Exchange City
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Hi Dipad,
I LOVED my BS at Sloan but she did give me bad advice. I didn't put this in the blog because I didn't want to slam her but when I told her I didn't want to use Dr. Cordeiro (and I explaned why - he's rude, dismissive, arrogant, and I'm afraid he won't do the surgery himself) she told me not to worry, that the hard part was the mastectomy and that she would be doing my mastectomy. She said his part "was the easy part" and that she would make certain he did it. She has since apologized and is working with a group of us who were butchered by Dr. Cordeiro.
As far as using any PS that you want, I was not given that option and even if I was, you would have had to pick someone that works on the same day as the BS. The PS I wanted didn't work the same days as my BS - Dr. heerdt.
As far as doing research, Dr. Cordeiro was recommended by a high end client of mine. I did a background check on him and I knew he had lawsuits pending but I dismissed it because of my client. And then New York Magazine rated him top doctor for 10 years, and then... he's the HEAD ps at Sloan. But my gut knew and I should have listened.
So glad everything went well for YOU!!! I walked into this expecting the same and its unfair. You have no idea how frustrating and painful it is to have to have these additional surgeries all because of doctor error. As if cancer wasn't bad enough.
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I am one week post-exchange and I had my first post-surgical follow-up with my PS today. Here are some of my thoughts - hope they are helpful to some of you:
- I had two 500 cc silicone high profile Allergans implanted.
- Surgery was outpatient and I definitely felt well enough to go home the same day.
- No drains.
- I took oxycodone or Tylenol for the first few days but didn't find them very effective in controlling the pain. That said, the pain wasn't bad at all. I was sore, but nothing I couldn't handle. I preferred this level and type of pain to a toothache.
- I am very pleased with my cosmetic results so far. I was a very big busted girl, even though I am petite in every other respect so am thrilled to have gone smaller. The doctor says I am still swollen (I can't tell) and one breast is slightly larger than the other, but not too much. He says they will drop to a more natural level over the next few months.
- In retrospect I should have taken the surgery a bit more seriously. I had heard it was very easy surgery (as compared to the BMX) and it WAS, but I was still under anesthesia for a few hours and that packs a wallop. I skipped my evening class the day after the surgery, but was driving about 3 days later. I should have taken it really easy for 3 or 4 days.
- Doc says I can go swimming in one more week (two weeks total out of the water).
- I wore a surgical bra 24/7 for the first week, but now can wear any bra I want.
- The implants are MUCH softer than the TEs. Hurray!
- I am thrilled that this procedure - and chemo - are behind me. I am not even going to start thinking about nipples or an areola for a while.
I'd be happy to answer any questions.
Joan
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Joanq...thanks so much. I can't wait!!
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Joan, that is so encouraging to read!!!! I am about halfway through the expansions. So far, okay. I'm excited and looking forward to "real" foobs. LOL
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Joan, you hit the nail on the head. Aside from implant size, and that whole petite thing you have going on, I could've wrote that list myself!
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I had my exchange on Monday, 7/23. so far so good. Natrelle Silicone-Filled Sylte 45 800 cc, Allergan.
Less pain/discomfort than the BMX. Definitely softer. I am up and around.
The surgery took longer than expected as he had the person before me cancelled and he had the time to fill. He did some extra contouring with lipsuction from the fat pads on the side/back and a lot more internal stitches to reshape the pocket on the right where the TE had pushed over almost into my armpit.
I don't know the visual yet, as I have on the surgical bra.
I just put in a call to my PS as I am itching all over. I'm hoping it's just an allergy to the antibiotic, Keflex. It is much like my husband's allergic raction to medication. We'll see.
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SheChirple - I had a lot of itching all over the first couple of days post surgery too! I wondered what it was!
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Sherryc- my frame is 5"5" and I'm 135 lbs. Now that the expanders are out I think I would have had one more fill in. The PS did say they would go down a bit after the exchange.
2friedeggs- I really cant tell yet how they feel. I'm still wearing the surgical bra until ps visit Thursday. Right now I look small but I think thats because this surgical bra really straps them down. But feeling them now, they are definately softer than the expanders. Those things felt like bricks! I opted for the saline because the PS said with saline you know if you have a leak because the implant will collapse. He said with the silicone you have to follow up every two years with mri's and if they leak you wouldn't know. However, he did say the silicone looked nicer and are very safe. I just didnt want to deal with mri's. And honestly, after having two kids the saline looks better than what my real ones looked like. They looked like pancakes before!!
greenmonkey- It is so horrible all you went through. I checked to see if Dr. Corerio is in the group I went to and he was. Thank-god I didnt have him. I used Dr. Matros, and like I said, he was excellent. And your right about timing. I know that was a big issue. Getting a ps to work with bs at the same time. Where did you go the second time around? They did a great job.
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joanquilts- i have had so much itching too. But its all around the breast area. The nurse looked at it tis morning and said its sweat from the surgical bra.
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shechirple-it could be from the surgical bra. I've been itchy for days. The nurse feels its sweat from the bra. I'm also taking Keflex. Are you itching all over or just one area?
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Thanks Dipad-nice to hear that you don't feel so much like you have bricks on your chest and MTnesters words are extremely encouraging. I'm the same way-don't want those mri's anymore if I can help it/ Your PS kind of sounds like mine but said it's a personal choice. She said if I was worried about the appearance of the saline that there was quite a long time where all they could use was saline while the gels were recalled and the results were still great.
The itch concerns me because I turned out having a reaction to the steristrips when I would sweat from the big bra after my bmx. I ended up getting big blisters on my incisions and it wasn't pretty. So if you have any kind of skin allergies and have steri-strips and itch, I'd see if it was ok to peek under there to make sure you aren't forming blisters. They didn't do much for healing with pretty scars.lol
Joan thanks for your update. Glad it went so well!
Greenmonkey that was crazy what the first ps did but wow-your results from the 2nd ps are amazing!
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2friedeggs- thanks. The nurse looked this morning and it looked fine. She put some soft gauze padding under the edge of the bra and it feels alot better. The ps is fitting me Thursday for a supportive bra. I hope it will be less constricting then the surgical bra.
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Oh Dipad thats good to hear that she looked and that its feeling better. Truthfully with these bolders on my chest I cant imageine too much that wouldn't feel better! lol
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My PS said that with silicone I would not need follow up MRIs. Anyone else's dr say that too?
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One week out, and I'm itching too all over. But I think its likely just my breast healing up from the pocket work. Saw PS today...said everything looked good. Told me to try and go without a bra as much as possible.
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Dang txmomof2 if tx wasn't so far for me to travel I might reconsider and go to your PS lol. Some people aren't so fortunate not to be bothered by MRIs even if they do have to go for them-me-I'm so chlostrophobic and paranoid in them its crazy; even with sedation
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dipad thanks I am currently expanded to 400 and I think I am going to ask the PS to place 450's in at exchange. I know that they can go alittle bigger without the expansion so I'm going to ask.
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I am having my exchange surgery tomorrow. Looking forward to it! I cant wait to get these TE out! I believe that I will be getting 350cc high profile silicone implants. I am 5'2" 116 lbs. Currently I am looking like a 34 C with the TE. I was a 34 DD before my mast naturally! I am welcoming the smaller size. My PS is fabulous, Dr Casey out of Mayo Phoenix, AZ. Incredible bedside manners and skills. Hope you all are well!!
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SheChirple
I developed itching all over after MX, but contributed to Percocet. Changed to different pain med and was fine. Hope you have found the cause and has diminished.
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txmomof2
my PS was not overly concerned by the recommendation of an MRI for silicone implants. He said that is simply recommended to meet compliance , but you are not forced to have MRIs. He has not seen any silicone ruptures in the latest silicone implants. I am not going to have it done unless absolutely necessary.
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Yay, SheChirple!
I'm thinking my exchange will be similar to yours. The PS will definitely have to narrow the pockets, as my implants will be narrower than my TEs (which start under my armpit and actually meet in the middle in front...)
I'm also hoping for a little nipping and tucking here and there, and may possibly end up with some longer incisions if he takes up extra skin.
But hey, as long as he's in the neighborhood anyway......
For me, itching all over usually means a reaction to the antibiotics. But for my BMX I got Cipro, both IV, and in pill form for 10 days and surprisingly, was o.k.
Hope you get some relief soon!
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txmomof2-my ps said mri's every two years. Everyone's ps's have so many different views, like if you should wear a bra, what type, mri's, etc. It can make your head spin. I guess you have to trust your ps's methods.
Mercyforall- good luck today with exhange. Keep us posted
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I read the recommendations on the Allergan website and they say to have MRIs every 3 years. My PS hasn't said anything yet, but I wouldn't mind having the MRI just so they can look at the rest of the area for cancer spread.
I am 5 weeks post exchange/lift/reduction. Last night I had puss come out of the scar line around my nipple on the reduction side. Isn't it kind of late for an infection?
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My PS says he defers to the MO on the MRIs (not what was in the Mentor book he gave me though) but my MO says he doesn't order MRIs for women with BMX and implants unless a problem with the implant is suspected. I've got three years to get this straightened out between the two of them. I sensed the PS has the MO order the MRI as it faciliates insurance paying for it.
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I'm with mammalou for the mri's. don't want to get complacent about the chance of cancer recurrance. it's definitely worth the 30 - 45 minutes every three years to check the integrity of the implants and the clarity of the remaining (allbeit small) breast tissue. ILC is a sneaky beast!
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I assume the MRI also looks at the chest wall and any lymph nodes left in there. Wouldn't you think that if the manufacturer says that you should get an MRI every 3 years, the insurance company would have to cover it?
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I had my exchange and I am home and doing good. I ended up with 425 cc's. High profile mentor. I am really feeling the left side when I move the implant with press/rub against my muscle and even makes a sound, like a fart! Anyone else have this? Does it go away?
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FYI - The MRI order must be written for a specific reason so the magnet is pulsed and "weighted" properly and the appropriate amount of contrast is used. For instance, an MRI done to evaluate lumps after reconstruction (as I have had) will not necessarily show the implant walls well enough to detect a small leak. If you're having a routine MRI for leaks it will not necessarily evaluate the tissue left behind after MX to check for recurrence. An MRI done prior to a biopsy uses a higher dose of contrast than a diagnostic MRI. That's not to say that something else might not catch the radiologist's eye. However, it's not typically a "one study shows all" type of thing.
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Golden,
I was told I will never have any type scan on my MX side (for cancer). One will only be done if we think something is wrong with the implant.
Oncs looks at the MRI as a cancer diagnostic tool, so many aren't familiar with what the manufacturers of implants say...and I'm betting insurance won't cover MRIs every 3 years just because the manufacturer says its needed.
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JoanQuilts:
How long total until you resumed normal activities without discomfort after your exchange?
Trying to decide whether to do my exchange in November or wait until January so as not to have to deal with it over the holidays.
Thanks.
LovesDogs
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