Nipple Sparing Mastectomy with immediate reconstruction
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Jessamine - thanks, that helps.
twirlncurl - why does the augmentation hurt so much? any idea?
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whitedove:
Thanks, and thanks for the "heads-up" about the nipple. I am feeling pretty well.
hebbie_jebbie: Glad to hear your nipple is healing well! I'll have to ask my PS if he wants to delay fills as well.
Julie
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heebie-jeebie..it's hurts so much because nothing had ever been done to that side. I only had a uni-NSM. so this is all new to lefty. I also had sub-muscular placement of the implant..so it is damn sore. PS told me the left was gonna hurt for three days and the right wouldn't bother me a bit. He was very correct
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twirl - I am interested cause I may be on that path as I am a uni. still unsure if I'm going to do anything to the natural side and I want all the info I can get. did you go larger on lefty or just eliminate droop?
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I went bigger..much bigger.
I have 480 on mx side and 400 on natural side.
It's getting better. feels like after the MX..heaviness and all. I have good mobility and all. It's just really sore going down my side . to be expected.
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heebie_jeebie- I think everyone is different as far as tolerance of the fills- or I'm a big baby! (Or both!) I was small to begin with and I found the fills to be very uncomfortable about 2 hours after they had been done. So I dropped down to a smaller amount. In fact, my PS showed my DH how to do the fills at home and we were doing just 10 cc's about every 3rd day. Just remember that you decide how much and how fast to get it all done- not your doctor. If you end up having any pain a lot of women take some kind of muscle relaxant (I took Flexeril which worked great for me) so you can ask your PS about that.
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For all of us who got a little "something-something" after exchange I just bought my first bikini top (since I was 13) that had no padding! Now I'm off to Maui tomorrow with my DH and DS to tan these puppies. See you in a week!
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have a great time Kate..you deserve it..tan those beautiful boobies and flaunt them to all..whoooo
I was actually admiring myself when I got out of the shower today..damn they are gonna look good.
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Kate, enjoy your new bikini bustline and have fun in Maui!
Twirl- YEAH!
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Kate, Have a blast! Don't we all need a vaca ladies? Hahaha....
heebie_jeebie, I didn't have any pain for the expansions but I was filled with 50-60 ccs every two weeks. I too was a 34B/32C before and my final fill size was 345ccs and my final implants were high profile 400ccs, making me a 34C/32D. My ps actually told me that she had better luck not overexpanding since a more "snug" fit helped prevent any rippling. Some docs prefer over expanding to give a more natural sag. I actually wasn't going for the natural look (yes I admit it) and so her judgements really worked out well for me. If we took a poll as to who had pain and who didn't, the majority here did have pain with expansions so I would say that 100ccs is a large amount. You could try it the first time and go from there maybe? The slower they fill you, the better as well. Flexeril or valium is a good way to go in terms of treating any discomfort.
Twirlandcurl, Congrats on your exchange! It's nice to be done. I am stoked on mine as well. Did your ps tell you when you can start sleeping on your sides? I forgot to ask and I am seriously getting sick of being on my back!
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I actually slept on my cancer side for about 1/2 the night last night..I am not a back sleeper at all. Tonight I am gonna try pillows behind my back and kinda prop myself on my right side..kinda like when I was preggo. Im hoping I can sleep the whole night. I have been waking up at 3am..and nothing is on the tele.:(
My PS just said sports bra till Monday..see you then
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I am also a uni. I decided to do nothing to my non-offending side. My PS said that in a bra no one would be able to tell, and it is true. He also said if I decide I don't like it after even a couple of years I can adjust the right side then and the insurance has to cover it. I decided for me I wanted one side to be scar free and still me, even if it is saggy! It also gives me a good side to sleep and I have good movement on that side where I don't on my mx side.
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Hi Girls,
I posted on exchange city but wanted to let you know my exchange went well. I had no problems except for some discomfort and soreness. I rested all day yesterday. He ended up using the smallest of the three sizes he had. He said the 450HP fit and looked the best. I still haven't really seen them because he said to leave the bra on until Monday. They seem soft and I see no step off. I'm dying to just look at them! Oh I did notice the nipple was really stretched out with the TE and it looks different now. I cant' tell how different until I am able to really look. Has any of you had the nipple look different in anyway after the exchange?
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mine is flatter..the TE had it buldged out to a point. Looks good now.
glad your doing well !!!!!!
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Thanks all for your input on the fill amounts and the options for the natural side. I will have to see about getting the muscle relaxer for when I get the fill.
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Congratulations, Sweetie! Hope you get to see the new acquisitions very soon. You must be so relieved to be on the other side of this. Hope that all the newly exchanged, Hurleygirl & Twirland curl are doing great as well.
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I HAD MY EXCHANGE ON FRIDAY!!! So glad to be done - thanks everyone for all your help and comments through this. I decided to have my facial laser resurfacing at the same time (PS gives a discount since you are there and out already). My foobs didn't hurt at all, but my face did, but only on Saturday and is fine now. I like like I could be in a horror movie! Hope it returns to normal. My breasts look great though - sweetie we are the same size he put in 450s and moved them closer together. Saw the PS today and he is pleased - they are only a little swollen, wants me to wear this surgical bra for awhile, I go back on Thursday.
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Whitedove-thanks and you were right I feel soo much better. They feel so nice and soft. I wanted to take a pic today but I need to have my hubby do it for me, so I'll get it soon.
vmudrow-congrats! Glad your happy with your results. My ps moved mine a little closer too but was limited to where my musle ends, but they look good. I hope they don't change to much because I don't want them to be any smaller than this. He says the 450 was even tight. Your lucky you got to have to procedures done. I have to wear the surgical bra too for two weeks. Are you posting pics?
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saw the PS today..things look awesome. I told him I was very happy with what he did..he moved the MX side closer to sternum and the augmented breast looks like a perfect match. He seemed pleased to hear how happy I was..could've been the vicoden talking..
sports bra for a month
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Vmudrow, congrats on your new additions! They are soft huh? I am still poking at them and just amazed how far medicine has come. I really need to stop poking...
Sweetie, I am waiting for my husband to take my picts too bc I am always doing mirror shots! My foobs are pretty close together...an index finger width basically. I was a bit paranoid of uniboobness since I started reading crazy things on the internet that mentioned how they can migrate like that. Luckily, no migrating has happened!
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hurleygirly - Yep, soft is the word - it's kind of weird after them being hard for so long.
Are you and sweetie going to put your pictures on the new picture forum? I haven't been to the site yet, I will have to see if I can still get in. Let me know when pictures are there. Good to hear everyone seems to be doing good!
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I just updated my pics for all interested Uni's..sorry it took so long
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VMudrow - CONGRATULATIONS! So happy you are out of the TEs and moving on. I hope that like me, you find that after the exchange you will have entered a whole new phase where your outlook is better and you feel a little bit more "complete". It is nice not to have any more surgeries think about, to be out of TEs.
A toast to you all! By the way, I STILL find myself amazed at how soft they are and finding myself often squeezing the Charmin. (no wonder why everyone gets obsessed with getting new bras at this point! gotta go adorn those new puppies)
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vmudrow, I am shooting to post some picts by this weekend...just gotta snag my husband to take some shots!
So ladies, today I went to see my bs. He wanted to see the finished product when I was done and so I stopped by today. We ended up in a conversation in which I pretty much asked him exactly how much, percentage-wise, of tissue was left. He told me less than 1% which made me feel really happy. I have read so many different things out there how sometimes 5-10% is left behind with a nipple sparing. He told me a story though about how he performed an NSM with another ps, one he will never decide to team with again. I asked him why and he said that the ps did not allow him to core out his patient's nipple because the ps was paranoid it would die and because this woman did not have cancer but was doing it as a preventative measure. This ps basically forced my bs to go against his best practices. How crazy is that though and how sad is that for the poor patient as well? I wonder if she was aware of that decision or what. I couldn't believe it!
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I'm encouraged to read your stories. My NS BMX is on Monday 10/18. Cancer is on my left and on that side, the incision is going to be a line from near my ribs towards my aerola. I have a previous augmentation from December so I have scars below my breasts and that is where they are going to access on the right side. I have a fantastic BS PS team here in Seattle and they have worked together multiple times doing this NSM procedure. In fact it was my amazing PS who brought up NSM w/me. Once they remove the tissue, test the cells, send the rest to the lab, core the nippless, place the TEs, sew in the alloderm, put in 100cc of saline and close me up...I'll be ready to find out the results of the SNB...and the next chapter of this journey.
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Whitedove - thanks, it is kind of the end of this process. Hopefully I'll check in to see how everyone is doing.
hurleygirly - Now I'm wondering how much tissue they removed under my nipple? The breast surgeon said she shaves it as close as possible to the skin. If cancer ever did show up there she said it would be very near the surface and easy to find. Hmmmm.
mom38yo - Good luck with your surgery - hope it goes well.
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Hi all:
Hurley - great point about the going behind the nipple (that word coring brings shivers!). I wonder how many sisters here got an Oncotype score done as part of the pathology report. Also, did you do Braca testing? These also factor in lowering the % risk.
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ladies-I just posted my exchange pics on the pic forum. Looking at them there I think they look small. I hope they change for the better. I'm happy the exchange is over but was really hoping to go larger.
whitedove-I had both the BRACA test and oncotype score done. I felt fortunate to have two more pieces of the puzzle in helping me make choices. BRACA was negative but I still ended up choosing a BMX and the onco was a great piece of information to have since my tumor was 1.9 and at 2.00cm they would automatically have given me chemo so they would have given it to be sure, but with the onco score being low it woudlnt' have benefited me. My oncologist does not think keeping the nipple will increase your risk of BC returning and thinks it is a very safe and viable often.
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Hello girls, it's been a long time since I have posted. Welcome to all of our new members, it is so exciting to see the word is getting out about NSM. Congrats to all of the girls who have their new foobies, or about to get them.
It's been 10 months since my surgery, and I can honestly say, I'm so happy with my results. I feel so fortunate to have been able to have this procedure, and I have no regrets.
I wanted to let you know that I did the Komen race last month and it was truly inspirational. If you get a chance to participate in one, I recommend it.
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VMudrow, Well I bet you have less than 1% too. I hope I didn't instill any fear. They can't say 0% so less than 1 is pretty dang good you know? I was curious and wanted a number. He said it with a "don't be worried tone" if you know what I mean. One of those confident tones which only helps in feeling more secure.
Whitedove, I did get the BRAC1/BRAC2 test and it was negative. I never had the onc score. I wasn't even able to find out if I were HER2 neg or pos. I asked about it but my bs said that it wasn't a usual test for DCIS. My bs though wasn't referring to the % risk...just the % of potential tissue left since they can never get it all. Even with a reg mastectomy, there is some tissue so I think the odds are good. I was just blown away that a ps prevented a bs from taking as much tissue as he/she could have with that one patient. How crazy.
TNLady! Nice to hear from you! I too have zero regrets. Somedays I feel so relieved because bf the NSM, all I felt was anxiety and fear...fear of everything you can possibly think of and I know everyone can relate. Now I know I made the right decisions for me. It's a nice feeling.
Sweetie, I am going to go and check out your picts! (=
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