Exchange City

Blessings-thank you immensely for all of the information. Is it possible to have lymphodema on the non cancer side? Oye- had no node biopsy or removal on that side just a reduction and a lift....sigh

Hi ladies, had my 1 week check with my PS and everything is healing great! I still have a lot of swelling but he said I have great symmetry and as the swelling goes down it will get better. My PS now wants me to wear an underwire bra 24/7 until I see him again in 3 weeks. I also get to start walking on the treadmill this weekend, but slowly. He reminded me to still take it easy. But I am well on my way to putting BC behind me!

Thank you everyone for all of the great advice and just making me realize I'm not alone. Best wishes and happy healing to all!

Hi ladies

Got my exchange surgery date of march 20. Still going for fills though. Maybe have two more to go. My PS wants to keep filling to larger than I want to be since the implants will be smaller. Anyway. Getting excited that this part will be behind me soon :-)

Have a great day!

Melissa

Dulcigirl,

First implant back ordered for the past 7months(Sientra)... Now the Allergan gummie bear is another which who knows how long this will take and they are very aware of the discomfort I have been in for a long time now..I don't get how you make a person suffer for so long and to top it off he won't be back in the office till Feb 11.. Getting more depressed by the day

sherry- does your PS use the Mentor brand???? Surely, there can't be that many women needing just regular boob jobs right?? I won't let my sarcastic remarks out here, but I would see if there is a backorder on the Mentor implants. I love my Mentors.

Sherry...Oh man...I'm getting the feeling you are getting the run around here! I know you went for a second opinion, but can you go for a third? Even if that means you have to drive farther away? Oh my goodness, I wish there was something I could help you out with. I feel horrible, I know you are in so much pain...

mrenee~Congrats on all going well!! Good luck!

Oh Sherry that is awful. I got allergan 45s last week in CT. I dont understand why this is such a problem for your PS. Makes you wonder.

For Recent Exchange girls.... If this was one of your restrictions.....How long were you told not to lift anything over 5 pounds or a gallon of milk? Thanks!

ok I think most PS say no lifting more than 5 pounds week one and 10 pounds week 2. So put your milk in smaller bottles for the first week and don't pull the car door the first week. Also no lifting arms over your head for two weeks. If your job requires a lot of lifting and reaching you need at least 2 weeks off. I work in retail so I took 3 weeks off just in case I needed it but I could have gone back easily after 2. 

*** disclaimer always check with your doctor every patient is different, and you always want to get to the go ahead before you go back to any strenuous activity.

Sherry, I'm just another one here who knows how icky TE's are and am sorry that you will be stuck with them longer. I hope that somehow the time goes past quickly for you and that your final result will be excellent and soon just an unpleasant memory. I wish that all PS's could undergo some kind of experience that would make them appreciate fully what some of their patients go through. All the best to you and everybody else in this stage.

Thanks Everyone! I'm 2 weeks past exchange and ready to roll......will take it slow.



You girls are the best.....

Want us all to sign a petition for you to take with you, Sherry? ;-)

But seriously, if he truly feels those are the only options that will give you the best results he should explain why! Once you know WHY it will be easier to endure....or know that you may want a 3rd opinion. He should be able to clearly explain his reasoning and also account for the delays.



When I had my pre-exchange appointment I asked which implants my PS planned to use. He stated a style that was not the direction I was thinking. I asked him why he was choosing that one and he explained while drawing a diagram on the bed paper. Now that I understand why I am comfortable with his choice. He is the expert, but I have to live with it.



I tend to get a bit intimidated by men or overbearing women. What helps me now is to have all of my questions listed on paper. I hold the paper while I am asking and I hold a pen to check off my questions. Also, my husband came with me to that appointment. I didn't need backup because my PS is great at answering and making me comfortable, but NOT ALL doctors are!!!! Do you have a friend or family member or bco sister who could go with you as backup and a second pair of ears if you need it? If they know ahead of time what your goals are they can be sure you leave satisfied.



Now after another sleepless TE night I think I'll try to take a 10 minute power nap. Ugh.

cheryl e -- i am a school librarian, too!



Obxflygirl -- I just came back from the Surgical PA to the PS and she told me not to lift anything over 5 lbs for 4 weeks, and to do no repetitive arm movement type housework (vacuuming, dishes, etc) for 4 weeks as well. I would ere on the cautious side. These foobs are something I have to live with a long time, so I want them looking great!

Ossa, your surgery dates are similar to mine. My question is, does your right breast look like your left? I have a Mentor smooth round high profile implant in my left. My PS reduced and lifted my right breast during the mastectomy, but in a year it has sagged. I am having revision done in 3 weeks to lift the right again, and tweak the left which just sits up high and doesn't move. Has your PS done tweaking to make them similar or did it look good from the beginning? I would love comments from other unilateral mastectomies on this.  Thanks. 

Hi All,

I'm jumping in on this thread because I just told on Thurs that I'm having my exchange surgery on Monday!!  I was not expecting this; in fact, the day before, I had just been at the PS's office and he said the surgery would be in 2-3 weeks.  Then his office called the next day to say that he said to schedule me for this Monday.

In July, I underwent a bmx with back flap reconstruction with TES.  For the past 10 or so weeks, I've been having redness and swelling/puffiness in my breasts. Since it wasn't painful, nor did I feel sick or lethargic, nor were my white counts off, I never thought this was a problem.  Weeks ago, my MO's office saw my breasts, they put me on an antibiotic (amoxicilin) which did nothing.  After 3 weeks, they put me on bactrim, which did nothing.  

I did some research on my own, and thought I might have truncal or breast LE, so I went to an LE specialist, who wasn't certain this was LE (both breasts were equally swollen or puffy and I only had the sentinal node removed from one side).  The next day, I went to the PS, who thought there was a low grade infection nesting in the TEs, which would make it resistant to treatment, and told me to continue the bactrim and added cefadroxil.  He said he would do the replacement surgery in a few weeks, and at that time, he would flush the breast cavities with antibiotic wash 3 times to sanitize it, and then put in the permanent implants.  

The next thing I heard was that surgery would be Monday.  His office said he rethought his decision, and since I had been on antibiotics for weeks now, there was no point in waiting the additional 2 weeks.

So, having read only a small fraction of the posts on this thread....Am I supposed to be asking for a specific kind/brand of implant?  I assumed the PS would put in what was best for me.

Next, what will the recovery from exchange surgery be?  I did fairly well from the BMX and back flap reconstruction, so I wasn't thinking this would be a big deal  and its being done outpatient.  Some of the posts I read are starting to make me think that this is a bigger deal then I'm thinking.

All info appreciated.

Thanks,