Exchange City
Comments
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CACVT.....
The actual implant was complete relief for me.....the tissue expander for me was HELL
, especially when it was only slightly filled, as it was filled more and more pain diminish, or I got use to the TE, there was slight discomfort on the evening of a fill and then I was fine the next day.Di
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Hey, Di,
To be perfectly honest, the pain is worse than exchange surgery but not as bad as the mastectomies. My PS had to go through different sites to get enough fat so I'm sure that is contributing to my soreness. He also did a complete do over for the pockets. That is making my ribs sore. What is helping me feel better is the fact that we didn't have to put our little guy down! He has made a complete turnaround!
Cacvt,
I was almost completely comfortable with my implants. I had a revision yesterday so I'm basically starting over. The only times I really noticed the implants was when I took my bra off at night. There's a pulling sensation on my pec muscles. The other time it's noticeable is when I push or pull on something or lift something heavy. Usually when people complain about the pain, it's with the tissue expanders. That's not to say some don't experience pain with the implants. There's also PMPS that some ladies develop. For the most part, most ladies are perfectly comfortable with their implants. Just remember that the majority of people have little to no complaints and they don't usually hang out on these threads.0 -
GreenCowgirl - Mamasixtaz wishing you both the very best tomorrow and a speedy recovery!
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Violet, we haven't talked about anything but cc's yet. But, Whippetmom recommended 13 width for me, and about 450 cc gummy implant. I am 5'3" and about 125 to 130, depending on the week, day, etc. I am short, but I am not dainty. I was surprised my ridcage measured 33
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CACTV - I think some women never become comfortable with implants but the majority do. Unless there's actual pain involved I think some of it is mind over matter. Not always, but many times. Is it different? Absolutely. Do the pecs feel strange when they flex? Absolutely. But......that doesn't mean the differences can't become your new normal and eventually not seem so different any more. I'm almost 7 weeks out from exchange and the pec flexing strange feeling is becoming less and less noticeable and more and more normal for me. Does that make sense?
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Do it Katie so you won't have any regrets! It sounds like you want to and your schedule seems to be working for you = )
XO Amy
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Cacvt,
I have the unusual situation of having one tissue expander and one implant. Four weeks ago I had a double mastectomy with immediate reconstruction with implants. Two weeks ago one had to be removed and replaced with a tissue expander because of skin healing problems. Both sides feel tight and achy - in fact they feel exactly the same although one side is sunken in and still has a drain but the other side is full and healing fine. Makes no sense, but that's the way it is. My chest is pretty sore between the breast area and the collar bone but the bruises there on both sides have faded. Also have a lot of soreness in the lower ribs on both sides. Fills have not begun yet, so perhaps it will all change next week, but for now there is no difference.
Sleeping in a regular bed is still a problem...there is just NO getting comfortable no matter what position I try and how many pillows I have. The recliner works so much better but I'm sick of spending so much time in it.
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Sweetandspecial: Great minds think alike.
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CACTV: I had my implants put in on 8/28/13. They are so much more comfortable. I hardly even notice them. They feel more normal everyday. I haven't had any pain at all. Everyone is different.
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Yea! The squishies are in! Even with dressings they look good. But, it is surgery and recovery room sucked! I think they got behind on my pain meds and it took forever to catch up. Lots of burning and sharp zings. They changed IV med and gave me vicodin and finally found relief. Came home and crashed with all the meds they gave me! Woke up hungry and had soup. Watching TV and slept some more! Now to bed. Do feel better by far than bmx but still need to recover from anesthesia and surgery. I think they used a baseball bat on my sternum arms and ribs, they are so sore and achy. We will see how it goes tomorrow...no more TEs..ahhhh!
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CONGRATS Mamasixtaz, so happy for you, cant wait to get there myself. Decided to get that one last fill next Wed and then 8wk wait for surgery. paraying i can be scheduled right before Thanksgiving.
How are you feeling this morning? What implants did you end up with?
Katie
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Mama - congratulations! If you continue to have a burning type pain ask your doc for a nerve pain med like gabapentin (Neurontin). Happy healing to you!
Cateyz2 - good for you on going for that last fill. I really think you'll be glad you did in the long run.
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Mama: Welcome to the squishy side!!! I hope you heal quickly and all pain subsides.
Catey: Glad you are going for the last fill. I believe you will be more pleased in the end.
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Yeah Mama6! So glad the end i in sight for you! My TE were just put in and I am in a whole lot of pain...makes me want to tell them to just rip them out and let me be.....but then ...for me anyway...it means cancer has won.
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Hi SchoolCounselor - I'm so sorry you have to be here
, but welcome to the best site ever for us BC sisters! You've found a wonderful community of women who will share so much with you, so please know you are not alone in your journey. I had a lot of pain after my BMX/TE placement too, for several weeks. My breast surgeon finally realized it was nerve pain and the hydrocodone was only just barely taking the edge off. A switch to Neurontin (generic for gabapentin) did the trick for me. Hang in there girl 
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Sweet,
Gabapentin was horrible for me. I had terrible SE's from it--double vision, balance issues, felt stoned, passed out an hour after taking it before bed, heart racing, very lethargic/down, etc. And I was on a low dose to start 300 mg a day, bumped to 2 300mg caps..when SE's got
WORSE & I had to go off it.
My doctor had to put it as an allergic reaction in my chart!
But, I know it helps some people. ..glad it worked for you.
Violet0 -
omg violet! My dose was 300mg 3x daily and I was on it from early December through April! I was just a tad dizzy after the first 300mg dose the first day and I did have a higher level of fatigue during that time, but nothing like what you experienced. Holy cowabunga!
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Sweet,
Yeah...not good for me...;) I'm waiting for my stupid insurance to APPROVE my rx for Lidocaine patches right now! !
They rejected them BUT they pay for low dose KADIAN/ slow release morphine class & IT is really expensive!
Crazy...
Violet0 -
I didn't know Gummy bears were yet approved by FDA. It appears they are and they are what I would want to have. Do you know any problems with them?
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I've had two different experiences with Gabapentin. The first time the dosage was 300 mg and after taking the first dose, I felt really bad within an hour. My husband stayed up all night watching me, ready to take me to the ER. The Dr. said I had a sensitivity to Gabepentin. Fast forward 5 years. I had a brain stem stroke earlier this year which left me with intense balance issues. The neurologist prescribed Gabapentin and I told him what had happened before. He said that was common with that high a dose. Instead he started me on 100 mg, taken before bed, then twice a day the next day and finally three times a day. It worked perfect. No symptoms at all. He said I could go up to 600 mg a day but I never needed to. The dizziness diminished within several weeks to a more tolerable level. During stroke rehab I told my therapist I was forgetting things and had amnesia sometimes. She said that was common with Gabepentin. Sure enough, when I stepped down the dosage, the situation improved. Gabepentin can be a wonder drug, but has side affects. Start it easy and work carefully with your doctor to find the right dosage. Be aware of possible side affects and let the doc know right away.
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Sunshine, some like them and some don't. I decided to get the round silicone implants and I'm very happy. I would ask Whippetmom on the Breast Implant Sizing 101. She is the best for helping you get the right implants for you.
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Sandra - now that you mention it I do now remember I had some focus/concentration/memory issues too. I started the neurontin about the same time as Arimidex though, so I'm not sure what caused what. I still think my brain isn't operating like it did before meds for BC issues.
Sunshine - my PS doesn't care for gummies in his practice. His opinion is that with rounds it doesn't matter if you have a little implant rotation because they're the same shape no matter what. If gummies rotate you would have to have them surgically corrected to fix the placement. Not a problem with everyone, of course, just his perspective.
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Well after all the waiting to get to exchange city this year i am sadly dissapointed with the outcome of my exchange surgery. I had to switch surgeons for the final surgery as my origional P.S Dr Saint-Cyr had been in a bad accident and will not be back for a while. Surgery went long, 4 hours and they quit before getting to the fat grafting. My hope was for this to be my final surgery and have this nightmare put behind me. I met The new PS monday and he did not spend much time with me, considering we were having surgery the next day. the appt was so quick i just figured he had met with my first ps and had a plan and knew what i wanted. The foobs are very flat on top and feel quite small to me(i was a 34 g prior) and wost of all he cut both of my nipples i had worked so hard to save during masectomy. The Nipples are way too low and very distorted. I would rather had imperfect nipples that were mine rather than cutting around both, lowering one and risking necrosis/failure. PS did not meet me after surgery, had to track him down the next day to see what happened and many questions he would not answer. He wanted to duscuss that in clinic which is not for 2 weeks! He would not even tell me what implant he used other than the 410 cohesive gel. Struggling through this long year from bmx feb 1 and the dreadful pain of tissure expanders, i kept in my site the beautiful outcome promised by my first PS and it is so far from it I can only cry about theis awful outcome. I also have some fat necrosis lumps from prior surgery on right side to deal with, but i know i dont want anymore surgery. I feel sick when i see myself in the mirror.
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It was a good day today! Not only did I get the last drain out & the last stiches removed, but I got my first fill. It was completely painless and fascinating to watch. The doc put in 180 cc's of saline. He said I will be ready for the exchange by Christmas. Since I had to have the implant taken out on one side and a lot of skin removed 2 wks after the BMX due to infection and necrosis, the doc is not positive my healing skin will be able to stretch enough to accommodate the original 800 cc implant. But we're off to a good start. I'm a little achy now, a few hours later, but excited to look down and see a little bit of a bulge in that previously concave half of my chest.
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GreenCowgirl - I sense the pain in your post and I'm so sorry you've had this experience
It sounds like your surgery was just this week or last??? It really is awfully soon to make final judgements. However, I guess I would feel as you do if I had doubts and worries about how the surgery went and then the person who performed the surgery didn't want to talk about it. You deserve to know the info about your implants and not to have to wait two weeks to have your concerns addressed. I'm confused by why he messed with your nipples....sounds like that wasn't in the original surgical plan. I traveled 125 miles each way in order to have nipple-sparing surgery and dealt with necrosis and partial loss of one so I understand the feeling of not wanting to lose them after fighting to save them. Didn't they give you your implant medical device card? You should have left the hospital with that and it has all the info about the implants that were placed. If not you can try calling the nurses station or medical records to see if they're still available. Otherwise that info is in your surgical notes. Every implant package has stickers which are removed and placed in the records.
I'm so sorry you're feeling sad and betrayed. If there is a breast cancer navigation program at the hospital or within your insurance health system please contact them ASAP. They can be a great resource and can perhaps give you some guidance and information.
Best wishes...
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Tina, So you can really understand the pain of having my nipples tampered with after begging for nipple sparring surgery and also traveling 6 hour round trip many many times and still going to date. Noone offered an implant device card at the hospital. ive looked my info up on mayo patient services and find nothing there yet and after forcing the new PS to talk with me he was obviously annoyed that i was not thrilled with the small flat breasts, cut up nipples and need to return for fat transfer and address the fat necrosis which he blames on the the other surgeon)maybe but could also be from BMX)as both were done at same time. I needed a masopexy/reduction on the left so i expexted it, but the right breast nipple was perfect and he actually cut it out and lowered it to match the left. Who does that!! Id rather he left it alone, the only part of my breast not cut up from BMX. Most ladies are waiting for the swelling to go down or the drop and fluff, well not me, as this will make everything even worse, flatter,smaller,droopier and just plain not me.
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Greencowgirl-So sorry you didn't get what you wanted after all this time! My surgery took less time than expected and no drains, which today I might regret. Swelling under my left arm into my back. I told him it was ok for a drain but he didn't put them in. Lots more pain than I expected too. Back to being T-Rex again can't move the arms too well yet. I think he did alot more pocket work as it hurts from my sternum to my clavical to my ribs. My PS didn't tell me much about the surgery either, was hoping for a phone call today. I didn't want to take narcs but feel I need to for now, feeling pretty wimpy, considering last time with BMX/LD flap recon was a really big surgery to recover from so I took the pain meds religiously. It is only the first post op day so I need to cut myself some slack. I can't really tell anything as mine are all under tight dressings. Will see more tomorrow when the dressings come off. They don't stand up as high as the expanders but I don't mind as they were so uncomfortably heavy. Even though I may be smalller I am ok with it. He put in the largest silicone implant so it is what it is. I got 2 ID cards when I left the hospital with all the serial numbers, type, style and etc.( Mentor High Profile Plus silicone 800cc). You should be able to get your ID card. I hope my swelling goes down soon, if not will call for appt to have them look at it. It is always my left side that is the worst, (lymph node removed side) could have something to do with it, although PS and BS say I'm at a low risk for lymphedema, still I don't think they really know much about it. Hang in there, hope things start to look better, I hear it takes time, otherwise keep on asking them to fix it the way you want it, you are in the driver seat. You deserve to get out of this what you want. This is such a long journey with many sharp curves along the way.
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Greencowgirl,
I know disappointed is not even a word that comes close to how you are feeling right now, and my heart aches for you. Sometimes I think we are set up to believe that the exchange surgery is the be-all and end-all of our surgeries and the truth is that very few of us have the initial exchange surgery as our final reconstruction surgery. It should be emphasized a good bit more than it is that more surgery may and probably will be needed to achieve optimum results. As far as your ID cards go, I was given mine on my first post-op follow-up visit. Also, as far as the dropping and fluffing goes, I do not think you have much, if any, with the anatomicals. It does not excuse your PS from doing what he did by cutting your nipple. He should've clearly stated that that was his plan and made you aware of that possibility. Again, I am so sorry you are hurt and angry. I would be too! {{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}
Mamasixtaz,
Yes, absolutely cut yourself some slack on the pain med front! It is not a badge of honor to say you did it without any pain meds. Take what you need when you need it. They would not have prescribed something for you if they didn't feel as if you would need it! Hope your swelling goes down soon, but it sounds like you are on top of if should you need to be seen.
Still can't lay flat just yet so it's another night in the recliner for me. Fat grafting spots just keep turning an assortment of colors, none of which look good on me! Had to see a different Dr. today for an unrelated matter and his question to me was, "What does the other guy look like?"0 -
Greencowgirl - I am so sorry to hear of your "fiasco". How unfair to have a new surgeon you had not even met for your surgery day! I am also sorry to hear of your original PSs accident. I can relate to that as my PS whom I trust implicitly had back surgery last year with many complications and was out of practice almost a year. I was really afraid he wouldn't ever do surgery again. Fortunately not the case. I hope your surgeon can get back to doing cases and can fix your situation. In the meantime, be patient and hope for a "best" if you can find one and cross your fingers someone competent can take you on.
I had another reconstruction today (I have lost track if it is 4 or 5) to fix what should have "fixed" last month. My body ate up the pocket stitches where he stitched them down to prevent the implants from slipping out within 3 weeks and left the implant pretty much where it was prior to surgery. Today he used a heavier stitch material that should stay longer and overcorrected the implant lift. Guess they will be pretty high and perky. Right now I am bound tightly with ace bandage and a sports bra over it. Never saw him after surgery and DH was late getting back to surgery center so I will find out what he did on Tuesday. I know I have pain on left side of sternum I did not have before so maybe all will be well this time. Now to just get insurance to pay for July and now Sept. surgeries. They have to have all this documentation to say not cosmetic but reconstruction - can't they look back and see I had BMX. Wanted all fixed while PS still able to do surgery and before insurance gets more impossible.
Hope all are doing well on their journies.
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Oh Green, I am so sorry. You were afraid this would happen, and it did. I don't know what to say, except I feel for you, and wish there was something I could do to make it better. I know you are still reeling from this fiasco, but there is always a revision. You have the right to ask for it to be made right. Please try to keep you eye on the prize. I am so sorry.
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