Exchange City

Blessings- Congratulations how did you lose all that weight? That's amazing!!!



Jess

Thanks, Layla! Sounds like you are on a great plan as well!!!

Staynsane - After my exchange, Lefty was quite a bit more swollen than Righty, especially in the upper pole. The PS said it was fluid from all the pocket work he did (scar tissue removal, additional release of pectoral muscles at top and bottom, and lateral capsulorraphies - stitching all the way around each pocket on both sides). I didn't have any drains. He said the fluid would go away on its own. Well, four months later, it hasn't. The LE therapist I saw now suspects truncal lymphedema, and has ordered me two compression bras and has given me exercises to do. The New Girls look great in a bra and in clothes, but nekkid you can tell the difference. At just five weeks out, you still have time to see some major changes.

juneaubugg and Jessfili - I started at 204 pounds before my BMX on December 5, 2011. I lost some weight after surgery (after the initial bloat went down) and by March 2012, I had lost 16 pounds. I then started the Optifast program at Kaiser at 188 pounds. I reached my goal of 144 a few weeks ago. I am 5'5", and went from a size 18 to a size 8. I feel better than I have in 20 years. Even though it was a tough program (liquid diet for four months) I took the weight off slowly, and exercised all the way through. The best part is that I have eliminated another source of estrogen in my body (belly fat) and I have reduced my risk of recurrence by 23%. I didn't have to deal with the rigors of chemo...but if I had, I would have had to wait until active treatment was over before starting Optifast. It was very strictly medically monitored, and my MO refers almost all of her obese patients to the program.

Blessings- that's amazing! I need to do something about my extra weight! Since my bmx I've gained about 10 lbs! I'd like to lose 50:0( It's so overwhelming but I need to!!!! I know I will feel great if I can just get the motivation! I'm about 4 wks out from my exchange! I'm ready!!!



Jess

Waitingfor, everyone's on a case by case basis. However, generally the recon patients get their Tissue EX in right after their mastectomy. Generally the surgeon puts some saline in,how much would depend again on the patient and their skin,general health. After that you usually go every 2-3 wks and get more saline put in, until you & the PS feel you have reached the desired amount of cc to fit the implant size you have decided upon. Expanding the muscle and skin is not comfortable because most PS only do this for 4-6 mths whereas if you were pregnant,your skin would stretch for 9 mths. However, I feel my recon was worth it. Still needs a lot of work if I want surgically placed nipples or tatooed ones. I have one side that didnt drop yet and the other one I got meds for capsular contracture so,like I said,your case will be unique but out of all the ladies here,someone is bound to have a similar situation and will loan you their experience. Be well!

Morning ladies~~ I am having my exchange surgery today!  Excited for the next step.  Thanks to all of you for great information these post provide

Sandlake - wishing you the best with your Exchange today! Be sure to come back and post when you feel up to it....

CindyLooWho - congratulations on losing those 20 pounds! I haven't used MyPlate, but I do have "Lose It" on my iPhone. What's cool about that is instead of typing in what I eat, I can just scan the barcode with my phone! I think I have "My Fitness Pal" too.... someone at Kaiser recommended it.

Did you have silicon or saline. I have my exchange set for Jan. 13. Do you know the style and size? Thanks so much.

juneaubugg - I'm sooo envious! I want a treadmill!!! But I'm looking for one that would fold up and slide under the bed in my hobby room...the bed is up on risers but I don't think they make a treadmill that flat   Good for you for taking that first step!!! (no pun intended...)

I belong to a gym, too... it's the Outpatient Physical Therapy program at the local rehabilitation hospital. The workers are all either PTs or PT assistants, so they work around your special needs. There's a fully-outfitted gym, AND a therapy pool that is heated to 94 degrees... heaven on sore muscles and joints!

But I haven't exercised since before my Exchange....

Because I had lots of pocket work done, I had restrictions for FOREVER. Then my incisions weren't healing up. Then I fell and ruptured the bursa in my right knee. Then a display fell on me in Best Buy and cracked two toes on my left foot. Then I got a horrid cold for the holidays....(Sheesh - call the WAAAAAAMBULANCE!!! )

Now, just when I was ready to go work off a little holiday flab, I found out I have "spitting sutures".... apparently little bits of dissolving stitches don't dissolve, but become foreign bodies, and work their way out through the incision line. In my case, my incisions are four months old!

That really freaked me out, but I hear it's pretty common. Anyway, no pool for me until the incisions completely heal over - again.

Blessings~ Are you past the "things happen in threes" yet? 

Juneaubugg~ Enjoy your treadmill, I use one in the winter months when I can't get outside.  I like the preset programs it has on it.

Dr says my exchange went good.  He removed extra skin on left side under armpit and says that side will probably need fat grafting to fill in a concave area.  He used the Allergan silicone style 45's, 550 on lefty, 500 on righty.  PS also did work on my scar left from the port.  Now I have to be a good patient and try not to overuse my arms!  I am nervous about showering and taking off my bra for the first time.

Blessings a display fell on you? That is unbelievable. Omg I thought I was a klutz.



I have my bike trainer set up in the foyer, I got it from Santa. I don't want to go to the gym because the TEs look weird and I'm very self conscious.



Ps prescribed Valium for the muscle spasms since the other muscle relaxer didn't work at all. I had a couple good days but really bothering me today.



27 days to exchange.

If I am not being too intrusive Delilabear,  may I ask what size your high profiles were?  I got moderate profile plus 650 in Sept.  One is definitely higher than the other and they have no projection.  At first I was so upset because I felt like they were all over my chest.  Now I see that maybe they should cover the chest but they are much wider that round.  Sort of like hot dog buns or man boobs.  Friends say they look great but don't know I have on an orthopedic bra that pushes them away from under my arm and I have pads to give me some projection.  When I look at the actual foob,  I just cry.  Did you have to pay for the revision?  PS said if he had his way I would have 800 high profile silicone.  I didn't want to look too big.......but these are just sad little mishapen blobs.  I am 5'6'',  32" in chest and weigh about 135.  Just wondering how we compare.  BTW.......did you drop and fluff after 3 months?  Thanks for your encouragement.

Sandlake - I can't even count on "comes in threes"...in my case, sometimes it's "comes in fours, fives, sixes..."   Hey, congratulations on your exchange, and crossing over to The Squishy Side!!! Glad it went well...and YES! Be a good patient, and even though you might feel like you can take on the world, don't! Listen to your PS and just follow his instructions for restrictions. And don't be disappointed if the New Girls aren't exactly what you imagined they would be. You need to give them time to make themselves at home on your chest!!!

Carrol2 - After my long string of various and sundry illnesses and accidents, I haven't exercised since before my exchange surgery last August!!! And I'm suddenly starting to notice it...a nice little spare tire starting to inflate itself again....rats!!!  Have faith... one of these days, you'll find a way to do just a little bit...and the next day it will be just a little bit easier...and soon you'll be back in the swing of things.

CindyLooWho and Delilahbear - DH and I were in Best Buy, looking at iPhones. We were standing at the display talking with the sales clerk, when all of a sudden the door to the cabinet fell off and hit DH in the thigh. The sales clerk apologized profusely, saying "That happens all the time!" Then he held the door up with his hand so it didn't fall again.

Then I told DH to pick up one of the phones to see if he liked the way it felt in his hand. I took a step back, and so did the clerk, letting go of the door at the same time. It fell outward, and the top part landed on my toes. Mind you, this was a very heavy, inch-thick particle board board, and the edge of it caught me on the tips of my toes. I was wearing thin Reebok sneakers. I hate to think what would have happened if I'd been wearing sandals.

I must have screamed, because when I opened my eyes, there were four clerks gathered around me. One of them said "Sheesh, why don't they fix that? It keeps falling on people!"

They asked if I wanted an ambulance, and I said no, I want my iPhone. So they brought me a block of ice, and I sat in a chair with my bare foot up on a stool with a block of ice. My toes were purple and I couldn't put any weight on them. The manager came over and had the clerk write out what happened. I signed it and she said she would file the incident report with their insurance company.

By that time, it was after 5 pm. We got our phones (they didn't even give us a discount!!!) and went home. The next morning I went to my PCP who took Xrays, and there might have been hairline fractures but no obvious broken bones. That was November 1st.

Now it's almost January 1st, and I still have a lot of pain. The top joint on my middle toe now seems to be fused and won't bend. I've seen the podiatrist who says there is little I can do. Next will be a visit to the orthopedist. I heard from Best Buy's insurance company twice, and now they're working with Kaiser to pay my bills. Big whoop.

Delilah - I feel your pain, Sistah! I've broken my left elbow, and fell at work on my hands and knees, tearing all the ligaments in my left wrist, and causing rotator cuff tears on both shoulders. The pain was awful until I had a shoulder reconstruction on the left.

Other than that, I'm in pretty good shape!!!

chawkins

I know your question was not to me regarding the high profiles.  Hope you do not mind me chiding in.  I had silicone 450cc moderate profile plus put in July at exchange surgery for uniMX, wasn't happy.  Gave it time, still not happy.  Like most of us say the look like hamburger/hotdog buns. 

Just had revision surgery Dec. 21st, exchanged with 590 ultra high silicone.  My PS said these ultra high have just became available here.  Since I had no remaining breast tissue after uniMX this gives me the best symmetry to the native breast to which a breast lift was done back in July. 

I am 5'8   160# with a long torso.  I am extremely pleased with this change.    I know in my case since I only had a uniMx and not a double Mx that the symmetry is suppose to be covered by insurance.  I asked the PS office and my insurance and it all looks to be OK as long as it is coded correctly.  I am crossing my fingers.  I am still working with my insurance company on trying to get the over-night stay from my MX Feb.2012 in the surgical center (which was called recovery care) to pay saying it wasn't medically necessary.   

Good luck to you. 

Hi everyone! My name is Melody and I have been reading, watching and waiting for all your posts since September 2012. I've only been brave enough to ask questions. So I guess it's time for me to tell my story. I am 60 yrs. young, live on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.. (OBX) for us locals. I am a retired flight attendant with Delta. The last year my DH and I have been planning a wedding for my only child, daughter, Brook. Wedding date was Nov. 3'12. I was diagnosed with IDC in August, had BX in September 20th....6 weeks from the big wedding day. I think in retrospect it was good to have a goal in which to get back in shape and back into life. My cannon balls are set to roll out Jan. 17th. I absolutely cannot wait for the exchange. I'm not looking for pole dancers , hoping for something close to 34B, my initial size. I'm expanded to 440 cc now and done. Shoulders are very narrow. Small from waist up with Beyonce' butt. Has anyone had exchange of high profile with 400cc and are happy? It looks like most are not happy with anything less than at least 500cc. My TEs look huge on my frame. Thanks for your input. It will be invaluable!

Blessings~ omg...Best Buy has insurance to cover pain and suffering too  By the way, how do you like your iPhone?  Thinking I may need to upgrade my phone soon.

I am so excited to be on the Squishy side!! Yay me...not sure yet about tattoos or nipples, time will tell I guess.