Exchange City
Comments
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Important - my nurse in recovery said I am your "sister" at first I did not get it then I did. She hugged me many times....cryed....then I cryed. What a mircle. She never got implants and now thinks she wants them....she said I made it look so easy. I did not mention it is the EXPANSION that hurts like h e double hockey sticks! She also has 4 children about the same age as mine. She said the going to the pool is very embarrassing for them and her etc......
She gave hubby and me her home number for us to call and talk about anything....she told my husband to call hers.....sometimes they need to talk also. What a beautiful world cancer woke me up to!!!
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Hope4future - So glad things went well!
Sorry you had to wait, though. Wonderful that you didn't get sick this time! I had the patch this go around too! Good news! And absolutely wonderful that you had a fellow BC sister with you in recovery. So, so glad things went well! ) 0 -
Hi all:
All this fascinating talk about scar remedies inspired me to start this thread. If you are interested, come give it a visit!
Skin S.O.S. - Scar Remedies
http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44/topic/756050?page=1#idx_1
Wondering if we could weigh in on ways we've dealt with an inevitable side effect of BC: scarring. Please list your hits and misses with regards to scar creams, scar strips, over the counter OR under the counter products and even home remedies. Recovery involves inner and outer improvements and this forum is a way to pool our knowledge about what is helpful and what is not for skin health.
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Hope, thank you for your moving account of your xchge. May things progress smoothly for you. Congratulations for being on the other side of it!
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I need to play catch up. I should know better than to skip a few days on here!
Hope4future, mtbookworm and Giselle7- So glad your exchanges went so well! I'm sending lots of gentle (((hugs))) to all of you and wishes for a speedy recovery!
cnemeth- I was just wondering what kind of upper body work out have you been doing? I've been getting that strange dimply look when flexed also. My PS just cleared me for working out and would love to know what's been working for you.
Hope4future- What a great nurse you had. I, on the other hand, had Nurse Ratchet!
mtbookworm- I was having insomnia issues after exchange, too. My GP gave me Gabapentin and it's been working great. She said it's like 3 drugs in 1 because it also helps with the nerve pain I've been having as they regenerate. And it helps with hot flashes which I've also been cursed with. So for $3/month I will hopefully get 3 problems solved! Can't beat that!
Estepp- Thelma and Louise without the cliff driving I hope!!! Have a great time!
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Whitedove, my doc does not recommend anything for scars. Post exchange, I asked about Mederma--nope. At one point when I was going through the TE fill process, I asked his nurse about something to heal scars. She, too, said there's nothing really, but that I could try Vit. E oil if I wanted. So I tried that for a little while. It was so sticky, I bailed on it pretty quickly. It is interesting how very different the recommendations are from PSs. Let' see what others in our group say worked for them. deekaay0
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Laura - I will be okay to see you, when you are here. You'll be here right before another chemo treatment. Whopeee!!! We are taking our friend's daughter out for her 21st birthday on the 22nd, but should be good to see you on the 23rd or 24th.
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I had my last fill 2 weeks ago - saw the PS again last Wednesday - he said the skin is really tight this time and wants to see me in 3 weeks to see if it has loosened up a bit. Then I can schedule my exchange.
Question - while I was there I asked if he does any other plastic surgery work on patient during exchange, since they are already asleep. He says he does and the surgical center even reduces their cost. So did anyone else have anything else done????? If so what?
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I got another drain out and while at the PS office, I asked if I should be doing anything (lotions, etc.) for scarring and they told me no. He also told me he won't do another fill unless I want it. He said at 500ccs, which is what I was filled at during TE insertion, he can use the 600, maybe 625, implant he was planning on using down the road, and that filling me more now would just make me hard. He said he would do it if I wanted to be bigger right now. I'm ok with how I look. After seeing the needles used for fills, I was relieved not to have to do it!
Regina
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deekaay- I don't know if I already posted this on here or not but my PS sold me a special tape made in Sweden called Mepitac for my incision scars. She said it helps your incision heal faster with less scarring. You put a strip of it along the incision and leave it in place for 7-10 days (it stays on after showering) and then replace it with a new strip. I like it, too, because it keeps my incision from rubbing on my bra band.
Vmudrow- I had asked my PS about doing some lipo during my exchange and she, too, said she could and it would be discounted. Unfortunately, even with the discounted price, it was way out of my price range. So I'm going to have to take off these post-MX pounds the old-fashioned way- blood, sweat and tears! (OK, maybe not blood! )
LadyinBama- The needles for the fills usually don't hurt much especially right after MX since your breast is pretty numb. My husband actually did half my fills at home since my PS's office was 2 hours from our house. It only started to hurt a little bit towards the end of the fills as I was getting more sensation back in the breast.
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Kate ~ I have a Malibu Pilates chair that I love~check it out on-line. There are some exercises where you lift your body weight and a lot of isometric type of exercises. Nothing is hurting, I do have that all over muscle aching like I woke up a sleeping giant. Before BC I was doing 45 minute workouts every other morning. Now I am doing a shortened version, 30 min on Mon, Wed and Fri.
Estepp ~ No cliff driving but what about the part where you meet up with Brad Pitt . . . . .
Vmudrow ~ My PS prefers aloe for the scars and my husband's surgical oncologist likes the silicone tape. I am trying both. Aloe rubbing on the areas where I have hard spots from scarring under the skin and tape on the actual scar.
TGIF!!! Colleen
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Kate, thanks for the tip on the tape. Do you order online or did your PS provide? Right now, I am going braless and would really be uncomfortable if a bra had to scrape on my scars. So maybe I can order this tape.
Funny thing with my exchange scars...on my lat side, I cannot even see the scar at all. Really amazing! On my prophy side, I have a raised scar, very prominent. I am thinking it may be the technique where the PS raises both side of the skin a little high where they meet, knowing as the healing occurs, the skin will eventually lay flat. What is weird to me is the difference between the two incisions. I had my surgery at a Cancer Center/Teaching hospital so part of me wonders if I had two residents using different techniques on each breast. Don't know what I can find out, but I'll probably ask at my next appt. Hope it all evens out in the long run.
Laura, hope your girls' fun weekend if full of fun times, beautiful scenery, brad pitts, and no cliffs! deekaay
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Valerie--When I had my exchange, I didn't have any other work done. But when I had my final reconstruction surgery (nipple construction on cancer breast; lift and augmentation on healthy breast), I also had lipo to get rid of my double chin. I got a discount, and even though it still wasn't cheap, it was worth it to me.
I also had my eyelids lifted later in a separate procedure (because the insurance approval didn't come in time); the eye exams I had before the surgery showed that my lids were so droopy they were obstructing my vision, so my insurance even paid for most of it! PM me if you have any questions.
Diane
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KATE,,,, LOL LOL LOL YOU ARE SOOOOOOOOO FUNNY!!!!! I LOVE YA GIRL!
BRAD PITT went to MU.... ( college) I had been at parties with him ... in the day...LOL
Maybe I am the " real" Thelma!
WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Ladies... My LE is kicking my " booty" and I am BEYOND mental about it... and.... I hope I can get grip about it....
I am not sure how many of you know how... BAD and life long.. and life changing LE is.. AND I HOPE YOU NEVERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR KNOW!
IF YOU EVER Think you have LE.. DO NOT WAIT!
I am 100% NOT the person to talk to about it.. as I am 100% in denial.. and I am not dealing with this. I am trying to deny the HELL that is my life with this now,
But, I love you. So DO NOT be me.
Please make sure you take care of this for you.
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Day after exchange - took ace bandage off....did anyone feel like one was bigger then the other? Or is it just swelling because I needed pocket work done on one? I feel like I can move the smaller foob/implant around a little bit? I am telling myself drop and fluff many many times today already! I had 550 mentor high profile put in.....any advice is greatly appreciated!
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Aw Hope -- I'm sure it's possible you have more swelling where more pocket work was done. it's just the day after! OMG if you could have seen what I looked like the day after... one side was half purple and definitely swollen from bruising (reduction side).... and even though it was not an implant I DO think it's possible for the sides to be healing at different rates. And the fact that only the smaller foob (the one less swollen) is movable is another sign of swelling. Unless your PS told you to move them around, I would not touch right now... let yourself heal girl!
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Thank you Lilah thank you your reply and telling me not to touch! I am the worst picker also. If I have the smallest of blemish on my face I can make it look like a mountain within a minute lol!
I have to say I have very little pain the day after. So that is great! They look really good for the most part.
Why oh why do I need to be a perfectionist! This is not the time!
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LOL Hope -- I'm a picker too but one must resist! I bet you will be much happier if you give it a week... go about your day, live your life, think not of the foob! Be glad you have no pain
And in a week check again ... bet you will like better what you see.0 -
cnemeth- Thanks for the tip! I will check it out. I have to do something! My body has turned to mush!
deekaay- I had to buy the tape from my PS. It was $30 but I think insurance will reimburse me. I did get on their website to find out if anyone near me sold it but it didn't say.
Laura- HUGS! HUGS! HUGS! Sorry about the LE. That just totally, completely, utterly SUCKS!!!!!!! I never even really knew about LE until Binney educated me one day. So sorry it happened to you! I am in awe, though, of your positive spirit. You are Thelma!!!
Hope4future- I'll just say one thing- STEP AWAY FROM THE BOOBS!!! (Well, you know what I mean.) I had my exchange on 6/29 and they are still "morphing" so give them time!
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Laura -- I echo Kate -- I am so sorry you're suffering with this horrible LE. But your spirit is inspiring
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Valerie~ hey thats great! No chance of getting that with my PS as i am not a private patient!
But if i thought they could do it for me,i would have lipo on my love-handles! Oh and my thighs.Would love a tummy tuck as i have rolls of skin from when i was pregnant. I was 13 days past my due date when i finally went into labour. My stomach measured 48cm. I was in size 22 elasticated waist cotton trousers!(for the stomach!) and my girl weighed 9lb 11oz !!!! She was delivered by cesaerian section and my belly looks like a giant balloon,wrinkled and deflated after a great party! No amount of exercise will firm it as the muscles have gone completely. But i dont fancy the pain and long recovery of a tummy tuck so i guess i'll keep tucking it into my jeans!
What would have done then if your PS ok'd it?
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About additional procedures during exchange surgery - I did have two small things added on, both of which could have been done w/local but it was better that I was out. One was removal of a mole on my abdomen that several docs thought was slightly suspicious. It was nice to have a PS remove it since who knows if others would have closed it up as well. The second was a small cosmetic procedure to remove a visible blood vessel on my nose and that one was done off the record completely, at the PS's suggestion. Insurance paid for the mole removal and biopsy (benign).
About scar treatments, my PS said "save your money", but my PT noticed my mx scar was bunching up at one end about 6 wks after xchg surg and gave me a sample of NewGel silicone tape to try. It started flattening out after just a couple of days of wearing it, I'm not kidding. Unfortunately its extremely expensive and I found an alternative that's much cheaper called ScarAway to use on my drain scar and mole scar and I have to say it definitely hasn't seemed as effective nor does it stick nearly as well. Anyway that's my 2-cents worth.
I don't get over here very often cuz I just can't keep up with the speed of this thread....but I read some this a.m. and its good to hear so many are doing well and are happy with exchanges. To those who aren't yet there, I'll second the others' comments to give it time. And cover up the mirrors!!
Happy healing and fabulous foobs to everyone!
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(((Laura))): Hang in there. I cannot imagine going through this after everything else you have been through. You are the original Thelma--Fun, outgoing and full of life! Don't let this get you down. We are all here for you!
Kate: I started the Perricone 28 day challenge (on line). It's a high anti oxidant diet, which should be good for us BC girls. I hate excercising, so my husband went out and purchased us a WII and my he used it yesterday for the first time, and he was doing baseball and tennis for 2 hours and really got a great workout! It's my turn today.
Kay: I had surgery about 1 years ago and it looks like I have a reverse tummy tuck and nothing will flatten the stomach above the surgery area. I am trying to get my dr to lipo it, but he may just only use the Alloderm when I have my exchange:(
Valerie: Before I found out I had BC, I was going to have my eyes done and a mid-face lift but now it has all been postponed until I am done with my exchange. I was really looking forward to no longer looking tired, chemo expecially aged my face. Before chemo I looked 35 and I am 51! Now, without makeups I feel like I look older then my age which really, really sucks. When I finally have it done, I chose a face specialist plastic surgeon who, BTW, does incredibly natural work. I won't let anyone else touch my face!
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Hi All!! Congrats to everyone who made it through exchange!!! Glad it went well for everyone. Hope4future, what a nice story about your nurse. It's amazing how many people I have discovered have/had BC in the past 8 months. I recently got a call from two of the wives of partners I work with and they told me they wanted to be part of my support system. We went to lunch and could have sat there all day talking. It was a good feeling to know I now have people here live I can talk to or lean on.
I have mammo on Monday for lefty and I am soooooo nervous. MY PS wanted to get the "all clear" before my exchange. I love hearing everyone's experiences through surgery. It gives me comfort as I head into all the pre op appts etc.
Thanks as always ladies!!! You all inspire me and give me strength!
Di
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Kay- I can totally relate! I think we should all petition for insurance companies to cover tummy tucks for all mothers, especially those of us who had c-sections!!! What do you think? :-D
MBJ- Let me know what you think about the WiiFit. I would love some feedback!
So I'm about a month out from exchange and don't really feel like the implants are part of me. More like they're attached to my chest with velcro or super glue or something. Just wondering at what point that goes away, if it goes away, and do women who have had just augmentation have that same feeling? My DH thinks it will be like when I had to get reading glasses for the first time. I couldn't stand to have them on my face. Now I don't even notice them. He says anytime there is something going on in your body that is new your brain sends out a message saying, "Hey, something different here! Something different here!" After awhile it says, "Yea, yea, we know!! Quit telling us!" And those constant messages stop because it becomes normal. Those who are farther out- what do you think?
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So many choices -
Diane - lipo on chin and eyelid lift - hmmmm
Cc777- mole removal, blood vessel removed - don't have any of those
m-star - lipo love handle and tummy tuck (tummy tuck sounds too painful)
MBJ - wants eyes and mid-face lift. You kind of sound like me, I am going to be 50 and feel like I look older than I would like. I spent too many years in the sun playing tennis etc. Is a mid-face lift like a mini face lift?
My PS does all the above including the CO2 laser (on face for wrinkles - anyone had that done? He said at time of exchange if I had anything else done it will cost less than it would be by itself. I would get a discount on the surgical center and the anesthesia charge. Still expensive though. I could get a mini face lift and full face laser CO2 for about $6,300 compared to $8,500 if I had them done on their own.
I feel like I've had major surgery (will know have foobs bigger than my boobs were before) but my face is looking old. And if I have to be put to sleep anyway and take time out to recover.
Am I being vain??????
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Kate - I hope after exchange that the implants start to feel like part of our bodies. These TEs totally feel alien!!
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Valerie- Not vain at all!!! I would do it in a heartbeat if I could afford it. I think we all deserve it after what we've been through and I haven't heard a single woman say- "Wow, BC has really made me look so much younger!" (Or thinner, more toned...)
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Kate -- I think you're quite right about the messages slowing down with time. Even two and a half months out I really forget I have an implant (except for now of course when I am thinking about it directly).
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MBJ~ Yes everything above my C-section scar is all wobbly and 'shelf' like. It lind of hangs over the scar (sorry to all those who are eating!) LOL
Kate-yes tummy tucks should be done at the same time as the c-section,before they close you up! Funny you mention the wii-fit. I started back on mine. Today is my 3rd day. I really needed to do something. I try and do minimum 30mins aerobic (preferably 45) then i move on to the muscle workouts and finally the yoga. If i still feel ok after that,i do the balance games.
I am not going to weigh myself or get the tape measure out until i have done it for 1 whole week. i will do a minimum of 1 hour in total per day and see what i have lost in a week. Proabably will just be my mind!
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