Exchange City
Comments
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JoanDavies, great question! I am on my second week of BMX and my PS told me to wear the bra he provided or a sports bra. My TE's are only filled to 180cc's, so I am not sure what the bra is actually supporting?? The PS said to wear the bra at all times, but it is so tight and I am flat like a little boy....
I would love to know the answer too!
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JoanDavies - my PS told me that I just needed to wear a stretchy cami so my clothes didn't rub on the incisions. It was wonderful going braless (esp. since now I pretty much have to wear one 24/7 after the exchange). Plus it would have been impossible to keep up with the different sizes as I was being filled...and TE's were so wide apart a bra wouldn't have ever fit.
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I never wore a bra with TE's, they just wouldn't have fit them. But my PS said it wasn't necessary for me, they weren't going to move anywhere. It was a wonderful 8 months!
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Never wore a bra w/ TEs, no nips to cover and those things weren't going anywhere! Loved going braless, the only good thing about having TEs. lol.
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dorthy, lilah and MBJ -- thanks so much for your reality checks. and for telling me to stop freaking out!
i've taken a deep breath, i've stepped away from the mirror, and i've kept the bra on! whippetmom -- i'll say it over and over and over...you are a gem whose kindness and support goes so above and beyond...what would we do without you? thank you again so much for all of your generous help.
xoxo
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42Squared: Hugs!
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42Squared: In August of 2010 I had my exchange surgery and my TE's were exchanged for Allergan Style 45 650 cc's. I love them! Perfect shape and still changing. They are .2cm wider than my TEs and are definitely not pointy. They look round and full. Give it time...they will change shape and begin to look more like a natural breast. Cleo (Linda)
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RE: The issue of bras, sports bras or some type of support during TE expansion:
I know there are differing opinions by plastic surgeons regarding the need for support during tissue expansion. I personally feel it is better to wear some form of support for the following reasons:
1. To keep the implants from their wanton desire to move laterally [most common type of displacement],
2. To keep the implants from migrating upward or downward in the pockets and exerting pressure upon the delicate upper pole tissues. The older the patient, the more laxity to the skin, this is going to be a risk.
It does not have to be uber compression - but I know my implants would not have dropped so much if I had worn some type of support during tissue expansion. I did not - oh yeah - it was fun and liberating - but in hindsight - I should have done so.
Again, this is just MY take on the subject - my personal impression only. I just feel that if you see any inclination of change in the TEs to be migrating, it might be time to use some type of support. I feel that as plastic surgeons start using the suture-tab style of TEs [many are now starting to use them] the displacement issues with TEs will self-resolve.
Deborah
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whippetmom- agree, I've worn light to medium support type sports bra's, I think more a personal preference, however, check with your PS, since I've had now 4 surgeries in a few years time, every one was different, expanders, implants, implants, one implant now and one expander, this one piece band type sports bra I'm wearing has been grand to say the least, banded at the bottom and enough room to gentle cradle and support the "girls". Oh did I mention that I could not have a fill last PS appt., ha, the little dome piece attached to the T/E had turned backwards and don't ya knwo it, it turned again...a bit painful depending on how I lay at night and sleep, but found out I guess I must have been able to turn the little bugger. Have surgery March 18th at which time my T/E will be filled, he talked adding fat grafting, but I'm NOT sure why, sure looks good from the outside to me. Has anyone had this done? I would think FG would be done at the time of the implant....advice??? Thanks gals...warming up here in IL and looking forward to spring right around the corner...
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cleo100: i'm so glad to hear how happy you are with your style 45s. that's wonderful! i'm letting time and gravity do it's thing now! ah, but one thing i forgot to ask my PS today is... when are we supposed to start massaging them! i want to give them the love they need! but i imagine that's not for another few weeks at least. so, i'll step away from the mirror, stop touching them and instead go eat some more valentine's day hearts!!
thanks so much. 0 -
Can anyone tell me where I can find temporary nipples? I remember seeing them on a site for mastectomy products but now I can't find them!
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Amazon has them sweety..... google them there....
Ladies.... I have had the flu.... and then had to work double to catch up...:)....
I just wanted to say hello and tell you I am feeling good about your exchanges !!!!
Jennifer...... on your BCBS.... you do not have a large deductible, or max catastrophic? If I do any type of surgery.... I always pay this... which is 3000.00 for me... so if I do fat grafting... I have to pay 3000.00 of the 4500.00 my PS charges.... then after that for the second and third fat grafting to get it right.... IF I do it in the same year... I pay nothing..... BUT man... I would LOVE to have the BCBS that did not have any deductibles..... can you PM me if you are an HMO or not? I am a PPO... where I can go anywhere I want.... whenever I want...
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Lilah and MBJ are right on.......( as always.....
)Anyone can write to any of us..... to gain access to the Picture Forum TimTam started and owns.. We are gatekeepers.... helpers really... and we can monitor any of you and also screen any of you...
The Picture Forum is a very private , safe place for US.... and we have to keep it this way, and we will. We all wish to keep ALL OF OUR sisters safe and private. If anyone is wanting consideration for membership, please PM any of the following Sisters here on BCO:
TimTam, Whippitmom, Lilah, MBJ, Firni and Estepp ( me)
Blessings sisters ! Keep the faith and keep strong !
separate... we are strong.... together we are a FORCE.
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Hi ladies, I had a BMX on Feb 3 with immediate recon and will be done in 3-6 months. I cannot get used to the feeling. I can't go even 5 minutes without wearing my Jobst support bra because I couldn't emotionally handle how they feel: like I've got two volleyballs sitting on my chest! Not that they are that big; they just FEEL so tight and stretched. Is this normal? I would love to forget that I am carrying around these under-construction breasts but I can't. The feeling of them is always with me. Anyone else bothered by this? Thanks for your insights! Glad to have found this thread.0
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Do you still have the TE Renn??
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MarieK: Here is a thread with a bunch of links http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44/topic/730715?page=1#idx_20 "fake (stick on) nipples"
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Estepp, yes I still have tissue expanders...
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Rennasus.... then this is NORMAL for you... it was for ALL of us. TE sux! They are nothing normal and they look a fright. BUT... they are doing a JOB... stretching everything out... to make room for the beautiful, amazing Implants. You are on the right path sweety.... we all were where you are now... and soon...... at your exchange.... you will get IMMEDIATE soft squishy boobie again.... it will be like night and day. It is ok..... you just HATE those TE... we all did.... but they do serve a grand purpose..... and we need them. Hang in there and dream happy dreams about soft , squishy implants.... your day is coming...... ours all did !
Laura
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Laura you'll be in my prayers. I hope all goes well.
I just posted some more pics. 2 weeks post op..Let me know your thoughts! Thanks Jennifer
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42Squared: When I asked my plastic surgeon about massaging the implants he instructed me not to! Said that was for augmentation girls. Any comments or suggestions from others regarding massage? thanks, ladies!
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cleo - My PS told me to massage them. For the first three months, I was supposed to do it three times a day. And then 2x a day until six months and then once a day thereafter.
[edited to add: Are your implants gummies? I don't think you have to massage the gummies. Maybe the massage depends on the type of implant you have?]
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I was told to massage to ward off Capsular constrictor (sp.) I believe you are not suppose to massage the textured implants.
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nope, my implants are neither gummies nor textured? i don't get it????
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thanks everyone for your replies. seems like drs' opinions on this are as varied as those regarding underwire vs. wireless. i emailed my dr. and he said yes, he is a proponent of self-massage for capsular contraction,but not until 3-6 weeks post surgery, depending upon healing. he'll let me know at our next 3 week appointment if i'm ready. interesting!!
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Everyone is truly different, I massaged the heck out of mine and still CC...I didn't get it either. I think according to my last PS CC was very bad but so was the scar tissue surrounding the implants, I'll attribute it to that, my left one now is doing great and gets the full workout daily....god, that didn't sound good did it??? LOL Huge difference with this new type of left implant. Mentor, smooth, I had mentor textured, I don't think that worked out to well for me....I'm very happy with the current left implant and must say, is softer and looks better than one's previous... 0
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Estepp, thanks for the reassurance!! Saw my PS this AM and he was a wee bit concerned that my main incision is not quite healing as well as he would like (I had BMX on Feb 3). Hopefully it will heal up as it is supposed to, or he said we may have to go in surgically to reduce the pressure. Fingers crossed!
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Ren-my ps put in huge implants and I didn't heal up, so he had to excise the edges and stitch it up. It didn't hurt at all because I was and am still numb there. He actually did it in his office, which was very convenient for me. Curious is that is the same procedure yours is talking about...how would he 'reduce the pressure'?
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Ren: Hang in there--as Estepp says they are just there to do a job so we can have breasts again. I went through my expansion in the summer with just one side and it was pure hell because I had this huge round thing on one side, I couldn't wear a bra, but in the end it was sooooo worth it. Gentle hugs!
42Squared: I never asked Dr. Schooler, but after they were no longer tender (about a month) I started massaging them whenever I thought about it and they have stayed soft and it's been 6 months. I am assuming he also used Alloderm on you, which can make them quite tender and if he also did fat grafting, he probably wants that to heal up first.
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MBJ: thanks! that's great to know. i know he used alloderm during my BMX, but he didn't mention anything about it this time (at least i didn't have to sign a consent form for it this time!). what might he have used it for? and no, no fat grafting yet. my breast surgeon isn't a big fan. so, i've decided to just wait and see how it all shakes out. or fluffs out. or whatever it's gonna do!! hey, you have surgery coming up too, don't you? it's soon, right?
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Tomorrow will be 2 weeks post-exchange for me and so I thought I would update.
It seems that a lot of the swelling has come down and I can feel that the implant is much softer to the touch than the TE ever was.
I still have some concerns about symmetry (I'm a UNI) but I'm not sure that I'll ever be "exactly" the same on both sides so I may have to learn to let that go.
On the bright side I tried on a pretty hot pink demi cup bra (34 C) this morning and it looks TOTALLY AWESOME with the new boobs - just on it's own and under a top - so I'm really happy about that.
I know it's too early to wear it - I have to wear this compression bra for at least another week (according to my PS) but it did give me hope and a little glimpse into my future.
I see my osteopath/massage therapist tomorrow and I'm looking forward to her giving me some relief from the under arm nerve tinglies I've been feeling more and more lately. The last time (after TE surgery) she worked at it with massage and heat and that did the trick.
Other than the paper tape, getting used to weight of this implant (560 grams), wearing the compression bra, and the weird nerve sensation under my arm I think I'm doing really well.
I hope that you are all getting through your recoveries just as well or that you are counting the days to your exchange and getting some peace of mind from those of us that are posting ahead of you.
Enjoy your day!
Marie
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