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Exchange City

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Comments

  • hjpz
    hjpz Member Posts: 215
    edited May 2014

    Divecat glad I am not alone in the bra wearing or the sizers!  It seems like a lot of others knew what size and type of implant they were getting before surgery so I was feeling alone.   I just bought a bunch more camisoles with built in bras and will sleep in those nightly until I get used to my new body :)  

    p.s. I am only a month out but I have not noticed too much of a change in my implants, but that is a good thing for me because I liked them from the start luckily Smile

  • sweetandspecial
    sweetandspecial Member Posts: 1,669
    edited May 2014

    hjpz - my implants felt kind of 'weighty' or heavy for several weeks post exchange but after that I had no problem going bra-less.  The bra almost always comes off as soon as I get home from work and on the weekends I seldom wear one anymore Loopy

  • babs6287
    babs6287 Member Posts: 1,619
    edited May 2014

    Aviva  what didn't you like about the 410s?  Why do you prefer the 15' rounds?

    Curious

    Thanks,

    Babs

  • LoriWNY
    LoriWNY Member Posts: 178
    edited May 2014

    Mommy--I am ER/PR+ too and had prophylactic total hysterectomy including both ovaries and tubes in August 2013.  My doctors were not al all concerned about putting me into surgical menopause because the benefits of the lack of estrogen in my body outweighed the risk of allowing it to remain.  After my hysterectomy, I switched from Tamoxifen to Femara.  When I complained of hot flashes/night sweats to my gyno, he suggested that I take one of the "natural" estrogen replacement products on the market (i.e. Estroven, Remifemin), but I discussed it with my MO first and he said DEFINITELY NOT to take any of those "natural" estrogen replacement products because he said there is some school of thought that indicates my body would see that as estrogen and that would not be good in an ER+ body.  I have been taking St. John's Wort to help my menopausal moodiness which has been helpful and recently added Melatonin 1 mg. time release capsules because I was having difficulty sleeping (mostly because of the night sweats).  Melatonin is supposed to help regulate the sleep cycle and I have to say that after one week, I have seen a definite difference!  Instead of waking up with night sweats 4-6 times a night, I have only been waking up 1-2 times since starting the Melatonin.  I am have been actually getting a decent night's sleep this past week for the first time in several months!

     

  • babs6287
    babs6287 Member Posts: 1,619
    edited May 2014

    Mommy and Lori

    I had a prophylactic hysterectomy including having my ovaries and tubes out about 15-16 years ago when my sister had ovarian cancer.  I never took any HRT-I was afraid to and with my family history the OB GYN advised against it.  I didn't find the sudden menopause unbearable but I did get night sweats.  I tried lots of natural products (none with any hormones in them) but they didn't really work for me so I went "au natural."  

    Wishing you an easy time of it!

    Babs

  • LoriWNY
    LoriWNY Member Posts: 178
    edited May 2014

    Aviva--I am wondering how you feel since revising to smaller implants.  Did you have tightness before your revision?

    I am not really happy with my 500cc's Mentor Moderate Plus Profile silicone rounds because I feel they are too big for me and I still have somewhat of an iron bra feeling even though it has been 15 months since my BMX and almost 11 months since my exchange.  The PS who performed my surgery says he "does not understand how I could still feel tightness" and I have gotten a second opinion with a PS who wanted me to wait at least a year post-exchange before she would consider performing a revision on me.  The one year wait is approaching and I have mixed feelings about going through another surgery.  I look decent in clothes (one side is a little larger than the other but my DH said that he cannot tell from looking at me straight on and I can only see it from my angle looking downward) but the tightness is really uncomfortable.  I have done all sorts of PT, had chiropractic adjustments, massage, and do yoga, swimming, and stretching and although it has improved somewhat, the tightness remains.  I just worry about the risks of another surgery and infection, etc.  Many women on this board have had revisions and most do not have complications but I know that complications are possible.

  • sandra4611
    sandra4611 Member Posts: 1,750
    edited May 2014

    I'm 9 months out from the BMX with Direct to Implants. I still have an occasional "iron bra" flush. It doesn't last long. I've had this since the beginning. Even when I lost one implant and got a TE, the iron bra feeling was on both sides the whole three months. It was still tight after the exchange when both sides got smaller anatomical implants. Some of us just have tightness now and then. It has to do with the nerves that were damaged in the mastectomy and how they heal.

  • sandra4611
    sandra4611 Member Posts: 1,750
    edited May 2014

    My implants don't feel heavy at all. Of course when they weighed the breast tissue that was removed in the BMX, it was 10 pounds. (Those FFF's were huge!) Replacing those with 1 lb implants feels weightless. I don't wear a bra, by the way.

    MereMere, I had 800cc rounds at first. They looked flat and wide. I had man boobs! They were also lopsided and weird looking the first two weeks. After that I lost one implant and got a TE on one side. The other kept changing as the weeks went on and looked pretty good at the 3 month mark when I went in for the exchange. (Looked at heck of a lot better than that "stripper boob" TE on the other side, that's for sure.)   It had rounded out and didn't look like a man-boob anymore, but the projection didn't change. Both sides were changed out at the exchange for 740cc gummy bear 410 anatomicals , style FF (which is full height and full projection.) They are the biggest available but the projection is still not quite 2 1/2 inches, all at the bottom. Even though they have a shape, they went through a weird stage just like the rounds. Gummy bears don't drop and fluff but they do adjust and smooth out. They are nice mounds now but no more projection.

    You can't get fat grafts to increase the projection. (I asked.)   

  • hjpz
    hjpz Member Posts: 215
    edited May 2014

    Thanks SweetandSpecial! I now have hope to being one of the bra-less :)   I am still having weird aches and pains in my pec muscles here and there so I figured I am still just healing on the inside and once that all heals up I hope to join you in throwing off my bra after work like I used to do!

    Thanks for your imput too Sandra.  Sorry you have had so many surgeries :( 

  • Mommyathome
    Mommyathome Member Posts: 876
    edited May 2014

    Babs and Lori thanks for your responses. It is such a hard thing to deal with because the gyno and bs don't always agree and then I'm in the middle. No estrogen sounds right to me!!!! We will see what MO says this week. 

  • aviva5675
    aviva5675 Member Posts: 836
    edited May 2014

    I switched because the shape was not benefitting me, and I wanted to go down in size.  My ps had originally agreed the gummies would be a good shape, it just didnt turn out that way. He said the size that was there (r/l are different, but about 400cc) was about the smallest for a gummie he would use anyway, so we switched to the round.  Because of the lipo this time its a little hard to tell about the upper looking different = I was nervous the rounds would be -well, round, but they look good. Really kind of the same as the gummies. Im at 286cc now- and I like them. I still have boobage.   A few people including my pa said I looked really good before, but for ME the decision to go smaller was good I think.  The gummies were quite firm too, that didnt bother me alot, these are a bit squishier. Not by alot.

  • aviva5675
    aviva5675 Member Posts: 836
    edited May 2014

    image

    image

  • aviva5675
    aviva5675 Member Posts: 836
    edited May 2014

    sorry couldnt add text: the top is today, 1 week post swap out and lipo- round allergan 15s 286cc

    the bottom is January, week post original exchange, no lipo, Allergan 410s, 400 cc

  • moonflwr912
    moonflwr912 Member Posts: 5,938
    edited May 2014

    aviva. Just a reminder this is a searchable forum. You might want to take those down after the people you want to see them have.  That's why there is a separate pic forum with limited access. JUST FYI.

  • babs6287
    babs6287 Member Posts: 1,619
    edited May 2014

    Aviva

    I think you're looking really good now.  It's all so confusing at times!!!!  Haven't really discussed what kind of implant to use when I finally get to the exchange.  I do know that my PS will discuss every option when we get closer-he always does!!!

    Babs

  • aviva5675
    aviva5675 Member Posts: 836
    edited May 2014

    yes I agree, I think its alot better now. And still have months of drop and fluff to go.

  • mckatherine
    mckatherine Member Posts: 180
    edited June 2014

    moon- if I wasn't in bed with a cold, I'd so be grabbing a flashlight and running to the closet.   :)

  • dessert1st
    dessert1st Member Posts: 12
    edited June 2014

    mckatherine, who is your PS ?

    I am scheduled for my exchange on July 3!  Still deciding if i have the first implant changed at the same time and go a little smaller or hope that PS can work her magic and they match . Has anyone had a uni then had the the 2nd mx? Were your results good ?

  • mckatherine
    mckatherine Member Posts: 180
    edited June 2014

    dessert- Dr. Suh is my PS.  I love her!!    So excited you have your exchange scheduled!  I think as long as you haven't had rads, they can do a really good job of making them match.    My rads side isn't relaxing as quickly as my non rads side - but they still look close to matching.   I think I'm the only one who could tell they're not perfectly even.  (And I wasn't even before my BMX).   :)

    Talk to her about it at your pre-op visit, and I'm sure she will help you pick the best option.   I totally trusted her artistic judgement on picking my implants.  :)

  • Mommyathome
    Mommyathome Member Posts: 876
    edited June 2014

    Simplelife,

    Good luck on your exchange tomorrow!!! I'll be thinking of you! What type of implant are you using? I need to be at the hospital at 615am, what time do you?

  • moonflwr912
    moonflwr912 Member Posts: 5,938
    edited June 2014

    mommyathome and simplelife, good luck tomorrow!  

  • Mommyathome
    Mommyathome Member Posts: 876
    edited June 2014

    Thanks moon!!!

  • Piano-girl
    Piano-girl Member Posts: 14
    edited June 2014

    Thinking of you Mommyathome!! : )

  • Mommyathome
    Mommyathome Member Posts: 876
    edited June 2014

    Thanks piano girl!!!!

  • sandra4611
    sandra4611 Member Posts: 1,750
    edited June 2014


    Wishing you the best of luck tomorrow! Let us know how you are doing when you feel better.

  • Lorbgoo
    Lorbgoo Member Posts: 111
    edited June 2014

    my exchange surgery is July 17th! Nervous and excited. 

  • simplelife2
    simplelife2 Member Posts: 74
    edited June 2014

    Mommyathome, 

    Thank you! Good luck to you also! You are before me then, as I have to be at the surgery center at 9:30, but I have to travel a couple of hours to get there so will be leaving home about 7:30. I've been thinking of you all weekend, can't believe our day is here!! I will say a prayer that all goes well.........until we wake up squishy:))    

  • babs6287
    babs6287 Member Posts: 1,619
    edited June 2014

    Good luck mommyathome and simplelife2-remember to take it easy afterwards!

    Babs

  • simplelife2
    simplelife2 Member Posts: 74
    edited June 2014

    Thank you Moonflw! I'm a little nervous.... time to get ready now. Pray for me

  • simplelife2
    simplelife2 Member Posts: 74
    edited June 2014

    Thank you Babs. It is so encouraging to have this awesome support! Love you all

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