Exchange City
Comments
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Rebecca- good luck and great results for you!!
Laura2- So glad everything worked out for you! Yay, we're yippee squishy..!
Ronqt- It is up to you to tattoo the other breast. Make sure your surgeon knows that's what you want...
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Hope all goes well for you Rebecca....don't worry.....it's so much less trauma on your body than the mastectomy. Good thoughts your way!
Paula...they gave me Dilaudid because I have a bad reaction to codeine based drugs....I'm trying to stay off of it today....maybe just half a tablet if the tylenol doesn't do the trick. I did enjoy the giggles though
Best to all,
Laura
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Laura2, I have bad reactions to most of the stuff they have given me too, Vicodin, Motrine 800, and Darvicet, they all make me throw up, didn't know that Dilaudin even came in a pill form, probably just as well, I survived with just Tylenol....
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Maggie: thanks:) I am looking forward to getting this thing drained/aspirated and figured out! You are so right about handing it over to my medical team: and its SO HARD to do that since I am a nurse myself!!!! Good advice though
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I just posted some updated pix on the picture forum... they are about 1 week out and there is a definite difference, I think...
Hope everyone is having a great day!
Kittycat, hope surgery went well, or is going well!
Paula
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Thanks, ladies, for your sweet comments about my pics. I'm completely indebted to all of you for getting me through this past year! (I realized yesterday that I've been on EC now for over a year....wow....) Honestly....I would have definitely been committed many times over if not for you guys!
I'm off to the ps in an hour for my checkup/pre-op. Anxious to see what he thinks and if the nips are still on schedule.......
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Hi All,
I just got home from my 7:30 am exchange. I feel surprisingly great (It might be the pain meds talking), but I can't believe how much easier the exchange is compared to the bmx. We stopped for coffee and a big soft cookie on the way home, and I usually get sick from the anesthesia but not today. I have a surgical bra on, but as I sit and type this I'm looking down at my big beautiful boobs. My shirt finally has the normal looking lumps in the right places. I'm so excited! I feel relief from the tissue expanders, finally! I have the surgical bra on now, but after that period of time passes, where do I get my everyday bras and what type of bra will I need? I would appreciate all suggestions. Thanks!
Susie
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Hi Susie! Happy Yippee Squishy! So glad that you have relief now! I am still in my sports bra that my PS requires me to wear 24/7 for now (had my exchange on 4/16). But I have heard from these wonderful ladies that the best place to go is Nordstroms, they have specially trained ladies there just for us! I believe that there is also a page on this thread (416 or 417 I think) that someone has listed a lot of very good bras, so you might want to check that out. I will tell you not to try any bras on too soon, I was a little disappointed when I went in a store (JC Penneys) just a few days after my exchange... I went to get another size in the sports bra (they have a great one there that zips up the front so you don't have to squirm your way into it) and decided while I was there to try on a couple other ones, big mistake. Didn't quite fill them out, so when I get the go ahead, I plan on checking out the list and maybe making a tript o Nordstroms, although it is about a 2 1/2 hour drive for me, might be worth it to get a good one! Best of luck to you!
Paula
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Hi Susie123,
Welcome to Yippee Squishy,...glad you had an easy time of it!!! Isn't it great to have it over with!
Remember even though your feeling great you have stitches that need to heal
I'm looking forward to my shower tomorrow!
Rest and heal,
Laura
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Susie123 I am so happy everything worked out for you. I will keep my fingers crossed for no pain.
Rebecca
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Susie-
Glad everything worked out. I am about to have a bmx in May.Question, though: is it necessary to wear a bra after a recon? I was not sure that it was necessary to wear one although perhaps it is a personal choice but not a requirement?
Let me know and, as it seems like your surgery was in December, 5 months is pretty quick for the whole process, right?
Good luck to you-
Liz
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Kitty and Fairport:
Thinking of you both with your upcoming appts. I will be praying for you and sending you positive thoughts!!
Kristen
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Kristen: Thanks
ps how'd you like the SNOW this morning?! UHG!
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I had my surgery this morning at 11 and got home at 1:45. Everything went well. The BS planned to remove the 3 lumps he (and I) felt. He told my hubby that he got all the lumps. Now it's just a waiting game. It was kind of funny because he told us that the procedure would take about 20 minutes. My mom said Really? Then he had to go into this disertation on biopsies. He explained that he was basically doing an excisional biopsy by completely removing the lumps. He reinerated that no matter what I was feeling, we won't know anything for sure until we get the path report (and the waiting is the worst).
I'm at home and resting. I was in some pain - a little more than I expected. So I took a half percoset. The incision is about 1.5 inches. I really hope that whatever they found was nothing and I can get my hyst/ooph. The whole menopause thing seems so menial compared to getting cancer. This disease sucks!!0 -
Kittycat I am so happy that the procedure went well. Try not to drive yourself crazy waiting for the results.
Best wishes,
Rebecca
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Noticed my ripples today and went on about my morning. Then on the way to work I decided that I would like to refer to then as RUFFLES. So there, BC.
Fairport: AND we may have snow tonight and tomorrow morning! Can you stand it?!
Kristen
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Kristen: RUFFLES?! I LOVE it!!!! What a great way to look at this!!!!! So THERE!!!! Indeed!
And no, I cant stand this SNOW!
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Ruffles, Love it!!!
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I'm back from the ps office.....very backed up today, which was a bit unusual....got through an entire issue of Marie Claire cover-to-cover! He declared the foobs as "looking wonderful"......yes, Deborah, you were right, as usual
...... Regarding the difference in "droop" he said not to worry....the revised side might never exactly match the droop of the right side because he tightened the pocket so much to keep the implant in place. He also said that I'd probably fight the sliding foob issue the rest of my life and that it was of utmost importance, especially when exercising, to wear an underwire that pushed the implant in and up. The "release issue" isn't really one - he released my fascia as much as he could, so that's just the way it is.....that's a relief..... He asked if I was scheduled for nipples - to which I said "yes, but do I want them?" He looked at me and very seriously said unequivocably "yes, you do." He promised that he does small ones, that'll shrink even smaller - a good thing since I spent my whole life with such little breast tissue that I was just nipples on ribs, which is not a good look!..........I trust his opinion completely, so that's that......nips are a go in just over two weeks! General anesthesia, but a fairly quick surgery. Home with only dressings, which can removed on day 3, after which I can shower....yippee! No fancy nipple guards or anything.....just a gauze-wrapping technique which they'll show me before surgery. Home wearing my regular bra, just with the straps loosened to not smoosh the new "accoutrements." No exercise for two weeks - sweating can cause infection. Good thing I'm not doing this in July - sweating in Texas in July is an absolute given!
KristenP - I will join you and from this day forward refer to them as "ruffles!"..... which are infinitely cuter than ripples......about which I just asked my ps, btw......I asked him if it was expected for me to get them, and he said "unfortunately with your paper-thin tissue it's pretty much inevitable." Darn....
Kittycat - So glad you're home and resting......praying for a clear report on Thursday.....or sooner....
Susie - Welcome to softness! So glad you're feeling good.....just don't do too much too fast......those pain pills can trick you..... As for bras, your ps should tell you his/her preference regarding type; mine insists on underwire, which IMO is ideal. You just want one that provides really good support without pushing the implants apart or down. I highly recommend a good fitting by a pro - not a Victoria Secret teenager - who knows about reconstruction patients. If you don't have a Nordstrom near you, try Dillards....I think they're in GA.....(I used to live in SC)
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Kitty -- saying prayers for you still -- I simply can't believe it is anything other than scar tissue! Glad you are home and resting and that it is done.
Laura -- woot you did it! Don't look yet... give them time to heal. Swelling and other stuff can really distort at first.
Susie -- ditto for you! Enjoy
Val -- your PS sounds terrific.
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Hello Liz, and Welcome!
You will find, in looking through the pages of Exchange City, that each of our plastic surgeons seems to have different opinions about the necessity and/or desirability of wearing a bra after we have healed from our exchanges. Of course, it depends on many factors, including the size of our implants, the thickness and quality of our skin, whether we had rads, etc. Some PSs feel that we should wear a bra 24/7. My PS told me, after I was healed from my exchange/lift/augment surgeries, basically that I never had to wear a bra again unless I wanted to, that they ["the girls"] aren't going anywhere! It is amazing how many different opinions exist among PSs. My advice is to find a PS you trust implicitly, and follow his/her advice as to what is best for you.
Best wishes and good luck to you!
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Diane -- and my PS says "no underwires"! She says the risk they might poke the implant (and we would not feel it) is not worth it. I don't know, however, if that is a lifetime edict or just while wearing TEs... I will ask her tomorrow when I go for my pre-op visit (butterflies now)!
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UNDERWIRES rule... and I always wore them before BC and now.. that PS ok'd it.. 6 months ago.. I will wear one the rest of my life...
Kitty... lord girl... too much... I continue to pray for you... three lumps?? No way are the cancer... I hate this right along with you... we all do..
Congrats ladies on your day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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LILAH... it is gonna be ok. .. pre-op... is good for getting us excited ! WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
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4/28 - Mirbelle - Exchaneg Surgery
4/28 - Rebetata - Exchange Surgery
4/29 - jizogarden - Exchange surgery
4/30 - mbticsw01 - Nips!!
LADIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Go gettem'
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Thanks Laura! And maybe I can get my PS to approve underwires when she's done with this next one (could be it was just no underwires with TEs)?
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I can't do underwires still and esp right now. My right side was tender even before my surgery today.
Thanks everyone for the prayers! I need them!
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So Saturday is the Susan G Komen walk here in Las Vegas. I have a team of 12 or so people that have joined our team. I pick up the team packet and t-shirts tomorrow. I really hope I have good news on Thursday so I can enjoy the walk on Saturday. Either way, I'm very fortunate to have so many people walking with me and my hubby!
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Thanks Everyone! It's so great to have the expanders out.
Liz, After my bmx I didn't wear a bra, just a cami. After the exchange surgery I woke up with a surgical bra that I have to wear 24/7. Mine did move pretty fast. My bmx was Jan 21, my exchange and nips was 4/27. The ps said we could move faster since my only treatment after the bmx is Arimidex, no chemo or radiation. The ps said in 3 months we'll do the tattoos to finish up. The tats are done in her office. I think that if you have chemo the process moves slower.
Susie
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Susie -- It also depends on how many fills you need. I had my right MX on December 9 but then had a lot of fills (from end of December til end of March). Once fills are done my PS likes to wait around 8 weeks till exchange. I did all of this after chemo (and having no rads). How nice that you got your nips done at exchange!
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