Exchange City

rowan:  When they radiate the chest wall, it is not always possible to do the standard muscle stretching with implants.  If they had radiated me there, I would have had the Lat/Dorsi with implants and yes, you are fine having it done this way as you still have the support of the muscle.

MBJ--I guess what got my attention was the mention of being monitored for recurrence, Does an implant on top of the chest wall muscle make detection more difficult/problematic?

takeadeepbreath - I was so sad and depressed when I first saw the ripples.  No one told me it was going to happen.  But if you think about it ... we have essentially a bag of saline or silicone in our chest ...if you take a bag of either and hold it up ... there are ripples at the top. 

After my exchange I loved my new foobs ... all the post-op swelling ... I had a nice natural slope.  As the swelling went down, the ripples appeared.  I think it's worse if you're thin and have thin skin.  While I was very upset at first I have gotten used to it.  The only time I can see them are the rare times when I don't have on a bra or when I bend over.  Someone on the pic forum said, "Quit bending over."   

It is something that I wish they'd tell us ... for most of us it is bearable.  Fat grafting can really help with the ripples and quite a few women on here have done it.  I don't know if the massage helps with the ripples but it does help prevent capsular constricture (sp?) or CC.  Hope it gets better for you!  [[hugs]]

SuebeeBC - The not bending over thing was meant as a joke!    With a bra my ripples are gone ... it's only when I'm naked and bend over that I can see them.  And I mean, really ... how often are we bending over while naked while looking for ripples in our foobs?    And like I said ... if it's really bad and it bothers you, fat grafting is beneficial in covering the ripples.

Dawn - ahhhhh.  I have that visual in my head forever now!  LOL!!!  I asked my PS about fat grafting.  Not sure if his quick NO meant that he doesnt do it, or if I wont need it (he is sure I wont need it - hmmmm) but he wont be around long enough after my surgery so I get to see what the next PS will do or not do.

Kate 33, great suggestion and off to target I go! If it weren't so darn hot out, I wouldn't be so concerned with wardrobe! Thanks much!  cleo

I am a uni, who had a lift/augmentation on my healthy side.  My implant on the cancer side is under the muscle.  My implant on the healthy side is on top of the muscle.  It has been mammogrammed twice now, and it's really interesting to see the pictures:  a side view makes it appear that my breast is filled by a big balloon, with the breast tissue visible all along the outside outline of the breast and under the nipple! It actually shows up pretty well.

Dawne-Hope, SueBee -- Your PS didn't tell you ahead of time about rippling?  Mine did...but she did not explain the loss of projection or in what way my mx side would differ from my augmented side (other than the ripples).  I'm 7 weeks post-exchange, and I thought at this point I had gotten over that initial disappointment I felt right after the surgery.  But now I'm starting to shop for a real bra and I'm feeling that dismay all over again.  I haven't found a bra that makes me look completely symmetrical, at least not yet (but I haven't had a chance to spend a lot of time shopping yet).

suebee I have the same thing one side is higher. My PS jsut says he can fix that in the exchange and does not say much else. But last time he did say we will discuss which implants I want. So i guess I will learn more then.

MBJ--yes, you're right I have been told I will get an MRI from now on.  I  didn't realize that some people still get mammos with implants, so I learned something. 

Hi ladies!

It's been a while since I've been on this thread.  I had some issues MONTHS after radiation.  My poor radiated foob has developed capsular contracture!  DA**!!!  I was going to have it fixed, but my stupid gyn onco postponed my hysterectomy because he had to "go out of town!"  Anyway, I saw my PS this week and I'm having surgery to fix it at the end of August.  My hyst is July 20th.  So now I have to spend the whole summer trying to look symmetrical in tops, which is hard to do.  I found a bra at Victoria's Secret that pushes up the non radiated side and give me some volume at the bottom of my radiated side.  I still look lopsided, but better.  I was so mad that this happened.  Oh well.  My PS is going to cut the capsule on the rad side and put Alloderm there.  I feel pretty confident that he will fix it (or make it look more normal).  

Cancer... the gift that keeps on giving!!! 

I asked my PS about doing both surgeries at the same time and he said NO!  He's afraid of infection, which could result in him pulling out the  implant and having to start the process all over again (which could take 6 months).  So, I agreed!!!  I look like I have a tissue expander on one side.  Ugh!  I found a bathing suit top at Victoria's Secret which has some push up in it.  I don't look quite as lopsided in that.  If we weren't going on vacation July 4th, I would have moved up all my surgeries and possibly had the foob fixed prior to the hysterectomy.  I've cancelled this vacation 2 years in a row because of  both breast cancer diagnosises.  It's a camping/quad trip with multiple families.  I sure hope my DH and friends who are going on this vacaction appreciate the sacrafice I'm making for this trip.  Probably not.  Oh well.

NVDiane:  It does look really weird on the mammo!  Because my augmented side is also under the muscle, the tech does this weird movement to push it behind when doing the mammo--For the MX side, it makes things much more difficult to see because only an US is used or for those with Lat/Dorsi, an MRI is used.

citykitty:  I really wasn't able to get a proper fit with bras until about 2 months out--at first I wore all of the VS wireless, then I graduated after 6 months to underwires.  For me, because I am so thin, allyou see is a bony chest without a pushup bra, lol.  I do have pretty good symmetry though my MX side is slightly smaller (it was in reverse prior to BC) but FG helped this.  Only when I bend over or flex my muscles do I truly notice how different they are.  I can fit in the Freya & Chantelle bras, but I prefer t-shirt, slightly padded bras to make up for the nipple/areola area in front.  Don't get discouraged--I tried on at least a 100 bras and bought some that I should have waited to take off the tags because they are unwearable.  I also have a couple of bras that are now too big since the swelling has gone down.  It took me about 4 months for the drop and fluff to happen!  BTW: I had a terrible case of the new boob blues for about 2-3 months after exchange--it does get better!

MBJ, thanks for posting about bras. I am so glad I am not the only one with flat areas around the areola/nip area. I will wait until all the swelling goes down before commiting to buying another bra. I do fit the bra that I purchased when I had TE's in - it is the Warners Barely There and it is so comfortable.

citykitty- Have you tried going in for a professional bra fitting?  Nordstrom's is the best but make sure to make an appointment ahead of time for one of their fitters who are specially trained to work with MX patients.  They were wonderful and saved me hours of time trying to find bras that worked.  

meJoy- After my exchange I drove myself crazy looking in the mirror all the time even though everyone warned me it would take awhile for everything to settle.  My mantra became "Step away from the mirror!"

kittycat- Sorry about all the complications.  BC is like the mob- Just when you think you're out it pulls you back in.  Hope this is your last summer of "creative dressing"!

slinky- If given a choice of Alloderm or fat grafting I would take FG.  I had Alloderm twice and it did nothing to prevent the rippling.  The FG fixed it in one procedure.