January 2013 surgery

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  • Ariom
    Ariom Member Posts: 6,197
    edited March 2013

    Hi Laurie, I have been wondering how you are doing.

    So glad to hear you are improving, it's been such a hard road for you.

    I hope that is all behind you now, and you heal really quickly.

    Take care!

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  • RMlulu
    RMlulu Member Posts: 1,989
    edited March 2013

    Hi Laurie - glad you checked in wondering how things were progressing for you. Wow, you have had so many challenges:(. But you sound great...healing now...your girls must be great medicine...take care (((hugs)))

    Cindy

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  • Lbwagner69
    Lbwagner69 Member Posts: 45
    edited April 2013

    Lymph node dissection....nodes are negative! Thank god! Start herceptin treatments in a few weeks! Hope everyone is doing well!

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  • peanutsgal
    peanutsgal Member Posts: 161
    edited April 2013

    Oh, Lb!



    Great news. After all you have been through you absolutely deserved great news. I know the news will help you recuperate so much more quickly. You continue to be in my thoughts and prayers.

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  • Ariom
    Ariom Member Posts: 6,197
    edited April 2013

    LB, what sensational news!

    You really deserve it, you've been though so much.

    Onward and Upward! Take care!

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  • Tamiami
    Tamiami Member Posts: 396
    edited April 2013

    Yay!!!!

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  • peanutsgal
    peanutsgal Member Posts: 161
    edited April 2013

    Ok, ladies,



    There is light at the end of the tunnel! Had my post op exchange visit today and it went extremely well! I got the implants whippetmom suggested and I am very pleased with the outcome. There is still some tweaking to do and I meet back with him in a month to discuss all of those. But all in all, the exchange surgery was a cake walk compared to the BMX and it is such a relief to get rid of those nasty TE's! Here's hoping time passes quickly for everyone waiting to cross to the squishy side! I hope everyone is doing well and that the quietness on this thread means we are all getting back to some semblance of a life now!

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  • Shellshine
    Shellshine Member Posts: 1,039
    edited April 2013

    I went to my pre-op appt today....I feel so comfortable with my PS, he really listens. We are going to move ahead with the form stable anatomicals (Natrelle 410's). I feel at peace, no fears....such a difference from pre-op mastectomy state of mind.

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  • Tamiami
    Tamiami Member Posts: 396
    edited April 2013

    Pam~  Glad all is well!  Did your PS do any pocket work during your exchange?  Do you have drains?  My surgery is one week from today, and I'm trying to prepare myself for drains again.  I just pray that I don't have to have them for 6 weeks again!

    Shellshine~  Isn't it nice to feel calm?  Glad you are ready to get to the other side!

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  • kdh
    kdh Member Posts: 34
    edited April 2013

    Shellshine....you sound great!! Good luck with your exchange. Same to you Tamiami.



    HUGS, Kathi

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  • tangles
    tangles Member Posts: 508
    edited April 2013

    peanutsgirl you said you took whippetmom's advice on what to use? I am taking her advice on the style of implant, but am a bit worried on taking her advice on how many cc's to use. I have 500cc in right now and according to my measurements she thinks I need 600cc. I am debating on staying with the 500 I have in now or going up to 550. I do NOT want to go 600. I had a professional measure me with the TE in to get an idea of what 500cc is bra size and she said I would be a large C cup now.( tha'ts with TE in) I do not want to end up a D cup. I am just worried that once I get the softer squishy implants in the 500cc silicone wont look the same at the 500ccTE. I still have to overfill yet and need to get going on this as I am hoping to have my exchange mid June. I will be asking my PS Monday what his opinion is, but have a feeling he will just say whatever your happy with. I am stressing out way too much about this!!

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  • peanutsgal
    peanutsgal Member Posts: 161
    edited April 2013

    Tami,

    I only had a slight amount of pocket work. He moved the implants in about 1.5 cm. each. The TE's were really wide set. Thankfully I was very level and where I wanted to be height-wise with the TE's. I did not have drains but he had told me on the front end that I wouldn't.



    Tangles,

    As far as size goes, I'll tell you my experience. I am 5'6" around 125 now. Chest measurement just under TE's is 29.5 to 30" My TE's were filled to 450 and I was exchanged out to 450cc hp. I do not have the projection that my TE's had, but I am very slightly wider. I went to the mastectomy shop yesterday to get fitted for my bras and she put me in a 32D. In clothes I look like a good C, but in no way do I look like a D. Because the implants are much wider than a natural breast, you will more than likely be a cup larger than you think you will be, but you WILL NOT LOOK LIKE IT when you are clothed. You will not look as large as your 500cc TE's if you stay with 500cc implants. They will conform to your ribs which feels much better, but does a number on the projection. I would most definitely go larger if you like the look of your TE's, you need a larger number of cc's in the silicone implants to approximate that look. Once you make the decision of what size to go with, it gets a little easier, but I do have to confess that I was second guessing myself going right into surgery. In the end, I'm really happy with the size. Before surgery I had to wear a padded bra that was really too big to look the way I do now. I was a full B before surgery, wore bras that made me look like a full C and most of my friends tell me that I don't even look like I have had surgery. Thanks.....that's exactly what I was going for!

    .Bonus.... I look much better in my swimsuits now : )
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  • tangles
    tangles Member Posts: 508
    edited April 2013

    Thanks peanutsgal. My hubby said last night he thinks I need to go a little larger. My rib cage is much larger then yours, 36 and I'm 5'5 so I am sure that makes a difference. My Normal weight when working out and lifting at the gym is 143 but I have gained 10 pounds from this chemo and from sitting around for so long so its hard to tell with the extra weigh on me also. I'm sure on a tiny rib cage 450 looks much large then 450 would look on a larger rib cage??

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  • Lbwagner69
    Lbwagner69 Member Posts: 45
    edited April 2013

    Tangles and Tamiami, I noticed on your profile that you are both her2+. Although my nodes were negative, I am still scheduled to start herceptin in a week or two...any suggestions? I am a little worried yet I have heard it isn't so bad...

    Thanks for any info!



    Laurie

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  • tangles
    tangles Member Posts: 508
    edited April 2013

    Laurie right now I am getting my herceptin with my Chemo. I wont start getting "just" herceptin until June15th. I have talked to two others and said they had really no side effects from just the herceptin. I asked my MO why my heart races so BAD for about a week after I get Chemo. She said it was the Herceptin. I said OMG am I going to deal with this for a year of this? She said no it is just doing this because it is thrown in with these strong Chemo drugs. I hope she is right!

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  • Tamiami
    Tamiami Member Posts: 396
    edited April 2013

    Hi Laurie~  I'm not on any therapy, so I can't help...sorry!

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  • Lbwagner69
    Lbwagner69 Member Posts: 45
    edited April 2013

    Tangles, thank you for the info :) Best wishes to you in your treatments!



    Laurie

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  • robinlee76
    robinlee76 Member Posts: 27
    edited April 2013

    Hi girls! I have not checked in for a while but wanted to give you an update.  I finally had my reconstruction surgery last Friday.  Was not as bad as I had originally thought it would be.  It was so nice to wake up and see breasts and not feel like a little boy.  Only down side was I had a tattoo on my right hip that I got when I was 19 that I was hoping would be able to removed.  Turns out I did not have enough skin to remove so now the tattoo is on my left breast.  God help me Laughing  My plastic surgeons were awesome and I look fabulous.  I keep telling myself only 2 weeks of pain and I should be good.  I was able to get 2 drains out before I left and the other 2 should come out next week.  I did notice i have not had that much drainage this time around.

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  • peanutsgal
    peanutsgal Member Posts: 161
    edited April 2013

    Great news, robinlee! Well, about the waking up and no longer feeling like a little boy.....the tattoo maybe not so much? I am so glad you are pleased with the results. You can do anything for two weeks! This pain is temporary, but those wonderful new bosoms are yours to keep : ). So happy for you.

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  • tangles
    tangles Member Posts: 508
    edited April 2013

    Robin could they have not taken fat off somewhere else???? For myself I have plenty of it on my thighs, butt, oh boy I could go on and on, but I personally have fat in other places besides my hips. I don't get it?

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  • robinlee76
    robinlee76 Member Posts: 27
    edited April 2013

    Tangles,  they actually took the fat from my stomach.  You get a tummy tuck with the DIEP procedure so when they pulled the skin down they had to use it where the tattoo was on my hip. 

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  • peanutsgal
    peanutsgal Member Posts: 161
    edited May 2013

    Tami,



    Just checking in on ya. Hope your exchange surgery went well and that you are well on your way to enjoying your new squishes! Check in when you are feeling better.

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  • Tamiami
    Tamiami Member Posts: 396
    edited May 2013

    Hi Pam~  Thanks for checking on me! 

    I'm feeling pretty good, just tired and a little sore.  I was holding off posting about the surgery because things happened differently than I expected and I won't be able to get answers from my PS until the 17th because she is out of town.  I will see her assistant in the office tomorrow morning, and may be able to get the drains out then or maybe Monday, but all of my questions need to wait for my PS. 

    My husband didn't really understand what she was telling him after the surgery and couldn't remember the exact wording.  All I know is that the surgery took 4.5 hours instead of the 1.5-3 that she estimated, and that she wasn't able to do the fat grafting that we planned on.  She also had to use implants that were smaller than we discussed.  At first I was really upset, but I think that was partly due to coming out of the anesthesia.  I have been peeking around the dressings and the new girls look pretty darn good to me!  Smaller, but good!  If I lose the weight that I need to lose, I bet I'll feel like a rock star!

    How are you feeling?  You are about 3 weeks post-op now, do you feel basically back to normal?  Are you back to work?  Able to do most things again?  Any advice?

    Tami

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  • MMSS
    MMSS Member Posts: 103
    edited May 2013

    Tami, I had implants for many years and one of the best things about them is that unlike the real ones you can lose weight and not lose it there. For most of us when we diet the boobs are the first to go, never the hips. Another benefit is that they don't droop when you get older. Perky all the way to assisted living! Enjoy your new girls, you have certainly earned a new set the hard way. Susan

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  • peanutsgal
    peanutsgal Member Posts: 161
    edited May 2013

    Good to hear from you, Tami! I don't work, but I do feel like I am back to doing everything I was doing before surgery. The only advice I have is to take the way you look one day at a time. At first I had a very large pucker in my cleavage area and obsessed about it. Now it is almost completely filled in. I am now in the process of dropping and fluffing and really liking the way it is starting to look. It may be a blessing in disguise that you didn't get the fat grafting with your exchange surgery. As things settle, divots and ripples happen and you would want to fix most of that with the fat grafting anyway. Take it easy, don't do too much even though you will most likely feel like you can. I just keep telling myself that this is a process and that the process takes its own sweet time. I have my one month (plus a little) follow-up in a couple of weeks and we plan on talking about nips, fat grafting and a few small tweaks. Hopefully I can get things taken care of in a couple of months so I can be ready for my Vinnie trip in December! Things look different slowly, but surely! If you don't believe me, start taking pictures of yourself (if you are not already) after the unveiling on a consistent basis, then compare them to each other. You will be astounded at the difference a week can make.

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  • Lbwagner69
    Lbwagner69 Member Posts: 45
    edited May 2013

    Well Ladies,

    Yet another step forward as I started Herceptin treatments on Tuesday. The only side effect I am having and not sure if its related is a cough and scratchy throat. Other than that, I am doing well. I started back with my personal trainer doing resistance training and leg exercises....much needed since I had been sitting on my butt for three months! I hope you all are doing well!

    Laurie

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  • Tamiami
    Tamiami Member Posts: 396
    edited May 2013

    Thanks Susan~  There's a lot to be said for perky!

    Pam~  Thanks for the pick me up.  I will try to look for the positive changes daily/weekly...good advice!  I may have to change my Vinnie appt from October to December or January if there are more revisions.  I was really hoping that this would be it!

    Laurie~  Glad you are doing so well!  You had a really rough road and definitely deserve to be feeling good!

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  • peanutsgal
    peanutsgal Member Posts: 161
    edited May 2013

    Happy Mother's Day, ladies! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.



    Laurie,

    I'll be thinking of you as you continue your herceptin. Praying your side effects are minimal and that the next several months fly by for you! I know you are more than ready to have all this behind you.

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  • tangles
    tangles Member Posts: 508
    edited May 2013

    Finally after having these TE since Jan 8th I have a surgery date. Juse 25th.Cant come soon enough!!!!

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  • Tamiami
    Tamiami Member Posts: 396
    edited May 2013

    Yay Tangles!!!

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