Exchange City
Comments
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BigT - I had saline initially and because they were so hard and painful, (think TE) I replaced them with smaller silicone just this past Monday. What a huge relief. They feel so much more comfortable and squishy kind of like original breast tissue. I am so very happy I went through another surgery. It was completely worth it. Of course I can't tell what they're going to look like just yet, but I don't really care - I want comfort over cosmetic. Btw, I also went from 650cc to 500cc which also helped. Good luck in making your decision.
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All right all you stalkers - exchange with fat grafting this morning all done. WAY easier than the BMX. My incisions under the breasts and the spots where she inserted the lipo cannula are pretty sore, but nothing my meds aren't taking care of but I guess that remains to be seen once all the anesthesia wears off. She put me in a Velcro bra so really can't see much although my hubby was peeking down it and said they look good. Amazing how quickly things went - surgery at 8, in recovery by 12, home by 2. So neat pushing on the implants and feeling their softness compared to the TEs. What a relief! My first postop is Tuesday the 21st (my 53rd bday) so I have much to celebrate and be thankful for. Thanks for all the support you all give!!! Will update next week after my appt and after I've had a chance to see the girls.
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CJ so happy for you. Heal fast!
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cjc1961 - Stalkers? Us? LOL! Nope, just concerned sisters... Glad to hear you're doing so well. And I just know that follow up will be a good one. What a great way to spend your birthday, huh? Sending you nothing but positive wishes. Let us know how it's going because there aren't that many of us with personal knowledge of fat grafting and unfortunately, some of us may need to go down that road one day... Heal well!
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You guys are so funny. Love the idea of us in a circle comparing foobs. "Mine are cold, here feel this. Do you think mine are level? Well mine have a funny slope, see here?" It wouldn't bother us to do it at all, but somebody else coming upon us would never understand a bunch of women standing around with their hands on their boobs...or somebody else's.
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so glad it went well!
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Sandra - I know! We're kind of like little girls (you know, when they develop that compulsion to constantly lift up their dress) - except that we're just a little older and now it's our shirts!
aviva - How are you doing?
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AZ - I'm still with hives underneath my foobs to mid waist now. Started steroids today because last night they came back with a vengeance. Still very itchy.
I can appreciated the standing in a circle and doing show and tell. I pull up my top at a drop of a hat, nurses, patients, doctors, friends. They look good. Still waiting for the left to drop, radiation side, it is softer than the TE. It has been 2 weeks and know it can take a while. I am massaging the incisions and all over to keep it soft and break any scar tissue.
Cheryl, glad surgery went well.
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Elsie - So glad to hear from you, but so very sorry that pesky rash isn't gone.
Yes, I, too have become quite the exhibitionist. My foobs aren't quite as spectacular as yours, but I'm really happy that so many of you have had good results... it gives me hope.
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LOVE all the encouragement we get from each other!!! We are comrades! Starting to feel the soreness more as the evening goes on. Hoping the meds will help me sleep. I think it's gonna be the recliner for me tonight. I think the pain would be worse getting up from lying flat in bed. But so far WAY easier than BMX.
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Yay Cheryl! Glad everything went well for you! Implants are so much more comfortable than those horrible TEs!
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cjc1961 - I remember I slept all propped up in bed with pillows under each arm for better than two weeks after my BMX. But a couple of days after I came home from my exchange surgery, I started out all propped up and woke up in the middle of the night to find that I'd rolled on my side and it wasn't too bad, so I stayed that way. I'm a side sleeper anyway and it felt so good! Your body will tell you what it wants. Hope you have a restful night - you deserve it, you had a tough day!
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Cheryl...glad you are doing good. I had my exchange on Monday. I went back to my PS today. He did not take my drain out. My right breast is very red and swollen. I had a divet in it that he had to repair. My breasts do not match. One with a nipple and one with out. So one looks normal and one looks flattened. Not sure how I will look in clothes. May have to get a bra and stuff a sock in the tip. (: I am sleeping in the recliner. I tried the bed for an hour last night and my back and shoulders were hurting.
Elsie...hope the rash is better. Happy Friday to all!
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Sounds like we have a similar situation. I had the inframammary incision and he'll use that same incision at the exchange surgery. It is interesting all the things to take into consideration. I visited the 101 forum a few weeks ago and got great advice regarding sizing from whippetmom. My PS said he couldn't make promises with the exact cup size but has been doing this for ~25 years and feels like with my ribcage size, etc. that a 500-550 ml Allergan 20 high profile will give me a full c cup. I'm glad I listened to whippetmom as well to confirm. After all of this, the last thing you want is to be disappointed with the final surgery. I am ready to get the turtle shells out and feel some softness. Thanks for all your information. I'll reiterate projection to my PS since that seems to be a real concern in the forum.
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Elsie hope the rash dissappears fast now.
Algranna congrats on the exchange. We all have to remember they change so give the time.
Cheryl remember to take it easy! Even if you feel good!
Az., I have to admit I am still in the recliner. Mostly because of The stairs. I just have trouble with them. I make it up twice a week for showers. LOL. But i started Livestrong at the YMCA so hopefully I'll be strong enough to sleep upstairs every night soon.
Much love.
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I am so glad everybody is going so well. I wish I had the same experience. I am in the process of seeing if I can do diep, or find another surgeon who is really good at implants. I have pain all the time.
I know it sounds awful, but I do get jealous of the people who seem to sail through this. I know that is not the case for all of you, and I know its wrong. But, I have been feeling so angry lately. I just want my life back. I was watching Amy Robach on Good Morning America. Even her expanders look awesome in clothes. Why can't we all get treated like celebrities, and have our recons turn out perfect?
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goldie, HUGS girl. Of course you felt jealous. I know I sure did. Still feel that way sometimes when I think of everything that went wrong for me. But sooner or later I get over it. I GET over it because it happens more than one time! So each time I have to work around that feeling. But i usually win that Pretty fast. Much love for you. (And it would really be nice if we had all the help the celebs do!))
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Oh my goodness, I'm getting nervous about my exchange sgx next month. There are so many of you that have had problems or have been unhappy with your results. It's encouraging to hear from those that have had positive results!
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I agree, Monis. Scary stuff! I am about 6 weeks from my exchange (one more fill and then 4 week wait until surgery). I think we all just feel that we have all our hopes in this surgery. For me, I really am hoping to get relief from pain and discomfort and decrease my lymphedema, as much as I'm hoping I'll look good. The swelling in my arm seems untouchable...and if this surgery doesn't help (it's not supposed to, but it does seem to help some for whatever reason), then I'm not sure what else I can do. I love that we can come here and exchange stories. It helps me a LOT. Do you have access to the picture forum? It is helpful for me to see the stages. It has helped me to get a realistic expectation of what to expect.
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I would love to look at the photos, but I haven't asked for access yet because I'm pretty new here and didn't think permission would be given as of yet. Maybe I'm wrong?
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Goldie all your feeling are valid and normal don't feel bad you (we) all go through a lot emotionally and physically. you will overcome this. I had problems with my left implant and my ps wanted to take it completely out for at least a month and start over with te's and fills. This was just last week and I felt the exact same way. I went on a board here for Illinois women and got a recommendation for a PS I went to see him for a 2nd opionion and last Friday he took out and replaced the implant. I would recommend you find a forum for women in your state and find a PS others are happy with. HUGS xoxo
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Monis - keep in mind that most of the ladies on these threads are the ones that DO experience some level of pain, disappointment, discomfort, etc. Many ladies don't have trouble and therefore have no need to visit these support communities. Keep those negative thoughts at bay and concentrate on visualizing a great outcome. Also remember that if you're unhappy with your result for some reason it's very, very common to have additional 'revision' surgery to correct things. It's not always a 'one and done' situation and is all part of the reconstruction process. For myself, I am thrilled with the size, shape and placement of my implants, but will be having surgery to remove some extra skin and tissue (aka: mud flaps, dog ears, armpit boobs) that bothers me. I told my PS during expansion that my goal was to end up as his finest reconstruction masterpiece ever and I'm not quite there just yet
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Goldie - hugs and caring thoughts are on their way to you as I write. It's totally natural for you to be jealous and angry sometimes - I think any of us would be too in your situation. It's just hard to see everything coming up roses for so many others and wonder why the eff it couldn't be that way for you
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Cheryl...glad it went well and hope you feel fast! I will be having fat grafting also during my revision. My implant looked great at first but two "divots" or "dents" at the top that PS wants to fix and me too!
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Well ladies - I slept pretty good last night. Slept flat on my back in bed and did ok. Getting up was HARD. The areas that got lipo are SO SORE!!! Keeping regular on my meds and that helps take the edge off. All wrapped up in this Velcro bra so don't get to see how they look until my postop Tuesday. But they sure feel nice and squishy. I'll post a pic on the other forum when I can.
Prayers for all those who have exchange coming up. Don't be scared cause it's WAY EASIER than the MX. And just knowing it's the final leg of our journey really lifts the mood.
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Goldie I am right there with you on how you feel. I ask why was I the chosen one for these implants to fail? I definitely feel cheated. I look down at my chest and say I fought six months for this...... Ugh. My health is number one so I need to feel better an then maybe mentally I can wrap my head around all this. I guess I need to focus on this is temporary and I will try again. Keep up the fight and see other PS until you are comfortable and pain free!! Living in daily pain is awful!
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Mgster - I had divots too at top of each breast. My PS filled those yesterday during my exchange. I'm hoping they stick cause I'd hate to go thru this again. But I know some of the fat will be reabsorbed. Good luck with your fat grafting. The hardest part is getting up and down.
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CJC, so very, very glad you've had an easy exchange. Good for you. I know you were so worried. Get someone to "sit on you" for a while though. If you do too much you can get yourself into trouble. Stay in that recliner and let your body heal.
Algranna, a red, swollen breast after the exchange must have you scared. Glad you saw your doctor so soon. Fingers crossed the problem resolves soon. It's awfully soon to expect your drains to be out since you just had surgery Monday. Maybe next week? You stay in your recliner too and get some rest.
I know it worries those of you who are waiting for your exchange that you might have complications. It's just like SweetandSpecial says, those of us with problems tend to stay and the happy ones get on with their lives. I think it's important for you to know what COULD happen and what symptoms to look for, but it's equally important to hear the good stories too.
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Even though I'm past the TE pain and the implant sizing worries and the exchange surgery I stick around on my favorite threads because I'm still interested in everyone still going through those issues. If I can submit even one post from my experience that helps just one BC sister through this journey then it's all worth it.
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sweetandspecial - I agree 100%. Even though BMX, TEs, and exchange are behind me, we still remember vividly what all of the experiences were/are like. I think this thread serves a great purpose. I know that I had no idea what was about to happen during my time with TEs and it was all somewhat of a surprise. Now I find myself playing the waiting game to see how my exchange will work out. So far, no complications, just trying to fend off the disappointment of how lopsided I still appear. I am sincerely hoping to be surprised with the outcome and if we can make it easier for even one sister, that's a good thing.
sandra4611 - I hope that you can manage to enjoy your cruise - it's tomorrow, if I remember right? Hoping you have a really great time!
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