Exchange City

Dulcigirl, your list is my list! Except I'd like righty a touch up and in (that's my native side that got the lift and augment). It's not quite as perky as the foob. Other than that, I'll write down your request list and give it to my PS (which I like to think stands for Personality of a Stick). He's probably going to throw me out of the office....he thinks I'm too irreverent during this oh so solemn time. He was horrified when I told him I wanted my boobs to look so good that I could hang a picture of them on the wall in his waiting room.....My god the guy is 40 and acts 90!

I have been learking in the background of this board for awhile.  I have had LD flap with bmx in March with TEs starting out at 650cc.  With infections and seroma we have not expanded them until today.  It looks so much better already.  He added 100cc to each and what a difference it makes.  We will expand again in 2 weeks and then wait 12 weeks for exchange.  Brings us to about September/October.  Right now it seems ok as I can't imagine going and having any  more surgery right now.

 My PS is the nicest guy.  Has a sense of humor too, but is so caring.  He can spot it when I have had a bad day, and is great to talk to.  He started out saying we are going to be in this together for a while so lets work together.  It has been so far so good.  

It is great to read all the posts about exchange, knowing what is to come really helps to know the end is in sight!  

Hi all, I've MIA since my exchange on 5/21.  I wanted to send well wishes to ThirdGeneration and Sciencegal.  I hope all went well for you.

My surgery went fine, but I was so disappointed with the results I bawled in the PS office the following morning.  He promised he would go bigger than the TE's (500cc) and place the largest implant possible because I really liked my size with expanders but wanted to go just a little bigger if possible.  I called before my pre-op and requested the sizes Whippetmom suggested in Allergan style 15 and 20 and he said he could even go larger in the 15's but refused to order 20's because he thinks they look like "torpedoes".

I was dissapointed but trusted him anyway.  However, when I read the card later that evening I saw he ended up using style 15 at 457cc.  He told my husband the size larger left a gap in my incision so he had to go with the one he chose.

I would like to find out what size it was that was too big!  And I don't believe him anyway.  He got extremely defensive in the office and said I should not be getting my information from "quacks on the internet".  That made me soooooooooo mad I let him have it and said the information I receive is from hundreds of women who have gone through exactly what I have and are better informed about how we feel about our bodies than any one else EVER will.

He was still defensive and raised his voice but my DH said "Hey, she's been through a lot, let's cool it."  The PS really calmed down after that and finally said if I still am unhappy in a month or so, we'll work something else out. 

I really don't want to go under the knife again, I just wish he would have been straight forward with me to begin with and not just give me lip service.  I'll post pics in the photo forum soon and I'm sure it won't seem as bad to most of you than it does to me.  But it still matters.

Thanks for letting me vent.  I'm posting this in the Implant Sizing 101 forum as well.

Lori, the implants have to fit with enough skin left over to make a suture line that can heal. It can't be too stretched or all kinds of problems happen, even implant extrusion. They stretch the skin as much as possible with the expander but just have to be able to close the wound with a good seal.



I am smaller than I used to be, for this reason, but grateful that I have anything there at all.



I hope you are doing okay.

lori..sorry about your experience-mostly with how he reacted/responded to your concern and how it made you feel.. my ps had to go to plan B for me in OR because of very thin skin; not looking right; and likelihood of implants migrating.  I was expanded to 500cc in TE and have 425cc sientra anatomical implants.  I am bigger than I was pre mx and depending on shirt I look like a very full B (I was very small B..possibly big A on left pre mx).  In some shirts, I look like a full C..which was my goal.  My sisters insist I am a C.  Size is in the eye of the beholder..so I think my sis is a small D or full C and she insists small C.. my point being is that if plan A was put in motion, I would have Allergan 45s from 475-550cc range...but I am happy with what my ps did and I told him pre exchange..do what looks right for me/my body...and he did.  If I felt that he disregarding my desires, I would likely feel as you do.  My right side is still tight and I stretch a lot..and that is with my 425cc mind you..(and pocket work on right)..so could not imagine my skin being able to handle any more.  I was very emotional after mine and did not understand why..I think just kinda coming closer to the end of this surgical journey and thinking about all that we have gone throug..it was just an emotional release.  Give yourself some time..continue to talk to you ps about your concerns and i think it is good to have someone go with you to appts.  I have had days where I would look at my chest and be like.."eh"..some days was unhappy..and some days thought, dang, they look pretty darn good!  Again..give yourself time..hang in there..hugss 

Not really, lol. But in his defense he had a specialist observing today.

I had a lot of serious questions and he patiently answered them even though the office was swamped.

Getting a call tomorrow to schedule nips sometime in August. They did seem to enjoy my comment regarding how long I would need to wear the "cones of shame" aka nipple protectors. ;-)

Melmcbee,

I will be thinking of you tomorrow....my long distant good thought and soft hugs will be with you

Di

Hi melmcbee, hang in there! It will be a big relief tomorrow! Healing thoughts, prayers, and hugs to you. Check in when you can

Melmcbee and Barbaheffernan - Sending warm thoughts and wishing you the best with your exchanges tomorrow...hope you are both able to get some rest tonight, as well!



Leahv - hoping all went well yesterday and that you are resting and recovering comfortably!

Thank you so much melcbee, sciencegal, mamatwinz, and Di2012 and everyone else for the moral support and kind words.  Di2012, I travel to Spokane for my appts. and my PS is actually one of only two surgeons who performs lat surgery leaving scars on the back.  He really is a great surgeon, I was just in a very bad place emotionally.  He was too defensive though, but I was pretty upset.  I have sent my photos to Whippetmom and she has been wonderful in calming my emotions.  I am already getting used to my new look and hopefully will get a little more of the drop and fluff deal I've also posted in the photo forum this morning.

Leahv, I hope all went well with you traveling to the squishy side.

Barbahefferman & melcbee - My thoughts and well wishes are with you today!

Lori

Hey y'all - saw my PS this afternoon.  No decisions on implants yet.  He basically just checked out my TEs and talked a bit about implants in general.  He actually mentioned anatomicals this time, I think because I'm pretty 'shelfy' in the upper pole and he said round implants won't change that.  Whippetmom, anyone?  Does the ability to achieve the old drop and fluff depend on any particular characteristics of the pocket?  Might there be some reason why he would think I may not get that drop and fluff?

Anyhoo, I'm seeing him again next Thursday and he'll have some sample implants there for us to see and feel.  I had a whole bullet point list and Whippetmom's recommends with me but I decided to wait til next week to pull those outa my purse.

Plus......I'm to call his office nurse on Wednesday to have her schedule my surgery....yay!!!!!!!  Plus.......he said he would be around on August 7 (my birthday), so if Carol can work it out I might get implants for my birthday.  ON. MY. BIRTHDAY!!! How sweet would that be????

Have we heard from Barb and Mel yet?  I've been hit and miss following the threads today and could have missed them.

Mel, so happy for you! Only gets better from here! I was told no lotion for a while (actually until after stitches healed so it wouldn't increase risk for infection). When is post-op appt?



Barb, how are doing?

Melmcbee, you are getting sleepy, sleepy, sleepy.....

Rest up! I'd take pain meds on schedule and see how you feel tomorrow.

Violet- hi again. I just replied to your PM, so look for that too. My next PM appt is Monday (3days), and hope to go over my options then. Thanks for your info so far, and look forward to any other info/pics you will have time to share.

Hi ladies congrats to you Mel on your exchange to squishes!



Had my post-op appt today with my PS. She said I look great and took some "after" pics. She asked if she can put my pics in her book to show new patients. I told her absolutely! She is proud of the work she's done and the good results from the NS BMX. She said everything looks to be healing nicely. Just said to be careful week 2 because many women pop a stitch or two from doing too much because they feel good!



She said I can go to wearing soft sports bras or bras with no underwire. I'll gladly toss those ugly surgical bras aside! Lol....said it will be a few weeks before I feel comfortable enough to wear underwire. She said in a few wks wear whatever I want or don't wear any bra if I choose that too!



She gave me a sample tube of ScarEase and said to try that or the silicone strips work well on helping to lighten your scars too. Said massage was not necessary. I could move them around in the shower for a few minutes but nothing formal required. Said to hold off for a few more weeks on getting my forrmal fitting at Nordstrom's to allow time for the new girls to drop and fluff.



I go back in 3 weeks for my 1 month post-op checkup.



I'm feeling great and she ok'ed me to work from home a few hours next week until I officially return to work.



Jen