Exchange City
Comments
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Sweetbean and Nehson, thanks for the info! It's going to be strange wearing a bra again but I am soo ready to get these TEs out of me!! I have had a lot of days when I've regretted even doing reconstruction - I was not prepared for the pain the fills caused and how miserable they can be but I'm sure that as soon as the exchange is done, I'll be happy that I went through all of it. I don't have much patience anymore and want it all to be done and over with.
Tenaj - Wishing you luck with the redness! Keep us updated!
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TinaT thanks for the positive vibes. I called the PS this am & they saw me right away. A very nice covering surgeon marked me with a pen & gave me antibiotics. If it spreads or doesn't go away they want to put me in the hospital for IV antibiotics. I have an appt for Tues if it doesn't get worse. Has anyone had this kind of infection. He said its on the skin right now & not internal. I'm so scared because this is the side that was always more uncomfortable post exchange & is slightly bigger even though they are the same implants. If anyone has input about this I'd love to hear from you,
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Hi tenaj. I had infections in both incisions that were discovered after the bilateral mx and TE. I ended up in the hospital two times after the original surgery and with a PICC line and 6.5 weeks of two different antibiotics IV almost around the clock.
Be happy your doc is so on top and aggressive with this. Maybe they will culture it to find out what kind of bacteria it is and then know for sure what antibiotic it will respond to. I don't think my situation is the nrom by any means. If you don't see a decrease in the reddness then push for a culture.
I had to advocate and push not to be sent home on Cipro by mouth the third time I was in the hospital. I ended up saying why would you send me home with this it didn't work the first time. This was after three surgeries in 3.5 weeks. The original mastectomy, then two additional surgeries to open me up both incisions and flush out and add more alloderm in one instance. But with my advocating I was able to not have to have the TE removed.
So as I said good your doc is being so proactive and aggressive with it.
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Hopefulhealing, WOW that sounds like you've been through a lot, I hope your doing much better now. as far as doing a culture I don't know on what. There is no drainage, my incisions were completely healed. I hope the oral ones work.
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Tenaj, I had cellulitis in the breast after my lumpectomy. It was a red spot that felt hot. I took antibiotics orally for 2 weeks and was fine. My PS also circled it with a pen. It never got smaller, it just faded away. Wishing you good luck.
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Hello to everyone.
Last post was before Christmas..egads! Time flies for sure.
In my last post I mentioned my sinus infection...well thats seemed to clear up well enough once i began to embrace Louise L Hays affirmations. After 5 weeks and a course of antibiotics that seemed to do nothing...2 days saying affirmations and I could breathe again! Hocus Pocus or not...it seeme dthe only thing that worked.
I've had two fills so far. I both of them in January and when the third fill appointment came up the PS wasn't really confident to go further until the left side mastectomy scar was fixed (pictures are on the forum). The scar does not want to let go. I massage it and it has softened some, but it is terribly tight. Also the thin skin of the lower pole seems be to stretch more than the rest of the skin on that side. I'm hoping that with scar revision that the expansion will be even.
I had surgery yesterday to try and fix this. I think he did some pocket work as well.
So I go back to see him in two weeks and hopefully the filling can continue. I'm currently at 280cc on the left and 350 on the right. I'd like to catch up on the left before doing any more fills on the right.
Whippetmom, you had said that I should go for 500cc as a final implant. i have mentioned this tot he doc and he was kinda surprised that I would go that big. he made mention of the weight factor. Also he is going with a moderate profile. I think I'm just going to take it fill by fill. So far it feels great and for the most part I can't tell that I have anything implanted in my body. I'm quite surprised actually.
Woo Hoo...let the journey continue, because the sooner it does, the sooner it is over.
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Hoping the infection goes away with the antibiotics, Tenaj. The news that it is external seems positive.
I am now six-days post exchange. Today was the first day I did any real driving. I planned to take the week off from work, but I feel well enough to go in tomorrow. I haven't taken the pain medication since Sunday, and other than being a bit careful not to move too quickly or lift anything too heavy, I am feeling almost back to myself.
I switched the MX bra for a soft, fitted one just for how it looks in clothes. I bought something before I went for the exchange based on what I THOUGHT would fit. What everyone has said is true: more snug = more comfortable. A sports bra works for sleeping.
Meanwhile, the squishees are going through a kind of metamorphasis. The first time I saw them, they looked like little sleeping puppies, they were slightly swollen and my skin had a more pinkish tint. Now my skin is more like normal and I've noticed a slight wave under the skin nearest the center. Is this the rippling that some people have mentioned?
Thank you for the info about the JC Penney zip-front bra and also the possibility that my insurance might cover the costs of a good bra. I will check it out.
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Urban_Mom, MLP,hopefulhealing I TInaT thanks for all your well wishes I positive take. I've had 2 doses of antibiotics now and when I woke up this morning it is def lighter in color & not spreading!! Yeah..It seems like it it responding to the meds already. I'm off to work & hope it looks as good when I get home. Thanks again. Have a great day. 0
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Hi ladies.
So glad to find this forum. I had my BMX on 11/17 with TEs. My last round of chemo was
last week (yay!). My exchange date is set for May 1st. I have a few questions that I'm hoping you all can help me with:
1. I'm supposed to go out of town with my hubby 3 weeks after my exchange. Will I be up for this? I'd like to be comfortable and feel good. Going out of town is a big deal for us since it will be the first time without kids. I'm not sure what to expect.
2. I told my my PS that I didn't want to go bigger. During BMX they removed 325(cc?) of breast tissue for each side. With the few fills, I'm up to 360 which I think looks good. After the exchange, does it really look equivalent to the final TE fill? To be honest, I hope I'm not making a mistake by not going a little bigger. I'm 5'11 but I don't wear tight tops really and I'm afraid I'll just look overweight with bigger boobs when I'm not showing my shape with tighter tops. I know I should feel confident about my final size decision since I have an exchange date, not I'm not.
3. When can I reach and lift 10 pounds after the exchange?
Thanks for your input,
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Josie14 first of all let me say I can only tell you my experience and feel you should really ask your doctor to be sure of anything particular to you, we are all different and lots of things can factor into how we heal.
1. But I feel compelled to tell you that 2 weeks after my exchange I went on a massive road trip from Kansas City to New York City, two days of driving each way, from the passenger seat of course. I was totally fine, walked all over the city and took subways. I got a little tired from time to time so I would just sit and rest a bit and then I was ready to go.
2. I wanted to go smaller which was lucky because my PS could not get me to the 36DD that I was. My TEs were lopsided and bigger than my final implants. I now have a more natural slope, I am even, very good ptosis (droop), and cleavage. I am a 36D now. Much easier to find clothes that fit. I am hoping to lose some weight so they will look bigger since I am told I wont lose anything there. I will have some fine tuning to be done when I get my nipples but looks like the end result will be very good. In a bra I look very natural, they pretty much stand on there own but the bra helps the shape form as time goes on. I am looking forward to showing off a bit this summer in something backless and strapless.
3. My doctor told me no lifting more than 10 pounds or lifting my arms over my head until week 2. It was hard to remember not to do this cause I felt pretty good after a week. My PS lifted all restrictions at week 2 but waited until a month to go back to my zumba and classes at the gym.
I hope this is helpful to you and you have any easy excahnge and can enjoy your trip
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Hi Josie4,
I haven't had chemo, but from an exchange point of view (barring complications) I think you will probably feel very good 1 week after the exchange. Sounds like a fun trip, talk about healing!
. I was back to work 6 days after exchange, felt GREAT.I am 5'10" myself, and a B cup that I am comfy with. I had BC on left side only. My implant is 450CC mentor medium high profile and the volume is a perfect match to my intact breast. BEWARE - frequently, plastic surgeons like to overexpand so they have some tissue to work with....I was expanded up to 680CCs or so ...so I was overexpanded by 50%....of course this depends on your physique and the plastic surgeon's techniques. Keep in mind that the new girls will probably be perkier...perhaps that is a good thing for you? And, I think at this point you can still ask your PS if you decide to go bigger....I didn't, I couldn't imagine getting different clothes/bras/bathing suits, but that's just me.
You would probably be able to lift 10 lbs over your head a few weeks after the exchange, maybe 2 weeks?
Hang in there and keep us posted.
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Josie4 - Congrats on coming this far! My Oncotype DX was 18 (low end of "intermediate" range) so I opted out of chemo. So glad you've got that behind you and can look forward to your exchange.
Like Carrol said, everyone (and everyone's PS) is different so we can only share our own stories. I found the exchange surgery a breeze compared to MX so it was difficult to remember to follow restrictions. A vacation 3 weeks out should work out fine, just be careful hauling luggage, etc. Since you're not traveling alone that should work out OK. Just follow your PS's orders regarding your restrictions (exercise, lifting, etc).
Be sure to ask for your Medical Device card(s) after your exchange to have available if you fly. I have flown since my exchange and went through both metal detectors and the full body scanner each several times and wasn't pulled aside (whew!), but I had my implant info handy just in case.
If you're not already aware, there's a great thread here called Breast Implant Sizing 101 that you'll find very helpful. This can be a really stressful period. It felt to me like one of the few things I had some control over through this process and it's not easy deciding what you want to look like for the rest of your life!
Best wishes!!!
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Tina, Anne and Carrol, thank you so very much for the advice! I'm so grateful to have a place to turn to with questions.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Josie0 -
posted on the pic forum of my progress at 6,10 and now 18 weeks since surgery. I am 5'6" 160 lbs 32 in rib cage. I had 750cc expanders filled to 700cc and got 600cc round silicone implants. I hated them at 6 weeks but 4 weeks later they looked way better and keep getting better although there is some more work to be done. I also need to lose 20 pounds that should help a lot too. I am going to the PS today so I should know more of what can be done next then.0
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My exchange is March 27th, Spring break vacation
I've gotten pretty used to my expanders. The botox used in the pec muscles pretty much made it easy for me. The expanders were pretty high up at first, but now are pretty much where it is suppose to be. One funny thing about the expander is after I get off the rebounder it vibrates. I will be staying one night in the hospital and have a drain for 1 week. At least this is what they said to me. From what I've read here it will be easier than the mx. My plastic surgeon said there is a third surgery of fat grafting. I've gained a small belly since surgery so I'll donate it to my new breast
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went to PS today for my 18 week follow up. He is very happy with how things look. When I get my nipples done I will be getting a little cappusloraphy(tighten the pocket on one side), lipo, and fat grafting. I bet it will hurt like hell but then i should be done.
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Had my exchange Dec. 16th. Despite the little bit of drop & fluff I still hate them. They are not round, they still look like hamburger buns to me. My new P.S. said she will give me bigger implants with a higher profile since I had a skin sparing DMX and do have excess skin to go bigger and she will do a couple of stitches so the foobs don't look like they are starting from under my armpits. She said there isn't much she can do about the dents & divots. I think it's because she just doesn't have the experience. She admitted, fat injections in the breasts is not something she is skilled with yet.
Of course it will be months after that before I can get my tats so this whole reconstruction journey is going to be more than a year.
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Denise hang in there. My recon process will end up being three years by the time I am done. It is very frustrating. If she doesn't do fat injections for the divots have her recommend someone who does. That is what my PS did. Find out who has had a lot of experience in it. I actually went to a whole new health system where the doctor that is skilled at it is. Your PS should not mind that.
This is the part people don't get. How long this process is. Keep advocating for yourself because you do not have to settle. People sometimes think, I think that we are just happy to be alive and this doesn't matter. It does. You deserve the best results you can get.
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so I was thinking of making my implants higher to get that playboy look but they look pretty good now. I asked my husband and he thought they looked good and that higher might look odd on someone my age, he put it nicer than that though lol. So I guess I will stay with the more natural look. I always hated when older women did things that were not age appropriate to make them look younger, it only does the opposite really. They are way perkier than were now anyway. Now i just want to lose 20 pounds before my nipple surgery.
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Hi Carol12,I'm still on the fence about the nipple surgery.Can't convince myself if I really need them. I think the 3 dimensional tatoo's look so good maybe that will make me feel complete.I just don't want anymore surgery.What do you think? I'm convincing myself that a tank top this summer without a bra and no nipples showing sounds good. How did you make your decision?
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Okay this is getting more depressing. My exhange surgery is march 16th. I feel like my PS is already setting me up to be disappointed. The whole time we were doing the fills, he told me how great they are going to look and how happy I would be. Now, at my last fill, he basically told me that I cant go as big as I want. I only want to be the c cup that I was before this whole nightmare. On my non cancer breast, I had a nipple sparing.... his idea. Now, the nipple is off center and I'm afraid he is not going to be able to center it. I am happy with how big they are right now, but he told me they will look smaller once the TEs are removed. Great.. Question... for an exhange surgery where they are removing the tissue expanders and exchanging implants, do you get drains again? Also, I am still hair challenged. Did any of you wear a wig or hat or something during surgery? Will they let me?
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Ginger48,if u could see me now,working 10 hr days,driving,still no tub baths but i can shower and OMG a hot shower and get out and the TE doesnt hurt for a whole 15 min. That part of my day is indescribably delicious...Now who invented the TE???!!! I am glad we can get new foobs but the TE idea needs serious improvement. I saw one in the office of the PS b4 surg and they are hard plastic with little nubby hairbrush kind of things all over. yep we are the M&Ms with the pretzel inside...I dream and think about getting my exchange all the time. I fantasize about how great it will be,hope it doesnt get infected or capsulated or something. they wouldnt give me anymore valium the dr are so stingy with the meds here in FL but I had a major back spasm when I drove the first time to my gen phys so she gave me 120 tyco#3 and I take those if I have to but most of the time i dont need anything. Getting used to Arimidex. I will make it with all you great girls cheering me on and we can all cheer each other on and know deep in our hearts that we are all just a little bit stronger than we thought we were and just a little bit stronger for leaning on each other.
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Hi Ladies.
Some past posts have referred to a picture forum. How do I find that?
Also, I have scars across my areolas and my PS talked about doing the exchange surgery with a cut underneath the breast. I just assumed he would go across the areolas again. He said it was my choice. What are you PSs doing??????
Thanks,
Josie
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Layla-so glad to hear you are improving. Showers make all the difference in the world. Don't push yourself too hard. When do you get to exchange?
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nehson123 I don't think there is a set way to decide this it is a very personal choice. I do know that my doctor said if I don't wear a bra I will sag just like a natural breast. I plan to go without for special occaisons like something backless, halter or strapless. The nipple surgery is very minor and I need other things done still so I need another surgery anyway.0
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Josie4 - Send a PM to Lilah, estepp, or firni to find out how to gain access to the picture forum. It's a private site totally separate from BCO and is strictly moderated.
Both my BMX and exhange incisions were IM (in the inframammary fold). They are completely hidden in my case because I still have some ptosis with my implants. If your PS is offering to make the incisions underneath, I say go for it!
ccjj - Nipple-sparing surgery is wonderful for obvious reasons, but it does present its own challenges for the PS during reconstruction. It is possible for the nipples to end up too high or low or look either oddly pointing straight ahead or wall-eyed.
Are you on the Breast Implant Sizing 101 and/or Nipple Sparing threads? You might find some help there.
Best wishes!
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I just passed the one-year mark since NSBMX and the six-month mark since exchange so I updated my thread on the picture forum.
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Ginger48, I just got my first fill on Wed and I had to stay home today cuz I am not numb and I was in a lot of pain. The fill felt like falling into an ant pile, It stung a lot and they told me it was like a blood draw. Oh really? I dont like to look when I get blood tests and sometimes I dont even know when they are done,its so painless but this darn procedure wow! My barb wire bra is gone but now I have the brick bra. I have been taking Ty co #3 off & on since I got the fill. My PS doesnt know that I got it from my gen phys for the back spasm I got when I started driving again after surg. I asked her about using Voltaren gel..its only a temp gel and I wouldnt use it b4 surg but its great for this. My fiance has it for his knee cuz he got a knee replacement a yr ago and his knee still hurts. Its an aspirin base gel that you rub on for muscle pain but its prescription...oh my..probably cuz its so dangerous,you could hurt yourself with it per the FDA..lol.
I got a query: Are they gonna use the same incision to do the exchange? I hope so cuz my are real low and as I get filled the line gets pushed farther down and by the time I get my exchange it will be almost under the foob like a breast augment. I dunno when I will get exchange cuz I wanna be a C when I was a large A or small B. I think I was a full C when I was breastfeeding my son,but it was a long time ago. All I know is I woke up one morning and was hurting and my nursing bra was filled out and I thought I was dreaming. They were gorgeous but went away after I quit nursing and back to the lemons. I am thinking somewhere between a large orange and a grapefruit. My PS keeps asking me what size I wanna be. If she keeps giving me 100cc and pain then I wanna be an AA training bra!!LOL
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