Exchange City
Comments
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425?? do you mean 425cc capacity or possibly allergan round style 20 or 45? or anatomical 410? My PS puts 50cc in at each weekly
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Ack! I didn't know the fills would hurt! Right now I'm recovering from BMX 23 days ago and second surgery 9 days ago to remove one implant, cut away a bunch of necrotic tissue, and put in a TE. Other side is fine. Having nasty muscle spasms on re-operated on side. Really sick and tired of being sick and tired and having a PICC line. I've been on IV Vancomycin from the beginning, in hospital and out with visiting nurse. Plastic surgeon says we'll let area heal 3 weeks and then begin fills. The "pocket" that is left used to cover some of an implant, but it is now concave, criss crossed with incisions and droopy in a couple spots. Will that help when the first fills are done? Since the skin is loose already on part of that side will the saline fill them out first?
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Most of the fills were not painful, just a bit uncomfortable, its only the last 1 or 2 that Ive found to be painful were Ive had to take something, but it also maybe because of my pec muscles. As a mail carrier I am consistantly lifting heavy loads.
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IDK... he just said 425 rounds, I will have to ask him next visit
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cateyz2 do you have "mud flaps" others are talking about? I don't and was jw
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No I dont, but I am starting to get anxious about exchange and wether Ill be happy with the new girls
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I can't wait for my exchange either I am hoping the end of November. Have you decided on what you are going to have put in ?
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Sandra - forgot to say - thanks for your reply.
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Thanks AnnaCanada. Your post was reassuring. My ps does great work so norreason to believe he won't do a great job.
For those talking about pain with the last fills, I wonder if really doing more stretching would help. I cannot believe the difference it made early on. Just a thought.0 -
Cateyz, I can't believe you have been working during these fills. You go girl!!! It really seems like the more active you stay the easier it is to get through this, but having to do what you do everyday even if you don't feel like it. I give you big kudos!!!!
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I haven't posted on this thread for awhile, been reading all posts. My exchange can't come soon enough as I have had enough of these TEs. 9 days and counting! 13 weeks since last fill total 800cc.(ouch, hated those fills-sleeping was the worst). The tightness has let up some but now they move again, causing me to notice them more again. Dreading the post anesthesia & surgical- pain, nausea, vomiting (having some ptsd from bmx/LD flap recon) but look forward to putting it all behind me soon. Hoping the fills go well to all as you move on to exchange as well.
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Lights,
My PS doesn't use Alloderm unless absolutely necessary. ..for reasons already stated hete AND a lot of people have allergic reactions to it...
I don't have Alloderm or Strattice (?)...just implants...
Violet0 -
I am soo happy to finally reach this forum!! I felt like i would never make it here from my bmx FEb28. Things have been slow and painful, with fills and getting the radiated side to get witht the program. I want ladies to know it is possible to have rads and still do the implants. I have had a longer time with TE's but healed well after surgery without compications. My rads were 3 years ago , i took great care of my skin and decided on this patch as the diep flap was not something for me. My origional pS has a terrible accident and i will be meeting a new PS sept 23 and having the exchange surgery sept 24. Not my ideal situation, but i think it will all work out. Ready to get into some squishies and put this nightmare behind me. Note about alloderm-The mayo surgeons have told me it is commonly used and has a very tiny reaction in people. They plan to use alot on my right, previosuly radiated side, to help improve tissue, cover thin peck muscle and prevent future contracture.
Since i have not met this PS, he is orfering several implant styles for me. I am filled to 850cc on right 750cc on left and they plan to use natrelle round(655 or 755 wide) i guess. But he has only seen my file and the pics they take during fills, so he could change his mind when we meet. I was 34 G in my past life so im hoping he can use the larger size for me.
Nancy
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Greencowgirl, I am so glad it's all gong to work out for you. Sorry about your PS. That is terrible. Out of curiosity, why did you decide against the diep? I have that option too, and I am now leaning towards implants. I am almost fully expanded, and just have to wait a few months till my PS thinks I am ready for exchange, but he really wants me to do diep, and I really don't have much tummy fat to harvest, so.....
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Good to hear from you Greeencowgirl, we will be surgery exchange sisters, I will be right behind you on the 25th! It does seem forever since this all started, but we are now on the home stretch! Hope your exchange goes well and the result is what you want. I am having Mentor 800cc high profile put in. The expanders have 800cc in and are looking good so far, silicone may be slightly less projection but I am good with that. These seem so heavy especially bending over to pick up things I really notice the weight. No alloderm as I have the extra muscle from the LD flap which is what my PS was recommending due to thin skin even without radiation. Added some volume as well with the additional muscle. I am soooo ready for the softer side of this journey. Wishing you the best!
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Goldie My first PS Dr SAint cyr specializes in Diep, but even he did not reccomend it in my case. Only if down the line the omplants did not work out/reject etc. Being a large busted gal 34G prior, i would have felt naked with small breasts. He thought with the tummy fat i had he would oly be able to get to a B and if i wanted to do both breasts it would not be enough. (unless you added an implant, so why not just try implants) I also did not want to damage another part of my body for the sake of breasts and he said it is a tuff surgery. So i feel if the implants would not work out now or later, i would try the fat injections(brava) type route. Make sure your surgeon is doing what you want, not what he wants. My first PS asked me what i wanted, because its now all about me getting my silver lining after enduring breast cancer 2 times. I was very specific, i wanted a smaller version of what i had, maybe even a little more lifted-heck why not! I opted for doing the left breast to ease my mind of BC return and for a better cosmetic result. they would have been cutting/reducing leftie way down so i decided to just do it all the way.
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Mammasixtaz, I did not know you were still waiting too! I will be thinking of you on that day too. Seems like a long journey to here, but i am soo glad we are all here!!! I dont know alot about the different implant styles, so i hope he makes some good choices. I think they ar limited by the larger size and needing them in wide. NOt sure why wide is chosen, im not that big, ribcage 34? Im hoping for the best even in this less than perfect situation or changing PS toward the end of the race!
Nancy
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GreenCowGirl and Goldie,
Go for the implants. One side has been perfect...no problems at all. Nice to wake up with some nice "little" D's. (I had ridiculous huge FFF breasts before double mastectomy.) Healed fine. Not painful. Had stitches and glue removed today (3.5 wks post op) This is the way it usually is according to my doc. Unfortunately I had a complication on the other side...tissue didn't have good blood supply and skin was too thin, plus got an infection so had second surgery 1.5 wks ago to remove tissue that didn't make it and to replace implant with tissue expander. In 2 wks after all is healed on that side, he will begin to fill expander weekly to see how much tissue will stretch. Hopefully will be able to put original size D implant back in. Again, don't worry. Very few people have this kind of complication...and even if it happens, it's fixable.
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Thank you for all the input. My thoughts exactly. I will go with the easiest first, then if it doesn't work out then do the other. I really don't want to take a chance on other complications and long anesthesia at this point. Right now I am uncomfortable, but I can handle it for a little longer.
Sandra, sorry you had issues. Hope alls well now, and thanks for the info.
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Speaking of complications... I was filled to 520 went to my ps yesterday because of redness on left side. He deflated 80 cc's on that side and 60 on the other. He put me on an antibiotic and said he has only seen this happen once before. He thinks my skin is too thin and he might go in and do an emergency exchange and fit me with the largest implant he can. I go back Friday for a flw up. Feeling defeated from the deflation
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Myers, so sorry for the trouble with your expanders. At least he is not saying you are going to lose them. At least he is going to put something in there. After a while you skin will get better, and maybe he can exchange for even bigger implants. Don't feel too defeated. It can still work out.
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Amy - sorry you've hit a rocky spot
If you haven't already checked it out, there's a thread called "TE Troubles" that you might find helpful. Hang in there!0 -
Amy, hoping everything works out and the redness goes away quickly and you can resume your fills
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Well Ladies I had my last fill today! no date yet for exchange have to wait for his scheduler to call, hopefully they call me in the begining of the week.
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Hi,
I had my tissue expanders taken out and my implants in today. So far, so good! I am a bit groggy and seem to have pain in my breast bone area. I know the ps was going to move the breasts closer together so that must be why the pain is there. Definitely way less pain so far than when the TEs went in! My surgery was at 11:30am and we were home at 3:30 including a stop to fill my Rx and it takes half hour to get home.
Just wanted to check in as there is someone else having surgery tomorrow. Good luck!0 -
cateyz2 - YAY!!! Getting that surgery date is cool and the time will fly by until it's here, at least it did for me.
pTXunique - Wow, you got home quick! My surgery was around 9:30am and I didn't get home until 3:30pm and the hospital's less than a mile away! My PS, however, is VERY deliberate and a perfectionist in everything he does, so even though I didn't have much pocket work I'm glad he took the time he did because my girls look great! You're probably right RE the pain. My pocket work was minor but felt kind of like an internal bruise. If you had more work it'll be more painful.
All - I had my 6-week post exchange visit with PS today and got the all clear for everything - upper body workouts, running, underwires, the whole shootin' match
....YAY!!!! I see him again in 2 months when he'll see how my underarm flab gobs are doing. He thinks they've improved a lot since I last saw him 3 weeks ago and feels that after another few months I may not need a nip-tuck there. I'm a little skeptical of that because I really think it's just flabby-fatty stuff that isn't going to go away on its own. I can be patient though, and if I really want the nip-tuck I know he'll do it because I want to be his absolutely finest masterpiece when this is all said and done!Hug to all!
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Ptx, that is so great. I know you hurt from the pocket work, but is the expander discomfort gone, or can't you tell yet? Keep us posted on on your new girls look. Are you all wrapped up, or can you see them.
Sweet, does he think the fat blobs are swelling?
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Ptx I am so happy that you made it home so quickly, it's on to healing now. I hope the healing is quick and as painless as possible.
I hope everyone is doing well with their recovery! Even small steps forward are better than no steps forward!
Happy dreams to everyone!
Kat
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Congrats Katie!! What did you fill to?
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Amy-
Im filled to 600cc in 550cc expanders, he sugested one more fill but its just getting to be too much with work. so hopefully I dont regret my decision.
How are you feeling? Is the redness gone?
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