Exchange City

Hi Ladies Im new to this thread but hoping to get some unformation Im scheduled to have a rt TE exchange/with fat transfer and uplift on non bc side in Oct and am petrified have had TE in now for 2yrs and have gotten used to it although its like a rock from radiation I had my consult but came out feeling like I forgot loads of questions like is it painful? Do they open the whole mx scar or just a small amt ? Do they use stiches or glue like I had on mx? Does the fat transfer hurt ? Do you need drains ? Are they really high up before they fluff and settle? And are the scars really bad on uplift side ? Sorry for all the questions but I always get nervous and forget to ask the important ones would apreciate any help thxs x

Hello everyone. I'm not new to the site but I haven't been on this topic. I've been reading over the posts here and I have gotten a wealth of information. I had my BMX in May and found out this week that my exchange will be on Aug. 28th. I am looking forward to getting rid of the Turtle Shells. I am glad all those that went through exchanges recently seem to be doing well and for the most part are pleased.



Summergirl: I can't answer all of your questions, but my PS did tell me that when he puts the implants in that they will be up high, but they will drop and fluff. He said to give them from 3 to 6 months to completely settle. I think they use the same incisions as bmx but don't know if they cut the whole way. Some of these girls on here will be able to help you with that I'm sure.



I have one question. If I go with the same size implants as my TEs will they appear smaller or the same size? I have heard that the implant would be a little smaller and I do not want that. Has anyone found this to be true?

Chimneymae--

My 600cc implant looks about the same size as my 500cc expander, just softer and more droopy!!

Chinneymae: I had my exchange 8 days ago. I was expanded to 400ccRight/410ccLeft, and my implants are 440cc, so slightly bigger implants. I would say the volume looks about the same as the TE's, but yes much softer and more naturally shaped. And actually I measured my bustline with the TE's and just measured my new implant bustline, and I come up the same. Well YAY to that!

Sweetandspecial, how is the Arimidex doing for you? I started taking it in July. After about three weeks I could barely get up and down my joints were so sore and my energy level was practically zero. I stopped taking it about 4 days ago and I can already tell a difference. I'm thinking about splitting the pill in half and trying that. I just can't go five years like that.

Thanks, sweet, I'm just so skeptical of all this stuff. I read where some some have had no problems and some have had pure horror stories. I know we are all different. At my age I have my normal aches and pains to deal with. I sure don't need more. I tried to help my husband lay tile in our kitchen Friday and I couldn't get up after I got down on the floor and when I got on my knees it was completely unbearable and I got exhausted so quick. I just did this three years ago in our laundryroom and bathroom with no problem. It's just got me so distraught that I couldn't help him like I wanted to. "This gettin old is really gettin old!" as my dh always says.

What is "pocket work"?

Theresa33 My PS is telling me no lifting, pushing or pulling for at least 4 weeks depending on what she finds once she gets into the pocket. She thinks there is leaking and capsular contracture.  I don't have my revision surgery scheduled yet. I thought that the exchange was a lot easier than the MX. I'm hoping that the revision goes as well as the exchange. It's been 19 years which means I'm a little older..... I hope all goes well with your pre op. When is your exchange surgery scheduled for?

Teresa, I am staying home for a week to recuperate.  No lifting over 5#, no housework, lifting in daily life for a few weeks. This is much easier than the MX.  Some people do need drains, but I didn't (and most don't?).  Because I feel better than last time, I have to remind myself I am still healing.  I stopped taking pain meds today (had surgery Fri. a.m.), and seem to be doing OK without.  

Teresa: Compared to my pain level for the BMX/TE placement the exchange was a piece of cake.  I haven't had anything that I would qualify as pain at all aside from the cotton-pickin, frickin, mother f'ing drain tube sites.  I took one Norco when I got home Wednesday afternoon as a 'just in case' but didn't really need it.  I had just a very minor amount of pocket work done, PS released a little more muscle underneath lefty so she would ride a little lower to match righty.  He uses drain tubes as a standard with exchange just because it helps keep swelling to a minimum which means less pain and less pain means a more relaxed recovery.  Tubes came out yesterday morning already. I'm off work for two weeks (desk job) and no driving for two weeks.  I can walk as much as I want but no running for six weeks.  As far as lifting he didn't give me a specific pound limit, he just said 'whatever's comfortable.  If you over-do it, you'll know'.  I'm just taking it really easy.  I'm very familiar with my pecs from the workouts I do, so I pretty much know what I should and shouldn't be lifting, pulling, pushing, etc.

I did have a busy day today (church, funeral visitation and funeral, then dinner at a restaurant with the in-laws) and my chest feels a little tired, I think because I haven't been able to rest my arms like when I'm sitting in a chair or laying on the sofa.

Debralamb: Congratulations on the last filland upcoming end of chemo!  Those are great milestones!  I do have some stretch marks from the fill process but no spider veins. How long of a wait does your PS require before exchange?  Mine requires 3-4 months.

ReneeinOH: I'm also glad you seem to be doing very well.  And I agree, I feel pretty darn good and have to remember there's some important internal healing going on.

Chinneymae: All in all I'm feeling pretty fortunate these days that my SEs seem minor compared to some of the more painful and debilitating experiences you and others are having.  Hang in there and if it's unbearable talk to your MO about switching to a different AI.

Debralamb - congrats on last fill and chemo! Very good news! And, yes, the implants are so much more comfortable than TE! I gave my kids the longest hugs today - it was so nice not to have those stinky rock hard TE between us! Little slice of heaven!

Sweetandspecial......tell us how you really feel about those drain tubes~ I love it! I remember them and I called them my boob juice holders. I hated them also but love your discription far better than mine. Glad your doing so well~

Debralamb.....happy for you I hope the rest of it goes well for you! I didn't have the spider viens so I have no idea what that is. Sorry~

Thanks for the responses. It sounds like the exchange should be easier than mx. Thank goodness!!!!

katlebbie- my surgery is Aug 28th.

Hi

I am new. I had a bmx on april 1 2013, and had expanders placed at the time.  I had some healing issues on the left non cancer side, or course, because BS scraped me close to the skin.  After almost losing that expander, and going back into surgery to have the skin re-sutured, I am doing great.  I have been having small expansions for about 2 months now, and I am at a whopping 310 cc on each side.  This last expansion actually has made me feel like a have breasts again, which is awful, considering what they look like.  My husband said they look like 1980'a porn boobs without nipples. Hey, it's better than nothing, even though they are tight and uncomfortable all the time.  I was a full B at the time of my bmx, and that's all I really want to be again.  My doc is saying he will expand me to about 475 to 500, and then he wants to put a textured teardrop 475 cc. There will be some fat grafting at exchange, or at a later date. Not sure yet. 

I have been lurking, and I guess if I have gotten fairly well into the TE phase I might be out of the woods for more complications, but it seems like some of you guys breeze through this, and other's have so many problems.  Right now I can say it's the iron bra that kills me, but I have been massaging with bio oil twice a day, and I don't know if it helps the tightness, but it sure seems to have helped my scars a lot! I love that stuff.

Anyway, wanted to introduce myself as my time for exchange gets closer, and I am really needing to talk to other's going through the same thing.

Thanks

Welcome Ritamarie60: I don't know if you've visited the "Implant Sizing 101" site yet, but it is filled with a wealth of informataion about implants. The person that started the site is Whippetmom (Deborah). She is very knowledgable and has helped a lot of us on here. You may want to check that site out as well. My exchange is in two weeks and I am really looking forward to losing these turtle shells.



Again I hate you have to be here, but we welcome we are all here for you.