Exchange City

robinblessed54

Suzy1067

My medical group does a program every three months called Image Reborn. They have cancer patients and their significant other come to a meeting with a panel of BC and reconstruction survivors. The panel gets up and tell their story and their type of reconstruction. There are always members that have had all the types of reconstruction. Then the men go out and the panel strips from the waist up. The ladies get to see and ask questions and even touch the panels boobs. It might sound weird to some people, but it is such a wonderful program that gives so much information and makes the prospect of reconstructive surgery not so frightening. I have been on that panel once. A wonderful opportunity to help others. There is a PS from the group there to answer questions and gives the low down on all the surgeries. I am hoping to do it again in November.

It was a relief to get the TEs out for sure! I am very happy with my outcome with the anatomicals. I am 7 months post EX.

Robin

mysunshine48

That sounds great. If we had that, I would be happy to participate. I am so used to taking off my shirt.....piece of cake! LOL

LoriWNY

Show & Tell for BC patients. Fabulous idea! I would gladly volunteer as well. My approach after diagnosis has been that if I can help just one person get through this awful experience, then the reason for my diagnosis has been justified.

mysunshine48

I totally agree!

Suzy1067

Elizabeth - YAY! Thank you for sharing...I am excited and nervous all at the same time and I realize everyone's experience is different. Who knows how mine will be - but, I'll surely share it!

Robin - that is awesome. I think this one is only once per year, but, I like the quarterly idea!

I feel the same way about show and tell - I took my sister with me, but, when telling my husband about it he said "oh, you are so volunteering next year!" LOL - he knows me so well

mjh1

im all in for the show n tell. Maybe if the mods r listening they'll start working on a yearly BCO conference.

Sunkissed

10/21/15 Exchange Surgery

Elizabethaw

I would also totally do a show and tell! I wanted so badly to see a real living example before I had surgery, but I felt way too weird about asking anyone I knew who had had surgery. I would be very happy to help anyone else going through this.

mysunshine48

So, now that we have new boobs, how do we get checked - like no mammograms? Who does it and frequency? My MO has never examined me. My Breast surgeon did a quick feel around at my 6 minth check up, but that's it. I will asl my MO at my appointment next week, but wondering whst you all know!

Lharry

So - I got a dose of reality yesterday. Thought I would share.

In my skewed little world and way of thinking, I thought that after our exchange, everything would look "rosy". Guess I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to exchanges / implants.

Anyway, I saw some pictures of implants that were days out from the exchange. And pictures that were weeks out of the exchange, and months out. I have found out that it will take MONTHS (3-6) before my breasts will start looking somewhat "normal" again. I'm not sure about the rest of you, but I assumed that once I had the exchange, I would look fairly normal again.

I mean absolutely no offense to ANYONE when I say this either. I saw those pictures and I was thinking, oh no!! How TERRIBLE! How AWEFUL! I seriously wanted to cry for these women (and for myself). But, as I got further into the board, and as time went by for these women, they did start looking better. WHEW!

I am so thankful that there are women out there who are willing to expose themselves in such an intimate way, so that women like me will not have false expectations. Otherwise, I'm sure I would be in the biggest state of depression - even more so than when I had my breasts removed - thinking that my breasts would always look like these damn expanders, and never look natural again.

Anyway, I am now hopeful, and am thankful for those who have been there! AND, my after exchange surgery expectations are now low, low, low! I am not expecting pretty, perky girls until sometime next year!

Linda

mysunshine48

Oh my! I guess I am lucky! My new boobs looked great from day one. I am 5 weeks post surgery and am very pleased. I had a wonderful plastic surgeon!

Elizabethaw

Linda, although I'm sorry your expectations have been shattered, I'm glad they were shattered now and not right after surgery. If you read over these forums, you'll see time and time again women posting who are miserable about how they look. Right after exchange seems to be one of the most common times to have major emotional reactions.

I'm not sure if I would have wanted to know how long it takes going into the process, but it's definitely good to have realistic expectations. I hate to say it, but revisions are common as well. The good side of that is that you can keep going until you are satisfied--the bad side is, of course, how long you have to wait.

Hang in there! You will get there!

katcar0001

Linda, I hope that you will have the appearance you desire in time. I am sorry it is so hard right now :-(. And you are right--the photo gallery has been a huge help as well as reading others' experiences on this board. I hope my expectations are realistic. If my squishies look as good as my expander, I'll be satisfied with that. In some ways, I don't know what to expect as I am getting an implant on the "good" side as well. Getting nervous as the date approaches.

Lharry

Elizabethaw, I agree. I'm glad my expectations have been shattered now instead of later. I can only imagine how I would feel after the exchange if they look flat, or wonky, or square, and I was expecting nice and perky, and perfectly shaped. I now am expecting wonky, and will wait until they "drop and fluff" (learning new terminology too) before I get upset with an outcome, which I'm hoping to be more than pleased, but trying to be realistic now too.

ThinkingPositive

scheduled my final phase of reconstruction. December 9th. Nipple. Hope I am making the right decision. PS also looked at my good boob that he did the lift and reduction on. Said the area that feels hard wa fat necrosis but then after he felt more said just scar tissue.

Scottiemom11

Linda, Elizabeth and Katcar. . .I think the drop and fluff may apply more to anatomicals than rounds and of course how tight your pocket is. I'm 3 months post Ex and my smooth round HPs have changed very little. I have very tight pockets and pects so the girls have no wiggle room. They are very perky.

I did not look at any pictures other than ones my PS showed me. I was a little nervous about Ex because I liked the shape of my TEs even though I hated them. I was very pleased with my girls after, especially since PS was able to put in larger ones. I am paying for that though. . . Weeks of PT to get ROM back and continuing nerve pain. My girls are also not very squishy. I look like a got a boob job. Lol

Scottie

MinusTwo

Scottie - it's backwards. The drop & fluff applies more to rounds than to anatomicals.

MySunshine - my BS gave me a thorough exam every 3 mos for the first year then every 6 months for the next year. She's my favorite doc. She suggested she continue seeing me every 6 months for another year since she knows both my MO and my GYN recently retired. My PS gave me a once over lightly twice. Excellent plastic surgeon but arrogant. My MO agave me a thorough exam every three months for a year, then every 6 months - still continuing. After 2 years we'll go to once a year. He is still ordering CT w/contrast every 6 months, but I think that's because I had a recurrence. My RO also continues to give me a really thorough exam every 6 months. And my OB/GYN did a thorough exam once a year. Hope this helps. It's hard to put it behind us.

trailrose

Linda, After my first exchange I knew right away they didn't look right to me. I cried a lot and was having a hard time just thinking of a revision surgery. They never improved.

Now I'm 1 week out from my revision surgery (with a different PS) and am so happy with the results. They are perky, narrower (the moderate plus were too wide looking) there is no rippling, and they actually feel better inside my body than the others did. Added bonus is I no longer see a little fat pocket on the sides that made me self conscious since I had never had that before my BMX. May they keep on rocking!

My sunshine, My BS did my first 6 month check up which felt like a thorough breast exam. He said he wanted to see me once a year and that my gynecologist would keep an eye on me too. Appointments between the two of them will be six months apart. And I thought that with having a BMX for DCIS I was done with the BS! My family history is strong for breast cancer.

Rebecca54

Hi ladies, just peaking in. Good luck to all who are having exchange soon. Personally, it was the best operation I ever had! Almost 4 weeks out and it just keeps getting better.

Since we're talking tattoos...does anyone have a feel for how long after surgery you look into that? I guess if implants need to "drop and fluff" you'd wait for 6 months or so???

Janett2014

Rebecca54,

I have Allergan 410s, and my PS said to wait at least two months after exchange surgery to get tattoos. I ended up waiting a couple of weeks longer than that just because of scheduling issues.

What does your PS say about timing? As you know they are all VERY different!

robinblessed54

rebecca, janet,

I have Allergan 410 slso and got my tattoos 5 months pist EX. Having them darkened and filled in more. Love my gummies!

Robin

Lharry

Are tattoos covered by insurance

robinblessed54

Lharry,

My PS office does them so Ijust pay a $40 copay!

katcar0001

That is a good question about the tattoos. And I wonder if it makes a difference if it is done in the doctor's office as opposed to a tattoo salon.

Rebecca54

Havent spoken with my PS re: tattos but Viniie is 15 minutes away! I've heard you wait 5 months for an appt....

kingster

I just called Vinnie's and I was told that you must wait 5 months after your last surgery. They are booking into March right now. $400 due at time of appointment and $400 due at time of service. My insurance said the tattoos must be done by a " qualified provider". Vinnie's did say that they have someone to help with claims, but it may take a few times. I called my insurance, and a qualified provider is a doctor or medical professional. Not a tattoo artist. I don't know of anyone more qualified than Vinnie, lol.

Rebecca54

I had my surgery at Hopkins and my Dr said that Vinnie was going to start working form there. That may help with the midical professional designation????

Lharry

I don't know why Vinnie would bother when he makes what he does per patient, and currently doesn't have to bother with filing insurance claims. But it would be nice too!

Scottiemom11

My PS recommended Vinnie and he won't do the tattoos until 5-6 months after final surgery and that includes nipple recon. He has a 6 month waiting list anyway. I'm not doing nipple surgery and will probably not get the tattoos until next fall which will be 14-15 months post EX. Nephew is getting married in vacinity of Vinnie's local (Maryland) so we're trying to coordinate.

Scottie

julieped

I had the 3-D tattoos done by Vinnie a year ago. They are amazing.

My insurance did pay a portion of them. Vinnie has the procedure numbers that an insurance company would need to see if you might be reimbursed for the tattoos. Vinnie does not file claims. You are given the form and information when you leave and it is up to the patient to file with their insurance company. I think my insurance company reimbursed me for about $300.

So worth it!