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  • CDB
    CDB Posts: 34
    edited April 2010

    I have to play catch-up here!  Too much going on at home...

    Betty, Hugs to you, you've been through a lot.  So sorry to hear about your Aunt's passing.  She must have been very supportive of your PBX and recon decisions.  Hope your ooph recovery is going well.

    Kittycat, Thinking of you today as you have your appointment.  Just to let you know, my husband is 61 and has been a wonderful father. We have a 20 year old son.  Wishing you the best.

    Paula and Kathy thanks so much for the funny read/video.  It hurts - so good!! - to laugh!

    Val, this is going way back re your son graduating.  My friend's daughter graduated last year with a Marketing degree.  She took a job with Nordstrom because she couldn't find anything else.  She's still there, has been promoted, and loves the company.  Congratulations to your son and good luck!

    Quick recoveries to everyone who had surgeries this week.  Great weekend to everyone.

    Cindy

  • bebotx
    bebotx Posts: 29
    edited April 2010

    CDB - How are you doing? I've been thinking about you and hope your exchange went well!

    Betty

  • Katey
    Katey Posts: 496
    edited April 2010

    Hood, what a cozy bed you made for yourself!!  Sounds a little like the princess on the pea:)  Glad you had a good nite's sleep, that will always help with the healing, physically and mentally! 

    To all recovering, I wish you a comfortable weekend.  Those getting ready - so many! - I know you'll be busy prepping your lives, pretty soon another step will be complete!!!

  • musiclovermom
    musiclovermom Posts: 245
    edited April 2010

    Big Question of the Week!

    Are ripples enough to warrant a revision?

    I am 7 weeks exchange post-op and just noticed ripples when I lean forward?

    I will see my PS in 4 weeks.

    I know these new girls change daily and wonder if this ripple stuff will go away as fast as it showed up?

    I also wonder if it was caused by using my arms more now. 

    Or could it be because I have lost weight and my skin is thinner?

    Any thoughts ladies?

  • Kristinka
    Kristinka Posts: 223
    edited April 2010

    Maybe because you lost weight... I have a few ripples, esp when I lean forward, so I tend to stand very straight in front of the mirror!!!!  My PS said that slender ladies tend to get more of these ripples b/c there is no fat, just skin and implant.  He demonstrated how the ripples happen by holding an implant vertically, and I saw the rippling around the side edges of the implant.

     good luck with this, but also try my trick of standing with the shoulders WAY back

  • jizogarden
    jizogarden Posts: 139
    edited April 2010

    Betty, so sorry to hear of your loss.....so many layers of sadness for you, wishing you peace and comfort.

    Strength and healing,

    Laura 

  • musiclovermom
    musiclovermom Posts: 245
    edited April 2010

    Thanks Kristen!

    LOL - I had to laugh... I look great standing up and have the best posture now! I walk around with my shoulders back and down. I bet I get some weird looks from women thinking I am showing off but I am more comfortable if my implants do not fold over on my ribs...

    I noticed this as I was on my hands & knees and looked down... the ripples are on the outside of my breast by the armpits...

    I found a great new bra too! The naked bra at Victoria's Secret...

  • Nedeza
    Nedeza Posts: 351
    edited April 2010

    Music~

    I had ripples esp. when leaning over in the beginning but noticeably vanished except for that small divot I had on my upper pole of MX side which I had filled Wed.  There's continual changes over time & patience is the key before jumping onto something before it's time...right ladies.

    NAE

  • Texas357
    Texas357 Posts: 332
    edited April 2010
    My PS said that a revision probably wouldn't get rid of the ripples. But then I figure a real breast wouldn't maintain its shape if I bent over either. Laughing
  • juliempw
    juliempw Posts: 191
    edited April 2010
    OK Ladies, After my surgery the PS told my DH that he was concerned my right nipple might fail because my skin was thin and he's not sure it will get enough blood supply.  The whole thing was pretty blue yesterday.  Today the top of that nipple is turning nice and pink but the bottom is turning black.  I had his assistant look at it today and she wasn't sure but talked to the PS who wants to see me on Monday.  What do you, should I be worried? Oh Paula, I didn't stress about your comments.  As you said we all have our own picture of the perfect boob and it's amazing how varied that can be.  No worries! Maggie, I see exactly what you're saying.  In the period between being diagnosed and knowing exactly how bad it was going to be I remember coming to this moment when I realized that even though I didn't want to die, I knew my husband and kids would be fine and life would go on and I was actually okay with that.  With such a long history of death in my family and growing up with some serious issues surrounding it, this was a huge wake up call for me.  What a beautiful experience for you to have seen that at your conference.  Hood, It's nice to know they have those sweet moments in them as your kids get older.  It prooves that they'll eventually come back all the way.  NAE, Sounds like your son is struggling a little.  I know that's hard for you to watch because it feels like you're the cause, but truly this is a wonderful growth experience for them.  They will be stronger more sensitive adults because of this so while it's hard it is also a gift.  Don't be too hard on yourself. Kimberly, I had some ripples that I suddenly realized were gone last weekend (11 weeks post exchange).  Give it some time.  It may warrant another surgery if it's bad enough but it hasn't been long enough to know yet.  Julie 
  • Lilah
    Lilah Posts: 2,631
    edited April 2010

    Hood -- woo hoo on the good sleep!  Glad I could help.  I want to come sleep in that water bed now :)

    Julie -- that does sound scary but black could also be blood or scabbing (not necessarily necrosis).  I think if it were really serious they would have had you see the doctor right away, wouldn't they?  I hope it gets better by Monday.

    Kimberly -- don't lean over! (Just kidding :)  Seriously, give it time.  I am behind you on the curve but have seen enough posts here to know that things change and you are not done settling yet.

  • Katey
    Katey Posts: 496
    edited April 2010

    Nice kids you have!  My daughter has gotten me thru this twice now.  First time she was 2 and would endlessly entertain me during chemo where I was a captive audience and we would color for hours at home.  This last time she was with me when I got the phone call and went out and picked me up a bottle of wine!  LOL, how they grow up!  And grow up with some extra compassion from this crummy experience.

    That's funny Lilah, don't bend over!  Texas you're right, a regular old breast looks a bit different while hanging down too!  But we sure look good when standing up straight:)

  • cnemeth
    cnemeth Posts: 136
    edited April 2010

    Juliempw ~ One of my nipples is really dark on the underside and sort of bubbly looking.  The PS told me he was going to leave the stitches in because it was "congested".  What the heck does that mean?  The other side is light pink.  I was checking it out with my magnifying mirror this morning so I can measure any progress over the weekend.  Hmmmm.  My appt. is Tuesday am.  Now you have me thinking.  Will test my photography skills this weekend and see if I can post a picture.

    Take care!! Colleen

  • Jazzygem
    Jazzygem Posts: 125
    edited April 2010

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY KEW/KAREN!  HAVE AN AWESOME DAY!

  • val61
    val61 Posts: 969
    edited April 2010

    KristenPink - I'm with you on the side-sleeping issue....was a total side-sleeper before my bmx...and all through my TE's, of course.......and was tiny, too, so there was certainly nothing to roll over on or be the object of gravity....not the case anymore.  I tried to sleep on my back after my initial exchange at probably 10-12 weeks post-op.  It took me a good while to adjust.  After my revision, I was back to back-sleeping, and just tried sleeping again on my side.  You know what has helped me?  Those beanbag arm pillows I got after my bmx.....I put one under the foob on the side I sleep on.  It does make you sleep ever so slightly more on your back, but I feel it helps me stay in place.  Might be worth a try.....    

    Jazzy - I am SOOOOO going to Vegas, girl! (and roomies with Lillah, Julie, and KEW) Can't wait to meet you!  

    Julie - The joys of boys....especially little ones!  You're lucky that when you told him it was gross that it didn't REALLY make him want to see them - now THAT would be what my guys would have done!   (Frankly, they're still trying to come to terms with their mom having boobs.....even at their "tender" ages of 18 and 22!)   I'm glad you're so happy with your nips.  Very cool procedure....do you know what it's called?   Like KristenPink, I definitely have no extra skin, so I'm guessing my scars will still be there..... To be honest, I'm completely ambivalent about nips.....I'm hoping someone will convince me that I'll really be glad when I do them......any takers?

    Regarding the blood pressure issue:  my oncology clinic uses as fancy version of the wrist blood pressure monitors that are available OTC.  It straps around the wrist (so no LE worries) and you hold your wrist even with your heart.  I thought it was pretty clever.  Otherwise, my bp was taken on my leg during my hospital stay for my bmx....the hospital equipment should be sophisticated enough to handle that.....

  • val61
    val61 Posts: 969
    edited April 2010

    Julie - I hadn't read your most recent post about the nips....I wouldn't worry too much...if the PA looked at it and talked to the ps who DIDN'T insist that he needed to see you today, then it's probably not worth spending the weekend worrying.....

    and since y'all have been talking about ripples.....I was thinking "lucky for me that I don't have ripples".....so I just looked down.....guess what?......one (admittedly tiny) gosh darn ripple on each side right along the upper part of my cleavage.....guess it was bound to happen with my ultra-thin skin......good thing I had all those years of ballet as a child and have such good posture....thank you, Mom!

  • Katey
    Katey Posts: 496
    edited April 2010

    Karen KEW!  Is this the bday with the big celebration planned?      Happy Birthday!

    Julie and Colleen, hoping all will be okay!  And don't look at it with magnifying mirror!  I did that with my leaky incision and couldn't figure out why I was so panicked and everyone else so calm, well as soon as I looked in a regular mirror it wasn't so bad!!  

    Vegas sounds fun, am so tempted, have been there twice with DH on business and we had a blast, don't think he'd want me going without him and you all sound like too much fun to bring him along.  (sorry dh, that's bad ;)

  • juliempw
    juliempw Posts: 191
    edited April 2010
    Lilah, My PS travels to the southern part of the state once a month so no he wouldn't have seen me today no matter how bad.  Colleen, That's exactly how mine looks, kinda bubbly and black but it's spreading, there wasn't as much yesterday.  I'm glad you doc had an explanation, the PA just said, "I don't know".  I've been doing the magnifying mirror too, Katey's probably right.  I've decided to allow myself to look once in the morning and once in the evening otherwise I'm focusing on it being healthy!  Maybe it's the largeness of our nipples??? Val, Just don't look down, you won't notice the ripple then.  :-)  My nips are gross looking right now, but I am soooo glad they're there, it's amazing how these things look like a boob now.  They looked fine before but that nipple makes such a difference!  When I quizzed my PS about the nipple surgery, he said he doesn't know the name of the procedure, he learned it at a conference and has been doing it for about a year and is very happy with the results.  His website shows a picture of a woman having it done, but in looking at that pic it looks similar to a skate flap, I also know he uses a purse string suture which has shown good success in maintaining projection in the research articles that I read.  http://www.hermosaplasticsurgery.com/html/testimonials.html   Katey, You should come to Vegas!  I think he can sacrifice you for a weekend, what can a bunch of cancer survivors do to get in trouble anyway??  Get arrested for wearing too much pink?  There's definitely way too much estrogen for a dh to handle (even if most of our estrogen is blocked).  I've learned so much from you, I'd love to meet you! Julie 
  • Firni
    Firni Posts: 521
    edited April 2010

    Julie, I agree that you shouldn't worry too much about the black on your nipple.  Mine were pretty black for awhile.  It really looked like necrotic skin, but it turned out to just be quite thick, black scabs.  Your PS would have seen you right away if he was worried.

  • val61
    val61 Posts: 969
    edited April 2010

    Thanks, Julie......how cool is your ps to put that woman's creative description of her bc journey on his  website?! 

  • Kristinka
    Kristinka Posts: 223
    edited April 2010

    Val, are you considering 3-d tattoos instead of nipples?  Your result is so wonderful right now - perhaps you could see how you like the tattoos first, and then decide on the nipples.

    Colleen and Julie, best of luck with your healing nipples.  No more than two peeks a day along with some very nice wine.

    I like hearing about the kid stories, and thank you all for sharing them.  My kids still won't let me lift anything heavy and are very protective around me (sometimes in a bossy way)!

  • Estepp
    Estepp Posts: 2,966
    edited April 2010

    no hubbies in Vegas...lol.. it is a "TaTa thang..."   hehe

    RIPPLES <------------- Yes it does warrant revision. Many of us did it for this reason only. Some ( deb and others) did fat grafts to fix it.

    I chose to use a bigger implant. I am small.. THIN THIN chest. PS said a bigger implant was the better choice for me.. in my case. I only went up 50cc. Again.. I am a short lady and a bony chest...

    50cc took care off ALL my ripples.

    Many of us take care of the ripples after things settle and we see what we get. Some do it with fat grafts... and some ( like me and two others I have met in Kansas City) did it with bigger implants. It TRULY has to do with WHY you have ripples.

    Some have them due to the implants not filling up the TE stretched skin. While others have them due to their Mastectomies taking SO much fat and tissue.. and they have step offs and/or ripples.

    I was one who did not have any step off, but needed to fill the space that my TE made me.

    Do what you want. If you want the ripples gone... talk to your plastic. He/she should be able to tell you what you need to correct it. :)

    ((HUGS)) to all you girls!

    L.

  • musiclovermom
    musiclovermom Posts: 245
    edited April 2010

    Thanks Laura!  - I already have 800 cc implants so I do not think going bigger is an option right now - but wonder if I exchanged my moderate plus profile for the high profile, would it make a difference since I have lost so much weight since this whole process started? I guess  next month I will be bringing my NEW list of questions to my PS. I would prefer to get this fixed before the nipples are built.

  • whippetmom
    whippetmom Posts: 6,028
    edited April 2010

    Julie:  Nips turning black - perfectly normal!  Mine turned quite black...look at my photos!  It is why they make them so big - because some tissue fails and sloughs off...I STILL have some blackened area on one nipple...my cigarette butt-shaped nip...It's still smokin'

  • kittycat
    kittycat Posts: 1,155
    edited April 2010

    I'm off this board for over 24 hours and now have 3 pages to read on this thread!!!  It looks like everyone is busy with just life or surgeries & treatments.  Good luck to you all!  :)

    I say my OBGYN yesterday.  My husband and I left there just as frustrated or more than before.  She asked me if I delivered my children vaginally.  I reminded her that I didn't have children (she did the last d&c when I miscarried 9 years ago).  She apologized & we could tell she felt really bad.  My husband was still frustrated at that question.  It was 9 years ago and I normally see her assistant for my paps and all the BC stuff. 

    Then she suggested that I get the bikini cut when I have my hysterectomy.  The gyn onco suggested the laproscopic surgery because it's a faster recovery.  The gyn onco even told me that her doctor partner is the best at it and would suggest I use him (instead of her).  Wow - that's pretty honest (and she didn't bill me for the ultrasound because she just wanted to get a quick look at my cyst). 

    Then, my OBGYN said I couldn't have hormones.  I would have to go through menopause and it would be really hard.  There wasn't much I could take.  The gyn onco suggested some FDA trial for the osteoporosis.  And she also suggested some anti depressants if I needed it.  I told my OBGYN that I do take birth control.  She suggested I go off of it because of the hormones.  However every other doctor said to stay on it because it decreases my chances of ovarian cancer.  I am going to see what the gyn onco says and my regular onco since this is their specialty.

    Now I wait for my surgery date.  My ob said I could wait a couple months, but my husband and I thought we should just get it over with.  I talked to my mom who had a hysterectomy at 29 years old.  She did ok and didn't take hormones.  She had all the menopause symptoms in 48 hours at the hospital and then never had symptoms again.  Hopefully that runs in the family!  :) 

  • Lilah
    Lilah Posts: 2,631
    edited April 2010

    Julie -- I hope you're doing okay today and not worrying too much about the black part (sure sounds like a lot of women here have had that and it was ok -- Deborah: LOL at the "still smokin' cigarette nip").  Thanks for the link to the website!  That is a lovely photo journey and your doctor clearly does great work!

    Katey -- I am having my boyfriend meet me in Vegas after the weekend ends... so that I get the weekend alone with all the Ta Ta Sisters and then he and I will take a few days together as well (win win for me -- hehe!)... maybe if your husband feels deprived you can suggest that? 

    Karen(KEW) -- H A P P Y  B I R T H D A Y !!!!!!!!  Hope the celebration was awesome.

    Kittycat -- that sounds so frustrating... makes me think you should choose only the advice of one doctor (and probably the Onco Gyn NOT this one you just saw) to follow.  I was thrown into "chemopause" during chemo... and had hot flashes for only a few weeks and then it was done.  My mom said she couldn't remember menopause (because it was so easy) so I guess I had the same easy time of it; hopefully your experience will be like your mom's.

  • juliempw
    juliempw Posts: 191
    edited April 2010

    Oh Kittycat, I'm so sorry this is not getting any easier.  At some point it will all come together, try to wade through it.  

    Deborah, Love the cigarette butt analogy, mine are more like cigars right now.  :-)

    OMG, how in the world do you cover these things up without putting pressure on them!?  This is going to be a rough few weeks especially with the weather getting nicer.  It's 77 today and I'm wearing a loose tank with a button up over it to cover these crazy things. 

    Thanks everybody for the encouragement about the blackness.  It seems to be spreading but is a little lighter today, I'm thinking that's good so I'm not worried, just wait and see what the PS says on Monday. 

    Julie 

  • CDB
    CDB Posts: 34
    edited April 2010

    Betty, I'm doing great!  My exchange was so easy compared to the PBM.  How are you recovering?  Is your DH pampering you? 

    Well, the bad.  I have one ripple on my right and 2 on my left.  Today I only see one on the left.  Mine are all on the top, from the top of the implant down to the incision.  So I'm wondering if the PS had gone a little bigger maybe I wouldn't have gotten them...  I will ask when I go back in a month.  I figured I 'd probably get them with my thin skin, but I was hoping not so soon.  I definitely have them when I bend over, so I don't bend and look down!!  They do disappear when I stand with my back straight and shoulders back so my posture is looking better than ever!  I tried on bathing suit tops and the ripples don't show - yet. 

    The good, no, the GREAT is that my bra size went up!!  I used to wear a 34B and never quite fit.  I could never find 32s in non-wires and  I've never been able to wear wires all day.  Yesterday, I was picking out bras to try on at Nordstroms and a Natori rep was there.  I had 32 As and Bs and a 34 B in my hand.  She said you look like a 32 C or D.  She was right!  I bought a 32D and a 34C.  That made all the ripple worry fade quite a bit!  So my 275s worked out pretty good!

    Cindy, Happy member of the 300 Club

  • Mykidsmom
    Mykidsmom Posts: 448
    edited April 2010

    Ladies - Sorry, I am so busy these days that I miss many of the postings. Please PM me w/ surgery dates to ensure I don't miss someone! I know it is important to have your dates to share w/ the others!

    I had a little scare on Friday. I had a small infected area on my skin grafted areola on my right implant. All week I put on antibiotic cream, but it just got worse. So Friday I went to the PS and he lanced and drained it and put me on antibiotics. Fortunately the infection was only surface and didn't impact my implants. But, my goodness, my skin grafts and nips were placed over six months ago. I hope this will not be a regular pattern.

    I wish you all the best!! Take care. - Jean

  • AStorm
    AStorm Posts: 1,393
    edited April 2010

    Nip tip:

    Don't know what others are doing after fipple procedure but my PS taped a piece of gauze over each and told me to put ointment on them a couple of times a day and NOT to wear a bra cuz they'll flatten. Well I need a bra cuz I'm lopsided and rippley and I can't stand it, so I cut the front out of a bra and wear that. But the gauze gets all bunchy and I'll be out in public and look down and it looks like I stuffed something in my shirt :(  So I was at the grocery store and I noticed that they sell disposable nursing pads. Wish they had these when I was nursing. I still had to cut the front out of the pads but I can wear one inside my normal bra (they even have a little adhesive tab so they stay in place) and I almost look normal :) and fipples don't get smooshed. Not sure what my PS will say but it doesn't seem to be causing a problem...

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