Exchange City
Comments
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Hi, all,
I'm sure this has been addressed before, but even with a search I can't find it, so I'm asking (apologies if this is terribly boring). I just had my exchange 7/8 after a 9 month wait (extended due to a wreck with rib and vertebral fractures). I'd intended a fairly average (e.g. "B cup") sort of implant initially (down from my pre-BMX DDs) but the fills had to stop when I had so much pain from the fractures, and I told my PS to go as small as possible as the weight from larger implants seemed like it would be painful. So I think what I have now look more like A/Bs, with very little top rounding, though there is a wee bit of cleavage.
I know I asked for them -- but they're very small indeed: flat, with a droopy slope and fairly wide out to the sides, though not as bad as the TEs, particularly the left one which had ripped out of the pocket in the accident. I guess I'm over any hopes of looking good after the past year. I will settle for not looking freakish in clothing. But I am curious -- once these "drop and fluff" -- whatever the heck that means -- won't they be even more droopy and wide?
I'm a bigger woman (200#and 5'5") - up 20# in the past year from the accident and being sedentary) so now I think my belly is bigger than these new foobs. Which, again, is okay I suppose, but I don't want to go even droopier/smaller with the changes over the next several months. I'm praying I won't have to wear some kind of tight bra to prevent droopiness -- that was the ONLY wonderful thing about the TEs: no bra required except when I did wear a sports bra to stabilize my broken ribs a bit. But bras leave my skin red and miserable -- so that was another reason I asked for smaller implants.
Thoughts on what I can expect? Did I make a stupid mistake insisting on small implants?
I don't know the brand or numbers - will ask on Thursday when I go for follow up.
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Fighter: There is a scar thread that discusses all the different choices:0
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Hello everybody,
feeling pretty good today--a little ouchy and raw at the incisions and in the general breast area. I am getting really tired of all the extra guaze. I've cut quite a bit out because it seems to keep working itself out of the surgery bra. I think the rough guaze aggravates my skin so I put cotton handkerchiefs between it and my skin plus rubbed the skin with some good lotion. Helps some.
tomorrow I see my PS. I want to find to find out when i can do light exercise again.
the weather here sucks right now--smog alert, hi humidity, hi ninties temp...time for a good book.
Hope everyone else is doing well.
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Jen C,
Wanted to reply earlier, but did not get a chance. Don't know if you still need this info, but I looked into flap surgery a while ago and here is what I learned:
A TRAM flap is like a tummy tuck, but your abdominal muscles are sacrificed, which can lead to weakness and complications. A DIEP or SIEP uses tummy tissue too, but only fat and blood vessels. A lot of places, like Johns Hopkins, no longer do TRAM because the DIEP procedure is considered less damaging to the abdominal wall. I am by no means an expert, but I believe that this is worth looking into. Surgeons who perform DIEP must be trained in microsurgery, so not all PS can do this procedure. There is a PS referral webiste that I stumbled across Where you can choose your area and itnwill give you a list of PS and the procedures they do. The top places, though, are New Orleans and Charleston.
Good luck, hope you find what is best for you.0 -
Hi, Rowan,
I hear you on the gauze :-). I called my PS and received permission to take the surgery bra off for a couple of hours (long enough to wash it and dry it by hanging it by the room a/c) and that helped a LOT with the irritation. I also found some surgical pads that are a bit smoother than the regular gauze, which helps particularly at the higher pressure areas.
I'm with you -- alternating between reading fiction, reading gardening books, and reading (just a little) for work. I keep telling myself that if I really rest, I will heal faster and with better results :-D.
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Randi64, I believe your surgery is tomorrow. Wishing you great success and quick recovery! Let us know how you do. I am right behind you and getting very nervous.
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Going in for a second opinion on Friday with a different doctor. I want to make sure all of my bases are covered.
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Hi Exchange Ladies!! How are you all doing? Im at at a 4 1/2 weeks out now and wondering how the rest of you are at about the same exchange time as i? I am also wondering what you are doing everyday? Im serious... im getting so bored, i cannot shop anymore especially since im still over weight and stuck in this surgical harness bra ha ha. Is anyone exercising ? How about everyday things like cleaning house ,laundry,gardening,swimming,? I still have a range of motion problem with my mx side so i have pt, i actually look forward to that. Also..... i still have boobs on my mind 24/7 so i just really do not feel like hanging out with my friends, i just feel like i have nothing to talk about ,cause honestly i don't! i just want to talk with ladies like me.. and that would be all of you!! hey does anyone live in or around the San diego area maybe we could get together?????
Sorry to go on!!! But again congrads to all the neewbie exchanges and to all coming up
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Fighter: Sorry if I have forgotten--what procedure is the first PS suggesting?
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Beacher - I'm back on my bike. My normal 'quick' rides are 20 miles and for a longer ride I do 30.....but Monday was only 8 and today was only 14. My left one hurts if its 'hanging' too long (the augmented side)...even in a snug sports bra...so 14 was pushing it. I did nothing for the past month except walking for 20-30 minutes. Now I am doing laundry (not carrying the basket), and will start light housework as well. I got the go ahead 2 weeks ago to start back normally but took it easy until now. No zumba or gym until August for me....my decision.
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Randie64--Hope your surgery goes well.
Myrri--I was afraid to take the surgery bra off! Just back from PS appt. Everything looks good. I mean, foobs are sorta bumpy and weird colored, but I'm thinking they can only get better. she showed me how to do massages and I am now in a sports bra. Feels much more comfortable. I think the velcro is the worst part of those surgery bras--so scratchy.
My insurance will cover two bras a year, but I am going to wait awhile. Any thoughts,veterans, on how long to wait before going to Nordstroms?
I got the go ahead for walking (no arm pumping) and yoga stretching. Yeah!!!
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Suebee: Doesn't it feel great to be able to ride again? I love it!
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Yes, it feels GREAT!! Except my left one hurts when I am bent over that long so I cant go far without spending the rest of the day rubbing it!!! But yeah I am already looking/training for my first BC awareness challenge!
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tnbcRuth: Thanks for the commiseration & prayers! I hope you can get some relief. Have you tried some of the mastectomy bras? If my foobs didn't require so much support I've found several that cover them quite nicely. I'm wearing my favorite right now -- its an Amoena Ella 2133. I think its a 34D & my 800cc implants fit in the cups quite well. They just don't have enough internal support to keep the band from rolling down and then pulling on my shoulders. However, if my implants were internally supported (like it sounds yours are), then it'd be perfect. I can wear scoop necked shirts and even decent v-neck shirts with it.
General question for anyone/everyone: Is there a thread or board for bras? I've got some $$ mastectomy bras that I wore a couple times only to be told by my PS they weren't doing the right job. I'd like to see if someone else is looking for this type of bra so I can help a sister out... I'd also like some suggestions about bras.
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annettek wrote:
I do have stitches....and that gauze stuff is gonna get pricey!
Something I used instead of gauze was nursing bra pads. I had some of the washable ones left over from nursing. So I cut the centers out & used them instead of gauze. I had probably a half dozen pairs, so I could change every day (or a couple times a day as necessary) & then use bleach & vinegar in the wash to clean them. It worked quite nicely.
I had nipple-sparing, but I had to keep the pressure off the nipples to keep the circulation... It worked quite well on the left (no loss at all). My right side did die off, but the dr said it was just a chance you take when you core out the inside of a nipple & place a foreign object (TE) under it. There was no infection, just compromised circulation. The dr figured it was bc I'm right handed & more of the circulation was sent down my arm instead of to my breast...
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Ladies,
Biologybrain's comment of how the implants made the bra sag and pull on the straps made me think of a question... Are silicone implants about the same weight/density as real breast tissue? I know this is a tricky question, because we are all different, but I had that happen with every bra I ever wore, when I had breasts. I was a large C/D, and want to go smaller, just an average C, (or even a small C, guess I'll know it when I see it), but I really want perky, would hate to have the downward pull with implants, too.0 -
Friday will be my 4 week mark. I am driving and moving around more. I walk/stroll for 30 minutes each day. I am doing a little arm stretching very slowly. I can do the dishes and some laundry if my husband takes it to the laundry room for me. I still have to be careful with what I do with my left side because of radiation. Luckly I am right handed. I just move slowly when I use my left arm. I figure slow movements are better than quick jerky ones.
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Great idea biologybrain! I appreciate it:)
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Well I can't believe no one replied yet so I will: YES BIOLOGYBRAIN, THERE IS A BRA THREAD!
It's called, I believe, Bras101: The Great Post Exchange Debate and was started by Val61 (so I think you can find it easily by searching her name and looking at her recent posts. LOTS of advice there about what bras work best for implants, etc. Not sure about the giving away part but you never know -- you could post there and see if there are any takers
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Thanks Lilah!
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SueBee--are you on a flat bike trail?
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rowan- yes it is a flat trail. Its 2 miles downhill to the trail (through neighborhoods) but we drove to the trail station so I wouldnt have to go 2 miles up hill on the way back. Trying to take it easy on the flat trails only for now.
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MBJ first procedure was the actual exchange, now we are discussing nips and tucks...
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SueBee--I was wondering how you could pump and have new foobs at the same time...still you're doing great and it sounds wonderful.
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Fighter: The fun part!
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Went to the gym today only worked on the waist down. Hips,inner outer thighs,butt,abs. and walked only 1 mile on the tread mill.Then to the health food storeto but lots of healthy greens ect to juice and omega's 3 and glucosomine,emergency c and antioxidents. Thats the way i lived before the big"C" not sure what to change? Anyways i tweaked my back and neck cause im still lopsides from exchange,but it is nothing a few motrin and ice cannot take care of that too i did before the big "c" I taught Jazzercize so use to muscle pains,and tweaks i feel like me again hmmm except im wearing an iron bra!! Still swollen how about all of you?
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I think silicone foobs weigh more per cc than real breast tissue as it's so dense.
My boobs were 300cc from the pathology report when removed and my implants 225cc and I fill my same pre surgery bras to the top and over the edge, so I actually need new bras.
300 vs 225
a good question for one of us to ask the PS
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Thanks justagirl. Since I had MX after lumpectomy (and at 2 different centers) I am not sure I could find out how much tissue was removed, or if it would be accurate. It's good to know, though, that they are denser, just to be prepared.
I am kind of liking the way I look in bras with molded cups. Wearing a C in Victorias secret, and thinking I would be happy if I could just fill the cups!0 -
Beacher--I am less than two weeks out, but I think I tend to swell as the day goes on. I base that on the fact that i feel "a stitch" in the top of my left foob (non C side) and there is nothing there but skin and implant. I''ve been using ice, too. It helps, alot.
I haven't bought any bras and have found the surgery bras to be the most comfortable--not what I'd like to be wearing, but I'm going with it.
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am i the only one that has recent exchange and feel like your foobs are like giant steel bullts wieghing you down? Am i the ony on that had limited range of motion on mx side where nodes were taked out? Am i the only one still having to wear this surgical bra ( 5 weeks from exchange) so of course it shows under all summer clothes! And am i the only one with one foob much bigger than the other? i feel very alone
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