Exchange City
Comments
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Kitty, I second Mantra's recommendation. You can ask for both the surgery report and for the pathology report from your recent surgeries. It is interesting and informative to read both the surgeon's and the pathologist's findings. Sorry your oncologist is being so uncommunicative - no wonder you are looking for a new one. Hope your BS can help you decipher these reports quickly and will answer all of your questions.
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By the way ladies, I have not gone back to read the entire thread, but was wondering if any of you had or are going to have fat grafting with your exchange. If you did what was the recovery like. I am a little worried about this.
Thanks,
Susan
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Welcome Susan! I'm due for exchange next Tuesday.... so can't answer the fat grafting question. I'm sure others who have will chime in. If memory serves, some DO have it at exchange and others have had it after (or I suppose some both during AND after... as sometimes fat grafts have to be done more than once).
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kittycat,
I'm glad you made it through surgery ok. I will be praying you find the right doctors.
I just watched the movie Food,Inc. and was horrified by what is being put in our foods, hormones, and antibiotics etc... It made me think about cosmetics but does anyone know of cosmetic brands that don't put in harmful ingredients?
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Dani - I use MAC for most of my cosmetics. They don't test on animals. I also use Paul Mitchell, who doesn't test on animals either. I don't know about the ingredients they put in stuff, though. Thanks for the prayers!!!
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susiered Welcome I had fat grafting on my left side. I am not sure if it slowed the recovery as I also had alot of pocket work done. I will see my PS tomorrow for the first post op official visit other than removing my drains.
Rebecca
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Hi All,
I've been reading this thread and am now chiming in. I get my exchange next Thursday May 13th so Yippee Squishy! I'm due for fat grafting to my divots and I'm praying that I will be fine after surgery with no drains. It does seem like no two exchanges are the same...some have drains, some don't. Some can return to work right away, others are off weeks like when they had their BMX so that's giving me a lot of anxiety too. My PS swears I'll be fine to return on Wednesday....5 days after my exchange. My job is very stressful and I'm running a marathon here to keep up just to get the 5 days off. I'll probably end up doing some 'home office' days until I'm 100%. It's pretty bad though to be more excited for the days off than the surgery!
I don't even know you kittycat but I have been reading your story and I want you to know you're in my daily prayers. I'm glad you're changing oncs...You deserve only the best!
Scrapmom, thanks for the parabens info....I'm ready to do an intensive search. I use the CVS silicone scar tape on my axillary node dissection site and it's amazing stuff...but not if it's putting estrogen in my system! I don't know if it's got some of the same properties as Mederma or not. I will also google my current moisterizers too. It's so scary out there. It really seems everything is a risk factor. I'm literally afraid of bacon now....I have baconphobia when before I couldn't get enough it.
One day at a time I guess....it's all we can do!
Happy Cinco de Mya day and Happy Birthday Paula!
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Susan: God bless you and your extended time with expanders. I am so sorry you have had to endure that. Goo dluck on your exchange. We are here to whine to or ask advice!
Lilah: You must be getting excited! Are you nervous? Finally a deep breath without rocks in your chest!
Kristen
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Thank you all for the welcome.
Rebecca where did they take the fat from? Was that area very sore and bruised? They are taking mine from my tummy. It will be nice to have a flatter tummy, but I don't know a lot about this and am a little worried. I am sure it will all be fine. Hope everything goes well at your post op visit.
So some of you have had drains and some have not? I didn't even think to ask that question. I just assumed I would have the dreaded things again.
(((((Kittycat))))) my heart just breaks for you. I am so sorry That is all I know to say other than I will pray everything turns out well for you. Stay strong.
Kristen thanks...it has been a long road with infection and expander removal then replacement. I am soooo ready to be done.
Lilah good luck with your exchange. Can't wait to see how it goes.
Susan
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Lilah, I'm so excited for you, I can't believe it's finally your turn and can't wait to see the results!!! I started using the scar stuff as soon as they looked "healed" I think about 2 weeks post surgery.Colleen, Thank you for mentioning the loss of projection or fluff. I thought mine looked smaller and just this morning I thought, well maybe they're becoming fuller again. Val, Projection itself was not lost and I don't know if you remember my "square" pictures but I'm no longer square. I really think these things are going to look real when everything settles. Kat & Susan, Welcome and congrats on the upcoming exchange. Life will be so much better!Scrapmom, I've cut out most parabens but it never occurred to me to look at the scar creams. Can't do it all... Kittycat, I'm speechless but thinking about you. Please keep us posted on all the details.Julie0
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Susan I actually got my fat grafting from right below my IMF which gave it more form. I told her to take it from my belly but it really is a lot better the wy she did it. I have bruising now but I have been wearing the girdle as directed and that seems to help.
Rebeca
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Kittycat - so sorry you're having to go through all this again. And it just adds insult to injury to have to wait on the path reports too--argh. Yes the results that you listed say you're Her-2 negative, and so if you're also ER-/PR- then yes, you're triple negative. But being her-2 neg is not a bad thing - at least you've avoided that particular type of aggressive tumor (her-2 positive ones). What you listed as "proliferation rate" is a measure of what percentage of the cells were actively proliferating. The higher the %, the more actively growing is the tumor. That sounds bad, but chemo is most effective on the most active tumors, so it has an upside. Not sure about radiation, but I think its the same there too. I agree with your idea to get a second opinion from another onc. You might also consider doing so with another surgeon if this surgeon comes back and says you need more surgery--someone else to consult the pathologists looking at the slides and interpreting the best for your health. Best to you on this ongoing trek...I'm sending good thoughts your way.
scrapmom - thanks so much for pointing out the parabens in some of the creams. I've thought of that for other personal body stuff I use (shampoo etc) but hadn't thought of it for these scar creams. A couple months ago I was searching high and low for info on personal care products w/o parabens, phthalates, etc., and found two websites that were helpful. They both list all the ingredients in tons of products, and rate the products wrt health and other things. Unfortunately they don't always agree on a given product, but they were useful for screening the ingredients on many products at home rather than trying to read teensy-typed ingredient lists in stores. Here are the two websites: http://www.goodguide.com/ and http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/
Best to everyone on the surgery list this week, and those recovering!
CS
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for the ladies having exchanges coming up whooo hoooo : )
I think the majority of us didn't need drains and usually feeling good after 3-5 days
I know I was really tired the 1st 3 days but I think that's from being knocked out
I know my PS didn't want me being very active for 4-6 weeks afterwards to let everything heal inside. Walking is fine but just no running or mountain biking.
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Susan~
I had a "mini" lipo on my thigh & transferred to fill in a dent in my upper pole of MX side. The fat grafting was so slight, so little...recovery was immediate for me. In fact wore a girdle for a week although initially informed to wear one for a month. The donor site healed very quickly so am doing very well now.
NAE
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M-star - I had a prophy bilat as well and I understand how you feel like a fraud. I go back and forth with that feeling as well.
KItty - I am praying for clear margins for you...
Allie
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cs7777 - thanks for the info. I've not heard of proliferation rate and some of this other stuff. It wasn't on my 1st path report. I am going to ask them to send me a copy of the path report and the surgeon's notes.
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Kittycat: Thinking of you and sending healing prayers your way.
Lilah: Yippee squishy is right around the corner! You're gonna love it!
TCK
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Kitty: Keep up the good attitude..I'm pulling for you. Attitude is everything..Best of luck, JUDY
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Yes Kitty, I agree with Judy.. KEEP UP that attitude of yours.. I think, you might just be amazing!
Judy... how ya healing?
Susan and Kat.. WELCOME!
I cannot believe Lilah's time is almost here too...
My PS told me that since my rads boob looks go good and " perky" ( as most rads boobs do not drop.. they stay perky)... he can do fat grafting above my non rads boob to give it the same perky upper pole. He said he knows for sure.. one graft will not do it... it always take two.. so I would have them three months apart. SO.. if I do this.. I will have to do it the end of Aug... or so.... so that I can fit the second one in this year ( money issue)..\\
For those did have fat grafting... how long before you could have put on a swim suit? Does the lipo'd area swell up and down for a year?
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HI SANDY!!!!
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Kitty: You are in my thoughts and prayers.
Susan: WOW! 16 months with TE! You deserve an award or something I think! At least a speedy recovery from your exchange surgery!
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Estepp I had fat grafting I dont have any swelling its been 7 days. I am tender in the area when I forget and lean on anything or cross my arms.
Lilah I hope you are getting excited.
My girls's are looking better and better every day.
Rebecca
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Estepp~
No swelling after the first week. Was tender around the areas where canula inserted but now all good.
Lilah~
Almost there! Let us know how everything goes! Always good to hear from one uni to another! Bless you!
NAE
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Kittycat- How are you recovering after surgery? Your onco's office may be waiting on a more definitive result of the HER2 test. If the initial test comes back negative they attempt a process or the "hybridization" to be extra sure there is no HER2 expression. This process takes some time in the lab. I can't remember how many days it took for mine- I just remember the BS saying they would have to perform that extra step before they could absolutely confirm the initial results of triple neg. Good for you to look into getting another oncology opinion. Just a suggestion I learned along the way-- oncologist fall into to two main categories- those at a university and everyone else. If your looking for a second opinion pick someone who is opposite what your seeing now. -- Oh and here is another cyber hug for ya!
Lilah- Good luck next week!
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Packergirl - thanks for the info! Sorting through this stuff can be difficult and mind boggling!!!
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Ladies -- all! -- thanks for the good wishes on my upcoming surgery.... I will be glad when its OVER! Hoping and praying that I am happy with the results... but I will keep in mind that they might not be immediately evident. My PS already told me there would be swelling on the reduction side so that will not be in it's final state.... and I'm not entirely sure that the Allergan 410 Gummy actually DOES drop and fluff... since it is textured. So that side will probably have some swelling but may not change otherwise. I will keep you all posted. At this particular moment I feel a little nauseous just thinking about it lol.
Julie -- well I'm delighted to hear they aren't square anymore!
And re: make up -- I can't remember who was asking --- but isn't Clinique chemical free or natural or something? (Isn't that their big selling point?) I swear my head spins sometimes with all the stuff we are supposed to watch out for.
Kitty -- yeah my HER2+ status was secondary... a week after my first lumpectomy they knew I had IDC and was negative on ER and PR... but then a week after THAT a secondary report (final really, as the first report was preliminary) showed my HER2+ status as well as my Ki67 number (a measure of how fast the cancer was growing, if I remember right). The time it takes for results to come in from the lab is not under the doctor's control. We are all pulling for you!
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Lilah and Kat your into the final countdown for yippee squishy...your both going to be great! I have to say my "girls" are looking better every day now, I've been doing way too much shopping online for some cute summer tops ;) Just remember that there are a lot of changes from your first peek to what your finally going to look like........ My ps told me that some of the drop occurs as swelling goes down so I would think gummies will do the same
Kat and Lilah....your going to be two beautiful ladies
Karen thanks for the reminder on parabens....it's so easy for things to fall of our radars.
Susan....16 months with TE's you must be so happy to finally be ready for your exchange, congratulations!
Rebecca, so happy to hear your girls are starting to look good! Really lifts the spirits so much
Judy how are you doing.....Kitty, how's your physical recovering going?
Strength healing and comfort,
Laura2
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Hi all! My exchange is on Monday. I've only had my expanders in since December. I can't believe how long some of you have had them. My hats are off to you. I appreciate all the info with drains, recovery.... All of you are a great source of info.
Kitty, hang in there!! You are in my prayers.
diane
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Wow, I finally made it to the end of the posts! I got behind last weekend and just now finally caught up, I kept waiting to post until I got caught up, but of course now I forgot everything! I posted some updated pics with and without bras on the pic forum, some of you have already commented, thank you! My DH is thinking that I should forget going bigger since the 34D Freya bra that I ordered seems to be too small! WTS!! Anyway, the jury is still out on that, we'll see how the summer goes. At my PS visit on Monday he took some pics and is submitting them to my insurance company for fat grafting for my divots. I have read a few questions about this and I am curious also. I told my DH that if they can start them before the end of May that I would go ahead otherwise I want to wait until after summer. I don't want to give up any swimming or golf time either! We have a very short summer here in Michigan and I hate to waste it being laid up. But I do want the fat grafting. I know that my PS said that he will have to do more then one procedure, he didn't really say how many... I'm wondering on the recovery time for swimming and swinging a golf club, also, the vainity in me is wondering if the lypo will be noticable on my stomach? I know that it probably doesn't take a lot for each procedure, but I am so hoping for some noticable shrinkage of my belly!
Kitty, you have been in my thoughts and prayers since I first read about this, sounds like you are a strong and smart woman! Keep pushing those doctors and stay positive! You have a great attitude. It is amazing what BC does to you isn't it?
Lilah and Kat! yippee Squishy coming up!!! Yay!!!
Oh I know that I've forgotten so much that I wanted to comment on, I'll just try to not get so far behind from now on! yeah right!
Have a great day ladies!!!
Paula
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Susan, I want to comment about no one thinking your exchange is a big deal. A lot of my "supporters" fell off by the time I got my exchange. In fact, when I mentioned I was having surgery, many expressed much surprise that I wasn't finished yet. People just don't understand all that's involved with getting us back to "normal".
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