Exchange City
Comments
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The last thing I want to do is start scare stories! I had the opportunity to revise and during that I made the switch to smooth. I didn't specifically seek to change them out because of the risk. Women who are looking at implants for the first time may appreciate the statistics and use them to make decisions.
I do other risky things. I did high dose chemo to reset my immune system due to an autoimmune disease in 2010. I had a 5% chance of death. I am currently using a biologic that has a risk of death. It's all what we're willing to take on, but I appreciate up to date stats.
From the FDA: Several recent publications have estimated the risk of developing BIA-ALCL in individuals with textured breast implants. Current literature reported various estimates that BIA-ALCL may develop in 1 in between 3,817 to 30,000 women with textured breast implants (Clemens et al, 2017; Loch-Wilkinson et al, 2017
; De Boer et al, 2018).Hope this helps.
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Day Two after exchange--it's Friday, and my exchange was two days ago, on Wednesday. Goodness, I cannot believe how much easier this is than the BMX! Everyone (this forum, my PS, his nurses) had said that this surgery is much easier than the BMX, and I'm so happy to find that out for myself. I probably wasted some energy on anxiety, lol...
I am taking some Tylenol every few hours. I needed the Oxycodone for 36 hours and then I just didn't. Lying flat in bed, I had no pain, so I just stayed still, and felt okay and slept okay the 2nd night. I have some swelling, but I feel comfortable in the supportive front-hooking sports bra that I'm instructed to wear for 2 weeks, 24/7. Slight discomfort, no serious pain at all. Restricted activity level for 2-4 weeks.
I drank a LOT of water the day after surgery, to get the anesthesia grogginess gone. I'm on antibiotics for 5 days, which give me diarrhea, so I am also taking a probiotic. Seems like enough stuff coursing through me, so I'm happy to not need the Oxy any more.
My BMX was so traumatizing....axillary node excision through the right breast, attachment of the TE's, etc. and post surgical pain for quite a few days, and this exchange/swap surgery is truly SO much easier. The only additional "inside" work that the PS did was to make left side a tiny bit smaller (he removed some extra skin) since it had stretched more than right side, and he did that at the end of the main incision.
Day after surgery/yesterday, I went to PS's office for incision, etc. to be checked, and his RN took off the ACE bandage that was wrapped around my chest. When we unveiled my new foobs, they looked good. No huge bruising, no huge swelling. Who knows, maybe that will show up later, but so far, nothing like as traumatized as my torso looked after the BMX.
I have small new foobs, and they're quite spherical, since I have "smooth round," but they look okay, and they look to be the same size as each other, which was the main goal. I have nice clean Steri-Strips across the incisions (NNS), and it all looks clean and just quite good. PS will remove Steri-Strips in two weeks. Okay to shower starting Day 2, after ACE wrap was removed.
I have fewer restrictions on arm use than after BMX. Okay to lift hands above shoulders, can get things out of the cupboards in the kitchen, and I am not walking around with T-Rex arms for 2 weeks like I did after BMX.
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Thanks for sharing details. My exchange is 2/8 so following your progress eagerly. Hope it continues to go well.
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Hi HikingLady: So glad to hear everything went well with your exchange and sounds like you are doing great with your recovery. Take care and get lots of rest. Goldfish4884 (Mary
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@hikingLady: Wonderful news about the ease of your exchange! Sounds like everything went as well as one would hope. I have my preoperative appointment tomorrow and looking forward to finding out what exactly my surgery will entail. Here's hoping mine goes as smoothly as yours!
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Over three months after my exchange I ended up with a small abscess in my incision. I had to go to the emergency Christmas eve. I didn't even know it was there until it popped and I felt something wet on my belly. I took a round of anti biotics but it was a bit unsettling after feeling like I was on the mend.
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rachelcarter that would have me unsettled a ad well!! 3 months out!! I pray for smooth sailing from here on out for you!!
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I have my exchange surgery at 7:30 am
I am nervous I don't know what implant I'm gonna have for the size my doctor told me 600 or 650 cc
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I have been really happy with how my exchange went; it was January 2, 2019. The healing is so much more comfortable than after my BMX. My torso isn't bruised and is barely swollen, and the pain was just about gone by Day 3! No exercise is allowed for awhile, which is really driving me crazy.
I didn't have a choice on size--it was what fit in the pockets. The pockets turned out to be rather small, because the stretching didn't go well on my previously radiated side (2003). Once my tissue was unable to stretch more on the right side, that was the size we stopped at. PS did a good job of matching my two sides, considering that challenge. They look fine, which is all I could expect.
Gigilala : Best wishes for smooth sailing and a good recovery!
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Thank you HikingLady’
Finally I had my exchange I feel ok not like my last surgery the pain is manageable
I’m not happy with my size unfortunately I didn’t have a choice on size mes boobs look small but it’s better than nothing.
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I'm 4 weeks out after exchange from TE to implant. I feel great. Had prepectoral (over the muscle) which had very little pain and recovery. However I feel like they look too small under my clothes. Not too bad in a bathing suit. I'm scheduled for a swap to a larger size +100cc in two weeks. 45 minute surgery..I'm 5'3" 127 lbs. I was a C cup but always wore push up bras, so they looked bigger. I'm starting to worry that they will look too big and fake. They already are very stiff looking. Anyone out there have a similar experience? I have 400cc mentor high profile.
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I think you will be good. Mine are over 600 and don't seem too big or even fake unless I am in a swimsuit or naked. It doesn't bother me. At this point, natural breasts look odd to me.
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VegGalLol. Thanks for the quick reply! Do you mind if I ask how tall are you and how much do you weigh? What size were you before? Are you pre or subpectoral? Do you need to wear a bra? I see you had some fat grafting. What was that for?
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Hi, I am 5'11" and around 140. I was a 34C pre-cancer and am now a 34DD. I am pre-pec. I had fat grafting in the upper poles and to correct a "divot" in my anatomy on the left.
I wear a bra ALL.THE.TIME. I had saggy boobs to start with and don't want any additional stretching. Your milage may vary.
Hope this helps.
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Thanks VegGal, yes it does. I just looked up the size difference between a 400 and 500cc. It’s only 4/10 of an inch wider and half that size in projection. I think I’ll be fine too. Maybe they will loosen up with time but right now they don’t feel like they’re going anywhere. I’m either bra less or in stretchy bras.
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Had my 6+ week follow up this morning...Yeah, all good. Can get out of the bra 24/7 and move back to normal bras and reintroduce more exercise activity.
Was given instruction to use Vit E oil on incision, that is new and this is my 5th surgery, but happy to give it a try.
See her again in one month... and then if all goes well, then next on the one year anniversary of surgery.
Happy February, TT
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Good report TrmTab! I am almost 8 weeks out and still wearing a bra 24/7 just because its more comfortable. I have heard Vit E is good for healing scars but my surgeons never mentioned it to me either. I too am heading for surgery #5 on Monday. Just outpatient to "release" the implant inferiorly and laterally under a local. A little nervous at being awake but they give 2mg of Xanax prior to the local so hopefully I will be feeling ok!
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Hi ShoreGirl, what does "release" the implant inferiorly and laterally mean?
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Hi crossh
I had a revision Dec 4 to downsize my implants and add alloderm to the left side. PS said the left implant was falling off my chest laterally while laying on my back so he put extra deep internal sutures to reinforce the lateral side of pocket. He told me in recovery that it was a bit flat on that side as a result of the implant being squished up and over toward center. He said he hoped it would relax on its own in a few weeks but if not he would have to "release" it. It did soften and drop a bit, but it is still flat on that outer edge. What he has to do is open the incision and cauterize to allow the implant to drop into proper position. He will do this under local at his office surgical suite. Once it heals (he said 1 month) I will go back for fg to fill the extra space in my pockets from downsizing the implants. 0 -
ShoreGirl, Wow, thanks for explaining. Hope everything goes well.Good luck.
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7 weeks post-op today...while the Dr said I didn't have to wear a bra 24/7, I still am too ShoreGirl. BUT I have moved away from the post-op mild compression bras, back to coobie bras to sleep in and normal bras during the day.
I went from TCX800 to SRX700 but am still the same bra size from what I can see, just softer and not sitting so high...a 38D "look" wearing a 38G Wacoal due to wideness of implant and importance of not having wire touch implant. TT
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Had my exchange surgery yesterday morning and I have no pain at all. Haven't even taken Tylenol! Not only no pain from surgery, but the uncomfortable aspect of the TE's is gone since they are gone. Haven't been able to see the results yet as I am wrapped in an ace bandage that PS will remove on Tuesday at post op visit. My TEs were filled up to 400 cc each side, and the implants he put in were Natrelle Inspira SSX-495. Can't wait to see them! Still can't believe I had surgery yesterday and feel so great today.
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Wonderful to hear the good reports from TrmTab and borogirl.
Hoping that you continue to heal well.
Best wishes,
Madelyn
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Hi. I had my implant swap on Monday (2/4). Just getting to surgery was a headache. My PS's RN, a nice young women but still learning her job, insisted I have more blood work done because she didn't like my WBC from lab work a couple weeks before that and she was certain it meant I had a UTI. She ordered the labs, I went and fed the vampires and gave a urine sample. (Wow! Still not pregnant!) WBC was in the middle of the normal range. But she forgot to order followup tests with the urinalysis to test and culture any bacteria, if found. She was then off for 7 days and then back for one work day before my scheduled surgery.
If I have a UTI, no surgery. So the PS needs to know if I do. One of her co-workers was supposed to send in additional lab orders. Fax busy; didn't resend. An order is finally sent on the Thursday before my Monday surgery. I go to the lab ASAP. RN is off on Fridays. A co-worker is supposed to call me first thing Friday morning. PS has decided that even if I have a UTI, he'll operate if I've taken antibiotics for 3 days, but he only wants me on antibiotics if I actually have an infection. I agree.
Friday morning ... waiting for the phone to ring. Run some errands. It's now noon and nothing. Start calling PS' office. No one knows what I'm talking about. Ask to speak to an RN, to someone on my PS' team; to anyone who might be able to help me. "Is Courteny available?" 'Which Courtney?' "Is Jillian available?" 'Which Jillian?' Um, maybe start hiring people with different first names, have employees wear name tags or maybe give out old school business cards?
I finally reach someone around 3 p.m. (antibiotic was supposed to be started no later than 1 p.m., if needed). She informs me that Jillian left me a vm almost 30 minutes ago. Since I apparently don't listen, my test was negative and I don't need to do anything.
No one left me a vm.
Jillian was supposed to call me first thing in the morning.
I got a letter from my health insurance company yesterday saying they were denying coverage of the surgery. As I read the details, I started laughing. The new girl who's doing billing because the old girl "just quit," asked for urgent medical coverage for the wrong procedure on the wrong date without getting anything from my physician's office. Today, I got an approval letter based on info sent by my physician's office. I saw her Wednesday for something completely unrelated, but mentioned the chaos at the PS office.
So, surgery done. I has TEs put in during my bmx and I've had them since July 2017. The road's been bumpy. I'm surprised at how large my implants are. We had talked about large B/small C. I'm at least a D. My expanders had 710 ccs in them. I thought that seemed like a lot, but PS said better too much room than not enough.
I'm supposed to wear a surgical bra 24/7 and until today, I did. It's so tight that it pulls my shoulder blades back several inches, aggravating back probs I have. So, for sitting and sleeping (today/tonight at least), it's a camisole with a built-in bra.
Severe pain didn't last long. I took Norco for 48 hours. I'm still icing the swelling. Steri-strips are starting to peel and bandages came off Wednesday, as instructed. Post-op appointment on Tuesday.
I'd like some boredom, please.
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Be careful! Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. It can sneak up on you. Sounds like you have the textured ultra cohesive implants. Keep them tight and follow your doctors instructions to a "T". Do Not Overdue. Keep on feeling good and enjoy being TE free. Robin
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Had my exchange on Friday, 2/8, and follow up with PS today. I am so happy with how they look and feel! I've got Natrelle SSX495, round smooth, and they feel just like the originals to the touch (although of course I can't feel the touch myself) and although they are a little misshapen after being bound in Ace wrap since Friday, they are symmetric and as of right now, little bruising. I am now released to drive, shower, wear whatever bras feel comfortable, light lifting (less than 10 lbs) and starting back into working out. Still supposed to sleep on back for 3-4 more weeks, not because pocket could shift, but so I don't fold the lateral incisions on them selves for healing. He doesn't think I'll need fat grafting as I had good thickness of skin flaps, but he says he will reassess that in 6 months or so. After I left his office I met a friend for lunch, bought two new pretty bras, and 2 pink champagne cupcakes. Late this afternoon I culled through my 2" thick 3 ring binder and got rid of so much collected information I no longer need. Very cleansing.
I really want to thank everyone on this board! I joined late spring of 2018 and the information and support have been invaluable as I prepared myself physically, mentally, and emotionally to do this prophylactic surgery. I am a huge researcher, but medical reports and dr.s offices only give you a certain amount of information. It also takes having someone who's gone through it to talk with. I also give great praise to God, as my faith in Him, and knowing He had a plan for me and would be with me through all of this, helped bring me peace when the anxiety flared up. I had a great contemporary Christian music playlist I listened to and daily devotionals often gave me unexpected strength. Through this process I began making mastectomy comfort care bags for all MX patients at our local hospital, which include under arm pillows, seat belt pillows, drain bag pockets, and collection of tervis cups, hand sanitzer, chapstick, thank-you cards, face wipes, and lanyard to hold drain pockets. I have also expanded into making fidget quilts for dementia patients now. It brings me joy to "pay it forward", and serves as a way for me to express my gratitude for the blessings I have been given.
Hugs to each and every one of you as you continue through your individual journeys. I pray for all women fighting this battle every day!
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Hi. It will be two weeks since my swap on Monday. I'm still having pain in my rib cage, especially on the right side. My PS said that the right side was more swollen after surgery. And it finally occurred to me to wonder if a "quirk" that sometimes made my fills unpleasant or painful could be responsible. I retained most of my nerve "sensations." I have a numb spot in my left underarm and that's it. The rest of my chest area never stopped having feeling. I got so tired of being told about how our minds can play tricks on us or maybe there was active nerve tissue deep under my expanders I could feel during fills, blah blah blah; that I challenged my PS's nurse to a game of "Can Feline tell where my finger is?" With my eyes closed, I knew every time, including when she wasn't touching me. I went from being a head case to an anomaly.
But I'm wondering now if the general assumption that we have little to no feeling in this area has contributed to pain in my still very active nerves? It seems like the mantra of cancer is that no two patients are alike. Until they're assumed to be alike at the worst possible time.
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Hi All. I had my exchange surgery yesterday. Surgery started at 7:30 am and I was home around 12:30 pm. I didn't have much pain, thankfully - just took one pain pill on time, then forgot to take one until bedtime. Haven't needed one today - yay! I was SUPER lightheaded and nauseous, though, and my mouth was so dry I could hardly eat (couldn't swallow). I needed DH to hold onto me whenever I walked and am still a little lightheaded this morning. The nausea was awful. I was given Zofran and really could have used it earlier than the 8 hour doses. Still somewhat nauseous this morning. But, if that's the worst, I'm happy. So far, this is much easier than the BMX was.
On a weird note, the PS said he put a different size implant in each breast because he took more tissue from the cancer side. It makes sense, but I haven't seen anyone mention that on these threads. Also, I have no compression bra or Ace bandage wrapping - just lots of gauze over my chest and abdomen. The foobs don't look too much different under the gauze than the TEs did, which is disappointing. I know I need to wait until they settle, but right now it looks like they are full on the top but don't stick out very far. We'll see...
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GAWarrior what a good report! Keep resting, and drink a lot of water. Helps with healing, and helps move that anesthesia through you to get over the residual nausea. Extra protein helps w/ cell repair after surgery, so say my surgeons.
I'm now 2 months past exchange. Recovery went really well. At this point, I feel really comfortable. I was cleared to do all exercises at about 6 weeks, and am regaining upper body strength at a reasonable pace. In a bra and clothes, the Foobs look just fine.
I have some flatness right above the round implants. If I wanted them to look better, I'd probably look into fat grafting. But, in a bra they look fine, and in clothes really fine. I didn't have much size choice. At a certain point, stretching became REALLY uncomfortable on the right side, which had radiation in 2003, so I stopped with saline fills. I have B cups, and they look fine.
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GAwarrior
Yay!! Congrats on your exchange. I have two very different sized implants due to a lat flap on one side so it makes lots of sense you do with how the surgeon explained.
I was never told to wear acompression bra... only a breast strap...that may be the ace bandage you mention. In fact my PS hates them and says never to wear them. I have to ask her why she does not favor them
Takes a long time for the implants to drop in my case ...I'm over 4 months out from exchange and I think they are still dropping and shaping.
Did they give you any pain meds in recovery? Dilaudid does what you are describing to me. Makes me so sick and dizzy. I also insist on that patch they put behind your ear to help with nausea. Works very well.
I hope you have an easeful recovery!!!
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