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Exchange City

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Comments

  • CDB
    CDB Member Posts: 34
    edited February 2010

    Nedeza,

    Are you able to cover the ripples with a bra?  Are you happy with the silicone otherwise?  I'm thin skinned, small framed and I've been told rippling is a big possibility with me whether I choose silicone or saline. Dealing with a cosmetic issue might be easeir than the hassle of MRIs.

    Cindy

  • whippetmom
    whippetmom Member Posts: 6,028
    edited February 2010

    I am working with animal rescue and I am off today to take care of some dogs rescued from a hoarder....most of them are pitbulls and pitbull mixes....and I am going to walk as many of them as possible in the next couple of hours before it rains here!!!!

  • sunnyhou
    sunnyhou Member Posts: 8
    edited February 2010

    I am going to post this here too in case someone might be able to help me with this: Had my exchane yesterday. I am  so boxy and WIDE. I had 620 cc's in my TE's and they put in 800cc's. I was shocked.. I told them I wanted big but not like this. They are so square. Do they really change over time. I hope they look better in time.. These look so weird

  • Carolyn2008
    Carolyn2008 Member Posts: 53
    edited February 2010

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAURA.....................................

  • Grakenmom
    Grakenmom Member Posts: 137
    edited February 2010

    Kittycat - thanks for your info, I appreciate it. And I wish you the best in your bra search!

    Whippetmom - I posted my info many pages back to ask your opinion on sizing, but I certainly wouldn't expect you to remember it!! But, I'm 5'6", 157 lbs, 33" ribcage, broader shoulders, athletic build. TE's are currently overfilled to 600cc's, with plans for Mentor 550cc round moderate- or high-profile silicone (which would be better?).  The TE's (or fat, or tissue or whatever) are rather puffy under my armpits, and PS says he'll suture to keep the implants centered forward.  Should I wear some type of bra, ChicShaper, ace bandage, something after exchange surgery, even if PS says it's not necessary?  (He *is* a man, after all).  Thanks again for any guidance - you're the best!! Hope all the dogs are ok too!

  • Grakenmom
    Grakenmom Member Posts: 137
    edited February 2010

    Happy Birthday Laura!!

  • cs7777
    cs7777 Member Posts: 303
    edited February 2010

    To those of you who have had revisions after initial implant(s)...are the revisions also paid by your insurance?  Do you have to be having some problem apart from aesthetic concerns to get them to pay for revisions?

  • cnemeth
    cnemeth Member Posts: 136
    edited February 2010

    Don't know about all of you but I picture Deborah in a big control room looking at all of our stats on three different screens with implant grids ~ analyzing, comparing and making recommendations based on the formulas.  Thank you Deborah!!

    Colleen

  • cnemeth
    cnemeth Member Posts: 136
    edited February 2010

    Terri ~ my560sel ~~ Where are you?  Are you dropped and fluffed???

    Colleen

  • Katey
    Katey Member Posts: 496
    edited February 2010

    and saving puppies on the side!!   You are a remarkable woman!!

  • whippetmom
    whippetmom Member Posts: 6,028
    edited February 2010

    Don't I wish I had all of this on a huge control screen!!!  I know I should write it all down, but I tell you, I get about five or six private messages a day from newbies needing help and then on the threads and so I just cannot keep it all together here!  I think I just need a systematic way to keep everyone's vital statistics. Not to mention my menopause-induced memory loss...

    Grakenmom - I think that either high profile or moderate plus profile - don't forget that PLUS - and Allergan might call it "midrange".....Style 15 in Allergan.  Make sure it is at least 550 ccs.  When you say you have an athletic build with broader shoulders, that makes me feel that you certainly could carry off the width of the midrange/moderate plus style just fine.  Most women with a ribcage of 32 to 34 inches can go with either style just fine - but the moderate plus just gives off more of an athletic profile.  I think you need to find out who [OR nurses] will be going into the OR with your PS at the time of exchange and take her into your confidence - asking her to be your female voice for which works best.  Ask your PS to order both sizers - for the mod/plus and high profile and try them both out during surgery. 

    sunnyhou:  Wow....I don't think we ever talked about 800 ccs for you.  Your PS must have needed this size to fill out the pocket. I know my skin stretched quite a bit with the TEs.  I planned to get 475 ccs and woke up with 550 ccs.  They do sort of look square and like hamburger buns in the week after surgery....and they change shape over time.  Give it a couple of weeks to assess.

  • Nedeza
    Nedeza Member Posts: 351
    edited February 2010

    CDB~

    I am so far very happy with my results.  I actually have both types of implants.  I have a silicone in my MX side & a saline in the healthy side.  Both look very natural...I don't feel much of a difference in the two.  I had my exchange last Nov. & these "girls" are settling down.  I did have ripples in my MX but only when I leaned over but that was in the beginning.  Either it is not that noticeable to me or that they are not there (rippling) any more...who knows.  I think I am just adjusting to them & not dwelling on perfection.  All is good for now. Wearing a good support bra does help to get rid of the rippling.

    NAE 

  • Nedeza
    Nedeza Member Posts: 351
    edited February 2010

    Estepp~

    Happy, happy Birthday!!!

  • sunnyhou
    sunnyhou Member Posts: 8
    edited February 2010

    Whippetmom.

    I was shocked.. I am thinking because of the size, this might be why it looks so wide and strange. The morning before surgery I told them as big as they could go.. But I was thinking 600. My husband is the one who told me they put in 800. I will have to verify this as he could have heard wrong. Right now I just don't see how they can round out. They are so wide and square. Even my husband said they look weird. Also I kept my aerolas so they are not in the middle anymore but more towards the bottom. I will hang tight and see if over the next couple of weeks and months things improve.

    thanks for all of your help

  • wabiwoman
    wabiwoman Member Posts: 151
    edited February 2010

    CDB - I'm three weeks post exchange and I have some minor rippling -- with silicone.

    whippetmom deborah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - my admiration of you will now officially never end.  Animal rescue?  Honey, I'm with you.  Being a voice for the voiceless.  Bless you.

    Laura - Happiest wangdangie birthday to ya!

    I would ask the same question as cs777 - are revisions paid for by insurance?  My doc says I will probably need one.......  My understanding is that insurance pays until you are satisfied.  Is that dreamy thinking?

    Done with one week of work.  Thank goodness.  Tomorrow stitches on my thyroid scar out.  My foobs seems to be OK.  I note that one IS smaller than the other - on the radiated side - I expect because my ribcage became compressed there........

    I am the class of 1981 but remember fondly the hiphuggers, the platform shoes, Donna Sommers, walking with more of a "swing", and yes Lilah, MOOD RINGS!!!!!!!

    Geena

  • Alitman
    Alitman Member Posts: 95
    edited February 2010

    class of '76 here but I was a junior..... makes me feel younger to say that. 

    I don't think I ever got an answer to my question about recovery after nips - how long is the expected recovery?

    Allison

  • Grakenmom
    Grakenmom Member Posts: 137
    edited February 2010

    {{{whippetmom}}} Many, many thanks for the additional info!! I will verify with my PS at our consult. Not sure of who his nurses will be, but will also attempt to get her on my side. Seriously, have you considered going into the "breast whispering" business?  I'd love to have some type of 3d computer model to get an idea of what the new girls might look like - just a thought, it sounds like you have a pretty full schedule as it is!  Thank you again, my gratitude runs deep.

    Kittycat - thanks again for your experience too. While I am really enjoying going braless, it is winter here & I'm ok in sweaters & coats. Come summertime, I'll need to start wearing something under my tshirts for modesty's sake (I'm 47 and have kids in school here!!) Would love to hear how your VS's work out.

    Allison - wish I could help with the nip recovery time question, but I'm not even exchanged yet. Best of luck. xo, E

  • malleme
    malleme Member Posts: 164
    edited February 2010

    Yes insurance should cover revisons surgery.  MIne did once I reminded them of the 1998FEDERAL Law for Breast reconstruction.  

    I first got ssaline implants and due to rippling and other issues I had another surgery and switched to silicone and insurance paid for all surgeries so far. 

    Now I am wondering do they pay for the nipples surgery and how long should I wait to get that surgery done??My PS wanted me to do it at 2 months and I remember on here some women saying it takes months for the silicone to settle??

    All the best to everyone.

    malle

  • Lilah
    Lilah Member Posts: 2,631
    edited February 2010

    Geena - OMG I forgot about hip huggers!  How is that possible?  Yes I wore those and the platform shoes (Elton John-ish I guess -- had big Sophia Loren sunglasses too lol).  How ridiculous we were in the 70s! 

    Alison -- I love that saying you were a junior makes you feel younger!  (And sorry I haven't even made it to exchange yet so no idea about nipples... though it seems to me it depends what kind you have done... my PS does something in her office -- the origami nipple is what I think someone here called it -- and the biggest issue seems to be protecting them at first, but that is done with all sorts of things from nursing pads to, as someone posted somewhere on BCO, swim goggles cut in half).  I suspect that the kind that involves grafting tissue from some other part of your body will take longer to heal... but it seems to me that of the reading I've done it's healing that is bearable and does not interfere with your day-to-day life... so that's my hearsay answer for the day :)

    Colleen -- I LOVE that image of Deborah at her command post.  It DOES seem like that! 

    Deborah -- we are going to have to call you Angel, saving dogs AND saving us -- you ROCK.

    Malleme -- it seems to me the nipples are PART of the reconstruction and so should be covered by insurance.

    Lilah

  • Adnerb
    Adnerb Member Posts: 727
    edited February 2010

    Happy birthday, Laura!  I first "met" you before my bilateral mastectomy, and I was so very worried about getting TE's after being radiated.  Your reply was really what I wanted to hear.  You said something like why not go for it, then if it doesn't work go another route?  That's exactly what I did, and so far so good.  

    I remember the 70's vividly.  Wild and crazy!  

    Brenda 

  • Annabella58
    Annabella58 Member Posts: 916
    edited February 2010

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAURA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I pmd you gal!  Love you!

    I am a 70s gal too, class of 78.  74' for high school.  Oh man, the stuff we wore.  I featured very long red hair parted in the middle of course.  And Farrah Fawcett "wings"....argh.  Ginormous platform shoes which since I am only 5'2" worked quite well actually.  Now I just wear either scandinavian clogs, making me look like some sort of Keebler elf or else I dig out the hooker heels.  My favorite 4" heels.  That a matched pair of ta tas will make me feel complete.

    Lilah, here's more for you. Boobocity.  Lakefront Property.  "tracts of land" ala Monty Python....stop me, I'm on a roll, here.

    I hope everyone is finding bras that fit.  I am loving this Victoria Secret Dream Angel.  The damn thing actually fits itselfs to different sizes like a mutant bra.  I don't care, it works.  And it works to wear while hm, "sleeping" so you feel sexy.  Don't know if it looks sexy, but hubby thinks so, so I'm happy.  Now, I won't lie, my boobs are in my clavicle, but it does look good.

    I did find something nice to wear for summer tops if anyone needs some dimmer switches....they are actually called "dimmrs" and they are silicone nipple toppers you stick on and they cover you up nicely.  Got me thru summer with one high beam and one Barbie hooter.  You can google them and find them online.  I believe Linda the Bra Lady store sells them.  I also got some stick on nips for Barbie. 

    Re: the insurance question: I believe that insurance does pay for revision surgery due to the new law, but I'm not sure if it limits the number of times one can do it?  I believe it must cover surgery for the opposite breast to "achieve a symnetrical appearance".  Someone will most likely be along who knows about this in a minute or so.

    Love to all

    Mrs. Walkingincircleswithddandccups

  • Estepp
    Estepp Member Posts: 2,966
    edited February 2010

    Sweet Brenda... I do remember... :)... I hope the very best for your final outcome!!!

    LADIES... THANK YOU SO much for all the Birthday Wishes.. you are all the most AMAZING women ever... I think... if you are on BCO... that MAKES you amazing!

    I think the best women in the WORLD are right here in BCO ville! ( And Vegas soon of course...)

    The Laura from anotha motha...... :)  The drug is called..Tramadol... so far I am still not in pain... I am aware that my body is... achy.. but not in pain... I hope this helps your dh!

    Ladies.... LOVE YOU !  Peace and Lollipops!

  • firstmate
    firstmate Member Posts: 153
    edited February 2010

    OK ladies, I am totally annoyed.  I finished my entire recon process, with nipples and tattoos.  The nipples and tattoos look good.  But NOW, the PS said my left implant is dropping.  My last revision surgery was in March 2009.  I did not think my implant would drop this late.  We are going to wait three months and see how far it drops before I schedule any more surgery.  Has anyone else heard of this happening?

  • Lilah
    Lilah Member Posts: 2,631
    edited February 2010

    Annie -- love boobocity!  And, I might add, scandinavian clogs that make you look like a keebler elf (vivid image)!  I have to say the SEs from Taxol have toppled 5'3" me off of MY 4 inch heels... and even though the pain has passed I've gotten rather used to the 2 inch boots I've been wearing this winter (so warm and cozy).  Will break out the platforms (including clogs) again come spring :) 

    So did you have a unilateral?  Your sig indicated two different sized boobs (similar to my two atm -- DD and C, the latter which is a guess).  Will you be getting reduction of the DD or are you staying as is?  Just curious.  (Always interested in comparing notes with a fellow uni who is, like me, going from larger to smaller... even among the rare uni's, the uni's going smaller rather than larger seem even rarer).

    Ladies -- I'm so enjoying these memories of the 70s!  I had at least three friends with Farrah Fawcett style wings, btw.  My hair would never quite cooperate with that style though I did definitely straighten it religiously.  I wonder what kind of hair I will have now?  (It's growing back in post-chemo atm).

    Lilah

  • whippetmom
    whippetmom Member Posts: 6,028
    edited February 2010

    Robin:  An implant dropping significantly - to the extent you describe - after eight months does not sound right.  I am wondering if the implant has bottomed out.  Is the nipple sitting too high now?

  • Nedeza
    Nedeza Member Posts: 351
    edited February 2010

    Lilah~

    What about the "Dittos" pants...I think that's what they were called?!!  Along with the Original Candies high heeled shoes...which has made a comeback at Kohls.  It's the music of the 70's that I still love.  In fact, DH & I have 2 concerts lined up to see in the next few months...The Eagles & Carol King/James Taylor!!!  Can't wait!

    Thanks for reminesing!

    NAE

  • Jazzygem
    Jazzygem Member Posts: 125
    edited February 2010

    ALLLLRIGHT I'll get on the reminiscing band wagon...I graduated in 79 and my fave jeans were Pulse jeans...they had no back pockets so they hugged your butt real nice and the metal tag thing at the top.  lol  I had the Farrah hair too. 

    {{{Robin}}}, SO SORRY about your implant!!  URRRRRRRRGGGGGHHH!!!!  Just have faith that it will be taken care of and your nips will sit perfect!!!

    {{{Teresa}}}....I'm thinking of you girl!!!  Saying prayers that your nips turn out PERFECT!!

  • kittycat
    kittycat Member Posts: 1,155
    edited February 2010

    I asked my PS if the nipple surgery was covered on insurance and he said yes.  So, I am definitely in for that!!   Although, my stupid primary insurance denied the claim on my exchange surgery.  My PS's office was having issues with them - "Oh, he's not in our network, so we won't pay..."  Then, I threw down the big CANCER word and that he's not in my network, but my secondary insurance would pay the remainder of the bill.  Then they became more cooperative.  This stuff really chaps my hide after they get the pre-auth's for surgery!!!

     Can't wait for the new bras to come in.  I am still boxy.  My foobs look good and in clothes I look pretty normal.  I just wish they'd be more rounded/projected.  Oh well - as long as there is no cancer in them, I am just fine!!!

  • Katey
    Katey Member Posts: 496
    edited February 2010

    Insurance has paid for all of my procedures, implants, replacing implants, nip, lift.....  This time I would only see docs that accepted my insurance, did not want to have to pay out of network prices. I thought it was the law that insurance covers any and every part of reconstruction, even compression sleeves, wigs or any other aides you might need.

    I had a skin graft nip in 91, can barely remember it, seemed to be pretty easy, don't remember much of a recovery,  tho I did freak later at the tattoo part, was like being in the dentist chair with the buzzing!  I'm a big baby when it comes to that!

     Robin, I'm so sorry that happened, it's just endless isn't it!

    The Who at Superbowl brought back so many memories...teenage wasteland!!  And nothing came between me and my calvins:)

  • Mykidsmom
    Mykidsmom Member Posts: 448
    edited February 2010

    Hello ladies - I am many pages behind. Please PM me if you have a new surgery date to add to the list. Hugs to everyone! - Jean

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