Exchange City
Comments
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Hello minute, I had Bmx with TEs then EX 6 months later with perfect results and no need for revision. It is possible! I have the Allergan 410 gummies. Filled to 420, 475 FF implants. Being anatomical, they have a natural appearance because they are teardrop shape and give a good upper poll look. I love them. Minus Two has them too.
I can send you a PM with pictures if you want. I also have the 3D nipple tattoos.
Robin
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trmtab, I had my Bmx feb 1 and my exchange to implants may 17. Now that everything is settled I can see quite a lot of rippling in the right implant so I'm having fat grafting November 13. I could have lived with the rippling but I'm open to improving the feel and look.
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Minute - Robin is right on. I also have Allergan 410 anatomical implants, installed in Sept 2011 - so 6 years out. I never had any problems and I am happy with the results. Although it did take awhile for all the interior swelling to go down. It didn't take as long as I expected to get used to the implants because they were ten million times better than the TEs. No rippling, no dog ears & the scars are almost invisible.
I think a lot of this depends on the expertise of your PS. When the anatomical implants first came out, there were not many docs who were trained in the very different surgery that it required. It would be useful to find out how many implants of the kind you are considering that your PS does every month.
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Minus Two is also right on! Your PS has to be an expert in anatomical implants. But they are so worth it. No ripples at all. With the rough exterior, they need to be kept in a sport bra 24/7 for at least 6 weeks. I encourage you to talk about them with your PS. How big are you going?
Robin
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I had my exchange yesterday. The left with the flap has 750cc mentor smooth round high profile and my right breast 800 mentor smooth round high profile, I know I shouldn't look but I did. As I'm crying they look so flat,. I had fat graphing from my belly. I can see they went thru belly button and 2 other spots. My belly is very sore. My new implants are a little sore. , I pray there implants fluff up😢😢😢
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Motheroftwins, my heart goes out to you. Please don't focus on the look of your implants now. You have heard the mantra "step away from the mirror". There is so much post op swelling you can't judge right now. Just focus on rest and recovery. Be patient and kind to yourself, you've been through a lot. Every one is different, but it took a good 10-12 weeks for enough of my swelling to subside before I got an idea of what I did/didn't like.
Hugs!!
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I sure hope they don’t get smaller!
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Just did my exchange surgery yesterday. So far haven't needed any pain meds despite having lots of pocket work on my radiation side. I do also have one drain due to all that pocket work. Worst if the pain seems to be the drain site, but it's not bad. I immediately feel better having the expanders out-- I've had mine for a year. I am really not focused on the appearance yet, still have plastic over them so it will be a few days I think before I can really tell size and shape. But volume and implants my surgeon selected were very close to what we discussed.
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Meg:
So glad you're feeling good after Exchange. One year in expanders. You're tough! I had mine for six months -- and they were doable -- but it's amazing that Exchange brings instant relief from those things.
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Meg congrats for getting the expanders out! One year-wow! That is a long time to deal with these "boulders" lol! I know you are relieved! I cannot wait to get mine out Nov 1! Counting down!! Best wishes & speedy recovery to you!!
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my swelling took almost 14 weeks to start going away
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Today is 5 weeks post-op, still bruised but that is getting better, my breastbone is still sore where pocket work was done...I take a picture each Friday so now have a slide show to show progress!
I still need to pad my native breast to come even with the implant...tcx800...I think/hope I am seeing some settling and some reduction in swelling...at the half inch level.
I think it will be months, so the 10-14 weeks folks have come back with for loss of swelling seems like I am in that category too before I really know how this looks....
These cohesive round implants are firm, I don't see this as getting my "squishies" as others have said...I would love to get a massage, but can't foresee when I will be able to lie flat on my belly with this implant!
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Ask the massage therapist to use a belly pillow that they use with a pregnant woman, just put it up top. I did that when I saw a chiropractor 3 weeks after I got my first implants.
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thanks Meg...me too!! I cannot wait to sleep on my sides again and maybe one day my stomach lol! It's been soooo long sleeping on my back! I hope these slicone implants are softer.
Man a massage sounds awesome too...been at least a year since my last!! I had not thougt about the belly pillow! I may have to try that! Did you ladies have or currently have a lot of lower back pain? I sure do and it just seems worse
not sure it's normal from chemo or from these heavy TEs0 -
I was able to get a decent massage with a body pillow and laying on my side, body pillow to lean against with my stomach. The expanders totally got my back and muscles out of whack, plus radiation, so massage was really nice when I could do it. Its good to find someone who has some experience with breast cancer patients, they are more comfortable with adjustments they may need to make to accommodate you and so I didn't have to give a 20-minute explanation each time. I also got to where I could sleep on my side with one body pillow behind me and one in front of me, was much better than just on my back. Body pillows became my best friends!
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For any of you who had radiation with tissue expanders, can you tell me how long you had to wait for your exchange surgery after radiation ended? Also, how did you fair through radiation? I am getting close to being finished with chemo and will start rads next month. I am getting worried because they said my skin is thin on the cancer side. I don't want to have gone through all of this expansion and then have the rads ruin everything.
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Thank you to everyone who reports on their recovery process. I have been lurking here for awhile to understand the experience. My PS wouldn't fill TEs during my summer of chemo, but now I'm filled up to my max, 450cc, and they are hard! Thrilled to have just scheduled my exchange surgery for Nov 3.
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OCDAmy I had to wait six months from end of radiation to exchange. My surgeon said she feels the longer the better, the more healing the more likely the positive outcome. So I ended up waiting closer to eight months after radiation (which meant I had my expanders for a year.) It wasn't fun, but I figure I had one shot at these implants working. I just finished my exchange and my skin is in great condition, so far things look very good. I used Mepitel during radiation, I don't if that was the reason but my skin held up very well. You might talk to your RO about it as a possibility. Studies are out there (if you look in the radiation threads there is discussion on them) to support it.
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T-Sue, Welcome. You and I have the same Exchange Surgery date (and I live in Denver too). Great that you are done with chemo and moving on to this.
I have decided to get saline implants and hoping they will be less uncomfortable than TEs.
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Meg, thanks for the information. I can't imagine having these expanders that long but I guess it's just one more thing to add to the list of cancer crap we have to put up with. I see my PS next week so I'll see what her plan is.
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Wow Minute, what a coincidence! My treatment is at the Rose Med Center. Hope all goes smoothly for you!
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Greetings!
I've been following this thread for about 6 weeks and finally decided to say hello!
I finished chemo on August 31 and will have my exchange surgery on November 2! I can't wait to have the TE out!
Thank you for sharing your experiences. I will do the same!
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T-Sue--mine is at Kaiser Franklin/St Joe Hospital. Good luck with your surgery!
And Scraffal--you are the day before T-Sue and I. Hope all goes well. The three of us will be recovering together.
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Yes, Minute, I hope it goes well for you and T-Sue, as well! I will keep you posted!
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Guys:
I know we've discussed before but at least it will be a good post for newbies.
With regard to massage, what did your PS say exactly? I have to start (per their not great instructions).
Thanks for any tips/tricks. Is this done so we don't form scar tissue?
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I'm 5.5 weeks post-op and haven't received any guidance on massage...? Saw PS at 4 weeks post-op and don't see him again until 10 weeks post-op.
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The question of massage will vary depending on your implant type and pocket work done- better ask your PS for individual results...
As reference, I had a Mentor textured anatomical gummy used on my reconstructed side and a smooth Allergan Inspira round to augment my native side. I had wanted smooth rounds on both sides, but the PS knew what was right - symmetry is actually pretty good despite these disparities! The PS said no massaging for me. Usually, he will recommend massage on breast augmentation (not mastectomy recon) patients with smooth rounds to help soften after 6 weeks. But in my case, he wants the tissues to "settle" onto the texture anatomical (he does not recommend massage on textured anatomicals). Hope that helps...
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I have the Allergan Natrelle 410 gummie bear implants. No massaging for textured implants. They have to adhere so they don't rotate. You don't want them being pushed around.
hope this helps. Robin
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burner (or anyone), I received Mentor Textured Anatomical implants at my exchange recently and I'm curious as to how long I need to sleep on my back(as opposed to side)... do you know or does it even matter?
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