Exchange City
Comments
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...my purple stitch was actually a very fine internal one that didn't dissolve/came to the surface (not the externall kind). As Sue suggested, overexerting also seems like it could be the culprit. Always good to check it out, hopefully it is nothing (mine closed back up in a day or so).
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SueBee: It sucks that you have to wait, but the longer you wait for exchange the better the outcome. Inconvenient, yes, but the longer you stretch the more natural the look! Hang in there and you will be fine!!! I didn't get mine until late August so my whole summer was a wash, but you will still have some lovely weather left to enjoy.
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MBJ thanks for the pep talk. I am feeling much better today about it. It just came as a huge disappointment yesterday. Im keeping hope without getting them too high now....and know that any delay is for good reason.
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Suebee - I am with you. Delayed one month until July. What a bummer. I am sad. But, on the bright side, I think my body will be in better shape from an infection perspective! I have to remember that any kind of complication would be bad...
So we wait...
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I have DCIS grade 3. Pos family hx. My oncologist advised me tamoxifen would not be recommended due to blood clotting disorder. He told me with ER/PR pos they would recommend if invasive or had I not had bmx (but I have a clotting disorder so can't do it anyway). I like you am confused why radiologist is counseling instead of oncologist!?!
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Sorry my iPod went nuts!!
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How in the world do I pick a size. The TEs are wide, square and low so I cant tell what the 400cc will look like. I was a 34c and would like to be a large b or small c. Any ideas. ?
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ShannonR: If you're not already on the Implant Sizing 101 thread you might find help there:
http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44/topic/746448?page=103#top
Lots of decisions to be made, right???
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Christine47, I loved my TE's the projection the width-everything. I thought I would be depressed over losing TE's. I was considering superhigh profile, but they are not as wide and I really wanted the width, the projection is not that much more. If you go to Mentor's website it gives the dimensions of the implants and then when you measure you will see may as well go with high profile. I have more projection than I expected, I am wearing a C/D surgical cami from Nordstrom and it fills it nicely. I think I am happy with my new foobs. So good luck, wish I could send a photo. SueBee, may be best to wait, give your skin some time to stretch and maybe the surgery will feel better. Sorry you are in pain.
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Grey and Annie - we'll see what happens! Feeling better every day!
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Hi - I am new to using this site and I read your post about having 2 different sized implants. I just had my exchange surgery 5/19/2011 and I wish I had learned more about it before hand. I am disappointed with my results. Too flat, too wide, one side has cleveage, one is lower, one has what i would describe as a bubble on a bubble. My expanders looked SOOO much better. I am getting drains out tomorrow and will get more info from the surgical asistant I will see (PS is out of town). I can't for the life of me figure out how to get on the picture forum. I would really like to see the results other women had.
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marblehead: I recommend sending a private message to Whippetmom or to visit her on the Breast Implant Sizing 101 thread. If you are having problems she can really help you get it sorted out. However, keep in mind that it's really, really early in the game--you won't know what they are really going to look like for another 2-4 months affter the muscle relaxes. Take a deep breath, walk away from the mirror, and give it some time. It's rare and almost impossible to look great right after recon and it sometimes takes some tweaking. If there are any serious issues that need to be addressed, Whippetmom is the expert. Gentle hugs and good luck to you!
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its been awhile since I have posted here. I lost my right implant to infection nearly three months ago. I am torn whether to allow my body to heal longer before trying again or just starting over with the dern TE. I am feeling better than i have since my bmx in august, finally sleeping on my stomach, able to lie day with my arms under my head and so on. Yet I am so depressed at missing a boob, especially this time of year. I keep arguing with my darn self should I or should I wait. I had nothing but complications and really want to get this done but do not want to get cut. What to do?
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Dorothy: I don't know the reasons for your implants/TE failing and I also don't know what kind of coverage you have but if you had problems with the TE's and implants you might want to check out Dr. Khouri in Miami at miamibreastcenter.com. He does micro fat grafting, smaller implants and also uses something new called the Brava system. There is also a thread Has anyone had micro fat grafting? that you might want to check out. He can build an entire breast using fat from your own body. I didn't have it done but Kate33 just did and so has leeinfl. Best of luck with your decision.0
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Thank you for your reply. The advice to stay away from the mirror is good. I didn't feel this bad when I had my mastectomy because I kept thinking it was going to get better. I am getting drains out tomorrow and am going to get info to share with whippetmom. I don't know what type of expander I had and what my final fill was. My PC didn't tell me anything about "drop and fluff" or that I had to have a muscle relax or to expect to have to wait to see what I would finally look like. The only thing they said was that I might need fat grafting because the skin was thin on the cancer side. I don't expect to have my old boobs back and I think I would look ridiculous with big "movie star" breasts but I was hoping that I wouldn't disappear whenI turned sideways.
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DUDES! I am back!
I have a more detailed story to tell and just 2 photos to share, later on the pic forum. But here's the abbreviated version:
Exchange went great, more pain than expected, lots of scar tissue to deal with for PS, and I got 500ccs high profile. I went through feelings of confusion and depression, which I've worked through and DESTROYED in their tracks. I actually thought I was essentially flat-chested. With 1000 ccs (when added together) on my chest, I felt I looked FLAT.
I was mourning my TE's! My PS is so good. Just so SO freakin' good.
It took a day to work through that, to actually SEE myself. I look awesome! I have upper pole fullness, I have boobs that sit closer together, I have an AMAZING plastic surgeon, I am so lucky. They look 10 times better with each passing day.
I just wanted everyone to know I am ok and thank you for all the encouragement and good wishes!
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Dorothy-I can only imagine how you must be feeling right now. Like you, I just really, really want this to all be over. The idea of more sugery to get the results you want must really be depressing. I had my bmx on 9/24/10 and really hoped that by this summer it would all be behind me but it doesn't look like it will be. Who would have ever thought that reconstruction would be such a long process? Having to start over is a bummer. Whatever you decide, eventually you will be through this.
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how do you access the photo forum
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Tina- the professional verision is 146 pages long and has more ancedotal information- explanation to the doc on why they should do such and such...if you want a opy send me your email via PM and I will shoot you one:)
rnj- itching is healing- drove me nuts but for me it proved to be the sign to more feeling (at least in the skin) I love it in retrospect...same with odd shooting little pains like shocks....everything that can is trying to hook up.
Suebee...waiting just sucks...but you will be mahvelous when it is all done
Christine- you did the right thing by calling PS- I believe in ANY case in calling the doc...I don't care if I bug them....truly...this is BC and our lives have turned into Alice in Wonderland....far better to annoy someone with a pesky call than sitting in mute terror wondering what is wrong...that is as harmful as somehting really being wrong....big hugs to you
Dorothy- this is something to really discuss with your PS in regards t when to start the process over- time is a great healer and as much as it bites there will be a solution...keep us all posted
Marblehead- I am echoing MBJ- it does take time (notice that is a common theme) I have ranged from loving em to hating em all in the span of five minutes! A lot of procedures are required some times..it such a science of getting these thigns right- like I told some folks at work yesterday-this is not a boob job folks....I got a little ticked when someone tossed off that comment to me...about my boob job- i kind of laid into them and explained how wrong they were.....
Cameron! Cameron CAMERON- how cool is thatQ woo woo....so happy for you:)
on an upbeast note- i wore a beautiful summer knit dress yesterday and wowza-looked like I was packing sumptin in there hahahaha-i felt so girly (which is not a term I use for myself often)...finally losing the last couple of pounds that have dogged me (tough when not a lot to lose and am very short person-5 pounds is comparable to 15) But my chest was front and center and more than I could have hoped for...with just a simple bra-not even an underwire...made me happy- which is no small thing....I want everyone to feel that way today....even for a moment...embrace something about yourself that is good, even if it is the nail polish on your baby toe and go with it......
peace out:)
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Ok, so I saw the doctor this morning, the implant is coming out tomorrow
he is putting an expander back in and hope that will work. I am so tired of all this, i thought i was almost done. they say "he" only gives you what you can handle, well I must say my shoulders are getting quite heavy. 0 -
ShannonR - you have to PM Lilah, Timtam, Whippitmom to gain access to the picture forum. I have 450cc implants and I would say I look like a small C cup (but actually wear a 32 DD) the implants are wide - hence the bigger size bra. I really like the size though.
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Shannon: Just keep on posting and sharing here on BCO and once you are a more established member here you can be given access to the Picture Forum which is a private and separate site from BCO. If you have an emergency situation, then PM Whippetmom to get her advice and help.
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Pegs: Drat! I hate to hear of steps back instead of forward. I know it doesn't help much, but you're not alone. At the beginning for me it was predicted that I could be done with reconstruction by the end of June. Fat chance, I've had one TE deflated and the other sits just as it was at surgery in February. Ugh! I'm sorry you were sooooo close and got the rug yanked out
. What a roller-coaster ride.hillck: I haven't checked out the picture forum yet, but I will today. Sorry you're not thrilled with your results. Is it too soon to know for sure?
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Pegs DARN DARN DARN!!! I hope it all works out. I hate the push and pull of this journey!!! Its making me crazy too!!!
Cindy I think you look really good and I think you will notice things more than everyone else will. Give them a chance. Hmm, maybe I need to take my own advice!!!
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Cindy & Cameron: You both look AMAZING!!!! Remember, they only get better with time!!
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annettek - I guess I have to be patient and wait and see. I saw the surgical assistant today. You know, I just really, really like her and my ps. She wouldn't take my drains out because I have so much swelling on one side that even though it's not draining a lot she was concerned that I might get a seroma so I go back next week. She said that I had really good symmetry when they sat me up during the exchange surgery and thought that all of the swelling on one side was why I am not symmetrical. She told me that they did more work on that side because that expander was migrating under my arm pit and they had to do "2 layers" (I think that means rows of stitches) on that side. She said that they also made the pocket smaller on the other side because I had complained about how far apart the expanders were and I must admit I do like the distance between my foobs. She told be to get an underwire push-up bra. I think I'll go to a place that fits mastectomy bras. There is a really nice one I know of. Regarding the comment of your co-worker, one of my co-workers said, "Boy I wish I could get implants" enveying me!!!
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MJB --Thanks for letting us know how to access the picture forum. I couldn't figure it out at all. I think it is probably a good idea to keep it really private. Hopefully I will be able to access it at some point so that I can get a better idea of what to expect. I'm really glad I found this forum.
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Pegs, hang in there, feel bad for what you are dealing with, I know it could still happen to me only 1 week out from exchange. I must say, that my foobs looked really good after bandages came off in 3 days, I can't imagine them getting better except more upper pole. Cameron so happy to hear from you, I love my PS too, did a great job. I hope your journey can be a happy one. Cindy, give it time, we are not very far out from exchange and must be patient. I hate having to wear my spanx everyday, this is going to be hard for 2 more months and I have to wear my surgical cami for another 4 weeks 24/7, the weather is getting nicer and the process although near the end is getting harder. I go back to work next Friday and hope I am ready, I have a tendency to overdo and hope I do not damage PS's work.
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Anyone have "bumps" in implants where cleave is? I have been wearing surgical cami (PS recommended) and have bumps in cleave area of implants. I am now wearing sports bra. Going to Nordstrom tomorrow for something new for tummy control so I can get rid of the Spanx lines from wearing them 24/7. I am not liking this part of the process. My foobs are soft to the touch and move, liked TE's better.
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greytcruise: You mean bumps like a rash?
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