Exchange City
Comments
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Hi again. So my sister had the TE removed and is feeling lots better! I'm going to hop off this thread again. Wishing you patience, dropping and fluffing, peace and vibrant health! Thanks!
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Annettek and Rowan, I know it is still 2 months out, but my personality needs to know when the end date is. I asked my PS to schedule the exchange date and coordinate with my gyno for the hysterectomy. This is the only control I have over my body and it feels darn good to pin down a date to finish up and move on with my life.
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slinky i know exactly what you mean. I had a lot of trouble getting a date to get my TEs. They kept saying it could be May or June and I told that would be fine I just wanted the actual date.In the process of waiting for them to give me a date they had a cancelation and I had my surgery march 29th. So I guess it was good that I kept pressing.0
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I have been a closet reader for the last couple of weeks and am finally piping in! I am 27 and havent had a lot of opportunity to talk to people as this has been quite the whirlwind experience (as you all know!) I have become dependent on information from forums like this one! I had BMX with immediate TE placement in January 2011. Due to an infection and a surgery for incision revision my fills were postponed and began in mid March. A couple of weeks ago during a routine fill it was observed by my PA/PS that the left TE was leaking. Long story short, surgery was moved from first week of August to yesterday (4/22). After reading how successful people were coming out of the exchange surgery I was not expecting to feel the way I do. I am only one day out but I feel like I did after my BMX. Can't move without a ton of pain! And like some of you have previously said, they look nothing like I had thought! The TE's were uncomfortable as all get out but actually looked decent. Now my new implants look at least half the size of my TE's and seem to be very very very far apart. This is all normal right?? Please tell me there is light at the end of this?!!
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Almostdone -- you should go to Breast Implant Sizing 101 -- Whippetmom's thread and read the info she has there (and then post there to get her advice). She is the expert.
I will say this though: most of us are not happy at first with how they look... it takes time for the implants to settle (the "drop and fluff" you've seen people talking about) and then after a three months or so the shape becomes more pleasing. That said, you should find out the following info: what make/model of TE did you have (and how many cc's of fluid were they filled with?) And what make/model of implant do you have (and what size)? It IS typical that the TE has more projection than the implant, but half the size? I don't know if that's the case. That said, it may seem like half the size to you right now. I know I was very depressed the first few weeks after exchange... and now very happy.
As for the far apartness... are they farther apart than your TEs were? If so, that IS odd. That said, a lot of women on this site have talked about this issue and from what I have learned by reading it seems that some of that is due to your anatomy.
All in all I really do think you need to talk to Whippetmom and give her the info I asked for above as well as your height, weight, rib cage measurement (all instructions about this are in the header on her Implant Sizing thread) so that it can be determined whether you could have better results, whether it's a matter of giving it time, or both
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Hi Lilah,
How do we jump to whippetmom's thread?
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Here's a link:
http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44/topic/746448?page=96#idx_2865
If that doesn't work, just click on the word "search" on top right of this page and for keyword type Breast Implant Sizing 101 and it shoud come up on top.
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No offense to Whippetmom, but why wouldn't you ask your PS this question? You or your insurance company is paying him or her dearly for their expertise.
Do you also know about this: http://www.justbreastimplants.com/size/
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Exchange pics are posted on the pic forum under bad boob job
let me know your thoughts.
thanks so much!
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Thanks for the advice ladies! Will be sure to do some follow up with this. It is weird how far apart they seem to be right now. One of the last things the PS and I talked about before being put under anesthesia was getting them closer together... I have a follow up on Monday I am anxiously waiting for! I've noticed quite a few posts stating that they put pics up..how do I go about finding these and also posting mine for input?
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Happy Easter to all my exchange buddies.
To all those having their exchanges this coming week I wish you great success. You will be on the other side before you know it and in the world of squishies!!
I'll be traveling on a mini vacation this week but will be back the end of the week.
Have a great holiday!!
Happy exchange and God Bless
Jan
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Dawn: In anser to your question, often the PS and the patient have different ideas and expectations that are never discussed. Some are in a hurry, some dr's or patients are poor communicators, some just trust their PS and end up very disappointed. Whippetmom is very knowledgeable and an expert at helping women here who know what they want but don't know how to achieve it. I had to fight for months to get the great results that I have and I wouldn't know what to do or how to go about it without her help. I told my PS what I wanted but maybe they just aren't good listeners!!!
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Well certainly she should talk to her PS... but it doesn't hurt to talk to Whippetmom who has been advising women here for the last few years.
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Dawn, when a woman says she wants to be a certain size, and her PS and whippetmom have completely different takes on the ccs required, it opens up room for discussion with the PS.
Discussion like "I know you hear me, PS, but are you listening? I want to be a C cup and now I'm getting unsolicited calls from the HR department at Hooters; what gives?"
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Good points about extra opinions. I guess I'm lucky in that my PS and other medical providers are good communicators and answer all of my questions. I just have a pet peeve about these boards and worry about people using non-medical people's opinions as advice. I don't read a lot of threads here, but I have gotten great information about what I might expect. This is a wonderful resource and it is great that people can share their experiences. There are some threads I don't even go near anymore because some people are so sure their own ideas are the best. And no, that doesn't include the breast sizing 101 thread. Honestly, that one was so long, active, and specific, it was too much effort for me to keep up with it!
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Dawne: Whippetmom has a gift that helps women get to the size they want to be based on their measurements--some PS's are good at it but many are not! Of course communicating with your PS is very important but many push their own agendas and without her help they may end up having to have additional surgeries. I have heard so many either complain about being too small, too large and others who just need help to fix what a bad PS has done. Her gift to us all is just priceless! She isn't just anyone-she worked in the medical field of research for many, many years plus she has been helping others here for a couple of years with her own first hand experience. I am in awe of her expertise and knowledge!
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Hi there, all - I had my exchange surgery about 48 hours ago. Yesterday I took it easy and stayed on plenty of Vicodin. Today I'm a bit more mobile and thinking of going out for a short walk.
I'm sort of glad to read here that I'm not the only one to experience initial disappointment. I had a unilateral mx and wanted to remain a B cup. I chose augmentation on the natural side in hopes of getting some symmetry - but I didn't realize how much additional fullness that would require. My PS said she would put in the smallest implant on the natural side. I was hoping it would just look fuller on top, but my whole breast looks a lot bigger to me. I know some of it is probably post-surgery swelling that will diminish over time, but how much? That is the question.
On the implant side, she said she wouldn't be able to go much smaller than my final expanded size, even though I had told her I felt that I had the right size a couple of expansions ago. In the end, the shape of the reconstructed breast is not the same shape as my natural side, and it looks smaller than the augmented natural breast. I have rippling, which I guess I thought would develop over time but I didn't expect it immediately. My reconstructed breast also looks flatter on one side. The folds under both breasts are deeper than I was expecting, and I'm not thrilled about that, but in the big scheme of things it's not my biggest worry.
I'm just trying to come to grips with all this and figure out how to adjust. I guess if I can just look OK in clothes I'll be happy. I just really, really, really hope I don't have to go into larger bras and clothes. A long time ago I was a C and I hated it (my body just changed to a B over time). Since this exchange surgery, I've had many moments when I wish I had just done a bmx, maybe even with no reconstruction. I think for me, being flat would be better than being too big.
I had tried not to get my hopes up so I wouldn't be disappointed, but oh, well. I'm hopeful that over time my new body will settle down and I'll get used to it. It could always be worse. I guess at least I'm alive, right?!
Lilah - I was right that we're at the same hospital. And I think if I'd wanted to wear the wig into surgery, they would have let me, despite what I was told on the phone. I wore a scarf to the hospital and ended up keeping it on throughout - they just put the blue surgical bonnet right over it.
Annettek - I sure hope you're right that it gets better after the exchange. Between my current disappointment in the surgery and the ongoing side effects of chemo (nails, hair, losing more eyebrows and eyelashes), sometimes it's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I put on a positive face to the outside world most of the time, but I'm having a tough time at the moment.
Rebetata - I am the opposite of you, I guess. You were initially disappointed to look like an A and turned out a D. I am afraid I look like a D and I want no larger than a B!
MBJ - You're so right about communication. My PS even said right before surgery something to the effect that it's difficult to express this in words because it's really such a visual thing. I really like her a lot. I am just a little frustrated that I can't tell if I'm getting the result I wanted...and even more frustrated that I think I'm hearing that what I want is not possible.
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citykitty: It is so soon to tell what is going to be right after surgery! It takes at least 3 months for swelling to go down and even longer to see what is going to be. Do you plan to post your pics on the picture forum so you can get some feedback? I found that this was so helpful to me, especially being a uni. Gentle hugs!
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Citykitty -- I am a uni as well and while I did not augment my natural side I did have a lift and a huge reduction and there was a lot of swelling. So much that at first my native side was firmer than my implant side (which is no longer the case). There is also some swelling on the implant side as well (ask MBJ who was sad when her implant side ended up smaller -- though of course she looks fantastic anyway). So you do need to give it time -- it may take a month before you start to get a better sense of your results and as many as three months before the true shape/size emerges. Hang in there!
Oh and I forgot to ask: what kind of implants did you get? Regular silicone smooth rounds? Gummies? Saline?
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Citykitty: Can you post the sizes you were given? They should have given you the card with the implant info on it.
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citykitty - So glad you are doing well after your exchange. My exchange is tomorrow and am trying to get myself mentally prepared now. I am preparing to see my new 'breasts' look like hamburger buns, and then eventually settle in and hopefully look better. I was a saggy dense full D before and wanted to downsize, I am praying to come out as a perky full B. But since I ran into issues with my TE my PS is trying to prepare me that I might not make it to a full B, I may be smaller.
I am trying to tell myself as long as no more complications arise, they end up being perkier, and eventually I won't need to wear a bra all the time, that it will be fine with me.
I wrestled with the entire thought of reconstruction and thought of just being flat, but decided to go for it becuase the implants would push my chest wall out a bit making it easier to detect if the cancer comes back, at least that is the rational I used. Figured if I really don't like it, out they come. After all aren't implants suppose to be replaced every 10 years. So in ten years, who knows what I will have or not have.
The most important thing for me is to beat the cancer and enjoy a long healthy life, doesn't matter if I have breasts or not, as long as I survive this crappy cancer.
Wishing everyone a wonderful week, especially those of you having procedures this week.
Cheers.
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Citykitty: I too am about 48 hours post op and vicodin and Percocet have been my friends since! Jealous you are feeling up for a walk already....I agree with you it is hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. It's helping to read encouragement that over time things better better. however since this journey began last fall for me Iremember reading that once you make it through the Exchange surgery you were golden. well I certainly do not feel golden and am again questioning if maybe the reconstruction was/is worth it. just got to keep remembering that tomorrow is another day!
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almostdone: Unfortunately some of us need more internal work or have complications with the exchange and it takes them a bit longer to heal. I promise you, it will get better. I look forward to the day when I no longer even notice them and accept them as part of my body. I think it does take time and it is really early to tell. Hang in there! Gentle hugs!
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I have Natrelle silicone implants. On the mx side, it's 270cc, and on the natural side, 120cc.
MBJ - Thanks. I have been following your posts and pics for many months now. You have been sort of my "role model" for uni reconstruction because of our similar body types (although I didn't want to go bigger, and I think you did!). I'm considering posting pics, but it will take me a while to get through the technical aspects, not to mention get up the nerve!
Lilah - Thanks for your encouraging words! I've been following you as a sister uni, too!
ProudMom_Wife - Good luck to you tomorrow! Just like every other step of this journey, it has its ups and downs. I hope your surgery goes smoothly and things turn out the way you want - although, as we're hearing, it will be a while before we know the end result!
Almostdone - Amen to not feeling golden, LOL! Just when I thought I was out of the woods with having to figure out what bra I can wear, and how much to pad one side or the other, and what clothes I can or cannot wear over it....geez, it looks like there are more months of that ahead, all summer long - unlike winter, when bulky sweaters were a blessing! Oh, joy!
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citykitty - careful on the walk! Don't want to jiggle those new implants! My PS told me no walking for exercise for 4 weeks ... incumbent bike only. I hope you feel better soon!
[[[hugs]]]
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Citykitty: Even if you don't feel comfortable posting on the picture forum, PM Whippetmom to get her input! Dawne-Hope is right, be very careful with any movement or you could find yourself in lots of pain so soon out!
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Thanks for the warnings. I did go out for a little walk with DH, but it was a very slow, gentle walk for maybe a mile at the most! Gee, I didn't think about jiggling the implants, how dumb am I?! Just needed to get some fresh air -- but I'll be sure to be more careful! I did PM Whippetmom.
My PS said I couldn't go back to running for 4-6 weeks, but I forgot to ask her what I CAN do. Will ask that at my one-week follow-up.
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Cameron....Page 693....ROFLOL!!!
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I wish all you ladies the best of luck. I hope you get the look you want, and I wish you no recurrence.
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citykitty: I need you to find out which style of implants you received. 270 ccs on the MX side is a small implant. You must be a waif!! Dawne-Hope is a waif and she has 325 ccs! But the STYLE is an important factor. I cannot fathom why you have a "deep fold"....
Why don't you email me photos privately?
Deborah
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