Exchange City

Stwebie, so good to see you again. I was thinking about you the other day, remembering how you got right back into exercise shortly after exchange. I tried pushups with my TEs, but it just didn't feel right, and after all this, I sure don't want to strain or displace anything. I was working toward becoming a Jazzercise instructor before all this, but I don't see that happening now. Hard to tell a class to do pushups while you just watch, ha, ha!



MNSusan, yay for it being your last fill so you can look forward to exchange! I traveled to MN for the first time last July (Eagan) to see friends. I also got to meet a Gold Star mom I had only corresponded with through email. Ours Marine sons served in Iraq together and her son was killed. I got to go with her to the national cemetery there to visit his grave. The cemetery there is just beautiful. I hope it will be nice and warm there for you soon.

Dulci: thanks for the definition of 'SEs'.....my DUH!

2nd_time: I'm experiencing several of the possible side effects of Arimidex but most of what I'm experiencing since starting it were already on my list of aches and pains to some extent . 

• I'm post-menopausal so I was already having hot flashes, which haven't gotten any worse. 
• I already had arthritis in my basal thumb joints, which I think HAS gotten slightly worse, plus I now have trigger thumb in the first joint of both thumbs.  Right one loosens up fairly well but I can't bend the left one at all unless I do it accidentally (like pulling up slacks) and then it hurts like a mo-fo and I have to force it straight again.
• Insomnia - I have to take some sort of sleep aid or I only sleep an hour or so at a time. Melatonin, Tylenol or ibuprofen PM help immensely
• I experienced dizzyness on the very first day I started but none since then
• One thing I think is new is late day fatigue. You've picked up from previous posts that I work out early morning most weekdays and that's never been a problem for me. Since Arimidex I'm very fatigued by early evening most nights.  If I sit down in a comfortable chair on the couch I'm done for and will probably sleep there all night. I'm gonna ask my oncologist if I can take a B vitamin or something to help with that.
• One thing that is DEFINITELY new and that I had been warned about by a friend is vaginal dryness. I never, ever had that problem before and am trying to figure out the best OTC lubrication to use for intimate moments.  My entire life, even ever menopause, I've been the type that had to use pantyliners or even tampons almost constantly.  That was great for spontaneous sex but was also almost as aggravating as the new dryness problem is now!  Probably TMI, huh .  Is there a thread about this stuff?

rosetx, stewbie2, cheryl_e: I admit push-ups do feel weird but I'm getting used to the new and goofy pec flex feeling.  For me, as long as my PS says it's OK, I need to feel I'm staying strong and toned rather than giving it up.

Hi ladies I hope everyone is doing well. I found out today that I was suppose to start taking arimidex in February. I misunderstood at the last doctor visit. So I will be getting it tomorrow. Healing hugs to all.

Yeah, how you are you fresh post exchange ladies doing??

2nd time..me too.. my TEs go from being negligible to incredibly annoying.  I worked out this morning and was annoyed with my arms hitting my TEs and then having odd skin slapping noises because of it..although after a few times I just started cracking up (from the noises, NOT from the TEs being in the way...)  Some days I can sleep pretty close to side lying..other nights, it hurts..go figure!  2nd time..do you have days where your TEs just feel tight again??  I have also noticed that my right shoulder is sometimes tight/uncomfortable with certain movements (like trying to throw a high pop up to the twins) ; which worries me, but it may just be from not using as much as pre surgery.  Its like you feel good, and then you get a "what was THAT??!?" pain..  :0  I just cannot wait for my exchange so I can give a full, big, regular chest hug to my boys.  We do the kinda tummy hug, where their head is on my tummy..but we used to do the great big ones..I soo miss that.. and they have told their teachers that they miss hugging their mom "the real way"...  2nd time.. your exchange is the same date as my twins bday...so it is a special day for them and will be an extra special day for you!!!  ))))

Cheryl, I'm glad you were able to visit MN in the summer! That's definitely the best time. Eagan isn't too far from us. I'm glad you were able to meet your Gold Star mom friend...I'm so sorry for her loss. Yes, the national cemetery is beautiful. I took my grand kids there a few years ago to give them some perspective on the sacrifice those (mostly) young men and women make for our country. They were impressed.



My TEs have been feeling really tight since my last fill. It's usually uncomfortable for only a day or two after fills, nothing ibuprofen can't handle. I guess that means they're nearly full and almost done. I feel fortunate I haven't had many problems with them and have been sleeping okay until this last fill. One more to go!

2nd_time: Wow...less than 2 week to exchange, how exciting!  I'm happy for you!  That whole armpit pain in the cold aisles is kinda freaky, huh?  Haven't heard that one yet .  For the first month or two after TE placement I noticed that I could feel cold drinks a little more intensely as they went down, the cold kind of radiated to the TEs or something, but I don't notice that any more.  Aside from the thumb issues mentioned above I hadn't realized I had any new joint pain but now that you mention it I realize that my feet tend to get kind of 'stiff' after I've been sitting or laying for a while. I have to kind of work the kinks out the first few steps.

Mamatwinz: 'skin slapping noises'.....you crack me up!  My armpit fluff gets in the way a little bit but if I have skin slapping noises it would be my inner thighs and I can't blame that on TEs...hahahaha .  I do have occasional moments when the pecs seem to tighten up for no apparent reason.  It's neither painful nor even really uncomfortable and I haven't timed it or been able to tie it to a particular activity. It must go away relatively quickly or I'd be more irritated about it.  I'm fortunate in that I'm able to sleep on my side and give full-on frontal hugs, even after starting to overfill. I go for my 2nd overfill today, probably another 50cc which would put me at 700cc in 600cc TEs.  I think we're targeting 750cc.

Chery_e: Colonoscopy went well. Got there at 7:30am and was home about 10:15.  All clear and I don't need another for 10-12 years....YAY!  Prep was annoying but not too bad and of course they put me to sleep for the procedure.  Worst part for me was the gassy tummy ache afterwards!  omg I haven't had a gut ache like that ever!  Now I understand why babies squirm around and cry so much when they're colicky.  Took me about 2 hours after we got home to feel comfortable enough to fall asleep and take a nap.  And you know, I've always wondered and now I know just how full of sh*t I really am!  I lost just under 5 lbs with the prep process, so I guess I'm typically about 2.8% poop . 

Good luck to all the remaining April exchange ladies.  I pray for successful surgeries, pain-free recoveries and much happiness and satisfaction with the results for all of you!

I'm sitting in the PS' waiting room, ready for my pre-exchange visit!



Very glad everyone seems to be doing well. I don't post often, but I check in often.



As to pushups, I think that's something else that varies widely with each PS. Mine has zero restrictions, merely told me to slowly work my way back to where I was & pay attention to my body. If it doesn't feel right, don't do it. Pushups were awful at first, and I'm still only doing modified ones on my knees, but I improve every week. Really looking forward to recovering after exchange surgery so I can go to the Police Academy.

Cheryl~ When everyone's doing pushups, I do planks/spiderman planks/ab tuck planks. In lieu of lots of pushups, i've been working my shoulders.

cindyloo~ I feel like i'm stalking my own boobs. I'm seriously always looking at/poking them.

Good luck to all of you ready to get your exchange!!

Steph 

Stewbie, tell me again how far out from exchange you are? You and all of the wonderful ladies and your responses encourage me so much every time I come here!

Stewbie thats awesome that you are happy with your exchange. I so hope I will be that way. Healing hugs to all

Yay Cindy on getting a date. Healing hugs

Mamatwinz… Absolutely have the “tight” days, they seem worse on cooler/damp days, when I’ve done a lot of activity (but nothing that hurts). I get this sudden sharp back on my back under my arm pit (my PT keeps working on that same spot and thinks it’ll clear up after surgery, at least I hope so). My PT had me work with weights for my usual exercises (so glad only 1 pound as I literally couldn’t move by arms for days). I’ll be thinking of your twins on the 19^th! Wow, right after that, you have your surgery. I’m getting excited now! Today I actually wore an old bra and a lower cut top with no cami – daring for me because I always had to wear camis to cover up my prosthesis gap. Actually felt a little sexy today (first time in 16 years!) so wondering how I’ll feel after surgery… Can understand the arm slapping noises: after last fill, went to take  laundry from front-load washer to dryer and my arm keeping bumping into TE’s – funny.

Shellshine… tried propping up the boobs but it hurts on my side so it’s been only back sleeping for me.  Envy you for that. I won’t complain if I can’t do push-ups again either… darn….

Lisa Jayne… I do the same thing in my comfy recliner: prop my feet my, next thing I’m asleep till a cat jumps on my chest or my husband walks into the kitchen. TV being on doesn’t bother me at all!

MNSusan… there’s a light at the end of tunnel! Yay, one step closer.

Hopex3… good way to describe to the cold aisles in the store.  I avoid them at all cost..

I give up… need to try to get some sleep….

Cheryl_e: No cheeseburger yet but we did go through McDonalds on the way home to pick up an egg mcmuffin for me (one of my mostest favoritest breakfast foods ever!) and it tasted absolutely divine!  I still had the gassy gut ache but I was in tastebud heaven for a brief moment!

Had my 2nd overfill yesterday with no problems and am now at 700cc in 600cc TEs. I think we'll have at least one more..  The girls are looking WAY more like the old me, just higher and perkier, so I'm really glad about that.  PS is going to start looking at implant options soon....YAY! Worked out this morning (including some pushups ) and it went fine too.

Hopex3, I am only two weeks out from exchange, and mine are still "up there," yet they are softer and look much more natural. Even my shirts with a little V that used to show no cleavage (didn't have much before) now show cleavage. I also work in a school, a middle school, and wonder I will be able to wear some of the clothes I did before. A lot of exchange veterans say that these will eventually "drop an fluff," so we'll see.

Although my neon UnderArmour shirt for biking?? Good grief!!! They are HUGE and NEON!!! There are some things I can't wear simply because these are bigger than the originals and I am self conscious about it. And a couple of blouses that can't button without pulling.



But they are feeling more like a part of me now, and finally the swelling seems to be gone or nearly gone.....and they don't have cancer!

(7 weeks post exchange)