Exchange City
Comments
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Thank you ladies for your words of encouragement. I did discuss this outcome with the PS yesterday, and the problem was radiated tissue that wanted to die during surgery. For a good healing outcome she removed more tissue than she wanted, with the intent of putting in a small implant later on. Since I have a history of delayed healing/extrusion I know this was her best call.
So, like many of you, I will be needing more work. Dr assured me *slipping in a little implant is a piece of cake*.
OK, I can do this
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Hello my BC sisters,
I didn't have drains with my large lumpectomy (it was really called a partial mastectomy). I had postsurgical bruises down to the top of my thighs for WEEKS. My DCIS was extensive, no clear margins attained so I had a mastectomy. I had drains (2) with my uniltateral mastectomy, no bruising. So maybe a case of pick your poison? Also, I did have pain for about 6 weeks after the lumpectomy - killer ache at the end of the day. Didn't have that at all for my mastectomy.
I have tissue expander now, just completed my 4th fill. I need 2-3 more before I can schedule the exchange. I plan on *requesting* the drains so I don't bruise/have pain! Something to consider for you fair-skinned girls who bruise easily....
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I wish I were up to the exchange surgery. My revision surgery is this coming Tues. sept 6. Another five hour surgery to swap out the TEs for a better size and style, fix the alloderm that is pulling so tight and rotate my nipples higher on my breasts. Since I had a nsbmx this new PS wants to better position them. I can't believe five hours is outpatient surgery. We were given the injection of blood thinners to give myself when we get home. I have to do it now every day, but I guess the hospital requires the orders because they don't want me to go home and form a blood clot. Been there done that!
I can't describe the pain I am now feeling every day. It's been 8 weeks since BMX but the TEs since they have not bee inflated anymore since surgery (350ccs), are "crumpling" down behind my nipples and look like big bulges. They shape shift depending on my position. I can't wait to get them out even though I know it is back to a few weeks of pain.
Trying to meditate but find I want to stay busy so I don't think or feel.
Boy, I am looking forward to Nov and getting the squisheys!!!6/2004 DCIS dx.0 -
LindseyS - quite by accident a friend of mine found an effective pain combination for TE pain - tylenol + Gabapentin. She was prescribed Gabapentin for hot flashes, found that the combination worked well, maybe you can get a prescription for Gabapentin (inexpensive generic pain killer with few side effects, frequently used in knee replacement patients). Hot showers, heating pads, ice? Hang in!
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ferrettmom: Don't be too discouraged. I know of a woman on here who, because of radiated breasts had to start with smaller implants then after a few months her PS exchanged her into larger ones. Give it time-I am sure it will be okay in the end. Radiated skin can be problematic but you can also, with patience, get great final results.
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Congrats to those with recent exchanges.
Lindsey, sounds like your PS has a good plan for you next week, hoping all goes well and less pain. You will have squishies before you know it.
Ferretmom, You can do it!
MBJ- I saw my PS today, I am so excited. I will have CV flap and fat grafting at the end of Sept. Looks like you had a CV flap, PS told me to expect 50% shrinkage in 1 year and will make nip larger to start to compensate. Was this your experience? He is going to stitch a small plastic cap over the nips to protect for one week, not sure why but this grosses me out. I plan to have surgery on a thursday and back to office on Monday, is this realistic?? He thinks this is reasonable and told me my soreness will be at the fat graft donor sites.
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christine - MBJ will come soon. Your questions caught my attention. I had a modified CV-flap and it's totally true that they WILL shrink. You want them bigger to start with so you can up with something. I had to go back and have my stitches taken out after about a week, so it makes total sense to go ahead and stitch a nip cover over the new nip because you have to go back anyway and get the stitches taken out, at least I did. I had to put gauze over the new nips and wow, did I go through a lot of gauze. If I had the choice: stitched nip cover or gauze, I would totally choose the nip cover.
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Christine: You should be fine-I only had pain in the fat graft sites and mine shrunk completely but it looks just like my real one in size and shape! I wore a foam filled bra with the straps really loose for comfort-don't want to be pressing on them right after surgery. No push up padded bras-I am so excited for you! I didn't get the cap because I also had a skin graft for the areola, so you should be fine. It is one of the grossest recovery times as it just doesn't look pretty at all for about 4-8 weeks depending on how quickly you heal but it's so worth it.0
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Question: If I get nipples made, are areola's included? Where does the skin come from? I know nipples can be made from the breast skin. I go in Monday to see the PS about getting my implants rearranged (one is heading to my armpit and the other with the LD flap is sunken down) and I am hoping nipples. I just must of missed the class on areola's and thought they just got tattooed on.
If you get a skin graft for an areola, do you still need tattooing? I'm confused, and I guess getting nervous.
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justagirl - Areola's can come from a skin graft from another place on your body (Some ladies get the skin from their thigh, lower ab or bikini area) or some can make areola's from a tattoo. It depends on your PS's preference and what you want. MBJ did her research and really wanted a graft because it would match her native side better, and her PS did it for her.
My PS does the tats and that's OK with me since I had a BMX and don't have another side to match. If you do get a skin graft, most I've seen go ahead and get a tattoo when it all heals up, but depending on your skin color and your preference, you might not need a tattoo.
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Justagirl: I had my PS take the skin graft from my bikini side area and it's very realistic looking and a great match to my natural side. I have to wait a total of 6 months for the final tattoo, but if I had both sides done I really would need it. My DH doesn't think I need it now but I want a closer match in color.
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MBJ: I'm not getting nipples done, but I'm still curious....I know you already have the reconstructed/grafted nipple and areola so the tattoo for you would just be to add some color to the grafted skin? And others choose to have a reconstructed nipple only and "flat" areolas created with tattoos only?
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Tina - A good tatoo artist can make them look very real & one can always choose 3d tats. Check out some of the pics of val61and whippetmom, and search for tatoo pics on the forum because the results really are amazing.
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MBJ, thanks for your comments and encouragement. I am not sure if I am happier about the nips or the lipo and fat grafting. I will then be having tattoo for the areola (6 weeks later).
I am having some fat placed under my axillary area (so hollow since having 17 nodes removed) PS said it might take several sessions to fill in this area abit (not completely, but make it easier to shave), other fat at clevage area and some to the top of the breasts. Anyone have experience with putting fat in axillary area?
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Thank you for your input about nipples and areolas. I think I would like nipples made and then areolas tatted as I can't see a grafted piece of skin looking any different than I do now. I don't think I want nipples made if it has to be another surgery after this one coming up (#5).
I have spent a lot of time looking at the 3D tattooing and I think the nipple and areola tatts are super realistic front on. Obviously there is no nipple projection but I don't want or need nips sticking out as I do like to wear only a camisole rather than a bra.
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Debbie -- if you do what I call the origami method (a variety of twists and turns with letters C-Flap, Modified V-Flap etc) using the skin on your breast mound... it's usually an in-office procedure with "twilight" sort of anesthesia (so you don't have to deal with deep anesthesia) and is not the big deal (as I understand it anyway) that a skin graft or a surgery where you are put totally under is.
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Lilah - thank you. Decisions, decisions. I just like to have a good idea of what I want when I go into the PS's office tomorrow. I can talk, she can tell me her ideas and we can come up with a plan. I don't want to go in and have to go, 'huh, what?' I just didn't think there was enough skin there on my breast except for where the LD flap is attached and that's a thick hunk of my back...and oh so different from the breast skin.
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Tina: Yes, the tattoo will be just to match the color on my natural side.
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MBJ, how long from your graft and CV flap until your PC does the tatoos?? I am hoping to complete most of the process before the end of the year. Did you only have one round of fat grafting? My PS suggested it sometimes takes two.
Again, anyone have grafting of fat in the axillary area?
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Christine: I have to wait a total of 6 months and, my time is up I better make my appointment, lol! I just had FG where my step off is and also to soften where the armpit and the breast meet. He also did some under the nipple but it didn't take.
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Debbie, hope all goes well with the PS tomorrow. At least you are better prepared with all of the comments above!
Having a pity party as I prepare for revision surgery on Tuesday, and then I read all of the comments about making nipples and tats and feel guilty because I was able to have a nipple sparing BMX. I know we all have different circumstances and I still want to kick and scream a little, but I do feel sad for those of you that have so much more to this journey. I think it is bad enough with what I am going through.
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Lindsey, Kick and scream all you want. Breast cancer s*cks, no matter what the path we take. I will be thinking about you on tues, hope your revision goes smooth. Keep us posted.
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I'm off on my own yellow brick road drive to the PS! Revision, and maybe nips, here I come!
Lindsey, at least my dog looks like she understands me.
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justagirl, good luck at your appointment. Let us know what your next step will be.
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Where is the thread with the pictures of the 3D nipples? I think that is what I will do.
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No thread with the 3D nipples pictured, but great site of tatoo artist "vinnie myers" just google the name, or get address from thread called 3d nipples. His work looks amazing.
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Hey gang tomorrow is my preop appointment for my exchange. I will get the actual surgery date and all the particulars. I plan to ask him exactly what implant I will be getting to be sure I am communicating the result I want.
Here are some questions I will ask:
drains? if so how long?
stay in hospital?
Can I fly with my expanders? do i need a specail card for the tsa?
wear a bra after? do i need to be in a surgical bra?
exactly what implant?
recovery time?
anyone think of anything else i should ask? I always think of things after i leave.
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Debbie -- there is always the 3D nipple tattoo as well. As someone mentioned Vinnie Myers in Baltimore has photos on his website... and they are amazing! Another person to investigate is Earleen in North Carolina (who also does amazing 3D nipple tattoos) but I can't remember what the name of her website/business is... does anyone else? Finally, you can also PM Facecrafter here on BCO. Aside from being a BC survivor herself she is also an excellent tattoo artist in Florida and if you are near her she is a great option or if you are not she can (possibly) recommend an artist near you.
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Carrol,
Most PS's bring in several sizes with exchange just to make sure you have the right fit. If you are getting gel implants; ask if they are high profile? The gel implants have less projection than the saline implants so many PS's use high profile gels.
I had to wear a surgical bra for 3 weeks after exchange. I only needed about 2-3 days of pain meds and I used them at night only. I had both saline & gel implants. I like the gel implants better as they look & feel like natural breast tissue. The saline implants were very hard like the TE's.
Good Luck with your exchange.
Terri
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Oh Carrol -- I forgot to say: you should tell your PS you want Barbie boobs (or playboy bunny boobs) so he knows you DON'T care about natural
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