Exchange City
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Hey Girls, I finally have an appointment with the new PS April 6th to go over what all will need to be revised..... I'll keep you informed on what all the new PS has to say about my revision!. Good Luck everyone!
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All this blow's my mind.... My old PS never said wear a bra don't wear bra nor did he say massage don't massage he gave me nothing, so glad I found a new PS.
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Happy Birthday Lilah!
6 weeks post exchange, one side feels great, other side hurts at times like attempting to rake. Feel more comfortable wearing a bra, because of sore side, hopefully one day soon won't feel the need for support (460 implant) Still need to work on shoulder range, but did just ride 40 minutes on recumbent bike, plus have been walking:) Have a long way to go to get back to my old high energy level, but will get there!! Absolutely love how they look in clothes, tho even am still getting used to looking without!
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Judy -- ah thank you for that explanation re: gummies and cohesive gels! That does help. Yes it IS confusing.
Karen -- woo hoo on the manicure! I had my first manicure since before chemo (I stopped for fear of getting infection and then I was worried about LE etc) about a month ago and OH I loved it! (And re: LE fear I just told them "no cutting")... my manicurist does not speak a lot of English but when she saw me in my wig she said "it's confusing" (which I think she meant: "I did not recognize you"). As for jackpots and gambling -- oh MY you know you DO get to have more than one jackpot per lifetime... we will have to get you your next one in October in LV
And yeah good point about Jack Benny! As for me, I'm with you: happy to be alive and while not thrilled to be 50 not depressed about it (which I think I might have been pre-BC).Katey -- thanks for the good wishes and the cake! (That is a cool cake
Ugh -- had my final fill today and SO sore. Counting the hours til my BF gets home from work (so I can put him on back rub duty) and now the days til I feel normal again (should be okay by Friday).
Lilah
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Hi all,I've just come back from my PS. He put 60cc's in one side and 120cc's in the other side. He had put 60cc's less in one side a few fills ago when healing was a little slower on the right than the left, now I'm all even-steven. I am now 480cc's...I didn't realize that I had 120cc's put in at the time of surgery. Sounds huge to me but because I have a very wide chest wall it really doesn't look any bigger than a B. I took the advice of many of you and took a photo in of what I hoped to look like when everything is finished. He said that he would do one more fill in two weeks, reminding me that he over fills before he does the exchange to give the new foob a natural look I found a great site of reconstructed breasts....here's the link to the one I brought into my PS.I hope to look like the "after" or close to it..... http://www.theplasticsurgerygroup.net/photo-gallery/details.cfm?IMAGEID=1839&ID=750&startrow=1So only one fill to go :)Hope everyone is recovering and comforted as you travel through all the challenges you face......Healing and strength,Laura 0
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Lilah: Kimberly has the smooth round silicone implants which are standard in the industry and the only silicone implants currently approved by the FDA in the U.S. All of us who have round silicone implants have the same type of implants as does Kimberly. Mentor calls them "cohesive gel" implants, but the "gummy bears" - which you will be getting - are called "TRUE COHESIVE GEL" implants. Currently, the only true cohesive gel implants are anatomically shaped [not round] and are available in the U.S. through plastic surgeons currently authorized to use the Allergan 410's or Mentor CPGs in clinical trials. Just wanted to clarify the difference....
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Ah thanks Deborah -- yeah that makes sense then. I did feel the difference and yeah those smooth round silicone implants with the standard silicone ARE very soft; the gummies I felt were firmer but still squishy. Sorry to make you repeat this... I hadn't realized that the standard silicone are also called cohesive gel's -- so that is what threw me.
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Hello my dears; just popping in to say WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
My onc called as I got in the door to tell me all is well, no changes to either lungs or boobs.
I'm taking the "f" out of foob too, as I love my adopted girl. She's still me, she just has new stuffin'.
Thank you so much to all who prayed for me....God is very good.
I'll remain here to be silly and love all of you.
xoxoo
annie
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Woooo hooooo Annie!!!!! That is SO wonderful.
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to fairport lady:
Offhand, sounds like you have overdone it a bit. Most of us did nada for a few months. If you were used to activity, that's good, but I think it sounds like your body is telling you to scale it bet a tad.
Good luck, feel better and get some rest!
xoxo
annie
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Thank you Leila! I'm sorry you are so sore, but your girls are filled up! It's fun from here on, once they settle down a little bit. The exchange is a joy and the relief is immediate.
50........you are still a kid, honey. I am 54! 50 is fun! You are at that point where you truly don't give a damn what people think and you are so right....being alive to be 50 is the point!
I think we bc gals are lucky to get that perspective. We know not to sweat the small stuff.
love
annie
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hi all - new to this thread. my PS isn't part of the gummy study. has anyone used a PS in the long island/ny area? i'm desparate to exchange these TE's as i'm having issues with pain on my sides and armpit probs. please help!!!!!!!!!!!
thanx -
denise
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Annie ~ wonderful new.
To everyone having surgery this week, wishing you all the best.
I see my PS for my first post op on Thurday ~ hoping to say bye bye drains !! I have had enough of them. Everything looks good. My one side is definately more sore where she had to do extra pocket work to get them even I think. They are looking good. I do notice one ripple when I bend down. Oh well ~ to be expected.
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Missde3 - You should PM Stonebrook108 - she had her implants placed on long island and has loved her results. Her's were one step, placed at the time of BMx, but I still think you may want her PS. She has sent others there too.
Annie - YAHOO!!!!!!!!!! That's great news!
Fairportlady (Kathy) - I know it's not your age so it must be your activity level
! Seriously, I expect (knowing you) that you are overdoing it. You will feel much better after the exchange. Just give it a little time. Hugs my dear! - Jean0 -
Fairport Lady-- Yes, I've had problems with back, neck, and shoulders that my doctors have attributed some of it, and a friend of mine who is a structural engineer, to the change in our pecs. Since our pecs no longer do the job they did before other muscles have to learn their new roles. It takes time, and my PT had me do things very slowly for awhile. We have different stress points, our tendons are working differently, and so is the scapula complex. I think just take is slowly and pay attention to your body. Don't compare to what you were doing before surgery to now, you will get back to that, or close to it with time. Most of my doctors said it takes about a year after surgery to really be healed and back to what you were doing before, although some are doing amazing things soon after surgery, our bodies all respond differently.
Hugs--Karen
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I too have had problems with my back, neck and shoulders since the MX in November. I'm sure this pain is connected with the trauma that my pecs are going through. The pain is getting better with each week, and I find lying down in the afternoons for a little bit really helps (as do gentle stretches). Good luck to us all as our muscles readjust to the new us!
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Fairportlady55
If I space out this week I just wanted you to know that I pray for you and your exchange on Friday. I will think positive thoughts and envision a easy and speedy recovery. Just promise me you wont push it that first 5 days. Let others take care of you!
Hugs from down the road!
Kristen
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JUDY.. ( I am not Deborah... lol.... but......)..my PS AND MY RADS ONCO told me the rads boob WILL be higher. It will not do the drop and fluff. My non rads breast is 1/2 lower. NOW.. if I had more skin on the NON rads side than I did... I would have to have had a lift to match. Since I was a B+ C- before mast... and went to a full C+... I did not need the lift.
Just FYI for you rads girls. I seem to be finding out ( through the rads girls here and another site) that Plastics and Rads Onco are not letting their ladies know this prior. They seem to wait and see.... WELL... if I had been expanded to say.. 400 and I went with the same or smaller implants... THERE is no wait and see.. DUH. I went larger. I was expanded to 420cc and PS could only get a 500cc in my rads side so this is what I got. I look good... and will not get a lift for 1/2 inch..Sometimes , I have seen, ladies who DID talk to their PS.. and their PS wanted to wait and see... so they did. They needed the lift... So... it depends. If you want to wait and see... great... if you want to make sure you do not have to go back into surgery..great. I think you are in a great situation to discuss this with your PS. .. I HATE seeing gals go back into being cut on twice on that rads skin....
ANNIE........ BEYOND HAPPY!!!!!!!!!! CHEERS!
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Karen: that makes a lot of sense, thanks!
Cindy: ok Ill try to ignore those dust bunnies: maybe I'll just call them dust Easter bunnies!
Kristen: thanks: my daughter will be home from college that week so I WILL try to take it easy and let her take cafe of me. I live alone and Im sure I do overdo it! And from down the road: GO sweet 16 Syracuse!
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Denise (missd3): well of course your TEs hurt! They hurt! (I have one in now and just had my final fill today and my back is killing me, which it always does right after a fill). The good news is that the TEs are temporary. The bad: they are hard as rocks and they are expanding your pectoral muscle, so they are gonna hurt (though they hurt less if you expand slower). Anyway, I'm not sure why you want to change your PS at this point -- mid-stream as it were -- is it just because he/she isn't part of the gummie trial? How do you know that the gummie is best for you? Just wondered if the gummie thing is the only reason... from what I understand, the smooth round silicone implants are FAR more popular among the women who post here... and are the more common implant available. Are you a single or double MX?
Anyway I did PM you the name of my PS, who is in NYC.
Cheers,
Lilah
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Oh and Jean: you are such a sweetie and I keep saying it but thank you so much for everything especially getting me here to meet all these supportive amazing women! You're right: of COURSE its not our age!
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Hi whippetmom
!I e-mailed you earlier. Tomorrow, I go for my second fill & just found out you can help with sizing, etc. Prior to surgery, I wore mostly a 36D Victorias Secret bra (with lots of padding to make cleavage). It was a little big but a C was too small. I would like to be a full D cup at least, We are going to do the round implants but that is all of the info I have on those. I also want my implants to sit higher in my chest than the expanders do (plus they seem to migrate out toward the sides & have moved toward my arms). Here is the info you requested.
Height 5'5", Weight 138 lbs, Ribcage 31 1/2". Allergan 133FV Full Height TEs. Recommended fill volume - 500 CCs. I was filled to 180 CCs at time of TE placement then 140 CCs each at the first fill. I can now wear a cheap 36D bra but it's loose at the top. The current bra was very cheap with no padding & the wire cut out.
Thank you so much for your help!
Mia
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Missed some info. I would say I have a med/long torso. Also, my left breast was always a little larger than the left/hung lower. Does the same now. The left breast reminds me of a ski slope. The right is round & full (may have some fluid build up). If it does have fluid build up & the fluid is removed, it will definitely be smaller than the left.
Thanks!
Mia
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Laura: I am going to try my best to not get cut on twice. grrrrr.
They are about 1 inch apart now. the side position is fine, cleavage space is fine. But I am going to ask my PS to lower the rads side- which he is going to do anyway, but I willask him to RAISE the non-rads side, above the rads breast. Then we can wait and see from there!! I'd rather wait and see from a position that "I" think is going to work, than do a wait and see from his position!!
Cross your fingers that he listens!! JUDY
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WOW! I've been catching up on all your wonderful posts for two hours!!!! Now, I don't have time to post other than to say TODAY WAS MY LAST FILL!!! I am elated, relieved, and very happy.
Best wishes to those recovering this week and thank you ALL for your information, good humor, and compassion. luv, deekaay
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Judy, you and I are in the same boat. I want SO MUCH to prevent asymmetry which I am almost sure will happen, so what is my PS to do?
So the PS could:
1. Raise the healthy breast to match the radiated breast
and/or
2. Lower the radiated breast
3. Add alloderm or fat in the lower pole of the radiated breast?
Not all PS's use alloderm. I have not asked mine about this.
The good news is that I met another lady today who was gushing with joy because she was so happy with her new areola and fipples. They were done by my very own PS (and Colleen's) after her breast had gone through prior radiation! She said how worried she was a year ago because of her uneven TE's and bad scars. Apparently (our) PS went in the radiated breast, did all kinds of sculpting and fat grafting, and, appearance wise everything is now even. Especially so after the nipples and areola were added! The radiated breast is still a tad firmer. (She promised me a private viewing next meeting.)
Anyway, I totally commiserate with you on this topic. Please give me a blow by blow account of what you and your PS decide to do!
Thanks.
Brenda
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I plan to ask him to lower my radiated breast 1 inch and raise my prophy breast 1/2 inch. That should put the radiated breast 1/2 inch lower than the prophy breast. then I just hope for the best. If I'm right, the rads breast will not drop at all, and the prophy breast will drop 1/2 inch--which should make them even. we'll wait months to tell though, with fingers crossed. Firmness doesnt' bother me.. JUDY
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Mia...... CHECK YOUR PMS......... FAST
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Deekay: Congrats on your last fill! I sure know how exciting that is! Now is the wait for healing, memasurments, and exchange. I feel so much better just not having to do fills each week and starting PT now and it's been less than 3 weeks!
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Just checking in and wishing everyone a great pain-free week!
Deen
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