Exchange City

Anonymous

butrflysnshn,

I know bra size is dependent on rib cage measurement, too, but I started out with the Style 45's in 800cc's. They were too big for me. My bra size with them was 34DDDD. I just revised Tuesday to Style 20 in 650cc's. They are still good sized, but I think I'm going to like them! I'm still working on losing 15 more pounds and hope these don't look huge when I do. That was one of my fears with my 45's! They already looked huge on me and I knew when I lost my weight they would only look bigger!

Having gone through this twice now I would just really encourage you to give yourself time. My 45's took a while (a couple of months) to settle in. They got very nice and soft. I loved their shape, etc. Since you have to wait 3 months before you can do anything anyway, try to keep an open mind about them and don't get discouraged!! You may just find out that you like them afterall! I hope you do. :-)

(Oh!! Also, my GUESS is that your PS chose the 45's for you because they have the greatest projection. In comparison, the largest Style 20 would be wider, but somewhat less projection. You can look up the Allergan catalog and compare the sizes. But if you're curious you could put that on your list of followup questions. During surgery our PS's at some point have to make a judgement call on what they think will work best/look best. I sure wouldn't want that job.)

sandra4611

Having had huge pendulous FFF breasts my whole life, you are right to say the implants look small. EVERYTHING will look smaller after what you are used to. I woke from surgery and was so surprised to see these little lopsided foobies on my chest. They were 800 cc - D's, but seemed so tiny. I wasn't disappointed...just so glad to have the BMX behind me, it didn't matter. It took two hands to cover the bottom half of each one with palms at the outside of the implant, little fingers still 2-3" apart along the bottom and the rest of the fingers overlapped just past the first knuckle. Thumbs stretched along the sides to the top but the top half across the foob was uncovered. (Would have needed a 3rd hand!) Small? Not according to most women but they were small to me. After a few days the lopsidedness went away and I had nice perky foobs.

That was exactly 2 months ago and although I lost one to infection & repair surgery, I have a nice fat full TE, ready for another attempt at an implant on that side in November. I think I look great! I never wear a bra and can wear shirts that actually button down the front. My husband says the implant feels just like I did at 21 so what's not to like?

Give yourself some time and give yourself a break. You'll soon discover the joys of having a nice, albeit smaller, "rack."

goldie4040

Sandra, I am in Texas too. Which PS did you use in San Antonio? I just read your bio, and I am sorry for everything you have been through. Sounds like you are bouncing back, and have a great attitude, which helps a lot. I love what your husband said about your news foobs. "They feel like when you were 21" What could be better than that?

sandra4611

Goldie,

Fellow Texan! Cool. My husband is a retired A.F. pilot and has worked as a volunteer in the Burn Clinic at Brooke Army Medical Center on Ft. Sam Houston for six years. My plastic surgeon is one of only two PS who do post mastectomy reconstruction and his office is in the Burn Clinic so my husband knows him well. 95% of Dr. Chan's patients are burn victims. If can help these poor soldiers who've been so horribly wounded, he can surely deal with breast cancer warriors. He is a small man with delicate fingers, a bit of a Chinese accent, and looks like Dougie Houser! I trust him completely even though he looks like he is 18.

Moonflwr912

Sandra. I wonder if he could help someone with RAD damage. That is basicly burn damage isnt it? I didnt have RADs so I am just wondering.

sandra4611

Moon, good question. I'll ask him when I see him on Thursday. Radiation causes burns so I would imagine it's the same thing. My husband comes home and tells me about guys who were barely recognizable before reconstruction surgeries. (Most of these guys have several a year for the rest of their lives.) They will never look "normal" but can begin to live some semblance of a normal life like being able to go out in public without kids screaming and running away. The guy with facial burns who won Dancing With The Stars last year, J.R. Martinez, was one of Dr. Chan's patients. He has had over 20 surgeries.

The nurses in the burn clinic tell me that TE's are used in burn recovery on virtually every patient. The docs place them anywhere they can find good skin, expand it as much as they can, then use it for skin grafts. One guy has two on his head right now...one on the back of his head and another from the top of his head down into his forehead. Another soldier lost his nose. They expanded the tissue on his forehead, twisted it around with blood supply intact and built a new nose for him. Amazing!

Each week when I walk in for my fill and see a waiting room full of burn patients, I am reminded of the sacrifices of our young men and the pain they are going through because of war. There are no drugs strong enough to relieve them of pain and they will have it their whole lives. Many commit suicide to get away from it. And I'm gonna complain about my little surgeries, fills, and discomfort? No way.

Moonflwr912

well feel free to complain here. We wont compare you to anyone else. One of our friends sonswas 22 when he worked in a factory. His hair caught in a machine and ripped off his scalp. He had to wear a TE on his forehead to grow enough skin to cover the missing scalp. It worked. Doctors can pull off pretty amazing things.

Btrflysnshn

Thank you to all for your input. I do feel somewhat less obsessed about it all with your help. I do have a great PS and should trust his judgement.

I appreciate what y'all do here even after you are past finished with your own ordeals. It helps more than you know.

Btrflysnshn

Btrflysnshn

oh... I'm in SA too.

goldie4040

Btryfly, another Texan!!!! Which surgeon are you using? And, we are glad that you are finding some comfort here. I thank God for this website everyday. I don't know where I would be without all these strong women to talk to.

Sandra, sounds like you have a wonderful surgeon. When somebody dedicates their life to truly using their skills to help people it means so much. I called a surgeon that was recommended to me when this all started, and I was told that he wasn't doing reconstruction anymore because his "profitable" plastic surgery career had taken off, so basically he didn't want to bother with "insurance patients" anymore who really needed him. He wanted to do mommy makeovers, and boob jobs. Ugh!!!!!! Also, bless your husband for his volunteer work. I have been trying to figure out a way to pay it forward when my reconstruction is over. There really isn't a good support group in my area. I wonder who I can approach at the hospital about getting one started?

Btrflysnshn

Dr Wang

goldie4040

I have considered travelling to San Antonio because I have heard so many good things about PRMA. Did either of you consider using them? Right now I am a little upset with my surgeon here in DFW area, and would consider a trip to San Antonio to see the docs at PRMA. The problem is I think they specialize in DIEP, and I have been told I am too thin for that procedure.

Btrflysnshn

My surgeons are with UTHSCSA. They are not only professors at the school but are also faculty at the university health system. We have some of the best surgeons and drs around.

Moonflwr912

I have been very happy with my PS around here. Ive been lucky I did not have to travel very far for any treatment.

I hot another fill today. Oneore step closer to exchange!

Much love

mainegirl

My exchange is this Tuesday, Nov. 12th. After having these TE's for 13 months I cannot believe the date is finally here. I'm going with silicone, my PS tries for pre-BMX size as close as possible, which is fine with me. Of course, they should be perkier, but I'm not worrying about how they'll look. Just so ready to be almost done.

sweetandspecial

mainegirl - Isn't it weird how exchange for so long seems like just some date in the distant future and then BAM! all of a sudden it's here?? Wishing you a successful surgery, pain-free recovery and results that you're over the moon happy with I had my TEs for 9 months and while I didn't experience nearly as much discomfort as many ladies here it was still really nice to trade them in for squishies.

goldie4040

Mainegirl,

So glad you are nearing the finish line. Do you know what kind of implants you are getting. How many cc's are you filled to? Keep us posted on how it all goes. I am scheduled for my exchange Dec 3. I am excited and very nervous

sandra4611

Good news, Mainegirl. You're almost there!

myers421

Good Morning, I had my exchange exactly a week ago. I was highly anticipating the finale however now that it is here and gone I am feeling oddly sad. Fake is what I am feeling, I have never had this body shape, b4 my bmx I was a B cup I would say I am now a C+ (maybe ++). I wanted to go larger on top but I have found the adjustment difficult, my right is larger (not much but I can def tell) than my left. My ps says there is always a breast larger (naturally) than the other and we could do a revision to make my left larger or right less. I had some thin skin complications during my expansions that still exist today, he says he put 700cc's on both sides because that is what was going to work best for the left (skin complications side). His main concern was to not compromise the skin on the left side.

PLEASE do not be discouraged by this post if you are pre-exchange that was not my intention, just to vent and get support.

Much Love,

Amy

Moonflwr912

Amy. Hugs. I probably will feel similar when its my turn. Ive waited so long and what could match my expectations? LOL. I will actually be glad when this process is over and I am not looking for perfection. I just dont want my bra to strangle me when I raise my arms any more! Havent a clue what size I will be. Should be an interesting trip. Dec. 18. Come on down..... LOL

Mainegirl, CONGRATS!!!!

myers421

Thanks for the hugs moonflwr! Don't get me wrong I am thankful for the END! It is now just attitude adjustment time for me which will come for sure it will just take time. Speaking of bras... Don't have one on feels strange, good but strange. LOL

BayouBabe

Amy - please don't get to discouraged yet. I was amazed at how swollen I was post exchange and how much the swelling went down the first six weeks. I did not "feel" swollen after the first week or two, but things definitely went down in size the weeks after. My surgery was at the beginning of August, and I feel that things in the last few weeks have finally stopped changing and settled in. Hang in there - hoping you will be more pleased with the passage of time. Hugs!

NisaVilla

Amy- Glad you posted. Next month I will have my transfer and going too big is my fear. I will speak with my PS about it. I was barely a B cup and wish to stay that way. I hope one quick revision fixes what you would like to see fixed. Best wishes and for now enjoy life without TEs!

Mainegirl - So close to being done, start celebrating! 13 months is a long time. Why so long? Best wishes, let us know how it went.

Love, Nisa

sandra4611

Amy,

I'm glad it's over but sorry the experience isn't what you'd hoped for. I've seen plenty of other posts saying the same thing. Some say they were quite disappointed at first but as the swelling went down and the shape settled in, they were able to adapt to their new "normal." Usually people are unhappy that they aren't big enough so you have the opposite situation.

When I checked out my chest for the first time the day after my BMX & immediate reconstruction, I was shocked. One side looked completely different than the other and was a peculiar shape. I always say it was like soaking a small Chinese takeout box in water until it had lost its shape, and then sticking it on my chest. There were ridges and it leaned to one side. What the hell had I done? It didn't take more than a couple of weeks for all that to go away and assume the shape I had expected. The other side that I'd thought looked so nice & smooth in the beginning turned out to be swollen because of an infection and I ended up back in surgery 2 weeks later to take out the implant and put in a TE. That was 2 months ago. The "good" side has settled in fine and looks just right. The TE side is swollen - this time with 740 cc's of saline - and awaiting the exchange surgery in a month. Because I lost so much skin, muscle, and soft tissue in the last surgery, the new implant will be smaller so they are also going to replace my "good" implant with a smaller one to match. MATCH? I haven't had anything resembling a match since before the BMX, so I'm looking forward to it but now know from experience not to expect too much until they've had a few weeks to heal and settle. Hope yours do too and you end up being happy.

Di2012

I know mine feel weird/foreign to me and I have had squishy since April....I do like that I can NOW buy clothes not just for the old BIG BIG girl size top, since I wear a size 4P in Jeans, I do now feel more proportioned....with smaller girls

I have one more breast surgery on Dec 2 to try and correct divots and grooves with fat grafting on formerly "Screaming MUPPET mouth" and get a pair of nips, ("Shar Pei" has done well after my last surgery in July...) MUG/gobble lift on Nov 18! (good bye turkey neck! before turkey day!)

I have been having trouble with anemia and it is not iron deficiency anemia....will have a bone marrow aspiration and marrow biopsy with my MO/hematologist in Jan. to rule out forms of blood cancer (MDS)

Hugs & good thought to everyones' up and coming surgeries,

Di

Di2012

Here are some breast cancers warrior that were willing to share their breast cancer with the world.....Click on IMAGES at the top:

http://thescarproject.org/

goldie4040

Amy, I am so glad the worst is over for you. If you got bigger breast out of the deal, and that's what you wanted, than more power to you!!! No feeling guilty, or let down!! Now, if you find that after all the swelling is gone, and your implants settle in that you want them fixed, then by all means do it! Hang in there. I am routing for you. They actually say it is normal to feel let down when it is all over. Weird, I know. But, I have read it several times on these boards.

cateyz2

Myers-

 I have to say I haven't worn a bra since my bmx and don't plan to after exchange unless instructed by my PS as it feels wonderful not to! I didn't realize you were still dealing with skin complication, hoping they go away soon. I had some necrotic areas from bmx and praying I don't have any healing issues with exchange as he says he plans on fixing the bmx scars

Katie

sandra4611

Di2013,

Oh no, you've got a lot on your plate right now, don't you. The potential blood problem is so scary! I'll be following you closely and pray it goes in your favor. I've had unresponsive anemia for a year and no one knows why. When my number fell to 8, my primary doc sent me to a hematologist. I had an iron infusion last week and have energy! She says she doesn't know why it's happening but to plan to have infusions every 12 weeks. What procedures have they tried with you?

Di2012

Sandra,

I have been taking a RX iron capsules twice a day....my lab numbers say I am NOT iron deficient....only that I am anemic with LOW # in my red blood cells, White blood cells in normal range, at this time it is just a watch and wait, I will a have an appointment made for the bone marrow biospy and aspiration after my Dec surgery.....MO/Hematologist wants recovery before proceeding.....

Di