Exchange City

Me too, Goldie.

I "slept" sitting straight up in the recliner for 4 months. It took about two weeks after exchange, but I can curl up on either side now and it is heavenly!!! Speak up about it though. I had asked about pain a few times. Then DH went to an appointment with me and I went home with a low dose of valium. Ha!! It helped a little but I hate meds and probably didn't take enough.



I cannot agree strongly enough with what Sweet said regarding communication of YOUR needs. My PS did a fabulous job. But I am struggling with being too big. I had stated my wish initially, but now feel that I should have given a reminder each time or asked how they could calculate to keep me closer to my original size. Just 1) Know what you want. 2) Clearly state what you want. 3) Be prepared for something slightly different because they DO have to make a judgement call during surgery when you are sound asleep. My awesome PS made the call that gave great shape and projection. Had he known my personality a bit better he may have opted for the smaller size. I'm working on adjusting. But...I like the shape and they look and feel quite natural. Personally, I think they look better than the empty originals.

Well, guys, I went to Charleston today for my pre-op appointment. He said that the redness on my right foob did not look like an infection. He thinks it may be a reaction to the allederm. He said that the allederm blends into the skin and becomes a part of the skin. Sometimes when it is doing this you can get a reaction and it should go away. He said to continue the anti-biotic anyway as a precaution. The surgery is still on go for next Wednesday the 28th. He said he didn't think I would have drains, but couldn't promise that. He told me he would go as large as he could and be safe. Making sure the sutures will not try to come open. Praying for a good outcome.



Runnermom: I hope you are better soon. hugs

Chinneymae - So glad the redness is probably not going to be an issue, and that your surgery is still on for next week! YAY!!! What a relief for you. 

Runnermom - how are you doing? Hope the fever has broken and you're feeling better.

Goldie: I didn't have the lasting pain that lala did but I did need the compression of the surgical bra or a good front hook sports bra for a long time after BMX and even still during expansion.  What sort of bra are you wearing?

Lala1

Funny about the bra.  I learned that trick right away by accident.  If you have something on it tricks the mind that the area should feel tight.  I have one on all the time.  I only take my pain meds at night.  It is not spasms for me, it's the tightness. At first I had spasm, but not too bad.  I am back to working out as much as possible. I have almost full ROM back.  My right shoulder is stiff, and aches in the morning when I get up. I just feel like there is  rope tied around my chest.  I believe it's the alloderm.

Thanks for caring enough to share your story. I am so glad you are feeling better. Are you happy with your exchange?

goldie..i am happy too!  I had my exchange 4/23 and revision 8/6..and haven't been on much in between/since...  Come to find out at my revision 8/6 that my right rib cage is more concave/bent than my left side which was making my right implant lean to the right over the "hill" of my ribcage! PS said he could not figure it out in revision and would take it out multiple times to examine it and replace only for it to fall/lean to the lateral/right side!  so he widened pocket so it would sit flatter/spread out over "hill".  I was horribly swollen after surgery on right, but I noticed it was immediately 100% better!  he also did fat grafting and that was by far, the worst pain from revision..felt like I was run over by a mack truck!  My ps said he has had a handful of patients in all his years with asymmetrical ribs!  lucky me!    I had expressed my concerns to ps regarding issues that I had with how i looked in clothes.  However in ps office, unclothed, I looked ok (he said great!).  I questioned whether to have revision or not..etc..BUT I can tell you that my at my post op appt, my ps says, so to be completely honest with you, i did not really see the extent of what you were saying until you were in the OR lying flat and I looked at you from angle of head to toes and then from toes to head and I could see immediately what you were saying about the right side!!  holy validation, batman!  So have faith in what you see/experience and tell your ps!

Also, although my implants were plan B, I am so happy with them; they are very "me" only bigger/fuller than pre bmx.  My PS knew me pretty well from our conversations (talking about things other than surgery..) and he questioned me on my last TE fills..are you sure?  You said you did not want to be too big..you do not want to be all boobs up top... etc  I did get caught up in bigger is better and just kept going...  It is a tough decision, but just as others have said..be clear..and repeat yourself at each visit.  I brought pics too..he wasn't too interested in them, but I said I do not like these, these are too big, too small..etc.  My TEs were too wide and I said I do not want to be wide like this..etc.  I have not gotten fitted yet, but will probably this or next weeked to see what size I truly am.  I think my sister looks like a D, but she says she looks like a C and would maybe have wanted to be bigger and I think she is crazy!  so your idea of a C and your ps may be completely different, so pics can help your ps see what you want to see??  Good luck!

I had my my implants in April and revision in July and I was so so pleased at the results....even shared my pics with a few ladies here, the results WERE miraculous...BUT about 3 1/2 weeks post revision, with swelling going down, I began to see my "Z" (when I look in the mirror) return....so I have a cleavage on one side and NOTHING (down to BONE on upper pole) on the other.  No V necks, swim suits, or scoop neck tops

I saw my PS today for my second  follow up today and he said I do need fat transfer, which may help....(I have plenty of fat on my legs/thighs).....so looks like surgery (#5) is in my future...maybe Oct.

Bra fitting/shopping is NOT in my future for now.

I sometimes feel that if I had my TE placed at time of BMX things would be different, but my PS said NO, he didn't want to risk infection!

Di

Sweetand special,

May I ask what brand your 3 non-wires are? I'm conducting an experiment and wearing my post-op compression bra for a few days. I seem to be having less pain. In a couple of days I'll go back to my underwires and see what happens. If the pain comes back I'll be heading to Nordstroms for some non-wires. Bummer, since I already have a nice tiny collection of underwires started....

Oh Di, I'm sorry that the results of your revision weren't what you hoped for. Even though it's never fun looking at another surgery, many women have had wonderful results from fat grafting. I know you have confidence in your PS and hopefully she'll give you great results in the fall. Hugs to you!

I'm now 6 weeks out from exchange. Righty, the rads side, has a divot in it. In my Bali bra, it looks fine though, and even though I haven't had as much surgery as some, I just don't want to have anymore. I find it very hard to recover, and even now, get fatigued very easily. Maybe in the future I'll change my mind, but honestly, I just don't want to push my luck with my radiated skin.

Dulcigirl, I posted this on the bra thread but it might be helpful to you here. None of my new Nordies bras are underwire but they act like it. The first one listed has a stay pretty far back on the side and I'm finding it the most comfortable. These Style 45s are wide! PS said I could wear whatever I wanted to and these were the most comfy.



"Thirty minutes with Leslie, the kind and competent bra fitter at Nordstrom, and I'm back in business. I got three lovely 36DDs to start me off. An Amoena Lara SB 0674 for everyday, a Wacoal Sport style 856114 for a sport bra, and a Chantelle 1241 for dress up. I'm a happy camper."

Wow. Just went to Herroom and Bare Necessities and did a search for wireless in my size. My choices are sports bras or nursing bras.



Isn't THAT special??!!!

Dulcigirl: one is an Amoena Dana SB 0862.  I actually like that one best because it has a lacy inset at the top that makes it look like I've got a lacy chemise layered under my scoop neck shirts.  The other two are Wacoal 85276 (no fancy model name on the tag), just two different colors.  They're ok but the coverage in front is just way too high for most of my summer things and I feel like I'm wearing something my grandmother would have worn in the 50s or something.  Not really THAT bad, I was just accustomed to much less coverage and will be happy to tuck these in the back of the drawer when UWs are approved.  One still has the tag attached so I could probably return it.

Goldie:  I really didn't have much swelling.  The drain tubes came out at 3 days and didn't really produce much fluid right from the start anyway.  There wasn't much pocket work at all so I think that's probably why.  I read here about some ladies that go home wrapped up like mummies with ace bandages and all and I just didn't have that.  Just the surgical bra with gauze pads over the incisions, and the drain tubes.  I've noticed a slight reduction in size since surgery but not much really.

Ladies I have always had great service with Freshpair.com.....they have some of the bras mentioned, IF you know your size

Macys also has Special Professional Bra Fitting days...

One coming up soon...

My bra fitter was very helpful the day I went to one of those.

Dulci, I have no underwire bra with.good support that my ps okay'd after exchange in April. I have worn it until revision in august because so comfortable and wear it to bed too! It is why I never git around to getting measured at nordstroms! My ps ok'd me to wear again just a week after revision and its been great again. It is not sexy, but ultra comfortable, so good for me right now! It is by Bali..I'll look for name and send to u.. .

Goldie, plan was style 45s ranging from 475-550cc with back up to be sientra anatomicals round base 425cc..the largest they make in that high projection base. My skin was paper thin and when ps put in 45s, it was too much stress on my skin and he said it was only a matter of time before they would fall/migrate..so he went with plan b, the sientras, which have great projection less cc volume 425cc vs 550cc.. our only initial hesitation with using sientras as first choice was max size of only 425cc..and I wanted c cup..not sure if it would get me there..my TEs were filled to 500cc. I will let u know what I measure at nordstroms..I have also lost about 10 pounds... . M itching to get back to working out once ps clears me.. . Hope this helps! . Have a good day guys!