Exchange City

AudreyB

Hi Everyone! Glad to see everyone is doing well.

I officially decided to cancel my surgery. I thought long and hard all weekend, and came to the decision I did not want a 5th surgery in 12 months. Enough is Enough. My foobs look good, they are settling and look even better than a month ago. I just decided that for me, the risk of another surgery and an unknown outcome, coupled with all the risks, was just not worth it, especially for an unknown cosmetic result.

I ordered some really nice push up bras from Victoria Secret and they arrived during my decision making. They make me look fabulous.

So I'm off to see the Wizard (Vinnie) March 4.

Whew, glad that's over.

AZ85048

AudreyB -

kingster

Audrey, Vinnie can make NO reconstruction look good!

Special K, good luck and prayers your way. Thanks for all of your help and advice on this site:)

Thinking positive, hope all went well. Lots of love;)

katcar0001

Audrey - Sounds like a very good decision! Surgery is harder on the body than we realize. I think it will be really nice to take a breather and you have Vinnie tattoos to look forward to!

katcar0001

Best of luck SpecialK and Thinking Positive!

SpecialK

Thanks all!  I will report back with whether this is a success or not!

AZ85048

Fingers crossed, SpecialK! If anyone deserves a break after all this time, God knows it's you!

ThinkingPositive

thanks everyone For all your well wishes. Surgery went fine. I ended up having to stay a little longer as the incision in my leg kept bleeding. They didn't want to see any bleeding before they released me so I ended up getting home around five. So far I have no pain but I feel a little tingling now in my mx breast. Not exactly sure what they did, they didn't explain what they were doing since it was making me very nervous. All bandaged up so I haven't seen anything. Thanks again everyone

mjh1

thinkingpositive - glad all went well today..can't wait to hear about the new nip

Specialk - I am saying a special prayer for u that this will b your final detour and u will soon be on a brighter path. Warm hugs!!!

Audrey - I hope soon u will only b looking at this journey in the rearview mirror. Don't b so hard on yourself. Give your mind the time that it needs to adjust to the new you.

noonrider

I have been gone for a really long time. My life is crazy with 6 kids, 3 dogs and a cat. We had our house on the market all summer, but pulled it on in Sept because I had the feeling we would be too busy to try dealing with showings. Little did I know the kinds of turns our lives would take. I'll skip those details for now, but it was major medical issues with one of my kids. Nothing less than a miracle that we didn't lose her.

So here I am! Some of you may remember me, and that I had a lot of problems during the expansion process. I had my BMX in Sept 2014, problem, after problem, after infection and more problems. Finally I had my third set of expanders placed in April 2015. The next morning I was off and running with a reporter and photographer in our house! WTH was I thinking? LOL (here's a link to that article that was done on Mother's Day. We've added one more little boy since them.) http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_28077460/ea...

I did a very slow fill process over the summer, going to 700cc, then letting them just sit and rest for three months. I finally, surgery #10 in 15 mo, I had my exchange surgery last week!!! Ok, I was expecting this one to be one of the easier surgeries. One would think I'd know better than to assume anything in this process!! I have two HUGE incisions going from about 1 inch past the center of my breast all the way around to the back of my ribcage. My PS was liberal in her use of the libo thingy, and for that I am glad, but holy shit! I have had lipo before, so I was ready for the burn. But you see, from all of these surgeries, like most of you my entire front side is numb. But under my arms and my back? Not so! I'm used to not having incision pain. LOL

So where did I end up? I have Natrelle Inspira srx 800cc implants. I am SO THRILLED with my results at one week out! My right (cancer) side is a bit tight, as it needed more pocket work, but my surgeon is confident it will relax a bit, plus there is the whole fluff and drop over the next few months. Truly pleased!!!!

Moonflwr912

Noonrider, lovely piece! You have much more energy than i have obviously! LOL.

Specialk, crossing my fingers for you today. Fast healing!

Audry, I'm glad you're happy with your decision.

Thinking, fast healing as well.

Much love to all.

SpecialK

Thanks ladies - will report back later!

ThinkingPositive

Thank you all !! Wokeup this am with everything aching. But so far no pain. I might even try to go to work for s few hours.

AZ85048

ThinkingPositive - The mantra around here has always been 'just because you can, doesn't mean you should' for a very good reason. Easy or not, you just had major surgery and your body really does need some time to heal; so please don't overdo things - because you'll regret it later. It's so easy to see the incisions and handiwork on the outside - but we all tend to forget about the work that was done on the inside. It's very important to try to take it very easy for the next couple of days. Work can wait, healing can't.

robinblessed54

Amen to that!! Listen to our voices if experience and give your body time to heal. Hope all goes well.

Blessings

Robin

SummerAngel

I had my nipple recon and more fat grafting on Friday and I just wanted to say I'm VERY pleased! I was surprised how great it was to take off the bandages and see something sticking out from my foobs, even if they are almost comically big right now. My PS saw how little fat was left from my first fat grafting so he loaded me up like I asked him to. He had to take fat from both my inner and outer thighs to get enough, so they're super sore and purple-black, but he managed to get 150 ml in the left side (the worse side) and 90 ml in the right. Yay!

CatsRus

Wow, noonrider, what a story! Thank goodness for people like you in the world. My S-I-L has learning difficulties due to messed up puzzle pieces (PKU)... my M-I-L is an angel too. All the best to you and your family.

pch

Hey all, I'm the dreaded newbie. Waiting on exchange in a couple of months. (Not new to bco, but just found this thread.) Trying to make the million exchange decisions, as if my life depended on it. I have a few questions. My PS keeps asking how I like my projection with my current TEs, even though the volume is distributed so strangely: very high pole, with like baguettes under my armpits--not quite that far, but close. This is not a normal distribution of boob, and as you know, very inflexible, however it is exactly where my previous breast tissue lived according to him. How do you judge how you look in clothes with TEs vs. Mentor silicone rounds? I'm 5'2", 110-114 lbs. (36-27/8-36), sort of like a rectangle with arms and legs. I was formerly very busty I felt for my frame (34D/36C) and now fearful that I'll go too small out of always having wanted smaller breasts. But I find myself not knowing how to answer questions about size and projection based on how I look with 295 ml TEs that are distributed in such a strange way. Also, apparently, my pecs end in a rather high position on my ribs. So the implants will likely rest somewhat high.

Second, lots of mentions of Vinnie, who my breast surgeon told me about too. This would require a special visit to the East Coast, but his are the only tattooed nipples I've ever seen that look normal. I don't want to ever have to wear a bra again. And yet I also found these unbelievable prosthetic nipples on pink-perfect. They're like miracle nipples that you can glue on (and swim in) when you want, but take off and go braless when you don't. How are you liking your Vinnie nipples? How do feel about them from the side? Have you had to return for revisions once the color faded? And how far in advance do you need to schedule?

Any advice on anything would be great. (And sorry for being a newbie here.)

pch

PS I've been to whippet mom, but I'm looking for "after" advice. And while I'm at it, if anyone has an antidote for TE nerve pain, let me know. If I could, I'd just go around naked so nothing touches my torso. Well, half naked.

hummingbirdlover

Hi PCH,

Welcome! I remember being so overwhelmed when it came to TEs and reconstruction. My TEs were filled to 350 and I have 375 silicone round implants and although I am a bit smaller than I was pre-BMX, I'm overall happy with my implants and as you mentioned, I haven't worn a bra since my exchange and I love it. I opted out of nipple recon and had 3D tattoos done at my PS office and I can't even tell you how awesome and real they look. There's no way I could have taken a trip to see Vinnie so when I found out I could get them done in PS office, I was thrilled. The TEs are rock hard and kind of took up too much space towards my arm pits but the implants sit much more toward my sternum and are so much softer and natural feeling. I wish you all the best!

pch

hummingbirdlover, Thank you so much for your quick response. Did you have to go back in and have the tattoos touched up? Did your PS office offer natural colors? I see a lot of very red tattoos without much normal color variation. How far out from tattoo recon are you?

Also, my PS is suggesting high-profile round silicone Mentors to make up for normal projection, which he says is very difficult to impossible to duplicate without nipples. They just try to get as close as they can. He's suggesting 475/500 ccs. Did you get high profile?

Thanks again!

pch

hummingbirdlover

PCH,

I had my tattoos done nov. 13 and they look very natural. She used several colors and I truly think they look SO good, they don't look too red. I have to go back in a few weeks and she said she may need to do some touch up then, but I think they look fine.

I did not get high profile, but I don't have a ton of projection either. So, that may be a very good option for you. I'm also fairly petite and was worried that I was too small after the exchange and had I the option of a bit more projection, I might have taken it.

The implants do seem smaller than the TE

pch

Thanks so much. I tried some of my clothes on with the projection I thought I wanted, but so much is high and under the armpit that nothing fit. So something to think about. Thanks for your candor.

kingster

pch, I have mentor memory gels, high profile smooth round silicone 700 ml. I am a c cup now and was a b cup before, but still a little flat due to not having nipples. I am 5'3" and weigh 175 lbs. I am getting used to the bigger size, mostly they are wider than my native breasts were. They are very soft and move around a bit. I have had one fat graft to help with the overall appearance with the flat areas, slight ripples, and hollow area at the top left. It has helped, but I do feel that some is reabsorbed. I like the upper fullness with the rounds. I haven't gotten to the tattoo phase yet. I might get some pink perfect nipple prosthetics for Christmas, until I am able to get tattoos.

pch

Oh, the pink-perfects are awesome. I've shown them to a few different people (who are not going through this) and they're all stunned. I haven't actually worn them yet because I'm only a month out from my BMX, but I like knowing they're there.

I thought high profile was just for humongous boob jobs, but I've been educated about the whole projection thing lately. My TEs are under my pecs, so the whole thing is ridiculous to try and visualize. I have realized one thing. I guess I don't mind my curviness. A little self-acceptance in the midst of all this is kind of a funny by-product. I just want to be able to eat a burrito and not have my gut be bigger than my boobs. But I can't seem to articulate that in technical terms to my PS. Any other advice welcome!

Unbreakable01

How often did you see your plastic surgeon after the exchange?  I have a new job and new insurance, and am hoping to get the same surgeon.  He'll be doing my exchange surgery.

Thanks!

noonrider

catsRus, my daughter was diagnosed with OTC Deficiency, another rare inherited mitochondrial disorder. Your sister can't break down phenylalanine, my daughter can't break down ammonia, one of the other waste products of protein.

noonrider

Pch, I have a friend who also does excellent tattoos. http://www.kansascity.com/living/star-magazine/article2810113.html

Personally, I opted to not do tattoos. I'm buying custom made stick on ones for those rare occasions I find I want nipples. LOL Without nipples, no bra required!!! LOL

noonrider

I have Natrelle high profile 800's that were put in last week. They are very similar in projection to where my 700cc expanders were. I am willing to share a picture privately if you'd like to see. My PS did a lot of work under my arms, and I am thrilled with the results! Not only lipo, but some extra skin removed as well.

kingster

pch, I know that if you don't have enough projection, it will look like a hamburger bun because of the width. I thought 700 ml sounded huge too, but we aren't having "boobs jobs"...we are replacing the entire breast with the implant.

Does anyone know if there is any store that would carry the pink perfect nipples? For $230 I don't want to pick the wrong color. Lol.

Suzy1067

Good Morning - I just wanted to share something sweet...after my exchange surgery, when I was back at work, my co-workers threw me a baby shower to welcome the "twins". They all went in on a Victoria's Secret gift card so I could by "clothes" for the twins and a Visa gift card so my hubby and I could enjoy a nice dinner out. They even had a cake made that said "Welcome Lefty and Righty"...LOL

I have never been so surprised and just grateful...such a thoughtful thing to do! The lady at the bakery told my co-workers that she hoped it would start a new trend! My coworkers said they just wanted to celebrate with me for all that I had been through and to celebrate putting it behind me.

I am 5 weeks post exchange and feel things are still changing, I'm going back on Monday for a check up just to make sure the twinges I'm feeling are normal and to ask about the divot left in my abdomen from the lipo. Next year will bring the tattoos!

Happy Friday!

Suzy