Exchange City
Comments
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Lilah-thanks, found her pics.
JKZ-found your pics thanks to Lilah and I commented there. You do look sooo much better and I'm happy for you! My pics are on page 3 under sweetie2040.
Soccermom-yes I did schedule it for the second week in April, but I have an appt with him March. I really want to go over everything again and make sure I'm ready to do this. I just don't want to make things worse because overall I have a good result. I'll keep you posted.
NVDiane-thanks for the encouraging post! It is good to know things improve as time goes on.
ArleneMarie-wishing you all the best for your exchange. We all feel that way before our surgery. It helps so much talking to others. I feel like this whole BC thing has been a roller coaster ride with so many ups and downs. It is good to hear from others that in time we finally adjust to all we have been through.
Eastcoastgirl-good luck on your exchange. Things are going to turn out fine and your going to feel so much better with the implants compared to the TE. I had some weird feelings with my TEtoo and I don't notice it now with the implants. I still get occasional itching on one side that I can't reach because it's inside, but i've had that since the beginning.
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Sweetie-I am happy that you have a date. I do understand how you feel about not wanting to make it worse...I feel the same way about mine. Yes keep me posted
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Hi guys... I'm going to join in on the thread here since I'm getting ready for exchange surgery this coming Monday, 2/28. I haven't done a lot of researching or reading prior to this surgery. I did with bilat mx and was more than prepared. However, I suppose I need to ask a few things since I've read the last 15 pages or so and realize I may not be prepared enough this time.
With regard to movement... my PS has not said anything about not lifting my arms above my shoulders after surgery. Perhaps he's going to tell me these things the day of. But is this a normal thing? No lifting above the shoulders... for what like 3 or 4 weeks? I'm quite concerned about range of motion.
My PS has said I won't have drains... I did ask him that, but some of you do. I wonder what determines whether you have drains or not.
Regarding how the implants will look in comparison to TE's. From what I've seen in the picture forum, they will look pretty good.. granted they'll need to drop and fluff and may have some swelling that, once gone, could reveal some step off. I have Mentor CPX 3 450 cc TE's, and am expanded to 450. I'm 5'2", 103 lbs, ribcage 27.5. He's probably going to go with 400 cc, mid height implants, silicone. I liked my size of TE's when they were filled to 375, so he said 400cc would give me the look I liked.
As for driving and sleeping... Am I going to go through a similar thing as I did with bilat mx? I slept on the couch for a few days and it was not fun.
I'm having ooporectomy at the same time as exchange, so I'm now (less than 48 hours from surgery) trying to make sure I have all my ducks in a row. I do have pictures on the picture forum. Thanks guys!
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cc4npg: I had my exchange 2 weeks ago and the nurse told me after surgery to not lift anything, but never don't lift your arms over your head, as with the bmx. I think it is okay to do that. The thing that hurt me in the beginning was using my hands/arms to get up because I was wobbly from anesthetic and pain meds the first couple days. When I used my arms, pain seared through my chest. So I quit doing that!!
As far as driving, my PS said don't drive as long as taking pain meds. The first day I drove, I did some errands and drove quite a bit and was sore the next day. As far as sleeping, ask your doctor but I slept in bed with a heart shaped pillow under my side at my chest when on my side. Your PS may want you to sleep in recliner at first or something.
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Hey Ladies! I had my exchange in May 2009. Recently I went back in to make things a bit better, Feb 9th. This included a pocket revision on lt breast, unrelated to BMX scar revision and implant exchange. It has been such a hard experience this time. After 5 days we had to go back to surgery for a hematoma. My drain tube was full of purple blood. Five days later, I am still feeling horrible and the doctor tells me the culture that they did was pseudomonas positive. He changed my antibiotics and I have been feeling better. I still have a drain on the lt. It is supposed to come out tuesday. Today, there is a rash on my rt breast. I am regretting doing any of this. My results were okay. Now, my results are nice but I am too sick to enjoy them. Does anyone have any experience with infections? We are on the fence to see if the implant can stay or has to go. I would appreciate any words of wisdom.
Thank you, Kristin
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cc4npg - I too was told not to drive while on pain meds both after mx and exchange. I had 1 drain and that was removed 5 days after surgery.
I found it hard getting up from lying flat but my pain was more in the ribs/chest area and back/shoulders from the tightness. After about a week I was much better.
Have you spoken to your dr about your OOPH? When I was considering that surgery last summer they told me I had to take it easy for 6 weeks after!
skippycris - I'm so sorry you are having a hard time after your revision. I hope you get over your infection soon and get on to better healing.
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I was told I'd have to be careful for a couple weeks after ooph, but obviously not supposed to lift anything heavy for a few weeks... probably 4 at least. Don't want a hernia. I'm a little nervous about the surgeries, but not near as bad as I was with mx. I think it should all go very smoothly.
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skippy- that is a bite that you are going through this but thankfully it sounds like you are on the road to being better and having some banging cool tatas this summer...try not to second guess your choices- we make the best ones we think of at the time-none of us has a crystal ball...it is in the past and the eventual out come will undoubtedly be wonderful...it is just an uncomfortable hiccup on the road to recovery..BIG HUGS
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skippy
i was put in the hospital on iv antibiotics - it cleared up the infection
it was quite scary though as I also had my reconstruction redone
my first results were not okay
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cc4npg: I didn't drive for two weeks and the first time out, it was difficult and painful to open and close the door. I was told you have to be healed up enough to respond quickly on the road in an emergency and not have any pain. So, I drove as little as possible and after 4 weeks it was much easier and less painful. Also, any sudden reaching can be painful. Since you are also having an ooph, you may not be able to drive for a month! I had a surgery many years ago and I was cut open from side to side because of uterine fibroids, and I couldn't drive for a month so I am just assuming your surgery will have this kind of down time, too. I would ask your dr. to be sure. My exchange was a breeze compared to my MX, however, the surgery ahead of mine was delayed, I had to wait an extra few hours until my surgeon could get a room and because of nausea, I was kept there an extra few hours for a total of 12 hours for a 3 1/2 hour surgery. I say, prepare for the worse, and be happy when everything goes smoothly and according to plan. I am so happy you are finally getting your exchange. It was a huge deal to me and I felt more like myself afterwards!
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MBJ - I forgot about closing the car door! It was very painful to reach and pull it closed so I used my foot.
Yes if you have to drive a lot and for great distances it may be more difficult and uncomfortable. I was only driving to drs appts and my kids to school and back (less than 10 miles) for the first few days (4 days after exchange).
I agree if you prepare for the worst case scenario and it takes less time or turns out better then that's a bonus for you!
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Kristin, so sorry to hear about your infection. I, unfortunately, have a lot of experience with infections. I got infections after 3 of my 5 BC-related surgeries. The most serious was the one after my BMX with TE placement. I was in the hospital for 5 days on IV antiobiotics. I was very nervous about potentially losing the TE. Luckily, they were able to drain things and the vancomycin worked really well on the infection, so I was fine (although the infectious disease doctor prescribed an additional 5 days of at-home IV antibiotics, which was a nightmare; after a couple days I switched to a powerful oral antibiotic). You should definitely call your PS on Monday about the new rash on your rt breast. Glad the antiobiotics seem to be helping with the lt breast, Hopefully, they caught the infection early enough and you'll be fine. Sending you good thoughts for a speedy recovery!
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cc, I drove myself to my post op appt. on day 5 and had drain removed at that point. Still sore for a while and I was careful with lifting for a long time, still am to avoid LE . I was able to sleep in bed with two pillows under my head to get a little elevation and that took care of any pain along with pain meds for first couple of days. I found it to be a fairly easy surgery.
skippy, sorry you have to deal with infection. I feel so lucky to have had 6 surgeries and avoided infection. Hopefully, you have the drugs to take care of the problem in short order. Take care.
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Thank you for your advice on my infection issues. I am trying to stay positive. The rash looked better today. I get the drain out Tuesday. I have one since the 9th. So ready to leave it behind!
Thank you!!
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I'm a month out from my BMX and TE, filled to the brim (and then some) with 500cc in each side. No more fills (should be a C in the final implant, was a B before). Due for an exchange in May. My question is, I understand why the TEs are so hard and tight, they have a function to perform (my BF loves how I look but touches out of curiosity more than anything else, and of course I can't feel a thing he does). Will the final implants also feel so constricting and tight? Like many others I've seen posting, I feel like a vice grip is around my chest and I want to take it off but realize it's inside of me and I can't. I'm not sure if I can handle this tightness forever. Please tell me it gets better after the exchange!
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Ah Joan, I am in about the same place...but fom what everyone has said- the implants will be a relief...some immediate relief and then more as time goes on...My exchange is in three weeks and I am about to go nuts. When I wake up it feels like a baby elephant fell asleep on my chest! But it is temporary- to see and hear more about it you might want to get access to the picture forum- Private message WhippetMom or TimTam
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Annette and Joan: I had my exchange on Feb 10th. Even with the post-op soreness the implants are SO much more comfortable than the TE's for me. I was telling a friend today that it doesn't feel like I have foreign objects in my body anymore. No more pinching and the feeling like I had a rug burn on the inside is gone. Still not 100% comfortable but I am confident they will be when everything gets healed up. Hang in there!
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I am so excited Warrior-your pics on the forum are really inspirational:) It is nice to look forward to something after all this BC BS. I have been down the past couple of weeks and having a hard time emotionally...had a bad scare trying out armidex and I think it just all threw me for a loop. Anyway, I have decided that the only thing I am happy about right now are my new boobs (of course it goes without saying of being hopefully cance free, but you know what I mean):)
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Although the implant is softer than the TE I still feel like my chest is being constricted. I'm having issues with my pec muscle across my chest and around to my shoulder blade under my ribs and underarm area. It is so tight and tingling all the time EXCEPT when I lay down.
I know that this has happened to me before - after MX, after TE and now after exchange.
I hope that a visit to the PT (on Monday) will help resolve this issue.
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Aw Marie that sounds really uncomfortable. I hope that PT will help. It does sound like your pec is NOT happy. There a very simple exercise I was given that has helped me enormously in relaxing my pectoral muscle (standing with back to wall, elbows at side, arms/hands up pressing them back against the wall but wrists stay straight) -- this stretches/opens the chest muscle and gives relief. I still can't touch my hands to the wall! I do it once or twice a day if I think of it and it has taken away the need for back rubs from my BF -- hey wait a minute...
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Jean,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, could you have even imagined?? I In 2008??? and here Exchage City is... in 2011......... Bless you !
I am so thankful for MBJ and Lilah and Deborah.................... this many years later............ all these ladies finished with reconstruction.................................. yet................ still here to help ALL! Sending all the rads sister to me..... so I can help them..... I LOVE IT !
Ladies............ HATS OFF ! I love you !
Keep on keeping on !
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Aw Laura thanks! We are all thankful for you too
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(((((Laura))))))!!!
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Kristin,
Sounds like I had the same infection as LG300. I also had a horrible infection and ended up in the hospital for a week. Then after I was released I had to go to the infectious disease center for 24 days straight for intravenous antibiotics plus I was also in a very strong oral antibiotic. I felt like things would never get better.
Just know everything will be okay and best of luck to you..
Jennifer
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My exchange is tomorrow. Looking forward to having these expanders gone.
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catbill, Good luck tomorrow!
Edited to add good luck to grammajan as well!
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Well ladies, I'm on the other side!! My exchange was yesterday, along with an oophorectomy. Surgery took 2-3 hours... I think it was just a little over 2. I could swear I remember them taking the tube out and having a sore throat. I was extremely tired so I took a while to wake up. They wheeled me into a room by 11:30 and I was home by early afternoon. My main complaint is my stomach, which is really quite sore. The gas pains are uncomfortable and it's hard to cough. I'm excited to see my new girls! I think I get to take off the bandages tomorrow, so will be posting pics soon.
Catbill: I bet you're excited! Good luck tomorrow!!
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Skippy - I just had an expander placed jan. 7th and a rash did accompany this, it took about a week and a half to heal up and it was itchy and driving me crazy, all in the healing process. It just takes time for the body to heal at it's own rate, you'll be on your way and I hope feedback here helps you...wonderful group of women!
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Catbill, thinking about you today!!!
Angelisa, glad you are doing well.
Sorry you are having tummy pain. I am thinking I may have to eventually have hysterectomy because of some issues but no time to think or plan that now. I would of liked to do it at the same time as my exchange also...oh well, another surgery I suppose. Hopefully the gas will go away and you will be feeling better soon!!0 -
I had my first peek at the girls and they look pretty good. Will wait for drop and fluff before I give my final judgement. I posted pics on the forum and would love opinions. The nipples are pointing out a bit right now, but again it's early on.
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