Implant Exchange (oYo) ~ Anyone go/stay SMALL?? (B cup)
Comments
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Kickitmom - thanks! I am feeling better...the antibiotics from the cellulitis still have me feeling yucky, but I got a fill yesterday and I'm loving my boobs today so that makes me feel better. Plus I got that last darn drain out finally after 6 weeks! So happy!
jojo - I feel ya. Some days I hate these TE's so bad and just want them out now. My PS fills every week, usually about 60 ccs. I'm at 400 as of yesterday. I'm definitely tight and sore, and yes, under the arms kills too.
Susan - my boyfriend just asked the question about why we have to do TE's at my appt yesterday and the PS said sometimes they do go straight to implants if someone was bigger to begin with and has more pliable skin and is going smaller. He said the ones that are smaller and go straight to implants can't go very big and are in a fair amount of pain for awhile afterwards. I don't know...kinda sounds worth it to me cause I'm in a fair amount of discomfort anyway, lol.
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Twinmom77 ~ I didn't catch that you had cellulitus...no fun.
...and 6 weeks with drains!? I thought 2 weeks was bad! That is interesting about the PS's comment... but it seems like it's oftentimes the pec muscle that is getting stretched...not the skin. How do the augmentation girls handle it? Though maybe...since they already have breast tissue...they really arent' getting that big of implants?
Now I can't remember what SueBee said about her lefty getting the submuscle implant to match her reconstruction side. Why wouldn't they recommend a TE for that? I remember asking my PS about this.... and now I can't remember his answer! I'm gonna blame that on the Tamoxifen.
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TwinMom - so glad you are feeling better and you are loving your boobs and then the drain out - I think that calls for a party!
Jojococo - I had 60 cc expansions. I need to look and see how many total I had, but he expanded me to 500 cc. He does the overexpansion thing. I remember always hating that boob in the armpit feeling (my TEs were wide set). I took ibuprofen the day after and also found the wonderful essential oil by Young Living - it is called PanAway. I would put that on my pec muscle and it helped quite a bit.
I too find Wacoal bras run big.
SueBee - thanks for the info on 30 and 32 band bras - I will probably look at both in the stores when I bra shop again.
I have wondered about the TE thing with breast augmentation too. So great to hear about everyone exercising. It has made a huge difference in my outlook this past month. I ran 2 miles today, I would like to have a goal of a 5 K too, but am soooo happy with my 2 miles right now!
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You certainly should be happy with 2 miles, kickitmom! I agree about exercising helping with the outlook. I had just started really getting into a regular exercise routine a few months before BC hit and I think it really helped me recover quicker from the surgeries and keep me sane.
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Thanks, everyone for your input about your amount and frequency of fills. I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one who detests these things, but also sorry that everyone seems to suffer from them. I'm happy to say that I'm feeling much better today. They're also starting to look pretty good, in an alien sort of way, so that's another positive.
kickitmom, thanks for the tip about PanAway. I ordered it on Amazon. I think my DH and I could go through it by the gallon!
And now I'm curious...did anyone do strenuous exercise while having expansion? I'm only walking and miss my jogging and spin. By the way, I'm seven weeks out of surgery. NSBMX.
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summer2recover, ouch! As for the size of implant, I'm wondering how we compare physically. I'm 5'5", 120-125 lbs. and 29" ribcage measurement. As everyone else has said, it's so hard to judge how the implant will translate to bra size and what it will look like on each woman. I have the pre-exchange consult with the PS next week and will know more then. He said he generally brings several different sizes to the OR and decides what looks best, but I have heard he errs on the conservative side. I hate to admit how obsessed I have become with this subject!
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Physically, I am more "beefy" than you. I've seen a handful of the mid profile+ women on the pix forum an everyone else seems to be thinner. I have a 31 rib cage & weigh around 138 and am also 5'5". To me, I think that I look smaller than the other mod. profile plus ladies who are around the same implant size. You will probably really wind up looking great!
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Susan - they put the TE in after MX to stretch the damaged SKIN. The natural side, even tough its sub muscular, doesnt need stretching because the skin is not damaged or reduced due to surgery. The MX side has a lot of scar tissue that needs to be stretched slowly so it doesnt burst at its seam, so to speak. So basically the healthy skin and muscle doesnt need any TLC....Is that what you were talking about?
Fluff - Im not one of those crazy people cyclists - but I love to go out. The 52 miler was my exclamation point on this whole BC crap. I had never ridden more than 36 miles on flat terrain- but I wanted to prove to myself that I was a thriver! Ask Susan - I really only started to exercise about 4 months before DX...
Jojo - wait until youre watching and analyzing everyones boobs - like a teenage boy. Its funny! Talk about obsessed!
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Jojococo - I did not do any strenuous exercise. I did walk on a treadmill and did a yoga session or two when I was done with expansions waiting on exchange. My BC seemed to hit at a crazy busy time in my life and I was just trying to get by. Congrats on your pre-exchane consult being next week! You will love the PanAway. I use it alot on my upper back now.
Anyone think their implants have cause upper back stress? I amt trying to have good posture and increase my upper back strength. I went to a physical therapist after exchange to work on ROM in my arms and just have someone guide me back to exercising. I know the implants go under the muscle and are supposibly well supported and should not cause back problems, but at times I wonder.
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Another interesting note - the physical therapist has me do a nerve glide in my arm that had the nodes taken. She said the nerve had shortened. I had experienced some tingling in it during yoga when I lifted my hand over my head for a period.
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Summer2recover - thanks for your reply. I can't have access to the pix forum yet, apparently I need to do more posting so that I can qualify. I'm trying to relax about the whole thing. Realistically, I am probably too old to be worrying about this so much anyway (60, but 40 in my mind) but I always thought I had a pretty good body and I want to do what I can to preserve the self-image for as long as I can.
SuebeeBC - hilarious! Until the DX I never gave them a second thought. Also I have a 14 year old daughter - yes, at age 60 (menopause surprise!) who I stare at with both envy and concern (am I passing a gene to her? I'm not having the brca test) - which makes it in a way more poignant to me.
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Kickitmom....i feel weaker around the back/shoulder are. I have to force myself to keep my shoulds back as it seems they instinctively roll forward. I have been doing some shoulder exercises on my own, but think I may see a pt for shoulder exercises.
Jojococo...I did most of the same exercises including yoga,but I was in and out of surgery so much between february and november that it was hard to mainain it all as I would have restrictions every time. I feel your worry for your daughter. Mine is 23. I hauled her into my breast specialist to be checked out and to make sure she knew exactly how to do the self exam. I wasnt goi g to do the brca either, but I saw my ob/gyn and asked about hysterectomy, as I have fibroids and am on amoxifen. He said unless I s surgery crazy, he would say no and monitor me closely, but if I were brca positive, he would change his advice. So, I am having it done at my last herceptin next tuesday.
Suebee....you are so right....i scrutinize everyone, and ow they look in shirts. And I have this new found delight in pushup bras and low cut shirts. Freaks my husband out a little. Although, if I am going tomwear rhem, I will have to learn to sit up straighter so I am not flashing the world with full foobage views.0 -
Thanks for the PanAway hint...I happen to have some too! I've been dying to get back to the gym but up to this point my PS has said no exercise at all. I think a lot of that was because of the drains and the cellulitis though. I had started running before this 2nd dx and had just hit two miles so kickitmom, I feel your excitement! I plan to at least start walking this weekend and I'm hoping he'll let me lift weights with legs next week. Does anybody do weight machines? How soon were you able to work on arms after the exchange?
Oh and kickitmom...what's a nerve glide?
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Jojococo - I don't think you are ever to old to worry about a PS working on your body. It is refreshing to hear from others that they are going through the same or smililar process. I too look at boobs all the time and wonder if that will be something I do for the rest of my life now. I now know I am not alone!
Fluffqueen - Yes, I feel my shoulders want to roll forward too and it is work to pull them back. I had the BRCA test done to help me decide whether to do a UMX or a BMX. If it came back positive my breast surgeon highly recommended the BMX. It came back negative, but I decided on the BMX anyway. Will be thinking of you next week.
Twinmom77 - I was able to starting exercising about 8 weeks post exchange and took it very slow. I started walking on the treadmill for 30 minutes. Then slowly started jogging. I remember the first time I ran 3 minutes - I was so proud of myself. I wanted to tell everyone around me about my 3 minutes. It just felt so good to have my body respond and be able to push it some. At the same time I remember trying to run and keep my girls steady. It was awkward at first. My 3 minutes eventually became 2 miles. You will get back there too! I did some weight lifting then too - mostly machines or light handweights. I was actually in a very angry phase at this time and went to the gym to get it all out. I probably pushed myself more than I should have. I started seeing my physical therapist about 12 weeks out and after about 4 weeks, she okayed me to lift above my head (lat pull downs, overhead press, etc). She even told me to do a chest machine very light. That was last week for me.
Nerve glide - I guess when they take out your lymph nodes they are very close to your nerve and it can become irritated or shortened. So the nerve glide is a little exercise to do to lengthen the nerve again. I stand with my arm out to my side with a 90 degree angle between my body and arm - arm is horizontal. My hand on that arm is also at a 90 degree angle and palm of hand is touching a wall. I then turn my head and look at my hand and then turn my head and look at my oppositie shoulder - look away. I repeat this head motion about 5- 10 times. It has seemed to help with the tingling feeling I get in my hand when that arm is over my head for a bit.
I scheduled a second opinion with another PS about going smaller. It is about 3 weeks out.
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Hi ladies,
Just posted some updated nipple recon. pics now that I am at 12 weeks post nip recon. Next week I am having my tattoos done with Vinnie Myers in Baltimore.
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I couldnt do anything until the drains were out, except walk. Then, I could start some gentle exercises that the pt gave me in the hospital. Mostly stretching. Couldnt likt anything heavier than a coke can for 6 weeks....and everything is heavier than a coke can!
I am doing the weight machines. On the ones for my arms, I dont go much over ten pounds, just try to do lots of reps0 -
i don't remember if I've responded to this thread....I'm one who went small...my first set of implants were 300cc high profile...I hated them...felt like everyone was looking at my chest....due so some other issues, I had a swap out and now have 200cc mid profile...much happier with them...the best compliment I was paid was I look like the "old" me.....
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Hello all, do you mind if I join you? I found this thread several weeks ago, and have read through it all...like others have already said, you are a fun bunch of ladies. And, I have learned so much! I am finishing up with my last round of TCH tomorrow (neo-adjuvant), and have my BMX with TE's scheduled for 4/26. My biggest wish has been to go small and "athletic" (it would be the only part of me that is!)...which is what drew me to this thread. Thanks to SusansGarden and a few private messages with her, I saw the PS she went to, and he is now my PS as well! What tickled me pink is that his nurse asked me if I wanted to go "B" cup...I thought I would have to fight for small! As I told the doc..I am not lookin for "War and Peace"...just a lovely Shakespearian sonnet! ..small and sweet. I think he got it.
I am excited and a bit scared of it,too.
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Get out!!! Hi Karen!!! That is so great that you are going with Nichols! Isn't he lovely? I really liked him and his staff..very professional yet comforting, seemed to be up on the latest, and Nichols had a sense of humor...which is big for me.
Yeah.. Nichols definitely leans towards the more "natural" look...in size and how they sit on your chest. I was just glancing in the mirror the other day and noticed how much I look like the old me.
Best of luck to you with your surgery on the 26th.
kickitmom ~ interesting about the nerve glide..hadn't heard of that.
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Suebee ~ (regarding the TE's needed for stretching skin/scar tissue) ...but what about the skin sparing BMX? My skin didn't need to be stretched at all. It truly was for the muscle. Hmmm.. I kinda remember the doc saying something about the area needed to heal. ... but they put the darn TE in there....what's the big deal if it was an implant instead of the TE? If it is to get a better result...than you'd think augmentation clients would be better off going the TE route as well?
Honestly it just boggles my mind that augmentation patients can stuff those big 'ol implants under their muscles without stretching them first. Or maybe for the big ones (i.e. Pam Anderson, etc) they are not submuscular?? Could you imagine your pec muscles stretched around those basketballs??
I seriously have too much spare time that I am even thinking about these things.
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I am home now after my final chemo infusion...tomorrow, Neulasta. Then I can focus on healing and preparing my poor body for surgery! Soooo pumped! I feel like I have reached a new fork in the road, and excited to move forward! While there, I received a call to schedule my pre-op appointment with the PS, on 4/13. Then, another call to schedule intake appt with the anesthesiologist. 4/18. This is all becoming so real! I can barely move due to the aches from chemo, but I know there must be some things I need to get to be ready. Any suggestions? BMX with TE surgery ahead.
SUSAN... This is such an off the wall question....but.. Did you,by any chance, go on a group tour to the British Isles in 2006? ..you look (by your tiny avatar pic, which is hard to see clearly) like a gal on a trip I took. Those pics were flashing by me last nite on the side bar on primary computer. I know: crazy.0 -
Susan I had a skin sparing -I just needed more. I think because the skin is compromised. The skin stretches really well but not the recently slit open skin....thats my guess. If it was for the muscle - I wouldve needed two TEs wouldnt I?
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It is so interesting to find 300 or 400cc to be considered small. After my bilateral mastectomy I developed an infection on the BC side, so that expander was removed but we continued filling the other side up to 200ccs. In November, before we discovered my mets, a new TE was placed in the BC side and is now filled to 100ccs. When I go to see my PS next week, I am going to be asking him to remove 25 or 50ccs from the larger side because it drives me nuts. I was easily an A before BC and the 200cc side reminds me of when my breasts were engorged after weening my sons from breast feeding. Fortunately my PS (who is absolutely gorgeous) has been very supportive of my wanting to stay small. When DH jokes about D cups my PS always reminds him that it is my decision.
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Ishie I have learned that a D isn't quite a bit as I imaged. I too used to be a 34 A/B but now a 34D like the gal in Susansgarden's original post. DH did come to my pre-op for the exchange. I think he wanted to be sure I wasn't going too small. My PS said I would be a large B/small C. Well maybe if I wore a 38 band instead of a 34 I would be
. Seriously my projection is more like a C. I'm just fuller than before therefore I require a D.But I know initially I too wanted to stay small. Then as my TEs got bigger I got used to the larger size and changed my mind.
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I might have missed a post or two, but you can have direct to implant with a mastectomy and acoid the whole te thing. I asked about it, but my guy hadn't done one.
I really think that with the size I was, and the smaller size I wanted to be, I would have had plenty of skin. My te's started out with 250 cc.
Althoug I wouldnt have wanted to have pseudomonas with the final product in there, I dont think.0 -
Lago they are rather like 20 year old boobs....nice and full. My daughter is catching up to me quickly. LOL. To me, they are a larger version of my nursing boobs....
I think if I told any of my friends what size I was, they would fall over. I told one friend I was a DD and the reaction I got made me not so interested in trying that again. I dont think she believed me! LOL. Its alright, I dont really care what the letters and numbers are....I look much better in clothes than I did with my flat boobs and my DH loves them. All good.
Fluff that wasnt an option for me. It was never mentioned. My PS had to convince my BS to do a skin sparing!!! and she was SO NOT on board with nipple sparing. I definitely wouldnt have had enough skin for direct-to-implant though. My TE was filled to 100 at MX and it was pretty tight already.
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At age 55 I had a breast lift and implants. I told the PS I wanted to be a large C, but ended up a DD. I am 60 now and 5 weeks post op on a unilateralMx and had Te put in. I think the PS is going to start filling them on Monday. Is it painful? Does in hurt for a while after. Most of my discomfort now is from the TE. It is on my ribs and I feel like I have. A side ache. Starting to wonder if this is all worth it. How long is this process? Thanks.
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At my first meeting with the PS to discuss immediate recon during my BMX, I BEGGED him to go smaller!!!
I'd had boobs since 5th grade, and by the time I turned 60, the girls were 38DD/38DDD with nipples that pointed due south. (They also weren't that far from my waist....
)He said that based on my size, he wouldn't go any smaller than a C cup equivalent.
At that point I was 5'5", and 188 pounds with a 34" chest measurement.
After my BMX on 12/5/11, I got Amazon-sized TEs. I survived the BMX just fine but I thought the TE's would kill me.
Fortunately, the pain went away in time for me to start my fills, and I quickly got 620ccs in just five sessions. (I was filled to 180 ccs in the OR). Because I was so large and out of shape, I had no pain whatsoever.
It wasn't until I read EVERY POST, including the introduction, on whippetmom's "Breast Implant Sizing 101" thread that I really understood just how much mathmatical calculation goes into selecting just the right size implant. You can't just say "I want to be a C cup!"
It finally dawned on me that if the PS were to put in implants that matched my current body shape, and I lost weight later, my foobs would not, and I would end up with stripper boobs. SO not what I want!!!
So we've had "the talk" and I know the exact size, dimension, and catalog number of the implants he is going to put in when I lose my weight. He is also going to have to do some pocket work and possibly fat excision and lipo when he's in there. But I'll have the foobs I want.
I'm on Optifast now, planning to lose 40-50 pounds. I'll delay my exchange surgery until I go back on regular food (mid-summer) and it's safe.
Even as I lose small amounts of weight now, I realize that the TEs are appearing much bigger (and harder, if that's possible).
Seriously, if you want to have any control over what size permanent implant you have, I strongly urge you to check out the "Breast Implant Sizing 101" thread, and be sure to read the introduction. Whippetmom is a genius.
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Had my BMX on Monday and have been in quiet a bit of pain. I have heard that when you are in really good shape you have more pain so that could be it. This afternoon the pain has finally gotten better. I forgot to ask how many cc's where put in in the OR but I have an appt on Monday and will ask. Before surgery I was a small A and PS said I would be just slightly smaller after surgery with my TE's and he was right I really don't look much different. He feels the right size for me is large B small C so this will be an interesting journery.
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Sherry I was an 34 A/B before surgery. I didn't feel after BMX that my chest was that much smaller. My PS also said large B/small C. I currently wear a 34D. A 36C is a bigger cup than a 34C so cup size is not an accurate measurement.0
