Exchange City
Comments
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Hi Ladies,
I have not had my exchange yet but I have a question for those who did. What is meant by the term "step off" I have the option of gummies or rounds and I often hear rounds show a ledge on the top, however I have viewed several photos on the pic site and I think the rounds look great and I do not see any step off look at all. In fact the rounds seem very natural and soft looking to me. Can anyone comment on this for me?
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Deliahbear, sounds like you really got around NS. Yes, Glace Bay is just a little mining town, I remember the visit to the coal mine. I had lots of relatives who made their living in the mines. I didn't really get the beauty of Cape Breton until we traveled across the area and around the coast. I am trying to talk my cousins into a "Roots of our Mothers" trip starting in Halifax. One of these days...deekaay0
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Sweetie2040: They can acheive a natural look with the rounds but there is often step off (a visible difference between where the breast ends and the chest starts) with them. If you want the softer feel of a silicone round, they might have to use fat grafting or Alloderm to address the step off. If you want a more graduated, natural look, the gummies provide this but from what I understand, you won't be able to get a push up look in a bra anymore and they are firmer in feel. I am having my exchange next week with rounds so I will let you know how it goes and how they will address this for me, as right now with the TE I have an abvious step off. When is your exchange scheduled for and have you gone to Breast Implant Sizing 101 for expert advice from the "breast whisperer"?
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Can I get nipples after radiation? It is a good question, and one that cannot successfully be answered the same for everyone.
For example, if you were radiated after being fully expanded, your chances are better...
Both Texas and I will not have nipples because fo the radiation AND the implant not holding properly, and healing not going properly after the radiation. Neither of us were fully expanded.
On the other hand, Laura (Estepp) was fully expanded, and she is not risking nips anyway. I'm sure there are a good number of people for whom nips have worked. Your PS is the best guide for you. JUDY
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Today I had a very pleasant surprise. While I bent down to reach my slippers, I noticed that my new foobs seemed to elongate! This never happened with Frankenboobs. Then I got up and tried, very gently, to push them together (I couldn't do this with TE's), and guess what, they acted like real breasts! Pushing them together makes my cleavage appear deeper! I probably sound childish to some of you, but I never realized what you meant when you said yippee squishy until today. I probably should try to ignore them and not touch them because I still have stitches. lol!
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Adnerb - That's awesome!
I was wearing a tank last week over a sports bra and bent over to wash my hands and glanced up and noticed I had cleavage ... it looked real. And I squealed with delight. It was like being fourteen all over again! LOL. I don't think it's childish, I think it is appreciating 'the normal' things. We're thankful for some semblance of 'normal' again. Love it!
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MBJ-thanks for the explanation. Yes I have been to breast sizing 101. I have been researching and contemplating like crazy. I have the step off look a little bit right now with the TE. I think my chest is pretty bony so it looks more obvious. My Dr. never mentioned fat graphs. Is this something that most PS do and is it covered as part of reconstruction? I hope you do well and I look forward to hearing about your experience after your exchange. I am not scheduled yet. I have probably one more fill and then set a date. I'll keep you posted
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sweetie - My chest is very bony too and I had a huge step-off ... it was like going from bones to boob. I could have easily set a tea-cup on the ledge that was there. It's completely gone away since I had the implants put in three weeks ago. I do have some rippling and my PS mentioned that I could have fat grafts to help with that ... but right now it's not bad enough that I would consider it. It is covered as part of the reconstruction. Good luck.0
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sweetie: Yes, it's covered by insurance! My dr will either use Alloderm or fat grafting (lipo of my belly) but I won't know which one he will do until I wake up in the recovery room, but it's already on the pre-op list of things to do!
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Judy, actually I was fully expanded before radiation therapy. I do plan to have the origami reconstruction surgery for a nipple. With new skin from my back, my PS says this time I should not have the problems I had before.
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sweetie- The step off is exactly as MBJ described. I also had a HUGE step off with my TE's but I think I have a very natural slope now. My PS did use the Alloderm but I don't know how much difference that made. She only referenced it being able to slightly soften the edges of the implant beneath the skin. Have you asked your PS about it? I know some insurance companies won't cover it so check with yours to see. Everything I have read about gummies vs silicone rounds is the gummies look more natural when you're not dressed, the silicones feel more natural (softer anyway) and when you're dressed you won't see much of a difference except, like MBJ said, there's a little less ability to do the whole "push up bra/max cleavage" with the gummies.
Adnerb- Speaking of cleavage- Yippee for yours!!! You're not childish. It's nice to be happy about something, huh? (@)(@)
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MBJ-good to know. I'll ask my Dr. Keep us posted on how you do.
Dawn-Hope- phew, I'm so glad the implants look better than the TE! The TE actually aren't so bad except for the ridge. From what I have seen in the pic forum after the exchange everyone looks very natural and I haven't noticed anyone with step off on their final implants.
Kate-33-I know my PS used alloderm to create the pockets for the TE. I didn't realize they could use it for the implants as well. This is something I'm going to ask him next week. I'm about nuts trying to figure out which implant to get! I'll see what he says at the next visit. I know the nurse mentioned she thought the rounds would look good on my frame. I like push up bras, especially since I'm not going so big it would be nice to have that option.
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sweetie- My PS told me the younger you are the more she likes to use Alloderm because the longer you are going to have your implants. (At 50 I guess she decided I was young enough! LOL!) Also, the thinner your skin is the greater the benefit.0
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Dawne-Hope, you had cleavage at 14?
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Firni, you read my mind. i never had cleavage except when i was pregnant and they were droopy!!14 - flatter than ever. My 19 yr old daughter is so mad at me for what she inherited! Quite funny now that i know I don't have the gene and i have great reconstructed boobs.
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firni and boromom - I started getting boobs at 14 and the prospects of cleavage got me excited then! At 40 I thought my cleavage days were over and when I got that peek last week it gave me hope, just like when I was 14!0
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Well ladies I just had my exchange on August 4 and I still have the step-off and I really hate it. I feel like there are indents above my implants and my chest looks caved in. The implants I have are Allergan - Silicone High Profile 750 cc's. I posted some pic on the forum.. Any feedback is appreciated.
Jennifer
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jkz - I can't get into the picture forum so I can't look at the pictures ... others will come along with a lot more knowledge than I ... but I would encourage you that it is still way early. You're only what? 2 weeks out? They will change. I know it's hard to be patient after all we've been through ... but it is still pretty early.0
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Can I ask those ladies who have had your exchange surgery a question....I live alone and I am wondering if this surgery will be like my MX where I required a lot of help the first couple of days. I lterally couldn't get my self up out of bed to go to the bathroom or eat or anything. How much help will I need following surgery? How many days will my movement and lifting be restricted. Just trying to plan things out.
Any help is appreciated
Diane
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DiDel - For me, it wasn't nearly as long or as bad as the MX. My movement wasn't restricted at all. I'm three weeks post-exchange and I'm still not supposed to lift anything over 5lbs. I see my PS on Tuesday and we'll see what he says then. It's a breeze compared to what you've already been through.0
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Just want you to know that you all are welcome to visit Foobville as your surgeries wind down and your foobs are in place. Here is the intro I wrote a few months ago:
"This is a thread for all of us post-exchange women who can't seem to kick the BCO habit and want to keep in touch with friends from Exchange City. I proposed this idea to Val61 a while back when I found I could no longer keep up with EC (a.k.a. War and Peace). So let's chat about anything we want, including how we are doing post-exchange!"
We on Foobville have found that we still benefit from our BCO friendships long after the surgeries are over. So here's a friendly invitation to you!
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Didel - I didn't need any help after the exchange. It was nothing like the mastectomy. I had the exchange on a Tuesday and was out shopping and driving by Saturday.
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DiDel: Same here.The exchange was very easy. I just had to be careful for a few days but there wasn't much I couldn't do.
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Texas, I am so sorry, must have had you mixed up with someone else...glad you are getting what you want!! JUDY
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Didel the mx is way worse than the exchange. I was out shopping the next morning for bras.. I was at the mall and then went to lunch with my daughter. Of course I didn't drive. I had my exchange on Wednesday and was driving by Saturday. Now I am 2 weeks out and feel totally fine. My scars are all healed and I have no problems..
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And then there's those of us that had a tough recoup. Sorry to say, but I think it's best to know all sides. Tho it wasn't as painful or incapacitating as the mx for me, I was told not to drive for 10 days, and at day 10 I could barely drive. Had a lot of discomfort on one side from many internal stitches due to pocket work (3 hour surgery). I think most women have a shorter surgery and bounce back fast, you might want to ask your ps ahead of time what you can expect. Prepare meals ahead, and move your necessary items to counter level! I had to take it very slow the first few days. Diane, hope you can find a friend or family member to be available for you the first day. Best to all about to have surgery and those recovering!! It is great to be on the other side of te's!! see you in foobville:)
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Hi Everyone!
I have been MIA for a while- I miss being here and all the wonderful support but I started a new job, I started back to exercising and that is leaving me little time for anything else. I need to spend about a month to catch up.
It's nice and yet at the same time, it is strange to be in a new job where no one knows about my jouney with BC. I think I like it that way.
I am having my nips done first week in september. I remember a formula for nipple placement but cannot remember where it was but I think Judy posted it. Can someone point me to the link. I seem to recall a triangle and 21 or 22 cm. Am I close?
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Hi Waldo. The nips form an equilateral triangle between them and the spot between your collar bones. Congrats on your new job and being back to excercising!!
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Hello all,
I too have been MIA and am so glad to get back here. Work has been busy and the changes are still occurring with the foobs. Going on 3 months post exchange. I am catching up on posts, hope everyone is doing well! For those coming on their special days for exchange, sending you all hugs!
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To measure for nips:
Measure from the sternal notch (center of the collarbone) to where you want the nipple to be (one side) Mark it with a small dot and a sharpie. Measure the other side at that same distance. Dot it. Now measure from dot to dot and adjust the dots so that an equilateral traingle is made..
The 21 to 22 cm measurement is whether you can carry an anatomical implant or not.
JUDY
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