Exchange City

cc4npg-congrats! I know it's hard to wait to look, but glad you at least took a peak. Things only get better each day as swelling goes down and they drop and fluff into place. I'll go look at your pics now. Keep resting

Aw Bonnie -- so glad you are feeling better but sorry you're still not happy with the results (though it's great that things have improved as much as they have)!  I think you absolutely should consult another PS.  A second opinion can't hurt and a new PS might have some good ideas for you.   And honestly though you might have to wait 6 months to do anything, you could always see a new PS sooner (if you are curious or just feel like you'd like to be proactive).

Bonnie nice to hear from you.  I'm glad that you found a good prosthetic - it does make a difference both physically and emotionally to look good.  I'm happy to read that you are in a better frame of mind and that you are exploring your options. 

Yes a 2nd and 3rd opinion from other PSs wouldn't hurt.

As my PS said to me - we'll try this out (implant) and by the time it needs to be replaced the technology may be that we can grow breasts from the patient's own tissue! 

Who knows what the future will bring!

Alot of us going through exchanges right now! Mine is friday and I'm just now getting excited at the thought. I was sooo nervous and worried about size and all of that, that I haven't relaxed and let myself get excited about it. So much else going on that I just didn't. I am now!! Looking SO forward to soft and squishy and moving on down this road we are all on.

skippycris...sorry to hear of your infection.  YES, I had many..resulting in several extra surgeries...I had a total of 8 breast surgeries in 18 months plus a robotic hysty/oof.

When there seemed to be no other cause of my infections, I had my one root canal tooth removed and the infections stopped.  If you have a root canal tooth that does not feel EXACXTLY PERFECT...check into it.  3 levels of dental professionals thought my tooth looked okay but to me it felt a little off even though it did not have an obvious infection.  My oral surgeon insisted that it would have to be a raging, can't talk level of painful infection to travel to my chest...really ???  

If this is your first infection, it probably doesn't have anything to do with any of your teeth.

I just kept having infections and then read opinions of some of the "out there" people on google and now I am a believer because my PS and I believe that this solved my problem.  I had never been prone to infections and always heal easily.  This tooth had been on "the edge" for 3 years and all the dental people thought all the procedures on it were working and that it was healing but as soon as it was gone all my surgeries healed flawlessly.

We cultured one of the infections and it was a mouth bacteria. 

EastCoastGrl:  Yes, do get excited.  This is one surgery that's a good one!  I've had really no pain with exchange.  My pain stems from gas used to blow up my stomach for the ooph.  The implants are SO soft!  You will love them! 

GOOD LUCK EVERYBODY - with your exchanges on Friday - you will feel sooo much better - sweet dreams!

Bonnie.... third time might be a charm........ XXXOOO for you !!!

Ladies..... I look at all your new faces... all the new faces on Exchange City..... and it makes me so sad that we are all so young getting this disease...... My heart is with you all!

Happy exchanges this week and next..... for most of us.... exchange is HEAVEN!..... Heal well sisters!

Congrats to all you pre and post-exchange ladies of the week!!  Hoping surgeries and healing go well for all of you.

Bonnie, so glad to hear you are healing.  Doesn't it feel good to start feeling good?  I hope you give yourself some time to be well.  Then if you choose, think about second opinion(s).  Remember they are only opinions for you to contemplate...

cc, looking good!! 

Congratulations all you wonderful ladies...I am so jealous of your nice softies!!! 

Just curious about general recovery.  I keep reading that some people are out for weeks, can't drive and some are back at it in a week?  Any general consensus?

I head back to work in June after being out for six months.  My PS will do the exchange at end of June, if I want to.  Can't imagine telling work - again - that I will be out for medical reasons!

For me....exchange, with a lot of pocket work due to radiation,  was no big deal. I took two weeks off work because I am a Stylist... and PS thought this might be a good idea as I am really physical in my job..

I did not need two weeks off at all. I took pain meds for three days... and could have been back to 100% work in a week.

We are all different..... take your recovery with a grain of salt.... If I worked from home... I would have been working two days after exchange.

Blessings !!

Laura

I had surgery on Thursday and took off the next week.  I did start doing some work stuff one week later and did ok for limit time. I didn't drive for two weeks because of reaction time and plan on 6 weeks off from vigorous exercise because I don't want to potentially mess anything up. I had drains in for five days so I wouldn't have considered going back before getting the drains out. 

Annie:  I believe recovery is a very individual thing.  However, a lot of the driving issue has to do with high potency meds... not just range of motion.  You need to be off all rx pain meds so your brain can function correctly.  And then, yes, range of motion plays a role.  If you're off the pain meds, take someone with you the first time to see how you do.  With my exchange, I feel I would have been able to go back to work within a couple of days.  Exchange for me was easy and there wasn't really any pain associated.  I would think a lot of people might feel up to working after being off a week.

I have a question.  How long after exchange did you have to keep the surgical bra on?  My follow up isn't until the 14th, and it sounds a little bit long to wear it for a whole two weeks, besides the fact I feel I need to wash it!  It sorta makes me look squished and flatter than I think I am, and I believe I read someone else said the same thing.  So does drop and fluff happen after the surgical bra is removed?  I just feel the implants may not be showing their true projection. 

cc4npg:  Marie has given you good advice.  My post surgery bra was too small and I had permanent indentations for weeks after I replaced it with yet another post surgery bra.  I had to wear the new one for 6 weeks, so I would ask your dr what his preference is.  You will need what you are wearing to support the new girls even if it does feel constricting.  Like me you were small before and you will have to be in a bra always to support the weight now.