Exchange City

I AM SO GLAD  TO HAVE SOFT FOOBS!!!  Had my exchange on Friday - all went well and the PS ended up putting in the 450s - just like Deborah suggested (you are so good) and I think they look great.  He moved them a little closer together and they are only a little swollen and don't really even hurt.  THANKS everyone for your comments, replys, encouragement etc.  It really did help. 

Call me vain, but I had my face laser resurfaced at the same time (he gave a discount), thought I needed a younger (too much sun) face to go with my new foobs!!!  That has been more painful though - has anyone else out there had it done? 

OMG I have never heard of laser resurfacing for the face!  I love it!  My face is thankfully not in need of resurfacing yet... but I will definitely keep that one in the back of my mind   Yay on the new soft foobs! 

Sweetie -- there will probably be some swelling going on there but then there is also going to be some drop and fluff as well so it will all even out.  SO glad you are happy with your new girls!

Hi Ig300!

Recovery varies depending on how much pocket work your PS has to do.  LOTS of women find it to be a very easy surgery to recover from -- MUCH better than MX -- and of course the relief you will feel once those bricks are gone is just awesome!  I woke up in recovery and felt instant relief!  Yes I was sore for a few days but it was not too bad.

Yeah that was on my MX side. Reduction/lift side took much longer to heal but that was due to still having breast tissue  

Hi lg300:  Had my exchange on 9/29.  My PS told me to take off 2 weeks from work and I've needed every day of it for recuperating.  He did extensive pocket work which I didn't realize when I went in for the surgery (maybe I should have figured since I was an overnight in the hospital).  It's sleeping at night that's been a challenge...I'm a side sleeper and can only sleep on my back.  But, I so glad to be rid of the expanders and finally have my implants. Good luck with your surgery! 

DiDel - I brought up the subject of having something done to my face - I just mentioned that I was wondering since I am being put to sleep and have to recover etc. do you offer any discounts while doing the boob reconstruction at the same time.  He said yes, as a matter of fact we do - he didn't try to sell me on it, he just recommended a few things I could consider doing if I wanted.  So I went for the laser resurfacing.

Lilah - lucky you don't need anything for your face.  I spent way to much time in the sun when I was a kid.  They are actually doing studies to see if this resurfacing helps in preventing skin cancer.  It removes the top layer of skin - it isn't a pretty sight - I could be in a horror movie.

I'm wondering if my boobs stick out a little too much?  Or will that get better with the drop and fluff?  Otherwise very happy!!

Hello Ladies.  Sorry I haven't posted for a while, but been busy packing up my house to move.

My recon is on 22 Oct and have an exchange in my right and my left one reduced.  Has anyone recently had this done.  Just wanted to know how people felt and how they are going, problems they may have encounted, how sore they were.  I move 3 weeks after surgery, so busy packing beforehand.  Dr says I will be in hospital for 1-2 days which is good.  Not sure how long the drains are going to be in for.  Can't wait for my new boobs.  Its been a year and a half with my "chicken wings" and I am soooo sick of them.  Would love any feedback.

While I have been waiting for surgery, I have completed my "Teachers Aide" course and am now qualified.  yeah!

Hugs Jane

Valerie:  Wonderful news about your successful exchange ceremony!!!  I'm so happy.  You must share photos with us!  About that laser resurfacing....holy moly, do I ever want that!  I just think though that I have such a need for instant gratification and I am so impatient, I would be picking at my face....helping it along, if you know what I mean.  How long do you expect to be holed up in your house with the shades drawn?  Is it painful?  Take pictures.  Maybe we should have a special thread for faces, as well as breasts, on the pictures forum. 

LOL ty Deb -- at least I have that anyway

Although I must say: you don't need it either!

  Hi Ladies

     Thank you all for your shower suggestions they are great.  I went to the PS on Wednesday,he removed the drain(Yayyyyy).  He also put tape on my scars and told me to keep tape on them for the next 6 weeks as it will flatten the scars, he says he will also do fat graphs on the right side.  I must say my foobs are looking better everyday, but the right side is smaller, hopefully the graphs (hope I'm spelling it right ) will improve it.

Happymom: the sportsbar I woke up in after my exchange was flimsy.  In my past life I was a jogger so i have lots a sports bras.  I've been wearing them now that i don't need a front opening one.  I wore a tight body suite under a shirt a few times but found I was sore later in the day.  I see my PS on Friday he mentioned underwire as being the next step,this will be 3 weeks after the exchange.

I was able to shower the day after the exchange. He never mentioned deodorant.

I still don't know what "Drop & Fluff" means.  My PS said I can go a little bigger if I want but does that mean another exchange surgery?

brunettesrule:  Wow getting a degree while going through all this craziness!  That is GREAT.  Are you working/or going to be working with special needs kiddos?

Hi Kit,  Its not a degree, only a Certificate III.  I had two years to complete it and did it in 3 months, lol had nothing else to do while recovering so I did this course.  Also my learning coach published 2 of my modules to help the other students who were having difficulty.  Not working at the moment, haven't worked since July 09 when diagnoised.  This surgery on the 22nd is the last hurdle, then I move 3 weeks after that and then I am going to look for work as either a normal or special needs Teachers Aide.  Any job would be great, need to get back to work, money running out...lol.  I also have a PA/Admin background, so I will grab what work I can get.

 Good luck to everyone having surgery this week.

Hugs, Jane

Deborah - Yes I do need to get my photos up on the new forum, need to finish the story.  I m ust say my new foobs look much better than my others, which were scarred, indented from many biopsies.  I would scare you if I posted pictures of my face - already scared patients in doctor's waiting room, delivery man - they say it takes about 7-10 days before I will dare to go out in public.  It was more painful than the exchange - I didn't even notice that.  Hurt like a burn and pain pills didn't help much, eyes were swollen shut the day after.  Pain only lasted a day so not too bad.  I hope I like the outcome!

DiDel - The laser resurfacing uses a CO2 laser that burns off a layer of skin and what comes back is a new layer with less wrinkles - thats what I'm hoping!

Happymom - My PS said no underwires for 6 weeks - they are all so different

Jane - My PS told me no heavy lifting/exercising/exertion for 6 weeks after exchange.  Be careful moving - because I think you will feel great.

Lovesnature-The facial resurfacing added about 2 1/2 hours to the surgey.  The idea is that new less wrinkled skin will emerge. I have a few friends that did it and were very happy.

Estepp - thanks for telling me I'm not vain - I just want to look a little younger - I'll be 50 in December.  I think the exchange is the perfect time to add something if anybody has thought about doing something - it was less expensive. 

Thanks for all the good wishes everyone!!

sweetie2040 - It's stay wayyyyyyy early!  It is amazing how they change.  I had a lot of swelling at first and no ripples, then the swelling went down and (to me) I had huge ripples, now about 11 weeks out, I don't notice ripples at all.  It's an ever changing landscape over the next several weeks.  Nothing to worry about at this point.

sweetie - I wear a bra all the time.  I sleep in a zip-up the front sports bra.  And during the day I wear an underwire bra.  It actually feels better to have one on that not have one ... never thought I'd say that!    We're all different ... for me, I LOVED the size I was a couple of days out of my exchange because I was still swollen and I looked pretty big, was sad to see the swelling go because they shrank.  Then I looked like I had hamburgers or pancakes on my chest ... but eventually they DO drop and fluff and you'll get a little more projection... so know that things will ebb and flow ... if you hate them this week, you might like them a little better next week!    I believe the most drastic changes occur over the first three months.  You've nothing but time, girl!  You might want to take pictures because it is rather fascinating how they change over the first twelve weeks.