Exchange City
Comments
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Laura: On the one hand I love you because of who you are. But that is getting in the way of your asking for the same result that an augmentation patient would ask for. Your PS CHOOSES to do reconstructive work. He knows there are tweaks he is going to have to do. In a way, he's lucky because you are not messed up, and he doesn't have to start over..
He has an expectation: That his patients are going to ask for what they want and not be satisfied with less. Just fulfill his expectation, It isn't a money issue with him, because otherwise he wouldn't do reconstructions. I know, I work with a Plastic Surgeon. So go for it, ASK...and let him do his best to please you. That is what PS do. You deserve it. You're a very special patient. JUDY
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You are right Judy. Thank you for that insight. My way of life.. and thinking.. can TOTALLY get in the way of me getting what I should.. sometimes. I will think on this!!!!!!!!!!!
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Saw the P/S today, he said we will take out the gummies, he is going to try to release the tightness on both sides and relax the radiated skin on the right side in the OR and put in high profile silicone gels. If theyy can't release the tightness enought they will put in two expanders for about 3 months and do little fills (since the pockets are already there) and then put in the silicone gels. I am so happy to have soft boobies in my future again.
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Bigapple, I am sorry the 410s didn't work out for you. I just got them last week, but never had rads. Did you know pretty quickly that they weren't going to work, or was it something that developed over time? It's great your ps is willing to try a bunch of things until he gets it right!
If you all would indulge me a pity party I am throwing in my honor, I am a little wistful about the fact that I had to drop my original plan which was to get a tummy tuck at the same time as I get my nip reconstruction. Due to gaining 30+ lbs since diagnosis, I am no longer a candidate for a tuck right now. Although I am confident I can lose the weight and get back in shape, probably not by the end of the calendar year which is when my insurance resets (and I would once again owe $1000s in deductibles and coinsurance for any procedure). So, since I need nips & revisions done by 12/31 for insurance purposes, I just don't think it is realistic or healthy to try to drop a ton of weight on such a short timeline just so that I can get the tummy tuck done at the same time. On the other hand, the odds of my actually dropping $7K and going under the knife again to get a tummy tuck at some point in the future is highly unlikely. So, yeah, I'm sad but I think I have to let that one go.
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Hi Samiam
I was unhappy with the 410(s) right away. For a long time the inside of my chest felt itchy (which could be nerves from the BIMX. I had 1 stage recon with no expanders, so there was a lot going on. I was very unhappy with the right (radiated) side, but that was not the implant it was problems wit the muscle and the skin which made it look weird w/o clothes. The left side looks awesome the shape is great. The hardness is a big problem, I also hate that they don't move at all. All of this may be because i never had expanders, but from what I understand they don't over expand with the 410. Many women on the site love their 410(s) and it seems like its a love them or hate them right away kind of thing.
In Re Pity Party:
We are entitled to pity parties if we want them. A girl friend asked me "would you feel bad for someone else who went through this?" I said, yeas and then she asked me why i could not give myself the same room and treat myself as nicely. It was one of those WOW moments.
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((((((LAURA)))))
(((((SAMIAM)))))
btw......I personally think pity parties are extremely cathartic!!!! Laura - call that ps and get what you want and deserve - like Judy said, it's not about the money issue - only a real jerk of a doc would think that way, clearly not the guy you've talked about here.
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Dawn - the pics are awesome!!!!! Sure hoping I'll get a similar result!
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Ladies there are so many things I want to address in your posts, so much going on, but I'm in Colorado for a meeting, distracted and tired so want to wait until I can write well.
Ouestion: We've discussed noisy implants, but mine have been quite since about a week after surgery. Last night I noticed on is kind of sloshing and a little squishy. Could it be the altitude here in Boulder? The plane ride? I have cohesive gels, they aren't suppposed to ooze, right? I'm wondering if I've sprung a leak!
Dawn and My dear Tumor Twin (Samiam) Thanks for posting!
Laura--you do and say WHATEVER you need to look and feel they you want to be.
Wendy--This is a good thing!
More later,
Hugs--Karen
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Laura -
I have posted around on some of the different forums but not consistently and I am the 37 year old that had full expansion and then radiation and upcoming exchange on the 2nd of October. I went for my pre-op yesterday with my PS and you know what he told me "More than 30% of the time people need a revision surgery to get exactly what everyone is looking for" He said we may need higher bigger etc...so please don't feel bad about talking to your PS, I think they expect it...you do what feels right and good!!
Diane
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((thank you))
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Karen: The phenomenon you describe is called "Boyles Law"....air in implants expanding at high altitudes causing swishing, squeaking sounds....reported in the New England Journal of Medicine, but described in this news article:
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THANKS for all your compliments on my pics, I'm hoping they will help others as all the picture postings have helped me. It is so nice to actually see other women and be able to compare to get what is right for each of us. Everyone keep putting one foot in front of the other and keep up the great support. HUGS, Dawn
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Hello to all!
I have had time to read most of the posts but not to reply as often as I would like. I just wanted to share that I got my nipple yesterday and am hoping and praying it will look much better than it did when he finished and bandaged me up. I know it is too early to tell but I am glad to have the procedure behind me and hope and pray for the best.0 -
congrats on the new fipple Yvonne!! Don't judge the poor little thing by the first day..
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Wow! I was gone for a few weeks dealing with work issues/mini vacation and there are 24 new pages. I felt compelled to read every one to make sure everyone was doing okay. Lots has been happening and I don't know where to start so LOVE and HUGS to all of you~my heart goes out with every word as I read (yes, I sat at my desk reading these for 2 hours~good thing I am the boss).
It looks like I will get exchanged in early November (one year from dx) but don't have a date yet. These TE's caused quite a stir when I flew to San Fran a couple of weekends ago. Not the inspectors but a few of the travelers who coudn't help but stare at my rack. Hysterical!!! I need to find out the type and size, etc. so I can check in with Deborah and get the skinny on my implants.
Laura ~ You are the best and will have the strength and courage that you need to be an advocate for yourself!!! Haven't colored my hair yet but think of you every time I consider it. Will keep you posted. Have gotten lazy and am really annoyed that I have to start shaving again . . . . .
Colleen
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Jeanie - At what point in your recovery did your nipple turn necrotic? How long after the surgery?
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Colleen: Wow.....you must have some fantastic TE's! Now we will ALL want to know what size they are!!0
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Deborah.. funny... my TE got the looks too.. IN CLOTHS! For whatever reason.. those silly looking low profile... silly looking naked TE... looked great in tops..LOL.. and a good bra.. I was probably a D cup with those...LOL....did not know it till later...
Ladies.. I feel strong going to the PS tomorrow. I also have let go of size. One of you.. THAT I LOVE.. Pm'd me.. let me know that I needed to stop it!!!! Stop being.. like I was being...LOL...
This may sound.. warped... but.. I DO NEED to stop being pissy on size. I am a C cup...just a smaller one.
What I need to focus on is the ripples.. ( if I choose... and I do..).. and my eyes..
THANK YOU ALL for supporting me... and giving me strength... and setting me straight!
I LOVE YOU GIRLS SO MUCH!
Laura
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Back in Portland, there's no place like home!
Deborah thank you for your note about the bubbles. I got it during lunch today and it made me feel a little better. I'm going to check things out when I'm done posting.
Laura--I didn't see anything in what you wrote as bing a pity party, or anything else. You are mourning your natural breasts, cancer took them, and you are adjusting with the new you. You are so beautiful, and give so much to everyone here, we all appreciate it. I can't talk much about size because I didn't have rads, but if your breast is doing OK, maybe that is what you live with for awhile, get the grafts, and in a year if you want to do something different maybe you can. You've been through so much this year, heal, have fun, and revisit it later, just my 2 cents.
Love,
Karen
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December 21, 2009, is my date (if they can move it up they will, the exchange and revision will be either from 410 to expanders or direct to soft gel implants. Squishy boobies I cannot wait.
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Great Bigapple!!!
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Wendy--that is so great, you will love the softness. What a great Christmas present.
Hugs,
Karen
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((Karen)) and ((Laura) Karen what you wrote to Laura is right on, this is a grieveing time and coming to terms with what is and what was. I think this because I feel this way sometimes myself, I think they call this normal! I look at the 4 inch scar and and it is always a reminder of what was, makes me sad. Then I think about the new fipple I will get, the talent of a "sister" that is going to help make my breast look whole, and that is what "is" for me. I am alive, I don't have cancer today and I am going to go play. Adjusting my attitude takes daily tweaking, and to be perfectly honest some days I don't even want to be around me
. ((Judy)) Monday is your next fill day? Keep us posted. BTW, how are the "girls" looking with the expansion?
Jan
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Hi all:
I don't know why, but I turned a bright pink (how color appropriate) from getting one and my GP said never again.
Anyone allergic to eggs should not get a flu shot at all. They grow the culture in an egg actually and they usually warn you when you get one.
Laura, love you too sweetie pie. I second every single thing KEW said: You will feel really differently in about 3 months, also they need time to settle, drop, fluff. It takes awhile and the PSs usually want you to wait awhile so they can see how things heal. You can easily fix anything you want to (tho you are so beautiful, already!) down the road.
chill, darlin a little bit. Rest and restore you.
xoxo
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Everyone feeling down in the dumps re: boobies and replacement boobies:
We are not our boobs. We are our beautiful hearts and souls. These are just chunks of fat on a favorite dress. We can go thru a mourning process which is natural and necessary to get to the other side and gain perspective. Once we do that, (and we all do) we can move on.
It's really important to feel the sadness of what was; acknowledge it, and then move on from it. Just let time wash it all away. It's only boobies. Anyway, the real ones hit your hip in time and look really crappy....we get new ones
. They will never sag, look like crap, or get cancer in them. They may have scars, but that will fade with time. for anyone whose PS hasn't mentioned it, they do have a PS laser txtmnt, covered by insurance, that can flash and fade those scars...they use it on burn patients.I'm just kind of looking at it like aging....well, some things looked better when I was younger, but the boobs are going to look better as i get older! I look forward to flashing everyone in the nursing home.
xoxox
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Hey Bigapple, can we change that now to "Big Apples" after exchange?
xoxoxoxo good luck! You will love them!
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Do saline implants drop and fluff. I feel like I an going thru the same thing as Laura.
I just had my sister run over and look at mine and went over what I feel is my problem with my exchanges. They are low, ripples-one big one where cleavage should be. I have no chance of any cleavage and I have hollowed spots on chest-that I feel. So your so right as my sister said, I am mourning my new body and am not to happy I can't wear a dress and look sexy or feel sexy.Will these things change in 3 months?
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Annie.. you are so right... Karen... you too... EVERYONE!.. Thank you so much for your advice.
You have become my greatest strength, next to the Lord, in this process of BC. I admire and respect you all. Thank you !
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NOW... before I rush off to work...
I just got back from my PS. I had to tell you all this...
I made up my mind that I was not going to talk size with him. That part was me having boob greed and was totally wrong of me and for me. I was only going to address the real issues I had. I felt SOOOOOOOOOOOO much better and stronger after I came to terms with my grief and possible greed.
So... I showed him my eyes. He said that I did have a fat pad under each eye that he did not get, and I needed the eyes tweeked. He said it was in office and under a local. He said it was not a big deal at all.. and that I should not bruise this time.. and no time off work! WAHOOOOOO
Then,. I showed him my breasts. He said I was a model case for Alloderm and radiation. That my skin was so soft and I am healing wonderfully. BUT........ and here is what I WAS NOT EXPECTING AT ALL......
He said that might right breast was falling. ( Remember I told you all it was about 1/2 lower)... he said that it would continue to fall and we needed to fix this. THEN... he addressed the ripples. He agreed that I did have them , minor as they are... but they are there. I told him I had decided NOT to do the fat grafting and I would learn to love the ripples...LOL I felt good about this.
NOW... He tells me that the fat grafting would probably NOT help me. I have a lot of skin and it is thin. HERE IS THE PART I ABOUT FELL OFF THE CHAIR OVER..............
He asked me.... how I felt about a BIGGER IMPLANT???????????????
He said.. that he "thought" the 450s would have filled out my skin really well and would make me a full C cup. On the table.. it looked like it. Well, time went by.. and as I settled.. he can now see that I have ripples only because He should have put in the 550's to make me that Full C and fill in my skin ....
OMGOSH....... I am not kidding ladies. I DID NOT EVEN mention size to him. I just wanted to address the lower implant and let him know I was not willing to do the lipo/fat grafting...
I am still giggling...
SO.. since I do have to have ANOTHER surgery to lift the non rads side... ( he called it some type of Capsule thing)... I am going to go ahead and let him put in the 550's...LOL....call it fate I suppose....
CAN YOU BELIEVE this..he said the bigger implant is all I need to fix the ripples...
AND.. I only need one week off work.. I can do that !!!!!!!!!!!!!
WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
I am still in shock.....
Sorry sooooooo long.. but it is hard to say all that in a short version.. and I hope this post helps other ladies.... we will see.. I am waiting till Oct. sometime to do surgery as I am slow at work anyway...
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Yea! Laura - you sound so happy. I am glad everything seems to be working out for you. You get bigger girls, no ripples and your eyes will be 'tweeked'.
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