot on the left breast, hopefully I can get imaging ordered for both sides. This way I can be put at ease about the knot on the left, and we can see if in fact the r implant has flipped over. I really don't want to wait til the end of July or into August to have more surgery. And wouldn't putting it off be bad for the capsule, to have the implant all distorted in there and it heal like that? I am going to the beach tomorrow and take my mind off all of this. But I am eager to hear any input you all have. Especially those who have downsized or had revisions. Has anyone else had an implant turn over backwards? Thanks for listening, blessings to all.
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Hey Special! PS said he would need to cut the flabby section of skin. It's really not fat at this point--- just redundant skin. He actually lipo'd that area a few months ago during another procedure but clearly I've been left with stretched out skin that apparently can be excised. He said he might even be able to do in the office, which would be fabulous. I'll see him again in two months as I still have more healing to do from capsulorrhaphies done 3 weeks ago. And man, did those hurt!!
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Mominator, recovery after CC was pretty easy. I took a week off work if I remember correctly. The rough procedures for me have been those involving a lot of pocket work and a round of fat grafting (the liposuction was done on my inner thighs and that definitely smarted).
My CC was corrected but then I developed the opposite problem. I bottomed out. This shocked my PS and is very uncommon. I had another procedure done 3 weeks to correct that issue (capsulorrhaphy) . Went with smaller implants as well.
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Shoregirl, have you tried to gently flip the implant yourself? If it flipped while you were sleeping, then shouldn't it be able to flip back? He has a point that things won't be perfect, but a flipped implant can't feel good. Maybe try to flip it bent over when your skin is stretched? Or maybe just try to sleep on that side?
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A question for you guys: I had my exchange 2 and a half weeks ago. One side looks good but the other is getting ripply.. it looks like an old grape. I see my plastic surgeon on Tuesday but do you guys know what my options will be?
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The implant flipped back on its own while I was sleeping. I guess it is too small for the pocket, I just know it hurts, they both do. How long does it take after exchange to not be sore anymore?
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Shoregirl. . .glad it flipped back. Sounds like your PS needs to do more pocket work. For my original exchange I was sore for 6-8 weeks, bu I also had lipo then. This go round, with the CC surgery and the skin removal for dog ears, I'm still a little sore and I'm 2.5 months post surgery. I had a lot of scar tissue though. Every one is different.
Best wishes,
Scottie
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shoregirl, I took 2 weeks off for exchange, but could have gone back to work in a week. I had pocket work under imf on right side to even them out. It was sore, but tolerable. I have the textured anatomical implants so they stay put in their pockets. It takes at least 6 months for swelling etc to occur, and as was said, everyone is different.
Are you sleeping on your side? You shouldn't be yet. Put a pillow on your sides to prevent it. And just because you can, doesn't mean you should!
Robin
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shoregirl - I agree, your PS will have to do some tightening up or this will be an ongoing problem. Do let us know what he says
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Hi, I'm about to have my exchange (in a few weeks) surgery and I'm nervous that I won't be happy with the size of the implant. I am large framed and had 500 CC Allegran Natrelle 133 Plus MV 14 Expander placed earlier this year in both breasts (after mastectomy). The expanders were inflated to 550CC but are still way too small for my body. My surgeon assured me that they would bring larger implants into the exchange surgery. I'm wondering how large I could possibly end up with? Would 700 CC be realistic? Has anybody increased implant size from expander size? How much were you able to increase by?
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I had 450 in my expanders and had 595 cc implants placed. I am in the process of planning a revision using up to 700 cc implants.
Be sure you and your doc are completely on the same page before surgery. Measure twice, cut once!
Best wishes!
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survivor - is there some reason that your PS elected not to over-expand your TE more? Generally, implants look somewhat smaller than expanders, and I am skeptical as to how much larger an implant can fit in your expanded pocket. Your PS can over-expand your TE well beyond 550ccs and then you can either fit a 800cc silicone implant, which is the largest commercially available, or you can have a saline filled implant that has saline added beyond 800ccs. I would recommend making a post on this thread - read the header carefully and supply the needed info - the OP of this thread is exceedingly knowledgeable and can advise the best course of action.
https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44/topics/746448?page=478#post_4980702
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Shoregirl, I wore a snug fitting bra 24 hours a day. This should help keep things in place. Scar tissue will form around the implant eventually. I still get sore depending on my activity, and I am 3 years next month. I liked the genie bra for bed. Keep those implants secured😃
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