Implant Exchange (oYo) ~ Anyone go/stay SMALL?? (B cup)
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Suebee I'm all about the fried and steamed clams when I go back home. You can't get those in the Midwest! Can't wait to get some this summer.
Took another Aleve today for my expansion hangover.
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...speaking of all the seafood talk - Being that it is a Friday in Lent, fish & chips are EVERYWHERE!!! You can't go out to eat or do take out without noticing the big specials on seafood, fried clam platters etc. ...especially the fish&chip combo! It's a big enough item year-round, but during Lent, it's like that's all you should eat on a Friday! ;-)
Lago - hope the expansion hangover starts to fade soon!
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OOoh I want to be in New England so badly now!!! Fish and Chips!!! Well, either there or Ireland or England. Mmmmmm. Time for a drive I think!
Speaking of driving to New England, now we are trying to figure out summer vacation. I calclulated that at 50ccs each time, Ill get over 400 on May 31st. I was really hoping for exchange in early June. Now that I have started expansion, Im getting way too impatient!!!
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Sue - I hear ya, usually our summer plans are locked in by now, but with all "this" we didn't want to book anything too early. We have a camper and travel a good amount in the summer. I think I will now begin to look at the calendar. It was like I just couldn't think that far in advance...
If you venture to New England, let me know...maybe you'll be passing by my neck of the woods!!! ;-)
...we do have a little trip to Atlantic City for a Dave Matthews Band 3 day music festival in June, lots of great bands all wknd long....and no kiddies for three days!!!!
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Hi, I usually post on another thread but just wanted to weigh in on size, as it does matter! I was always small and wanted to stay small--about an A-B. I ended up with 440 cc implants, which give me a nice B. It is something I've never had before--2 shapely "breasts" to put in a bra. I stayed small and it's a good thing as the implants weigh more than the original girls and my back is just now getting used to holding up the weight! Long journey, reconstruciton, but worth it in the end.
Dragonflymary
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Hey guys!
I went back to work today, first time is 5 weeks. It was BRUTAL (I am a dog groomer, very physical job). I was so tired by 8 a.m. ... And I started at 7 a.m.!
I was surprised by several things: I was stronger than I thought, but less flexible than I'd imagined. So I didn't need much help lifting my tiny dogs, but scissoring their coats: Painful! Anything that required me to elevate my elbows, or push down (like shampoo pumps) I had to find another way. Luckily my work load is restricted to tiny dogs (my favorites, anyway) and my manager let me leave early. My muscles were crying out for Flexeril, my back was killing me.
I'm thinking I need to look into physical therapy...
I'm at 420 ccs right now. I think I want either 450 or 475 high profile... And I'm PRETTY sure I'm gonna end up larger than a B cup, the way these things measure up once they're stuffed under the pecs...
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Hi everyone!
Dragonfly - so glad you are happy with your reconstruction! I had 450 HP implants, so you sound close to me in size. It's great to hear positive stories!
Cameron - yikes - sounds like it was a tough 1st day back, defintiely be good to yourself! I'm also looking into PT, sounds like it might help you, too! Hope your days get a little bit more bearable...
Well, I just went out today and purchased my 1st post-BC bra's...even though they are sports bras, I was looking forward to just going out and browsing, I did try on a couple regular bra's, even though I knew I couldn't buy them yet, (PS has me 24/7 in a sports bras for a month, no underwires)...I did get sized, I went to Macy's & Victoria's Secret, and both came to the concensus I am about a 34 C. Granted, the number might change bra-to-bra, but looks like the cup is a C. I am happy about that, but I don't look like the "natural" C-cup friends I have, mine look smaller to me, but it seems to be the way of the "foob" to measure larger than it looks! ;-)
After all the shopping around, I went to TJ Maxx and found 2 bra's that would work. One was a Marika and the other was Jockey. I wound up buying a couple of each because I liked the fit so much and figured I'm gonna be living in them so might as well get started...
I learned one piece of information I wanted to pass along...when looking for a sports bra (if you are told to wear one) I found the ones that clasp in the back like a regular bra are much more user-friendly than trying to wrestle one over your head! The bras had light padding and were for high-impact, so these girls aren't moving once they are strapped in!
So, that was my 1st big trip to outfit the new boobs! I hope you all had a lovely weekend!
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firedancer my old sports bra was like that… not that my expander party boobs can fit into it anymore but I don't need any support right now. They were from jockey, medium impact. I would buy them on sale at the outlet store.
I can't wear the ones that you need to crawl into. I always pull out my neck ( car accident years ago). When I pull my neck my back isn't long for hurting.
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Lago - my poor former boobs never got the attention they deserved in the bra-department...I might sound pathetic, but I didn't know that back-fasteners in a sports-bra existed till I started searching now! I wonder why I struggled with that little piece of cotton to get it over my head and situated across my chest for all those years?!? These are sooo much easier!
...and I like that party-boobs comment, I can definitley relate to that one!
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You ladies are making my hungry again! I just LOVE steamed clams!
Dragonfly ~ glad you are so happy with your size! Nice to have something positive come out of BC!
Cameron ~ I took about the same time off of work as you... but I just sit at a desk! I can't imagine grooming dogs all day! I have two high maintenance dogs (bichon frises) and do all their grooming myself (with scissors not razors). So I know exactly how hard it must be for you!! I think I was able to do their first full scissoring only after about 8 weeks! Since I hadn't been able to keep up with the combing.. they were a mess! I remember my back killing me after that too!!! I hope it gets easier for you real soon!
Megan ~ I do actually have a couple sports bras that clasp in the back and they do fit my "party boobs"
And that's cool that you were able to go get sized! So you say you measure a C, but don't look as big as your girlfriends who measure a C. Do you mean if they were to try on your exact same bra.... it would still fit them but they would look bigger in it? I'm still having a hard time wrapping my head around this! Or would they just "spill" out of the cup more than you do, by having more upper pole? Or the width of your implants just stretches the cup to the sides... and your friends breasts would fill the cup by stretching it out with projection instead of to the sides? Do you fit the C cup all the way..do your nipps go all the way and touch the inside fabric? So maybe from the "side view" you look smaller... but from the "front view" you look bigger/wider? Do you feel like you could eventually buy a push up bra and push the sides in so you did look similiar to a natural C? Sorry, I have so many questions! Only a few more weeks for me! 0 -
Seriously Susan, re-read what you wrote and now imagine yourself a few years ago asking those questions! Wah ha ha ha ha!!! I was thinking this the other day when my friend was asking how my boob was doing. We started talking about the way it looks and feels and how the fill went and I stopped for a second and burst out laughing. Really? This is what its come to? LOL!!!!
I have a sports bra that clasps in the back...I bought it last summer when I started Zumba. Its a B cup (even though I wasnt quite) but gave me a nice shape instead of pancakey in class. THEN I lost all my weight and it didnt fit anymore....but I hung onto it. As my new girl starts to grow into it, Ill be able to nestle a little stuffing into the old girls side without it being obvious. Right now I am fairly even so I dont need to do too much. ANYway, my point is, I got it pretty cheaply at Walmart and I want to say its Danskin brand....nice supportive cups without the ace bandage look of the over-the-head versions.
Now I am rereading that thinking whenever in my life would I be admitting stuff like this???
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I am cleaning up dinner and can't type long...but I HAD to comment back because Susan, you are asking everrrrrry question I always wondered, too!!!!!! I laughed out loud because like Sue said, I never thought I would have gotten to the place where I am "boob obsessed!!!" I was totally thinking of you today, too - only about 3 weeks left!!! I love that you two think the same way I do!!!
This week has been bizzar-o...painful, then no tylenol now since Saturday - crazy! ...the boob-sizing is so damn confusing, isn't it?!?! can't wait to chat more, but...must tuck my children in and clean up, (I head to Boston in the morning for post-op) but will get back asap!!!
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Has anyone undergone chemo or is having to do it in the future? Is there a good thread to read? My sister just found out she has to have chemo every 3 weeks for 4 hours a day and now I need to understand it. She just had her DIEP mastecomy a month ago. You can PM if need be. Thanks.
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Hi Arlene, so sorry to hear your sister has to go thru chemo...I do not know what a good thread to check out would be but I hope you get directed to one, wishing you and your sister all the best...
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Hi Susan - ok, lemmee try to explain the craziness of these implants...I bet everyone's experience is different, but as far as mine goes, it seems that they are wider than regular boobs. Mine do not fill out up top a ton, (in a bra they look real nice, tho! ...gives me that good cleavage-look ;-)
When I think of my sister who is a natural C, she looks way bigger than me. I think it's just the natural drop of a boob is different. Mine aren't dropping anywhere and pretty much stay where they are. I have only tried non-wired bras so far (PS said I would probably never need to bother with one anyway) and it was the widness of the cup that I noticed. I also tried on my A's & B's that I had at home from pre-BC days (now THAT was a sight ;-) The cup didn't want to reach around the implant. So, I think because with "real" boobs" you can kind of lift em, & shimmy em into your bra to attain that "big cleave" look, with these implants I am not noticing that, it's kind of like once they get in the bra, that's what they will look like. I remember leaning forward and "pulling" all the boob I could muster to fill the cup, so far I don't think that's possible with an implant!
I did touch the inside of the fabric (nip-wise) but it was the cup-part that was difficult to size...so weird I know!!!
I think once these implants do their thing and drop & fluff I might know more - but for now I think that they may be wider than normal boobs, but from they don't look "wide & fat" which was my fear of being boob from my neck to my belly button!!! I have projection, but I do not have a ton of upper pole (is this the term for the top of the boob?!?) My PS said with HP's you don't always get a lot of that, but I don't have divots or a shelf, so he suggested to just leave it and let time do it's thing. I think I am ok with that because it may help in giving the appearance of a smaller implant than what I measure. I also think it keeps my boobs looking "natural", seriously - I don't think anyone would notice they were implants, they certainly look great to me in clothes, but definitley don't have any of the "porn-star" look left, like the TE's did!!!
So I went today for the post-op...nurse said I looked like an augmentation - must be healing ok! My PS gave me a script for PT and just told me to stay on restrictions for 6 weeks. I don't go back to see him for 3 months!!! That seems crazy after all this time and my life being about appts, etc. He sees no need for revisions or grafting, so here I am!!! I see my BS next week and then I won't be visiting her for at least 6 months...wow, the idea of this BC stuff winding down is so surreal to me, my life has been engulfed by it and now poof!!! it seems I get to move on...I have been so reflective again, so much has happened since Labor Day and it has felt at times like I was moving in slow motion, it's hard to think back and rememeber details of life from that waiting time before surgery...crazy! ...sorry to go off on a tangent, I had alot of time to mull things over on the 3 hours in the car today and I haven't had a chance to get any of it off my "chest" (no pun intended!
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Arlene, there should be a thread starting for everyone who is going to start chemo in April 2011.
In fact, there IS one, it's called "April 2011 chemo" and it's in the Chemotherapy Forum.
CLICK HERE (I just realized this link doesn't work). Go to Forum Index (on the upper left part of your screen), and then click on the "Chemotherapy" link (under the Tests, Treatments, and Side Effects header).
There, you will be able to learn from folks going through chemo at the same time. When I started chemo in April 2009, I joined the April 2009 thread, and we all still talk and chat with one another, as we enter the next phases of our journeys.
Depending on the type of chemo she is getting, you might also find a thread for that specific type of chemo (or cocktail of chemos). I was on Taxotere, Carboplatin, and Herceptin, and I too joined THAT thread, and learned SO MUCH from the women who had already experienced that chemo cocktail, and from the women who were on it at the same time I was.
Good luck to you both!
Alaina
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Megan thanks for the vivid explanation! I cant wait to get to that point but it helps so much to hear from you and others!!!
I also know what you mean about it being all consuming all at once and then.....? When I was DX, my DH was deployed (but due back in a couple of weeks) so I had to continue to single parent my 2 kids and stay 'tough' while I was learning about what was happening to me - then came Thanksgiving, Christmas, my MIL's own lukemia dx, my surgery and recovery and now my husbands retirement from the service (tomorrow!!!)....I turn to my BFF and say "um, what just happened here?" When people ask whats going on in my world I tell them there isnt enough time to even give the Cliff Notes version anymore!!!! I am so glad a lot of it is past now!
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Sue ~ not only did I laugh as I read it back... I was laughing as I was writing it!! Never thought I'd be asking these questions 6 months ago!! lol! And I had the "clasp in the back" sports bra before for the same reason... they didn't seem to "flatten" you out as bad as some of the others.
Megan ~ Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts. It helps me wrap my head around the concept better. Unfortunately my sisters are both VERY small A's so I won't be doing any comparing with them afterwards!
... and I also thought it was funny when I first had my mastectomy and was only filled to 100cc's ... they both said I looked just fine like that..that I could go without anymore fills! lol!! I think I may have been bigger than both of them at that point!Glad to hear you are pretty much off the pain meds and appear to be healing really well! Nice that the nurse said you looked like an augmentation as opposed to a mastectomy... saving those nips helps, I'm sure!
And I totally understand the whole surreal feeling of it all being "over". Since I stopped my fills in mid January... I've kind of started that whole.. "so this is it?" feeling. I'm taking Tamoxifen and luckily have no noticeable side effects so far (runs to knock on wood!!) ...my oncologist office called the other day to schedule my 3 month check up...after that... I'm assuming I won't see him for at least 6 mos? Maybe even a year? (runs to knock on wood AGAIN!! Megan.. you and I started this process pretty close together (I had my BMX only 1 week before you) ... it does seem so weird to be "done with it all" in only 6 months time! Christmastime was such a blur for me and such a roller coaster with waiting for test results (SNB, surgery, oncotype, etc). It will be nice to celebrate Christmas next year and have this be more of a past memory for us all! (okay... knockin' on wood ONE more time!) 0 -
Sue ~ Wow! You did go through a lot these past few months!!!!!!
...and congrats to your husband on his retirement!!!!!
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Sue - you really had a full plate with your hub being deployed, mil's illness....on top of holding it together for your kids - I commend you, for sure!!! ...and please pass along a congratulations & thank you to your husband for his service! You two deserve some time to celebrate after you are done!
I tried to explain it the best I can, but it is still a mystery to me, too! Things are going to be changing over the 1st few months for me/you both as the implants settle, etc....
Susan - I'm glad to hear you are fairing well on tamoxifen...also, when we talked last week about how much time you would need off from work, looking back now on the past week, I was feeling pretty good at 5 days, pain-wise...I am still pretty tired, but if you can manage that part, I think if all goes smoothly, you might be good for work after a week...but wait, if you are having grafting that might be different, hmmm... And yes, we really did start this process so close in time and finishing up together, too - the holidays were a complete blur! Next year will be a good one, I must say my birthday will never be the same, that was the date of the bmx and I am pretty sure I will never forget that one - or the fact that my exchange was on my hub's bday...I have a feeling these dates stick with everyone, but having them attached to sigificant days will always remind me...
Lately I have been thinking back to the time when I was waiting to "take the bmx plunge" and it seems like those months leading up were just such a blur, too...It's been 7 months start to "finish" for me. I cannot believe it when I think back...even though the surgeries are over and it's time to look forward, I know it is still so fresh in my mind (as well as on my body
that it's defnitley not like "okay, time to close this chapter and move on"...I imagine this is up there in about the biggest decision/challenge you both have ever had to make/endure, I kinda feel like I have been processing the whole thing a little bit differently/more intensly lately,I think going through it I processed what I could and kept moving forward because it was what I 'had' to do for the time. Now it's like there is time to look back on how insane these months have been, I sound so emotional, but really I'm just now being able to look at this from a perspective I couldn't see when I was in the thick of it and scared as hell, gee, at the time I remember thinking I wasn't about to let it rule my life ;-) - but somehow it kept on creeping in, anyway! Well, I guess what I am driving at is that we are getting through this and now that there` is an 'end' in sight for us as far as surgeries, etc, I am reminded yet again, what bold choices we've made and that we are all pretty damn amazing!
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I totally agree, Megan.
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I love this thread, even if I'm about to get kicked out for my ever-expanding knockers! (I'm at 465 and I have 2 fills to go. Don't even ask. I can't control it.)
Firedancer, I love how you explained the whirlwind that you've been on the past 7 months. Crazy scary. Taking each baby step just gives you a goal which I'm sure eases the burden.
As for measuring these new boobs, compared to natural boobs; it's kind of like comparing apples to applesauce. I can't fit an apple in my tiny purse, it's just too round. But I guarantee I could get the same amount of applesauce in there.
Susan, I have two bichons to groom on Thursday! They come every 6 weeks on the dot, so I'm amazed at what's happened to my body since their last appointment, lol! They get beautiful fluffy haircuts, I LOVE grooming Bichons...
Ok goodnight all.
I'm gonna go see how much applesauce I can fit in my purse.
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Putting an apple in my purse!!! Love it!!! Cameron two more fills? What does your PS say about implant size?
Thanks Susan and Megan - today is a big day around here!
Have a great day!
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Hi all! This info is so informative! I have done so my research on all my conditions that my docs, especially my ps, expects a list of questions every time..The ps comes in and says let me see your list! LOL. He even gave us an implant to take home so our curious friends (mostly the guys) thought they could provide assistance to my husband. lol. That was an evening that went to the gutter quickly.
I have had my second fill and am at 360. I am tall, 5'9' and weigh around 160 now that I lost a bunch of weight through the winter. I was l large C/small D before and plan on being smaller.
I am having my fills through weekly taxol chemo/herceptin as I am her2+++. So far after number 2, still no side effects.
My plan is to use a 450 hp, so will fill to 500. After we removed the last two drains two weeks ago, fluid decided to settle around the tissue expander dead space (as he called it) causing a minor infection and a lower bright pink breast. Freaked me out. Drained it once and did the second fill to take up space. Seemed to help. There is a little there now, but it isn't bothering me. We just watch it and he is hoping that with the third fill a week from Thursday, it should resolve itself.
I asked him if they had to stay this wide and he told me no that he can work on narrowing it during the exchange. He said that people don't realize that their breasts realy are that wide as a rule, they are softer and they move with your body.
I told him I was foobs that do not interfere with my golf swing and that don't bounce around all over the place. As a golfer himself, that's his plan!
If all goes acording to plan, I will finish chemo on June 7, and have my exchange around mid-July. Can't wait!
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Fluff Queen ~ Welcome! Glad to hear you are handling chemo pretty well
Sorry 'bout the infection .. those darn fluids! I guess it makes me appreciate the need for the drains...but I still hate them! Sounds like you do your research and have a great repoire with your PS ~ I think those 2 factors definitely help increase your chances of good results! Cameron ~ Love the apples to applesauce analogy! Too funny! So... how much applesauce were you able to fit into your purse??
And you won't get kicked off the thread... if you measure a DD...just tell us that you "look" like an A cup! ...and I would love to see pics of your grooms! I would love to groom dogs for a living... but I am allergic! (hence the reason I have bichons). Not sure I could make much of a living if my clientele were limited to Bichons only! 0 -
Hi Sue - how was your day yesterday?
Fluffqueen - welcome to the thread! it's good to hear you are moving along and getting better, sorry about the infection
...it's nice to have dates to look forward to, mid-july isn't that far off!Cameron - yup, the applesauce analogy is a good one, true too...don't sweat the big-boob-stuff ;-) I was obsessed when it was my last fill, then wound up still going for "one last fill"...crazy how it can never seem enough, right!?!?
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Hey Megan!!!
What a ceremony! When the band started with the Anthem, my eyes started filling up and they kept doing that at every stage of the ceremony. I kept chanting in my head "Do-Not-Come-Out!" I was seriously worried about my makeup! LOL!!!! DH received 6 medals/certificates of award or appreciation. I recieved two. One was from President Obama which was cool. And his retirement flag was flown over Fenway Park (DH is a HUGE Redsox fan). Ya know, to be honest, this was my first appearance since BC so I really wanted to look HOT. Sounds a little selfish but I was hoping the exchange was going to happen by now (lots of delays in surgery and healing) so I was incredibly concerned with my looks. Ill only admit that here!
I applied for a 'big girl job' yesterday....YIKES. I have been out of work since we moved and I thought I would get a job as an aide in my kids' school again which is what I have done for 6 years....but there are no openings now. While I was rooting around, I saw an opening for a techie at the district office (my degree is in computer science)...oh dear, full time, year round...do I want that???? I guess if I am meant to have that job, it will happen. Everything here since I moved has definitely happened for a reason. I could write a book! LOL
Back to boobs. Ok, Im tired of my TEs already. Dang I get a second fill on Tuesday and im impatient!!! That 75ccs last time didnt bother me at all and then to wait two weeks for another one.....Im wanting things to start moving a little faster, ya know? At least right now the girls' volumes match (even though they look different)...so from here Im sure Ill be watching the new girl more closely to see how big we want to go. It cracks me up in Zumba when only one side shimmies and jiggles. Such a weird sensation!
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Sue .. that is cute .. one side jiggles! With my BMX, no sides jiggle! I find it interesting as I look around the class and I know that I am the only one with TEs, as everyone else is jiggling. One good thing ... easier to move without the jiggling! lol
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Absolutely!!! 0
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I just had my exchange today. My expanders were 365ccs, and my implants are 350cc. I have an ace bandage which I have to keep on for 48 hours, then I can take a peak while I take a shower. I have to look back at what Whippetmom suggested.
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