Exchange City

Obxflygirl,



Thanks for giving me the hope that all this pain, discomfort, and sleepless nights are worth it! So far, my PS and her staff have been thoroughly understanding, happy to answer questions, and make me as comfortable as possible. Was a bit disillusioned by my armpit roll but am learning I just need to be patient and take this one day at a time (and one day closer to exchange). Have only gotten great recommendations, so time to cool my jets.

Hi everyone, just had my 1 month post exchange check up with my PS and unfortunately another surgery is in my near future. My IMF didn't hold and my implant is slipping down a bit. I also started PT and will be going for the next 4 weeks twice a week. Not sure if I have developed a frozen shoulder or not only time will tell. All in all I'm healing well and just hoping to get my shoulder working again before my next surgery.

Hope everyone is healing well and moving forward!

Hwranch, I live right off of Heritage Trace near 35, so we are very close! I have great friends who live in Haslet off Bonds Ranch Road. When is your exchange surgery? We had our TE placement the same time. Mine is in three weeks from yesterday.

Onxflygirl...Good to hear your exchange was a success! And you had lipo too. I can't wait to have that little pouch taken care of. It drives me crazy! I won't be having my exchange until mid may. ugh! I'm already tired of these expanders. I don't know how some of you have them for a year. I guess you just get used to them. It's good to hear all your success stories!

mrenee:  I swear we need to start an "Exchange Trouble" thread like the TE's girls have. I'm so sorry you are headed back for surgery, what is your PS exactly going to do and when?

I fortunately have positive report to post.  PS removed my incisions bandages yesterday and my incisions are 100% healed, all restrictions are removed!!  How did I celebrate? I laid on my belly for the first time in 7 months last night (less than a 1 min. though), felt very wierd and I'm going running after work today. PS is so pleased with how I look now that he actually grabbed the camera and took a bunch of photos (up to now only the nurses took pix!).  I don't see PS for 6 weeks, which is the longest gap in visits.  We'll discuss Phase 3; right nipple reduction and fat grafting for left breast (which is rippling on the outside b/c it's 50 less cc than righty), both done same time. Aiming for May.  Can anyone recommend a thread here for fat grafting?  Never had fat grafting before and want to know what I'm getting myself into. Jill

Thanks Carrol...I hear you on the weight! I too have 30 pounds that needs to go. I'm hoping by my exchange date in May, I can at least lose 5 pounds!

Hi Mrenee68, I had the same thing happen to me.  I had surgery Dec. 14th and within a week the left side (cancer side) dropped down.  PS said it was still in pocket but that the pocket had stretched.  I had my revision Feb. 22nd, he pulled it back into place and put about a dozen permanent stitches into the ribs and hopefully it will hold.  I go to see him on Tuesday (11 days post op) to get this awful tape off and hopefully everything will look good and I pray the right side stays put because I don't want to do this again  What type of implants do you have?  Did he say how he is going to fix it?  The revision surgery isn't that painful, I didn't need pain meds.  Good luck!!!

Cindy - you should call your doctor's office and ask for advice. It doesn't matter how often you contact them, that's their job, and you deserve to be well taken care of. 

Cheryl & hwranch,

I can't tell you how many times I rode my bike on Bonds Ranch Rd when I was living in DFW! Fun times!

sweetandspecial - After all we've been through, what's a little colonoscopy?   Really, the prep is the most unpleasant part, the exam itself is over before you (don't) know it as they use conscious sedation.  And, you can play the "what if / worst case scenario" game.  What if they do find something?  Chances are significantly in your favor that if you're not having symptoms it would be something like a polyp that you'll be thrilled to find before it becomes something worse.  It's not the most fun day you'll ever have, but you'll feel so good when it's done and over with!

You can do this!

Thanks ladies!

Met with my PS for the first time since the Allergan 410s were FDA approved. He showed me the implant and we talked a bit more about them. He said I'm the ideal candidate for them.



I scheduled my exchange surgery for April 10. I had originally said I wanted to go with implant volume of about 300cc because i disnt want to go very big, but the FF 410 only comes in 290 or 335.



I had him fill me to 335 yesterday before I actually got to see the demo he had which was a 375. After seeing the 375, it didn't look very big at all so after thinking about it and talking to my PS and husband, I scheduled one last fill appointment for next Friday to put in the last 40cc.



This I one of the hardest decisions I've eve had to make. One comment the nurse made yesterday helped me put things into perspective. She said 30cc is only 1oz (the size of the little medicine cups you use to give kids their medicine). That visual really helped because it made me more comfortable about going up 40cc. 40cc really isn't very much at all.



Looking forward to just having this part over with, and then I have to decide when to have the oophorectomy. I'm only 34, but my gyn-oncologist thinks the sooner the better. Just not sure I want to start menopause in mid thirties.

Cheryle, the breast surgeon I used was Dr Clifford at Baylor Grapevine, he was just fantastic. He did the first mastectomy and lymph node removal in August 2011. He did the second mastectomy November 2012 with Dr Heistein, my plastic surgeon. My exchange was scheduled for March 22, but they called me last week with an opening for March 1st (yesterday) and I took it!! I am at home, do have some stiffness and slight pain but not bad. I have the Mentor Memory Gel implants. #350-4004BC Smooth round high profile on the left where I also have a lat flap, filled to 400cc. The right side has a MemoryGel #350-5480BC, smooth round ultra high profile, filled to 480cc.



You are literally across the street, lol. Where did you have all your work done?

My celebration has always been a piece of cheesecake, lol. I left you my phone number in the PM, lol. I read that first!!





I'm trying to be really good so I will heal up quickly. Get to shower tonight, can take off the ace bandage but have to replace the gauze and leave on the sports bra they sent me home in. Will see Dr. Heistein Wednesday.

Hwranch, cheesecake sounds wonderful. Please tell Dr. Heistein hello for me on Wed! A friend I work with has her exchange with him Wed morning.