Exchange City
Comments
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Tif: Wow 1 1/2 hours?? That's fast and a small incision, too! Mine took 3 1/2 hours and I was terribly nauseous. glad to hear you are doing well. Yippee Squishees for you!!!
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Wahooo Tif!!!
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Yeah Tif you sound wonderful!!! Congratulations!!!
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Congrats Tif- I think I am one of the next ones 7/6--- BMX back in January- so ready to be rid of the coconut foobs. Been reading all the good advice here. I am just one month out from chemo--after 6 rounds of TCH- and have Herceptin the day before surgery on 7/5.
I will have my Hgb checked w/ my Herceptin- hope it's 10 or my surgery will be postponed. I am excited but nervous about having this soon after chemo- both MO and PS said it's fine as long as counts are ok.
Has anyone else had surgery so soon? Thanks again for the advice. Tif- please keep us posted! I won't be far behind you!!
Lisa
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jkz- Thank you! That is my son. I may be a bit prejudiced, but i think he is cute too!
MBJ- Thanks! I think you had alot more work than I did! I had a lift back when I had the MX. It sure is nice to have the weight of the TE gone.
Thanks Lilah and Suebee!!
Lisa- Hope you counts are high enough for surgery, While I only had a uni- this surgery is so much easier! Pain is nothing compared to MX. I will keep you posted on my progress!
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Yipee squishees for Tif!!!!
Peg, enjoy your time to heal.
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Tif, congrats! I can not wait for squishy!
Speaking of incisions, my PS tells me he will excise my original incision which is slightly wide with my exchange, is this what is usually done? I don't think it looks bad, but he tells me it can look better.
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Lisa -- I had my uni-MX one month after finishing chemo (but still on Herceptin at that point). I did fine. I had more trouble several months later (with a low rbc) when I had exchange! The doctors all said one month post-chemo is fine (and they don't include Herceptin in that category).
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hmmmm Everybody must be sleeping, Am i the only one on Pacific time? Well hope u all sleep well and congrads to all the new exchanges this week ! Nite NIte
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Rennasus,
i did not have any infection, either time. i had my implant put in the end of april and the incision opened a little at the end of may i thought i was doing good... he took that out and put the expander in and you know the rest of the story. but no infection just bad radiated skin.... the drain is gone so that is great get some pains but nothing too bad, only take pain pills at night to try t o help with the uncomfortableness of everything and to help me sleep. why are you having yours removed?
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WOW Tiffany sounds great small incision short surgery piece of cake! My TE surgery I had 4 inch incisions, he opened up almost the whole scar from the bmx. Can't wait to hear how you like them. So far squishy and no pain sounds very very good.0
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My incision is is in at the bottom of the "breast". He did not reopen the mx scar. He made the incision deflated the TE pulled it out and put a squishy in. I will see him today and asked what else, if anything, he did. Feeling pretty good this morning. The incision is sore, but not painful. He wants me sleep with my head above my heart for a few nights- which I don't do well. So I am tired!
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It's not unusual for the PS to use a smaller incision at exchange... so glad yours was able to do so Tif!
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Good Morning Ladies, Any body up yet? TIF sounds like you are doing great
Well went to my PS yesterday he squeezed me in (HA PUN ON WORDS cause he also squeezed me when i was there) i was concerned about how my insicision was healing looked like necrosis again.But it was on my lift side,so no problem he said cause its still my own breast with my own skin and will heal its self YAY!!!! the bad part is he told me i could not wear the sports bra i got and had to stay in my surgical bra(HARNESS) i had cut up all of mine from my past 3 of my surgeries to make them more comfy and he said"NO" i need the wide elastic on the bottom, so he gave me another one. i felt like a very bad child he he. anyway lasted all day in it but took it off to sleep in and put my sports bra back on! he would have not liked that but man that thing is soooooo uncomfortable. But otherwise im 2 1/2 week out from exchange and doing ok 0 -
Sorry it took so long for me to get back. My surgery went well. --3 hrs for me, and I stayed overnight. I had the implant on my left and the reduction on the right. The implant side, there's pretty much no pain. BUT, on the reduction side...holy crap!!!! The percs are just about taking the edge off. He did almost a mastectomy on that side. But it looks great!
Went to the PS for post op yesterday. Slight infection so they gave me antibiotics. Finally took off all the dressings. That was a relief on every level. I can now shower but still have to keep being vigil about not doing anything. Its hard to remember not lifing or holding anything.
Just want everyone to know that my exchange went very well. Very minimal pain. I guess the pain meds work well for that side.
I love this board..you are all so much fun!!!
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Beacher: I called mine my torture torpedo bra because of how it made my breasts look-had to wear it 24/7 for 6 weeks. I wouldn't mess with it no matter how uncomfortable-you need the compression and the support.
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I just got back from my exchange follow up with Dr. He says no bra at all for 1 month, just camis or tank tops under my shirt. If I want to try sleeping on my opposite side in a few days he suggests wearing the compression bandage to bed. I feel pretty good. A bit sore, but no real pain. he said i could drive whenever which is good. I have my 6 month follow up with the onc tomorrow! I asked why he suggested no support. He said he simply took out the expander and put the implant in and did not need to do any additional work.
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TifJ: I would check out the Bras 101 The great Post Exchange Debate. I had lots of pain if I didn't wear a bra 24/7. In fact I had to wear one for 6 weeks after exchange and then a sports bra.
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MeJoy: Congratulations!! I hear a reduction can be quite painful but this will pass. Remember, too, no reaching! I had pain just trying to pour from a water pitcher and forget opening and closing a car door. This hurt until after 4 weeks and even then I had to be gentle. Gentle hugs!
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Mejoy -- yeah my implant exchange side was a breeze; reduction side took a month to heal (well, took a month because I had a bad bruise from bottom half of breast to hip). It does heal though! And it sounds like your PS did a good match up job -- yay!
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MBJ- where was your incision? He told me he didn't want anything rubbing on it. I was a bit concerned about the no support. I will check the bras 101 thread- Thanks!
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TifJ: Because I am a Uni I had a center incision and one in the fold of the breast. I wore a post surgical bra that had a very wide bottom band. My sports bra was a zip up the front with a wide bottom band. The bra thread has lots of advice for this. After I wore Victoria Secret no wire bras (after a pro fit at Nordstrom) and ordered on line. Love them-they are very uncomfortable. After 6 months I could go back to wearing underwires.
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itchy?
Has anyone been itchy after exchange. My skin seems to be very sensitive. I am itchy under my arms and around my back where my bra touches my skin. I am also itchy where my underwear or elastic shorts touch my skin. My foobs are fine and do not itch. It seems to me I had this problem after my bi-mx also. I have tried lotion, baby powder and cold packs. We use a free and clear laundry soap because my husband has sensitive skin. Thank fully I can sleep. It seems to bother me most in the afternoons.
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shortlady do you have a rash with that itch? This is probably not related but a thought, during my chemo I had this mysterious itch across my throat to my collar bone. Took a benadryl and it went away. Maybe you can ask your doc if that is ok to take.0
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hmmmmm!You are all sleeping again? Sweet dreams
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LOL Beacher -- you stay up later and get up earlier than the rest of us!
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ya i guess? Also i think that alot of the others are on eastern time. What about you east,west or middle?
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trying to sleep in this torture bra is impossible!!!!!!!! i can't breathe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!what the heck, it's getting worse every night instead of better......
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Thanks Lilah and MBJ... its now day 6, still really sore on reduction side, but I love the look. Still swollen and black and blue. Husband is still squinting his eyes and contorting his mouth when I give him a look. I did start with an infection, but PS gave me antibiotics, and I seem to be doing better as far as infection goes.
No mirrors in my house.. But I do feel them a lot!!! And I mean...a lot!!!
I hear ya beacher...No matter what I put on, and I have permission to wear "whatever" is comfortable". its uncomfortable and I keep leaking all over it. Any suggestions on how to remove "leakage from stitching areas?". PS told me not to worry about colors. But my bras have been decorated with all kinds of colors and need to know what to presoak or wash in to get this stuff out.
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MeJOY, What color is your leakage? I had yellow leakage but not alot and i just washed it in regular laundry detergent. When do u see your dr. again? HMMMM if he said anything maybe you could just wear a baggy t shirt?
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