Exchange City

CindyLooWho - 

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janiceg415 - Wow - I'd never heard of "ultra high profile" implants...had I gotten silicone instead of saline, I definitely would have researched that!!! Getting symmetry with a UNI is tricky, I know. So glad you are pleased!!!

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Carrol2 - I really mean it about starting slow. I think my first round of "exercise" was five minutes. Are you working full or part time? Is there any way you could take a break at work and maybe just march in place? Walk around the room several times? Or the building? Or maybe go up and down the stairs for five minutes? When I say small, I really DO mean small! There were nights when I was so tired, all I could do was get up from my computer, watch a Youtube dance exercise video, and try to move along for just a few minutes. Yep - that counted as exercise!

And yes, I have thought about suing Best Buy. I know accidents happen, but this was just plain negligence. And there were numerous witnesses (employees) who said that. I just don't know if I have the energy to get an attorney and go through all the hassle of a lawsuit and all that entails. I'm sure that's what Best Buy is counting on .

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Hi, Obxflygirl1! Loved your post...cannonballs - HAH!!! Keep in mind that your TEs look huge because of the way they are constructed. They are like deflated implants, except they have a hard plastic back that rests along your chest wall (inside the pectoral muscle), so that all the saline the PS inserts makes them push outward to stretch the skin and muscle.

The permanent implants, however, are squishy all over, and once in place, will tend to mold themselves to your ribcage. Women comment on how disappointed they are with how flat the New Girls are, but unless you have had nipple/areola sparing MX, your post-surgical breast mound will always be flatter than your original breast. 

This is why most women will have permanent implants that are at least as wide as the TEs, but fuller in volume, to make up for the difference in structure.

If you haven't already checked it out, I highly encourage you to go over to the Breast Implant Sizing 101 thread. Whippetmom is our resident Implant Whisperer. Seriously - she is an expert at recommending appropriate sizes for your frame and body. This is wonderful information to have prior to your exchange, so that you and your PS can be on the same page when it comes to size.

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Crescent5 - It's so funny how our measurements and implants can differ so much, yet our bra sizes can be similar. I had 16cm wide TEs, filled to 620ccs. At exchange, I got smooth saline, high profile implants filled to 700ccs. I am 5'5" tall, weigh 144 pounds, and my ribcage is 32". In bras, I can wear a 34DDD, 36DD, or 38C, and I look the same in all of them.

Blessings...... In my other life before handing out peanuts and pretzels at 30,000 feet and dealing with passengers who checked their bags AND their brains, I was a paralegal. In almost all of 50 states, you have 3 years in which to sue Best Buy. I'm pretty sure, based on your story with witnesses, BB would offer a settlement at some point. You've been through enough..... Negligence is no excuse for what happened. I just wanted to throw out some options.

Hi all~ just had my exchange this past Thursday (the 27th) and guess I wasn't expecting this much discomfort.  It's hard to get up from lying down and am feeling a bit of a constant "burn" below the right implant - wondering if it's hitting a nerve?  I was so excited to get rid of the TEs but am initially thinking they may have looked better than the implants.  I'm trying to give it time for things to settle before I come to any conclusions.  Just curious if any of you had any similar experience(s). Thanks for your feedback!

Hi Jill~  I'm so sorry.., the last thing I want to do is scare you.  I'm relatively confident that I just need to practice a little patience (not a strength) and all will be well in the end.  My PS did not do drains, surprisingly and thankfully.  I do not believe there is any alloderm, as PS does not like it.  I'll find out more about the pocket work when I see him this week.  Pre-op he couldn't tell me about what would need to be done until he got in there (made sense to me).  I did have the exchange done under twighlight and though they tell me I was 'awake' for most of it, I actually remember some towards the end.., it seemed as if he was 'shoving' the implant into the pocket, hence some of the soreness.  The good news.., they ARE much softer than the TEs!  I have a feeling they just need to "drop" a bit and they'll be perfect.  Best wishes to you and your exchange!  It's such a relief!  When is it scheduled?

Thanks honeypotpie!  Did the PS happen to mention what he thought the burning sensation was from? (the stitching?) I'm so sorry you're dealing with a less-than-you-desired outcome.  I AM seeing a transformation already and currently more concerned about the overflow area toward the armpit.  I'll be seeing PS this week and look forward to hearing what he has to say before I comment at all!  Thanks again for your feedback!  Wishing you all the best~

Guys. I just had my exchange Friday. I knew from reading these posts that they will look best after some time passes but damnit I wanted to be blown away at the big reveal. Effing flat pancakes. So discouraged. Wanted this to be the silver lining. Expanded to 1000cc or so and had natrelle 45-800's put in. There is no larger option. How do the implants fluff? I have so little patience. Teary all day. Boo.

C-squared:  My exchange is Jan. 16th at 11:30 a.m. (oh yeah...I get to be super hungry = sicker tummy when I wake up from surgery!), I asked about Alloderms and drains because I'm definitely getting drains and maybe more Alloderms, I already have 4 (2 on each side).  Good to know perms are so much softer than these hard rock TE's.  

Honeypotpie and Melinda, hang in there!  You made it through TE's you'll make it through this too.

Dec 29, 2012 01:12 PM Obxflygirl1 wrote: - "I told my cousin she needed to put the crack pipe down..." Too funny! 

(Hmmm....3 years to sue, huh? I didn't want to go throught the hassle and claim that I'm completely disabled by this, because I'm not. But I'm sure p*ssed off, and my bleeping toe still hurts!!!)

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Dec 29, 2012 03:01 PM christine47 wrote: My implants look great with my thinner body and muscles! 

Wow, ain't THAT the truth! Even when I had giant TEs, I still had a huge gut, which pretty much hid all the projection of the TEs. I couldn't understand what all the fuss was about. Then I lost the weight, and BAZINGA!!!!! 

Honeypotpie - I forget - did you consult with whippetmom about how the appropriate size of implants for your chest wall size and body size? Was that what you got? Sometimes there is a lack of understanding between the patient and the PS, and the PS does what he (or she) believes is right at the time of surgery. But the good news - at least in the outcome - is that revisions often take care of all those problems.

It's frustrating to think that after everything you've been through, you're still not done, and may face another surgery. But you absolutely deserve to have the look you want.

I had some issues after my exchange this past August. There was a lack of symmetry that had me going crazy. I wanted to wake up from surgery and see MELONS - big, round, fake-looking Baywatch boobs. But just for a minute, then I wanted them to look natural. I managed to keep my disappointment under wraps for a few months, then discussed it with my PS at my next appointment. Bottom line, the differences are so minimal that any attempt on his part to fix things may actually make things worse. I look fine in a bra and in clothes, and I so rarely venture out in public topless these days , I decided no more surgery for me. It does sound like your PS is willing to work with you, and that is awesome.

SO - maybe I should email my contact person at Best Buy's insurance company? See what's happening, and let her know how much this stupid incident has affected my life? Apparently she and the Kaiser rep are working together to pay the medical bills, which in my case are minimal co-payments. How scary for you and your son!!!! Hope he made a full recovery.

jill47~  (& others)
After having gone under general anesthesia more times than I think is good for one little human body in the past year, PS did my exchange under "twighlight" (MAC) - may be  an option to discuss with your PS??? I did wake up toward the end of procedure but I was fine.., still couldn't feel anything and didn't care much either (thanks to initial Versed IV push?).  I don't know about you but I am not a believer in the "if a little is good than more must be better" theory.  IMHO general anesthesia has lasting effects and the more we can stay local the better! 

Thanks C-Squared & Blessings! On the topic of anesthesia...for the big daddy nsbmx, 6 hours long, it was general + throwing up afterwards and took 3 hours to wake up. The debridement surgery of 1.5 hours had a nice "local" cocktail, I was completely knocked out, felt blissful afterwards, no puking, & woke up fast, but that was an easy surgery. At Exchange, PS estimating 3 hours long (he's got some work to do), I'll find out at pre-op appt on Jan 8 what his cocktail choice will be, hoping I can get that nice local cuz' I'm going home that night.  Love to all.........I can't wait for January to fricken start!

Blessings take care of that foot-geez just what you needed on top of all you've been thru.

Like so many after their exchange, I was so disappointed in the size. I had told my PS when my TE's got to the size I wanted my breasts to be and thought that by using an old bra I could judge that. However because the implants are soft all over compared to the TE's they looked much smaller than the cannon balls. My projection was actually good but to me they were way too small in general. I had gotten moderate plus saline and my PS filled them to the max to get the projection I wanted. The more they are filled the more projection but less all over fullness.  There seemed to be a difference in what my PS considered a "good size" and what I considered a "good size". She kept telling me "they really aren't small at all". She did agree to a revision however and put in a larger size which I am much happier with. They do change almost on a daily basis so at one point (I believe it was as Blessings said)  you do have to step away from the mirror . They get softer as well. I also had some fat taken from my thigh (not that you can notice ) and put into the upper poles.  I wish now however that I would have waited until set 2 dropped and fluffed to have had that done, as it looked great at first but now that the new ones are dropping, I'm noticing a little divot in my new "upper poles". Just make sure your doctor and you agree on what is big enough, how important projection is etc etc. From the get go I kept telling my PS I didn't want pancakes- she did great giving me the projection I wanted however like I said overall size was an issue. But they are such a relief after those hard heavy te's. There is still a little pressure or a band feeling when braless but nothing like the TE's in my book.

You know too, I think after all we've all been through we look at our exchange as our "great reward". Were went through a ton of surgeries and grief and now we  are getting to the end of all that and we are going to get nice new breasts. For some it seems to work out great but for others it's such an anticlimatic or disappointing ending. But if you are disappointed, don't hesitate to ask for a revision after giving the drop and fluff a chance. We do have to realize that we aren't going to have  old soft pendulous breasts again but what we will have will sit up higher on our chests and will most likely look better in clothes.

Blessings, PS doesn't use saline so the 800's were his biggest option. I trust my surgeon and he really is one of the best, but just a bit disappointed. I'm getting back into shape and as I continue to lose weight I think I will think they are getting bigger!



All in all, today is a better day and they don't look so bad.



Thanks guys for the encouragement.

Also, just a quick vent...



Tired of hearing, "i'm sure you are glad it's over". It's so not over.



And tired of hearing, "hey you got to pick out a whole new rack". Trust me, I wouldn't pick out scarred, flat no nipple having boobs ever. I did not get to pick.



I promise I'll work on a more positive post later.

Wish I was getting my exchange ..can't believe the implants are still on back order ..not very happy..feel like I'm getting the run around..anyone else waiting for the sientra brand implants..