Exchange City
Comments
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Texas and Musiclover: Thank you! It's a relief to know I'm not crazy about this dent thing
And that it is harmless. It does seem to be.... it takes from 20 mins to an hour to fully go away (I've noticed).Geewhiz -- I love that story about the pregnant woman with cancer -- it brings tears to my eyes! Joyful ones at her successful fight. What an inspiration and such a great, happy ending. May she be NED for life.
Fairportlady -- Aw so sorry you are feeling the pain. I did find that the exercises (see American Cancer Society website for pictures) really did help reduce the pain -- they are small movements, nothing above your shoulders (in terms of how high you lift your arms) but these movements (shoulder rolls, arm circles, chicken wing flap) really do gently release tension in the muscles affected. In fact even a month after MX I am finding they help a lot after fills (in addition to healthy doses of ibuprofen).
Cheers,
Lilah
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Love the bra exchange idea, I wonder if we should start a new thread for that. It would be nice to have links at the top with bras that people recommend for different purposes (post mastectomy, unilateral, TE comfort, post exchange, after exchange--large foobs, small foobs, odd foobs
, etc). I haven't started a thread yet, but I will if you all think it a good idea and if nobody else wants to do it. Val, Glad to hear you comment about the tamoxifen brain, I thought it wasn't supposed to do that, but I am such an airhead these days!Amym, I can't help you (haven't had an exchange yet), but my heart breaks for you. Hang in there!Lilah, I had a lot of denting from clothes, leaning on things etc in the beginning but now that I'm fully expanded, I couldn't put a dent in there if I tried! Fairport, Great outlook! I'm glad you're doing well. I remember the first couple days my painball ran out were torture as well. Make sure you take you pain pills on schedule, set an alarm at night that way you're never trying to catch up and get the pain down once it's already up it's hard to get it down. Julie 0 -
Nedeza,
I had a lift/augment to my healthy side last March, and it definitely helped with the fullness of the upper pole and the symmetry. I was pretty small in the first place, though, so that may have played a part in it. Also, I have a gummy in my mx side, and the gummy, while I hate the hardness of it, does seem to have a more natural shape to a regular breast. In terms of hardness, however, it feels just like the tissue expander. I do think that in the case of matching a reconstructed breast with the healthy side, a lot has to do with the skill of the PS, although that's just my opinion and my very limited knowledge!
I saw earlier on this thread that someone wanted the fat grafting to fill in some ripples but she didn't think she had enough fat anywhere. I really have very little fat to speak of, but the PS was able to lipo whatever fat I had from the stomach and use it to fill in the ripples on my gummy side. That was just a few weeks ago, and when I saw the PS for my post-op earlier this week, he's really pleased how it's filled out the dents. So, fat grafting is definitely do-able, even when you're thin.
What's really weird about this whole reconstructive process for me is that now I've got much fuller and bigger boobs than I started with (and higher on my chest!) and this really flat stomach after the lipo. It just feels so weird not to be able to fit into any of my button down shirts anymore. I know I should be happy to now have the body of a 20-something, but I have no idea who I'm looking at in the mirror anymore. It's just really strange.
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Julie -- re: no dents at full expansion of TE... yeah I kinda thought maybe that might be the case (that the dents happen more easily right now because there is room still for expansion/movement). Thanks!
Digger -- I'm sorry to hear that you find the gummie as firm as the TE! I didn't think they were supposed to be that firm (and I did feel a sample of one and it certain did NOT feel that firm). Did your PS overexpand you and then put in a smaller implant (smaller than final expansion)? My PS prefers the anatomical gummies for unilateral (helps better with symmetry, she says, for matching to the natural remaining breast). I'm inclined to take her recommendation on this, based on the after results she's shown me of her work. I guess if I hate it I can do a second exchange (though of course I am really hoping that doesn't have to happen).
Lilah
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Digger~
THANKS for the FYI!!! So far, I have been happy w/ PS & I am thinking she is downplaying so that I do not feel discouraged post lift. Although, still perky on my aug. side...I did like it being a bit fuller all around...I think I got used to the appearance although I complained about the projection. My cupsize on my aug. size feels looser now after the removal & that is how I can tell it must appear smaller. I also think I am trying to look for "going back" the way I was prior to all of this & it is "not going to happen". It is about trying to get back the normalcy.
Anyway...thanks!
NAE
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NAE -- how great that the saline can be added and subtracted to make for a better match! Sounds far preferable to do that than to have to do more surgery. Hope the next visit (adding a little back) gets you to an even better place.
Cheers,
Lilah
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Has anyone heard about the possibility of leaving the tissue expander in permanently? My PS suggested that as a possibility because I've had radiation and we want to avoid a second surgery. (This is my second TE. It was put in following an infected implant. Long story)
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Actually....how many of you are there who had a single MX w/ aug/lift on healthy side?? Would love to hear from you on this.
Thanks!
NAE
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digger: How are the fat injections done?I didn't realize they do liposuction to get the needed fat, but how great would that be!! Does it hurt at the lipo site and the injected sites? My doctor suggested taking the fat from my "love handles" and he even reached over and grabbed them to show me he could use that! How embarassing and I didn't even think I was fat!! Maybe I'll direct him to my butt and thighs and let him know there is better fat there!!
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Alicia: If you have a single stage tissue expander this would not be a problem. However it sounds as though you have the two stage version - as the majority of us have or had and research reflects manufacturers place a six month "expiration" period on them. Obviously this can be stretched out a little longer in the case of women undergoing rads - delayed exhanges - but the standard TEs were not meant to be used into perpetuity. That said, if your PS is willing to monitor you ever three months to make sure all is well....then perhaps a year or two down the road, attempt an exchange. I just do not know about "forever."
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Hi Deborah, I was told that from an other, that your fat injections did not last or were not successful? Is this the case and could you tell me a bit about the procedure. ie. pain etc. Also, are they permanent? I remembering you mentioning them a while back, but I forget all the info. Thank you!
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kerkle: My FIRST fat graft transfer procedure did not "hold" but the second did and I am very happy with the results. I went to another PS for the fat graft transfer procedure. It is crucial that the PS be familiar and experienced with fat graft transfer to the reconstructed breast. He "overcompensated" with me and it worked. The recovery is more inconvenient than painful. I had the second procedure done in San Diego and I live in Long Beach - 2 hours away. So I stayed with my sister for that procedure. She brought me back to her house - about four hours from drop off for preop to retrieval - general anesthesia. I slept all afternoon..took Percoset that evening...slept like a log and woke up the next day feeling pretty good. In fact, it was a nice day so I went outside and helped my sister refinish furniture. I was bound up like the Michelin Man [you can see my photos on the pictures forum] but I was not in pain - just aching in the abdominal area - as if you had been lifting weights and really went overboard. No more Percoset needed...just Tylenol for two more days and then off pain meds entirely. The compression girdle you need to wear [two weeks for me] is the worst part of the procedure, which is why I would ONLY have this done in the winter months. I drove home from my sisters two days after surgery. Piece of cake.
Also....I thought I had a fairly flat tummy prior to fat graft transfer, but now it is washboard flat. I love it!
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Thank you so much for this info! My doctor said nothing about a compression girdle.I hope his thoughts on the girdles are not like his feelings for foobs; no surgical bra or anything post op. I will have to make an apt to discuss. I am having a hysterectomy at the same time as my exchange so I wonder if i could wear a girdle. He wants to take the fat from my love handles - which are pretty small if you remember form my pics. so I'm worried there too.
By the way - my cousin moved to SanDiego from Montreal a few years ago - she says she has to pinch herself every morning cuz she can't believe how lucky she is to live out there! I am so jealous - lucky you in CA. Soooo cold and ugly, snowy and wet here.
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Val,
Sorry I haven't posted, trying to get the Fourth Graders ready for the Writing TAKS. I sent you a PM. I have the Princess Elizabeth to day, yes, that's where LizziesNuNu came from, she calls me NuNu. So am playing with her.
I was so upset when I was diagnosed, she was who kept me going, and I'm not good with coming up with a user name.
Oh Well, Happy Saturday, it's finally beginning to warm up in NT.
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wow I'm so behind but just wanted to say a quick hi
my computer is down at home so stopped in the library
having trouble getting on with my new phone also...
well for some reason my cycle started about 2 weeks early so I had my MRI this last Monday
I will e-mail my doc in a couple more days and see if I can get my results before my Jan 26 appointment that I set up 6 months ago
I hope everyone is doing well...
with the cold weather I forgot about how the silicone implant gets so cold after I'm out for a cold run.
hoping to get computer back soon...
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Kerkle,
I would try to be a little more "encouraging" to your PS about where to take your fat from for the fat injections. I asked a couple of times pre-op for the PS to take it from the stomach, but he looked at my abdomen and said he would prefer to take it from the outer thighs. When he was marking me up on the day of surgery, however, I asked again for the stomach, he looked at my thighs and agreed I really didn't have any there, and I got my flat stomach! In terms of pain, I definitely felt really sore for about a week and it was very hard to get up from a sitting position. I also had a couple of areas of the stomach that had stitches, so those hurt when compressed by the binder. But now, a week and half later, I'm fine.
Also, regarding succes of the fat injections, I do think some of that depends on the skill of the PS, but as always, that's just my uneducated theory. My PS' nurse did recommend going easy on the side of the graft for about six weeks, so any lifting I do, I do on the other side. Plus, while the grafts seem to be taking now, I have no idea if it will be an entirely different story after a longer period of time.
On another note, the PS used a skin graft from my upper thigh/groin for my areola, and it does really look awesome. It looks exactly like my other real areola. He also did a nipple at the same time, and I didn't realize that I would then have to tattoo the nipple so it's the color as my real one. I thought I didn't have to do any tattoos....but oh well, still happy I went ahead with this kind of nipple/areola reconstruction.
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Ladies - I love your photos - what a beautiful group of women you all are!
Kathy/Fairport - Yikes, make sure you take those pain meds. I loved the on-Q, but when it was gone, it was gone! Take it easy and rest. And I am glad Dani could tell you more about your nips, hopefullyt that's all it is! I am jealous that yu could do nipple sparing! My PS did not recommend it for me. But it has all worked out anyhow!
Sandy - We will be thinking of you - here's wishing for wonderful MRI results!
Laura - I am so sorry you are wiped out my dear! I hope all is okay.
Lovely ladies, my mother has found out she does not have Tb. Though she still has a nasty lung infection, the tx for which is long and difficult, but at least it is not Tb! It is such a relief to be able to visit her again w/o a face mask. And I know she is very happy to be able to get out and get some fresh air. We will take everything we can get!!! Thanks for all your kind words and prayers!
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I have a question for anyone who has had radiation. I'm a month post exchange and the skin on my old radiated side is still pretty pink, especially on the lower pole and I've noticed the past few days that it feels cool to the touch compared with my prophy side. Has anyone else experienced this? I'm getting worried.
Bobbi
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That is wonderful news.
Fairport:I had nipple sparring, I also had what looked almost like a thin top layer look black-ish, definitely don't mess with it all, it will slough off, I was also scared that it was the nipples dying, but nope, just a little unattractive skin thing.It may be a combination of the stuff they use to clean the skin, the clamping and the initial bandaging to keep the nipples and the underlying vessels intact.
2xsenough:
My rads side was always colder than the non-rads side, the skin was much thinner and the circulation was not the same as the non-rads. I would call the PS anyway,just to be safe, because everyone is different. My lower pole was pinker also, my tumor was at the 6 O'Clock position and that was the quadrant that got the extra rads.
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Fairport, glad to read that you're doing okay! Sorry you're having pain, make sure you take those pain meds on schedule so you can keep the pain under control. I hear so many talk about the on-q pain pump, but I never had one after my BMX. Many women have their nipples turn black, it's usually a necrotic cap that forms and will eventually fall off. Good luck to you!
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Speaking a black nipples.
I started out with nipple sparing on my prophy side. No problems. No black. Long story, but that nipple was removed during a revision surgery.
I had nipple recon surgery on 12/10/09. I still have some black on my nipples. I saw PS 1/7/10 and he was concerned about all the black scabbiness. He's having me use Silvedene cream twice a day to combat any bacterial infections. I just changed the bandages and noticed a foul odor coming from the left nipple. Will call PS on call in the morning. I'm afraid of infection now. Seven surgeries in the past 14 months and never had a problem. Now so close to the end I'm afraid I'll be starting all over again.
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Nedza: As you know, I also had a single MX with the healthy side lifted and a small implant put in. I do believe it did fill the upper pole area more than prior to the lift and implant. I am happy with my augmented side and the fullness and will wait to see how the MX side settles to decide on whether to go back in for adjustments.
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((((((Shoshi)))))) - are you okay? You don't sound so great..... Pulling the drains is not fun....I've endured 6 drains so far in this journey. next time, take a deep breath and hold it while the nurse or doc pulls it out - that's a trick my ps used and it helped me...
((((((Fairportlady))))) - hang in there! I had the on-q pump in the hospital, but it had to be pulled when I had severe nausea (demerol and I are not mutally compatible apparently). Did your ps give you a prescription for Vicodin or something similar? That should help a lot -especially in combination with the muscle relaxants - just don't take them at the same time (stagger them.)
Julie - I actually thought that starting a bra-swapping thread might be a good idea. If anyone wants to go ahead, be my guest; otherwise, I'll try to do it sometime soon. Bringing them to Vegas isn't a bad idea, either, though....and I intend to be there this year!
Whippetmom - my dh took that picture one day when we were working around the house (thus the no makeup look!) - the only place I'd probably wear the shirt because it says, "Darn right they're fake! The real ones tried to kill me!" It was the shirt that our local breast cancer support group wore for last year's Komen walk, and my friend gave it to me. (I'm a bit too shy to wear it in public, though! I think it was Mary who had one similar....she's braver than I am, lol) It's the only new pic of me alone that I could find......
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Nedeza:
I also had a lift/augmentation on my healthy side. It had always been smaller than the breast I lost, so I took the opportunity to finally have a matching set! I'm very happy with my results. You can see my pictures on the picture forum. I think I have plenty of fullness in the upper pole. PM if you have any questions.
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val61: I love that shirt but I'm not sure I could wear it out in public either
.Cute pic too! TCK 0 -
Finally got around to posting my 3-months post-exchange pics. It's amazing how much I can accomplish when my dh is out of town!!
I think you'll understand why I need that revision......
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Val - I can see what you mean in your pictures, but I also think you look wonderful! You have a fantastic result, with or without the revision. But, sister, you are the one that is living with it and you should be totally comfortable with how you look. So go for it and look your best!! Best wishes!
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Firni, let us know what happens. Hope you don't have an infection after all you've been through!
Val, I also have that shirt. Wore it in public once (forgot I had it on) and got zero strange looks and no remarks.
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Mykidsmom, so glad to hear about your mom. Hope she heals soon.
Val, I like your pic!
I had the fat grafting done in Oct, and my tummy looks better, but I think the fat reabsorbed. My PS told me it might happen, and to just expect to do another this year. I'm tired of surgery!:)
Hope everyone has a great day,
Deen
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Hi everyone ~ I hope you all are doing well. I have 7 pages of posts to catch up on. I am still in chemoland with only 2 more to go ! AND.... ::::DRUMROLL::::: my exchange surgery is scheduled for 3/16. So if you can add me to the list I would be
. My TE's are at 410 and starting to resemble somewhat of a breast. I have my final fill with the PS on 2/1. At which time I will hopefully find out what size and kind of implant she will be using. Hugs to all will catch up with everyone real soon.
Alicia0
