Exchange City
Comments
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Hi Karen, I'm also from Montreal. If I may ask, what hospital are you going to? I'm going to the JG Hospital and am also in the expansion phase. I've had 3 fills so far (counting the itty bitty one I got during surgery).
Hope you are doing well.....
Terri
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Now I'm really worried...Laura is 5 ft1 and 115lbs and has 450cc's and is a "good C". I'm 5ft 5 and 140 lbs and my TE's are 350's...how much can my PS over-expand? Seems to me with 350's I won't be getting implants any bigger than maybe 500's?? Won't that be too small for my frame? I want to be a "good C" also !!
PS - Laura, I can't find you on the pic forum?
Terri
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Whippetmom...how do you know all this stuff??
I am filled to 600cc but was shooting for 650 for the "overfill" but had too many complications so stopped. I am now scheduled for an Aug 17th exchange to Allergans 120 HP textured silicone round. My PS will have 500, 550 and 600 there to see what looks best. I am 5'5" down to 135 lbs from 150lbs when this all started. I am short waisted...long legs though! 
I was a 38DD and DO NOT WANT that again! 36B-C is what we are shooting for and I think that will be fine.But I am intriqued by Allergan's catalog 410 "shaped" breast implants. Do you have any knowledge about them? They just look more natural than the rounds. Can you comment? And what about textured vs. smooth? My PS and I have gone back and forth. First it was textured to minimize CC, than it was smooth because I got a nasty infection and he thinks I may be more vulnerable to infections with the textured but now he is back to textured after all. Any thoughts?THANKS! You are a gold mine! I will pay it forward!
Blessings!
Angel
PS would love to get to the photos link but I think Timtam manages that and her Dad recently died...I sent her my condolences but was wondering is that the only site you sisters refer to when discussing photos? Thanks again!
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Sending good luck and quick healing to oncRN for surger in the AM.0
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Terri.. it also has a LOT to do with your rib cage measurements.. I am about a 29 1/2- 30 inchs..around.. right below breast.
anyway... look under "well Burnt"... I am not Estepp over there.. I have a private name. You will see...
also,. my Te where 300's.. I over filled them to 420...
Your TE will over fill until you are happy with your size.......
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Hi Angel:
Do you have the specs on your TE's? Mentor or Allergan [or other], Style # [Mentor has 3 and Allergan has 6 styles] and total fill capacity of the TE's. Need your ribcage - see Estepp's question to Terri above about how to measure.Referable to implant sizes - it is difficult to ascertain cup size based on implant size. For instance, a 600 cc high profile implant might give you a C cup, whereas a 600 cc moderate profile implant might give you a "D" cup. There is considerably more width with the moderate profile implant and it would require a larger cup size to accomodate the width. So it is best to calculate the dimensions of the pocket created by your TE's currently and with some other measurements, come up with a style which might work best. But I will say you are in the right size range - 500 - 600 cc's sounds right to me. The Allergan 410's are only available in the U.S. through clinical trial and only certain plastic surgeons have access to them. They are approved and widely available in Canada. Honestly, I personally do not think you would be as happy with them though and perhaps not a candidate, as you described that you are short waisted which I TAKE to mean you have a shorter torso? The anatomical 410's just might be too tall on the chest wall for you. There are far fewer who have textured silicone implants than have smooth silicone implants. We have two on EC who have them but they have only had them a short time and so far they are happy and not having any problems. The textured implants are more likely to ripple than the smooths and studies seem to show they do not typically last as long as smooth silicone implants. Studies have shown they can reduce CC, but obviously not by enough to make them as popular as the smooth silicone. I think you can discuss these issues with your PS - especially the rippling issue - and see what he thinks.
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Terri: How are you doing with those TE's? Did you ever tell us what style and how many cc's you ended up with? Will your PS exchange you to implants with larger volume than your TE's?
And where is Cheri? Are you going to Vegas????
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My PS measured the width of my natural breasts to determine which TE to use. He didn't do any measurements for the implants. I'm 5'10 and 140 lbs. I have 400 HP which puts me at a solid B. another 50 cc's would have gotten me to a C. However, I would have preferred to have the ultra high profiles instead of more cc volume. My volume is fine. My projection is not.
Angel, I'm one who has textured implants and they are firmer than the smooth. I don't have any rippling issues. I've only had them for 3 months.
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OncRn....praying for you today!
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Thanks Firni and Whippetmom...very helpful info!
Whippetmom..the midrange implant the 550 has a 13.9 diameter and a 4.8 projection. MY PS measured my breast as I was heading into my bmx...I thought I recall him saying I was a 13.5 diameter which gave him the direction as to what size to go with the TE's. And I have a good deal of rippling with my TE's now! I know he wanted to fill me 50cc above 600, but I was very uncomfortable...had 2 hospitalizations due to "issues" and personally, I think he went too fast too quickly. I had 50cc "prefill" at surgery, then 3 fills weekly at 150 cc each. That last one was really uncomfortable, and I ended up in the hospital with cellulitis. Not saying the infection was related to the fill rate, but I was not happy going so quickly...only I didn't complain. Live and learn!
Thanks ladies! God Bless all of us!
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Deborah/Laura: My ribcage measurement is 31. My TE's are 350's and so far I have been filled to either 180 or 200 (I'm not sure if prefill was 30cc's or 50cc's). I have very little pain and my scars are healing well. My right breast (cancer side) seems to be a bit flatter on the bottom meaning not as rounded as the left side but I guess that will round itself out with more fills. My first fill in his office was 60cc's, 2nd was 90cc's so at the future rate of 90cc's at a time it'll take me a while to get to where I want to be. I'm thinking I need to be filled to at least 450? and then 500-550 implants? My PS said he would put in larger implants than the TE's.
I've still got time, but was worried that these 350's would not get me to where I want to be.
Terri
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((OncRN)) great thoughts with you today! Can't wait to hear how it went,
So much happenend since I logged on, so many new faces and names, this is great! The resources and commraderie here is is amazing.
Congrats to all the new grandma's, Nana's etc, I just wish my little guys were closer to me! Thank goodness for Skype.
((Tracy)) You look amazing!!!! Wow, your outcome was great as well as so many ladies here. Thank goodness for reconstruction.
Going to the radiation oncologist with the (Mother in Love) this morning. She has surgery next Tuesday and will do the lumpectomy and radiation. I will be lurking, so know that even if I do not post, I do read and derive so much from all of the post from everyone, I am so happy to see so many more ladies coming here for support and information. Jan
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Angel: Fills were way too fast! That is outrageous! What is the rush? So you are at 600 cc's now and will be exchanged to a 550 cc textured implant? What is your ribcage measurement - measuring the circumference under your bra line?
Terri: So you only have another 100 cc's and then you can hold and wait for the exchange. And 500 cc's or 550 cc's in the high profile style will be just right for you. I would push for the 550 cc's....
Jan: Praying for your MILove and for you...bless your heart - you are such a comfort to her, we can all see that!
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I went to had another fill yesterday. My ps added 80 cc to each tes and had a total of 490cc. My right side went well however on my left side te, I felt excruciating pain from under my arm and radiates inside the middle of my te, also if I raised my left arm i felt my nerve muscles shooting pain on my left back. My left side is where they found the cancer which is very close to my chest wall. I hope this is normal and go away for a few days. I can't rule out infection or leaking on my left tes because I don't know what theses symptoms are.Has anyone had the same experience having this close to the filling process? I am taking a vacation to Canada in September and don't want to have any complications what-so ever. After my vacation, I will schedule an exchange date with my ps. My ps starting to know me more and I told him that be prepared on my next visit, I have a list of question for you again. He laughed but love it. Take care ang love you all. I am drugged=up with vicodin and valium right now. I think this is my longest response here so far with my medication taking effect. Oh well, good vibes to all.
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CELINE - After my 2nd fill I thought my pec muscles were going to rip off of my body. I had been fine after the first but when I went for the 2nd the left side was excruciating (I had cancer on the left side also but ps didn't think that had anything to do with it). The center in the front and around the back as well. It was a Friday and my PS met me back at her office on Sat. morning and took 30cc back out of each side and I had immediate relief. From that point on I only had 30cc per fill. I am a small person and I guess I could just not take any more than that at a time. I only wanted to take OTC pain relievers through it, maybe if I had something stronger I could've taken more cc.
Hello everyone, I'm always reading your posts but don't post here that much myself. Thanks for all your help and continued good thoughts for all of you wherever you are in your journey back.
HUGS, Dawn
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Just wondering if anyone knows someone with style 45s who has posted pics on the picture forum?
Welcome, Karen!
Celine - My last fill- nearly 3 weeks ago- was really tough. PS warned me that it might be, so I was prepared. Honestly, just yesterday the tightness that runs down your arm to the elbow (or sometimes lower) finally resolved. It always seems tighter on my bc side, which strangely has 10cc more than the other side but looks way smaller. Go figure....
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Hello to everyone! I am finally on the OTHER side, sporting my 600 cc style 20s! Amazed at how easy this surgery was...I was in the OR less than two hours, and discharged within four hours of the surgery. No nausea this time, thanks to a wonderful anesthesiologist! I just woke up from a nice nap, and am wearing ice bags for next 48 hours, off and on, per order of the PS. I haven't peeked you, except to see real honest to goodness cleavage when I changed my clothes upon arrival at home. Also in a compression bra....only very mild pain at this point...and just so pleased to think this might all now be over!! I don't need tats or nipples, as I was able to save my own. Thanks for all the prayers and well wishes..this board is wonderful, and so full of love and support! Will post again tomorrow, once I have had my first look in shower. Good luck to kbram tomorrow! Ann
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Val - Journey and Moodyk13 are two and there is one other - but I cannot recall who right now. You will have to look at both sets of photos for Journey and Moody b/c they each had two exchanges and the second exchange was for the Style 45's.
OncRN - So good to hear from you and good to hear all went well today. Let us know what you think after the "unveiling"....
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It was brought to my attention that Teresa [stfemme] posted something last week that went unanswered. Here is a condensed version of what you wrote Teresa:
"My PS really wants to use Moderate plus implants, he says with my body size he thinks the will be much better than high profile. So I looked at my expander measurements....550cc's but they are filled to 700 cc's, width 13;5 height 11.7 projection 7.4......mentor just released 650 cc's in these implants and the website doesn't show the measurements, but 700cc is a 4.9 projection. 4.9????? Apparently my expanders must have more projection than 7.4....OMG does this mean Im going to have flat pancakes??? I love my projection, ok I can handle that it isn't going to be like these...I get that but half? I dont know about this. I think Im just getting nervous a little."
Based upon what I have researched and understand from talking with two plastic surgeons - the purpose for the exaggerated projection with TE's is to expand the muscle and actually, more importantly, the skin, as much as is safely possible to get good skin flaps, and many plastic surgeons do this also for the purpose of creating "ptosis" or a natural droop. Especially with only a skin-sparing mastectomy - think of it like a pita pocket slit of a suture line right across the breast....all NATURAL projection has been diminished by excision of the NAC and fat and tissue, and it has to be built back up artificially.
You know, you need to go to the pictures forum and look at sam1991's photos. She has 650 cc moderate plus implants [I THINK they are that size....]and she looks fabulous. She has plenty of projection. I believe she was expanded to the same amount as her implants, if I am remembering correctly. I think you would be pretty happy to have what she has!!! So you have to get these TE projection numbers out of your mind. But if projection is very important to you, then press your PS and insist on the high profile implant. You would get 6.0 cm vs. 4.9 and this is only a difference of 1.1 centimeters - about 1/4 of an inch.
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Packergirl, My PS has done lots of measurements. He just measured me again to determine the size for my exchange. I think the ladys here have said it also makes a difference what TE you have. I have the Allergen 133 sv expanders.
Di
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I did not know Karen (Moody) had 45's
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Ann, so glad things went well. 600cc's? Holy moly! Dare to dream, lucky you! My little 353cc's would look like the cherry on top! Hope you continue to have an easy time and are very pleased at the "unveiling"!
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lol dani...... LOL
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KBRAM.... Honey, tomorrow is your day.... GOOD LUCK AND GOD BLESS !
Report when you can....
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Way to go Ann! Va Va Voom!!!!
Good luck tomorrow KBRAM!!!
Speedy recovery ladies!
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ANN,,,,, so glad you are home resting.... CANNOT wait to here your story as you get off the Vicodin....:).... share when you can, but stay pain free a few days...
love ya
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Estepp, swest and oncRN, thank you all so much for your good wishes and speedy recovery. I will be glad when it is over. Fifth surgery in 10 months. Getting ready for all this to end. Nice to know I have friends that have gone thru the same thing. Best wishes to everyone.
Kathy
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Ann- Glad all went well. Conrgats on the new girls and on no nausea!!. I hope my anesthesiologist gives me some of the same meds you got. Let us know how you're looking tomorrow, but get your rest tonight.
Good luck to KBRAM,
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Yes Laura, Karen has Allergan Style 45's - 700 cc's. To recap for all of those interested, she went from TE's of 425 cc's to 425 cc high profile implants. Then she went from the 425's to 700 cc's. Who said it can't be done???
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The pain on my left side after the fill yesterday is starting to mellow down. I am at 490 cc and have two more fills to go in August. I hope that this is it where I wanted on the first place closed to 600 or just a little more.DENRulzBC and val61, I am glad to hear from both of you and are comfortable now. Thank you for sharing your experiences. Celine
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