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Exchange City

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Comments

  • PanamaBound
    PanamaBound Member Posts: 4
    edited March 2009

    Exchange complete!!!!!  Bocci andBowling are gone and Firm and Perky have new homes.  Very groggy but feeling GREAT!!!

  • whippetmom
    whippetmom Member Posts: 6,028
    edited March 2009

    Sandy, perhaps you should change your screen name to TINY HINEY?  Or, what I used to call my niece:  "PEENY BUTT"

  • whippetmom
    whippetmom Member Posts: 6,028
    edited March 2009

    Also, I am very glad that the recent EXCHANGE gals are posting so soon after surgery and giving us encouraging updates.  We are really happy for you, but I have to agree with Yvonne, that it is inspiration for us following behind you as well.  It is the knowledge that something good and positive is on the horizon, after all we have been through....something nice to look forward to at the end of this reconstruction journey.  There have been ruts in the road for some, some painful and distressing ruts, some ruts which have prolonged the road trip.  But we pray EVERYONE has a joyful end to this journey!

    Deborah

  • catlover44
    catlover44 Member Posts: 78
    edited March 2009

    Hey ladies!

    I haven't been to visit your City until now (used to hang out on the T/C chemo thread, but Thank God that's over).  I just had my exchange yesterday, and I too have the smushed look from the bandage, which I took off and put on a sports bra instead.  Of course, the sports bra smashed me too, so now I'm sitting here with no bra, hoping that will help things settle into place?  I still have more volume at the top than at the bottom, and it seems like if I stop pressing them flat with a sports bra, it would help them drop a little.  I'm just wondering if all of you who have had your exchange were told to wear a SB 24/7, wear nothing, wear a regular bra, etc.?  Just seems like it hinders the elusive "fluffing", you know?

  • val61
    val61 Member Posts: 969
    edited March 2009

    Hey, ladies!  I just discovered y'all and have a few questions.  I see from the thread that there's a lot more involved in the implant choice than I thought.  I figured I'd just get whatever my PS said would work......    I'm a long way out from exchange - will have my first fill this Friday - but would welcome what I need to start asking so that I'll be happy with results. 

    Thanks Exchange Ladies!

  • Mykidsmom
    Mykidsmom Member Posts: 448
    edited March 2009

    catlover - I added you to our list of completed exchanges. Congratulations! Unfortunately I can't help w/ your questions. I haven't had my exchange yet.

    val61 - I have my pre-exchange appointment next week, so I guess I need to get serious about how to determine my implant choice as well. There is some information on this thread and a lot of information on another thread that just got bumped the other day. I will see whether I can go find it, since I need to read through it myself. I added you to the list as well - at the end w/ the others that don't have a date yet.

    Welcome ladies! This tends to be a pretty busy thread!

  • Mykidsmom
    Mykidsmom Member Posts: 448
    edited March 2009

    The thread is under Breast Reconstruction and called Implants Smaller than Expanders.

    I think this link may work:

    http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44/topic/723289?page=10#idx_274

  • val61
    val61 Member Posts: 969
    edited March 2009

    Thanks, Mykidsmom!  I'll check it out later.  Gotta go try and make my bed for the first time without dh's or teenager's help!

  • smmr
    smmr Member Posts: 34
    edited March 2009

    It's so refreshing to hear everyone's results after their exchanges.  It sounds like most of you have been pretty happy with the results.  That is so reassuring.  The rest of us can't wait until we're in your shoes!!  Thanks for sharing your good news!

  • Estepp
    Estepp Member Posts: 2,966
    edited March 2009

    Psalmist and Cindy, I am so very happy for you and your exchange happiness. You deserve as does every lady doing it! Congrats!

    Yvonne, thank you for remembering! I was in those scans all day... just got home about an hour ago. With Gods help, my scan will be ok.. I will let everyone know. Thanks again for thinking of me!

    Elaine... I sure hope you are as happy!!!

  • rockwell_girl
    rockwell_girl Member Posts: 517
    edited March 2009

    Bukki that was nice of you to stop in before heading out for your new soft boobs : - )

    I'm doing the happy dance again for Cindy : - )

    catlover my PS did tell me to wear a sports bra 24/7 for about 3 weeks I think

    She also said not to wear a push up bra for maybe 8 weeks

    I almost forgot to say welcome to our city : - )

    I think it might be good to keep something on just to keep them from moving to everything can heal.  We may look good from the outside but still healing from the inside.  If your just sitting and not walking around it might be ok to go topless Surprised

    I know some gals are told to wear a band to push the top down to the base.  Next time you see your PS ask him about that...

    val61 just want to share to take a over the counter pain pill about 1 hour before your fill it should help  things.  I didn't have a lot of pain with my fills I hope the same for you...

    Val ask your PS what type of tissue expander you have and what the dim are.  This will help in picking out a implant later on down the road.

    Laura I know I don't have to say it but I love you girl friend (((HUG)))

    well ladies I've been deep cleaning all day (windows, blinds, bedding and blankets some walls and all the mirrors, vacumming and dusting) and finally took a break but going to go back at it.  I still need to scrub floors and clean bathrooms Undecided .  I really want to get my up stairs done so tomorrow I can start on the downstairs and feel guilt free when I go play this weekend Laughing .

  • psalmist
    psalmist Member Posts: 61
    edited March 2009

    Congrats Cindy!!! Elaine, thinking of you today -- can't wait to hear how you did.  Catlover, my PS has me in a sports bra 24/7, but I had a pocket revision on the right side which won't be entirely healed for 6 weeks.  Laura, praying for those scans to be ALL GOOD NEWS.  Val, I love my implant (Mentor high profile silicone 450 cc).  My PS's assistant actually very strongly suggested it to my PS over the moderate profile, as so many patients wish they had more projection.  Because I'm narrow chested, it works for me.  Find the measurements of your expander and use it as a starting point.  I ended up taking my PS (and his assistant's) advice and am very happy with my results.  Smmr, I thought yesterday would never come, and here I am sitting up in bed eating pasta and posting on this thread.  Hallelujah!  It's worth the wait!  Thanks to all of you for your continued encouragement.

  • warrior
    warrior Member Posts: 43
    edited March 2009
    Ok, dumb question, I know...but I'm confused on what you all mean by "projection".  Does that mean the moderate profile will sit lower and flatter or something? Do the high profile come up higher on the chest? Or does that mean just out more?  Anybody's help would be appreciated.  My PS hasn't discussed this with me yet!!Frown
  • PinkyLee
    PinkyLee Member Posts: 427
    edited March 2009

    Hello ladies:

    I have not been online for a few days, and believe me I haven't taken time to read everything.  I hope to later.

    I went to see ps today and had the bandages removed.  Believe me when I say I am disappointed with how I look.  I know they have to settle and all that, but I expected more projection.  According the ps, he opted for height over projection.  Why couldn't I have both.  The new bras do fit, but it is not like I have envisioned my new look.

    I did fiind out the bruising was because he had to do work on the pocket and lipo both sides.  If I had known I would hurt this much, I would have asked for more lipo, might as well lose all the fat if I am going to hurt.

    I hope to start feeling better about my implants soon.  I did get an identification card for my implants today.  Not like having trackable boobs

  • psalmist
    psalmist Member Posts: 61
    edited March 2009

    Warrior, great question!  It took me a lot of reading on these boards to figure it out.  Profile and Projection both indicate how far you stick out.  Moderate profile have a larger width (circumference) but don't project out as much.  High profiles have more projection but are smaller around.   So, if you have a wide chest and get high profile implants, you could end up with narrow looking boobs that are set wide apart.  You will definitely want to discuss your options with your PS. 

  • Mykidsmom
    Mykidsmom Member Posts: 448
    edited March 2009

    Psalmist - You say you have Mentor high profile silicone 450 cc. How many cc's was your TE expanded to? And what size bra do you expect to be now?

    PinkyLee - I have the same question for you. How many cc's were you w/ your TE's and what size and type of implant did you get? I am sorry that you are not pleased, I hope they will "grow" on you.

    I am finally getting serious about sizing and I find it all so confusing. I was a small B naturally and would like to be a large B unnaturally.Tongue out I am filled to 370cc and they seem HUGE to me. From all the discussion I am thinking Mentor High Profile, but what size? Will the 400 cc be just too big for me? I sure hope my PS knows what to suggest because I am not at all sure!

    Sandy - My house needs cleaning too! Just kidding. I am jealous!!

  • psalmist
    psalmist Member Posts: 61
    edited March 2009

    Dear Pinky Lee - I'm sorry you are disappointed in your initial results.  I hope things settle nicely for you and give you more of the look you had hoped for.  Mine aren't perfect either -- I'm just so happy to be rid of those hard expanders that I'm not looking too closely yet.  My PS unveiled the girls in his office this afternoon and the right side (he did a pocket revision) is much higher than the left.  I'm hoping it is just because it is taped up.  But - they're certainly SOFT.  : )  I'll be bound up for about 6 weeks while the right side heals.

  • warrior
    warrior Member Posts: 43
    edited March 2009

    Thank you psalmist,  that was a good explanation.  I think I'm catching on now!!

  • PinkyLee
    PinkyLee Member Posts: 427
    edited March 2009

    I received mentor memory gel implants 500 cc.

  • rockwell_girl
    rockwell_girl Member Posts: 517
    edited March 2009

    Pinkylee what profile were they

    high

    moderate

    or the other might be called low I'm not sure

  • rockwell_girl
    rockwell_girl Member Posts: 517
    edited March 2009

    I just thought I would post the mentor web site that shows the diferent sizes of expanders and implants

    http://www.mentorcorp.com/breastsurgery/reconstruction/breast-implants.htm

    the trick for some of us is if you like the size of your expander try to get implants close to that.  Sorry to say they don't usually have any that match exactally.  Important thing I didn't do the 1st time was to get my implants as wide as my expander. 

    Yesterday when I saw my 2nd PS I asked if she could share any wisdom to pass onto you gals.  She said just be honest with your PS.  She said so many times she will ask ladies do you like things and they will say yes.  Than she will say don't you think that side is about 1/4 smaller.  Than she says they say yes that's been bugging me but I didn't want to say anything.  So just be honest share your concerns don't worry about hurting their feelings.  She said so many times it takes just a little revision to make things look better. 

  • whippetmom
    whippetmom Member Posts: 6,028
    edited March 2009

    An addenum with Sandy's info above: 

    And here is the link to the Allergan Natrelle breast implants and expanders.  My expanders are by Allergan and my implants will be Allergan Natrelle.  Some plastic surgeons give patients the option between Mentor or Allergan.  Some just use Mentor and some only use Allergan.  It would be important to ask which brand they prefer to use. Allergan does have one particular style - Style 45 - which has the highest projection and lowest base width of the two manufacturers.   

    http://www.allergan.com/assets/pdf/natrelle_catalog.pdf

    You have to scroll down a number of pages to get to the expander and implant sizing section. Style 20 and Style 45 seem to be the most popular of the Allergan Natrelle line.

  • rockwell_girl
    rockwell_girl Member Posts: 517
    edited March 2009

    Deb thanks for posting that also.  I thought about it but didn't have the time to find the link.  For some reason when I was looking for it several month back it took me a while to find it.  Even though my surgion usually uses Mentor she would have ordered the Natrelle if I  really wanted it.  So I would suggest to ask your PS if she would be willing to order the other if they only usually offer the one. 

  • firstmate
    firstmate Member Posts: 153
    edited March 2009

    Has anyone had the same size implants in both sides, but one side looks much bigger?  I had a BLM in March, implants in Sept and 1st revision in November (capsulotomy and increase pocket size on L side).  Now the 2nd revision on L side is scheduled for March 18.  The L side just looks bigger and it is mishaped due to adhesions. The PS said he will try a smaller implant in the L side and add some alloderm to see try and make the breasts look symmetrical..

  • whippetmom
    whippetmom Member Posts: 6,028
    edited March 2009

    firstmate - Yes and I think there are pictures on the Picture's Forum which show this type of assymetry.  I am glad you are headed for revision this month.  For many of us, this is as much a part of healing  - the cosmetic result which addresses the area of emotional well-being  -as any other part of our treatment. 

  • rockwell_girl
    rockwell_girl Member Posts: 517
    edited March 2009

    firstmate... from what I heard sometime the TE can push in more on one side than the other so in that case you need different size implants.  Also having more scar tissue on one side verses the other may cause that also.  Did your TE look different and were they filled to the same amount?

  • whippetmom
    whippetmom Member Posts: 6,028
    edited March 2009

    Sandy, I just went back to the Picture's forum and looked at your PREVIOUS implants again.  I had not looked at them since December!  I was focusing on your current implant.  Wow, what a difference!  I see what you mean about being able to see the outline of the expander on the side view of your saline implant.  But I just wonder if you recall WHICH Mentor saline implant your PS used for the original exchange?  I have searched and I cannot find any saline implants 425 cc's which have a narrow base width less than 12.0 and the projection was 5.3  Because if your saline implants were instead in the 12 cm range, I want to still do a little more research on whether I want that narrower base width on the Allergan implants.  I really appreciated the one photo where you point to the obvious gap where the implant should be sitting on your ribcage.  It really shows the lack of base width.  Anyway....just wanting also for those reading and researching to realize that base width DOES have significance and that we should not focus on so much projection so as to not have the implant look natural.  You obtained a very natural result the second time and you have less projection. 

    Deborah

  • rockwell_girl
    rockwell_girl Member Posts: 517
    edited March 2009

    good thing I had the link on the previous page made it easy to get you this info

    350-3380380 cc11.7 cm5.2 cm420 cc11.6 cm5.7 cm450 cc11.4 cm6.4 cm

    my 1st implant had a fill range from 380 - 450

    which I was filled to 450 and my width than was 11.4 and 6.4 projection

    it was saline high profile implant from mentor

    you know it's weird I should have 1cm less projection but I don't really notice that

    I'm just really happy the way I turned out the 2nd time

    so I will say... give it a little time but if your not happy ask for a change if you really want a change

    sorry my copy & past thing went all goofy on me above...

  • YvonneB
    YvonneB Member Posts: 149
    edited March 2009

    Well Sandy it sounds like you and I were doing the same thing today.  I just sat down for the first time since this morning and I am pooped!  It is the first "real" cleaning I have done since before my surgery. My husband was really good about keeping the housework done but I have to say that he just does it way different than I do. So...today I had enough of looking past the dust bunnies and they got it!  I did some good old fashioned spring cleaning along with it too.  I took 5 large trash bags out of the upstairs alone and I haven't even touched the rest of the house!  It felt good to get it done though I am pretty achy tonight.  Advil and a hot bath for me!

    I am sorry you are not happy with your outcome PinkyLee.  It seems that lots of the ladies are a little disappointed at first but seem to feel better about things in a few days.  Hang in there and see what next week brings.

  • rockwell_girl
    rockwell_girl Member Posts: 517
    edited March 2009

    well I just got done cleaning the bathroom and thought I would stop here again

    it is nice having the house smell so good

    my hands were dry before today and now they are really sore

    for Christams I got several massage gift cert and I have an appointment for 8:30 in the morning to get one.  It's going to feel so good ; - )

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