Exchange City

Whitedove, to clarify - my BS, who is trained to do NSM, never performs them on any BC patients and won't until there are additional studies out.  I would have been a candidate under guidelines stated here - my BC was non-invasive and not near the nipple. While I was figuring out my treatment, I consulted with another highly regarded BS who would have done the NSM.  I read what I could, listened to both my doctors, and chose the areola-skin saving procedure.

Luna, well put!  We all have to do our research and choose the treatment that makes the most sense to us.  And Kate, I agree with you that we might just have to agree to disagree on this hot topic.

Deekay -- so sorry you're feeling down.  I feel your pain!  It will definitely get better... and I can understand about not wanting to post yet (it took me awhile to do it).  That said, since you have the pics, you COULD send them in an email to Deborah (to get her informed POV).

Big Apple -- two things come to mind: shopping (Rodeo Drive or the Melrose area) OR Disneyland (Anaheim is about a 45 minute drive from LA).  Kinda depends on your idea of fun

Val -- Oooo!!!  Going to see the tats now

val:  yay!  going to go look now!

Deekay:  Hope your spirits will lift soon...

bigapple:  I agree with Rodeo Drive.  But you need the whole day to do it!  There are so many places in LA though.

Here's another side to NSM:  I could have had NSM on my prophy side, but my areola was huge and the nipple inverted.  Why would I want to keep something like that? LOL!!!

I'm new to this. You can go somewhere on here and look at pictures? How do you do that? I had BMX with TEs last Thursday. My first f/u with PS is tomorrow. Not too bad so far, still a good bit of pain in my chest, especially when standing after lieing down.

Val- You look so great!!!  I don't know if I should say you look better than before BC, but.....yowza!  So happy for you!  

ReginaA- Don't worry- I was the same way.  Found this site after MX and realized I didn't ask very many questions, either.  And, yes, for most of us the TE's look really weird.  I was not expecting that, either.  I thought it would look like a natural breast that would just get a little bit bigger with each fill.  Some of the women have gotten very natural looking TE's but for most of us they look kind quite alien.  Nothing like the final result.  My TE's, for example were very far apart so looked really strange.  My PS was able to bring the implants much closer together, though, for a more natural look.  What type of MX did you have?  Someone may be willing to send you their photos through a private PM.  I have done that for a few people who wanted to see what NSM's looked like.

Regina- The delated soccer balls?  Totally normal.  They all look like that at first unless the PS puts a lot of saline in during surgery.  The large roundish area may be your port where they will add the saline during your fills.  It is a little harder because there is metal on it.  The PS finds the port with a magnet so they know where to inject the saline.  It should become less obvious as you are expanded more.

T smith-

I was discussing my upcomming surgery( I'm still getting fills), with my PS.  He said I would definately have drains for 1 week because I was having pocket work and liposuction done at the time of the exchange.  Not looking forward to the drains again...:(

Emily

Kate, thanks for the reminders to keep the jury out for at least a while.  You will be my guidepost on this part of the journey since you are about 10 days ahead of me!

Val, I posted on the pix forum but it bears repeating...you are the poster girl for reconstruction.!! I am so very happy for you!!!!! 

And finally, I got my nip recon date today:  September 3!  Exciting to already have a date to look forward to and it's a month earlier than I was expecting. My PS does a skin graft from abdomen or upper thigh to create the areola which he then uses to support the nipples.  I think he uses skate flap for the nips.  Have many of you had anything similar to this?  deekaay

Luna,

I enjoyed your post about being open and objective about new options, even if it means questioning what we are being told. I found there was a lot of resistance to my getting a BMX, for example, from women who went the lumpectomy/rads/chemo route. In my case, I too had a healthy breast reconstructed and went the route of NSM. This NSM surgery, which I had never heard of and would NEVER have known about had my BS not suggested it,  miraculously ended up in appearance looking like a breast augmentation. Luckily, my path report was 100% clear afterwards and did not necessitate Chemo/Rads/Tamox. Oddly, I get strange reactions from folks who are surprised that I was not "sicker" or more debilitated by BC. (These reactions came from women who did not know of NSM or who did the lumpectomy route). There were also the women who balked at how happy I was with my surgery, as if I should  be grieving instead of rejoicing. All projections.

None of this good fortune would have been possible had I stopped searching after hearing advice from those who were were pro-lumpectomy and anti-MX. The choice I made did not seem rational to those I was dealing with, so I know the value of hearing all the information and deciding for onesself. Kristinka, I agree that opinions differ about NSM, as in your case where both your doctors had opposing opinions. I acknowledge and honor how you had to decide for yourself, as we all must. However, the fact that your doctors disagreed does not necessarily invalidate the safety of the NSM procedure but merely highlights the the workings behind the broad process of how new information becomes assimilated into the collective consciousness of the medical field. It is always a cyclical process.

Thinking outside of the box and sometimes doing things that feel right to for us and perhaps leave us feeling misunderstood by others, can be the best thing. These choices are not either or, but either AND... So indeed, as you stated, Luna, let's bring the information out as the wise women on these boards have done, and help others contemplating their decisions to survive and thrive.

(((((Laura))))):  I am so sorry to hear about your son's heart troubles. I will say a prayer for you both for strength and healing. God is watching over you and your son.

TCK 

Laura....Oh how scary!!!!!  No fair when scary stuff happens to kids or parents of kids.

I just know everything will turn out okay.  It just has to.

You came to the right place.  We all care about you and yours here.  When you need support...this is where you come.   You are always here for us.  We are always here for you.

Prayers coming your way!

Laura,

Your son, you and the rest of your family are in my prayers.

Try not to worry too much, I know... easier said than done but he will pull from your strength and we all KNOW you are one strong woman! We are all here for you <3<3

Laura just said a prayer for you and crying for you and your son.  I am so sorry this is happening.  Please know I will continue to pray for you both.