Exchange City
Comments
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Chiming in on the nipple thing: My exchange is two weeks from today (YAY!!!!) so the nipple decision is still a bit down the road for me. However, my current feelings are much like Suerabs and Andrea623 said above. I really think I'm perfectly OK with the no nips look (as is my husband, if you know what I mean
). I never really had a problem with headlights being on because 1) my bras were all padded to some extent and 2) my breasts were too large and pendulous to go braless anyway.
Personally, I don't like the idea of another surgery to create nipples that 1) won't have feeling in them and 2) aren't guaranteed to be a success anyway (flatten out to almost nothing). I guess the primary thing for me to feel 'complete' is having breast mounds rather than a flat or concave chest. My PS has done a fabulous job thus far with placement and symmetry and I'm looking forward to the exchange mostly because of the soft/squishy factor. While my TEs don't cause me undue discomfort, I really am kinda tired of the incredible firmness I've had since last fill in April.
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On the nips thing.. I'm agreeing with the majority here and thinking not for me. Don't think they would add significant psychological benefit for me, and the no headlights thing is great. My husband and I are talking about a vacation sometime next year with a visit to Vinnie included to get the 3D solution.
But first I have to get through my exchange which is scheduled for 10 days from now. I'm filled to 410/400cc now, and must say, except for a few days after the fills, I have not had such a bad ride with these TE's. My PS and I had the final sizing discussion last week, and we are targetting the Sientra smooth round moderate projection gel 440cc, and he will also take in the 410 and 470 for options.
I am so ready to change these out and discover how the new girls will look, and more importantly FEEL.
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Andrea my exchange date has not been set yet. I am waiting on my PS office to call. I didn't want to go through another surgery just for cosmetic purposes, so I decided to get the 3d tattoo. My PS is a breast reconstruction surgeon at the Cancer Center at MUSC in Charleston, SC. They use Renee Machinot. He says that they mostly do tattoos now anyway. She comes up from Florida. She has a website and is well known in Florida for her tattoos. I've heard a lot about Vinnie too. Both websites have pics and both seem to be very good. Vinnie may be closer to you. Renee's website is below.
www.reneemaschinot.com/re-areola-tattoo.html0 -
I am scheduled for exchange surgery on 9-5-13. I am wondering if anyone has had a similar experience as mine. I have been lurking on this site ever since my diagnosis. I haven't posted before because I feel kind of guilty complaining since I found my cancer early enough that besides surgery I only need to take Arimidex. I had my healthy breast removed too because I didn't want the worry of checking it every 6 months or so. Unfortunately I think my plastic surgeon has messed me up, especially on the healthy side. I had the bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction. I had skin sparing and nipple sparing procedure. The skin on my healthy side is very thin. The plastic surgeon said he had no problem doing the nipple sparing, before the surgery. Now
that I am close to exchange surgery he says it is problem /"challenge" My healthy side TE was put in too far to the side. I will need extensive pocket work on that side and he says that he has to do a lift on both sides. So of course that means more and bigger scars. As far as the nipple sparing, if I knew how distorted they become I never would have done it. Of course he said at my initial consult that by doing the bilateral Mastectomy I would get a fantastic outcome.
It isn't looking like that now. I feel that this whole process is barbaric. I was a 36 C before surgery and I keep telling him that I want to be the same size or a bit smaller. I had my last fill Monday and I am huge. He says that he over fills them and not to worry. I bought a sport type bra yesterday because I go to work next week and I needed something that fits the bra was a size 40DD. Does seem right to you? I work with all men in a blue collar job and not looking forward to showing up with these monstrosities.
I was hoping to get advice on size of implants.
I have TE Natrelle brand 133MV 14 T 500cc - have been filled to 800cc
My band measurement is 34
I am 5 ft 2 /2 in
I weigh 145 lb
Thanks for any help or insight that anyone can give me.0 -
Hi,
I'm two weeks out from revision exchange and I'm not doing the nipples either I don't feel the need for them..0 -
Lucky, you need to take/copy this information and go to the Breast Implant Sizing 101 topic. Whippetmom started that topic and is very experienced with this. She can give you some great advice on this very thing. She has helped a lot of us on here and has been right on the money. I know she helped me a great deal. Give her your ribcage measurement also. She is really, really good. She pm'd me her email address and I sent her some pics and she was able to give me alot of good advice.
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Sorry. I thought I was on the Breast Implant Sizing 101. Thanks I will post there.I am not very tech savvy.
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Lucky: Don't feel guilty about not having to go through chemo and rads. I made that sort of comment early on to some of my friends and they were all astounded that I could possibly feel way. Trust me, women who haven't had BC would never feel that we 'got off easy' by only losing our breasts and taking a daily pill for 5 years. I'm like you, my BC was caught early enough that my only treatment besides the BMX is Arimidex (well, I guess there's the twice yearly Prolia injections and extra calcium too). I too gave up my healthy breast to avoid future concerns as much as possible. So, while I am extremely thankful that I did not have to experience the rigors of chemo and rads, I no longer feel 'guilty' that I didn't have to go through that additional trauma.
As far as size goes, I was wearing a 36D victoria's secret pre-BMX and have no idea what I'll be wearing after exchange. I believe it will probably be larger just because I now know that most women don't wear the correct size anyway. I do have two comfy front-hookers (6 hooks, soft cottony stuff) that I got shortly after BMX that I sometimes wear for sleeping and they're a 42! My under boob rib cage measurement is only 33! I'm not stressing or obsessing about after-exchange size.....it will be what it will be. This site and these topics/threads have really and truly helped me to be much more at ease and at peace with the process and my own experience/expectations. Whippetmom's assistance especially is a Godsend, imho!
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Thank you for that link, Chinneymae. Her work is excellent. I'm saving it in case I decide on 3D tats at a later date.
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Ladies with expander knowledge. I had my last fill yesterday and it was so painful! I am still hurting and am wondering how will I know if something is wrong and how long does pain last? I have had RADS and it is that side that hurts so much :'(
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Clyday. My fills were before rads, but the last one was very painful. My back was killing me and my skin was very shiny and felt ready to split. Three days later I had the PS remove some saline and I decided I didn't want to go any larger.
Your rads side probably hurts more because of the damage the radiation caused. The skin just won't stretch as well as the non-radiated side. If the pain is really bad, or persists, call your PS. I know some women have taken Aleve for the pain. It might be worth a shot. Hope you feel better soon!0 -
Clyday: I didn't have rads but did have a lot of pain with my early fills. I would try whatever you've got on hand (prescription or OTC) for pain relief. A muscle relaxer like valium or something similar may also help. IF you still get no relief call your PS.
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You are welcome, Andrea.
Clyday: it wasn't my last fill, but after one of the fills I had bad pain on one side. When I went back to PS they said that when I got that fill it could have moved the expander up against a nerve or something and felt another fill may remove it. And it did. No more pain after the next fill.0 -
Thanks ladies. It was NOT fun at work today trying to scan patients. I'm an ultrasound tech. Thankfully I was able to go home and take some pain meds and go home to rest. It still is sorr but I think its getting better! I'm on pentoxifyline which is supposed to reduce fibrosis induced by radiation...but I can't take aspirin at work and tylenol was NOT cutting it! Hoping tomorrow is better!
Cherri0 -
I got my nipple tattoos yesterday. It was really sore last night, like bad sunburn. Took some Tylenol and was fine by bedtime.
She said I won't be able to really tell what they look like for a couple of weeks. But already I can tell that they make the girls look more normal. She also said I might need touch ups depending on how the color took and how much scar tissue is below the surface. I feel like I am DONE though. 9 months start to finish....finally0 -
Congrats CindyLooWho!.... WOOO HOOO!
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Just want to chime in to say I am very glad i got nipples. Although I know not everyone needs them, for me it did make me feel more complete. I cant wait for my tatoos now. I do have feeling in my non cancer side. Granted it is not like the nipple I had before but i do get a tingle when it is touched. Go figure. I can go braless if the top is not too too shear. But my scar is kind of indented from my bmx so I would have to ear a bra anyway.
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I must say I hope I have similar scar results after exchange as I had with BMX. Eight months after BMX my lefty scar is virtually unnoticeable. Righty is still a little noticeable but smooth, no indentation as mentioned by Carrol2. I know my PS sutured one and my BS sutured the other, so I have to assume the PS took care of lefty since that's the one that looks so good now. That's what PSs are supposed to do, right? Leave no visible signs of the remodel job?
I'm starting to get excited about exchange - 13 days to go!
Gorgeous, sunny, warm, dry, beautiful day here in west Michigan.....wish I weren't stuck at work
! Everyone have a wonderful day, k?0 -
Hello to all of you! I'm new here (just jointed today) and I cannot tell you how wonderful and valuable this forum is!!! SO many questions and concerns and wondering if this is normal, etc.
I had my surgery in April and am now one month done with my fills. My fills were very painful for me even though I only have 400 on each side! I was barely an A cup before so even this feels big for me. My TEs are SO VERY UNCOMFORTABLE! I'm sore on my sides where the drains were still, I'm sore under my TEs where they attach by my ribcage and I'm sore across the chest where the muscles are. It would seem that I am not that abnormal after all. I will have my exchange in September and I cannot wait and hope and pray that it makes me feel better!
I'm on the fence about the nipples as well. I'll have to see how they look. I have a goofy pucker on my right side that the dr. says they will take care of when they go in and remove scar tissue. Let's hope so!
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Hi Marcyv and let me say I'm so sorry you have to be here, but welcome!!! You are so right.....this site is invaluable and wonderful for those of on this journey. You're speeding right along in the process! I was very sore for several weeks after BMX and TE placement in November 2012, but with a change in pain meds and the passage of time I found that my TEs actually got more and more comfortable the fuller they got (I have 750cc in 600cc TEs).
Let me ask you a question about the soreness across the chest......what kind of pain is it? Stabbing, aching, burning? If it's a burning sensation it may be nerve pain. That was my main problem for weeks after surgery and I lived with ice packs on my chest, but once my BS switched me to a nerve pain med I was all good. A muscle relaxer like valium or something like that might work for you also.
Hang in there....this too shall pass!
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Marcy the TE are just HORRIBLE! I had a terrible time with them!! I lived on Advil!!
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Carrol2.....I never have a problem as to nips and no nip....but for me, I think I WILL have nips (unless I change my mind)....I am missing so many parts: breast, only have foobs, a disc in my low back and 1 in my neck, my gallbladder, my uterus, my ovaries, cervix, parotid glands (on one side), tonsils (removed twice), my pallet is shortened and my uvula was removed, had a gastric bypass, turbinates removed and septum straighten.
I saw my PS yesterday, I am doing okay and in 4 weeks I see him again and will be released to regular activity (this revision surgery knocked me on my ass & killed "Shar Pei", but "Z" is making an appearance as a small "z"!, even after skin redraping.... after my exchange, using ONE pain pill, not even going to bed until bed time, this revision surgery has been tougher.....no pain pills for the last 3 days.....but not a lot of sleep too.....naps around the clock.
PS & I Discussed NIPS and he has had only one nip with a problem and it was more of a scab...rather than a drop off the foob, out of over 1000 nip jobs. He told me he reconstructed a 76 year old lady but she choose NOT to have nips, but a year later she decided to get them and she said to my PS, "Doctor these are like a cherries on top!"
I have an area that will still need filling with fat transfer so a next surgery (5TH) is in the picture....SO I THINK I AM READY FOR THE CHERRIES ON ON TOP!!!
.....for the finale of this journey.Lisa Jayne---->You are almost there for your exchange! yipeee!
Welcome Marcyv! My TE surgery was 1 month after my BMX and pain was off the chart, hubby had never seen me in this much pain...I could not even get into bed or pull down my panties to go pottie!....after each fill it felt better, but the stabbing from time to time was always there, like scraping my ribs!)
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Di Im glad I am not the only one that didnt think the exchange surgery was a breeze. I thought it was going to be much easier. Its been about a month for me since the exchange and things are getting better. Trying to keep up the stretching but its been rough!!
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Tangles---> I guess you misunderstood me, but my exchange with a little pocket work (4-15-13) was a piece of cake...IV sedation home in under 2 hours after getting into the PS's OR....woke up, was helped dressing, wheeled to my car, (Hubby drove), I was WIDE awake....until 9pm (I was up at 4:30am) I took ONE pain pill...that was all, ever.....next day everything back to normal.
It was my revision of my foobs last week that has knocked me on my butt big time! Hard to move my arms, sliding door, fridge with suction still hard for me to use 10 days out....amazing how so much is out of reach, besides me being 5' 1.5"....reaching is painful.
28" of incision....(10.5" from bottom of cleavage under foob, out towards armpits times 2, and 3.5" per foob centers down to foob fold times 2)
Di
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Di2012: Holy crap - two 10.5" horizontal plus the verticals!!! No wonder you feel like s**t
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Lisa Jayne....is your avatar pic one of your hot swimsuit pics in St Maarten?
I might have to make it down to Orient Beach next year or to Barbados to see my hubby's brother where he has lived for 30 years.
I haven't put a swimsuit on this year
even though I have lost almost 20 lbs since BMX....my favorite swim stroke is the BREAST stroke....now called the FOOB stroke
Di
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Di: Yes ma'am, that was in St Maarten with one of my new swimsuit tops. You know, that picture was taken at 600cc. I'm at 750cc now and will exchange to 750cc implants......hope those great figure-flattering swimsuit tops still fit after exchange!!
How cool that you have a relative in a tropical climate! Sounds like a great excuse to come up with airfare every year, huh?
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Sorry Di misread...... without going back through all the old post why did you have a revision and what kind of revision did you have?
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di...holy moly! I am scheduled for revision 8/6 and my ps said it would be nowhere near recovery from my exchange 4/23..I had a lot of pocket work on right and it was very sore for a while..i would say 8 weeks. I did so much painful..(did i mention painful??) stretching to get my ROM back (lots of near tears and relaxing breathing), strength, and work through scar tissue..was NOT fun...so had it in my mind if recovery from this scheduled revision was going to be anything like that..i was seriously going to rethink it. I am rethinking it anyways as I have come so far and back to somewhat normalcy and do not want to go back to post op girl....
were you shocked by your pain after revision or kinda pre warned about it?? my ps is going to just open up the pocket on ther right inside as the right is fuller due to narrower pocket..maybe some fat grafting where my bony chest stops and implant starts.. he said i looked great and when i mentioned fat grafting..he said.."where?".. he said looking at me, he would not say I really needed it..but it was up to me.. it is not very visible sometimes, but mine do push up so then that concave area just before implant is noticeable to me..my hubby thinks i look fine..ofcourse i think he is tired of post op girl, too! My main concern is that in a shirt, the shirt will hit my right foob higher up and my left foob lower so it looks like I have one foob higher than the other, when in reality they are pretty darn near the same height, but the right implant is just pushed up due to pocket and ps says opening up pocket will allow implant to sit flat as the other one... anyone second guess revision?? and either decided to go ahead and was happy or decided to go ahead and not happy or decided not to at all?? I was going to call my ps today..i just saw him wed 7/24... but then I seem to have gotten the same anxious, stressed feeling before my exchange too so it may just be me???0 -
Congrats CindyLoo and Carol, I hope to get surgical nipples later,I am in FL so maybe i get tatoos after that from Renee.
However, that is choice. I dont think your PS should force it on you. If you are happy then you go girl!
I always was small and enjoyed the TE look but it was painful. A lot of Tylenol with Codeine and such. Pain pills were always within reach. Horrid thgs felt like implanted hairbrushs and looked like 2 footballs on my chest. Those were the days. Now I got a second set of implants so got the grapefruit look now. I thk it would look more breast like with nips just hope they dont flatten out if I get them.
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