April 2014 Surgery Sisters

Frostetcat,

I think I saw you in the picture forum admiring the results of a uni, it sounds like you feel much more comfortable with your decision now. Hang in there, you can have excellent results (as you saw). 

Well, I am now 7 weeks out of surgery, hard to believe! Been back at work now for 3 weeks (the first week half-days) and back into swing of my routine for most part. I still sleep on my back as it is more comfortable, and side sleeping is not for me, but look forward to returning to my stomach in due time. My implants are still settling into place, the left is starting to catch up to the right a bit more after being the stubborn one for quite a while. There are some little things that I hope work out cosmetically in next couple months, but if not I don't think I would worry until next February or so about revisions, to make it fit into my schedule a bit better and because they are very minor little things at this point. Honestly, they don't really bother me and I actually feel very accepting of my new breasts, but I also am interested in what can be done. I see PS again in two weeks so I will ask him what he thinks then.

I am back to most of my routine. I did start back to running this week, doing a run/walk. Or more like a run/shuffle at this point! None of my old sports bras fit (my old Shock Absorber Runs, which I loved, now feel suffocating and much too tight) and I don't want to buy new ones yet, so I am wearing a Genie underneath my Marena on its tightest hooks. That seems to work to minimize bounce. I am hoping to maybe try doing some diving next week (in my drysuit) but will be taking it easy (not doing the course that my husband is doing and I have to wait until fall to do and believe me I am a bit bummed about it!), and am planning a hike this weekend with my husband.

I really want a good (padded) underwire, as my IMF incisions are feeling quite good right now and want the shaping and support (and better neckline under clothing) that my Genies/wireless aren't giving me. I could not even bear the thought of underwire a few days ago, now I have done a 180! I went to the only bra fitting place here in town a couple days ago and a lady who is NOT one of the regular ladies/owners was there and I think she kept thinking I had had an augmentation by her comments and the bras she was trying to put me in. I got frustrated with her and left. I guess I could go back and hope one of the other ladies is there, but to be honest I am kind of turned off going back there now. Though I "look" a bit smaller than I was, I think I still need about a 32DD due to width and firmness of the implants....and I don't want to get into the order/return/exchange thing yet as it costs so much with shipping to and from Canada, and dealing with duties and all that. I really want to try the Wacoal Awareness everyone talks about but I have heard sizing on it is tricky; I might hunt more for a Canadian store that sells online though those are harder to find. That, or I might go to the local department store and try on some 34D's (I know they carry Bali, at least) and then just do some modifications on them for now. 

I had to see a second surgeon per my PS request. My PS is moving his practice, 8 hours away. I knew this when I first had BMX with reconstruction. I wanted the cancer OUT and would have had to wait longer for surgery if I chose a different plastic surgeon. No regrets there! 

However, as you may recall, I had infection about two weeks ago, due to necrosis at the incision site (poor blood supply because of where my cancer was located). Looks like almost 7 weeks out, I am going to lose the nipple after all. The second opinion Doc. suggests I have surgery to remove tissue and then suture incision closed again. I have had to have fluid removed twice from expanders due to these issues. (I had 300 at surgery). Now, one breast has 400 ml and problem breast is back down to 300ml. If it is decided I should go back to surgery my PS will remove more fluid from expanders. Who knows when I will get to have expanders replaced with implants. I don't even ask those kinds of questions any more. 

Oh well, it is what it is. I just so look forward to the day when I look and feel "normal" again. I do have one question, does anyone know how much fluid is needed in expanders to obtain a C cup? I need a goal I can look forward to, lol.

And one more question, comment. I am still struggling with the people who are asking "how are you doing" and keep staring at my very flat chest. Today, when I was asked that question and I could see she was curious and uncomfortable, I said, other than being "flat as a fritter," I am ok. This allowed her to stare openingly and get it over with. People are curious, I guess. 

Renee,

Fill amounts I believe can vary greatly.  My goal is a full C or smallish D.  But, I am 6'2'' tall so the doc said it would take more fluid for me to reach that.  I had 240 cc's in at surgery, 100 cc's on the first  fill, and 50 on the second.  So, a bit under 400 ccs and I would esitmate myself at a very full A cup, small B cup at the moment.  The fill of 100 seemed to do very little, but the fill of 50 seemed to make a significant difference... so no telling where I will end. My PS probably has an idea, but I never asked him other than seeing if he could speed the process up  

 Keep in mind, from what I read at least, the TEs will be filled to a larger size than the implants.

radical, I'm laughing! You are one gutsy woman! I had an older woman tell me I was looking great and her eyes kept shifting down. I'm sure some people are just trying to figure out what a BMX and reconstructive surgery are!

I thought that might make a few of you laugh! I think next time I should try, "eyes up here fellow!" 

I really am a conservative person at heart. He just caught me at the wrong time! Lol

Zeeba,

I have expanders, but they do not wiggle around. Mine are not hard either; they kind of feel like firm breast tissue when I touch them. I freaked myself out a bit when I recently figured out that I can wiggle them by flexing my chest muscles. Except for the little "poochie" thing under one arm, I'm pretty happy with them. With a Genie bra on (with inserts), I am very pleased with how I look. 

The expanders were SO tight and uncomfortable for the first 5-6 weeks. It was such a relief when that finally let up. All that being said though, I am looking forward to getting implants one month from today, and the PS assures me that at that time he can fix the extra little boob under my arm!  

Janett

TEs are supposed to be a bit hard...their purpose is to expand the tissues. Your muscle is strong and will try to contract over a foreign object and your skin needs pressure to stretch and expand...the TEs need to be hard enough to resist this and to expand the skin. They will be softer when they are underfilled, but will get very hard as they get filled or overfilled. 

It is not unusual for them to move around either. Some TEs have places to stitch them into place, but it seems most of the time they aren't stitched into place. Them moving is okay too. You are just trying to create a large enough pocket for the implants and your implants won't move around like the TEs do (sometimes the PS will also do some extra pocket work at exchange as well).

I see my PS this coming Friday for my...9 week postop! Hard to believe it was both that long ago and that short of a time ago! I intend to talk to him about a potential revision in a few months or next year. Not sure if it will be needed or not at this point but I do have a bit of loose extra skin on right side just above and to side of IMF scar I am not confident is going to shrink away any more.  It is not a dog ear, more like a chicken skin roll   This was my larger breast before surgery so I just think the flap was more looser and more relaxed to begin with and so I had more loose skin on that side that shrank slowly (implant certainly dropped a lot faster on that side and is fluffing out faster on that side than the left!). I will ask if it is anything to be concerned about internally or if it is just a cosmetic thing at this point. I am hoping it can be addressed in a scar revision or by extending the IMF incision/scar up a bit rather than having to do anything major with internal sutures but I will ask. It is still rather early though and I know revisions aren't considered until at least 6 months after surgery (I would not want to do anything until November or alternatively February anyway)

Zeeba, 

Well some will say if you aren't sure if they are big enough they aren't big enough  

I am not really one of those people, ha ha. I guess it all depends on where someone is coming from. I wanted to be smaller than I was. I think now that the swelling has gone down I do look a bit smaller but it turns out I still need my old bra size because they ARE firmer and shaped differently. I kind of had to take a chance as I was direct to implant and did not get to "test out" sizes beforehand and had to trust my PS (and with nipple sparing was a bit more limited too). But, I am happy with the size and think they suit me

If you aren't sure, you can always put on a tight fitting t-shirt (white is generally best) to see how they look, and you can even make "rice sizers". You will need pantyhose and rice, and a larger cupped bra or a very stretchy bra. Then you can pour some rice into the feet of pantyhose, cut/tie off and stuff them into the bra cups (leave the pantyhose a little underfilled so they are soft/malleable and you can form them around TE/bra cup). One cup of rice is about an increase in one cup size, so you can use less rice if you feel close to the cut off and see how it looks. It's not an exact thing, but it might at least give you an idea as to whether you think going a bit bigger is preferable or you are happy with where you are at.

Ugh, my TE's slosh too. Such a weird feeling. 

Hey, quick question...when I wear a tank top or lower cut top, all I see are ribs and collarbone. I've always been skinny, but this makes me look anorexic! Any idea how I can put a little muscle back I to my upper chest or something?

I did a year of pt, omt, chiro, and acupuncture BEFORE surgery! Lol ( I have 2 herniated disks in my neck with nerve damage) I'll be going back, but not until I'm done with chemo. I'm not a germ phobe at all, but there are just so many people in and out of that place, using the machines and sweating on the tables that I just can't! Lol

Divecat, it is awesome you are getting your life back!! So proud of you, keep pushing forward!!

Hey girls, I hope everyone is doing well. I decided to go bra shopping tonight. I'm glad some of you mentioned how different the sizing would be due to implants sitting wider. The bra fitter at Dillard's was a gem. She has fitted other women like me.  In the dressing room there's a pic of her and some co-workers at a race for breast cancer! Anyway, I am now the proud owner of a 34DD bra! Holy cow! I was a 36B before my surgery. I really didn't want an underwire, but the fitter explained it offsets the width of the implants. I paid way too much for it, but in the long run, I think it will be worth it. 

Just checking in . . . It seems that most of the April surgery sisters have stopped posting.  I had a BMX with TEs on April 7.  My PS says two more fills, and I should be done.  That will put me at my TE capacity of 700 cc.   There is then a two month waiting period.   This has been a much longer process than what I had anticipated.   My exchange surgery will be sometime in October.  I have had general discomfort throughout this process, but I am functioning normally for the most part.  I just pray that the implants are more comfortable!

My surgery was April 9, and when it turned out I had to have chemo, I asked for a reprieve til after our daughter's wedding. The wedding was fabulous, relaxing, easy, full of family and laughter and memories. 

Chemo started Thursday, July 24, after an echocardiogram and port placement. So far, feeling OK, not great, but not awful. Still have a decent appetite, but certain things don't appeal any longer, like beer and coffee. But it has only been two days. We shall see.

I am not having reconstruction. 

The women on this board have been a source of knowledge, inspiration and encouragement. I am so grateful to you.