MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish
Comments
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Leisa, a good way to find out what size you want to be is to go where you are fitted with prosthetics. That way you can try before you buy....so to speak. Good luck.
Peace, strength, love n hugs. chrissyb
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Thanks chrissb, but I haven't been fitted for a prosthetic, so don't even know where to go for that.
Thanks Claire82, I'll try that.
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Leisa, here in Aust, all major department stores that have bras and things usually can measure and fit you for prosthetics. Perhaps it's the same over there. Good luck.
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Elimar - I laughed so much at your new photo. My dear friend has a collie and I sent the photo on to her apologising for being silly. She had a nasty fall yesterday when walking her collie so I hope it brightens her day for her.
Leisa - I was a D cup and although my surgeon desperately wanted to reconstruct to the same size I said B please, as I didn't want to have to wear a bra anymore, and no fipples or tats. I am happy with them - no bra and no more big boob problems - yay! - and although they don't really look anything like the real thing they look fine under clothes which is the only reason I had recon.
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Hello,
Thank you everyone for the warm welcome.
I have a "fake" fire going right now, watching Sex in the City in my comfy pants and drinking a coffee-aahhhh!
Elimar, I found my cancer, lump in my breast. My Dr thought it was a cyst and said he discouraged self exams (I think he changed his mind with my diagnosis). I found a lump the second time as well, but the lump grew much quicker. I am not sure about my radiation yet, I am hoping that there will not be many sessions because I may be having it in Toronto, which is about 3 hours away from my home, I will have to be away from my family each week, which will be hard. I have an appointment with a radiation oncologist this Thursday. I will let you know.
Leisa, hmm boob size. I have always had small breasts (A). I had reconstruction last year and I went up to a large B, small C with the expanders ( I was very excited to finally have boobs!). I found my recurrence before they did the exchange surgery so I had to bear with the discomfort of expanders until last month. I had one removed completely on the side of the recurrence and had the exchange done on the other side. My breast has gone down to a small B. They do reduce a little in size and the shape changes when you switch from an expander to a permanent implant. Good luck with your decision and surgery!
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leisaparis, I met with my plastic surgeon before my MX. She wheeled in a three tier cart of jiggly implants (LOL) it made me giggle. I put on a cotton bra and we simply slipped different sizes in, to see how they looked and felt.
I never needed a prosthesis (was only an A, and can simply wear a padded bra to look just like I did before)
I look forward to going back to the PS early next year to begin the process for real. I would assume that's where you'd get a lot of your answers about shape, slope and size . . . .
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Well if you want a man's opinion
more than and handful is a waste. That's what my DD has always said, of course when I was nursing my babies he never said that. 
I'm sure your doctor will be able to help you out. 0 -
leisaparis i read that with some PS you can have a digital visualizion of what your breasts would look like at different sizes. I was not quite a 40 DD. I did not do recon, but I am just meeting forms for the first time.... and I like a B...maybe a full B. And I am Italian stocky build ....The posture thing is amazing not having the DD... and my center of gravity is lower... i even walk different.
You can find out Info re: Fitters from you Lymphedema/PT department that are highly recommended in the hospital you use in your area or from RN's Certified in Oncology usually working in Womens Diagnostic Centers/ or based in Hospitals...... or ask your Breast Surgeon if he works with that particular Nurse Oncologist. I like dealing with RN's advice in this realm, as I did not find BS that helpful.....but then I did not do PS.
I would also suggest that you look into finding out about Lymphedema PT for your post op followup.
Ask for pictures of your PS work. See if he has any clients that would share there experiences with you.
Make sure your surgeon is Board Certified.
Ask about DOG EARS....
Best of luck to you,
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Just wondering if you've been on Femara? If so, any SE's? Before the Big C, I had no pain, was very, very healthy in every way, and I am 60ish. I was diagnosed in Jan. 2009. Now I feel like an old woman in the morning and when I get up from a sitting position...ouch! Muscle pain galore! If you have experienced the same thing, what have you done about it? Also, have you heard if Femara gives long-term effects? I am hoping at the end of 5 years, the pains will go away and I can return to normal! So happy you started a discussion for the very "mature" adult!
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Thanks ladiesfor all your replies. The only reason I am having any kind of recon in the first place is because the cancer surgeon left me so lop sided. I was to have bmx, to be even. Only had cancer on the right. I woke up with the right all gone, almost clear down to chest. What's left is about the size of a computer mouse.
The left however was taken down to, about the size of a softball. A very floppy softball. He cut off about 1/2, scooped out the breast tissue then sewed up what was left. So very lop sided. The right also has kind of spread out to under the armpit.
So what I'm wanting is to have it put back up front and shaped and the left taken down and shaped to match. This is how I came up with the large A size. Does that sound about right? So not sure exactly what he's gonna do to get it that way. I have an appointment on Nov. 2nd to go over all the details. Then surgery on the 10th.
He won't have to put in anything on the left, but not sure what he wants to do to build the right side back up. I know I don't want any silicone. Would prefer not to have any foreign objects in my body. Trying to get rid of one, ya know CANCER.
Thanks again gals for all your help. Leisa
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Elimar.... cool beans on the dancing skeletons and guitars....I am a DeadHead. Made me smile.
I miss those days. Now its JamBands I follow.
Off to do bills.
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Skeletons, who doesn't love 'em? Don't know what I'd do without mine.
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How did I miss those skeletons tonight when I first signed on? Ha! Amazing how sometimes are eyes are drawn to things, and other times, nada. Can't believe another week is under way, but at least Monday is over with. Let's go Friday!!! (Not wanting to rush life itself, just my work week)
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elimar!we have to be on our toes with you..this is the only thread i start at the top; cause i LOVE your pictures.. at first, i thought those ladies dieting overdid..then i put my glases on.Leisa, i hope you'll get advise.. my 1st PS appt. he gave me all these jiggly ones to try...it turned out, we decided my frequent bacterial infection discluded me for recon. he did "clean up" including scarring from 1st surgery, and ask about the dog ears.. what a difference it is to have them gone. before, i would never go naked with my DH, now, i'n careful, but not nearly as bad... so, i got foobs, real ones, and fluff ones. i was a dd-e before, stayed at 36 and went for a full B, little C in foobs. the nice part is, i'm trying to make my own. someone at b.co gave instructions, so we'll see. i get to choose what foob, with what outfit. rather have my "real "ones back, but not with cancer... i had a dbl. mx because of the symetry problem. i wanted to avoid "crooked" ones. i hope it all works out wonderfully for you... light andf love, 3jays mom0
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Love the skeletons!! Love the stories about forgetful memories, I just blame chemo brain.
My sister is a 5 year BC survivor with double foob replacements and we agree, with replacements your foobs will point up and be perky!! And we earned them!!! Just hate the way we had to get here.
Peace and laughter,
Cheryl
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Jane108 - there is a Femara thread in the Hormone Therapy - before, during and after forum. Lots of info about aches and pains from Femara and ways to manage them.
Elimar - lol, my friend LOVED the collie picture. She replied to my email 'I didn't know Cleo had auditioned ...'. Cleo is her collie.
Leisa - my recon is a bit uneven. The right prophylactic side is rounder and fuller in shape on the top, the left is flatter. I asked the surgeon why that had happened and he said he routinely removes a layer of chest muscle 'to be safe' when he does a mx for cancer so the implant is only under one layer of muscle but the right side, without cancer, has two layers of muscle over the implant and so looks rounder. Maybe that is what happened to your breasts - the larger one may have two layers of chest muscle in place and the other may have had a layer of muscle removed so it appears smaller.
I don't like skeletons anymore - they remind me of my mortality - ugh, I really have to get over myself soon
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My skeleton is thanking me today for taking it to a chiropractor. Threw my back out moving furniture a few weeks ago, but I no longer had a regular chiropractor, so it came to taking a chance on one that someone had recommended. There's always trepidation "auditioning" a new one...they all have their unique philosophies and really are so different that it just does come down to finding a good "fit" sometimes.
Is it arrogant to think that finding a health care provider should be a bit like an job interview? I am hiring someone, after all. As a new patient, they always want to ask me several pages of questions. So what if I ask a few questions of my own? In a perfect world, I'd be able to pre-screen every person connected to caring for my health, but sometimes the time or situation doesn't allow it.
Long story short, I got lucky to find someone I think will work out well for me. I'm happy. My skeleton is happy. It might even take me dancing later.
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Adorable. Makes me want to get up and dance.
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elimar--I fully intend to interview the gastro doc that will be doing my colonoscopy and EGD, when and if it ever gets scheduled. I've waited 2 months already from the time the referral was made. Apparently it's time for me to look outside of the local area (again). I have a page full of questions about the procedure, complication rates, familiarity with LE prevention measures, etc. I'm paying, I get to choose. It's a basic patient right to know the name, credentials and experience of the providers giving us care, and to decline the "services" of anyone we do not feel is adequately trained or experienced.
raeinz--I'm surprised the surgeon took a layer of muscle. I thought that was outdated years ago when studies showed it didn't change the recurrence rate. Did he tell you he was going to do that before the surgery? Did he tell you it would make the recons uneven?
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NM, I had an extra layer taken off my cancer side. That side is a radical mastectomy and my other side is a simple mastectomy. Irony being what it is, I have mild LE on my left (cancer) side which makes it look a bit bigger even than the simple side!
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Adding to say; if the doc knew he did it that way, why didn't he accomodate for the size difference? Doi.
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I have had two recons and my natural side is still bigger than the cancer/rads side. I looked at my records throughly the other day, and it states that originally I had a partial mx. I have heard others mention they had one, but skeptic that I was/am, I really didn't know that existed. That would explain the out half of my breast being MIA when I finished Tx. My PS did think he was accomodating for the size difference, but you can never tell how raidiated tissue will respond.
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NM - na, he didn't say anything about it prior to surgery - although I asked him to explain what would be done and my DH doesn't remember him saying anything about it either - and I only found out it had been done when I asked for and read my surgery report several weeks later. I asked him why he had not mentioned it earlier and he said that any difference is usually not noticeable and that we could adjust the inflations to make them even. That may have worked if he had put in the smaller implants as we agreed prior to surgery, and they had been mostly full, but he decided in theatre to put in larger ones
(something about being more appropriate for my body shape). I didn't want large breasts again so they are only filled to 260mls in a 600ml implant and there is lots of spare space and even with more saline in the cancer side they just don't match. Oh well, I didn't expect them to look or feel anything like the originals, I am definitely not interested in any more surgery and as I said they look fine under clothes so they will do.0 -
elimar, LOVED the sketelon!!!
Cheryl
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My PS did the same thing, Raeinnz. He decided in the operating suite to go larger. I guess it held things up because he had to wait for it to be delivered! I would have been happier with smaller, but I am tall and he thought more would look more balanced.
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Where is Kleenex? I don't think we have had her annual installment of "Texas Homecoming Mums" yet this year. I didn't even know what the heck those were last year, but if she regales us with an account of the phenomenon again this year I will look around for the most ostentatious examples I can find of the things. Oh, Kleenex...0
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I remember those last year. Kleenex, we want to see this year's harvest of mums and all that go with them.
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Love the new pic Eli!!! Those dogs deserve extra treats for sitting for that picture. I don't the story of Kleenex' mums, is it short enough to share??
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Homecoming Mums on steroids, Mar.
But hearing the account in "kleenex-first hand" description is worth anticipating.
xx00xx00xx00xx
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Okay gals I have a question. I'm not sure what DOG EARS are. Can anyone tell me what exactly you are talking about when you say dog ears? Is it the triangular shape they leave your breast in after surgery or what? I've seen you gals talk about it before but I guess my chemo brain just isn't retaining it. Also I'm not sure if when I was describing the different sizes of my breast if I gave you an accurate description. So I hope not to offend anyone but I'm posting a picture. Hopefully that way someone will be able to point out from my picture where my dog ears are and see if anyone can tell me what size they think I am at from the picture. Thanks and I hope you all don't mind the picture. Leisa
Okay, for some reason I can't figure out how to post a picture today. I know I've done it many times before, but not today. So here's a link to it. Thanks again.
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