TE TROUBLE
Comments
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ren - glad to hear from you, sorry you have some drains - hopefully they will be shortlived. I had one on the left but not for more than a few days. My PS did a bunch of scar revision on that one - it was my "problem child" as you put it. You are correct - they will change so don't get too invested in what they look like now. Hope you feel the happy "squishyness" soon! We need to invent vomit-proof anesthesia!
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YAY RENN!!!!!!
I came here looking to see if you'd posted..SOOO glad you checked in!!!
So sorry about the nausea and vomiting after surgery. I HATE that. Sounds like the anesthesiologist dropped the ball somewhere.
I was in the OR for nearly 3 hours for my exchange on the 22nd. The PS did a ton of pocket work (scar tissue removal, pectoral muscle release upper and lower, and lateral capsulorraphies), and I sure felt it when I woke up in Recovery.
I didn't feel the immediate relief of the TEs being gone, either...I can still feel the implants very distinctly whenever I move my pecs, but I think my brain will eventually adapt to that.
I felt lucky when I didn't get drains, but Lefty is so swollen, my restrictions have been extended, and the PS says the swelling may last for 2 - 3 months. So in retrospect, I may have been happier with drains!!!
I am really, really happy for you. You've waited for this for a long time.
CONGRATULATIONS ON CROSSING OVER TO THE SQUISHIE SIDE!!!!!
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blessings - my PS said it can take up to 2 years until you are not aware of that movement under the pec muscle - I exchanged in Feb - still VERY much aware of it! It is just not as uncomfortable as the TEs were.
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special, you actually had me laughing out loud with what you told your hubby. It can't be "unseen"..... I don't know why it struck me so funny. Wish I didn't have to look at my own lumpy bumpy concave chest because I suppose I will never unsee my lumpy bumpy concave chest either but I have to bandage it every day.... I don't know. Your hubby never being able to "unsee" what he's seen is so true, just funny. I have to tell my hubby the same...
Renn, I hope you're feeling really better very very soon.... Enough is enough (for all of us)..... Healing vibes sent to you all.
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bev - just like childbirth, you kind of forget the actual pain - otherwise we would all just have one child, right? It is the same with this - I can't really remember what my chest looked like without the TE, even though it was out for such a long time! The mind protects you, or at least that is how it was for me. I am fortunate enough after so many problems to have a good result, I wish the same for you! I am glad I made you laugh!
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Yay! Congrats, Dunesleeper, Shae, Renn & mkw1! (Has Dunesleeper checked in yet?)
Renn, hope you feel less sore soon.
Good luck tomorrow, BCAvenger!
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BC, so much to read so I didn't realize tomorrow was your exchange...... Sending great vibes and hoping you feel great really quickly.
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BC good luck today!
Everyone else thanks for checking in! Renn-nips was the only surgery I DIDN'T throw up after. and that was only because they only used gas and not the IV drip, at my VERY STRONG encouragement I might add. After fat grafting I was so violently ill that they thought they were going to have to get me a room for the night!
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Rennasus: oh my what an incredibly long and troubled journey you've had with reconstruction and to top it off a 3 hours exchange surgery with intense pain...it's experiences like yours that make me think, can I get my old ones back
? You are one tough lady. Did you spend the night in the hospital? Hang in there sweetie, you inspire us girls who are way off to our exchange surgeries and just trying to get through our first, second or even third round of recon surgeries. I hope your pain doesn't last too long, I know how devastating pain is. Hugs, Jill0 -
SpecialK, Chick: I don't know why it's so hard to prevent nausea and vomiting! After my BMX I was SO sick. My subsequent surgeries I was not, and I thought that was b/c the anesthesiologist listened to me. But I think it is the amoount of time you are under that causes it. Being under an hour and a half is much different that being under 3 1/2 hours!
Blessings, thanks for checking in! I hope your swelling goes down sooner rather than later!
Bevq: I had the concave situation for 5 months. It sucks, but its temporary. A day at a time is the only way to get through it. But you'll get there!
DLL: I feel better today already. Still sore, but on the upswing.
Jill47: I came home same day. I know what you mean about some days wanting the old girls back... but then I remember why I got rid of them, and that keeps me focused on crossing the finish line. I'm not there yet, but getting there!
Dunesleeper posted on another thread and is feeling good. Mkw1 and BCavenger, let us know how you are.
I posted a current pic of my current state on the pic forum.
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I'm getting ready to go to the hospital! All my last minute stuff is done. I made a huge pot of chicken soup, I'm all set. There was a snag yesterday. My MIL, hospitalized again. She went in for exploratory surgery on her heart this morning. I was so stressed last night worried about her. Sleep was almost non-existant. But at least I wasn't thinking about me. I jsut got word, she's out and they found no blockage. That's all I know now. She's in the same hospital as me. I'm going a little early to sneak in and see her. I didn't go yesterday, I felt so awful, but I was told to stay away from the hospital so close to surgery. I'll check in on her and then go get myself checked in. I hope to be home late evening. Here's to coming out with a squishy and my MILs prognosis is good and she goes home tomorrow.
Michelle
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BCAvenger - hope all is well for you and your MIL!
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Hello Renn and everyone that cheered me on.
My surgery was also three and a half hours and the PS did work to loosen my right pectoral muscle. He also did a capsulotomy on the left side before he did the exchange. He did some liposuction to give more definition to the new squishies. This surgery was more painful than I expected, but the PS was quite pleased with the results. I am all swollen, so I do not know how is going to look. This morning they looked like huge hamburger buns, but they are starting to fluff.
I am very happy that you finally got your squishies, Renn. It was quite a long journey for you. Looking forward to hear from you, BCAvenger and wishing you a successful surgery.
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Thinking of you, BCA!
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Squishies are wonderful.
Avoid nipple recon if you've had radiation. You risk losing your permanent implant due to poor skin and incision failure. They don't tell you that but there are published papers on it. (They tell you after the fact).
Had I known in advance, I would have foregone the nipple creation and just gone with areola tatoos. All would have been fine. And I would have done and ready to move on after 18 months of treatment. Argh!
Best of luck to you ladies. You will do fine.
Hugs
Kat
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I had my last fill on Tuesday. It was m over expansion. Feel great, but wow that foob is huge. I go back in 3 weeks to have some removed , and fine tune the boob. Then a week later the port comes out.
Yay
There is a gap in the underarm and I told him about that and he said he will inject fat into it, no issues at all.
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Kona: My one implant is now sfoter and fallen into place and looks and feels great, no regrets about TE and implant.
My regret is the loss of one and having to start over. I'm watchin and listenting to Katrina, as I'm not sure about having one implant and one DIEP recon side. I'm hoping to hear good results for katrina.
Also along the lines of Katrina, I have been thinking ALL ALONG no niple reconstruction, just tattoos. Now with my tendency to complications I'm 90% sure I don't want nipple reconstruction. Unfortunately, this is the one and only thing my husband has an opinion on . He really really wants me to have the reconstruction. Hmmmmm. I have to find a real live way to show him the tatoos are enough.
===== Off topic but I have to share. =============
I was at a leadership conference this week and there was this exercise about awareness and observation. We stood in two lines facing each other. They had us turn around, being back to back a few feet apart and said "change 3 things about your appearance". Then turn around and see who could identify the three things. Then they did it again...5 things. That was challenging. We were all laughing. Then they did it one more time, 9 things. Everyone groaned. How do you find 9 things to change when you are just standing there in your clothes. I had run out of things to change and was struggling, like everyone else. KILL ME NOW but I took out my right breast prosthesis!!! OMG, my partner, a woman thank God, just about fell over. The two gentlemen running this workshop said that they thought they had seen it all! LOL I got points for creativity.
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SheChirple: So sorry you had to lose one of your tes and start over! If you don't mind explaining, why did your te have to come out? And since you seem very gutsy (pulling out your prosthesis--way to go!This is something that I would do too!) would you mind answering this question: Do reconstructed nipples function like real nipples from a husband's perspective? Or better stated, can they sexually "use" them? Thanks!
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Ladies: I am really hurting after this surgery
The PS made incisions through the inframamary folds (I do not know if I am mispelling the word) and they really hurt. The drains do not hurt this time, but I am producing lots of fluid. I have a prescription pain killer, but it makes me sleepy the whole day. I am resorting to just taking extra strength tylenol. Also, my new implants look like huge hamburger buns. That is kind of scary to go through all this ordeal and end up with flat implants.
Can anyone relate?
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mkw1, the hamburger bun look is totally normal right now. Your implants will "drop & fluff" over time, believe me.
I hate taking the prescribed painkillers--they knock me out as well.
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Mke, I had my te replaced and he did some work I wasn't expecting. I hurt as bad as the BMX, only of course just the one side. I looked flat, and swollen. It is now almost a month the surgery. My drain wad removed after about two weeks. I am finally feeling no pain most of the time. It still feels like a broken rib if I push on a certain area under my boob, ie, the inframammary fold. I take a non narcotic pain pill, Tramodol, when I need too. don't know if this helped you at all, but I feel better, LOL
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Thanks for your reples,DLL66 and Moonflower.
I keep hearing that the flat look is normal at the beginning, I just needed to be reassured.
I have a friend that had her implant exchange 7years ago and she never fluffed and that makes me nervous.
On another issue, does anyone know what kind of bra can be worn on bun shaped breasts?
My bras do not fit after the exchange.
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mkw1 - I am two weeks post-exchange, and the PS has not yet released me to get fitted for a supportive underwire bra. (That will be down the line, when he's sure all the internal sutures and tissues have healed from extensive pocket work.) In the meantime, he said to wear a sports bra, or whatever bra I felt comfortable sleeping in, since I need to wear one 24/7.
When I had my TEs, they were the weirdest shapes!!! What worked then was the Genie bra. You can pull it on overhead or step into it. It conforms to any shape, and provides good support, yet is comfortable enough to sleep in. Even better - they're CHEAP! Two for $19.99 at places like Target, Kohls, Bed Bath and Beyond...
As for later on, when I go to the underwired expensive bras, someone suggested that many bras do not fit implants because there is no nipple/areola (unless you've kept yours or had them reconstructed) to completely fill in the cups. They said to try a minimizer bra. They still have the good support, but the cups are flatter.
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Hi All - I didn't even think of posting here since the "trouble" part of tissue expanders never arose for me. Now that I have implants (since 8/30) and haven't even spoken with the PS (only the PA), I'm wondering about a few things. Where is the "squishy" part? These implants fill harder than my Expander! In fact, I preferred the feel of the Expanders, in so far, I hardly noticed them. These implants feel heavy, like rocks on my chest. I still have swelling/bruising on the right (I think more pocket work was done on the right) and after surgery, I'm now lopsided. The PA says when the swelling goes down, the right will drop to match the left. Other than that, the look is not at all what I expected - very round, side to side...not what I would call a natural breast shape. Will this change? Also, lying in bed, I can't reach over my chest to turn the light out....(there is the lack of squish part). Is it too early for those kinds of motions? (I was filled to 575cc and the implants are 600cc.)
Any comments appreciated.
As far as bras, or garments, post-surgery, my PS believes in none and I don't think she even likes underwires once healed, but I could be wrong about the latter. So confusing. I asked the PA about these differences of opinion and he said it's all about each professional coming up with their own ideas....so that would say to me there are no studies on what bras to wear post TE exchange.
btw, I was in surgery for 5 hours, but I had 3 different procedures. Best I can tell, my PS got 3.5-4 hours of that time, but that includes setup after the ooph surgeon left the OR. My PS also removed my chemo port.
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Kam,
That was a long surgery! About the implants, do you know whether they are saline of silicone?
Are they cohesive implants, smooth or textured? Some of the implants feel softer than others. I do not know if you have ever been to the picture forum, but it was very encouraging to me to see some of the pictures and how the look of the implants changed as time went by.
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Bonnie,
I like the idea of the Genie Bra. I especially like the cost. $19.00 for two of them is such a good deal.
Actually, the PS gave me a surgical vest with cups to wear at all times, except he does not want me to wear anything for 4 hours everyday. This vest really flattens me out and it would look weird with clothes on.
By the way, your pictures look great and how wonderful that you were able to loose all that weight before your exchange.
By the way, Bonnie, how long was your surgery?
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mkw1 - I'm embarassed to say I don't know what kind of implants, other than silicone. She mentioned the name once. (I've been more concerned with recurrence rates than breasts, I guess.) Where is the picture forum?0
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Kona: I had the TE exchanged to implants on 7/23. It was the final implant that had to come out, due to exposure as the incision line ruptured open after seroma put too much pressure on it. I have not had nipple recon yet, but it is my understanding it is all cosmetic. So, if your hubby is visual, it may "work" for him, as mine is. But, there will be no feeling for you.
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There is no change to the reconstructed nipple when fooling around. I have a lot of sensation left and while I don't have any right on the nipple, I have some near there. Must be some leftover nerve endings that have regenerated. It doesnt do a lot, but enough to get me interested quicker. lol
Blessings, if you have a Nordstrom's near you, schedule a fitting for bras. I went in about a month ago. This woman, measured me and then brough in about 30 bras, picking and choosing which worked. She was very familiar with mastectomy patients and how implants worked. It was pretty nice. Found some that worked really well. They are higher priced, but pretty. Then I drove over to our Nordstrom Rack and picked up a couple more from the same maker.0 -
Kam,
You need to contact nowheregirl in order to access the picture forum.
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