Exchange City
Comments
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Cristl, I underwent immediate reconstruction after bilateral BC diagnosis in 1999. THEN they did 5 1/2 weeks of radiation to both sides (and to silicone implants). I've just been accepted as part of a study being done by a PS in Tampa on the Inamed implants (anatomical) and he is recommending Inamed Style 410 "gummy bear" implants. Although I'm not happy with my current situation, (54 and single) but I don't want to go thru reconstruction and end up losing what I have now? Can you give me any insight on your experience and what you would recommend? I notice you had 410 gummy bear implants by another manufacturer? Thanks!!!0
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I think only implants are on that other link I posted
this link should have everything
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Sonia
I just looked, he might be talking about
FV (full hight) which are 15 by 14 by 6.2 @ 600cc
MW (moderate height) which are 15 by 14 by 6.3 @ 600cc
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Yvonne,
Yall is a good word I use it all the time! LOL. Isnt it funny how you can be feeling fine mentally and then WHAM it hits you...I HAD breast cancer and it SUCKED!!! But cha know what....Annie is right we have all kicked the crap out of it. Now we can say it is FOREVER in our rear view mirrors!! We all have our days of being down. I once heard someone say that when you fall make sure you fall on your back because if you can look up you can get up!! And we ALWAYS get up!!
Lorraine, if there are more pictures of you that I did not get in my email then I am gonna be really, really jealous! So I say all that to say that if you have new pics, I wanna see em. My exchange is on Monday. My PS ordered several different sizes. He has a diifferent brand I cant think of the name of em, but in the Allergens he has 575cc HP and 600cc HP he said they have 6.2 cm projection. I really wanna go back to a D cup that I was before all of this happened. So any advice would be great! Oh about the 5K im doing so soon after the 8K. I am such a competitor with myself that I am always trying to push harder. I hated my time last weekend so im gonna try and do better in this race.
Jaimie, I finished chemo in August and I started running again in September. No WAY I could not run through chemo. I felt so achy and weak! When it is time to start running again your body will let cha know. I started walking and then once I got strong again I resumed running. Best wishes to you!!
Annie I just LOVE you ...I wanna be just like you when I grow up!
Laura.......Get er done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are with you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sandy, that is an awesome pic you posted. I dont know how I am gonna be still for the few days after my exchange. The thought of not getting my fitness on scares me. LOL
Tracey
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Hi Everyone, I haven't posted in a while. WOW! So many wonderful women here!! It will take me a while to catch up on everyone. I just wanted to wish all the exchange women best of luck, and you'll love your soft girls. I am at the final phase! On monday the 30th i get my tatooing done!!! Then I should be finished with the reconstruction!!YEA!! I am so excited to be done with this!
Take care, gentle hugs, Jeanie 0 -
Love you all !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for all advice on my implants to come...
Thanks for keeping me reading when I cannot post... I enjoy you all.. feel like we are related.
We are very close here... it really is a blessing to us all.
Take care... Sandy... I cannot wait to see your pics climbing
Tracey... running... you ROCK!
Linda.. your times are crazy good! You Rock too
YOU ALL ROCK !
Amen!
Ps.. I am at 420cc now with 5.9 progection.. so I am not sure under 400cc will work for me...
I think I need any CC's that give me a 5.9-6.2 projection... We'll see....:)
Thanks All...
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Welcome SWest - I don't know much about TE's other than how they feel! Sandy you are the best at answering these questions. Look at you go, answering on your break!!
Tracey - Thanks for the encouraging words! I sure needed them. I am very excited to hear how your exchange turns out. I can't believe you are going to run the weekend before. You are so energetic!!! Send some of that energy my way! I have a sister who is a marathon runner and I am secretly envious!!! LOL
Jeanie - Less than a week until your tats!!! What the heck does that feel like - to be almost done? It must be great to see the end of all this! Very excited for you!
Just a few more hours til Janet gets home...waiting to hear from you.
Wanda - How did the fill go? How much did you get today?
Diane - Hope you are doing okay today. Feeling funky is the pits. Hang on there and we'll get through this.
I think this is going to be one of those weeks. I just got a call from one of my first cousins (36 years old). She just came home from a mammo and ultrasound and said she has a large lump on her breast (kind of under her arm). The screening centre said the radiologist will get back to her within a week. My heart is hurting for her. She says her lump hurts. Did anybody else have any pain...mine was so small I couldn't feel it but I've heard that if they hurt they might not be cancerous. Is that just an old wives tale? She called me for guidance and suggestions as to where to go next. (I work for the local health authority and know most of the doc's here). It feels like déjà vu in the worst way. More prayers, more prayers, more prayers....
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Oh my ladies - So many posts and so much going on.
For those having surgery this week or next - best wishes!!
For those feeling a little blue - I am so sorry, I know how it goes. I am sending gentle hugs your way. And I am certain that someone on this site will say something funny and a smile will creep out.
I have been very busy. This new business has gone from not there to overwhelming. Good, right?!? Perhaps I will be longing for the peaceful life of post-mastectomy. Not!! Take care my friends! - Jean
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Wow Yvonne,
I will be praying for a positive outcome for your cousin. I have heard that sometimes cancerous lumps do hurt, but in THIS case I am sending prayers and Karma that she will have a favorable outcome!!
Jeanie all I have to say is WOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO tatts are on the way!! I cant wait to hear how you like em!!
Tracey
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((((((( Yvonne))))))))
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Sonia: There are three additional tissue expanders by Allergan which are not featured in the Allergan catalogue which Sandy linked to you. They are all "extra full projection" expanders - SX - short height, extra full projection, MX - moderate height, extra full, FX - full height, extra full. I researched and found this because my TE's were "MX" and were not in the Allergan Natrelle catalogue. Tell your PS that you want to get enough projection - as much as possible - but you also need the width b/c of your ribcage dimensions. With the 133 SX, you could get 15.0 wide x 13.0 height x 7.6. Ooh, la, la! Now that's some projection...but it might not be enough height...need to ask your PS about this.
Sandy, I have this document with the additional TE's saved in Adobe. I found a HTML version but the link, when I paste it here, is so long it will weird out our posts again and make them fill up the screen like they did previously. Do you know how to convert it somehow if I email it to you so that we can link it here? I am also wondering if Jean could post these links at the top of the forum. We could post all of the pertinent links up there. What do you think?
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Hi Everybody,
I am back from my exchange surgery. For once the surgery was right on time! Yay!
The PS marked me up with a magic marker and then I marched into the OR and got hooked up to everything. The anesthesiologist was very sweet. She said, "OK, my dear Janet, you are going to have a very pleasant sleep." Next thing I know I'm in the recovery room, where I copped a feel of the new girls. Soft! Squishable! I got Allergan 410s (gummy bears) in the 495 size. No more shelf boobs, but a nice slope at the top, from what I can see. No more internal scaffolding!
Oh, and I finally got my cup of coffee, in recovery, once I woke up sufficiently. So now i'm feeling pretty good--got a caffeine boost and a painkiller high at the same time. A little sore, but happy.
Thanks for all your well wishes!
Yvonne, I am hoping everything is OK for your cousin!
Janet
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Thank you Sandy and Whippetmom. I am so grateful for this information. I really want to make sure I'm making an educated decision. You gals are wonderful!
Thank you for the warm welcome Yvonne!
Congratulations Janet! I'm wishing you a speedy recovery!
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Hi again,
Forgot to mention I have two lovely drains! O boy. Not what I was hoping for, but if it helps me have a good outcome, it's worth it.
Janet
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Hi Yvonne,
Well... I went in asking for 100cc to add to the 300 at surgery and I am so glad I listened to my PS. He warned me that as a "newbie" to the first fill since surgery I would most likely regret racing to the finish line. He was very concerned I would be in so much pain. He talked me into only 25cc this time around and 50cc next week. I must admit, I am very thankful tonight I took his advise. Going forward, I will listen to his advice as I have gained a great deal of trust in him.
Not really painful tonight... just tight and my rib cage is being dug into more than before.... BUT I am one more step closer to my new ta tas and getting rid of these AWFUL expanders :-)
Hope everyone is having a good night!!
Wanda
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Janet - Yes!!! One more done. I'm glad you are feeling pretty good already.
Okay you guys are just not going to belive this...I'm not making it up - really. I just got a call from my mom. My aunt (same side of the family as the cousin) had a seizure in the doctor's office last week (first one she's ever had). He sent her for an MRI and they found a cyst or something on/in her brain. She had a CT scan today but doesn't know anything more. I am totally in shock and can't believe it. She just turned 60 and is raising her 2 mentally challenged grandchildren. She has been keeping this to herself because she didn't want to worry anybody but finally broke down and told my aunt. This is just too much for one week...
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Hi PWFlorida,
I am also a "tampa girl" and would like to ask who you are working with on the new gummie bears? I am working with Dr. Soler as my PS and my BS was John Cox (he has a brother Charlie who is also a BS).
THanks
Wanda
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(((((((((((((Yvonne)))))))))))))) TOO MUCH! I am sorry your family is dealing with this all....
God Bless!
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Janet I had the drains too....but got them out yesterday...so only had them from Friday until Tuesday! They told me once they were below 30 cc's...so I called when they were 29.9! Glad to hear it went smoothly!
Yvonne...sorry to hear all that you are going through. I know all too well what that is like. Exactly two weeks before I was diagnosed, my 38 year old sister was diagnosed with bc. One year ago March 5, my mother had surgery for the very rare form of cancer she had. About a month ago my uncle was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer.
Did I mention I hate the C word!
Sending hugs!
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Yvonne--thanks for the kind words. I needed them. I'm praying for you and your family.
Diane
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oh Yvonne! I am so sorry!! My prayers are with you and your family! Big cyber hugs! Hang in there...
Lorraine
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Hi Marilyn
I laughed at the Lamaze as I found myself doing the same thing when I saw the syringe coming. My PS laughed and told me I was way too braced for the worst. I tend to agree with him.
Diane, WOW.... I just don't think there is any way I could handle that much at once. I am just not that big and even at 300cc fills I was pretty tight. Thus all my confusion at seeing all the numbers bantered about here.
As for the funk, I definitely understand. I really got up and out as soon as possible and although I had some pain I felt pretty good. For some reason I hit the wall yesterday and most of today. Maybe it was the fill coming up but I think more looking to have this behind me as soon as possible. I did not expect there would still be some fatique at this point but it seem to overwhelm me yesterday??!!
Oh well.... I know this will be over soon and I will have new ta tas and no more looking over my shoulder!!
I so appreciate having this site and all the support of such a wonderful group of women. I am trying hard to be as upbeat as possible as my daughter turns 15 on Tuesday and it is just she and I.
Thanks!!
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Oh Yvonne, I'm so sorry about your cousin and your aunt. I'm praying for positive outcomes for both of them -- and for you too, sweetie. It never rains, does it? As far as painful lumps, my situation was that I had a painful lump that turned out to be benign, but my DCIS was found next to it. So if it weren't for that painful lump, I never would have known about my BC. I really, really hope hers is just a regular old lump.
OK, I really AM going to bed early tonight -- Sandy busted me last night for going to the October board after I said I was going to bed here. LOL
Gentle post-surgery hugs to Janet!
Karen, I hope you're doing ok!
Good luck to Carol tomorrow!
Sheila
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Oh, Deborah, to turn a long URL into a short one, go to tinyurl-dot-com (for some reason it won't let me actually post the link here) and follow the instructions there.
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Yvonne - I pray for strength and comfort for you and your family as you sort through all of the traumatic events occurring recently.
Lisa - I really wish you would post your pictures. We need to see more Allergan 410's up there...
Lorraine - Alright, I need to see your photos....I'm PM'ing you right now.
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pwflorida:
I am a Sarasota girl and are wondering who the dr is that has the 410 gummies? The name is confusing, but Inamed and Allergan are the same manufacturer. Allergan took over Inamed a while ago. So the doc may call them Inamed but they are Allergan.I am going to Moffitt Cancer Center for my surgery. Where are you going?
Yvonne: Sending strength your way to get thru these event is your family.
Laura: Glad to see you back. (((big)))
JUDY
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KinAZ/Karen I hope we all have another 40 years
Wooohooo Tracey soon your rocks will be gone
Tracey you should be able to walk and maybe spin on a bike
just avoid anything that make the girls want to jiggle
Deb putting the links at the top is a very good idea
I didn't mention a couple of the TE styles because she said her PS was looking at 600cc and 2 of them didn't come in that size
Janet thanks for posting so soon
take it easy these next 3 days
Wanda I'm glad you took it slow
taking over the counter pain pill 1 hour before a fill Is a good idea
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Hi Sandy,
Thanks for the response. I am glad I took it slow as well. Sleep has been hard to get through this as it is and I don't think tonight will be much better. Although with all I read here, I feel blessed to not have it so tough. You are all amazing women and I feel so lucky to have this site as I am pretty alone in all of this and although I have some great friends, I just hate to pull them into this as so many have so much on their plates right now
Have a great night!!
Wanda
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Yvonne - so sorry for all your bad news. That is alot to take at once. Hang in there!
Best of luck to everuyone else as you go through all your procedures and treatments. It is hard to keep up with everyone when you are offline for a few days. This last surgery took alot out of me.
I had my first post-op visit yesterday after my 2nd revision. The dressings came off and the drain is out (yeah!!!). So far, the results are good. I have pretty good symmetry and the hollow area at the top has been filled in nicely with the allograft. I am nervous that the implant will drop too much over the next few months, but so far so good.
Robin
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Deborah I'm working on the photos. Was going to wait until the steristrips were off, but maybe I can get my daughter to help me with pictures today some time.
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