Exchange City
Comments
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us bavs.
Kfinnigan, sorry you had a rough awaken ing. But still, Squishies!
Just a reminder that everyone is different and no one has the same experience. Also, remember that Squishies do NOT project as far as the TES and if you are used to the TES it might be disappointing at first. Just so you are not blindsided! LOL.
Much love
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Babs, - GREAT NEWS re the biopsy results!
You're on a roll, - KEEP IT UP!! 0 -
sigh of relief Babs! I'm doing ok, just really sore, I was taking pain pills on time, but didn't take one this morning, took some Tylenol, hoping I won't have to take more pain meds, they make me so loopy! I'm nervous and excited for my revealing at my postoperative appt this a.m. So happy to be on the squishy side!
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Hi!
I had a prophylactic BMX due to braca1 positive status this passed June and my exchange was in November. BTW, I want to thank you ladies for all your support during that time!
Now I decided to have nipple reconstruction in the docs office next week. I was wondering what you ladies have experienced with nipple reconstruction? Initially, I was going to have 3D tatoos instead of a reconstructed nipples but then decided to have a nipple reconstructed and 3D tatoos over the reconstucted nipples. I have read that they are erect all the time. What do ladies use to cover the nipple? I also read that eventually the nipple will flatten. So I figure eventually over time they will flatten and will be a smaller bump. I am also scared of complications because with every procedure there is always risk. Can you ladies share with me what your experience and thoughts about reconstructed nipples?0 -
worryocd, I had nips done at the time of the exchange, and I too was worried about them always being erect. I told my PS that I didn't want them to stick out much, and he did a really good job. It's kind of hard to explain but they look good and do stick up some. The skin though isn't as firm as a natural nipple so they (nips) kind of disappear in a bra and clothes which suits me fine.
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kfinn-I hope the reveal went well! Remember it takes time for the new girls to settle so don't worry if you're not happy immediately.
Babs
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I am having my EX March 5. I would think that after going through TE that the exchange would not involve much pain. Afterall, you have already gone through the stretching part. I have 420cc in each TE. They are still so hard! Is this normal? Having 3D tatoo nipples. I am 60 and have had huge protruding nipples all my life. Looking forward to not having to hide them!
Blessings, Robin
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at my postoperative, PS pulled the drain and said everything looks really good. He said he tried to pull the lefty lat side towards my middle chest area, but the rads skin didn't like it and plus he said the implant would be under skin and not lat muscle. He said the implant is sitting in a cocoon of good muscle. He said I will look great in clothes and the swelling will continue to go down. He asked me a couple times if I liked the size, and I said yes! Perfect! He got rid of the shelf look that the expander had. my right side is really sore, that was my natural side that got the small implant, those pec muscles are not happy, but it's getting better each day. Still feeling out of it and having trouble sleeping, and my back is sore from just sleeping on it only. PS said 2 weeks before sleeping on right side and longer before sleeping on lefty lat side. What were you all told? I did switch from ace bandage wrap yesterday to my stretchy jockey tank bra, with the big white pads he gave me underneath. More comfortable than ace bandages. I see him again Wednesday.
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I had nipples created and they were quite large at first.....one is a good size nub and the other side is flat......I am the odd one as I have feeling all over BOTH breast, big nip and even little flat nip, I can feel it inside as it was made with a little roll up of alloderm just like it's twin that didn't decide to hide. I Ask the PS if a breast pump would work some magic on flat one, and he said no......my bigger nip was incorrectly placed and is 2 1/2 centimeter lower than the other side.....they only look even when I am flat on my back on an Operating room table....wish I only gt 3-D tittooos
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I hope it is alright if I join you ladies in this thread. I never had TEs as I had direct to implant reconstruction at the same time of my nipple sparing prophylactic BMX, but am having a revision in March to exchange my silicone rounds for anatomicals. Hoping to try and correct some contour deformities/rippling on the one side, the plan is to use anatomicals of same width but a bit more projection to put some more tension on tissues and smoothen things out. I was not very interested in the other option of fat grafting at this time though it was also offered. I just don't think it would address my main issues nor do I want to start something that might require a few surgeries due to recovery time/interruptions and so on.
My results are actually quite good, and my husband thinks I look great, but because I do a lot of scuba diving and indeed also run a diving business with my husband in addition to my day job I spend a lot of time in swimsuits and such and so am a bit more conscious of the cosmetic flaws. I just hope I don't end up too much bigger - I was a 30E (UK) before surgery and remained that after as well and do not want to end up bigger (or at least not more than minimally as necessary to correct the issues).
My original surgery and recovery went very smoothly and much better than I had expected (I was back to walking several miles a day within 3 days, adding other exercise at 2-3 weeks, and on OTC meds only by end of day 3 post-op as well for example). I did follow instructions for upper body stuff of course & weight restrictions but overall I was surprised by how quickly I recovered. I know there are no guarantees but I am hoping for another smoother recovery, I'd like to go back to work after a week (and in fact kind of need to go back) even if that means I need someone to drive me there and back for a bit - mostly desk work so doable and my colleagues are quite accommodating.
I do plan to sleep in my recliner for at least a couple weeks though - I find it easier than playing around with pillows and my Leachco trying to get it all just right - instead I just sit down, recline, and sleep. Also, if I am restless from any discomfort, anesthesia, and so on, I would rather not disturb my husbands sleep too. No sense in disrupting both out sleep, though of course he has no issues helping out and I know would understand, this is just my preference! I am sure our cat will come keep me company part of the night
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Good luck with the revision, Divecat! I think I just took 8 days after my exchange surgery. The only thing that might get in your way is if you end of with drains, which is a bigger possibiliy with anatomicals. I also had rippling and a dent and just had fat grafting 3 days ago. I hope it stays.
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thanks ladies! I will keep reading and post after EX! Have a blessed day
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Hi everyone,
I'm new here too - been reading the past few pages but wanted to say hi.
Exchange finally scheduled for end Feb! I am sooooooo excited to lose the coconut shells. Mine settled in all sorts of weird positions, with scar tissue bunching and projection out under my arms (I can stick a fist between these babies). PS assures me this will all fix after exchange (with fat grafting).
So I am both excited (this *hopefully* is the last chapter of this crappy book) and nervous about more surgery. I swear I woke up dumber after the last one...and it took several weeks to wear off. I have only 2 weeks off work this time, so hoping that isn't the case.
Anyhow, just popping in to say hi. I am excited to have finally made it to exchange city (down the yellow brick road??)
Rain
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I was pleased to find NO drains after my exchange to 410 gummy bears. Sure does make it seem like you are making faster progress when you don't have to mess with those. I've had drains for several of my surgeries, but not all. From what I've read here, exchange surgeries are usually pretty quick and easy and most don't have drains. Don't bet the farm though. For my 5th surgery I woke up with a drain on one side only even though the same procedure was done on both. The PS said, "You didn't need a drain on that side."
For those who are looking for the same thing as you had before, I'd say you could be in for a surprise. Implants, even anatomicals, can look pretty good after three or four months, but it's the rare person who is pleased in the early months. (Forget right away!)
Before settling on a revision it helpful to know that even natural breasts do not match. My PS says most women are different sizes on each side, one sits higher/lower than the other and one breast can sit further apart on one side than the other. I think the best way to communicate what you expect is to take in pictures. Then there is no communication error due to preconceived ideas about what "too high, too far apart, etc." Have the PS tell you if what you want is possible. If not, why not. Get a second opinion. If that doc says the same thing, then you are going to have to make peace with your expectations or keep looking for a doctor who can help you achieve your dream. At least you won't have to wake up after surgery and realize HIS idea of what looks right isn't your idea at all.
Rippling is usually because of thin skin. The rippling I had with Allergan Style 20 rounds was quite a bit more pronounced than with Allergan 410's Style FF gummy bears. The skin is still thin on one side so the ripples show if I raise my arms or lean over. It's ok. That's just the way it's going to be and it's a small price to pay. I'm not changing to anything else. One side is closer to the sternum than the other but, again, it's ok. Considering how bad I looked after my infection following BMX, I look ready for Playboy in comparison! My PS did an awesome job of repairing my Frankenstein body, even though it took 5 surgeries. I can live happily with those leftover "quirks." I am an older person who has been married for nearly 45 years. That makes a difference. It's different for younger women.
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Thanks Sandra,
Great to hear your story. My expectations are pretty simple - I want to look reasonable in my clothes, and not be self conscious with my husband. I don't need to look perfect (god knows I have plenty of natural imperfections!!), but my chest looks a little like roadkill right now (I had multiple infections of TEs creating scar tissue on both sides)...there is no where to go but up!
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wow good info, thanks. I am 60 and just want to look fairly "Normal" in clothes. My hubby is very supportive! I have had no complications with TE. No rad or chemo so skin in good shape. Blessings, Robin
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I am scheduled for a revision on 2/17/15. I am going to be sending our beloved Deborah a PM with some pictures (or e-mail if I can't figure out how to do the PM with pictures) asking for her opinion.
Background: BMX was 2/26/13 with Mentor 6200 medium height 650cc tissue expanders (14.6 cm. wide x 12.6 cm. high x 7.6 cm. proj.) with Alloderm. Prior to the BMX, I told my PS I wanted to be smaller but he did not listen and gave me 650 expanders anyway! Pre-BMX, I wore a 40D bra (which was too big of a band size but I was unable to find a bra in a 36 band size with adequate cup coverage that was comfortable). I am 5 feet 1½ inches tall and 145 pounds with a 34” ribcage--no radiation or chemo. I had PS stop fills at 460cc’s because I felt I was plenty big enough. Exchange was 7/5/13 to Mentor Moderate Plus Silicone Smooth Round 500cc’s (14.1 cm x. 4.3 cm proj.)--no pocket work was performed at exchange. I still have “iron bra,” especially on the right side where I also had ALND. I have done PT (still do the exercises daily) and continue to see the chiropractor who performs Graston massage on my arm & shoulder due to the ALND. I also see a massage therapist for breast/arm massage including myofascial release and manual lymphatic drainage. I swim, scuba dive, practice yoga, bicycle, and am pretty active. Besides the iron bra, the implants slide into my armpits when I lie on my back. When standing, there is about 1½ inches between my breasts but when lying down, the space is about 5 inches!
Revision Planned: I have seen three second opinion plastic surgeons. One did not want to get involved and one I really liked but she wanted me to wait a year post-exchange before she would consider a revision. After waiting one year post-exchange, I saw her again and she wanted me to see another PS to discuss a flap (which I did not want but she wanted me to see this PS). I saw the “flap PS” and loved him--although he told me I only had enough fat for a flap for one breast (which made me love him even more), he spent over an hour with me during the consultation and discussed all my options. I told him that I was satisfied with my volume and projection (a little more projection would be okay but not much more and definitely no more volume), but my biggest complaint is that the implants are too lateral and boobs in the armpits are uncomfortable! He agreed and plans to use Allergan 410 FF 475cc silicone implants (13.5 cm. wide x 14.0 cm. high x 5.3 cm. proj.), release the pec. muscle in the cleavage area, and perform lateral capsulorrhaphies to get the implants out of my armpits. The PS also believes that the textured nature of the 410’s will adhere to my chest wall better than the Mentor smooth round implants and hopefully minimize the iron bra sensation.
Any thoughts?
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LoriWNX,
You have been through so much! I have been so blessed to have had no problems. My PS tried to tell me that most women regret they didn't go bigger and they never wish they had gone smaller. But I let him know right away that I just wanted to be about the same size as I was pre DX. I wore a 36B. He doesn't believe in using Aloderm so used my own muscle from the side of each breast to create the bottom part of the pocket. I have Allergan TE, don't know what size but am filled to 420cc and can't imagine having any more in! I go see him on 2/18/15 to go over all the details of my surgery planned for 3/5/15. They are pretty high up on my chest, but seem to be placed normal near armpit. My natural boobs were very close to my armpit and I had about a natural space of 4 inches between them. So right now, having them about 1 1/2 INCHES between them is great. I know that I am choosing Allergen silicone implants, just need a little bit more information to pick the size and profile. I think a moderate profile is what I want and need. No one has answered my question regarding how hard they still are. My last fill was 12/2/14. Is the recovery less after exchange? Thanks all for giving me this great board to sound off on. Blessings, Robin
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Robin--I currently have Mentor silicone rounds placed under the pec muscle. They are pretty soft to the touch of my hands but they feel firmer on my body than the originals, if that makes any sense. They are not as soft to the touch at the original 50 year old, breastfed 2 babies version, but they are soft nonetheless. My implants are a type of cohesive gel, however, I believe the Allergan silicone implants are slightly more firm. Someone else here has probably had both and can chime in. The exchange for me was MUCH, MUCH easier than the BMX but every one is different. I was hospitalized for four days with the BMX because I had never taken heavy pain meds before the BMX and the drugs they were giving me made my loopy but did nothing for my pain--it took three days for a nurse to say something to the doc about it and once that got straightened out, I was able to come home on day 4. I was on Percocet and Toradol when I got home for a couple of weeks and was out of work for four weeks (legal assistant--but I worked from home during weeks 3 & 4 post exchange). I should have stayed out of the office longer than 4 weeks because I was wiped out when I returned to work 4 weeks after the BMX. My exchange was outpatient surgery, I took one pain pill before I left the hospital, and was texting in the car (from the passenger's seat!) on the way home. I took 1 week off work after the exchange and when I went back to work, I did absolutely no lifting over 5 pounds for about 3-4 weeks.
Your exchange will be here before you know it. Good luck to you and let us know how it goes!
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Thanks! I went back to work 3 weeks after my BMX. I am an office manager at a high school. I didn't lift anything over 5 lbs either for 6 weeks after surgery. I am having the surgery two days before our two week spring break, so I figure if I can go back to work 3 weeks post BMX, I can go back two weeks after exchange! Both surgeries are outpatient. Thanks, Robin
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Robin - just have to say - what is it with the darn plastic surgeons. I wanted to smaller and we argued quite a bit. I'm a little smaller but not as small as I wanted. Believe me, there are those of us who have stood up to our docs (& our husbands) and said - functional please. Most of the women I know can hardly wait to get home & rip their bras off and all of them would like to be smaller. Hope they don't have to go through BC for that change. Still - it really irritates me to hear that your doc said "most women regret they didn't go bigger and never regret they didn't go smaller". Just not so.
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Can anyone out there recommend a good ps in Northwest Indiana in Lake County? In need asap. Thanks
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Scubalady, whippetmom suggested I ask you who your ps was. I live in Lake County in North West Indiana. Thanks Sandy
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There are also some limits to how much smaller you can go, depending on the type of MX you had and so on. I had a nipple sparing BMX, and went direct to implant, so my pre-sx size really guided my post-sx size. I could not (and did not want to) go bigger as that would be too much trauma on skin right after MX, but I also could not really go much smaller, if at all. Otherwise the nipples could have ended up wonky or I could have had too much extra skin with limited ability to remove without making everything wonky. So, my PS was quite upfront about the limits of being able to be smaller (but certainly accepted I did not want to be any bigger). They also need to consider the width of your chest wall, and pick an implant based on that. Not all size implants come in all widths.
I was a 30E before so, and still a 30E after. Not as big as most people think that sounds as I am properly fit (29" ribcage, 35" bust), and cup volume wise it is equivalent of say a 34C or 36B, and I never feel like ripping my bra off as they fit properly and they feel comfortable. I actually forget I am wearing them. My breasts also don't get in the way either of my very, very active lifestyle.
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MinusTwo--very well stated!
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sandgar - Send a PM to whippetmom or post on her thread 'BREAST IMPLANT SIZING 101' - she keeps a list of PSs nationwide. She keeps track of the good ones and the bad ones... (kind of like Santa Claus). GOOD LUCK!
https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44/topic/...
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My exchange is scheduled for Feb 4. PS is going to use allergan 410s(gummy bears. Taking several different sizes to see what he can get in there. Also some fat grafting at the upper pole to soften things up a bit.
I am sooo excited for this surgery. I know that I'll be sore from the lipo but the thought of softness again....sigh.
He's talking about another surgery for nips...I don't want them. He thinks I'll change my mind. I've spent The majority of my life trying to hide them, I'm excited to not have them. 3-D's will do fine for me.
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horsemom - hope all goes well next week. I have Allergan 410s and they are soooo much more comfortable than TEs. No nips for me either.
skin/scar issue question: My left mx was last Feb. Upside-down "T" formation incisions. No scar/skin issues after, and none after first Brava/AFT in May. About a week after the mid-July FG, a blister-like bubble started growing at the intersection of the vertical and horizontal mx incisions. At the 2 week point after FG, the bubble ruptured at the injection site and most (if not all) of the recent FG leaked out. No infection, no pain or sensitivity. NOW, since my Dec. 31 exchange, I am beginning to develop another "bubble" seroma, about 2cm across. Just in the last few days. Sent photo to PS this morning and ran into her office for a quick check today. Seems like same weak skin area. No sign of infection. Nothing to do except wait for that spot to decide what it wants to do and address it at that time. Might require more surgery if the problem gets worse. It is that trouble making left side AGAIN!
So, my question is about having a skin/scar weakness at that intersection. Anyone else have this problem? What's up with that?
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Just saw this older post. Just messaged you about your surgeon. Can you give me his name and provide a picture of your results. My surgeon has a be happy with what you have attitude. Thanks Sandy
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Sandy, I PM'd you with my surgeons name. I hope to post updated pics on the picture forum this weekend. I haven't posted any since exchange.
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