Exchange City
Comments
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Deen - Thanks for your imput. I appreciate you sharing your experience. Since I had a tiny infected stitch and am on antibiotics to take care of that, any small pain makes me get a little paranoid. SILLY. Like Geena, I so appreciate the support we all get here.
Geena - By the way, it did take me maybe till the end of April or beginning of May (when my bilateral mastectomy was March 3rd) to feel almost pain free. The TE's from my experience will be uncomfortable. Sleeping is still an "adventure!" I use 3 pillows to prop up and 2 under each arm to get a little comfortable and keep my body from automatically turning over to the tummy / side. I noticed that a warm shower and a pain pill / several motirin before bed helped too. I WILL be praying for you. THIS DOES help . Hang in there!!!!!
Warrior,
I am remembering you in prayer too. When you're feeling well enough, please let us know how you are. HUGS + Prayers are sent to each of you. Georganne
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Deborah:
Interesting you should say the style 15 or 20..I was thinking I liked the porjection to dim ratio of the style 45's. What am I not understanding?? Love you, JUDY
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Jaimieh,
Sorry I meant to address you too. (I love the name.) You are in my prayers too. I'm praying for your healing and peace. I too feel a little nervous, as you seem in your post.(My exchange is 6/26) This might seem silly, but when I pray for us(and others) I often look at a picturein my livingroom of Jesus holding the lamb surrounded by his sheep. When we need it most, we are that lamb he holds. We'll NOT go through all of this alone. We'll have the courage and strength we need just when necessary. Then, as we heal and reflect on our personal experiences, we move to the sheep around Jesus to support the lamb(s) who need the extra love/support/ and prayers. Sorry if this seems simplistic. But faith truly is believing what we can't yet see. Also, I know Jesus spoke to his believers referring to them as "little children" which to me implies that we need to have that childlike trust. We're going to make it and be better and stronger for the experience. God Bless. Georganne
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Warrior, Jan1, and others facing surgery this week - You are all in my prayers. Peace and healing to all of you. God Bless. Georganne
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Georgeanne, Thank you, your good thoughts are so appreciated. Jan
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Okay, Judy: You know I love the Style 45's. The thing about the Style 45's is this: This is a very tall implant. It stands up quite high on the chest wall. The greater the projection, the taller the implant, and with the diminished width, this makes for greater height as well. So if you have a short SN to N distance, it might be sitting unnaturally high on your chest wall. So essentially, the Style 45 better matches the dimensions of your expanders but because the expander is rigid, it does not compress upwards. The Style 45 will inherently be compressed upwards into the upper pole. So let's say we are trying to match dimensions of the expanders with the Style 45's: The closest we can come to width is as follows:
500 cc's - 11.9 cm diameter by 5.7 cm projection
550 cc's - 12.4 cm diameter by 6.0 cm projection
600 cc's - 12.8 cm diameter by 6.1 cm projection
Now look at the difference in projection of the Style 20's: The sizes I listed there give you the same projection - [600 cc's - 5.7] in the first size, one millimeter less [650 cc's 5.9] in the second case. A millimeter is a teensy amount of difference in projection. I just think that you would be happier with the width of the Style 20 over the Style 45.
But go look at Sandy's pictures on the forum and see two different photos of her first implant, which was narrow and had more projection, versus her second implant, which is wider and has less projection. Not only does it look better in a bra, it just is more natural and matches her healthy breast better. And Sandy's ribcage is 29 inches, if I recall. On your frame I think they would just be too narrow and might look like bullets sitting on your chest wall. I just think you need a narrower ribcage and a tall enough chest wall to pull this off. Judy, could you post pictures of your expanders on the picture's forum? I would like to see what they look like on your frame. We can get a better idea of how implants are going to look.
Deborah
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I am attaching a link to a medical book called "Reoperative Plastic Surgery of the Breast", which I have been reading. For those plastic surgeons who tell you that you must remain small-breasted, and for those who have implant distortion - implants moving too high and too wide on the chest, this should be helpful. Please note that it is recommended that when there is expander displacement of this degree, expander repositioning SHOULD take place to obtain the optimal end result down the road. This is a woman who had quite small breasts and she wanted to be much larger with reconstruction after mastectomy. These photos depict how this was accomplished. Let not your doctors say "it cannot be done." [There are circumstances which might prevent this, but we certainly need to be told why it cannot be done. See Page 246 "Difficult Patients for Implant-Based Breast Reconstruction."] Incidentally, the implant used was a Mentor HP 14.0 by 5.7. However, the Allergan Style 20 600 cc @ 13.8 by 5.7 would give you the same result - 2 millimeters difference is miniscule. The tissue expander used is a short height Allergan 133 SV. The patient was expanded to 505 cc's.
Scroll upwards and start on Page 267 to see the "before" photos and the final result, with nipples and tattoos are on Page 268. I hope this link works. I had to shrivel it or we would have had a wide page problem....
[Also, see Page 243 and read "Begin With the End in Mind": Choose the implant first and then choose the expander accordingly.]
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Deborah - Thanks SO much for the link to this book! Just scanning it has answered lots of questions. Can't wait til I have some solid time to really explore and understand. Don't you just wish the PSs would offer us this info BEFORE everything? On the other hand, I probably wouldn't have been able to process it then anyway...........
Georgeanne - Beautiful analogy....
Prayers for all having surgery this week - a busy week for us!
Valerie (I've got to get one of my kids to take a new pic of me....I promise to get one way less depressing
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Georgianne-
I've had my TEs for 3 months now and yes, I do notice more discomfort in my upper chest now than I did earlier. I was thinking maybe I'm just noticing it more now that the other pains have decreased, I don't really know. My exchange is scheduled for 8/17. Good luck with yours!
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PAGING cookymkr: I love your screen name. Mine could have been cookyetr because I love cookies so much! My weakness!!!
I just happened to see a thread about dropping and fluffing and see that you have 800 cc Style 45's. Would you mind posting your stats here to help out other gals. I recall you posted on this thread previously that you wanted to get the largest because you are a full-size woman and something about itty bitty tires on a Mack truck.or something similar...which I thought was pretty darn funny....
Anyway, I am hopeful that you could let us know your height, weight, ribcage circumference, so that other women of similar build might have a reference for use of the Allergan Style 45 implant. It is used so infrequently in breast reconstruction [used infrequently in breast augmentation also] , but I know there are a couple of women on Exchange City and one or two who have PM'd me privately who would love to know more about how this style might work for them.
Referable to your "dropping"....does your surgical bra also have a stabilizer band? The stabilizer band helps by compressing the implants downward into the proper position. If you have complete submuscular implants, it will likely take some time.
Thank you for anything you can share!!
Deborah
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Deborah--Great book, thanks for the link. Have you been able to find anything in it that relates to step down? I have not, yet.
Sandy--I hope your ride went well this weekend
I've been dealing with my puppy who had an allergic reaction to the suture material used for her spay, and has developed a seroma--which was oozing and scary, and the vet has now put staples in her....she still wants to chase the cat and jump down the stairs...I'm keeping her crated and on Benedryl (vet's orders, to keep her sleepy). My youngest boy is in Boise for a month and my oldest is packing to move to LA. The times they are a changing...
Well, I go back to work tomorrow, so if I don't post as often I'm thinking of you, but working or sleeping. You are all such extraordinary women, I look forward to keeping up with all of you, even if I'm a little quiet.
Oregon and Washington sisters (and anyone else for that matter) keep an eye out for posts from Jazzygem and me.....heads up, we are creating a team for the Portland Race for the Cure on September 20th, Team of the Ta Ta Sisterhood. We'll be posting information next week on how to register for the team, it would be great to get WA/OR gals together, and anyone who might want to travel is welcome!
To the sisters of next week...I wish you success, speedy recoveries, and happiness with your results.
6/15 - warrior - Exchange surgery
6/15 - Jan1 - Exchange surgery
6/17 - Jaimieh - Exchange to 600 cc Mentor implants
6/17 - Karen62- Fipply surgery
6/17 - sam1991 - nipple surgery
6/18 - Kimmy1 - Exchange surgery
6/18 - Wbuggie - Exchange surgery
6/19 - Northstar - Exchange to silicone gel implants
Hugs--Karen
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Ok, here I go but remember this is for the FULL FIGURED gals--- Not you skinny minnies out there! I'm 5 ft 9 inches tall and weight about 230 lbs. I know! I could play linebacker for the NU Huskers, enuff of that. Thank God i'm tall! My ribcage circum is approximately: 44 inches. I believe my quote was "you wouldn't put Volkwagon hubcaps on a Mack truck". They just wouldn't look right. I told my PS that I wanted them to be noticeable but not VaVaVoom, or OMG! but yet porportionate. Sounds like he uses this type [Allergan 45] quite often. I do believe that my surgical bra has a stabilizer that you spoke of. It also has a longer waistband on it, which makes it pretty comfortable. It has three hooks in the front and zips as well and the straps have a velcro closure. I am to keep the sides packed with gauze as that's where he did quite a bit of liposuction. I had lots of fat / tissue on the sides under that arms that I referred to as my "wings" and requested that he remove them. I'm very anxious to see the final results, but reallize that it will take things awhile to settle into place. They already feel better than the rock hard TE's. Nobody warned me about what that was going to be like!0
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Georganne, thank you. That is just what I needed to hear.
~Hugs~
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Lifegoeson,
Thank you for sharing how you're feeling.I wish you well, will pray for you too, and sincerely appreciate you being candid about things here.
This thread, and each of you ladies are such a blessing to me.
Deborah/Whippetmom: You should become a personal consultant for women facing reconstruction. I wonder if this could be possible. You're kind, knowledgeable, and so helpful. THANK YOU!!!!
Everyone have a restful night. Georganne
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cookymkr: Thank you for responding so quickly. We don't care how big you are or how small you are, there is just more Ta Ta Sister to love with your measurements! I have been reluctant to suggest Style 45's to anyone with a ribcage over 36 inches because they are so narrow. But at the highest implant sizing, the width is more reasonable. So I am so excited that you have them. Would you feel comfortable posting pictures at some point on the picture's forum? This could be a very reassuring alternative to some women who feel that the 800 cc implants in other styles just do not give them enough volume to replicate what they had previously.
Thanks again!
Deborah
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cookymkr: thanks so much for posting your measurments. I have been agonizing daily over implants. I am filled to 750cc's and just don't look as big as I was. My PS has briefly mentioned custom implants but I am reluctant to go that route...this mack truck doesn't want to a Rolls Royce, just back to the way I was (or as close as possible). Sending you wishes for a speedy recovery.
Denise
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Deborah, My expanders are only filled to 340cc on one side, and 240cc on the other. I'll post but it seems that with the remainder of the fills due to happen after I finish radiation it won't be very descriptive.
Well I might as well start my posting. Judy with two small implants..one smaller than the other. It will be a day or two till I have the pix. Stay tuned.
I think I understand better now. Clearly, I don't want bullets (very descriptive) but I did not want to go too wide. Now I see what you mean with my smaller distance from SN to N.
(about 14 - 15cm).. Thanks so much. And I agree with the idea of you doing breast consulting, if there is such a thing,. If not, you ought to start it! JUDY0 -
It was easier than I thought. My posting is out there..Deborah, Let me know what you think. JUDY0
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Oh I should say, on the picture forum, I am "rise and shine". JUDY
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i'll be happy to post pic, just as soon as I feel that there is something to take a picutre of....
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- Judy - Refresh my memory....you are going to be filled up to at least 500 cc's eventually - right? With that SN to N distance of 14 - 15cm, the Style 45's would just be too tall for your chest wall. I am so glad you posted photos!!! I think you should PM Kathie [Sam1991] and ask her to email you photos - she has the Mentor Moderate Plus profile implants and they look really good. They are larger than you will be with a "C" cup goal, but you can get the idea of how nice they look.
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I will PM kathie and ask her. Thanks..JUDY
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Are Mentor Moderate Plus about the same as Allergan style 20's ?
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I think style 20 is about the same as mentors high profile if I remember right
style 15 might be more like the moderate plus dim
I'm happy to say I survived my big weekend
we had a great time
I'm going to try and help Betty boob but than have to get back off the computer and get caught up with being gone
sorry I don't have more time for you ladies
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It's OK Sandy, Glad you had a good time on the weekend...JUDY
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OK first day back at work since exchange with mentor high profile 800cc implants, big meeting, anuual review--hugely stressful, and a coworker leans over to me and said, "I thought they would be bigger."
I'm taking pain meds and going to sleep.
Sandy--glad you had a good weekend!
K
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I would have probably said, "why are you looking at them?"
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Wish I had thought of that!!!!!
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I would have leaned back and said....."They Are"
xxoo Kathie
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Went to see my PS today and he said he would probably put in TE's and fill to 325 and then exchange for Mentor 700cc's...does that sound right? My ribcage is 31cm and my SN to N is 21. He said it's hard to tell right off exactly what size he's going to use because everyone's ribcage is not the same and sometime's the ribcage gets concave with the pressure of the expanders and therefore he would have to determine the size of the implants once I am on the table. In addition to that, he said it would also depend on how my skin/muscle reacts and how much it stretches. Also, he said he would not fill right away and would wait 2 weeks for first fill. He didn't take any measurements today at my pre-op visit - he said that he does that on the day of the surgery along with bringing along his "sharpie" to mark me all up. At the time of exchange, he is going to sit me up and possibly try a few sizes as he does bring in several sizes of implants on the exchange day. I asked about a compression bra and he said he doesn't recommend it. I've heard lots of ladies here use one and I'm wondering if I should just do the same?
Terri
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