BREAST IMPLANT SIZING 101
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headeast- glad you don't need drains. He already told me I'd have 2 this time. I think I produce a lot of fluid. Last time I had them for 4 weeks. Oh well.
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yes, Smarty. The PS told me no drains, which is great news.
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Headeast, good luck girl! We'll be hear waiting to find out that everything went ok.
Smaarty, so glad to hear you got moved up! What a nice surprise. You sound calm. That's good news. I was a wreck!
Most of the people lately have had uneventful exchanges, so chances are you will do fine. Be aware that every surgery is different and you might have to take it easy a little longer than you planned to.
I agree about going to work in 3 days. I didn't start to feel better until week four! The other two surgeries weren't nearly as hard to recover from. Don't know why exactly. My doc speculated that three surgeries in four months was just too much for my body to handle. Not trying to be Debbie Downer, just asking you not to plan a big party the weekend after your exchange. You might have to nap through it!
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Headeast - Best of luck to you tomorrow!! Please let us know how it went when you can....
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Headeast-
Good luck today!!! I wish you a peaceful sleep while they make you beautiful.
Ladies, I have a question, I had my last fill yesterday. I am 435cc in my 275cc TE's We cancelled next weeks b/c I was very happy with my projection after the last fill, so this was the extra 30cc overfill. He figures 500cc HP implants.
Is it possible to truly overfill if I had done the extra? To the point where you are bigger than the pre-planned pocket size and he has to put in a larger implant than planned?
Thx!!
Mimi
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Headeast-good luck today. I'm doing my fat grafting today-Hoping my left side gets better so that I can do a small implant on that side when they do my right exchange.
Babs
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Headeast - good luck on surgery today! We'll see you on the squishy side, girl!
Smaarty - And good luck to you on Monday too!
For me the exchange was easy-peasy. Two drains for three days was the most discomfort I had. No pain meds after I got home. My PS insists on two weeks off work and no driving for two weeks and no workouts except for walking for six weeks. He didn't give me a specific weight restriction but just said, 'If you try to lift too much you'll know it. Just put it back down and don't do it again.'
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Headeast good luck to you today.
I am going in in several hours for an implant under my rt. DIEP side which had complications. Fat transfer did not give me enough volume so we are doing a small implant under the flap(100cc) and a small implant on the native breast so it will match. I hope!!
Smatty best of luck to you too.
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Good luck littlesara11 - may the force be with you. Keep us posted on how it comes out for you.
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headeast, little Sara, and babs-good luck today and best wishes for the outcomes you want. Surgery sisters together!
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Best wishes and healthy healing to everyone having surgery. Take good care of yourselves!!!
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Thanks for sharing your experiences, everyone. I am 99% sure I am done with fills (PS said I am done when I say I am done). So now all I have to do is schedule my exchange surgery in 4 weeks. It's like I am frozen...I am afraid of the next step, even though I am miserable with TE's....always feel deeply bruised, limited ROM, etc. It makes me feel better to know I am not the only one. I don't know what I would do without all of you ladies. Thank you for sharing all of your experiences. I think I need to be brave and pick up the phone on Monday.....time to move on.
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mnmbeck - I know that for me it was such a huge relief to get rid of those TEs (and I only had them for about four months). The exchange surgery is honestly a piece of cake compared to the BMX. Think of it this way, you're getting rid of the 'turtle shells' and getting at least part of your armpit back... both big plusses in my book!
So go on, make the call, you'll be SO glad you did!
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mnmbeck, my PS makes patients wait a 6 week minimum for tissues to be ready for exchange (from final fill)
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good luck Headeast! There was NO WAY I could drive, go out, or even sit up long for one week following my exchange surgery, which was outpatient. I had to stay completely out of it on pain pills for the first 3 days, then it went quite easier...
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Thank you all for the warm wishes.
I had my surgery yesterday. Checked in at 5.30am to start surgery at 8. They prepared me, interviewed me, etc. the conventional 7 people in the OR plus me. Left the hospital at 4pm.
The PS saw me and marked me, asked me if I wanted to go bigger than my TE and I said yes and for him to pick whatever implant was better.
My TE were at 325cc and he could not add more. My implants are Natrelle 20, 550cc and the muscle pain is terrible. I am taking OxiCodone every 4 hours and doesn't really help. The cuts don't hurt, just the muscle.
I am wrapped in a large bandage and I am supposed to stay that way until I see him on Tuesday. Only sponge baths without making bandage wet. Instruction says no lifting and if with OxiCodone, then no driving and not making important decisions.
I guess my PS didn't think I would have pain and be able to drive to work, but getting larger implants have made me have a LOT of pain. It is even hard to type.
Good luck for the ones getting surgery this coming week. I am positive this pain is worth it.
I am on the squishy side now! Yay!
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Headeast, you probably need muscle relaxants. After one of my surgeries, it was THE major problem but the PS gave me valium the next day, which is a muscle relaxant, and things were better right away.
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sandra, I really am hesitant to medicine and drugs. I will keep using the OxiCodone and if it doesn't improve I will call him to ask for Valium. Thank you for letting me know though. I thought all painkillers were just for pain, not specific i.e. Muscles
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I didn't have an easy time with my exchange, but I'm in the minority. It took until week four before I saw improvement. However, I had to have a lot of revision pocket work so that's why it was such a different experience than what I expected. I should have asked more questions before the surgery and been prepared.
I've learned the hard way that going into surgery with unrealistic expectations is not a wise thing to do. It can work out in your favor (my BMX was not as tough as I expected) or go the other way and throw you for the proverbial "loop" when your recovery experience is not like everybody else's.
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Sandra, i also had some revision in my pockets
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Headeast - Narcotics did nothing for my pain, the muscle relaxers did. In my case I took Flexeril. But like mentioned above, others take Valium. Call him. Our bodies heal better when we're not in pain … that's the purpose of painkillers.
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Headeast - congratulations on crossing over to the Squishy Side!!!
My Exchange was no walk in the park. The PS had to do extensive pocket work, which lengthened my time in the OR, and actually doubled my recovery/restrictions time.
Sandra4611 mentioned Valium - I had a scrip for Norco and Valium, and I took both around the clock. The Norco never really took my pain away - it just made me not care that I had pain. Valium worked the best on relaxing the muscles.
Dawne-Hope brought up a good point about healing... Pain actually stresses the body, and a body that is stressed will not heal well. So don't try to suck it up and ignore the pain - just treat it as aggressively as you can while you have it, and take every opportunity to rest and relax. You may not need the meds for much longer if you deal with this initial pain now.
Wishing you good healing!
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Thank you, Dawn-Hope and Blessings! I actually feel less pain now. It is healing much faster than what I thought it would. I am resting and sleeping on and off and seems to be helping.
Thank you girls for being here. I don't know what I would do without your support and selfless advice.
Love you all!
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Hi Headeast-
Congrats on getting to the other side! I'm sorry you are in pain, as a nurse I can say Everyone's pain is so different. Valium worked way better for me with Aleve or Ibuprofen. I hope this works for you once you call your PS. Be good to tourself and don't push it. Wishing you continued rest this week
Mimi
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Mimi, thank you for the advice. I can't understand how people don't feel pain after this surgery. My PS told me I could go to work on Monday, and that is plain unrealistic. I can't move freely!
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I saw my PS last Friday am and he filled just the left to try and even out the TEs. It looked okay to me. However, he announced that he will plan for "the next phase" in April. I am assuming the exchange. He is such a great surgeon withe best bred side manner. I am going read again your experiences on exchange and actually looking forward to this.
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Headeast - If your PS has to do pocket work at the time of the exchange … that makes a big difference in pain and in recovery time.
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Dawn-Hope, yes, he did pocket work. I and in bed doing literally nothing.
SuperBowl ON!
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hi Headeast, I agree with Dawne-Hope. One side required "extensive" pocket work at exchange and again at revision. To note, revision wasn't due to pocket work but to remove mudflaps on both sides, but while she was there, there were some minor things done to that side (some as a result of scar tissue). That side hurt so much more. Now, please don't think you will require a revision, consult your PS. But the point is, it could hurt and you're not crazy or "less than" in any way because of the pain. Just rest and heal.
This may be the time to remind you and others of the BC mantra: just because you can, doesn't mean you should. (Haven't seen this posted in a while)
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2ndtimearound, do you remember how long did you have to rest before you went back to move again? Or drive?
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