Exchange City
Comments
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Just wanted to check in and give a positive update for those of you facing exchange. I'm 6 weeks post exchange and things are going well. I had the most discomfort from the little bit of lipo my PS did to get rid of some fat at the top of my arms (bra fat). That was gone in a week or two. I like the way my implants look. My PS saw me earlier this week (?late last week) and said he could do a little more lipo to fill in what he saw as a slight difference-I can't even see it, so I"m going to wait on that. We'll see. I'm still "holding" alot of extra weight since the surgery, which is disouraging, but haven't excercised alot-and now feel like I can start back. So it's all pretty positive-and remember, for most of us, certainly me, the exchange was NOTHING like the BMX.
Good luck to all you in waiting! Pat
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Good to hear Pat! I had my exchange Friday and am feeling really good today. Very little pain, took a half a tub bath and that felt wonderful.
How long does it take for the "drop & fluff"?
Denise
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Things are going well here also. I am basically doing my normal activities. Three mile walk, grocery shopping, laundry, and baking cookies. Admittedly I am tired and have had a couple of waves of nausea but overall doing great. Showered and am wearing a regular bra. Just can't ask for more than that two days after surgery.
Tracie, Good luck tomorrow.0 -
I had my exchange on Friday. Although I am not walking for miles, I did get all of my Christmas cards done today and am only taking a little Advil. The lipo areas are the worst--the rest really doesn't hurt much. They are lower than I thought they'd be, but they are a very natural shape and I think I will be happy. My TEs were at 770 and very lopsided. I now have a 600 and a 700 and not so lopsided any more. I think they'll be a large C when all is said and done. Overall, this has been a breeze compared to the BMX. She has me in a surgical bra 24/7 for two weeks and then any bra during the day for another 4-6 weeks then whatever I want. I bought a wedge pillow this time to elevate my head and I really like it.
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Thank you Marie for the well wishes...I am so happy to hear your doing so great... you have made me feel so much better. I have been up since 5 am I had to take a few ativan today just to calm down.. in about 12hrs I will have my new girls and I can't wait. I hope i can sleep
, I will update you when I get home. 0 -
I had Exchange surgery on Nov 10 and reduction lines corrected. I love the smaller size. For me anything is better than a H cup. I'll have to go bra shopping in the New Year. I hope I can find something comfortable since I have sensitivity to nylon and polyester.
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Pat- glad to hear you are doing well. I am doing fine from my exchange. Things are healed and settling nicely. Had the ooph last week and that went well. I found out I have lymphedema which is why I have been having shoulder problems so that is the latest hurdle to make it past but I am working with a lymphedema specialist and expect this to get better with therapy.
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Does anyone know anything about Dr. David Song from University of Chicago?
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Hi ladies, Surgery went well... I am a bit sore today and still a bit drugged out but I got Mentor 600cc High profiles.... it's weird how they feel. will update you later. Thanks for the prayers
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Just wanted to stop in and let everyone know that my exchange/revision is complete. To those of you waiting, you will LOVE losing the TE's, mine had been hurting so bad since I had it put in back in July.
I had my first exchange on 12/28/10 but my right implant got infected and was removed in March. I ended up having a lat flap on that side as it seems my body does not like the alloderm (had issues on the left side and lost TE's more than once).I was expecting this to be painful since I have had a total of ten breast surgeries and had a rough time with pain after each. But so happy to report that the implant felt better immediately!
I had a revision to my left side and do not feel a thing! The only complaint is were my PS took fat from my stomach, that area is very tender and quite ugly from the bruising. But overall, the exchange was quite easy. All the best to those of you in line for your exchanges.
Wishing you all Peace, Love and a Happy and HEALTHY 2012!
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Can anyone tell me about the drop and fluff thing?
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Tracie, the implants will change from the point of exchange over a period of time (I would say 2-3 months) Initially, they seem so high and flat. The drop and fluff just means that they will in fact drop some and take a nicer "fluffier" appearance.
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Wish me luck! Exchange tomorrow at 7:30.
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good luck jbennett38, it's a breeze compared to MX , I will be thinking of you...
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Hey ladies, I 'm new here but wondering what to do with recon? The PS says I can have whatever I want. Been so long since I got to choose what I wanted I forgot what I wanted in the first place! Gel or salines but he never mentioned gummies. Are those better? I have no clue,my friend got a boob job no cancer she just had PS and I dont know what kind she got. She didnt say she had any problems. I took care of her after her surgery and I swore I never would have that done and now look..I either have the foobs or go au naturel as I would come out from the surg but my fiance may have a nervous breakdown b4 its over. I told him iM fine just might need some help after surgery.
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JB, best to you tomorrow! I will check back to see how you made out. I agree with Tracie in saying that exchange is very easy. Do take it easy when you are done despite how good you feel. I just had my 2nd exchange on Tuesday and barely feel it due to the numbness. I hope you are elated as I was to be rid of the dreaded expanders. I hope you are feeling well for Christmas day (assuming you do celebrate).
Blessings to you, girl!
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best wishes to all and a speedy recovery to all,good thoughts and whatever god you believe may he/she bless you beyond your wildest dreams. May the vaccines come soon and stop all this madness and may these blogs someday be a thing of the past that women dont need anymore cause they dont get breast cancer anymore....we can only imagine as john lennon would have said.
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Oh, ladies....you have NO idea how much your stories are helping me!
I am 17 days out from my BMX. The TEs are excruciating. It's not "discomfort" - it's "PAIN".
I've tried to stay away from the narcotics, and will try to see what ibuprofen, robaxin, flexeril, or valium might do for me. My chest is on fire from the inside out. It's impossible to sleep more than an hour or two at a time.
From here, the road to exchange seems endless. And this is before fills! I just have the 180 ccs he gave me in the OR....fills won't start til Jan. But I've made the commitment, and I have to have faith that there is light at the end of this long painful tunnel.
I am SO happy that y'all have reached it, and are enjoying the rewards of all those months of terrorist TEs! You are giving me hope!!!
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blessings2011, Please keep your chin up, it gets better. You just had major surgery, I think I started feeling better with the expansions. Will you need chemo or rads? Once your surgeon allows you may want to ask about some gentle stretching exercises to relax/lenghten the pec muscles. Also warm baths and showers made me feel better. TEs are not terrorists, they are friends, you soon too will enjoy the rewards.
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blessings- I am cringing as I read your post because I know EXACTLY what you are talking about. My pain was terrible with the TE's and not sleeping is the worst. I can tell you that most of it went away at exchange but there are times when I wish I had chosen a different route as I have lingering muscle issues.
That being said; you should not have to live with this pain! First of all, do not be afraid to take meds to get it under control. If you are in too much pain your body has to work harder to heal. It took me a long time to get this one. I felt weak because I still needed the meds and wanted to tough it out. That is a mistake; trust me. Also gentle stretching is a good idea once your dr says ok but I also recommend asking for a PT eval. It can do wonders for easing some of the tightness and also if you have a therapist that can do manual lymph drainage therapy that is a relief as well. I developed lymphedema and believe it was playing a part in my TE pain but I did not know it at the time.
I really recommend you advocate for yourself with your PS regarding fills, pain, therapy, etc. I can see things so much more clearly now that I have had them exchanged. I have no doubt that my body was rejecting those TE's and I should have listened to it and my pain might have eased sooner. Of course, all of this is based on my personal experience and there are lots of people who have no problems at all with TE's.
I hope your pain eases up soon!
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blessings2011, I had my BMX in May. 17 days out from surgery is still soon. I took pain meds until about the end of July. My PS discouraged it, but did not deny me the scripts. I was only taking like a half a percocet each day, usually first thing in the morning or at night. After that I took a muscle relaxer, flexeril, that didn't do much but make me sleepy. I still take one on occasion when I'm feeling really tight and need to sleep. Anyway, I thought my exchange was going to happen in Nov, but in July my PS said it would not happen until January....I thought, how am I ever going to make it til then. Well, going back to work in Sept took my mind off the discomfort and yes, pain during the day. It was hardest at night when going to bed and lying down and trying to get comfortable. So here I am now two weeks away from my exchange and can't wait. It is doable, just take care of yourself. I like what Christine47 said, TEs are friends, getting us ready for the next step.
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Hello All~
Hoping that someone might be able to share some insight....
History: BMX on 10/24 with Exchange surgery on 12/15. Other than being a bit disappointed re: size (significantly smaller than PS anticipated and an allergic reaction to antibiotics) , the exchange procedure was uneventful. Approx 1 week post-exchange, I started feeling a bumpy-like "ridge" on the top portion of my right implant---- as well as something that feels like a metal "beebee" on the lower portion of the same breast. I don't feel anything unusual on my left side.
Any idea what these hard areas may be? My steri-strips are still in place so I'm not sure how my incisions are looking.
Thanks for any help you might provide!
AJ
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Hello all Iam new here. I had my BMX with TE on 12/9/11, I had my first fill today. They feel so heavy and tight lots of pain. Is there something that I could be doing to help with this. my right seems worse then the left I think that is because of the SNB, I still have lots of soreness Iam 2 weeks out form surgery is this normal
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Blessings
(((((((hugs to you)))))))). As has already been said don't shy away from the pain meds. It is best to get the pain under control. The more you try to tough it out the muscles will tighten and actually make you feel worse. You are only 17 days our from major surgery and I am sure with the holiday season upon us you are doing to much. Get back into bed, eat plenty of good healthy protein and take whatever was prescribed for you. I remember at my BMX in March they kept pushing Valium on me in the hospital and I keep saying no and was thinking to myself I could have used the Valium before surgery to calm my nerves, it was no until my BS came in to check on me that she explained that the Valium was being used as a muscle relaxer and she recommended that I take it as often as prescribed. So if you have been given anything for muscle spasms then please take it. The meds will help you relax and sleep which will help you heal all the way around. Remember relax, rest, eat well start gentle stretches to keep you range of motion, and did I mention rest. We tend to keep going like the energizer bunny when the best we can do is rest. Wishing you continued healing
Janie, yes you are only a few weeks out you will be sore and need rest (see above my soap box for rest, pain control and protein). The fills can be painful also everybody handles them differently. I didn't have a problem with the fills when I got them early in the day but by the evening my chest was on fire and usually needed some heavy pain meds to be able to sleep. Wishing you all the best as you continue to heal.
AJ, not sure could be scar tissue, ripples or if your skin is thin you may be feeling the implant on the top. I would definitely call your PS if you are concern. You don't want to worry unnecessarily and a doctors perspective and resurrance that everything is normal does help put your mind at ease..
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AJ -- the stuff you are feeling is probably scar tissue BUT you should absolutely see your breast surgeon and/or your PS to confirm/make sure it isn't something else.
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Thank you Liz and Lilah! I will be calling my PS office tomorrow morning
Happy Holidays!
AJ
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christine47 - No, thankfully, I won't need chemo or rads, unless there are some surprises when I meet with the oncologist this Friday. I do feel better after a nice hot shower (no baths yet). You are absolutely right. I need to stop thinking of the TEs as terrorists (foreign invaderstaking my body hostage) and start thinking of them as the tools that I need to give me the new normal body I will have next Fall. Thank you for reminding me!
Ginger48 - I'm so sorry you had so much pain! Is it getting any easier since your exchange surgery? Did you really feel like your body was trying to reject the TEs? Sometimes I wonder if that's what I'm feeling... I am doing gentle stretches, but I may call the Breast Care
Coordinator tomorrow to see if I can get a referral to PT. She may defer to the PS, but at least I can try.janhart- at my one week post-op, my BS was horrified to learn I was still using the Norco!!! She said I had to get off them immediately! Half an hour later, the PS (God bless him!) said that was just crazy, that I'd had major surgery a week ago, and that he would approve the prescriptions for narcotics as we went along. Gosh - two weeks til your exchange - I'm excited for you!
Oh, faulkh- no, I'm really not doing too much....I've been perfecting my couch potato skills for a long time now, and I'm actually very good at it!!!
I've been trying to eat more protein and stay hydrated, and I'm back on my vitamins. I'm trying to get back into walking, even if it is just around the block. I wish the pain DID feel like muscle spasms....then I might be able to do some trigger-point therapy on them.Ladies - thank you SO much for taking the time to respond to my post. I'd typed up a long email to my PS a few days ago, only to find out before I sent it that he was out of the office until after Christmas. I had a good cry, took some more drugs, and went off to find a way to distract myself. I had a great time at our candlelight Christmas Eve service at church and was able to sit for nearly an hour without any pain at all.
Years ago, I went through a ten-week chronic pain management program so I know a lot about the pain mechanism in the brain. I know the hazards of narcotics, as well as the benefits. I also know LOTS about deep breathing, relaxation exercises, meditation, and other ways to deal with pain. But I've also never had TEs before, and they're sort of an unknown to me.
Thank you for helping me to understand things more clearly, and making it easier to face the next eight months!
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I had me exchange 11/16 and had four drains for about 8 days. The swelling was so bad I had to wear a compression band around the upper part of my chest. Just got it off last Monday, but still am swollen. The only garment that feels comfortable is my mastectomy camisole, I think because it is holding me tight. To wear a regular bra or cami with soft cups is painful after awhile. I'm doing physical therapy but going light so not to cause more swelling in upper poles. Anyone else experiencing anything similar? After DMX I was really numb under arms, back of arms and sides. Things felt much better after a few months, but now only on right side everything is numb again. I had no lipo or FG with exchange. Just not sure if the swelling could be causing the discomfort and pain. I can barely stand to touch the girls when showering. Everyone seems to be doing so well after exchange I am feeling discouraged.
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LindseyS-I had my exchange surgery Dec. 23. I had two drains and I did have fat grafting. I am still in more pain than I thought I would be. Everyone talked about how they were driving and shopping a few days after exchange. I had my drains removed yesterday and I do feel tremendously better, but I'm not ready to do all that other stuff. My PS said he had to do a lot of work to move my left implant in towards the middle. The TE was up under my arm. I had most of my painin that area. It is better now but my upper poles are swollen and sore. The PS did a lot of fat grafting there.
I think I'm being impatient with my recovery, it's just that it seemed everyone else had minimal pain.0 -
blessings- My Ps gave me the referral. my LE therapist is actually an OT. Yes, i definitely thnk my body was rejecting the TE's. It was really affecting me badly and most went away immediately with the exchange. i am not completely comfortable with the implants either but much better.
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