Implant recovery time?
 

I'm having my expanders changed out for my implants in about 5-weeks and only took off Friday for my surgery. My PS opted to try doing the implants w/o using my back muscle so it should be straight forward as long as it works.

My PS thinks I may feel up to being back in the office on Monday. Worst case I could work from home on Monday but I'm seeing on Google that doctors are recommending a week off for implants for cosmetic purposes only. This seems a little more complicated?

Am I being really naive??? If this really isn't just a weekend recovery thing, I may have to postpone because of work until after mid-April. This is not any kind of tram procedure.

Not many people go straight to implants after radiation, but I don't have the tummy and I really don't want to go into my back.

Re: Implant recovery time?
 

It's still surgery, Julie. You will have stitches.

I went back to work but I work from home. I did drive after a couple of days, though.

I went to implants after radiation but it was 5 months after due to business travel and other conflicts.

Best,

Janis

Re: Implant recovery time?
 

I had my expander removed and implant placed on a Thursday and was at work on Monday. Really easy procedure, what a relief to get expander out and I have not missed a day of work since except holidays or vacations. I did not have radiation. The biggest concern is infection and the implant failing. I had no issues and it will be a year in April. Good luck to you. U r your best advocate, u will know what to do after the procedure and how u r feeling. I felt good, some swelling but pain free. You will have some stitches and small bandages that will need changed for a few days. My own personal experience, very easy, after everything else we have gone this is a piece of cake, again speaking for myself. Keep us posted.

Darlene

Re: Implant recovery time?
 

I had my expanders exchanged about nine months ago, I think? I had no problems whatsoever. Of course, there was some pain because of the stitches. My doctor gave me Percocet, and I was pretty much good to go. I don't work anymore, but I was up doing housework a couple days later. My doctor did suggest keeping a bra on 24-7, even if it is just a sports bra, and absolutely no underwire bras. I had more stitches than some because I had stitches underneath the breast to create the little fold there. My doctor had said ahead of time we could make them look better with a little bit more pain, or we could go the easy route but they wouldn't look as good. I told him to go ahead and make them look as good as he could. When I went back for my two week checkup, he said it was all basically healed and we were ready to talk about nipple reconstruction, which I elected not to do. Like Darlene said, I think the main thing is watch out for infection, and I agree with her. piece of cake.

Re: Implant recovery time?
 

Piece of cake for me too. Had the surgery around 3:00pm was back home around 9:00pm. Had the stitches out on a Thursday morning and took off on a one week road trip out west. As you can see from my signature I waited 5 months after my radiation. What a wonderful feeling to get those expanders out.

Re: Implant recovery time?
 

I did forget to mention that I had to wear a bra- like piece of underwear for 5 days. Only took it off to shower. It was supposed to provide support so the implants would settle in. Pretty lightweight and comfortable. Every PS has their own preference on what to do after exchange surgery.

I didn't mean to imply that the exchange surgery was difficult. I was under the same weight restrictions as with the bmx - nothing greater than 5 lbs until the stitches were out and no exercise for 2 weeks. And I only took Aleve for a couple of days, no narcotics needed.

Both the bmx and exchange surgeries were way more tolerable than chemo, as Darlene implied above.