Exchange City
Comments
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Allison: Oh my goodness - go for the tummy tuck. You will be recovering from that at the same time as the exchange.....grrrrr......
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Okay, I have an update. Dr. Raja just called me. He understands completely that I was unhappy. He didn't understand why I thought the pictures were unacceptable but he hadn't seen them. He did say something odd - that all implants come out the same and matching the other breast. I must have misunderstood that because clearly, that's not true.
I didn't go into detail - I just said that I'd looked at lots of photos online and I expected something bettet that what I'd seen. I requested a board certifed plastic surgeon who specializes in breast reconstruction, and said that if there was nobody who fits that description in Sacramento, that I wanted to go to Dr. Foster in SF and then have a delayed reconstruction.
He was fine with all of it and is going to call Dr. Jason Solomon personally and see if he will get me in quick. If not, he says he knows another guy in the south area whose name I didn't catch. I said that I would appreciate that and that Dr. Solomon was my first choice.
Dr. Solomon is the head of plastic surgery at Mercy San Juan hospital.
Here is his bio: Jason H. Solomon is a Board Certified Plastic and Reconstructive surgeon and has been in the Sacramento area for over 20 years. He is an active member of the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery as well as the Lipoplasty Society of North America. Dr. Solomon also belongs to the Sacramento Society of Plastic Surgery where he recently served as President and is a member of the Sacramento-El Dorado Medical Society. He currently is Chief of Plastic Surgery at Mercy San Juan Hospital in Carmichael, CA. Dr. Solomon graduated from Temple University Medical School in 1976 and did his surgery and plastic surgery training at the University of Chicago and Vanderbilt University Medical Center. His practice encompasses all areas of plastic surgery from head to toe; however, his main emphasis is Breast Enhancement surgery (including Breast Augmentation, Breast Lift, Breast Reduction and Breast Reconstruction)
He does have an outpatient clinic where he proforms breast surgeries for bucks, and he may not be as experienced and focused on reconstruction as Dr. Foster. But, he does specialize in breasts and has training and interest in plastic surgery so it's a possibility I'm willing to explore. A friend of mine who is a nurse knows him - doesn't like him because he's arrogant but she says he's a good doctor. (Drs are sometimes arrogant with nurses but not their patients)
If I meet with him and don't like what I get, than I'll just figure out how to make Dr. Foster work. If Foster lived in any other city but SF I'd insist but that is not a drive I want to make at all if I can get a doctor I'm happy with here. I'm a true homebody. I hate traffic. SF has TONS of traffic.
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So, cool... you are ok with delay reconstruction until after rads?
Jean...PM NVDiane... she had grafting...:)
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I see the guy here, I don't have to have it delayed, I don't think.
If I can't find somebody local, I guess I'll have to be okay with it.
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Arrogant doctors alarm me. Sorry. Just ask Dr. Solomen a lot of questions - like how many breast reconstruction cases he performs PER MONTH. Then ask him what size and style of implants he envisions using. A good reconstructive surgeon will KNOW by measuring or looking at your chest wall and your current breast diameter what style and size of implant he would consider for you. Then ask what style and VOLUME of tissue expander he might use for you. These are all valid appropriate questions. The TE should be chosen with the future implants in mind.
Keep us posted. We want everything to work out for you!
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Allison! I am going to suggest that you take care of yourself and not worry about the pressure that the others are giving you. They don't "get it" and won't unless they have to go through this ordeal. A very wise person gave me some advice at the beginning of my breast cancer process. It went something like this. There is a reason that the flight attendants tell you to put your own oxygen mask on first, you are useless to anyone else if you don't take care of yourself. Put the oxygen mask on and take care of yourself. Your office will still be there and hind sight is a great gift and they will survive!
Cool breeze, It sounds like you are getting some resolution to this situation, keep asking all of the questions until you are satisfied that you are getting the healthcare to meet your needs.
Jan
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Well, I'm just hoping this guy at least looks at my breasts. The last guy never did. I told him I wanted them symmetrical but he never even saw my real ones, which I found odd. How does he know they were ever symmetrical. Or, that I even had any?
I have no knowledge of implants, sizes, brands, all that? Are some better than others?
What are the brands? Jimmy Choo - too pointy? Vera Wang, too fluffy? Baby Phat - too droopy?
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LOL!!!! CoolBreeze - OOOOHHHH.....I would want breasts somewhere in between Jimmy Choo and Manolo's......oh how wonderful they would be! We all would like to have ours a little more pointy!!!LOL.
Okay, and yes, NOT looking at your breasts? That other PS was a buffoon! You gotta run for your life from someone like that and this is the reason we are growing so concerned about plastic surgeons who nearly exclusively do breast augmentations suddenly jumping onto the reconstruction bandwagon because of the economy. They are losing augmentation patients by the thousands and they have to pay their bills some way.....but I don't want them practicing on ME!! Creating the subpectoral capsule for the tissue expanders takes expertise! Okay, there is either a clear science - a mathematical calculation for determining which style and approximate volume of implants will look appropriate on a client - or with sufficient experience, a good PS can just eyeball a client and know exactly what will work and what will look best. We here at EC believe that we should have some input as well. For instance, I was once a "C" cup, deflated by age and time to a "B" cup, and I wanted to be back to a full "C" cup with reconstruction. Well, I ended up a double DD cup - but I'm not complaining....you won't hear me complaining....no siree...
With a unilateral mastectomy, the future course for an implant at the time of the exchange is a little more limiting - from the standpoint that a certain style of implant and a certain volume will be required in order to achieve symmetry. That is, unless you intend to lift and/or augment the healthy breast, in which case there is a bit broader a selection for implants. So knowing whether you want to have a lift and/or enlarge the healthy breast is a good thing to discuss with the PS. Then, ask what style of implant he would use to gain symmetry. The most commonly used implants in breast reconstruction are high profile and moderate plus profile implants. You will want to decide on whether you want saline or silicone implants. 90% of us here have silicone implants. There are a number of threads on these forums discussing the saline vs. silicone implant issue. Just write down or take a tape recorder and if you can take someone with you to write all of these answers down.....even better.
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Hi Jean,
I had nipple recon and grafting. I actually just posted my most recent pic as I know there has been a lot of conversation on the threads. My fat grafting has held I'm sure. No rippling or divots. It's been 4 months since the nipple and 2nd graft. All feels fine and to me anyway looks great.
Good luck with your choice....it's exciting no matter what decision you make. To me it represented the last step. So I say....bring on my December year anniversary....I'll be ready for that one.....((KEW)).
Kathie
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(((((((Val))))))))) great news!!! I know you will be happy when you can resume normalcy!
Just to let you all know. I ran yesterday for the first time in 6 months!!! yahoooooooooo!!! I went 2 miles although my legs were complaining a bit my boobs didn't hurt at all! I walked another 2 and it was lovely. Felt so very good to be doing something normal! I am going to have to go back under general for some excess skin under my arm pits. Did anyone else have this issue? YUCK!! I am so dissatisfied with how it looks. It looks like I lost 100 pounds under my arm and it is just skin there. I am making an appt. for April (I just couldn't go in sooner- I need to live a bit before facing the OR) I am going to get lipo at the same time just for fun! And my nips done too! So....
Allison- I am sorry your work is so demanding but I am pretty sure they can't legally fire you for having breast stuff done (you don't have to tell them about the tuck!) Anyway- I would go for the tummy tuck, it's so mental all this stuff!!! Do the tuck so you feel good about yourself!
Cool Breeze- how smart of you to come on this board now to get such great advice- I wish I had that foresight! Remember the PS you pick is your sculptor and choose him/her wisely as you will have to live with the results the rest of your life.
On the bra issue. My PS said to run with a bra but other than that- I am free! He said those implants are not going anywhere!
Have any of you used steroid strips? I am and on one area I got a blister!!! I haven't used it on that place again- just wondering if anyone else had that issue!?
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Kathie - Wowee!!! You are one beautiful lady. Thanks for sharing.
Can you please tell me a bit about recovernig from the nip and grafting surgery? How long did you stay home from work? How long until you could at least walk for exercise? Did you have nip guards after surgery and, if so, how long did you have them?
Thanks for letting me know about your pictures. I had seen Linda's and her's are great, but it helped to see another! I am so excited to get to "the end" of this year's worth of surgeries!
Take care. - Jean
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My PS is telling me the recovery from the exchange is only 1 week whereas the tuck is 6 weeks. That is why work is giving me grief. If the reccovery time was the same they wouldn't care.
Allison
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I am post op 8 days a bilateral max. I have my tissue expanders in place. First fill will be on Monday ~ I would like to join the TATA exchange here ~
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Alicia: Welcome.....happy to have you here!0
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Welcome Alicia! I hope you are doing well and have a great support system! This is a great place to escape to and find amazing, smart, ladies of the heart that will hold your soul together during the dark times and make you laugh your butt off at other times. . . .
Coolbreeze, I want the Jimmy Choo's, could use a little more projection!
Deborah, and ladies of the sisterhood, Have you heard of rippling later after the exchange, when the breast has settled and fluffed? Just curious.
Kathy, It is so good to hear from you. December is my mx anniversary date too. I will see the PS at the end of October to discuss the whole fipple thing. I have no idea what he has in mind, but I don't think grafting was part of the original plan, but I want to know what all of my options are and will ask him about everything.
Jean, I bet you can almost see the finish line! Thank you again for keeping this forum going and keeping us up to date on all of the surgery dates. Has anyone heard from Aoandrews or Orlandogater yet? I wonder how their procedures went.
Jan
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thanks for the welcome !!
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Jan: Yes, rippling can occur at anytime actually. I have read that many plastic surgeons recommend waiting six months to address ripples....to see if more develop. This is why my PS wanted me to wait six months between fat graft procedures....Why....are you seeing ripples?0
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Hi, my exchange went well yesterday. This was a revision and exchange since I already had the expanders out in July. My PS wanted to correct a flap of skin in the lower pole of one breast so I needed to 'go under' anyway, and I wanted to go smaller, so she did both.
I went from 585cc anatomical gummies (Mentor CPGs) to 450 silicone rounds (Mentor, high profile). So definitely smaller! I like how they look in clothes right now, but I'm definitely too swollen to tell how they really will look. I'm not that narrow chested (bra size is ~36), so I hope the high profiles won't be too narrow on me. I didn't need any drains this time, but my PS had to change the pocket and mammary fold to make it fit right, so she told my husband that I'll have more pain than last time due to the cutting and sewing. But so far, it is manageable. She also said that where she sewed will be lumpy for awhile but it will go away in time. I meet with her next week, so I'll get a better sense of the details rather than my husband's interpretation (he said "she took me into a room and drew pictures of breasts" so I don't think he caught all the details :-)). I also like that the rounds are softer than the CPGs.
Thanks to all who helped me with this decision!
Alice
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Kathie I PM'd you.
Hi Everyone! Gosh I need to catch up, but between work, school, and life--and dealing with surprising feelings about my one year coming up in November--I'm a tad overwhelmed.
Even if I'm quiet, I think of all of you every day and send loving, positive, happy thoughts your way.
Hugs--Karen
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ALISHA !!! WELCOME dear sister!!!! All are welcome in this place....EC is a home away from home... for a lot of ladies...WELCOME again !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Laura
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I have a question...my aunt just had a prophylactic bilateral mastectomy last week NY. She had a skin/nipple sparing mastectomy, with TE like us, they are only filled to 230 so far and is one week post up yesterday. He put a surgical bra on her yesterday and said she has to wear it 24/7 until the exchange. Is this usual practice in the US? Here in Montreal there is no bral after mastectomy. Her doctor is Dr. Keith Atkiss. Any thoughts?
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What??? 24/7 for the TE's...NO way. Not me. And I'm up to 600. They stand up on their own..!
JUDY
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kerkle - Well, my sister had the same surgery as did your aunt and she wore a surgical compression bra 24/7 for a month at least - maybe longer - but switched to a sports bra at some point. It may have something to do with the fact that this is a nipple sparing procedure and they want to protect the integrity of the nipple/areola complex....??? Good question...I'll ask about that one. MOST plastic surgeons here do not seem to care about us wearing anything with the TE's beyond the first two weeks after surgery. Frankly though, I wish I HAD worn a sports bra or some support with my TE's, because my skin stretched out so much. The weight of the TE's really stretched out the skin in my upper pole.
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Well... it might have to do with the fact she had nipple sparing. Maybe he wants to make sure the nipples do not head south?????????????
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Since you and I are on at the same time...:)... I am sending your "package" in the mail tomorrow Deborah....:)
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Interesting about saving the integrity of the nipples...he is going back to do the exchange in December, I figured he can fix it all up then. Anyhow, I told her to ask hi again as she is so uncomfortable in the bra and finds it tight to breath.
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Interesting about the nipple integrity...I will tell her to ask her doc again. Couldn't he fix it all up at the time of exchange? She is so uncomfortable in the bra and finds it tight to breath. Anyhow, she will speak to him. I was just so curious, it seems that no one wears the bra here in Montreal post Mx or post exchange.
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quick question....is upper pole the area above the nipple and lower pole the area below?
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I think the doctors figure it is one benefit of going through this nightmare, then to tell you to keep them compressed in a tight bra?! I look forward to being braless, I am in that fashionable surgical velcro things till my last DRAIN comes out ~ (hopefully today)
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First time posting on this thread but having my last fill tomorrow and then exchange surgery is next! Can any of you tell me what to expect in the way of surgery and recovery. My PS has told me he requires an overnight stay. I will be having a lift and small implant on my natural side and exchange with silicone on the other. My job requires a lot of lifting and and arm/chest/back usage and not sure what to expect in the way of what I will be able to do. Seems like all these doctors downplay the re-cooperating time...most are men and have no idea of what we are actually feeling! Will be so glad to get this expander out...it is so uncomfortable and have been assured that the actual implant will be much better!
Any personal experience advice would be greatly appreciated!!
Thanks!!
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