Exchange City
Comments
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Hi SpecialK, great to see you again on one of the Boards that I follow...it seems like it has been two years since I've "seen" you, hope you are well. TT
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trmtab - hey you! I am well, hope you are too! I actually "exchanged" again in July 2021 due to a surprise stealth ruptured right implant, detected on a somewhat routine MRI. The upside was that I had the recalled textured implants, so they were removed and smooth Inspiras were put in. Downside - more surgery, lol! But hey, that's me...surgery girl! Seems to be my superpower...
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HI SpecialK, sorry it has been soooo long in my reply. I have been having trouble with the new site, getting logged in, etc. Sorry to hear about the return to surgery. After 5 surgeries in 3 years, I actually celebrated (in my mind) the achievement of going a full calendar year without a surgery! Who knew that would be an achievement. My last surgery was also to swap from textured to smooth, while I didn't have a rupture, there was fluid collection. The radiologist who read the MRI asked if the implant was 10 years or more old...when I said it was one year old, they said -- get it gone! Take care, TT
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Hi all, I have a fat grafting question. My PS is now saying he would like to do a layer over my implants; I am intrigued by the idea, especially smoothing out the “ripple effect”. Does the lipo increase your breast size significantly? Im already a bit bigger than I had wanted to be, and don’t want to be any bigger. Thanks
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trmtab - I totally get the celebration of a year with no surgery! I had gone longer than that and was out of practice with this last one, lol! Glad you're doing well and got those textured implants out.
maryjogee - I have had a number of rounds of fat grafting at different times for different reasons. At no point did I feel like the fat grafting added any size, rather it smoothed and made things look more natural and softer. The only aesthetic one I had done, the first one, deposited fat above the implants in the step off and hollows so they looked less shelf like after my very thorough mastectomy surgery. Do be sure to communicate to your PS that you don't want to add any additional size. In many surgeries of this type the doc doesn't remove/graft a great deal of fat because that can cause suspicion by the insurance company that the procedure is cosmetic rather than a breast reconstruction revision.
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I had a skin sparing, nipple removing dmx December 2020, after chemo and had expanders immediately placed…I had radiation and finished a year of kadcyla. I chose to not have exchange surgery until I was finished with kadcyla…which I have been since November, but I have a busy active job on a ranch and wanted to wait until most of my cow babies were born before I had another surgery. I go in 2 weeks for my exchange surgery…I’m excited to get my real boobs…but I’m wondering how recovery is…am I going to need to get out my body pillows and mastectomy pillows. I have a 2 hour car ride home after surgery…. How long till I can golf again??? My ps just said, meh…there’s not much recovery time… what does that mean??!!! Is it going to be a piece of cake? I don’t do well under anesthesia, and got sick when I had the dmx…port surgery I was fine tho. What should I expect?
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Talk to the anesthesiologist ahead of time. They changed the anesthesia for me to something more mild. I also used a 'scope' patch and that prevented any nausea/vomiting etc.
You should not expect to be golfing right away. This is still a major surgery and there will be lot of interior stitches that you don't want to pop. You will likely still get instructions not to lift more than 1/2 gallon. Things you need should be moved down from higher cupboards. I could not sleep on my side for awhile so yes the pillows - but after 6 months with expanders I had finally learned to sleep on my back. I would suggest a pillow in the car so the seat belt doesn't push/rub on your new foobs. Of course you won't drive right away. My PS didn't want to take the chance in case I was in an accident and ruined all his good work.
All that said - yes it is easier then the BMX - but still not a "piece of cake"
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Agree with all that Minustwo said...I also had exchange away from my home hospital. I stayed at a hotel in the other town for a couple of nights. The surgery is outpatient, but the Dr wanted to see me the next day and again at 48/72 hrs...driving back and forth and back, etc. was too much so I stayed local a couple of days...
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Hoping to revive this thread perhaps:
Quick question: How many ccs can a 400cc tissue expander actually hold if overfilled?
I am at 540ccs right now…how much higher can I realistically go?
Christina
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momgoose, sorry no one answered your question. I assume you finished your fills and had the exchange surgery months ago.
I hate my reconstructed breasts! I hate them both, left side, DIEP, right, three years later, implant. I was refused a bilateral mastectomy even though I asked to have them removed with no reconstruction! Now I am left with one big breast (DIEP) and one small (implant). Needless to say, I will NEVER see a breast surgeon again!
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