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Exchange City

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Comments

  • mikamika
    mikamika Member Posts: 242
    edited October 2020

    I had my exchange surgery 3 weeks ago. Don't like the result completely. I am fine to wait 3 months for the final transformation as PS suggested. But I am not fine with tight lateral sutures. Especially one suture near my right armpit bothers me. I am right handed and have issues with basic activities.

    With TEs I didn't have this problem. My armpit is very tight now and has different shape than I had before.

    Did anyone else got tight sutures? How did you manage this issue?

    Thank you.

  • mcbaker
    mcbaker Member Posts: 1,838
    edited October 2020

    Get an OT referral from your PCP.


  • mikamika
    mikamika Member Posts: 242
    edited October 2020

    Hello,

    Thank you so much for your response.

    I would like to correct a tight suture, not to adjust to it. I'm relatively young (39 y.o.) and active. I can't imagine changing my lifestyle because of the one tight suture.

  • mcbaker
    mcbaker Member Posts: 1,838
    edited October 2020

    Yes, but those sutures gradually dissolve into the body, so it is a temporary problem. If tissues heal improperly due to misplaced sutures, the least invasive procedure would be exercises to stretch those tissues.

  • mikamika
    mikamika Member Posts: 242
    edited October 2020

    Thanks again for your help! I will try to find which invasive procedures can help me with this problem.

  • minustwo
    minustwo Member Posts: 13,389
    edited October 2020

    Bumping for people with TE issues

  • RC2020
    RC2020 Member Posts: 2
    edited November 2020

    Hi all, I had my exchange (to Allergan cohesive implants) in September this year after a prophylactic double mastectomy. I have a question about heavy lifting I was hoping someone could answer!

    I'm moving house in ~4 months and wanted to know if heavy lifting (i.e. moving boxes and furniture) is feasible? My PS doesn't give clear answers; he only said that at 8 weeks post-op, I'm restricted to 10lb.

    Has anyone here had to lift heavy objects at 4, 5, 6 months post-op? If so, was it doable? Any damage to your implants?

    Appreciate any insight!

  • Lovemyyorkies
    Lovemyyorkies Member Posts: 43
    edited November 2020

    Hi all. I will be having my exchange 12/8. Left side , with lift and reduction on right. Is there a lot of discomfort with lift and reduction? Will it feel like lumpectomy? Any insight appreciated.

  • marie914
    marie914 Member Posts: 152
    edited November 2020

    I’m having the same surgery. Left exchange and right lift. I don’t want a reduction but my PS is wanting to make them match and I’m a big girl so I’m getting a big implant.

    Curious for input too

  • minustwo
    minustwo Member Posts: 13,389
    edited November 2020

    Exchange is a breeze compared to mastectomy. Sorry I can't speak to lumpectomy but I was up and feeling great after exchange in two days. And sooooo excited to get rid of those darn TEs.

    RC2020 - I'd be very cautious. Everyone heals differently but there are so many internal stitches that you don't think about. If your PS isn't wanting to commit yet, I'd pay close attention. He/she surely knows the most about the extent of your surgery. It's not worth starting over. I took a trip at 4-5 months and checked my carry on bag, which I've never done before. If possible, try to find someone else to lift the furniture for sure, and probably the boxes if they're heavy.

  • marie914
    marie914 Member Posts: 152
    edited November 2020

    I’m interested in recovery from lift and reduction too. I heard exchange was easy.

  • moderators
    moderators Posts: 8,739
    edited November 2020

    RC2020, welcome to Breastcancer.org! We're happy you found us and decided to participate in this amazing community. If you want, you can fill out your Profile and make it public so others can see your diagnostic and treatment information under your posts, which will help them answer your questions. You can do that by clicking the person icon at the top right of your screen, selecting My Profile, and following the prompts to enter your information in the My Diagnoses and My Treatment tabs. Let us know if you need help with that!

    Thanks for posting and we look forward to hearing more from you soon!

    The Mods

  • minustwo
    minustwo Member Posts: 13,389
    edited November 2020

    Thanks Mods.

    This was such a valuable thread for me for many years. I hope more people discover it.

  • moderators
    moderators Posts: 8,739
    edited November 2020

    Medicating

  • trmtab
    trmtab Member Posts: 871
    edited November 2020

    2020 - not sure how heavy boxes are you are thinking about but many of us have returned to heavy lifting exercise in the months after exchange. So start at 10, then 20, then planks, then...big boxes?

  • minustwo
    minustwo Member Posts: 13,389
    edited November 2020

    My docs said to start at 2 lbs, then after a couple of weeks go to 5 lbs, then onward GRADUALLY.

  • RC2020
    RC2020 Member Posts: 2
    edited November 2020

    That makes sense. Thank you everyone for your help

  • Abbstah
    Abbstah Member Posts: 5
    edited December 2020

    Hi all! For those asking about reduction & lift - i had a breast reduction and lift before my mastectomy and honestly the recovery was such a breeze! I was feeling about 90% better probably a week or 2 after. I know everyone's experiences are different but it really was not bad especially when compared to a mastectomy (at least from my experiences). Hope everyone's surgeries go well! I have my exchange surgery next week so was coming here to learn a bit more about people's experiences with recovery.

  • Flnana2
    Flnana2 Member Posts: 102
    edited December 2020

    Hi,

    I had my exchange to pre pec gummy bear 495cc implants on Friday. My plastic surgeon said my skin was very thin and to be careful while healing. Over the weekend and this morning both my breast skin, but more so on the radiated side is red, like a sunburn. Neither one is hot to touch. Is this normal?

    Thanks for your help. I’m so glad to get those TEs out

  • mikamika
    mikamika Member Posts: 242
    edited January 2021

    Hi,

    I am curious, do plastic surgeons normally send parts of the removed scar tissue or capsules to pathology? Unfortunately, I didn't know about this option at the time of the exchange surgery.

  • juliesim
    juliesim Member Posts: 36
    edited January 2021

    MikaMika - mine was sent, I didn't even think about it, and was kinda surprised to see pathology results on my surgery report.

    Question to those with subpec implants. Are you doing planks? I had my exchange surgery 7 months ago, I have been exercising regularly but I am not sure if we are supposed to do planks 😊 plus I totally didn't like the way my pec muscle felt 😄

  • mikamika
    mikamika Member Posts: 242
    edited January 2021

    I do planks, not push-ups. I had surgery 3 months ago.


  • marie914
    marie914 Member Posts: 152
    edited January 2021

    I am having my exchange surgery on February 1. I had a left mastectomy and expander on September 14, 2020. I had chemo in the meantime (preventive) and had 700 cc fills. I am obese so I am not trying to match exactly my right side. If so, I would have to have a reduction on the right most likely. I did want a lift but they seem to do reduction and lifts the same time.

    Since I just got done with chemo, I decided to just have the expander exchanged. The PS is going to try 700, 750, and 800 silicone implants and see what looks the best. Later in the year when I recover from my 4 chemo infusions, I will decide if I want something done to my right side to match. I have been using a prothesis with my expander on the left to make it look the same as my right side. It is pretty easy to use so I don't mind continuing to do that. I live in Florida though so when I start being able to get in the water and pool I might want it to match better.

    1. Any thoughts about lift without a reduction? Is that even possible? I'm not sure how they do a lift.

    2. How long is recovery for just one side exchange? I work from home at a desk and can take breaks when needed. My PS said to take off a week but if I want to answer emails or do a bit of work - no problem as long as I am not on pain meds. I usually only take pain meds for a day or so.

    3. Anything else I need to know about an exchange surgery?

  • mcbaker
    mcbaker Member Posts: 1,838
    edited January 2021

    My lift and reduction was surprising. He (this is the way I understand it) cut the skin around the nipple, then rotated the breast tissue with nipple a quarter turn, and trimmed the fat away to make it look natural, and reattached the nipple to the skin which covers the breast. Then sewed up the incision under the breast. The reduction is essential to the surgery, unfortunately. I asked, and he said that, in theory, I could still nurse a baby on that breast. I was 69 at the time, and, irrational as it may be, this was important to me.

  • marie914
    marie914 Member Posts: 152
    edited January 2021

    Thank you MCBaker! It does seem to be that they can't do a lift without reduction. Since I am a pretty big woman, my breasts balanced my body at least. I didn't have gigantic breasts 44C but they matched my body pretty well I had friends that were big too and they had implants and their breasts are just too small they think and they don't balance their bodies. So I would rather have just an implant and then my regular breast and use a prothesis in my implant side when I go out so it looks more symmetric. We will see after my exchange how different the two breasts will be.


  • mikamika
    mikamika Member Posts: 242
    edited January 2021

    I can answer about exchange only. It depends on the amount of correction your PS is going to make and your general health. From my experience (bilateral exchange with some additional work) the first 2 days are not for working.

  • mcbaker
    mcbaker Member Posts: 1,838
    edited January 2021

    I suspect the reason they are conservative with size on big women is that they are betting that they will lose weight, then their breasts would be the right size. I am not big, bit I am losing weight for other health reasons, and righty the imposter is bigger than true-blue lefty. If there ends up being an obvious difference, I think I might get an exchange for a smaller size. My goal is 150-- I am 5-7.

  • marie914
    marie914 Member Posts: 152
    edited January 2021

    I just got back from my doctor appointment to clear me for the exchange surgery. My doctor wasn't available so I saw her NP. All she kept talking about was bariatic surgery and I should get tested for sleep apnea. Neither which I complained about. She talked about everything that I just finished chemo. My heart rate was high and she didn't even know that could be caused by dehydration and diarrhea that I had this past week. I just finished chemo 1/8. 10 days.

    So now I have to get cleared by a cardiologist before they will clear me. UGH I am so upset. I just want this expander out. Since it is 700 ccs of saline now it is pretty hard and uncomfortable. I hadn't had any trouble with mastectomy and expander surgery in September. My surgeons said I did terrific. I had appendix and gall bladder surgeries a few years back and no problems. Anyone have this problem with getting cleared for surgery?

    Do you think the cardiologist will clear me? My heart rate was 104 talking to her with a mask on and I was upset. I told her that it is usually high for awhile after chemo since I get dehydrated and it goes back down before my next treatment. I am done with treatment now but it has been 10 days and I'm still dehydrated.

  • marie914
    marie914 Member Posts: 152
    edited January 2021

    I had to see the cardiologist who said my EKG was fine and just to be on the safe side he sent me for a stress test. He said my heart is fine. So now my exchange surgery is back on for Monday February 1.

  • DiveCat
    DiveCat Member Posts: 290
    edited February 2021

    JulieSim,

    Sorry I know your post is almost a month old but it seems there are less sub-pectorals around these parts these days!

    I can do planks and other chest exercises just fine. It took a little while for it all to feel normal, but I am very active and honestly don’t even notice my implants are there anymore (I did notice more when I had my 410s just because of their fitness and more apparent “edge” for me). I can see a bit of distortion time to time doing chest exercises or working my chestbut that’s less apparent after my first round of fat grafting as if softened and fattened up over areas where distortion was, and I am going for another.

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