Exchange City
Comments
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Kristen I completely agree with you about the mirrors in the first 1 to 2 months...I am just coming up on my 5th week since my exchange and I am finally seeing fluffage that I don't think is part of wishful thinking
Anna, a week after my exchange I went to find a underwire bra....HUGE MISTAKE! I ended up in piles of tears because my implants were still very much like my TE's. It took at least 4 weeks before I even felt like my boobs were beginning to look boobish. As others have said it depends so much on your implant size, TE size, body size, skin health.....it all takes time to settle in.
Marianne thanks so much for the information on sun and implants!
I know I'm repeating this Kat but...Willie Nelson from your porch! can I come, can I come
Kittycat enjoy NYC..it's going to be nice today...hope you can get out of Sloan and enjoy some of the city. Glad you doctors are all on the same page.....rotten odds that the little bit of breast tissue managed to sabatage your health but it sounds like everyone is ready to get you healthy again
Kay, for future breast checks I go and see my bc surgeon every 3 months for the first year and then every 6 months for a couple of years and then one a year.....for I don't know how long. She does a manual breast check. I really like my surgeon...which is a good thing since we will see each other often over the years. The reason I was given for the whole implant behind the chest wall thing was not only to support the implant...but so the chest wall would be easy to access for future cancer checks. The docs don't want your chest wall hiding behind an implant.
Others on this list probably can also help with this question.I live in my Levi 501s...my red flag for too much weight coming on struggling to button the top button when they come out of the dryer
Hope everyone has a nice holiday weekend.....do something that makes you happy
Health and healing,
Laura2
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m-star thank you for asking that question to kitty-kat. I just saw the onc. this week...first time since bmx. When he told me I needed to feel for lumps all the time...It just scared me. In my head I was thinking does the nightmare ever end!0
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Julie, I agree with what you said, miss you and the others that helped me get thru exchange. It's so good to see so much support for everyone signed on since then, you can get so cyber close thru this experience. Anna, i've said before, so many of us go thru post exchange depression, vent here all you want!
Jaclyn, great to hear how good you feel! Kittycat, so glad you got to see someone at MSK, sucks that this has happened, but new primary will be taken care of! Have some fun in the city!! Speaking of city, how are you BigApple??
Luna, I have to agree with you about the allergan 45. Great projection! My last implant was 450 and didn't fill out my bra, this new style 45 one is 460 (only 10 higher in size) and fills the same bra to the tip and then some! I definitely look larger in a good way. I'm happy and my dh is happy;)
Hoping you all have a nice comfortable, relaxing weekend planned! Throw in some fun!!
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Hello ladies - while I've been MIA for quite a while, please know that I think of you all often, and pray for your good health and peace of mind.
Anna - I was trying to do some catch up reading, and your post really struck a chord with me. If I may be so bold, I think I know *exactly* how you feel, as I felt the same way. Please, please, please be patient and try to absorb the wonderful advice from Deborah and all the ladies who've gone before. Immediately after my exchange, I was disconsolate (I thought my ps had shifted my entire chest to the right, so I held a plumbline from my chin for photos!) I'm now 13.5 weeks out from exchange and almost all is right with the world
I had extensive pocket work, my 550's have dropped and fluffed, and I look great in clothes. My implants are not perfect, I have one area of asymmetry, but overall it's a very good result, and not something that I want to correct through another surgery (that's just me). Please be patient and give your body time to heal. Don't lose faith in your ps - they are a little more like artists, as the "final" results are not readily apparent. All the best to you - xo, E0 -
Anna, It's me again....I have posted 3 photos...first my TE's 3 days before the exchange, then 2 weeks post exchange and finally today...almost a 5 weeks post exchange. Maybe it will help cheer you up to see how things really do change.
I'm finally in metamorphosis stage and it took many weeks to feel like things were every going to change.Best to all,
Laura
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Wow, you all are so amazing and kind! I appreciate your posts and sharing your experiences! I am better today, thanks to you all in giving me hope from your experiences. I have really trusted my PS but after the exchange I was rattled, my Picasso did not prepare me for the canvas that I saw. You all have provided so much insight. Blessings to you all and I love being here! Anna
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Deborah -
Next time I go to PS I will ask about ccs and what cup size he thinks they equate to. He is so nice and says he will "fill" until he thinks it is a good fit for my body - but it is totally up to me, he will leave the TEs in until I am comfortable with the size and will add or take out depending on what I want. Of course I plan on getting the model # (it is Allergen) etc. and info so I can get your valuable input.
If someone does want a revision for any reason does insurance cover the cost?
Thanks, Valerie
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Kittycat-I posted over on "1st Fill" Thread to you (seemed right, cuz you started that thread for us-and its where we met..... (and Abnerb too) xo
Abnerb-Congratulations on your Exchange Date-thats happy news!
WHAT a journey of twists and turns.... hard work.... up and down......
Right now all I can say is I HATE BREAST CANCER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
.......Sorry
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Laura~ not sure they would see ME that often as i didn't have BC. I used to go annually and i know mammo's are loo the list now,and i imagine MRI's are also. As long as i get a breast doc to check my 'breasts' one a year i'll be happy.
Not confident enough to trust my own judgement i'm afraid. But i know you can get odd bits of breasts tissue in far out places like under your collar bone,top of your abdomen,round your sides where your underarms are. It scares me to think they may not have removed ALL the tissue.I know they remove as much as they can, but it only takes a tiny bit......
I too thought i'd be able to stop worrying and pretty much forget all about it once my surgery was all done,bit it seems not.
I have to see my onc in 3 weeks(7 months early) as i've been getting alot of bone pain in my left lower leg. =( My family doc referred me back to my onc cus of my history.
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Anna - Please let me echo what Whippetmom and others have said - you will see a good bit of change over the next several weeks. In fact, I personally think that we should be banned from seeing our foobs before a week post-exchange......(maybe that's why my ps keeps his patients wrapped in foam tape for a week?)......there's just SO much going on that first week - emotionally and physically. And as Whippetmom said, if you aren't satisfied after about 3-4 months (that's about how long it takes for the implants to settle into the pockets), then a revision IS an option. It is true that a good number of us here on EC - me included - have had revisions. Maybe it's because we're here anyway because we are more "invested" in our final product....or maybe it's because we learn from others that there ARE options if we're not satisfied. Either way, unless there's some medical reason, you should be able to end your reconstruction journey with a smile!0
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HI ladies, I know this post probably doesn't belong in this forum, but it's the forum I've posted the most in and some of you "know" me ... I read Kittycat's post and was shocked to hear that you can get diag'd with b/c a second time, after you've had a BMX. That is a fear in the back of my head all the time. I'd also like to know how Kittycat found it - was it a lump she found on a self exam?? Where precisely was it located? I'd appreciate guidance on what we should be looking for. On an entirely different note, i went to my family dr for what I thought was a kidney infection on Monday. He thought it was a kidney stone and ordered a C/T scan. I had that on Tuesday -- no stone was found, but they saw a shadow on my kidney. They ordered another C/T w/contrast that I had yesterday. Needless to say, I'm freaking out. I've googled and it doesn't seem there is any type of link between b/c and kidney cancer, but I've also had a partial thyroidectomy which wasn't cancerous, and I'm just worried that I've got organs in my body that are out to get me .... !!!!! I'm waiting for the dr's office to call me with the results of yesterday's scan. I personally think it was an infection (I had a high fever on Wednesday and have been on antibiotics since then) and am hoping the "shadow" was just a result of the infection or a bad scan ... but I am still scared.
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Forgive me if all of these questions have been asked and answered a hundred times over but I think this thread is so popular it's bigger than War and Peace!
My exchange surgery is one month out (6/29) and my PS hasn't given me much information. Just wondering-
Do you have drains, again, after exchange? Is the incision for the exchange as large as the incision for MX (for those of you that had yours under the fold of the breast)?. At what point do you need a bra and how do you even know what size to buy? Do you wait to buy it after the surgery? Do you usually need pain meds after or is it not as bad as MX? How long before most of you were up and about after surgery?
Sorry, lots of questions. I'm just feeling a little unprepared and my PS is a 2 hour drive from here. Thanks!
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Hi everyone,
I haven't been here for ages, but wanted to check in and say hello. I hope to catch up on posts over the weekend.
I've had lots of trouble with my implants (left side), probably due to rads before exchange. My first implant was replaced after 7 months because of capsular contracture. The PS put in a smaller implant in early December '09 and it was nice and soft and looked pretty decent for awhile, but now it is very firm and also creeping up toward my collar bone. It isn't painful yet, but the same thing is happening as the first time. My chest is so lopsided that I never go out without an over-shirt or something to conceal it. I guess it's time to schedule an appointment with the PS so he can see what's happening, but there is really nothing to be done aside from living with it or having it removed. If it is removed, I won't get another implant because my body produces way too much scar tissue.
Take care everyone, and have a wonderful weekend. --bonnie
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Whippetmom -- what exactly is a revision? Is the implant usually replaced or just moved, more pocket work, ? I'm trying to decide on a next step for me since I have asymmetry right now and really thin skin over the implants (I can feel and see crickles, and ripples and I'm lumpy). I'm a bit afraid of damaging the tissue/ skin and ending up with worse results. It's crazy but the problem is on the non-cancer side darn it.
I'm still protecting the fipples with nursing pads and tape but I'm thinking about getting fitted for a new bra with room for the extra stuffing since PS says he won't do anything else for 2 or 3 months. Just seems like I should be wearing something that fits better... my old bras that are at least a cup size larger than I am now and the band is not snug either.
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Kate33 - That's a perfect way to describe this thread - bigger than War and Peace! Sorry your ps hasn't given you much info about your exchange surgery....maybe he'll do that at your pre-op appt....until then, here are some answers for you: Drains - some ps's use them (mine), but most seem to not....probably 70/30%, I'd guess. Incisions - mine used the outer 2/3's of my bmx incisions, which were across the midline of the breast. Don't know about if they're underneath, but someone will. Bras - some ps's are pro-bra, some con. Find out if your ps has strong opinions one way or another. Also check out the thread "Bras 101" for lots of info on fitting, etc. You really won't know what size to buy until after surgery, though you could purchase a soft, unstructured bra until then and just guess the cup size based on what your ps has indicated. Pain - definitely way less than the bmx, but many of us need our narcotics for awhile. From our experience here, it seems those who have a lot of pocket work (changing the postion of the pockets that the TE's formed) have the hardest time with pain; it's not a lot of fun. Down time - also varies, depending on how much pocket work your ps has to do. Some people return to work in a few days. Others of us have felt pretty crummy for a week or so. You will be limited on using your arms again, so plan accordingly.....dressing, meals, hair, etc. Questions are why we're here, so don't hesitate to ask, my dear!0
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Sue--I'm afraid this kind of thing is all too common, once you've had BC. We won't get to "wait and see" about anything anymore. My last checkup, my liver enzymes were a bit out of whack, so my primary doctor sent me to a gastro specialist. He did more detailed bloodwork, and an ultrasound, and said I was fine. But I was scared to death until the results came back. On the one hand, it gives me the warm fuzzies to know that my doctors are really looking out for me. On the other hand, it's nerve-wracking and gives me even more grey hairs (which I don't need!). But it's better to be safe. We didn't fight bc so hard, to let some other @!#* cancer get us, right??!! In this case, the odds are on your side. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you!!
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Bonnie: Oh DARN!!! What nasty news! Bonnie, what about a flap procedure for you? I think you did not want that, but have you reconsidered? How about finding someone who can use the gummy bear implant? This is a textured implant and might be firm enough to substantially reduce the risk and the anatomical shape could be a significant enough change. The key with recurrent cc seems to be "changing the environment" of the pocket....shape, texture, consistency, etc. Also, what is on the horizon is complete breast reconstruction using harvested fat, combined with stem cells. Sydney Coleman, M.D. in NY is doing this now to some extent and there are a couple of Oregon plastic surgeons who are on the cusp of doing so. Here is one:
http://aestheticplasticsurg.org/archives/31.html
And apparently this Portland PS is augmenting with fat in his practice...
http://www.connallbreastsurgery.com/procedures/breast-augmentation/FAT/
You could get a consultation with one of these plastic surgeons - just to see what might be forthcoming...when you are ready...
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AStorm: Revisions refer to all you mentioned and more. Fat graft transfer is something which might help you considerably. Why don't you send me your photos so that I can see what is going on? I'll PM you my email address.
Deborah
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Well, ladies......just got back from the ps for my fipple suture removal. All went well....felt some tugging but no discomfort, except for the left side where the skin flap extends to the lower pole. That's where I have the most sensation on both sides. Still kinda scabby, so no working out/sweating for another week or so....and I was SO looking forward to a good, hard workout tomorrow after being off for two weeks! Oh, well....I'll baby the new nips (unlike one of our famed "nipple abusers".....lol.....) I don't have to wear the gauze doughnuts anymore - yippee! - except for the next couple weeks when I wear my compression sports bra. ( Apparently the way he constructs the nipple, it can want to "collapse" in the direction of the sutures, so compression isn't good for awhile.....and I have no intention of having crooked nips! ) He said that (the lack of protection) will allow the nips to shrink, which he said would ultimately be about 30%...some folks a bit more. Next appt in a month, then schedule tattoos a few weeks after that. I may indeed be DONE by the end of summer....or at least by my birthday!
Oh.....I asked him about the sun issue.....just like Jizzogarden said, no issue at all with the implants. He did say to use common sense and a lot of sunscreen, as our skin is quite thin, but that's it. Since my exchange was last September and my revision in January, that's enough time for my skin to have recovered. So......beach here I come! (honestly, we're leaving tomorrow!)
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So, I have a question for the "Bra Whisperer"
) I'm a month out from exchange - how long should I wait before I go to be fitted? I don't want to keep re-sizing any more than necessary, but I would really love to get out of these sports bras already!
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Sue - Sending good vibes your way that your kidney thing is just an infection (or less). Try to keep busy today so you don't just wait by phone worrying. Hugs!! Bonnie - so sorry to hear of the implant problems. Unfortunately I can offer only hugs and good wishes, but hopefully that's worth a tiny bit.
Kate33 - As Val said, PSs vary in their instructions and procedures (mine gave me spec instructions a couple weeks beforehand). Here's my exp just last week: drains - yes (and I needed it), was in for 4 days; incisions - mine was across midbreast and he used same one, whole thing it appears; bras - mine sent me home in a stretchy (but v. snug) surgical bra with white pads inside and I was to wear it 24/7 till I saw him 3 days later. Now he says I can wear/not wear as I wish. I'm most def not a bra maven so I'll leave your bra Q's to others. Pain meds - I took vicodin for 2.5 days then switched to tylenol/Alleve for 2 then off everything. Pain was MUCH LESS than with MX. Time till up & about - In bed rest of first day; out of bed next 4 days but took afternoon naps and did a lot of sitting/reading/resting; started gentle stretches & walking after 3 days; six days after xchg I spent 4 hrs on my feet at an artfair, so I was pretty good by then. Everyone's different, but that's a datapoint for you.
If you live alone then make sure beforehand that you move needed things to waist level like in the bathroom & kitchen, leave open heavy drawers you may need to get into; and set up your sleeping arrangement if you prefer piled up pillows or whatever, so you don't have to do a lot of reaching and lifting in the first couple days postop.Yes, we most definitely have to be vigilent about examining our chests/foobs/underarms/up to collar bones, etc. Unfortunately MX and BMX don't 100% guarantee it can't pop up again. The unfortunate part is that having had this makes me suspicious about everything now. My BP and pulse have been elevated since this started...probably stress...but now I'm stressed about them being up; started tamox...is something an ok SE or not? When does it become not ok? worry, worry. Sigh. I guess I need to go back to my deep breathing!
Kittycat - so glad you're getting great care and have a plan for treatment. Enjoy NY, and you'll have a cheering section here as you take next steps.
Have a great weekend everyone!! CS
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mirbelle - it's past time to get fitted. You can really get fitted as soon as the drains come out after exchange. You'll probably still get some "fluffing," though, so don't buy out the store. It is possible your cup size may increase, but your band size won't - unless you gain or lose weight, of course. I'm wearing the same bras that my ps chose for me after my exchange last September. They did get snugger in the cups after a few months, but not enough that I can't wear them. Just make SURE you go to a good department store - ideally Nordstrom's (they are well-trained) or a bra boutique that specializes in post-mastectomy garments (they'll be well-trained, too). Do NOT go to Victoria's Secret and let them try to measure you....most of their bras stink for support, anyway. (and yes, I do own a couple VS bras....
) Also, check out the "Bras 101" thread. There's lots of fitting info on there. 0 -
Here's a very interesting video from MSK, a talk by Dr. Hudis, and followup questions. I haven't gotten thru it all yet, 8 minutes in he gives an easy to understand explanation about DCIS. It is long but when you have some time it might be worthwhile!
Breast cancer: new concepts, new treatments, new directions, new hope:
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val61 and cs7777- Thanks for answering my multitude of questions. I really appreciate it. I do have one more appointment with my PS before surgery but now I'll have a little more information so I know what to ask.
Also, val61, whippetmom recommended that I look at your photos in the picture forum because we are close in build though I think you are taller. I just wanted to let you know I really appreciate being able to see those and compare. You look amazing! Like everyone else, I have abs envy!
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suegmom: There were a couple of threads a year ago....here is one:
http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/88/topic/704408
And I am going to do some research for you this weekend...for all of us...since we all so connected on this thread and are reminded by kittycat's diagnosis that, albeit rare, these things can happen. But that said, we have to refrain from living our lives in a fear-based state of mind, right? Stress and anxiety play such a huge role in the disease process and I just urge everyone to find some element of hope in your lives and to seek joy in your lives. Tragedy can happen, but kittycat is a model to us all of being strong and not letting this get her down. I know she will be a support and encouragement to those of you expressing that you have some fear after her diagnosis.
Deborah
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Laura, just wanted to say thank you for updating me on your changes! I can't wait to access to see the pictures. Trying so very hard not to focus on my implants, day 3 postop. I am starting to feel air though move throught the left implant, can hear the air exchange. Is this normal? Also, just feeling a little heavier on the left side but not pain just more pressure, nothing like the expander though. I appreciate your help here on the site! Anna
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Anna: Do you mean, the dreaded "FOOB BARTS"? [Transpose the first letters if this is not clear]. Yes, most of us experience this phenomenon, but thankfully, for social reasons, it disappears. The heaviness...just one of many delightful sensations we experience as the implants start to relax and release...
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Well, I just started a new thread called Foobville (under Breast Reconstruction). I love BCO and I love Exchange City, but I can not possibly keep up with all of the posts here even though I try. So, if you are post-exchange and don't want to kick your BCO habit, come on over for a chat at Foobville!
Kitty, I'm so glad you are seeing great doctors in NYC and that they have explained the mystery. I'm wishing you well in all sorts of ways.
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Deborah is so right. We choose to live our lives without fear. Or, we choose to live them in fear. It is totally up to us which we choose.
Why choose fear? I choose to live my life without fear of BC returning. Does that mean it may never return? Of course not. I just choose to deal with that if it happens, not every day fearing that it might. Not even once in a while, fearing that it might. I just don't fear anything. It is time enough to worry if something happens... Fear immobilizes you, and begins to take control of your life. I can't control timing, or any of the BC things, but I can control my fear. Fear is the anticipation of something. Don't anticipate.
Please everyone, don't waste worry, The time may never come when you need to worry, or it may come tomorrow, Just don't waste the time worrying for no reason. Live your life, enjoy your life as it was given back to you. Remember we care about each of you. JUDY
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(((((((JUDY))))))))))
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