Exchange City
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Hi all,
I cannot believe my exchange date is tomorrow. The nerves in my belly are starting to rumble -- reading your threads is helping! Especially about being able to wear strapless dresses -- that's a pastime I never thougth was possible!
T
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Good luck, Tatina, You will be much happier without those TE's!
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Good luck Tatina!
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Tatina..
Had my exchange two weeks ago.. It feels so much better.. Good luck
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Tatina, you'll be fine. I had my exchange on Friday morning and the hardest part is sitting around doing nothing. I went out to lunch after surgery. Good luck and try to keep calm.
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Tatina -- Tonight is scary....try not to let your imagination get the best of you. My exchange was a week ago. Waiting stinks!! This surgery is nothing at all like the BMX. Good luck!!
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Thank you so much........
Tatina
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Sleep well tonight. I agree with the others, you'll find this easier than what you have already been through!
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Tatina - the exchange is a walk in the park compared to the mastectomy. You will back on your computer in no time! Blessings!
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I am SOOOO happy that all of your are posting about how easy the exchange is and your experiences!! Mine is Thursday and I am still quite anxious about it. I am second guessing myself now on size. My non cancer side TE, for some reason, is smaller than the right. They both were filled the same about but my left is VERY flat on top, not pointy like the right. (hope that makes sense) Anyway...my PS thought about filling it a bit more when I went in for my pre op but then felt around and there is some scar tissue that he is going to release. He is going to to the left first, just in case he can't match the right and then will match the right to the smaller left one. uugghhh....I LIKE the right one size wise. He caught me off guard at my appointment and I just said yes, I was happy with the size. I guess, at first, I was...until I really started looking. I'm also losing weight but doing it slowly, so I'm sure by Christmas, the size will be fine.
It's funny...I was thinking, these TE's aren't too bad...but now I'm noticing how much I "can't" do or have to do differently because of them. I'm kinda thankful that in these last days of having them, they are uncomfortable or I think I would post pone surgery, I am THAT nervous.
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Lori - My TE's were a little off from one another as well. I had a LOT of scar tissue on the left side, which had been in for 13 months. My PS had to do a lot of work on the scar tissue - she said it's the most she's ever seen, and that it was like cutting through calamari (gross! I'll never eat that again). It's been almost 2 weeks since my exchange surgery, and I'm pretty happy with the way they look. The left side is a bit more swollen, and the drain was in longer on that side since she did so much work there. If they don't match up after the "drop and fluff" stage, then maybe we'll have to do a revision down the road and take out more scar tissue, but it won't be as bad as anything we've already been through. Might as well go the whole 9 yards, right? Good luck on Thursday!!
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so glad I found this thread. I had my BMX March 26th and will be looking at exhange the end of August. So far I have not had any problems with my TE's and really do not even notice that I have them. I was very small flat chested before so I am going bigger. I am 49 and finally have clevage.
Lauren you asked about the bathing suit. I have lost 25 lbs in the last year and a half since cancer. I have been eating right and working out. I wanted a new bathing suit and actually bought a bikini, took it home and tried it on for DH and he thought it looked great. The top is triangles and the TE's look fine in it.
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Hi everyone,
All went well. You were right -- the exchange was so much easier than the BMX. Pain is minimal thanks to the pain meds.
Thanks for walking me through this,
Off to get some rest,
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Welcome to the other side Tatiana..
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I'm happy to read that the exchange is much easier than the BMX ! So glad I found this thread ! My exchange is scheduled for september...I will try tankini soon with these hard TEs !!! I think they will look pretty good...I never had projection like that with my natural breast !!!!!
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Tatina i am so happy for you
i dont take my painpills anymore it is been a week for me i dont feel too bad
i just have a question my expander leeked i sayd that so when she excganed the ex she could not put my implant in that i picked she put in mentor 550ccsalin implant and filled it up to 550cc and toldme this is fine my reduction side looks bigger i hope it is the swelling i hope that implant is good
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Hi everyone. I had my pre-op at the hospital today. One week from today and I'll be TE free! Whoo hoo.
I had PT last night and recently she watched an exchange surgery. She was telling me what the TEs look like and she 100% understands now why we are so uncomfortable. She said they really look like rocks. The back side is a thick, hard plastic that just sits on the ribs. And the valve is about the size of a quarter. I guess 3 lbs rocks on each side is pretty awful...
Looking forward to that light at the end of the tunnel.
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Congratulations Tatiana!
Lauren: I had my pre-op today too for exchange surgery next Wednesday. I have tried to explain to people what the TE's look like. No one believed me that they are plastic rimmed. No wonder our ribs hurt like crazy..
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My PS gave me sample TEs to handle at my first visit so I knew what was ahead. Also, got to handle and pass around sample implants too. He got them back out when my 87-year-old mother went with me for one of my fills. She had breast cancer four years ago and had her mind made up for a BMX from the time she got the call from her doctor. She explained to my PS "I didn't go for the reconstruction because of my age". She got a kick out of holding the TEs and "gummies" and when the PS called the filll "Miracle Grow", I think she went back and told everyone in the small town she lives in back in Nebraska about that. She'd call each week and ask if I'd gotten my "Miracle Grow" yet?
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Hi Lauren and Momof2!
One week until our big day! I'm at the hospital right now getting pre-op work done. I am ready to be free of TEs.
. I'm nervous and. NOT ready to be a patient again, but should be worth it.
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Oh, I am so happy for you ladies with upcoming surgeries!!! YAY!!!
Golden01 - "Miracle Grow" - cute! God bless your Mom!!! My mom had a UMX when she was 61 (my age) and never had recon either. She was funny when she went in for her mammos on the other side...she'd say "Now remember, you're only going to charge me half price for this!"
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I need to ask my PS to see the implants and TE. I have my surgery date tentatively scheduled for Aug. 1st and I can't wait!!
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My PS used Mentor implants for me and the samples were in a display box that looked like it all came from the company. My husband and I passed them back and forth a lot before I made my decisions last summer. I had hard time with figuring out the surgery choices, there just seemed to be so many options (one breast or two, reconstruction or not, implants or something else, etc.). I'd already had a lumpectomy with bad margins so had a little time to make up my mind.
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OMG, OMG....you all were SOOOOOO right!!!!! They are SOOOOOO soft!!!! They were softballs and now they are pillows!!! OMG!!! Had I really, really believed and known that I would feel this good afterwards, I NEVER would have been nervous or anxious. WOW!!!!!!!
I did some dishes until my hubby told me to go sit down. I do have 2 drains and had some trouble with the anesthesia and threw up, but they explained that was normal after all the chemo and stuff...things are still just a bit irritated in there.
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Congrats Lori!!!! So glad everything went well and you're feeling squishy and mushy again
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That is so great Incogneato,thx for sharing that beautiful moment of being whole again.
Join the club MRP,I get so freaked out by the needle for the TE fills that my blood prz goes up to 160,oddly it goes right back down after I get home. I cried all day Wed thinking about the exchange surgery. They really should give me Valium. I am cranky and depressed and the psychologist doesnt help,he keeps callg to chk on me which makes me more cranky. I am at 550cc after todays appt. Oddly the cancer side doesnt hurt but the other side is killing me. The Ty Co3 helped for about 2 hrs now its wearing off already. Maybe time for an epsom salt bath. Just reading about the new breast cancer test soon to be out in Volume 16,Issue 05,May 2012 of the DHH,www.developinghealthyhabits.com on "Beating Breast Cancer Recurrence".
I am so done with this,I wanna an exchange surg date.
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Lori - Wow! That's a ringing endorsement if I ever heard one! So glad you're done and satisfied. Rest up, though - don't get too carried away.
I saw my PT this morning. He recommended taking 10 days off from work.... ??? But said I could take it as it comes. He also said no raising my arms much over my head for 10 days, and about then I'll have my first appt with him. He did a great job after my bmx, so I really trust him.
I'm counting down the days, but I've had a really, really bad cough for about a week. I tested negative for strep, but now I'm wondering if my reflux is involved because I've had a constant bitter taste in my mouth. I'm calling my GI tomorrow, as well as my PCP - who couldn't find an appointment before Tuesday for my pre-op visit for my surgery Thursday. Maybe he can fit me in as an emergency tomorrow. I am pretty miserable - I could hardly sleep last night because of the constant coughing. I really don't want to postpone the surgery. I'm moving apartments on Aug 1 (delayed it a month because of the exchange), so I'd have to wait until September. Anyway, that's my whine for the day. But at least it's good to hear good news from those of you who had your surgery recently.
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Carroll2
I to cannot sleep on my stomach, my exchange was 1o weeks ago, even though they are soft I am not comfortable on my stomach they do feel like something rolled up. When I lay on my side I put a small pillow in between them they don't feel right that way either unless the pillow is there. I am thinking about having a revision to gummy bear implants they are suppose to be more stable and anatomical for reconstruction purposes.
My left side feels like it folds and I can see weird rippling in different places like it is moving alot and it is sore as well, my right side feels great. My PS says give it some time but it keeps getting more irritated when it moves around.Have you heard of that before?
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Lori : Wow ! Congrats ! I can't wait to have this squishy feeling !!!
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Lori so glad your are squishy. I can't wait to have the squishy feeling again.
Hailey I have a friend who used the gummy's for augmentation and she loves them. She said they really feel natural.
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