Exchange City

Here is to those getting squishes in january.  I remember the excitement and anxiety all at the same time

It has been 8 days since my exchange surgery...Yay!!  I love my squishes!!!  Good luck to all of you.

CindyLooWhoo~ Sleeping has been such a huge issue for me...I just bought a new bigger bed to make room for all of my extra pillows!!  I want to sleep on my stomach again...wondering if that will be possible?  Saw on Shark Tank these ledge pillows for women with impants...has me thinking

Hello all you lovely ladies!  I had BMX on 11-5-12 with immediate tissue expander placement. I originally found the tissue expander pain thread because I was miserable for several weeks after surgery.  That thread truly saved my sanity! I had an initial 100cc fill during surgery, another 100cc two weeks later when the last of six drain tubes came out, then another 100cc a week later.  I was still popping my Norco 5/325 two at a time every four hours to get some relief and was really wondering how in the world I was going to live with the expanders for several months or ever be able to go back to work!  I tried valium as a muscle relaxer as well as OTC pain relievers and had no luck.

When I went for the 2nd and 3rd fills my PS told me to tell him when I felt some pressure and he would quit.  Well, as you all know, we're pretty darn numb after surgery, so by the time I could actually feel anything, I think it was really too much.  I requested only 50cc at the next fill but was still miserable several days later. I realized on a Friday that I didn't have enough Norco to get me through the weekend so I called my BS for a refill.  She was worried about my liver because I was still popping so many of them.  When I described the type of pain I was having (the expected tightness but also a lot of burning across the top of my 'bosom', she prescribe Neurontin 300mg instead (3x daily w/three refills, enough for four months), which is a nerve pain med.  I do believe that did the trick! 

My next fill was two weeks later (dec 17). I again requested only 50cc and also premedicated with not only the Neurontin (which I'll take regularly until fills are complete) but a Norco 5/325, 600mg of ibuprofen and a valium.  I did not experience any pain or discomfort either that day or following and OMG was that a relief!  My PS was closed over Christmas so my next fill was just today.  I'm currently at 400cc each side with a target total volume of 600cc each.  I decided to take a walk on the wild side today and requested 70cc and it went very well again.  I premedicated like last time and have had no discomfort or pain.  Just a couple more fills and I'll be on the exchange waiting list!

My PS waits 3-4 months after final fill before the exchange so I'll have to be patient.  I'll also have to take these darn expanders with me to St Maarten in March but I can't wait.  After today's fill I'm finally feeling like I'll look acceptable in a swim suit.  My DH and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary in August and booked this trip with another couple just a couple of weeks before my diagnosis.

I'll be checking the 'Implant sizing 101' thread before too long to see what size implant I'll need when the time comes.  Prior to BMX I was wearing VS bras in a 36D size and I did tell my PS at initial consult that my goal was for me to look as good after implants in the particularly flattering shirt I was wearing as I did that very day. 

I apologize for the wordiness of this first post but sometimes I can't seem to say what I want to say without writing a freakin novel.  This site was  real Godsend for me and I have the utmost respect and admiration for every single woman here as well as those who may just be 'lurking' right now!  Here's to life after BC, life with and after TEs, and to the 'new normal' that we all learn to live with!

Y'all rock!

Yeah for all the January exchanges!!! I'm so happy for you all. A great start to 2013.



I have absolutely no tightness now. I realized today that I didn't think about my foobs. I had no pain. No discomfort. I had a regular day and didn't think about BC. Slowly but surely life is getting back to normal. It's a great feeling!



Jess

Hi sweetandspecial: I had 100cc fills on my TEs with only tramadol and Neurontin (which are what I take again for hot flashes). Watch out taking all those Meds. They are highly addictive. The fills are stretching your skin/muscle. Of course they are going to be uncomfortable at first. If they aren't, then there is something wrong.



Cindylou... 1 month post exchange for me and I could sleep on my belly if I wanted to. Within 2 weeks I was on my side comfortably.

CindyLooHoo: My heart has ached for youand your continued paind/discomfort as I read through this thread. Before I got the Neurontin and started feeling better I was truly just about at my wit's end with misery.  The tissue expander pain forum really and truly saved my sanity because I felt sooooo validated.  The support and encouragement amongst the ladies on this site is simply amazing. I wish you all the best with your upcoming exchange and hope your new foobs feel so great that you can't keep your hands off yourself!  I'm pretty sure my PS won't do the exchange until at least early May but I can always hope. I should have my last fill in a couple of weeks and then we'll see.

Jessfili: I've read several of the past pages on this thread but I don't remember......have you already had your exchange?  From your note above it sounds like it.  I'm so glad you are feeling more back to normal. Sometimes it was hard for me to think that there would be a day when I could reach around and scratch my own back, or open/close my own car door, or even pour myself a glass of milk again!  I'm really feeling very good the past three weeks or so.  My PS told me yesterday 'no restrictions' so I can get back to the gym and do my best to get my bod ready for St Maarten .  I will, of course, not go crazy overboard with it.  When we first booked the trip I told my husband that I'd like try going topless at one of the French-side beaches (I had a pretty nice set of 36D knockers!), then a couple of weeks later learned I had BC and ended up with a BMX.  Guess God didn't want me flaunting my stuff!!!

Juneaubugg: Thanks so much for your concern   I've followed your story somewhat as well (I think you were on the TE pain thread too, correct?), but I have a hard time keeping everyone straight yet.  I don't think I'm in any danger of addiction.  The only meds I take regularly are Arimidex with the accompanying need for Calcium/Vitamin D and the Neurontin.  I understand I may need to wean off the Neurontin after my fills are done.  I only beef it up with a single Norco and some ibuprofen on my fill days, and there should only be a couple more of those in the next two weeks. I did learn earlier this week that my baseline bone density scan came back slightly low, so my oncologist prescribed Prolia (sp?). I hadn't heard of it before but it's specifically for woment who are on hormone therapy as a result of BC, an injection every six months that helps with rebuilding bone........it's fairly new in the great scheme of things, approved by the FDA a year and a half ago or so.  I'm so glad that if I had to have BC, I was diagnosed in 2012 rather than 30 or 20 or even 10 years ago!

Blessings: Your user name is so spot on it's unbelievable. You have been such a source of loving concern and encouragement to all the ladies here.  I'm sure there's a huge room reserved for you in the great mansion above when your time comes (although I hope it's many, many years from now!). I'm a business consultant by trade so it's a necessity that I thrive on detail. I work for a small property/casualty insurance company and am the bridge between the business folks and IT on many matters small and large. I started on the business side but ended up in IT specifically due to my logical and analytical thinking process.

I'm feeling really good today even after my fill yesterday. Took a vacation day to get my daughter (23, recent grad from CMU....go Chips!) to the airport. She spent her college internship as a civilian intern with the Navy working with the department of Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR), spending 15 weeks at the Jacksonville naval base and 15 weeks at Guantanamo Bay.  The folks at GTMO asked her to return after graduation for another three months, and she hopes to turn it in to a full time job. I miss her terribly when she's out of sight and touch and even hearing like this. It was really rough breaking the BC news to her by email (no cell service at the base and the internet is too slow for skyping!). She's a trooper though and has a close relationship with the Man upstairs. We hugged for so long when she got home in mid-December that people at the airport probably thought we were conjoined twins!

I'm rambling again and I've got a ton of errands to run before working out and visiting with my BS later today. God bless each and every one of us in our journey to our 'new normal'!

My exchange was yesterday.  Had been sleeping on my side.  Gently I tried to do that with arm propped on pillows.  HUGE MISTAKE!!  Back on my back for few weeks from seeing postings.  Oh well, eventually side sleeping will come back.  I have a single drain, should not take too long to come out and then I can sleep easy again!  Sooo looking forward to walking forward with this all in the past.  Thanks for the many postings so that I know there will be a painfree day in my future!

Hi All,

I need to spend some time reading and catching up with all of you and meeting the new ladies.  I had my exhange on Oct. 19, and I had a "come apart" (emotionally) about a week after.  I took a break from these boards....tried to get my mind off my foobs and breast cancer in general.  I am ready to visit everyone again, and I hope to offer encouragment to others!    October was just a hard month for me.....

Anyway, earlier this week I went to Victoria's Secret to buy my first real bras!  I have been wearing sports bras since last February.  Before my BMX, I wore a 34 A or a very padded B.  I have been wearing a size small, very stretchy sports bra, and it is tight!  The lady at VS measured me and said, "For a tiny little thing you sure are big up top!"  I explained that they were not "real".  Anyway, I was is SHOCK when she told me I was now a 32 D!!!  And I bought three bras in that size and they fit wonderfully.  I cannot believe it!  

I only have an ocassional ache or stretchy feeling in my chest--mostly after I run.  I sleep on my side or back, but my foobs feel too big to comfortably sleep on my stomach.  It doesn't hurt or anything, it is just awkward.

My orginal BMX scar is smooth, but the 3 inches or so that were recut for the exchange are like two ridges.  Do any of you think this will smooth out flat or remain ridges?

The implants are so much better than the tissue expanders!  

I look forward to catching up with you!

Hello !!!! 10 days before my exchange surgery !!!!! I'm so excited !!!! It will be so nice not feel the metal ports !!!! I can't wait to be on the squishy side !!!!!

Stomach sleeping: yes yes yes it's possible! I was told OK 2 weeks after exchange and 12 weeks after revision. Clearly the latter took some getting used to. The thing was, I was suprised by how hard it was to get comfortable on my stomach again! I had to build up slowly. I found my lower back really hurt probably because my chest was higher? After exchange, I went the first few nights with an hour on my stomach and the rest of the night on my side. Within a week or 2 of increasing the amount of time on my stomach, I was back to full stomach sleeping.. This time around it's taken a lot longer to get back there, but I am getting there! I did not have any special pillows, but I do find that one hand under my hip bone or a knee up to the side lifts the hips enough to compensate. I swear it also helps the implants get softer faster.

Good luck!

Yvette10052

Just know that you are not alone and that things can get better on their own, or you may have to have additional revision surgery.  No one wants to but sometimes that is the only way we can be satisfied with looking at ourselves, especially when naked. 

I had exchange surgery 7/5 for  my UniMx side and was not happy, had 2nd & 3rd opinion and finally went back to my original PS and told him I was not happy with the size and lack of projection.  I had 1st been given 450 cc moderate profile silicone, and 12/21 had revision to 590 cc ultra high profile silicone.  I am pleased to say the least. 

I know you mentioned it is that the left side is lower than the right, so perhaps in a few months you will have to see if things change and if not go for it you deserve to look as normal as you can.  No other woman who has not been marked with cancer can no how you feel, you are not crazy.  Good luck and no that we can get better results. 

Roan -

Oh I'm so glad you are back!! I remember your October post where you were so down and tired of everything related to bc, I read so many messages here on the forum but your's really sticked, I heard your sadness and was hoping you'd get through that bad place. Glad you did and have pretty new real & bigger sized bras today!  I'm 11 days before exchange which means more pain, drains, back sleeping and no running for 8 weeks ) - :  Yes, you coming back encourages me, thank you!  Jill

Hi all



I am 8 days post exchange now. I no longer have the terrible back pain from chest muscles pulling back muscles. New foobs are nice and squishy. Big reveal day brought many many tears as I wanted coconuts and got hamburger buns. But they do change every day and now seem to be at least sort of half melony. PS said it is early days and more can be done like fat grafting down the road if I am unhappy. I don't have to wear a bra at all and in clothes it looks pretty damn good. Still have 2 drains ($&@%#!!) but hope to be to norestrictions next week. Only pain I have is from site of drain insertion (yikes!) and a little soreness at sternum.



Hope all is as well as it can be for everyone!

Still waiting for exchange..getting depressed...don't think my PS understands how painful these expanders are ...when I ask on the status of the back order of the implants just feel like I get the run around..going on deaf ear...sad

Sherry why he can't he use a different implant? My ps uses mentors.