Exchange City
Comments
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Tinkerbell-fat grafting on tummy to fill in implants. No pain, I was wrapped after surgery and then asked to wear spanx 24/7 for at least 6 weeks. I am in the super duper spanx. Good luck.
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I just had a job interview and I think i got the job but I still have another interview.
anyway I was wondering, at some point I have to tell them I still have my exchange surgery. I will wait until the offer is in hand.
But when I don't have the date for it yet and was wondering when I do tell them how much time off I will tell them I will need.
It is a sales job where I would be on my feet a lot. I was figuring I will say 3 weeks to be safe what do you guys think?
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Carol 2:
Two weeks was fine for my exchange. Three weeks would be even better.
Best of luck, Eileen
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HI Carol - going through the same thing. When at my interview I was asked if I knew of anything that would keep me from doing my job and I told them that I was scheduled for surgery in the summer that would keep me out for a week (its a desk job though). I didnt say what the surgery was....perhaps if/when you are offered the job you can say that you are scheduled for a followup surgery that would keep you out 2-3 weeks . They shouldnt be allowed to ask you what the surgery is for and SHOULD be OK with that. Just be honest (but no need to be that open!)
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Suebee, That sounds wonderful, i have not been able to ride a bike in so long,i am still having problems with my t/e side arm (left) lost alot of range of motion,but have regained a lot back since i stated pt yay! But i am not doing too much i just don't want to hurt myself,before monday.My daughter has a cold and i woke up with a tiny cough and stuffy nose! but i am just going to take lots of vitamin c and chix soup just incase... i feel like i just want to stay in a protective bubble till mon!! enjoy your bike ride!!!!
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Beacher I cant believe it! The weekend is here! I hope you do NOT get your daughters cold! Stay well!!! Ive been lucky with the range of motion but have nerve damage from MX that gets worse with each fill. I am looking forward to THAT going away!!! Or I will be requesting PT ASAP!
If I dont see you this weekend, BEST OF LUCK!!! Report back when you can!!!
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Carol: Best of luck with the new job. I agree-they don't need to know the details of the type of surgery you will have. 2-3 weeks max if you don't have drains--will you be required to do any lifting? You won't be able to do this for about 6 weeks.
Bikeriding--The happiest moment post BC was when I could finally ride my bike again without pain, without being over tired, just feeling the wind through my hair and feeling healthy and normal-I have to say I cried the first time on and off for 30 minutes I was so happy to be alive!
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thanks DawnHope and Joan888--I appreciate your responses. I was in pretty good shape before all this started (walking, yoga, gardening, biking)...I think a lot of it is my PS--she has said all along that she did not want me to do any repetitive arm movements or "work" my arms as in power walking , etc...so I have followed her advice, but it does get hard to not feel active.
I keep tellling myself that I have to take care of myself so I will heal and be able to build myself up again. Heck, though, I still ride with small pillows that they gave me in the hospital to hold the seat belt at bay and to temper bumps in the road. I guess I just have tight muscles...
I am so glad to hear the stories from all of you who are on the other side and doing so well.
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MBJ--I think I will have the same reaction when I finally can ride a bike again.
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One more Question-- Someone mentioned post mastectomy pain syndrome--What is that, can you tell me?
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Rowan there is a long thread called Post Mastectomy Pain Syndrome on the Surgery Before and After folder....you can read up on it there.
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Rowan: I think that most of us do not have this type of pain after surgery--I sometimes wonder that pain that lasts longer then 6-12 months has to do with other issues and they are just written off to be this! That's just my opinion though. Just don't want you to think the worse when most of us do really well.
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MBJ--thanks for the clarification. I'm just hyper-reactive probably because I am so tired of pain and discomfort, but I keep reminding myself that it is WAY better than it was after the surgery and even a couple of months after that.
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My E-day got moved up 1 week! I am now scheduled for 07-22. I will be so happy to get these hard rocks off my chest.
Sounds like lipo for fat grafting is really increasing among PS. When they lipo under your armpits and in the arm fold, what do you wear to compress the skin after that? My PS says he will lipo the area at the top of my back scars (I'm a bilateral lat flap girl), I'll need a garment that goes all the way around me front/back/under arms, etc. Do they make a spanx for that?
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westieluv: That might require a special surgical garment!
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I was back to work (primarily desk job) 10 days after exchange and I had a drain which came out after 5 days, I think. Was still sore and moved a little more slowly in and out of car, but pretty much ok. Drove after 5 days.
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Good morning,ladies. I am back to report after having flap nipple reconstruction yesterday. I must admit that even without anesthesia, it was almost a pleasureable experience. The doctor, his assistant and I conversed throughout the 2-hour long procedure, painlessly! I was pretty impressed from what I could see of my new nips. After nipple protectors were placed and then gauze applied over them with tape, I was told to keep the area clean and dry for 48 hours and then could shower. He said bleeding would occur. Well, do I clean the area sooner than the 48 hours or just wait?I can see quite a bit of blood under the bandages. I am confused because I don't look clean and it can't be too dry in there. The worst part is that I was instructed not to wear a bra for 3 weeks!!!!!!I was dumbfounded. I told the doctor I wear a bra 24/7 for support because these style 45 650 cc's are somewhat heavy! He said some women wear a nursing bra during this time just to cover the protrusion of the nipple protectors. HELP! I have 2 weeks of school left with hormonal 7th graders and I look like Madonna on one of her bustier tours!
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cleo- I just had a revision and beforehand I was looking for some soft comfy bras with no underwire (because of my incisions) that would still have good support. The only thing I could find were some nursing bras at Target. They are really comfortable and I now wear these as my nighttime bras. These might work for you. They are made by Gilligan and O'Malley, were fairly inexpensive and they had a flap over each breast that unhooked from the top. (And they weren't matronly looking- even came in black and charcoal gray.) You could probably remove that flap all together and then maybe wear a shirt with ruffles or maybe a "artfully" tied scarf or something to camouflage?
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Sorry I am changing the subject. I would like to know has anybody have the exchange over the muscle? I am not happy with my exchange. I went for a second opinion and she said she puts all her implants over the muscle. My flat appearance is because the muscle flattens the implant. I thought under the muscle was standard care but her opinion made sense. I had 760cc put into a 650 cc expander then the implant was hi profile 650. Why stretch we 750? I had exchange Aril13th If anybody can help I would appreciate it. Going for a 3rd opinion soon.
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Beads: Under the muscle is much better for BC and this is the standard and makes it easier to detect a recurrence. I had a woman contact me who I sent to my PS who had hers done over the muscle and they look horrible! Just skin and implants. It takes about 3-4 months for the muscle to relax and for your breasts to drop into place and soften. Give it time. If you do in fact need a revision I wouldn't do anything for at least 6 months. Also, send a PM to Whippetmom as she is the breast expert here. Also, it's very common to put in a larger implant though the expansion is smaller. You have very large implants and you need the muscle for support. Best of luck to you!
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congrats Cleo! that is what is up next for me in July- although I will be put under as what was a two hour surgery has been expanded to four since the PS is going to do the fat grafting ...he is as excited as me about what will be after....
as for over the muscle implants I have heard nothing other than NO in regards to that method...it takes so long for the pec muscle to relax and they do with time...my exchange was not quite three months ago and I havenoticed in these past two weeks a number of things occuring....softness, feeling and more shapeliness...I have/had extremely tight pecs- so much so that when I had the damn mammo that started all this crap the tech said MAN, YOU MUST WORK OUT YOU HAVE SOME TIGHT CHEST MUSCLES....and what is really crappy is that leading up to last October I had specifically been focusing on working out my pecs to build up my chest since I had decided NOT to have any tweaks done to my breasts...life is funny sometimes
i am off on another bra hunt...so much fun to score a deal and knowing what fits helps...PS was shocked at how i am fitting into bras without loose material at ends...
I must say having a PS who wants everything *right* as much as you do makes all the difference in the world...
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Hello everybody--
Good luck to the ladies getting exchanges on Monday!!!!
MBJ--about the implants under the muscle or out, I think my PS told me when I asked her that on my BC side the implant was on top of the muscle because she also brought in the muscle from my back...I'll have to ask her again. I didn't know that it might make a difference in detecting reccurrence
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rowan: Did you have a Lat/Dorsi done? This is also using a muscle and is considered standard and very common for women who have had to have extensive radiation to the chest wall!
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Hello everyone
I had a unilateral MX on May 13th with immediate reconstruction. My PS, going by my card, is using a Natrelle 133V TE, style 133MV, 600cc. Prior to going into surgery he asked if I wanted to stay the same size, go smaller or bigger. I said definitely smaller. I said I wanted a reduction and lift on the other side 
I'm abuot a 40DD and gravity and two pregnancies have not been kind. My PS was happy said, that is what he was thinking.I'm really hoping for a C cup or small D. My ribcage measuring right under my breast is 34 to 35 inches.
At surgery, he put in 100cc, then 60cc at my first fill, then 100 this past Thursday.
Any ideas on where he is going with this? Does 600cc sound like a C/D cup?
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Emaline: Go to Breast Implant Sizing 101 and get Whippetmom's help. She will need your height and weight and the info you gave above. She will get you to the perfect size for your body. Don't get caught up in the bra size/numbers. A DD bra in an implant looks nothing like a DD in a natural breast! I have a 30" rib cage, I am 6' tall and weigh 160 and have a 550 implant. I fit into a 34DD bra but I look and fit into clothes like a 34C.
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Yes, that's what it was. but I thought you were talking about the pec muscles being on top. I did have radiation on that breast previously, so are you saying that's the best choice to make because of the radiation? meaning they can't/shouldn't try to go under that muscle for reconstruction?
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Ack MBJ! LOL I thought I was in there. I had too many windows open. Oops.
Off to post in the right topic LOL.
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A question for you ladies...my nsm was 8 weeks ago and overall I am really pleased but there is definitely a difference on the left and right side. There is a small indent on the right and the skin just feels much, much thinner--I can feel the implant. Standing straight, everything looks and feels fine, in a bra it is also ok but naked or hunched over there are ripples/ridges on the top right. Do these ever lessen with time or not really? My PS is a big fan of massage -for me he said just pushing down and in from the sides-, not sure if that has any impact in the rippling. I don't see him again until July but would love to hear your thoughts/experiences...
The" rippling/indented right" is where I had 3 prior biopsies so not sure if that comes into play--maybe it was more aggressively cleaned out during mx?
If I could stop feeling myself up while I sit hunched up at a desk 10 hours a day, I would probably be in better shape!
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Thanks MBJ! I knew I would get good information here.
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