Exchange City

Mamatwinz,

Fat grafting was painful not as bad as last time though not a fan,,this time he did my hips and you would never guess where else, put to you this way the top of my vaginia is a pretty purple and yellow...

Momof5kids, you go back to your PS, or a PS that does TUG Flap or SGAP.  They have to do it till it is something you can live with comfortably. Where do you live? Are you near a big city that has big teaching hospitals?  Most of the docs that do these surgeries are with the big hospitals, or there are a few private practices that are talked about often.  There is PRMA in San Antonio, there is NOLA, a practice in SC, not sure of the name of it, and of course, Dr. Levine in NY.  I am going to UTSW in Dallas.

You don't have to be miserable. You can have soft beautiful breasts again.  Look at some of the before and afters on of the places I mentioned.  Even if you go to a different PS to have your implants fixed would be better than doing nothing.

Thank you 2nd_time and Clyday. I think I need an Ativan to calm myself down! I'm in bed now, but can't sleep; I hate the worrywart side of me! I took off the heavy bra the PS gave me to wear and have on a light, stretchy one instead. I don't feel as irritated as I did earlier, just sore, like a deep bruise. Maybe I shouldn't have swept the floor?



Clyday, I'm happy to hear you're done with rads and onto the reconstructive part of your journey. How did your skin hold up? After I finished rads, I kept moisturizing like crazy. I used Miaderm and when I ran out, used calendula cream. My breast ended up barely tan, with soft skin. I saw my RO a week before my exchange, and she remarked how soft my skin was. That's the only thing I did to take care of the TEs.

sherry..WHAT??!?!?!?!??  omg..!!!  my ps mentioned low back/spare tire fat..i worked hard to lose weight before vacation last week so no too much spare there now, but enough I would guess?... what was/is recovery like?  So does it extend your recovery time/more pain?  if so what type of pain/issues from fat grafting piece??  I RTW 2 weeks after my exchange in april and was pretty sore still..although that involved a lot of pocket work on right.  If I do revision 8/6, it is just to move lefty up and in a tad and possible fat grafting???  Am I in for trouble?  Do you think this will be worse than exchange I had in April?

Mamatwinz,

Had surgery on the 9 th. still a little sore but so far better than the first surgery...went back to work yesterday. Not much pain only tightness if I do to much..

I didn't have a marking appointment. When I arrived at the surgical center, the doctor drew on me with what looked like a purple sharpie. I had an appointment 2 weeks before my exchange when he went over everything and answered questions, but after that, I didn't see him till the day of surgery.

Andrea: you know, I kind of wondered why I have to be marked up the day before.  I'm doing a simple exchange, not a flap surgery or anything where he'd need to mark up my back or abdomen.  Guess I'll ask that question at my appt on the 1st.

I was marked before both surgeries..my bmx on fri for mon and ps gave me sharpie to tske home n go over lines ovet the weekend..i had some nervoys shaky ones!  i also had markungs n guven sharpie for day prior to surgery..it had a hard time staying on my skin!

I imagine I was marked up the morning of my BMX too but if they did it must have been after I'd gone loopy or completely out because I don't remember a thing about it!

BayouBabe, I felt the same way. I was really nervous the day of my surgery, but the anesthesiologist gave me a sedative, and the next thing I knew I was done!



Do you know what kind of implants you're getting? If you've mentioned it previously, I apologize, but I just don't want to keep scrolling back through the pages. Funny, if my PS told me which he used, I don't remember!

Thanks for the info. Andrea...I think my skin did pretty good. Had one red sore area under my arm but it is all healed up now.  I am trying to keep lubing up the girl and it seems to be getting softer. It is slightly tanner but thats it.  One more fill next week and then wait 3 months to see how much my skin changes....hoping not much!!

Well I am starting to get some pain with my left implant on the top. Hoping its not anything serious. Guess I will have to call the PS Monday.1st Radiation consult Tuesday gosh when will all this END:-(

Hello to all my recently or soon to be exchange sisters. You have all given me great strength and knowledge about what to possibly expect.  I've never thought I had much to add, but I guess just adding my perspective about this episode in my life might help someone...like I've been helped.  It really is quite amazing - much better than a reading a book about "Breast Cancer...What to Expect".  These discussion boards are the real deal.  So, first thank you to all the sisters that have helped me...even though it is likely they will never read this, my gratitude is out there in the cyber cloud somewhere.  I don't do blogs so well, so I may never be able to find this again either.

My life changed almost exactly a year ago. I decided, after throwing myself on the floor and kicking and screaming, that I would do what I needed to do and get on with it.  That approach has served me pretty well. You know, it is said that we would rather have our own problems than our neighbors problems.  My doctors said at the beginning that it would be at least a year in recovery. It is every bit of that...and will actually be longer because they were talking physical not mental.

Skipping through the initial surgeries (2) and the chemo (vomit bags, blood transfusions, hair loss, nail deterioration) (no rads) which have stories of their own, to the TE's and exchange.  My PS, whom I adore, has two offices, one of which is in Las Vegas.  DH and I went to that office for a check up appointment not long after my initial surgery and TE placements.  The place was down right cluttered with tall, slender, amply endowed, beautiful women. Think Las Vegas show girls.  As we sat on the couch waiting for my appointment, I thought my blushing DH was going to stop breathing. 

As my TE expansion progressed, I kept mentioning that I did not want to be too big.  I am no longer beach babe material...I am not yet 70, but it's getting closer. I was small busted my whole life and I thought a "C" would be great. They kept getting bigger and my PS kept saying, "You'll know when they are big enough"  and that my body structure will support larger breasts. He advocated larger rather than smaller. My experience says that you really don't know. I affectionately called the TE's Turtle Shells. Every expansion felt like a minor surgery for 24 hours, then the discomfort subsided.  I had a long wait between the final fill and the exchange because of a couple of hiccups.  My blood count wouldn't get up to a point that allowed surgery and then I got shingles.  The exchange took place at the end of June.  (Sorry I'm so wordy)

I keep telling myself, especially after reading other women's experiences, accept my situation and roll with it.  I went bra shopping last week. These girls are big.  D to DD.  Excuse me?  Every woman has a vision of her ideal self. Although, these breasts are probably far and away more attractive (Think Las Vegas showgirl)  than what I started with, they are foreign to me.  I did discuss this at my post exchange appointment and my PS said to wait 3 months before I make a judgement.  Perhaps by then, they will feel like part of me.  BTW: I understand "drop" but what is "fluff"?  I have discovered that the new shape requires a new approach to dressing. I need smaller, not larger T shirts (my standard wardrobe). They have to fit under the bustline not fall from the farthest projection to avoid dowdy.  One more thought. PS told me: Rub them to decrease skin nerve sensitivity, gently push them up and in a couple times a day for the next couple months to discourage outward movement, and no bra required for me because my pockets are very strong. (Apparently the bra requirement is very individually specific.) 

Good luck to all.

CoyoteNV: Don't worry about being wordy.  YOur post looks like LOTS of mine do!  Can't remember who said it, maybe Blessings?? some time back.  Why use 100 words when 1000 will say it so much better!  Love your story about the Vegas 'showgirls'.  There's not a man out there that wouldn't be rendered speechless to be in that room!

Thanks for the welcoming comments.  I see myself as fortunate to be moving through this process with lots of supportive family and friends. From this side of it, it seems to have gone rapidly...not fast enough during the tougher parts however.  Like everyone else in this situation, the question mark is going to be there. 

BayouBabe: I think I have become much more accepting of imperfections - mine and other peoples', but your PS left you with two different cup sizes as a finished project? Yikes! Where is her pride of workmanship? PS are suppose to be artists!  That wouldn't be acceptable to anyone - not even a medical board - if you get my drift.