Exchange City
Comments
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2nd time, can I ask what kind of pain you had after your exchange that required another surgery?
And, I do think I will compose a letter to Bali later today. I believe there are two different styles you guys are liking. I will include both in my letter.
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Goldie, had "mudflaps" (rolls of excess skin) under both armpits after both mx's (16 years apart). The one under recent mx was much bigger and lymph fluid was collecting there (probably had nothing to do with size), very uncomfortable at best but couldn't reach area myself (pain ranged from mild pinch to downright painful). Couldn't stand the pain so that's what prompted surgery. Since I was under general anesthesia anyway, PS took the opportunity to fine tune some minor things I wouldn't have otherwise done
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2nd time, I am glad they were able to fix that for you. I bet it was a relief, I hope. Do you feel better now?
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Rose and Goldie---Just thought I'd throw a quick update out there. I put on the Bali 3463 that I thought was so comfy in store and it's not at all!! This actually is worse for me than underwire. For some reason, it doesn't hug my body (implant), it rubs across it. I have feeling over the part of the foob closest to cleavage and it feels like the bra is cutting into that part. Very uncomfortable! Of course, this is just my opinion and it may be great for others. Doesn't diminish my high opinion of Bali bras. It's actually a bit wider-set than the 3488 so rubs against my underarm. Oh well, another one bites the dust! I also bought (for funsies) the Bali 3547 which is an underwire called Smooth U. There are a couple different ones. It is actually more comfy than Bali 3463 but still only wearable for a couple of hours. Soooo....back to my original Bali 3488. I really hope that one day I can wear a cute bra but if not, so be it. At least I'm pretty symmetrical and don't have cancer anymore!
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I love my Bali 3488s! I just bought two more at Kohl's while they have their lingerie sale. So, I picked up 2 at $24.99, had a $10 off a $30 lingerie purchase coupon, a 20% off everything coupon, and a $10 Kohl's cash voucher. Cha-ching! Major discount score!
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Andrea, don't you just love kohls. I love when I walk out of there paying practically nothing for something.
I have a neighbor who doesn't bother to wear a bra at all after her exchange. I thought docs want you to support your foobs. I know i will. Somebody mentioned discomfort in the armpits from certain bras. It's a weird feeling, or non feeling. Even though I don't have hardly any feeling in my armpits it still gets uncomfortable if something cuts into them, and it doesn't even have to be tight.
Anybody using electric razor for armpits? I am thinking of switching. Too afraid I am going to cut myself one day.
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Goldie--I had my myofascial release therapist was my armpits for me. Quick and easy and relatively painless. I am actually quite ticklish so was bothered more by the wax being applied to my native side than the ripping off of was on either side! And it's good for about a month. One day down the road I'm going to look into laser. My therapist and the girl who teaches my exercise class both did laser and swear by it.
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Goldie--I had my myofascial release therapist wax my armpits for me. Quick and easy and relatively painless. I am actually quite ticklish so was bothered more by the wax being applied to my native side (no feeling on the mx side) than the ripping off of was on either side! And it's good for about a month. One day down the road I'm going to look into laser. My therapist and the girl who teaches my exercise class both did laser and swear by it.
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Lala, well now we know the difference between the 3463 and 3488! The 3463 isn't as comfortable! Bummer. Oh well, one more crossed off the list for you! I looked at the Bali 3547 you got and I love it! Nice smooth lines, good coverage, looks like excellant lateral support, right? Can't wait till I can wear underwires.....
. Do they do a non-uw version do you think? Must research later.Andrea, SCORE!!! It's almost like they had to give you money to take your 3488's out of their store!
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I was told no more underwire bras
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Sherry did he/she say why no underwires? My PS got a horrified look when I asked at my 1wk post-op if I could wear them and said "NO, NO UNDERWIRES". I've been hoping and assuming he meant only for now.
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Rose63,
My first exchange I had the Seintra HP oval 550, first week post op was told I could wear an under wire bra and after a few weeks the implants rotated and I had a big gap in the clevage section..now I have the Allergan 410 640 and much better and he used a Strattice on the left breast for support..the only trouble I have is the cancer side is a little smaller than the no cancer side..but this time was told no wir bras and people I know who have not had BC but had augmentation with the gummies were told as well no wire bra.0 -
LALA1,
I am glad the waxing worked for you. Didn't even think of that.
I never wear underwire bras, so I won't miss them. They always felt like torture devices to me. But, I have always been small, so I had no great need for them.
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Sherry, thanks for the info. It sounds like there is concern that underwires contribute to the gummies rotating. I don't have gummies, but rather Sientry smooth round gels. I know there is a wide variance of opinion on so many details of this process amongst surgeons! It seems there are dozens of ladies on the bra thread who swear by underwires for encapsulating and protecting implants! I'll ask my PS next week for sure.
Goldie, I agree with you on comfort. But there just seems to be so much more variety and cuteness in underwire land
! I'd like to be able to shop there too!0 -
I have Allergan silicone rounds. My PS said no underwires for 6 weeks post-op then they're OK. I'm glad because I have an UW wish list from Nordie's after a visit there yesterday
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Rose, the Bali 3547 is still not a comfortable bra although it is one I could wear for a short time...say out to dinner or something. It really like that the underwire curves out a bit wider than all other ones so it doesn't sit on my implant. I'm having a hard time finding one that encapsulates the implant while still being shallow enough that the implant fills the cup. Whippetmom said I really needed Freyas or Chantelles so I think I'm going to just wear my comfy old Bali nonwire till I go to Nordstroms maybe next month. Be sure to really pick your PS brain about underwires. I'm curious as to what he recommends and why.
And as far as wearing undewires go, my PS told me to wear whatever I wanted after 2 weeks! And 5 months later I still can't so I don't know that I'd really listen to some of the PS. My guy is really good at creating the foob but he's totally clueless about all the other things that go with it....like bras, or PT/ROM or waxing/shaving or any of the other millions of questions I asked and he just shrugged his shoulders and said to ask my BS. So naturally I just got online and asked all of ya'll!! You're a hell of a lot smarter than all my docs anyway and know waaaay more about BC and it's various side effects than all my docs! So, I think with bras....go with what's comfortable. At least with the Bali 3488s I can sometimes find them in cute colors and pretend they are pretty and girlie!!
And hopefully one day I'll wake up and can wear a real one!!0 -
Can anyone who has been at least 1 year post op tell me if its normal to feel pains and achy kind of feel on side of effected and non effected side? I had implants put in 2 years ago, I had rads on effected side. Feel as though its sore or achy on non effected side and a crawling feel some times? Almost like I need to stretch it out, but cant?
Also, is it true we need to exchange them every 10 years? If so, then if we reconstruct nipples, do they need to be redone with it again in 10 years?
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I had a problem with the left tissue expander after having it in for four months. I had to have it removed three weeks before my exchange surgery. My ps decided to do the surgery in July and remove right expander and put both implants in then. She wanted time for the left side to heal and the infection to be totally gone. I had the implants put in July 11th and the left implant has migrated into my armpit. The right one is okay and doesn't seem to move as much. It really bothers me and I even have trouble sleeping because of the migration. If any one else had this problem could you please let me know what your ps did to fix it.
Lola0 -
Lala, leah, and others. I have not been here in a while but have learned that others, like me, are having issues with tightness and symmetry with the native boob and foob! i start PT in Sept and have been stretching daily. i am 3mos post exchange /reduction/lift and no relief from the iron bra yet, let alone trying to buy dresses that my boob/foob look right in (4 weddings in the last 2mos and my sons coming up in Oct) The foob is sitting so high, of course i probably notice it more than others until I point it out. My PS suggested an implant in the native boobs, but not sure i want to go there.Considering the tear drop but need to do more research for my size (750cc) or maybe just going down 50ccs. I am finding comfort that i am not the only one with these issues but also sorry that there are others.
Need to get to Nordstroms for a good fitting instead of trying to even theses things out on my own with various bras and enhancers (thank you Joann Fabrics)
Thank you great ladies for posting. So happy I found this thread! Is there a thread for just uni mx Issues?
Judy0 -
I guess it's tenderness between armpit and breast and swelling, tenderness at incision sight and around it, shoulder pain and back pain.. Like a cramping pain.. Is this an infection or a concern?? I had the implants over one year now. Getting worried.. My cat scan in jan was good and all clear!!
This side is looser then the effected side so I wonder if its from that? But it's a constant nagging pain, my arm shoulder feels tired??0 -
Hi Ladies..last coup;le of days I have been hovering around 100.7 low grade fever with a chest cough that developed the evening of the 2nd day after surgery. I am still on antibiotics(I can tolerate clindamyacin) and and still in a uncomfortable amt of pain but am taking my meds as rx's. If the fever continues thru tonight and into tomorrow I will call PS and go see what's going on. I have the chills and feel pretty bad tonight so am just drinking fluids and resting.
I will keep you posted as to what my body is up to tomorrow and I have been avoiding looking in the mirror. I know things will change over the next few weeks so I don't wnat to judge these pancake foobs right now.. the fever and chills are a bit worrysome but I have no hesitation going into the ER at night if it spikes! Nothing to mess around with after all this time!!
Thanks for your kindness and concern!
XO
runnermom
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Runnermom, I hope you start feeling better soon!
The pancake foobs will begin changing to a better shape. Hang in there!0 -
Runnermom, hope you are feeling better and free of complications.
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Runner mom, I too had a low grade fever for the first 4 days post surgery. I was on antibiotics with oxy and Tylenol, it went away in own.. Lots of fluids!!
Feel better!0 -
It really scares me. There don't seem to be very many women who are happy with their implants, or get through this without complications. I really emphasize with everybody having problems. I wish there was some miracle that could help us all. Or, maybe we need to take a better look at who we are going through this for. Us, or other people. I know that even though my expanders are killing me it feels good to see anything on my chest at this point.
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Goldie, I had relatively few issues and I'm happy with my implants. I think you'll find that those that did well and aren't having ongoing issues tend to post less and leave the forum sooner.
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Goldie: I, too, had relatively few issues and am happy with my implants so far (2 weeks tomorrow). I even had good fullness (no hamburger buns) right away after exchange. My new breasts don't look anything like what they replaced when naked but I look very much like my old self fully clothed. I have a small bit of 'mud-flap' tissue that negatively affects the naked view in my opinion. Whippetmom assures me that's a common problem and is easily solved with another nip-tuck so I'll be discussing it with my PS on Thursday.
My strongest recommendation is to have open communication with your PS about your expectations. What I learned from these boards gave me the confidence to insist on over-filling the TEs and I went with the 750cc implants Whippetmom recommended, which were 150cc larger than what my PS intended to use. Regardless of what your PS says, you WILL lose at least some size/projection with the exchange from what you become accustomed to with the TEs. My 750cc TEs looked pretty 'bulbous' on me and I believe had more projection than the implants. However, the implants look much more relaxed and natural and are really just about perfect for my frame.
I tend to go along with an explanation I read here many, many pages ago. The TEs have more ridig backs so that the expansion goes out from your body rather than into your ribs. The implants are soft all over and conform to your ribcage rather than just sitting on top of them like a plank. So....a bit of the implant size settles into your ribcage instead of being all projection like the TEs. Makes perfect sense to me. I know my PS said I wouldn't lose any size, but I disagree. I'm just happy I went with over-expansion.
I don't recall what size you were or want to be but I encourage you to insist on the look YOU want. Not your friends or your PS or your BS or your kids or even your DH. You are the one that needs to feel content with your bosom for the rest of your life
.Love to all....I'm on my last day off. Back to work tomorrow, which I'm both dreading and looking forward to if that makes sense
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Posted a few post exchange pics on the picture forum.
I still have two drains and they are really the only discomfort I feel now. Hopefully they will come out on Thursday...two more days!!!
Sweetandspecial, I know you left work on a bitter note so I hope when you return things will go smoothly for you.0 -
Thanks SweetandSpecial and MNSusaan,
I thought that might be the case, when there is nothing to complain about you move on. I appreciate that you guys are still here to get me through this, and that Whippetmom is willing to help out too.
I really believe I am having more discomfort than most with my expanders, and I hope that doesn't rush me into a hasty decision. They bothered me from the second I was awake after bmx, and it has just gotten worse with expansions. I have put on a few pounds that I am trying to take off. Only about 6 pounds, but maybe it will make the expanders feel looser? Or, is that just to much to ask?
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Goldie4040.
You are not alone ..I think most of us had our issues with expanders some more then others..I had extremely bad pain with mine to the point I wanted to cut them out myself..I had to wait along time to have exchange and ended up having to have a revision 4months after...I had MX 7/11 and first exchange 2/13...so don't feel you are alone0
