Exchange City
Comments
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Good luck dear Julie! I hope that New Mexico sunshine brings speedy healing!
Geena
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Whippetmom I just looked it up online and I am Natrelle Smooth and Round Silicone Style 20 750cc. The thing that I don't understand is that I am a C cup with the 750 and still seem to have extra room under the skin but there isn't much more to choose from in size. There is only one implant larger than the one he put in. I just don't get this. I never actually thought of myself as a big person but these implants are huge.
Juliempw mentioned removing the skin. Is this something that is commonly done because that seems logically the problem to me unless the implants are too heavy and the skin would just stretch out again.
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frywoman: Yes, that would be a mastopexy - which is VERY commonly done. Excess skin is removed in this procedure. Certainly a PS could do this for you. I would really like to see what is going on and like others who have not wanted to post on the pictures forum for various reasons, you can email photos to me privately, if you wish. PM me if you want to do so.
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Julie, love that you're on till the last minute! Hoping all is going well for you today. I am going to make tortilla soup in your honor-what a nice simple recipe, and yes we do have some pretty decent salsa in the Northeast:)
Best to all having surgery this week
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Estepp--So, I keep hoping that my rad side will eventually drop, but from what I read, it may never do that, huh? I better start hoping the other side doesn't drop any further. It's developed a nice natural shape now at five weeks post exchange. The rad side I think has dropped a little but it still sits about 3/4 inch higher. It has 550 cc mentor high profile, and the nicely dropped side only has a 450. But they look really close to the same. Two different surgeons did the mx six months apart. That and the rad side had little tissue left inside the rad field. I could see the ribs protrusion on that rad side. This explains the different implant sizes.
I am in the same predicament on bra sizing. These new puppys are big around without much projection. I still haven't gone bra shoping because we've had so much snow and the mall is 100 miles away. But I am making do with one Warners bra I purchased while the TEs were in place and it evens me up. The rest of the time I'm in camis. Not having to wear a bra is trully a treat. I had become so mismatched before my bi-lat, after having rads 15 years ago, that I had to wear structured bras with inserts to pad the shriveled up old boobie. And, never leave the house without the contraption on. I don't even want to go into the difficulty of finding a bathing suit. I feel free!!!
When I contemplate what I went through for fifteen years, having the little bit of difference between these foobs now is not worth complaining about, and they are not going to try to kill me. I love the new me, warts and all.
Good luck to all the ladies drawing close to there surgery dates.
Bobbi
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Julie ~
Many thoughts & prayers for you!
NAE
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Texas357 - off to the post office to mail you the stabilizer band...... btw....my ps had me wear it TIGHT! Good luck!0
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MillieD - hope that surgery yesterday was a breeze and that you are recovering nicely today
Juliempw - thinking of you RIGHT NOW and hoping all went well today and that you're waking up and feeling fabulous
Volleygirl - Nips! Woo hoo!!!!
Wabiwoman - Good luck tomorrow girl -- how exciting to be at this point
)Smore - same to you!
Cheers,
Lilah
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Then TIGHT it shall be! (LOL)
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Thank you all who expressed concern about my possible infection. I spoke to PS and he said that if I don't have a fever or redness, it isn't likely that I have an infection since I've been using the Silvadene cream. If I develop a fever or have redness, he wants me to go in. That is good news.
Texas, my first PS put my implants really high. When my new PS replaced the implants, he opened up the lower poles and taped me into a surgical bra for a week. The top tape was tight across my chest and up into my arm pits. Just like you would wear the band. He was so afraid the new implants would migrate up. He was also ready to put me in a band after the surgical bra came off to keep things down where he put them. I didn't need it tho. I hope a band works for you. It's not comfortable but way better than another surgery. Are you able to push that rads side implant down where you want it? If not, the band might not do much good.
First PS constantly lectured me on "empty space" in bras due to the lack of the Nipple Areola complex. We will most likely always have a little room in the tip of our bras that are formed cups. Some of the Warners bras are a bit wider and shallower than others. I've also found that rounded cup bras (sweater bras?) fit a whole lot nicer than the ones with the somewhat pointed cups. Not always easy to find tho.
Good luck, Julie!!
edited to add: Maybe the rounded cup bras are called t-shirt bras.
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Thank you for your responses.
Yes - The LAT Flap is my backup - we were originally planning a LAT with an implant anyway. So the question about having an implant is not an issue for me. I was just concerned about the failure rate %ages. The fact that there are stages of failure is helpful to know. I agree it is preferable to avoid the more invasive surgery if possible. I will keep my fingers crossed.
Best of luck to all having surgery this week!
Be good to you -
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Hi,
I had lat flap surgery in July. My own tissue was used only to make a flap. One having this proceedure does need implants or in my case a TE. I am still filling my TE as the first one got infected. This is a long journey..
Texas.. Did you have your exchange already.
Hugs,
Francine
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Littlered- I had a BMX with lat flap recon and TE's placed in June and then just had my exchange to 550 cc implants on 1/8. The entire process for me went extremely well for me and I have had no problems along the way. I didn't have to have radiation to my right breast since I was having the mastectomy. I was given the option of lumpectomy with radiation or mastectomy and glad I chose the mastectomy. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.
Julie- good luck, my prayers are with you!!
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Firni: My implant was positioned nicely -- not too high on my chest, and no I can't move it now. Even so, if I can avoid a Lat Flap surgery by "encouraging it" not to migrate higher, I'm okay with a little discomfort for a while.
Crusader1: Yes, I've had 2 exchanges actually. The first went haywire after the incision burst open.
My PS has told me that I'd need an implant even if I had Lat Flap surgery. Not enough tissue to donate!
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Deborah -- I finally found out what TE I have... it's an Allergan Style 133MV -- 600cc capacity -- Moderate Height, Variable Projection -- measuring: 15 W x 14 H x 6.3 (Projection).
I don't know yet exactly WHAT model # my PS plans to use for the implant but I do know she wants to use a teardrop (is that anatomical?) textured cohesive gel (aka gummie) -- she feels I'll have a better chance of symmetry/matching to my natural remaining breast with this type of implant -- and she did say she would be using Allergan. I imagine that there are some very specific ones that would go with this particular expander... but I've decided there's no need for me to get specific about it with her until my TE is fully expanded (or fully over-expanded, as in this case she does overexpand and then use a slightly smaller implant).
If you have any suggestions of research I might do based on this info about the TE, I'd welcome it! It will give me something to do other than obsess and worry: have I done enough? removed enough? etc re: fighting the BC... which at this point feels like obessing and nothing based on any sort of reality, since in fact I did all that all three of my doctors recommended (sigh).
Lilah
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Laura - I am going to make that soup, yum!!
(((Udpt82)))
Frywoman - I also have wrinkles when I bend over, but not when I stand tall. Is that what you are seeing?
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Mykidsmom: yes that is what I see. They are on the sides and the top and the boob kind of goes from being round to looking rather square. So this is normal? I am going to get my husband to take pictures of them tonight and I will try to figure out how to post them.
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I finally posted my pic of my exchange and have had several very kind responses. Deborah has helped me so much. Today, I wore a regular bra and just feel so much better with one one.
As you all talk of soup, I will be making a real seafood gumbo this Sunday as we watch the New Orleans Saints win and then go on the the super bow. I'm a huge football fan and grew up in Louisiana.
Prayers to you Julie and all going through this journey. Mary
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Frywoman: I had Mentor HP implants filled to 750cc and had wrinkling at the bottom of my breasts with a large void over the breast bone. I complained to my PS and when he did the nip/areola procedure he replaced the HP with Mentor Moderate Profile Plus saline filled to 960cc. It made a huge difference. I have a 35 inch chest circumferance and wear a 40D bra. Some of my bras I fill better than others and will wait a few months before going shopping for some better fit ones. (My exchange was in Dec 09) so ask your PS what type implants you have and if the moderate Profile Plus might be better. the 960s have almost the same projection as the HP 750s.0
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zzzxxxxxaaaaahhhhhhh.!!!!!!!!!! .... that's how I feel tonight, prepping for tomorrow's exchange. Nervous, alone, excited, happy all at once. I'm wanting to reach out but also don't want too much stimulus.... so I'm writing to my fellow bc sisters!
'm someone that goes into these things pretty solitary - don't want to be on the phone tonight, will walk to the hospital tomorrow very early am (it is 5 blocks away) - I sometimes find having people around makes me more anxious than handling this stuff myself. I worry that is an odd approach, but it works for me ultimately. I can journal while waiting for doctors, pray, meditate, just look around - sort of be with myself prior to "the event". After, unless they keep me in the hospital, my friend will pick me up, bring me home, sister will visit later.... but right now? Well I guess I need peace.
I know this may not work. I know my journey has been a bit unusual -- someone earlier wrote about radiation being the gift that "keeps on giving" -- well I've seen that to be the truth, Still, I will be sooooo glad to get these wacky TE's out of my body, out from under my arms, practically! I'm ready for this next step.
Thanks for listening, sisters.
Geena
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Geena ~ My spirit is with you in that room tomorrow ~ so you will know, it is the peaceful loving one with the big boobs. (((((((hugs)))))))
Colleen
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Geena, we are similar in how we deal with these things. I don't need alot of chaos/drama from other people during these events and I know I need to get as centered as I can prior to the event. Blessings and peace to you sister. Wishing you the very best. Mary
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Went to JC Penney's today and it is BRA HEAVEN. Who would have thought??
Found sexy bras at very reasonable prices. Warner. Low cut, satin trim, tiny bows, no wires, thank goodness!!! I can go to work tomorrow and not look like my grandmother if I get hit by a bus on the way.
Colleen
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Colleen, Congrats on finding bra heaven! I never would have guessed that I would look forward to bra shopping. There's still hope for me.
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Whippetmom,
I sent you a PM.
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Geena -- I tend to be the same with regard to doing stuff alone. I prefer it. My mother insisted on coming though (and would have been heartbroken if I did not let her). My brother even called to say: aw let her go with you! LOL My boyfriend, thankfully, is there when I need him and happy to go to work if I don't. I even have a good friend who insisted on going with me to the chemo infusions (which I would have happily done alone except of course for the one or two they recommend having someone there for). My mother did add stress on the trips to the hospital but it was nice to see her when I woke up. My friend also occasionally a drain when I did the chemo but also turned out to be nicer than I thought it would to have company (and we always went shopping afterward as I was always hopped up on steroids). There is something simpler about being with yourself at times like these.
So this is all to say: peace and zen to you tonight and tomorrow... and may you have the beautiful results you deserve to have.
Lilah
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Geena ~ Sending good thoughts your way. I will be thinking of you.
Peg
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Geena--Can't wait to hear how things go. Big hugs!!!!!
xoxo--Karen
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Colleen - love the thought of not looking like a gramdma if you're hit by a bus! Our moms always said to wear clean underwear....guess they should have specified CUTE underwear, too!
Had my pre-op with my ps today. Same plan as before: try to release the medial aspect to move the implant closer to the other, then use permanent sutures to lateral reinforcement. He said that should solve both my rippling and projection issues, though admittedly they're extremely minimal. He'll probably exchange the implant, as well, 'cause he said he doesn't like to take one out and use it again - potential set-up for infection, or something. Asked about Alloderm, which he said he uses only at TE placement when there's enough excess skin to expand at surgery (not like me). He did say that the "sliding implant" could continue to be a problem for me, simply because of my ribcage shape. "When you put something round on something slanted, it falls," he said. I did ask if the size of my implant contributed to the sliding and he said absolutely not - if I'd had the mid-profile style it could still have happened. Very happy that my "boob greed" wasn't a factor! I'll definitely have a drain - I swear, I should just have holes permanently installed in my sides! Will stay wrapped up in the foam tape 'til the following Tuesday, maybe longer. Can't wait for the fun to begin! (actually, I'm already popping Tums again....just like before every other surgery...)
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Good luck to our surgery girls tomorrow! Julie - hope you're home and happy!
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