Exchange City

so sorry about awful changing room experiences.  I've actually perfected the art of averting my eyes while struggling into the bra or bathing suit, and just looking once I'm nicely covered up.  It's still not great, but it's doable.  Remember, those changing room lights are designed to magnify our little flaws and that natural light is much more forgiving.

Val, I wore the suit for 3 hours yesterday and I felt pretty good in it.  There is support, but it's like wearing a regular bra, not an underwire one. Plus there is a wicked vavoom effect to the halter top.  It's very cute and everyone loved it.  And I don't feel like an alien or cyborg in it...  Will still look into the Freya suits, but I needed one immediately for the pool yesterday (yeah for the CA sun!)

How do you get to p. 417?

Rebecca:  Did your PS put you on antibiotics?

Scar cream:  Sorry for sounding stupid but what about Medurma?

And does the silicone strip cut off blood supply to the scar?  I heard somebody mention once on the pic forum that those fake silicone nipples would do that. 

Saw a video of myself yesterday before MX and gasped at how truely flat chested I was.  I guess i am glad I have a little more than i did before.

Kristen

Be careful what you wish for . . . . have been wanting to get off of Tamoxifen and now I am off it. 

Yes it is a blood clot from the back of my knee down into my calf. Rassafratz!!!!
Get to stop the Tamoxifen and take something else for 3 months. Also need shots in the tummy twice a day for I don't know how long. Geez...  DH is going with me in the am for "shot training".  He is going to Long Island (nephew passed away this morning) so my sister will come and stay with me. 
I had an appt with PS after the ultrasound on my leg and had to call to cancel.  Burst into tears with the receptionist and then hung up.  PS was so worried that he called my Onc to check on me before I even got to his office. This totally sucks!!!  However, I am very thankful to be alive.

fyi ~ It felt like a pop behind my knee and then my leg ached and got swollen.  Like a sore muscle in my calf and then the next day it was like shin splints (sp?).   Needless to say I went on vacation not giving it a thought and was in the wine country just kept on doing my thing and putting my leg up now and then to let the swelling go down.  Kept thinking that I had pulled a muscle and would wake up the next morning just fine.  Wasn't until several days later that "blood clot" started wandering through my mind and I called my Onc on the way to the airport coming home.  He didn't scold me too much, how the heck was I supposed to know what a blood blot felt like??

Will this gay mad whirl never cease????   Colleen

KristenPink, The scar stuff that I used was the silicone tape and a cream.  My skin always looked "pressed against" when I took the tape off so I worried about it cutting off blood supply but I'm telling you it worked.  My scars really improved in about 3 months.  Again, my pics are on the forum.

Val, Hmm, now you have me thinking.  The big worry is that nips go flat maybe all PS's should prescribe vitamin E for nips (I don't think I want to be the test dummy though so I'm done with it). 

Dani, Too cute.  If you're gonna show cleavage, this is the place to do it! 

Colleen, That's one of the bummers about all of this, it's not just bc it's all the junk that goes with it!  Hey are you still protecting your nips?  I've come up with another solution to add to your collection.  You know those round makeup sponges, I cut a hole in the center, stick my nipple in it and put on a bra.  No tape and it stays in place.  It does leave a ring that I was worried would cut off blood supply but I've been doing it for 2 weeks now and they look healthy and have actually decreased the swelling because I had a lot.

Julie 

Yes Deborah.. Amazon is where Denise had me get it..

((((((LAURA2)))))))

COLLEEN OMGOSH are you kidding me??????????????? I am so so sorry... Spit! Keep us informed.

Lilah.. looks like your are the next girl in line...for exchange...

KITTY... still here for ya!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi gals!  Sorry I didn't post earlier.  I've been really busy today!  I saw the BS.  I'm having surgery again tomorrow!  Ughhh....  He has to remove more of the area where there was cancer because I had positive margins.  Also, he's taking out some lymph nodes. Another week of surgery and waiting for a path report!  He told me that in the 13 years he's been doing this, he's NEVER seen someone come back with a recurrence after a bmx for DCIS!  Leave it to me to be rare.  He said the tumors were imbedded in my scar tissue in my capsule!  He told me that my onco needs to settle down and let them stage the cancer first before they decide on treatment.  He said the same thing my sister said  - they're going to be very aggressive and throw the book at me.  Regardless of whether my nodes are positive or not, he's suggesting I have chemo (but that will be up to the onco).  I am going to ask for a 2nd opinion on the onco.  I don't feel like mine was aggressive enough. 

I saw the rad onco, too.  She was really nice and very thorough.  She also said she's never seen a recurrence like mine.  She says it happens with IDC, but not with DCIS.  My sister is doing research on the cancer centers that might have dealt with this, so I can get a 2nd opinion on my treatment.  I am ready to do whatever it takes to get rid of this cancer!  I hate this disease!

I'll try and check in tomorrow after surgery (It's at 9:15 am).  My poor hand is still bruised from the IV last week. I have shallow veins! 

Kitty -- all sounds good and glad you are moving quickly to the surgery.  Prayers for you and admiration for your strength.

Laura -- yes I am next!  Amazing that there is no one in the first 10 days of May!  Gulp   I honestly don't know what to expect at this point... but hoping (and praying) that whatever I end up with I am okay with.  I told my PS bigger is better (since no matter how big she goes with the implant it won't be as big as I was)... and hoping all goes well with the reduction/lift, too.  SO much to worry about... I am just trying not to think about it.

Rebecca -- sorry feel sick... hope you feel better soon

Val and Julie -- thanks for the advice/info about Vitamin E and scar healing   I am duly noting and filing away the info for a few months from now. 

Actually, Julie -- how soon after surgery did you start using the scar removal product you bought?

Dani -- LOVE the new pic!  Letting your hair down as it were

Colleen -- UGH about the blood clot!  I hope you feel better soon... sounds like blood cots are a possible SE of Tamoxifen?

Scars: Mederma didn't do a thing for the one spot I'm trying to heal.It is a scar from reaction to surgical tape last November. I waited until my doctor said it was healed then started on Mederma. No change at all.

Colleen: My husband has gone through the blood clot scenario, CT scans, lovanox shots in his stomach twice daily etc. etc. Be sure to keep your intake of green foods the same as always (don't increase) as that can play havoc with the blood thinners.

KittyCat: What a ride you're on! Good luck on your surgery. Once again, the waiting is the toughest part but you know that already! You will get through it all!

Back from my PS appointment.

GRRR: My insurance company still hasn't approved tattoos. Not sure if they are happening tomorrow or not. The PS office has been on the phone with them. They say it's a common problem for insurance companies to drag this step out.

Scar: She injected a steroid solution into the scar. She said I may need 1-2 more injections. If that doesn't work, she can excise it. It's keloid, and the only keloid I have ever had. So chances are good if she excises it, it will be smaller.

Revision: She never tightened the pocket on my non-rad side when I had to reduce the size of my implants. So now I have a substantial step-off and lots of folds. The revision will also resolve the lopsided problem. I'll do the revision next fall after swim season. I'm not giving up a single day in the pool since the water is finally warming up!

Hi. Im new here and i've not had chance to read ALL the posts (so sorry if im repeating something thats already been covered) .but i just got my 3rd (painful!!!) expansion and i cant see light at the end of this loooong dark tunnel! Up until now,my top ups have been ok but this last 1 was awful. I had it 5 days ago and my chest feels like its going to burst open. I have pain in the upper inside 'corner' of my right expander. Taking a deep breath hurts,as does lifting once again.

Any advice?

I only have a total of 270ml in each side as i was a 36AA pre-surgery and my PS only put 300ml expanders in,which he said he will over expand. Does the exchange make a huge difference to how they feel pain wise?

Also,im having cohesive silicone gel implants-i think you guys in the US call them gummi bears?? lol Does anyone know if you can use a push-up bra to give enhanced cleavage with these?Or do they just stay where they are put?? i cant budge my expanders a single milliletre! I am having the teardrop shaped expanders as i am quite slim on top and i have a bit of a bony clavicle! so round ones would look very fake on me.

Thanks in advance

Welcome, m-star!  The expansions are not fun, but hurting so much 5 days later might be cause to call your doc.  Muscle relaxants helped the world for me, along with prescription strength ibuprofen (600mg).  I was very small and bony on top, too, and that really does make the expansion process harder - just less skin to work with - and it tends to take longer, too.  I can't answer your question about a push-up bra and gummies, as I have round silicone.  I will tell you that they can be made to look natural (well, fairly) on us bony-chested girls.  You've come to the right place, though - we've been through - or are going through - exactly what you are!  Misery loves company! 

Texas - bummer on the insurance and tatoos.  Hope they come through soon.