Exchange City
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spazcat- I’m glad you’re doing well
Star- by no means is this a sprint it is definitely a marathon. Just a reminder before you go into surgery, be sure to drink plenty of water starting a few days before and definitely the night of. The extra hydration helps against the anesthesia and nausea felt after surgery.
Jadalulu- I hope you’re surgery went well, please let me know how it went.
I am 6 days out from having revision surgery. My new PS is removing my implants and doing extensive fat grafting while releasing the scar tissue from my radiated side. Hoping everyone out there is doing well and resting after surgery, prepping for upcoming surgeries, anxiously awaiting for the day you get your exchange. Hugs to you all!
M
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Hi Ladies,
I have been off the forum for a while so I'm a little out of date. I am now five month out from my Exchange surgery (mentor smooth round saline implants) and have ripples showing.
I moved from one Kaiser region to another (and have a new insurance plan) since then and am wondering if any revision surgery will still be covered by my new Kaiser insurance. I think(?) it would fall under symmetry b/c the ripples look different in each breast (lol). I hope it will be covered b/c I hate looking at myself.On another topic, the only bras I've found to be really comfortable are Coobie and one very expensive Calvin Klein bra (got fitted at Nordstrom). I need more bras for v-neck and button down shirts. Has anyone tried Third Love bras?
Hope all are doing well, and hugs and best wishes to the ladies recovering from their exchanges and surgeries --star2017, spazcat, judalu , and lmkopy!
thanks!
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spazcat Sounds like everything is going really well. That's so encouraging. Thanks for posting, it makes those of us awaiting exchange feel better (plus, I'm a uni too)! BTW, we have an April Exchange Surgery thread going, so you can join us there too if you'd like.
Hugs to all!
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Minute,
I had my exchange the day before you, back in November, I think. I am having a revision in 3 weeks and my PS didn't say anything special about getting insurance to cover it. The average reconstruction process takes 3.5 surgeries, so says my MDA plastice surgeon. So, insurance companies should not think that it is odd. I am getting more fat grafting and a smaller implant inserted on my natural side, just for shaping and contouring to match the mastectomy side which has the perfect-sized implant from the first exchange. There is a bit of ripling near my underarm that is only exposed if I lift my arm a certain height. My PS is going to add a bit of fat over there. My frame does not have a lot of upper-body fat so adding fat is sometimes necessary for that reason too.
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Thanks Scrafgirl. I am the same with not having much extra flesh to hide things. Good to know what your PS says, that's helpful. I hope all goes well with your revision. Did your PS give you a sense for the recovery time and restrictions after surgery?
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I have tried third love, but so far haven't found a style that fits my implants well. I have rounds, maybe anatomicals would fit better, they seem to have more room for a nipple or a more natural breast shape, which is great but for me with rounds and without nipples it leaves an empty space. They are comfortable, just the cup sizing isn't a good match for me in the two styles I tried. But their return process is easy so give it a try! I ordered several Wacaol bras off of Zappos after I had a fitting to get my size. I like being able to try on at home and with different tops, etc since it feels like I am starting all over on what looks good on my body and with my wardrobe. I found a few that are pretty comfortable. Not as comfortable as a completely unstructured bra, but I have worked my way up to wearing them all day. They were not cheap, but definitely worth it!
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Thanks for your reply Meg. I didn't realize that Zappos carried bras! Good to know and I will definitely try that. Love the option to send stuff back for free if it doesn't work. At my last Nordstrom fitting she fit me with one Calvin Klein bra and one Wacaol, but the Waacol for some reason doesn't feel comfortable. I will give Zappos a try!
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MIntue, I have not had the preop yet, but I think that they told me that things would be the same as before...no heavy lifting or working out...compression for 4-6 weeks top and bottom (my fat grafting is from my thighs)
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I had my exchange surgery on Wednesday with fat grafting. All went well except that I now have numbness in both my upper and lower lip! Has anyone ever experienced this? My PS sent me for bloodwork to be sure I didn’t have an electrolyte imbalance but all is good there. Just really baffled why my lips would be numb
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An update for me since surgery: I had the exchange done on my right side. I got the round gummy bear implant Sientra 440, and while the tissue expander looked like it was about the size of the left breast (that I still had at the time), this just doesn't look right. It's too small or too high or too flat or too something. Maybe it's the lack of a nipple. it's funny because the whole time I was telling my PS to make sure he didn't go too big.
I guess part of the problem is my postpartum body. I was diagnosed while pregnant and am only 5 months postpartium and just not happy with my body shape. I suppose that's one reason things don't look quite right, the proportions are off. I have a follow up with the PS tomorrow and will definitely ask him, but would love some advice for those who may have experienced something similar.
The left prophylactic mastectomy side is doing okay. If you recall, they weren't able to do immediate reconstruction due to poor blood flow, so there's a tissue expander there instead. The area looks less bruised, so i assume that's a good sign. I'm waiting to hear back from the radiation oncologist to determine if I have to wait until after radiation (May-July) before starting fills and doing the exchange.
When I left the hospital I was prescribed Vicodin, Valium, an antibiotic, and colace. Yesterday I tried Tylenol rather than Vicodin, and today I dropped the valium and added ibuprofen between Tylenol doses, to see if I can manage that way. It's been okay.
I am feeling pretty overwhelmed and frustrated. I can't hold my baby, can't drive, I have tons of help and it's driving me crazy. It'sbecause of the prophylactic mastectomy, not the exchange. I am lucky to have so much support and it's not them, it's the situation. I hate being dependent and out of control. I was finally starting to feel better, but the prophylactic mastectomy has thrown me back into those vulnerable days, and I've had a couple big cries today. I just want my husband to be home and I want my space. I've retreated upstairs with the laptop and left the grandparents to deal with the kids for much of the day. I either want to be in charge or left alone. Not sure how to address these feelings.
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Star2017, I'm so sorry you feel this way. I very clearly remember the days where I just cried. I didn't know if I was going through a depression, getting messed up from the meds, or if it was just a normal thing after getting a mastectomy. And...I didn't just have a baby. My youngest is 3 though and as a mom I think we feel bad when someone else has to take care of our kids or clean our house, or whatever it may be. Take the help and if you need to, retreat to your room. You can't take care of your kids until you take care of yourself. The days will get better-just give it time. I think it was at 3 weeks when my drains finally came out that I got out of my depressing "funk."
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Star2017 I’m sending you big hugs right now and I recommend you talk to Special K she has a ton of experience in the reconstruction process. I know it’s tough to be so dependent, this is definitely a testament of our patience. Remember we are all here for you to vent to...this journey is not easy by any means I can’t imagine having a new born.
Cyber hugs,
Mich
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thank you for the kind words, nurse and mich. how do I find special ?
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Go to 'Member List/ on the left. Type in "SPECIALK". She's the only one with a picture & 14 thousand posts. Then you can send her a private message. I think this is her profile below.
https://community.breastcancer.org/member/120961/p...
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Star 2017- I sent her a PM to reach out to you...she has such a wealth of info. Keep us updated!
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you all are wonderful. Thank you.
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star - Hey! I got a PM from lmkopy (so sweet of her to alert me!) that you are feeling not quite right with your recon. If I understand correctly, you have an exchanged side with a smooth round Sientra implant with 440ccs of cohesive gel, and a new tissue expander in the other side? I will say there is no way the two sides will look the same at this point - I have also had this situation, had a smooth round implant that had been in place for several years, then a new expander to the side that had been previously flat for 18 months. It was a mess initially. Because the implant is soft and malleable it will not push forward like an expander does, and because your implant is so new, it does not look now like it will over time as things relax and become less flat and high looking. This is one of those step away from the mirror moments - your implant should change over the next couple of months, but you will be dealing with the expander side that is also changing - and not in the same way as the implant side. You may have to wear a bra with light padding in one side or the other as your situation evolves. Unfortunately, this may be a while because a lot of plastic surgeons will not exchange after rads until some time has elapsed. Do you have the nipple on the expander side? If so, I can see why things look even more asymmetrical, but you might want to try a temporary nipple tattoo https://www.tatatattoos.com or www.breasthealing.com and, also the link above in this thread, see if that helps with the visual. I would suggest expanding the side that needs rads before you start if you can. Radiated skin does not like to stretch, so trying to expand after rads can be more problematic, particularly if you have already had vascularity issues previously. My skin behaved very much like radiated skin (my problems were on the prophy side, so no rads there) and I did benefit from fat grafting to help introduce skin integrity and increased vascularity. You might also want to consider possible fat grafting between rads and exchange, and I would advise it as well if you can't expand prior to rads. It may delay your fills and exchange, but it may help tremendously in the recon success on that side.
Is there anything specific you can think of that I can help with?
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Special K. Thank you so much for responding so thoughtfully!
My implant side is the side that will get radiation. It was due to the PS's preference/suggestion that we decided to go ahead with the implant before radiation for the reasons you mentioned above. He just didn't want to have to cut into radiated skin if he didn't have to, and the radiation oncologist and medical oncologist were both comfortable with the plan. So on the right I have an implant but no nipple. I will be starting radiation on the right next month. On the left I JUST had a prophylactic mastectomy and because of bloodflow concerns, they did not immediately do an implant. I think I was feeling kind of miserable the last couple days and wrote out whole long depressing posts.
I met with both my breast surgeon and my plastic surgeon today for post-op visits. They were very pleased with the way the left (prophylactic mastectomy) side was healing, especially since there had been concerns about blood flow. I'm supposed to apply Aquaphor regularly to encourage healing. I did talk to my PS about the right (implant, no nipple) not looking quite right, but he also reminded me that there was no reason we couldn't make adjustments in the future.
But it's best for me to get past radiation and past the post-partum phase (I had a baby 5.5 months ago, so there's just a lot going on, and my body has been through a lot). I think I'll take the next few months to eat healthy and be a bit more active. I think if I lose 10lbs, I'll look much more like myself and more proportionate. Larger boobs always make me look chubby and matronly, and I want to avoid that! When it's time to reconstruct the left, we can think about if the right needs revision. I still have my drain, so I'll need to go back next week to see the PS, but I'm generally feeling better. Thank you so much for sharing your insights.
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star2017 - ah, up to speed now! Glad the rads will be on the implant side rather than the expander side. Your PS is right, avoiding cutting into radiated skin is a good thing - hoping for no aesthetic changes from the rads. Fat grafting on either, or both, sides is an option that may be helpful with the way things look and function, as well as different implant choices - the good news is that the book is not closed. You have probably heard this a bunch at this point, but patience is a virtue! Glad your post-ops have been encouraging - that's great! Also, congrats on your baby - I can't imagine doing all of this at the same time - bravo to you!
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start I can chime in on the book not closing...I went thru 28 rounds of rads, healed up and had recon to remove expanders and put my implants in. I never really ‘loved’ my look, waited patiently and kept researching things while I waited for the magical moment when I loved my foobs. Last December I had a consult with a PS who specializes in revision recon post rads...I’m having revision surgery tomorrow including an implant swap and FG. Your journey is going to have plenty of twists and turns maybe even some detours but you will be ok. What an incredible role model your children have to look up to...hugs to you
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hi ladies! I’m about to have my pre-op appointment about ten days before my tissue expander exchange surgery. Just wondering if you guys have any tips - things I should be sure to ask the plastic surgeon, suggested research, etc before my appointment. I’m doing this postradiation and do have some shrinkage on the affected side, so I’m a little extra nervous about the outcome. Thanks!
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Nickel, I didn't have rads. Did you do Breast Implant Sizing 101 with Whippetmom?
https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44/topics/746448
You don't have to read the whole thing. Just make sure to read the original post, and answer all the questions. Also ask any questions or concerns you might have. Whippetmom is a genius about implant sizing.
Also, ask you doctor any concerns you may have. We all have some experience, but your doctor knows you and your situation best.
Good luck,
Mominator
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Hello, SpecialK!
I just wanted to say I love your new photo!
We haven't been on the same pages for a while, so I just saw your new photo tonight. You look gorgeous, and younger too. How is that possible? Do you have any tips for looking so pretty?
I hope things are well with you.
Love, Madelyn
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Nickel- I also had rads (28 rounds) and my skin held up fairly well minimal discoloration and no open wounds. I too had TEs and the radiated breast definitely has shrinkage. I'm going to share my story with you I apologize because it is a bit long. Going into this radiation was always been on the table and my PS knew that I also wanted nip recon. After I did my exchange surgery (getting rid of the TEs is wonderful) i had my post op with my surgeon and wanted him to discuss the next phase nip recon. He refused because i had rads...I saw that we weren't on the same page so I began researching other options because I knew that I could not only get nips but that I could also be revised if I wanted. I finally found a PS who specializes in recon after rads. This type of reconstruction is different if you didn't have rads which my former surgeon didn't specialize in. Don't get me wrong he is a fantastic surgeon but having radiation added a significant variable to my case.
I would ask your surgeon how he intends to handle the reconstruction of the radiated side? Especially since the skin has shrunk you also have to be careful that you heal properly. Skin that has been radiated can have complications with healing. You may want to ask where the incision will be...is he/she going thru the original scar from mastectomy or will he be going thru the inframmatory fold. Ask about fat grafting and whether or not the stem cells will help improve the integrity of your skin. If he/she says no then they are giving you inaccurate information. So beware.
Also, ask if there will be a problem with symmetry because of the rads & will both sides have the same size implant?
I just had my revision surgery yesterday with my new PS he did fat grafting to help out my radiated breast and released my scar tissue. He also improved my symmetry & I now have the same size implant on both sides. Before I had 2 different sizes ( my former surgeon claimed it was because of my radiation). There's a discussion board on implants and radiation...I think it's called 'fat transfer and radiation' (whippetmom set it up) a number of us have been there and done that. Just because you had radiation doesn't mean you have to settle with mediocre results. Special K is also a wonderful resource for radiation and reconstruction. Hope all goes well, if you have questions please let me know.
Definitely go to that discussion and check it out.
Best wishes!
Mic
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I had my revision exchange surgery yesterday...after my original PS refused to do nip recon on me because I had rads, I decided I needed to part ways and find someone who would. After reading all the posts from all of the wonderful ladies on this site, I knew I had the right to revision & I could find a secondary PS who would help make me whole. Well I found that person, Dr John Kim is the guy...he's in Chicago and while I just had my surgery yesterday I feel like this is it. After surgery he told me that he was able to do everything on my wish list, so I really can't wait to see my new foobs. Since I had rads he was also able to release my scar tissue and I can totally tell he did it, I no longer have the iron bra thing going on the right side. I am including the link if you're near Chicago I would recommend him for sure. He has done extensive research on stem cells, fat grafting and improving the integrity radiated skin. Hope everyone is well...good luck to those ladies with upcoming exchange surgery. Be sure to post so others can learn from your experience as well.
Hugs to all,
Michelle
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mominator- just saw your post - thank you, what a lovely compliment! I am well and hope you are too! I have to say I was dressed up for a Christmas party so not my everyday look! I have no great tips, other than the usual - get enough sleep, eat well, exercise, laugh a lot, and protect your face from the sun. In addition to breast cancer I have had a boatload of skin cancer, the first at 35, so I have mostly avoided the sun (I live in Florida - how's that for irony?) and my Vit D level reflects that, lol! But - I think I may look a little younger because of that. I use argan oil on my skin, and try to stick with cosmetics that rate well on the www.ewg.org site. It's funny - the original of the photo had my 28 year old daughter in it also - so when I look at it I see the contrast between her youth and my senior citizen status, ha!
lmkopy - yay, yay, yay! So happy for you!
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Star, you're doing great, I'm so impressed by you. I can't imagine having an infant at the same time as going through this. I'm glad you have lots of help even though sometimes it can feel crazy.
Just give your post-partum body some time to normalize with everything going on -- I hear myself in you when you set yourself up to lose 10 lbs. and eat healthfully while also going through rads and getting along with your newborn and I think -- GO EASY ON YOURSELF! This is not easy stuff and from what everyone is telling us, our reconstruction may have twists and turns that we don't expect right now, but we know yours isn't over right now because you have a TE in. TEs are tough stuff because they sit so high and are pretty darn uncomfortable at times. Just remember to be good to yourself, and take care of yourself as best you can without pressuring yourself. You've got an awful lot on your plate.
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Sweet Pea, thank you so much for the kind and thoughtful words -- as well as the warning. You're right, I should be careful about pushing myself too quickly. If my goals aren't realistic, I'll be even more frustrated. And sometimes I just need a cookie or a slice of cake, and don't want to feel miserable about it. Thank you for the reality check.
I'm two weeks out from surgery (prophylactic MX with TE placement on left and TE to implant on right). Pain isn't terrible, but my left arm is still a bit restricted and tight. I'm still sleeping in a chair, but I don't mind it. I just want this darn drain out! Hopefully it can come out when I go to my PS tomorrow. Just heard my PS is leaving the hospital in a couple months. I'm disappointed to hear that, as I trust him and hoped he would continue my care. Not sure what's next, but I'll speak to him.
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I have a question about massage to the implants. I just had my exchange surgery about 10 days ago. Things are healing nicely and no real pain to speak of at this point. I did have radiation to my chest wall on the left, and that side is still a bit tighter. Even after the capsule around the TE was removed. Has anyone been told to massage their implants? I know it is don for augmented patients, but I'm not sure about us. I'll see my PS on Friday and ask him too, but wondering if people find this helps soften things up.
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RoJo, I think it depends on what type implants you received. I was told not to massage mine but I know of others who were told to massage theirs at a certain point. Best to check with your PS.
Edited to say: mine are the textured anatomical implants.
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