Exchange City

Hi all- I am just starting to read this thread as I just got my last drain out today and will start fills next week- Yeay! (at least I think so- seems to be uncomfortable for everyone but we gotta start somewhere and get this job done!) My question- anyone else have a large fill when their TE's were placed? I have 16 cm 850's and my PS put 600 cc in at the time of my BMX, which seems like a lot to start with. I am 5'6 and a size 14, so I am not tiny, but I feel like a football player with these TEs pushing my arms out to the sides, and I have had a LOT of tightness and pain especially on the non-cancer side. I have been wearing a post-op camisol, not my sexy surgical bra, because it was so tight I was blistering where my drains came out. Should I be trying to wear a bra anyway to keep the TEs from migrating to my pits, or is that just the final implants you have to worry about? My PS says I am healing fine, but he does not answer a lot of questions of this nature.... Would appreciate any advice... thanks.

spellgirl-

i am alot like you in size...i am 5'7, size 16...my PS put 500cc's in at the time of my BMX, and started receving 120ccs in weekly, til i got to 980ccs...i had my exchange last wednesday (15th of june), and i got 1100 ccs saline implants...i was going to go w/the silicone gel, but my PS and I agreed it would be too small for my frame of body. so far, so good...they haven't settled and fluffed yet, but i am anxious to see the final results, from what i hear, will be a few weeks yet...i also felt like a linebacker, by the time i was done filling, the expanders had no where else to go! it is such a relief now that they are out. my PS said it wasn't necessary to wear a bra w/the expanders, especially in the final weeks. i would just wear a tank top under anything, then it got really hot here in texas, so i would just wear a tank...yes, now that the implants are in, its crucial to wear a sports bar that clasps in the front for 3 weeks, 24/7...enjoy the freedom now!

just a warning, the final fill i got before my exchange was the worst one. it was really tight and really full for a few days after. it did get better, as the skin stretched tho!

just think, after you do your exchange, the pain is gone as far as under your arms and on your ribs....!!

good luck!

Fast moving thread.... just trying to catch up.  Day 5 post exchange for me and IMHO, everything is going great.  I have lots of energy again, pretty much back to daily living minus any heavy lifting, etc.  All pain is gone so I have to remind myself to take it easy.  Is this strange?  I keep this lovely surgical bra on 24/7 though and have it snugged in good so these ladies are not going anywhere without me.  I see my PS this Wednesday, so will be getting his opinion then.  My steri strips are still clinging tight and I suppose that is a good thing at this point.

Westieluv.... haven't had the ladies out to "play" yet.  Should I ask our PS this week about that?  Think he'd get it?

Good luck to everyone recovering from exchanges and those looking forward to exchanges this week!  I still have to get some pics up... just haven't had time and only have a few.  Still trying though.  

Joan888 ~  Yes, for sure!  I'm sitting here chuckling thinking about you having that "conversation". LOL!

I sure hope there is some feeling that returns.  I miss that.

Good to know. Funny thing, I don't remember how my breasts looked before. I asked my DH, and he smiled and said 'yes'. Only thing I do remember is how they sagged after breastfeeding 2 kids. Well, they'll never sag again! Maybe there is a silver lining...

My DH and I were playing with them fairly soon out of exchange once the drains were out.  The MX side was really sensitive and the augmented side's nipple was hyper sensitive so he had to be very, very gentle.  Yes, he chases me around the house and is always coping a feel now.  Yes, he probably did that alot before, but for a year during the treatment and expansion phase it was a pretty dry desert, so we are playing catch up!  The areola/nipple surgery was pretty yucky for about 5-6 weeks but it's fine now. 

As for feeling, I have some feeling, some numbness.  No feeling in the nipple or under the arm.

I almost exclusively wear thongs!  I hate panty lines!

Well, I am 40, but wearing lingerie I didn't wear in my 20's. My poor DH is so confused, but not complaining. I figured I was having a mid-life crisis (BC will do that to you), and I figure, if it makes me feel better about myself, why not?

LOL yes you go!!! I should go to a thong again because I cant get good coverage....I still have my cute bubble butt but no hips...all bubble. 

Hey and today I got the ok to burn (I mean remove) the surgical bra.  Ill see how long I can stand it now because I was liking the snugness.  But a cute little bra is a lot cooler in this heat than something that covers my whole front and back for sure!

My PS has been trained and has done microsurgery.  He just does not do it anymore because he does not get paid enough by the insurance companies to do it.  My plastic surgeon used TE's that he helped invent that had two sections a bottom section and top section.  He said it gives a better curve at the bottom of the breast.  He did do a good job with my fills.  He did them himself and never filled them so full that it hurt.  He said there was no reason to put that much in at a time.  It may take longer, but there did not need to be pain.  I did no have to have drains in with my exchange.  I decided to try the implants first and if that did not work then I would try other things.  I have a hard time with the anthesia and the longer the surgery the worse it is.  I had to stay in the hospital an extra day with my mx because I could not keep anything down.  Most of the other reconstruction surgeries take a lot longer to perform. 

Suebee:  We all know that you are truly a waif--no one that fit into a size 4 could possibly have a wide load, lol!

Sue, you are hilarious! ..... You would feel teeny tiny if you stood next to me then! lol! .... that's actually a good strategy...now that I think about it! Next photo op, I'm gonna find someone that's bigger than me to stand next to!! lol!

I have a much harder time of it because I am 6' tall-I have to find someone taller and bigger, lol, not an easy feat!

SusansGarden:  You are too kind!!!

Lol!