Breast Reconstruction Exchange Surgery - What to Expect 

Comment below with any helpful info for others doing implant-reconstruction.

I am 12 days post double mastectomy and I have watched almost all of your videos and I am doing your 0-3 week exercises. I cannot thank you enough for posting. I have learned so much from your videos and I love how you get right to the point! So appreciated. God bless and you look fantastic!

No one explains the pain from the expander. The pain I had was from the expander being sewn to the muscle. No one discussed that.

Having my exchange soon - I cannot believe that you answered all of my questions!!! Thank you. So matter of fact and direct to the point.

I had a bilaterally mastectomy 4 months ago & am currently scheduled to have exchange surgery in March. Your video is very helpful 🩷

Thank you so much for doing this video. I am a day away from having a double mastectomy with reconstruction and your video has really helped in this process. Especially when it comes to the beginning till you looking at your year after implant’s. I really appreciate this. I’m in the very beginning stage of breast cancer and this gives me the perspective I need going through this.

Hi Erica, I've been watching your videos since they first came out, thanks for sharing your journey. I'm so glad you didn't do the fat grafting because that's the reason why I lost my implants right after my reconstruction... the surgeon pierced both implants with the needle he used to do the fat grafting, I didn't know this happened after 1-2 months later when I developed an unbearable and painful stage 4 capsular contracture due to silicone leaking everywhere. Even the MRI showed that both implants had fat inside, the surgeon verbally admit it but he wouldn't document it in the medical record. My advice for my pink ribbon sisters who are looking to undergo fat grafting is to research your surgeon and demand to have a sonogram guided fat grafting to make sure the needle won't rupture the implants. I hope I was the exception and that all of you ladies who are looking to undergo this procedure had a successful outcome.

Starting my double mastectomy journey as my surgery is scheduled for April 2024. Planning reconstructive surgery and looking forward to meeting with the plastic surgeon to discuss options as well. Thanks for sharing all of this great information.

You did choose well. I am in the process of trying to figure out my size. I’m old and don’t want to carry big breasts around any more but….. I used to be a DD or DDD. It is quite a change. Now I am in the middle of trying to figure out size but what makes it even harder is they cannot tell you a bra size with the amount of cc. I had even opted to go completely flat, but they talked me out of it….. now I have all these decisions and frankly it is tough! I am so appreciative of all the videos you put out and I am sorry you had to go through it at such a young age or at all!❤

I’ll be having my exchange surgery in October. This was so helpful, you answered all my questions! Thank you for this video.

My exchange surgery is in two weeks. It's hanging over my head and I just can't wait til it's over. Looking forward to putting all of this behind me. This was most helpful and very informative.

I am glad you discussed that the timeline varies. Also, your description about the sensation in the breast was helpful.

Your range of videos have been so helpful to me. Thank you so much!

I appreciate very much you made this video as informative as possible. You have answered many of my questions and concerns. I'm dealing wth lymphedema and, much less, cording on my right arm and later in the year I will be having my exchange surgery on the right side too. Thank you again for sharing your experience with us, I always find your exercises for dealing with my conditions very helpful during my recovery. Thank you for your good wishes and may your recovery be successful and get you stronger.

This is a good video. To bad patients aren’t shown these videos. I’ve had the reconstruction but sadly, I have to have the reconstruction completely redone as the implant moves and the breast has wings that go past mud section. Patients needs videos like this n

Great overview of the whole process. Thank you for sharing.

This was helpful I was concerned about contracture after radiation, I have more research to do but thanks for sharing.

I am stage 3 survivor, w lymph node invasive her2 neg, estrogen positive. for 3 yrs now i have had another lump, same place, same symptoms, so im trying to figure out if i should just do a double mastectomy, and was wondering how to reconstruct, so I really appreciate you making this video, to share, healing time, you saying about the first exhcange. This is such a big help for women trying to make decisons to her it from some one who went through all this. Thank you sooo much for doing this vidoe. my lumpectomy was pretty painful compared to the overnight surgery for a complete hystocretomey, i think because the breast tissue is so thick. So greatful for you and you doing this vidoe this. i will be checking out yr other vidoes as well.

Great video, thank you. I'm on my second go round on one side. So similar but i have been so restricted both times on movements and exercises. Wish they would let me move after drains out but they said no above shoulder or racing, heck they even denied me shoulder rolling. Doctors are so different it's crazy. Good to see some of your movements, I'm going to do those exercises when allowed to get moving again!

Am recently had it, thanks for the video

Very thorough explanation! I’m now a new subscriber.

Lots of fantastic information. I am going through this, meaning I am in the tissue expander phase for both breasts. I did not have treatment thank God, but having skin issues with the healing of the breast that had the lump. When that has cleared up, we will start filling and hoping to have implant exchange surgery in about November. Cannot wait as its been four months since my double mastectomy! Your information really resonated and helped me.

You have the best videos! They are so helpful. So much helpful information. I have the tissue expanders and am looking forward to the exchange for silicone. I was going to ask about the exercising and bouncing but you nailed it. Did you every deal with seroma after the bilateral mastectomy?

Thank you so much for sharing this information. You have a very clear way of explaining all this

Thank you so much for these video's. They are exactly what I needed to hear and have watched several times. It has been a blessing . Pamela

Thank you for sharing! It is extremely helpful and appreciative of the video. I hope all is well with your journey!

Thank you for this subject, I'm in the process of having this done too.

This is interesting. I had a lumpectomy in 2012. It was suggested that I have the healthy breast reduced to match the cancerous breast. I declined, so since then I spend my energy trying to find an even sized breast form, and having to replace it every so often, as well as finding forms compatible for swimming, etc.

Great video. I’m having my mastectomy on oct 10th. Am having a tissue expander put in.

Thank you for making this video I’m going through the first stage now and luckily I do not need radiation my left breast was removed eventually I will have an implant and my right will be reduce and lifted to match the other.

Incredibly insightful! Thank you so much. ❤

I had mastectomy on one side and now have an expander. I was wondering if i will be able to move normally again after they exhange it with the implant. Im 9 weeks post mastectomy. It is easier each day but every now and then i lose patience and wonder if my body will feel normal again as in movement not being an issue (driving a car, doing every day stuff) and will i lose the fear of anyone bumping into me. Thank you for this video, very informative and helpful to us all. Also i am so happy to see that you are lifting weights at the gym, i dont know how to live without working out.

Thank you so much for this video! My exchange surgery is tomorrow! I'm getting gummy bear implants too, with fat grafting

Very informative. You’re so amazing

Excellent information, thank you!

I had a dmx in November of 2022, with delayed reconstruction. I had my expander surgery in April 2024 and exchange from expander to implants on July 31, 2024. It’s been almost 3 weeks since my exchange surgery-yes, the expanders were very uncomfortable. But, to be honest the implants are uncomfortable, also. I can not reach across my chest at this point to scratch my opposite arm, I don’t know if the area around the implants are still swollen or what. I’m 6’ tall and a curvy woman of 69 yrs old. My implants are 770 cc’s, they seem to be very small on my body frame(little projection). 😔 The PS did tell me that I wouldn’t have much of a projection because my nipples were also taken. The implants are very high on my chest-sitting almost at my collarbone. I would love for the implants to drop some, however, the surgeon said they won’t drop, because it’s not an augmentation. I guess I’ll just have to buy some prosthesis for my bra in order to enhance my breast, once they heal. I don’t have even 3 inches of projection to my breast, from the bottom, with the implants in. I’m rather sad, but, so glad my reconstruction journey is in its last phase. At this point, I don’t think I would want a revision surgery at my age. My question is, is it possible for my implants to drop from being so high and maybe that will help me gain some projection, if they were to drop some. I literally have small breast for my height and size(they don’t look balanced because I also have a (protruding tummy). How long does it take for the swelling to go down after expander to implant exchange? I’m sad about the size of my implants-but, yet sooo GRATEFUL for LIFE!🙏🏽❤️ Thanking you in advance for sharing your experience. Sorry about the long post.

Wish I had known this years ago.

Thank you for the valuable information you provided for us. Just a minor feedback: yhe sound of the video is too high, like you are yelling to be heard. Either the microphone needs to be adjusted , or speaking softer with a lower volume would be much more appreciated. Thank you anyway for providing these resourceful materials.

I'm a few days shy of a month since my expanders exchange surgery to implants and fat grafing. I thought that my implants would look a little different on the outside. I also have a radiated breast from having a lumpectomy 5 years ago. Followed by reconstruction a year later. At that time I actually loved how my new boobs looked. This time..I'm still trying to see if I like them

Thank you for such clear steps

Thank you for this. Very informative. How long after exchange surgery until you could shower? You had some shots of the white dressing on your chest. Can that get wet? All the best to you. Thank you. Very helpful. My exchange surgery is coming up on 7/5/23.

After reconstruction they will still sag if over the muscle as it’s only thin skin holding them in place unless a mesh is used.

I am nearly 4 weeks post DMX and appreciate this video, as I honestly didn’t know what to expect for the exchange surgery. Mine won’t occur until early October. Did you have drains after the exchange surgery? Also, I am a yoga practitioner and instructor, and would like to ease back into yoga beginning next week, but am not sure exactly which poses to avoid. Likely plank & chautaranga should not be attempted too soon, but what do you advise? I feel great physically & do feel I have the strength to do these, but don’t want to rush it if not advised. Thank you for your helpful videos!!

So you still had to have radiation even with mast?! I thought this eliminates having radiation.

I was told to put on something like a arm sleeve that fits snug to avoid swelling in the arm of the side that cancer was on when I work out or get on a flight. Can you tell me if your doctor or the person that did rehabilitation services with you? I only ask because I see that you are working out with weights and you don't have a arm sleeve on. Have you experienced any swelling in your arm.

Regarding small breasts and breast augmentation, is it true that the implants will make the breasts go higher? Due to the body forming a capsule around the implants? Thanks!

Great job. I have a video on tissue expander pain on my page. You were very informative. I wish My Dr. would have told my breast were going to be significantly smaller with the implants.

Ihad amastecia andinever been offered reconstruction

My body rejected the tissue expander.

Anyone know what size 425cc would be in bra size? A, B, C, D, DD?

How many scars are on each breast?

😅

The first Surgeon was nowhere informative as you are. I am seeing the second surgeon for the reconstruction on the 13th of this month. I hope she is as informative as you are.

Expanders are the worst 😢