Exchange City

Kate:  Sorry you are having the aching. I have just a bit but you are further along then I am.  what I do notice is the nipple side is painful to the touch-hyper sensitive and I am hoping this goes away. Also, I am now noticing just a slight rippling at the top which should go away after my next fat graft.  Since I have the Alloderm too, it may be the cause and soon it shouldgo away.

Kate, sorry you are having some pain post exchange.  I was about two weeks behind you with exchange surgery and other than surgery pain, I didn't have breast/implant pain.  I had surgery a week ago for nips, areola grafts and fat grafts and I feel very tight now.  I guess it still could be swelling or maybe the added tissue from fat grafts.  I forgot to ask at post op how many cc's of fat they put in each side.  Anyway, it's defintely not pain though, just more iron bra stuff that I hope will fade.  Is your pain on both sides?

Astorm, so thrilled that you are loving your new girls.  Yea!!!!  Sounds like rounding up was the best for you.

As for me, my new nips and areolas look pretty good for one week out.  Very little crusties and good looking, healing tissue.  The areolas look kinda big and dark at this point, but I know they will change over time.  Got a cute treat in the mail when I got home today, a nice card saying, "you look marvelous", signed by my OR nurse who I met before I went into surgery. Sweet.

Best to all, deekaay

deekay - they'll calm down a little with time. I couldn't believe how long the nips were but they have become more natural looking over time. My new PS was worried that the revision might ruin them (thought crossed my mind too but I was willing to sacrifice for other improvements)...I think they actually look better with the new implants. What a great nurse! My DD decided to become a nurse due to the wonderful people she has encountered this past year.

Sweetie - I think the recommendation for MRI is after the first 3 years and then every 2 years. I'm just crossing my fingers with the insurance. The MRI is used to diagnose bc as well as to check the implants so I'm thinking it could be justified. I am 5'7" and 125# ... with all the weight in the southern hemisphere. My saline implants were 450cc (overfilled to 480). I guess the good thing about getting a revision is that you know what *doesn't* work. My implants did not properly fill the pocket so we knew we'd have to go larger. whippetmom suggested 550-600 and the PS said the same. The silicone are already filled so you get the exact size. My PS started with 560cc and then tried 600cc which was perfect. You also need to choose a "profile" (size:projection ratio). I needed some fullness in the upper pole (had a shelf with the saline) and didn't want a larger footprint (the saline was already under my arm on one side) so we chose "high profile" to get a good projection without going to a larger footprint.

Hi everyone!

I started a new job this week, so I haven't been around at all. It's nice to be busy and not think about BC for hours at a time!

Luckily, I don't have any pain associated with my implant at this point. I'm two and a half weeks out from my exchange surgery. All the bandages and steri-strips are gone. I have some minor bruising on my side where the PS did a small amount of lipo'ing. I do think the implant has dropped slightly, but it's still pretty flat.

I'm now able to sleep on my side comfortably. The implant feels gloriously squishy and natural! 

Sweetie: My implant is 475cc and it doesn't feel heavy at all to me. 

MBJ: Since you're about a week further along in healing than me, what, if anything are you using on your scars at this point? My PS recommends Palmer's Cocoa Butter with Vitamin E, but I hate smelling like a cookie all the time. I've been using BioOil in the mornings and the Palmer's at night.

Happy weekend!

Getty 

A-storm thanks for the info on the MRI. I have an appt with my BS next week and I was going to ask her about screening as well. I'm going to get high profile. You're the same ht and wt as me. I have my exchange coming up. I'll let you know how it turns out. He is taking in three sizes.

almagetty-good to hear. that is probably the size I'll end up with too.

sweetie - did you get a date yet? Have you decided on gummies or reg silicone?

Almagetty and MBJ, my steri strips came off at my 1 week appointment and my plastic surgeon recommended aquaphor and gauze for my scars, twice daily. Glad to hear that cocoa butter is acceptable because I have been using it on the rest of the mound. I love the cocoa butter, guess I like smelling like a cookie! Hate the 24/7 job bra and still sleeping pretty upright in a reclining chair. I look forward to returning to my bed!

I use KinErase cream from Sephora for scar. How long does it take for things to "drop". My exchange was over a year ago and the implant is still way higher than my natural breast. I guess I don't see how it even could drop as it is under such a tight muscle. I'm constantly tightening the natural side's bra strap to bring her up! Any thoughts?

Koryn - I think uni recon is probably hard bc it's like matching an apple to an orange.  I'm a uni also and in a bra things look good but without my natural breast has a natural slope which the implant does not - i'm only 4 weeks post exchange.  I'm "ok" with how things look.  Best of luck.

 Love your name with a "y"

Karyn

Almagetty:  That is great that you can go into a low key job so easily.  It makes all the difference in the world.  I am afraid to go without a bra or any support after reading what happened to Val, who had one breast move under the arm and needed a redo.  I want mine to always look this good and according to my friends who were blessed with larger breasts, if you want to keep them that way you have to give them some support.

Koryn:  I agree with Firni, now would be the time to go back to your PS to see what can be done to fine tune them so they look more alike.  My PS did a great job, but it's too eary to tell since it hasn't fluffed yet.

UNIS: On the picture forum someone (hannahbearsmom?) wants to start a picture thread so all the uni's can go there and find each other in one place, so, if you would like to re-post there.

Thanks!  I realized it a few hours later.  Blame it on the old chemo brain LOL!

NYDeb:  Take a deep breath!  It takes time for your new breasts to take their final shape.  I have silicone rounds and had only one side an MX done and the other also done so it would match on 8/19 and the MX side still hasn't dropped and fluffed but it's slightly less hamburger bun looking.  It takes time for the hamburger bun look to go away, give it time, stay occupied with other things and time will tell.  It can sometimes take months so wait before proceeding further to see how it's going to settle.  It's going to change alot in the next few months.  Hugs!

Has anyone else gotten a McAfee security warning when attempting to visit our picture forum?  It warned about malware. Anyone else get any strange notices??

NV Diane -- I was just on the picture forum and didn't get any security alerts.  Pam

Hello all,

  New to this topic and wondering about recovery time from an exchange.  I go in for my exchange surgery on Sept 27 and am planning a road trip with my fabulous hubby at the end of Nov.

  Have any of you had problems with a long car journey 8 weeks out from your exchange?

  Uni-Mx March 8th with Lat Dorsi recon, Chemo finished 07/28/10 continued herceptin through April 2011.  No Rads.

Thanks for your info!