Exchange City

Ginger,  My PS said 6 weeks for the sports bras until I see him 6 weeks post op, so I've got about 3 to go.  I just hate them.  Maybe I call him and ask for an "early release".  The foobs loook great and I have no complaints.  I would love to get back into regular bras!

  He did not tell me to do any sort of massage-that's on my list of "questions" for when I see him.  Though it's a pretty short list.  I don't need any further "fixing" that I can see-and at this point am pretty satisfied with where I am.

Evebarry : I had exchange sx almost 2 months ago. My foobs are NOT like my old ones in terms of softness and "look", but I am able to go bra-less every day. And THAT was what my PS told me all along the process, except if I had nipples then I would probably want to cover them sometimes. I chose to NOT get nipples, not even tattoos. I am delighted at goig bra-less. I wonder why you cannot? Maybe your foobs are very large? I would probably use a bra if I wanted some cleavage but so far it looks like I might feel and look good enough to go without. I was told, though, that underwires were not really all that good for the implants.....then I read here that some ladies ARE using them satisfactorily. We are all so different...............

I just got my Turkey in the oven, so am taking a few minutes to update you all on my Dr. appt. yesterday with the BS. (Note, this is also posted on Implant Sizing 101 thread)  He said it was definitely NOT IBC, so that is a good thing.  He said it appears to be blood flow related or an allergic reaction. However, I haven't changed anything other than I am eating less, but not eating anything new and no new medications no changes in laundry detergent or anything like that.  He also said it was not any type of necrosis and the TE
is intact. He told me to finish the antibiotics prescribed by the PS, however, it does not appear to be an infection. I am to call him or the PS if it worsens or spreads further.  Otherwise, I will go back to see him right before Christmas. What is weird, it improves with a warm shower or a warm
compress.  Then, when I get up in the morning, it is right back to how it looks in the pictures.  Oh and it is not red breast syndrone either -- I don't have Alloderm.  Also, he said the TE's have been in so long, that he doubted very much that it was a reaction to them.

I also finally got a call back from my OB/GYN.  He had been out of town and he had told his staff to call me immediately with the results as soon as they were in. I have called the office 3 times and each time they told me that the results had not yet been read. He was upset that his staff had not, so he called me at home yesterday evening. The pap results still showed non-specific abnormal hyperplasia, but no cancer. He said that it could resolve itself, but he wants
to repeat the tests in 6 months to make sure it doesn't turn into cancer. So I guess for now, just have to go thru testing every 6 months. 

So, at least it isn't cancer, but I wish I knew what was going on.  Praying that it
resolves itself and doesn't get any worse.  I don't want anything to delay my exchange any further! 

Everyone here have a good
Thanksgiving!

Phyllis 

Happy Thanksgiving!

I just found something interesting on a PS website.  It addresses cleavage determinants for augmentation patients, but it seems it would apply to reconstruction as well.  Helps to explain why chest/ribcage/sternum configuration dictates the amount of cleavage we might end up with after surgery. 

http://www.advanced-art.com/Breast-Aug-Cleavage.htm

(I am posting this on a few of my threads so forgive the repeat...)

Pat- You go girl; what a rebel! I am thinking of taking mine off for a while tonight...so sick of it.

I think I posted on this thread back in July after my DMX, but somehow I landed on another thread, stuck with it and have gotten to know the ladies over there. I am sure some of you know how that is!  BUT, everyone is in very different places, so I am back here to learn and ask a few questions, just so I know what is happening.  I had my exchange on Nov 16.  I had to have a revsional surgery back in Sept because the first PS used a TE that was NOT appropriate for a "good" look.  I love my new PS and my BS told me every women he works on looks beautiful afterwards.  But I am not feeling very pretty.  I know, I know I just got all FOUR drains out the day before Thanksgiving with the stipulation that I don't move for at least one week.  After I swelled up in Sept (chest, upper back, arms) and needed two weeks of bed rest, he is being more cautious.  I was good, I've been housebound all weekend, even though family is at the movies and lunch as I write. :-(  I am really swollen in the upper pole and my nipples look low, even though at the revision he rotated them to a higher position.  Could this just be from all of the upper pole swelling?  At the exchange, PS also took some tissue that was left from the mastectomy in the upper pole, so I know there was trauma done to this area.  But when this swelling is gone, do the implants give that nice slope downwards to the nipple?  I am hoping I won't need FG, but have no idea what I will look like.  I am wearing a zip up mastectomy camisole that holds things firm, but not compressed.  It does feel much more comfortable that a bra at this point. Anyone go through anything similar?  My DH said this morning "it's only been 10 days and you just got the bandages off and the drains out 3 days ago. Give it time."  Since everyone said the exchange was a piece of cake, I didn't expect swelling, drains, etc.  I think I was in "optimisticland!"  

ElsaPorter - I would double check on what type incision you are having. If it is indeed an inframmamary fold one, I would think that the underwire would not be best choice. My incisions were IMF however when we went with the large 960cc implants, the IMF incision moved up about 3/4" and the underwires do not really get near them. Each surgery I do use either a surgical bra or one of my non-underwired mastectomy bras.  Were your original incisons IMF?. I have had my incisions opened up 3 times on the left side and 4 times on the right (had a leak in a saline implant there and had it replaced). I now wear underwires almost exclusively even to sleep in with no issues.

Hi AnneEM- I had some fat grafting done at the exchange. It was taken from my hip area and the top of my chest by my armpit. The sites were very sore for a week and then mildly sore for another week or so. I did have some swelling as well. It was really the only pain I felt from the surgery. I am still out of work due to shoulder issues and another surgery next week so not sure how to advise you on that.

Hello all.

I am 10 days out from my exchange surgery (done 11/17) and had my post-op visit today. Yippee, the drains are gone!! Really like how everything looks but PS says it will get even better as things continue to heal over the next 6-8 weeks. 

Best of luck to you tomorrow Kickitmom!

Hi pinkbutterfly,

That is great to hear! I am feeling very encouraged. I have had the TE for almost 6 months (and I am not a patient woman).

Sorry to hear about your GYN surgery, best wishes for a good recovery.

Getting my exchange Monday, Dec. 5th..............ready to have this done!  I, too am having some fat grafting and am remaining very small in size... like a small B or an A cup.

Hi Anne.....I'm doing exactly the same thing on Monday, Dec. 5th.

Maybe we can keep up with each other's progress and compare notes!

michele

One thing I forgot to mention: I went for my first post-op visit yesterday since exchange on 11-18. My PS said I have very thin skin (I can already see rippling), so I asked about additional fat grafting (he did some to radiated side). He said that it was a possibility, but that the time to do FG was during exchange, when he could see what he was doing. He said that doing FG after exchange, with implants in, was riskier because the implants could be damaged. I thought this was interesting because I thought that it was the norm to do FG after exchange. My original PS, whom I did not feel comfortable with, was also willing to do FG at exchange, so I guess it is becoming more common...

Carrol- I looked on the forum but it looks like your last pics were from before the exchange? You have some people over there asking you to update from October and November. Did you start a new thread?