Exchange City
Comments
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PATTY: And go to the picture's forum [everyone, I just found out she does have access] and look at Sandy Sunshine's photos. [She is Rockwellgirl here.] She had a unilateral and she has an excellent result and great symmetry and her PS used an expandable implant to tweak the healthy side to get it to match the reconstructed breast. She also has had two exchanges. So you might need three...if that is what it takes, that is what it takes....
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Thanks Sandy....I emptied out my cool whip containers in your honor. They are washed and standing ready at attention....LOL
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Wow - I've been busy working and just read quickly through so many posts. You all have been busy.
KEW (Karen) - My goodness, I wonder whether she even thought before she spoke. What a jerk! You didn't have to reply at all. We all KNOW you are beautiful! We are with you sister!!
Warrior - Congratulations. I am so glad you came through your surgery!
Laura (Estepp) - Oh my goodness, food poisoning?!? I so hope you are feeling better! I am sorry this is a tough anniversary for you and your husband. But your obvious love will get you through the date together. We all love you!!
Best wishes to our sisters having surgery on the 17th. Two of you are getting fipples! Yahoo!!
6/17 - Jaimieh - Exchange to 600 cc Mentor implants
6/17 - Karen62 - Fipple surgery
6/17 - sam1991 - nipple surgery
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Deborah: That's a great idea..I'll call tomorrow and find out which expander he plans on using. I know he was scribbling away while we spoke so maybe he jotted it down. Can't wait for this to all be over and done with. Still not nervous, or maybe I'm fooling myself...lol
Terri
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Deborah: That's a great idea..I'll call tomorrow and find out which expander he plans on using. I know he was scribbling away while we spoke so maybe he jotted it down. Can't wait for this to all be over and done with. Still not nervous, or maybe I'm fooling myself...lol
Terri (Cheri)
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Deborah, Sandy and Sam1991,
Thank you all for the info and support. I have been going out of my mind the last few weeks. I just took some pictures and will try to upload them. May need DH's help, not as computer savvy as him.
Sandy, yes my PS wants to use AlloDerm on my healthy breast. He said it will be pretty invasive surgery but the Alloderm would act as a sling to keep my healthy breast lifted. Never heard of anyone doing that. During my 1st surgery the PS just went around the nipple (hoping that he could get enough of a lift without the additional scars of a traditional lift.) The second PS just lifted under the inframammory fold. I not have the vertical cut from nipple to fold. Could this be part of the problem?
Deborah, I did see Sandy's pics and she looks incredible! I'm going to check out Sam1991.
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(((Georgeanne)))
Thanks for asking about the exchange surgery. For some reason I was very nervous beforehand. With the mastectomy I wanted the cancer out, this surgery was more for breast appearance and I felt a little conflicted about changing my remaining natural breast. The surgery went well, I was in at 1:45 and out by 4:00. I was in recovery for 90 minutes and then in a secondary room for another 45 minutes then allowed to go home. Some pain today, but very manageable. I went back to the Dr. this afternoon and I got to see the work he did. I am so pleased, they are soft and I will be a nice C cup. He said he put in 500cc Mentor on the mastectomy side and a 275cc on the natural side. The natural side is the one that is most sore right now. I am taking Advil and 1 percocet at night to help me relax to sleep. I do have a velcro bra on and he wants me to wear it most of the time for the first few weeks.QUESTION?? The PS is having me push up on the implants towards my shoulder 3 times each breast for 10 seconds and to do this 3 times a day for 6 weeks then once a day forever after. This is supposed to help prevent encapsulation. Has anyone had to do this? I will say it isn't a very comfortable thing to do right now, but I will do it, I want to keep the pocket open. Jan
Jaimieh, best wishes to you tomorrow and and to Kimmy1, TG33, Bukki, Alo123, Northstar, WBuggie, and Georgeanne, your turn is coming up and it was worth it to me, As nervous as I was beforehand, the outcome so far is very nice. To Karen62, Sam1991, I am looking forward to reading your stories as nipple reconstruction will be next for me. The sharing of exchange experiences has been so helpful.to me. I have used the information to make this transition easier, especially the reminders to take care of ourselvesand not overdo, and not let whatever pain you have get out of control. I will admit that tje pain isn't too bad and well controlled for me with Advil during the day and percocet at night. The pain seems a little more at night, but it has just been 24 hours, so I guess this is normal! My DH has been such a blessing to me. Good thoughts for all of you, waiting to read about your experience. Jan
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Jan I think most of us waited about 2 weeks before we started to do massages so out incision could heal some 1st
Patty I had heard the lift around the nipple area only works if you only need a little lift
as you see from my pix I had to go with the anchor lift
I hope some gals chime in about what your PS wants to do...
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Patty when u go to the private pix forum
at the top of the threads I have step by step insructions how to resize pix to add them to the site...
I don't think sam1991 has pix on private forum, but she e-mailed them to a few of us...
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The best to Jaimieh, Karen62 and Sam1991
I will be thinking of you tomorrow......
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Yvonne:
I call my gummies Barbie boobs also, I'm so glad I am not the only one. Three months out and I also am so excited when i don't think about them, but then I bump them on something.
I was joking with my boyfriend the other day that its impossible for me to fall on my face, because my barbie boobs will cause me to ricochet off the floor like a super ball.
I hope to exchange them for something that can't double as one of those gel pads that protect you from getting carpel tunnel when using the computer
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Jean my sister,
I will be having nipple/areola reconstruction in August...no date yet but hopefully the first part of the month.....I saw 2 weeks post-op nipple/areola recon that my PS done on a lady that I know and I tell you what, after seeing hers I do not want to continue looking like Barbie....they look so real.....she said that it was an easy surgery and recovery.....I can't wait to be finished .....
Hope you are doing well and not working yourself to death.....
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Good to know Linda...I'm freaking out even through my valium administration....LOL. Soon I will be sleeping and it will be 5:30 am in the blink of an eye...or a flash of a boob!!!!!
Will let you all know how it goes.
Kathie
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Thanks Sandy, I was surprised at how much he pushed up on the implant towards the shoulder. He states that this will help keep the pocket from shrinking down too much around the implant as it heals. I was just curious if anyone else's PS had them do something like this. This isn't a massage, it is pushing the implant up from just below the nipple area towards the shoulder and holding it up for 10 seconds (creating a step of sorts) then releasing and repeat 2 more times. He wants this done for 6 weeks then 1 time a day forever. I may be prone to encapsulation, my TE was very hard and was encapsulated maybe that is why he having me do this. Jan
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BigApple: Could you post your photos on the picture's forum? We need more gummy bear implants represented there....
Kathie: Bodacious mama! Love that avatar!
PATTY: Yep, I have Alloderm slings....
Jan: Many plastic surgeons have their patients performing these "implant displacement" exercises. Mine did not say anything about it, but I do displace mine upward when I think about doing it. Typically I do this when we have guests over for dinner and there is a lull in conversation.
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Hi ladies,
You have all been such an encouragement and a wealth of information!! I am ashamed to admit to being a bit of a "lurker" as I read the post but do not respond much. I am ready now for my exchange on Thursday and although I felt I was ready..... I am now getting a bit anxious. I really am hoping this is done right the first time. I have not slept much at all with the expander and am really looking forward to having this all behind me. I have requested a final meeting with my PS prior to the exchange as I want to be certain I don't end up too big or uneven. I am a 28 width and have had a lot of discomfort with the expanders. I am asking for a high profile silicone but wanted any imput you can offer as to other request I should be making. I have a rather large step down on both sides as well as a gap between my foobs. I am told he will redo the pockets to give me back some cleavage as well as remove any scar tissue so that my new girls are the same size. I am meeting with my PS in the morning so any imput would be greatly appreciated. I am now probably a full C with my fills and only want to be a full B with the exchange. I also am asking that I be sat up during the exchange so he will have a better feel as to how things look.
Thanks for any insight you can offer before hand
Wanda
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Hi ladies, I am still amazed/curious why PS's opinions are so different. I specifically asked mine (twice) about the need to massage or manipulate the implants around in the pocket to prevent CC, and he told me there is no evidence that it does anything to help, and he doesn't teach it/recommend it. I have my exch surgery in July so I'm not impacted yet by this, but I'm wondering what to do ... one of my friends had breast aug and she manipulates them north/south and east/west every single day to avoid CC ... My PS says you're either susceptible to it or not and massaging/manipulating isn't going to avoid it.So who knows ...!!!!! Good luck to the ladies who are going through procedures this week ... mine is less than a month away now - woo hoo!
On a side note, my husband & I held a b/c benefit concert here in Midland this past weekend and we raised over $2000 .. we had three musical groups perform, gave away raffle prizes that had been donated by local businesses, and auctioned off a painting that was completed during the concert. I'm going to change my picture to show the painting because it was just so beautiful ... I own the statue of the lady that the artist painted, and we thought it was appropriate since she has one breast (tastefully) exposed.
Happy healing ..... sue0 -
Hi Jan,
Glad to hear how well things have gone for you. You're right....tomorrow is my day and I am ssooooooo nervous that I am surprised by myself. I am meeting with my PS this morning just to get some final info. I just pray all goes smoothly as well.
Good luck to you and happy healing!!
Wanda
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Jan1 - I am so happy to hear that you are doing well.
Ladies having surgery today, I'm keeping you in prayers. Hugs - Georganne
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Deborah!, The next pain pill is due to my laughing at the timing of your breast displacement exercises. Dear God, where do you come up with these pearls of wisdom? You are so talented and funny and knowledgeable, The gifts you and Sandy bring to this forum are priceless .
To the lovely ladies getting ready to evict the turtles from their chests. The softness of the implants is a nice change from the turtle that was living in my chest. I actually did a removable tattoo of a cute turtle on the TE boob at the time of surgery, The PS cracked up when he saw it as he was marking my breasts before surgery.
I can actually sleep on my side without a rock there. It takes a few minutes to find a comfortable position, but last night was good, I slept. Just don't let any pain get out of hand, good sleep promotes healing. I am acutally going out today just to walk and get a bit of fresh air.
Jan
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Wanda: Tell us about your expanders! Mfr, style # and # of CC's of TE's and # of cc's you had at final fill. Can you get this ASAP?
Sue: But he did not say it would harm you, right? This is what I just do not get....if they are not certain that it truly helps, as long as it is not deleterious, I will just keep doing it until they ARE certain. If it DOES work I am ahead of the game and if it truly does NOT work, look at how nice and strong my wrists are from all of that squeezing over the years. A win-win either way.
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OMG....DONE!!!!! Nipples at 7:30am home by 10:30am!!!! No pain other than good ole' donor sites for the fat grafting. Nips are covered with strict PS no peeking instructions until Tues. Graft site for areolas on tummy looks like a small c section incision. Breasts look full up top from fat injections. He used small EKG stickies for nipple placement prior to surgery....LOL. He and my best friend moved them around my breasts as I stood for the world in my birthday suit....another LMAO!! I'll have my bf take pic when she brings me my bag o ice later.
Yee Haw.....I feel soooooooo relieved!!!!!
xxoo Kathie
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Jan - My PS had me do quadrant massage. I had to push the implant all 4 directions and hold for 30 seconds twice a day to prevent encapsulation.
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Jan - congrats on the turtle eviction! I loved the tatoo story - I'll bet that made your ps's day! I can't wait to be able to REALLY sleep on my side - not some half-on-my back side position. Not that I sleep that much thanks to the tamox.... but I'll take what I can get when the time comes - hopefully soon!!
Way to go Kathie!!!! Glad all went well!
Thinking and praying for of rest of you ladies in surgery today !
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Kathie - Congrats on the nipple placement and fat exchange. I hope you heal fast!
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Jean~ you can add complete next to my name.
After my surgery my PS said my skin is thin and she is not sure if my skin will allow her to do a nipple. Is there anything else we could use ?? (would alloderm work) ??
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Kathie, congrats on the new fipples! I can't wait to have two again. You made me laugh with the EKG sticker story. With what all of us ladies have been through, we sure keep our sense of humor and some decorum of modesty
. Val, evicting the turtle has been wonderful, but I have to admit to being bruised on the natural side. I didn't have any bruising after the mastectomy, but then again he had a bigger incision to work with. He went through underneath the nipple on the left side and I am very sore. I went shopping today just to get out of the house, so obviously not so sore to stay home. 48 hours post op and doing well.Firstmate, did it hurt you to push the implants around right after surgery, cuz I am finding it not so much fun. Thanks Jan
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Deborah, Too funny.
Kathie, congrats on your new nips and I am known for putting things on me (doll's eyes for one) prior to surgery..a temp tattoo is great...and with so much input on placement before, I'm sure your nips are perfect!!
Jan1 I hoping there is a modicum of modesty left in me..I think I'd show the supermarket my boobs if they asked, and not think twice about it...
JUDY
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Grats to all you lovelies who had their surgeries this week, praying you have super fast healing and great pain control.
Ladies you are the best! Thank you all for being there and all the emotional cyber support. I would have gone crazy if this site hadn't been there.......even there in the middle of night when can't sleep. I too am finding myself getting nervous about my next surgery.
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Jan - Linda started a thread regarding massaging of implants. My PS primarily recommended sleeping on the stomach, which is fine w/ me since that is how I like to sleep.
Linda - August nips!?! You lucky girl!
Deborah - You have such a way with words. I was laughing out load when I read your post!
Sue - That is so cool that you raised so much money for bc. Way to go girl!!
Kathie - Nips!! I am jealous!
Laura - How are you feeling? I hope you are getting over the food poisoning. Please let us know how you are doing.
Sandy - How were your marathon bike rides? If I rode even half that far I wouldn't have been able to walk for a week!
Congratulations to today's surgery sisters:
6/17 - Jaimieh - Exchange to 600 cc Mentor implants (completed)
6/17 - Karen62 - Fipple surgery (completed)
6/17 - sam1991 - nipple surgery (completed)
Best wishes to tomorrow's surgery sisters:
6/18 - Kimmy1 - Exchange surgery
6/18 - Wbuggie - Exchange surgery
6/19 - Northstar - Exchange to silicone gel implants
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