TE TROUBLE
Comments
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psalms91 - I had my exchange last Wednesday. It was Day Surgery, started at 12:15 and I was home by 4:30. No drains. It was nice to relax in my own bed and my own surroundings. Good luck to you!
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Having troubles changing my avatar pic. i get a message not included in the list, everytime i try to update...???
Nancy
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greencowgirl - are you trying to replace it from a photo on your hard drive? I have found it easier to do from an external photo site like Shutterfly. I know some people use the little green tree icon in the bar next to the yellow emoticon happy face guy in the bar above the post text box. Can you tell I am a techno-idiot from that last sentence, geesh!
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Green, If you are using an Ipad you will probably have issues also. I do.
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Patriciahurtado....I only have TE right now. I get the foobs on 6/11/2013.
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What is the recovery time for the exchange surgery? I saw that many of you did not have drains or have to stay overnight in the hospital, but I'm wondering what the recovery period is post-surgery. Just curious since I'm a teacher and try to schedule my surgeries around my non-teaching time. THanks.
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weety - I would say two weeks out I felt good and could do what I was doing prior. Some will say less than that, others will say more - it partly depends on whether pocket work needs doing, or if there are any other issues. Some people also have a little lipo to subtract around the breast, usually on the sides, and some have fat-grafting simultaneously. My PS is particularly sensitive about driving and restricts longer than other docs.
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For those of you who have already had the exchange:
- were you OK with the way they looked right away or did it take time for thing to drop/fluff out, etc?
- has anyone had simultaneous fat grafting? I am thinking about it but not sure if it's too much to do all at once...
Have my exchange surgery on June 18th...
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road - mine did not drop or fluff but they look OK - my left has had so much stuff done to it that it does not look like the right, but they are good in clothes or a bra. I think they have remained the same because they are pretty big and are the same number of cc's that I was expanded to on the right, bigger on the left. I did fat grafting about 9 months later - I think with swelling it might be hard to tell where to put the fat, but I jnow some have had it at the same time. Also lipo to any problem areas like on the side or under the arm can be done then too.
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I did not have drain. I did not stay over night. My PS required I wait at least 3 months between exchange and fat grafting, for swelling to go down. I did have a slight tweek to one implant at fat grafting.
I was substitute teaching again within two weeks of the exchange.
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I have an appointment with PS today ..... I know that TE are supposedly uncomfortable but are they suppose to feel like sand paper where the bra wire goes???!!!
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My ps likes to do the fat grafting at the same time because it help reduce future contracture and rejection of implant. I think he can get a good idea where to put it prior, such as the hollows above the implant and in the center to get cleavage, etc. Since i had right side rads, he did fat grafting when the TE's were placed, as studies are showing it helps reduce futrue problems.
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Thanks to everyone that answered my questions.
Any preparation suggestions before my big day.I am both excited and scared.0 -
psalms - stay away from the heating pad! You are bad with that thing! Put stuff at waist level so you don't have to reach for it, keep a basket of meds, phone, tissues, remotes, etc. It is like a short term version of MX/BMX, but not as intense or long. Wishing you the best and hope all goes smoothly!
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Well, my surgery has been cancelled for tomorrow. My platelets are too low (73L - normal is 140-400uL). And my WBC is just 1.7 (I'm almost five weeks PFC - last chemo was April 17).
The surgeon told the assistant to tell me it will probably be a SIX WEEK delay (approximately) which really messes things up from a radiation standpoint.
I emailed the results to my oncologist's assistant today (I think I will heretofore refer to him as my DO - dear oncologist
) and mentioned that he might want a copy for his files. That's all it took . . . he called me at the end of the day and wants me to come in for a blood test Thursday afternoon. He thinks my numbers will be back much sooner than the plastic surgeon's predictions. I'm crossing my fingers that this is the case!0 -
Special K- LOL...... I have put the heating pad away...I am not taking any chances... I am a bundle of nerves.....keep me in your thoughts
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Exchange on 6-6, looking forward to it. I have been out of discomfort in at least three weeks. Am grateful. I am not that big, and I am thinking I am at about 310 cc which is way bigger than I have ever been. I am a bit scared about the surgery, as I have to be flying and back at work five days later.
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Been a long time since I have posted.
My daughter had surgery on her broken arm last night. I stayed the night with her, then after I got her in the car with my mom, I walked over to my surgery check in.
Once again, always some sort of complications when they open me up! The plan was to clean up the left side, a little too much skin and my scar needed revision. As for the right, he was going to lipo my tummy and add fat to a few ripples that developed.
All couldn't be simpler... yet somehow I woke up with another drain! I guess the muscle had separated and my implant had shifted a bunch... Now in a fair amount of pain...
Hope everyone is doing well. I'm still a little groggy from surgery so have not had time to read over all the new news on this thread.
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Not-me - my exchange is 6/18. I travel for work so will have to get back to flying as well. Hoping to get at least 2 weeks now.
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DM13, wow, what a day you've had! I read about your daughter's arm on the Los Angeles meetup thread. Wishing you both a speedy recovery.
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Just checking in. I had my exchange on May 1 st. They are not perfect, but in a bra they look darn good! I'm happy, feel great, only missed three days of work. I think I'm going to skip the nipple. I only ended up with 325 cc implants and on my bad side and there is really no skin to work with. After almost two years with no breast, I'm loving this one.
Going to sport a swim suit in Hawaii in a couple of weeks! So excited!0 -
DM13 - Oy! When it rains it pours! Hope you and your DD are doing OK!
curly - yay!
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Curly, congratulations on your exchange!
I wore a swimsuit on Kauai last week - even with my uneven blobs - or bloobs, as I call them. I had a silicone thingy that might have evened things out more but I just didn't care.
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Very excited you you Curly!
Been so long sice I have been on thread, I see SpecialK has a new beautiful profile pic!
Had drain removed today, so glad. Guess I can finally shower tomorrow afternoon.
Still have pain in side with drain and muscle repair, and my tummy still hurts from the lipo. Anyone else have the lipo/fat graft? would love to hear about recovery and end result.
Also, my daughter is doing well... still loads of pain for her, was a really bad break.
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DM - I did fat grafting - had to wear compression for 8 weeks 24/7 and could not do any exercise other than walking, but my donor sites look great and the fat appears to be staying very well above my implants in the hollows that were created by BMX. I had no fat put over the breast/implant itself though, just above it. I would do fat grafting again in a heartbeat - I found it one of my easiest surgeries. Thanks for the compliment on my new pic - it was taken at a wedding last month. Glad you daughter is doing better - sorry she is uncomfortable though. My DD needs her tonsils out - not looking forward to it - she is a huge baby about that stuff. She was there for my first drain removal (she drove me) and was in the corner hiding her face so she wouldn't see anything, I made a little yelp noise when they pulled the first one and she blurted out "are you hungry?" which was apropos of nothing, and we all started laughing - she was so stressed, lol!
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Hi girls!
I had my first tattoo session in Oldsmar this past Monday on the right side. He likes to go over the scar back and forth with the fine needles. He says it breaks up the scar tissues, and basically erases the scar!! I go back for the left side in a month. He said I will go every month for up to a year, until we both are satisfied with how they look. Pretty cool. No problems so far.
On another note, I wanted to add that I've been getting Acupuncture. I had that compressed nerve that was causing some neuropathy in my left index finger. She completely cured me, and not only that, my mood, personality and energy levels are in a wonderful place. I think the nerve thing started when I had my TE's. Remember, I had the infection in the right side and it had to come out. So the left TE was in for the 6 months, completely filled, nothing on right side. Then the right TE was replaced, filled weekly, then the 3 month wait. Then exchange, where lefty had so much scar tissue. I wish I had been getting massage therapy and accupuncture through that whole ordeal, but I'm so thankful that I found someone who has balanced me back out!!
I hope you all have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!
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momof3 - yay for all that stuff! So glad that you are feeling well and happy! Where are you going for the acupuncture and massage therapy? I know Moffitt offers both.
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SpecialK - Glad to hear the fat stayed... I'm curious, did you notice a difference in your tummy? How many incisions did they do in the tummy region? I'm kinda scared to see.
My pain level has been much better today. They removed the drain, and it was so easy! The first time I had drains, I was not with Kaiser, and the removal was horrible! In fact, it triggered Lymphedema in my torso! But the drains Kaiser uses are much smaller and just slide right out!
I'm excited to shower tomorrow at 11am!
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Starting to freak a little over my upcoming exchange surgery. I have had problems with pain in my armpit and down my side and across my breast. It became so bad that I thought I had dislodged my right te. Ripping burning pain if I laugh, cough, or move my arm or shoulder the wrong way. Anyway the ps says there isnt anything wrong with te so he sent me to Er. They concluded that I must have a pulled muscle. All I know is I am mentally done and after my exchange surgery I dont want anything else done. So if you dont mind me asking why did some women have multiple revisions? Also does fatgraphing require compression on your abdomen? Is this just certain doctors that require that and for how long. What do you use for compression? Do you have to have drains in your abdomen or chest? Sorry for all the questions.
Thursday I know how you feel this has almost been a year of hell and I dont think I am going to be happy but at this point I wish I wouldnt have put myself thru this just for breast. Healing hugs to all and thanks0 -
DM - yes, there is a big difference in the tummy, but you also have swelling so it takes a bit until you can really see how it will be! I had my surgery just before Christmas so I think he removed a little more fat than he needed as a gift, lol! He came out into the waiting area and told my DH that I was going to be very happy! I had donor sites at lower abdomen, hips and just above my belly button. Very small incisions - not even 1/8 of an inch.
mel - people have revisions for a lot of reasons, size, shape, symmetry, etc. I personally had fat-grafting because I have a bony chest and my implants could not fill the hollows below my collarbones that were left after BMX removal of tissue. The implant just can't adapt to that shape, so the fat was injected there - above the implant, not over the top of it - and now it looks smoother and much more natural. Fat-grafting requires compression at wherever the fat is removed. The process of liposuction involves moving a cannula back and forth sucking up the fat. This creates tunnels that don't immediately close down so they can fill with fluid unless they are compressed. If that happens it is very noticeable and can also cause a seroma if your donor site is the abdomen. I was required to wear Spanx-like garments for 8 weeks 24 hours a day, but some docs don't require it for that long. I have a good result so if I were to fat graft again, I would follow those instructions again, it was worth it. I did not have any drains and found this to be a very easy surgery.
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