Exchange City
Comments
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Deborah - to FINALLY answer your question about the Maia bra (sorry, haven't been on in a couple days) - no, it doesn't compress the upper pole; in fact, it's almost too loose - and I even sized down to a "C" because I couldn't get it tight enough. I don't think it does nearly as good a job of stabilization as the Donna Karan bra.
Regarding tamoxifen: as whippetmom said, I haven't had any weight gain issues, if fact, quite the contrary - I'm convinced it's the cause of my weight loss.....
Now for my real news.....No nips for Val for Christmas.....or my revision, for that matter
..... Had my ps appointment yesterday, and unless I'm 100% healthy by Friday, no surgery. He will not operate if there is any respiratory issue because of the anesthesia risk - my dh agrees, naturally. Since today I'm still dealing with coughing and my lovely snotty nose, there's no chance in you know where that I'll be 100% by Friday....... So.......additionally, he said that we need to take care of the left side revision and make sure it actually heals in place before nipples,........ so yes, that now makes TWO more surgeries.
Mykidsmom - will you please remove my December 10 date - you may replace it with January 28 for left side revision.
I'm going to go wallow in my pity party now...............
Val
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Val, so sorry that you're having the delay!
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Allison
My PS did want to see me in another 10 days, but just to make sure that I continue to heal. So yes, I think it is normal to not see the PS until Jan. It's weird, bc even though I normally don't like going to the doctor, as I need less appointments, I feel like something is missing. I'm stressing nipple choices too...my PS dislikes tattoos and prefers grafts but I can't think about another surgery right now.
Carolyn
I know how you feel. I keep wondering when I will feel normal again. I have my moments but they are fleeting. I can shower now but it feels like a huge ordeal. Just when I start to feel semi normal, another surgery comes around and I have to cope with abnormal feelings again. I still see stitches, so I don't think they've dissolved yet.
NAE
The way I see it, my normal breast weren't particulary perfect either. For nstance, ever since I finished nursing my son, my right breast remained larger than my left, so much so that it popped out of the bra cup. So in some ways, these reconstructed breasts are better than my other ones.
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Annie
I am also stressing about nipple choices I spoke with the PS today and she mentioned to use part of my aug nipple to do the other one so need to find out some info on that one hopefully someone can help with that. Well the good new's is I had my bandages removed today so I can shower but my stitches have not dissolved yet either looks like fish line to me (lol) but she said everything looks good and do not move your arms over your head for six weeks and no vigorous exercise which i figured I will see her again in a months time she also said no under wire for at least 3 months see how different the ps are? but I am happy with the way they look I will be posting some pic of me hopefully by Friday.
Laura the ps told me when she removed my te she was surprised how much scare tissue was around it so nervous about cc
Val sorry about having to wait but you don't need any complications
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Candi, I am so happy for you.... Glad to hear that you are happy. Deborah, you are an angel....I said that once and will say that again.
Thank you for sharing your stories.....Celine
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Estepp. Thank you for your reply. I really was the one who brought up the high profile implants. I want the boobs on my chest not under my armpit. Nothing personal but, my foob is pretty stupid. I hate the fact that I have no pressure sensitivity. Remember 5 1" without heals..right at bar level...yep the counter and my foob meet alot..I just try to wear heals because its a nuisance. Not to mention I like to shoot pool and bamm! onto the table. HA!! Crazy. Thanks ladies
Gcarter
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annie7216 ~
As I've said it many times...I think we are our own worst critics & I am definitely right up there! I've been doing a lot of crying & soul searching...trying to make sense of all that has been happening to me. I know it's ME. Now...I need to start moving on & truly begin to heal. I just feel bad for my DH who is trying to understand why I am behaving this way. He is "perplexed" w/ me.
I think my DH & I need to go for another Mojito run!!! The drink girls...the drink...
!NAE
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((((Val))))
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NAE - May I suggest pumkintinis??? (pumpkin martinis)
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Val- So sorry- I am thinking of you! How disappointing. 0
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Hood1980 ~
Pumpkintinis?? Hmmm...for real?
I do know my DH & I need a date night again...reallll soon!
NAE
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Deborah, Hood, Val, Nedeza, Peg and Don23 ~ Thank you for your take on Tamox. I had a feeling that the weight gain might not be totally drug related. Hate it when the answer is diet and exercise. Called my DH on the way home from work and told him that I needed to exchange the wine with vodka/diet tonic. Really, should I have to give up alcohol and my boobs?!?!?!?!??!
A little nervous about Friday, always get this way before anesthesia. My PS is very excited about what he feels will be the best fake boobs in town. Will post the photos as soon as I can remember how to do it.
Peg ~ We must meet!! I will be at the Sharp Hotel and Outpatient Spa on Friday afternoon and then lounging the rest of the weekend. I work in the Kearny Mesa area so if you are interested in getting together later in the month or in January after the Christmas chaos has passed let me know. We can have salad with NO dressing for lunch. Ha!!!
Take care!! Colleen
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Colleen ~ I'd love to meet. After the holidays might work out best. PM me anytime. Don't worry about the exchange - it was so much easier than the MX.
Peg
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gcarter: Sorry for the delay in responding. You have had some great responses and I agree with Laura [Estepp] that high profile silicone rounds - Allergan or Mentor - will be best for you. If you can get around 500 cc's - which should be absolutely no problem whatsoever with your current expansion level - you will probably be where you want to be. You need to communicate to your PS your desires RIGHT NOW....tomorrow....before the end of the week....because he needs to order sizers and the implant sizes he might be using. Find out if he uses Allergan or Mentor and find out if he will agree to place you in an implant with greater volume than the TE. If you have photo documented your journey and you want to email me privately, please PM me and I will send you my email address.
It is not clear if you have been on the pictures forum yet. BTW: Dani asked you about your ribcage circumference. Could you measure around your ribs, under the bra line? This is a fairly significant measurement to consider when sizing out implants for your frame.
Deborah
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colleen: Ooooh.....I will come down and meet with you and Peg also in January!!!0
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Hi everyone! Although I am posting for the first time tonight, I have read the entire 280+ pages of this thread and feel like I know many of you. I found this great site after I had my bilateral mastectomies in late Sept of this year. I have learned so much and gotten inspiration and hope from you wonderful ladies. I had my last expansion"overfill" today and should be having my exchange in late Feb/early March! However, next Monday, Dec 7, I am having a bilat oopherectomy/hysterectomy so I am a little apprehensive about that. I know it is the best thing for me but I"ll just be glad when it's over with. TCK
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Welcome Hannah! This is the best bunch of women here on Exchange City. They are all very caring and helpful. I'm impressed that you read all 282 pages! Good luck with the oo/hyst. We will all be here for you sweetie! Hugs! Joyce
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Aw Val so sorry you have to wait for surgery. That sucks.
Nedeza, I know the tears are surely just the accumulation of all that you've had to undergo and be brave about all these months. I have my moments when I cry (usually over something stupid and never directly about the BC -- well at first, anyway
-- you just have to feel your feelings and move on to something new and better when you are done (and rinse and repeat as many times as you need to). I think eventually there will be more smiles and less tears. Tell your DH you just need to cry and it will get better. I saw your pics on Timtam's site and I have to say you look gorgeous! So hang in there.Cheers,
Lilah
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Mom of Hannah: Welcome to EC - and I also applaud you for reading all of the journaling of our lives here on EC the past year. We hope you stay!
Deborah
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Hi, Mom of Hannah, as you may know from reading ALL 282 pages (you are amazing
), I had an abdominal hyster/ooph during exchange. It isn't that painful, I was in the hospital for two nights and I had that pump to self medicate--it was set to allow me to push it every ten minutes--I only pushed if 47 times in 42 hours-(I could have pushed it 200+ times)-and I had no other pain meds in the hospital. I did take Dilaudid for a couple of weeks after, and then stopped and my doc (the onc/gyn) was frustrated with me, she will allow her patients to use pain meds for 10 weeks after an abdominal hyster/ooph! I couldn't drive for awhile because I have a clutch and I could not lift my foot to depress the clutch or use the brakes. Trust me I had pain, but not bad. I have to be indelicate as I was before, you've got to take something that is a pusher to help you have a bm because it kind of hurts to push and I was scared too! I actually went 5 days without "moving." So, ask your doc about what to take. I forget what my doc had me take--she did refer to it as a "pusher" and not a "softner." I had to drink mag citrate again to get moving. Take something loose to wear home because you may be a little bruised around your tummy--I didn't wear "normal" pants for about 3 weeks. If you are pre-menopausal (I was) and have questions about changes after feel free to PM me. YAY for your final fill!Welcome!
Hugs- KarenW
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((((Val)))) Thoughts and prayers.
Love--KarenW
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Mom of Hannah: Hi, and welcome. I can't believe you read all 282 pages!! I get tired just catching up after an absence!! Remember, we're here for you...JUDY
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Lilah ~
Thank you! I really think men do not know how to deal with emotions as well as women...right?! He has been along my side all my life...ups & downs...but this one has been hard on him because he says he does not know how much more he can say or do to make it all right again. You're right though...we need to let it all out sometimes. DH just does not like to see me hurt & wants to protect me from my feelings.
Hugs,
NAE
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whippit
He uses mentor. He knows about the high profile and he agrees that it may be a good choice. I cannot get another expansion. I was a wreck with the last one. 33.5 is above my bra line. He did mention to let him decide which looks best. Thanks for responding.
Gina
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Thanks for being so welcoming Joyce, Deborah and Judy!
Karen, after working my way through all the posts I have to say that you and I seem to have quite a few similarities. Had BLM, Same age range - I just turned 46 in Nov, my oncotype score was 16 and I decided against chemo, didn't need radiation, and I have an extremely strong family history of premenopausal breast ca. ER+ on tamoxifen since Oct 19 and MDs recommend prophylatic BSO/hysterectomy. I'm trying to look at the positive--no more periods! Thanks for all your words of wisdom.
Good night all! TCK
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Mom of Hannah or TCK? Do you have a preference? We are similar! Not having periods is nice. I'm coming up on 1 year on Tamoxifen and as far as I know I'm not having any real problems. I did the first couple of months, but they went away, and I think it made having the ooph easier as my body was used to less available estrogen. I have lost weight this year, but things seem to be shifting
. I think it is because I have not been exercising as regularly as I should be. Let me know if I can be of help.Hugs-KarenW
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Sometimes men are so dear, Nedeza. My SO and I were shopping for a new ceiling fan for the bedroom over the weekend and I was obsessing and intense and he was getting annoyed and I turned to him and said: I can control this, I can't control what is happening to my body... and burst into tears. He said: why didn't you just tell me that? I said: I didn't know until I said it! We are complicated. Hug your DH and tell him it will be okay
Cheers,
Lilah
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Lilah ~
Will do! He just came home!
Thanks!
NAE
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TCH... Hannah's mom.... WELCOME !!!! ((HUG)) and we are glad to have you...:)
NAE... SS about the tears...
Ladies... we all go through so darn much... from the words " you have cancer" to loosing our breasts.. to chemo.. to rads... to TE to Flaps.. to loss of sexual desire.. to our men... not responding to our new breasts.. to our minds feeling... lost...and our hearts hurting...
One thing I know through all that... YOU ARE LOVED!!! GOd Loves you dearly... DEARLY!
Even though I was not asked... LOL... I am going to give some advice... ( me????? LOL)
GET TOGETHER WITH EACHOTHER! When we went to Vegas.. it closed some chapters for a lot of us... it closed the.... OMG chapter...
WHENEVER you can... GET TOGETHER with other Ta Ta's when asked... even if it takes a little money... try your hardest... you are important and if you HEAL YOU.... inside... then your daily life and relationships will heal too.
Love.. Laura
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Watch and enjoy! Fun folks...wish I worked there LOL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEdVfyt-mLw&feature=player_embedded
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