Topic: February 08 reconstructions?

i lost an implant in oct. due to infection, so i am going in on feb 13th to have an expander put in... i didn't have one the first go round, so i'm a bit scared, but i gotta do what i gotta do

barbara

Hi this is Moet

I am having my expander removed (at last after 6months) and implant put in, haven't decided what sort yet?? seems to be many to choose from.  Also an implant and lift on the good side, on February 6th. Really nervous but also excited and looking forward to being "finished".  Haven't decided what to do about the nipple yet. All the best to all the February girls.

Best wishes Moet xx

I am having my exchange surgery on Feb.25 to silicone mentor memory gels.  I am so excited I can't wait to lose my "turtle shells'.  I am hoping for a much nicer look.  Can anyone who has these type of implants let me know how they like them...please

I will be glad when this whole experience is behind me.....

Renee

Hi Annie!

Thanks for starting this thread.  I had thought about doing it, and hadn't gotten around to it.

I will have a tram flap (not muscle sparing) on Monday Feb 4th!  Almost 2 weeks away!! I am excited and nervous!  I have gotten some tips from others.  But I am looking for any and all.

Looking forward to see who will be joining us!

xoxo

Lisa

Hi Annie,

I will be giving myself and my SO new breasts for Valentine's Day (my other choice was the monday after superbowl sunday, as sports are big in the Boston area, I didn't want to chance anyone operating on me or assisting when they weren't totally up to snuff LOL.

I'll be thinking of you, sending prayers and healing energy, and following close behind you  :)

Brenda 

Jade

I was going to ask Renee the same question, what made her decided on those particular implants.  I really don't know anything about them and like you are trying to do some research.  I like the size of my expander and the cleavage it gives me when I lift the other side up to match. I don't know if I can have the same size implant as the expander??  I know I shall have to ask the PS all these questions but I don't see him until a few days before my surgery and at that appt we will be deciding what to put in, so I want to go in well informed.  When is your surgery?  

Moet xx

I'm swapping my expanders for silicone implants on January 31 so maybe I can squeak into the February group??

I CAN'T WAIT to get rid of the expanders! (I can relate to the turtle shell comment!)

Moet-

I have some more fills to go.  I am only going on my 4th.  I am a little over 300, and I am shooting for 450cc (what ever will get me to a C ).  What scares me is my ps told me I wont fill out the bras of my choice anymore.  When a women gets agmentation, she still has the fat from her breast to shape them.  I (of course) do not.  There for my "new perkies" will be round and a wont have all the projection I would want.  I have heard (from the different threads) about all kinds of implants....I wrote them all down and I plan on giving my poor ps a "brain picking" on my next visit.  ]

When are u going in for your exchange,  what type of implant are you looking for.  My goal is for cleavage and projection:<}.

j

Annie-

did you already have a bilat mast with recon?  Or are you having delayed recon?

I had delayed, and the pain was not that bad.  The first day hurts....I slept in a recliener and my husband fed me pain killers every 2 to 4 hours...so I slept the first 2 days.  After that I was fine.  I waited 2 weeks before my first fill, and now I get 75cc in each, every week.  I really do not have any pain with my fills.  I am a little past 300cc.  I have about 150 to go.

Listen to your body and go as slow as you want with the fills.

good luck

j

Jade

Do you know how long after your last fill you will have to wait until the exchange?? Do you have a date for your exchange surgery yet?So with 75 cc per fill, you have 2 more weeks until you are to 450cc? I am also wondering how many cc's I will start with after surgery. I have no idea what to expect, but I see my PS in a week so I can ask my one zillion questions . (Can you tell I like to ask questions??? hee hee).

I am so grateful for this thread!  I have less than two weeks to wait and, although I am getting a lot done, I am not liking this wait-time.  I am hoping that things will go smoothly and that the recovery period will be, as my sister said, not nearly as bad as I am imagining it.  She had bilat in 1992 because she was just plain tired of the biopsies for fibrous cysts and was beginning to look like a railroad track (her words).  Anyway, I hope we all do well and I am most thankful we have each other for support.  Gee, Lisa--we will have the same surgery date!  Are you in the afternoon or morning?  I have an afternoon surgery time, but need to be there early in the AM to be prepped for the sentinel node dissection. 

Annie..when is your date? And what type of reconstruction?  Sorry if you said it already.

Gayle..yes, we are having surgery the same date. Mine is at 8am, I actually have to be at the hospital at 12:01 am!! I hope they make me comfortable, because I will be a nervous wreck! What type of reconstruction are you having done?

I sat yesterday and just started crying, thinking about this huge decision I made.  I know that is normal.  Just kept thinking about it, and had to let out the tears.  I totally trust my ps.  He is a friend of my brothers who is a doctor.  So I know I am in good hands.  Just a huge operation and recovery.

Anybody else having those little moments?

xoxo

Lisa

Thanks to everyone for the info on the implants.  I still don't know what I am doing.

Annie - I'm glad you shared your emotional stress, looks like we are all there.  I guess knowing that we have to live with the decisions we make add to the stress of making final choices.  Atleast when you want to consider that sexy new look in clothing we can go into a dressing room and either love it or say thank god i didn't go out in public like that! Yet here we are making much bigger choices about our appearance and there is no preview in the mirror.

I only had R mast, but am considering a bit of an implant on the L for symmetry, kind of have the same loft and level of firmness on both.  a little size increase would be ok (now b roughly), but am afraid of feeling like a hoochie mamma LOL!  i guess it's normal for us to feel anxious and overwhelmed (did i mention nauseaus?!) 

I am so grateful for this thread/site, now i know i'm not crazy (or if i am, lots of us are LOL)

Hang in there,

Brenda

p s anyone just implant on one side and lift the other without implant?

Lisa

My surgery is Feb. 11th, one week after yours! I am have tissue expanders bilaterally. I am sure it is normal to have emotions all over the place. Even though it is a huge surgery, I did want a tram if possible. I just am not a good candidate, so expanders it is. I will be praying for you and others on our 'list'!

Brenda

What type of recon are you having? I do wish I could have a tram, just not enough to work with.  Huge surgery yes, but your own tissue, which I am sure is great. Just not an option for me. I considered all types of things...anything from unilateral recon. and augmenting the 'good' side to having bilat recon, which is my final decision. And the whole 'size' thing...I am with ya!!!  The whole 'what size do you want to be' is a little odd to me . Gosh I can't say b/c all I have ever known is what I was given!!!!! And then there is the whole issue of what kind of implants, etc. I am really going on my ps's recommendations at this point, though I will do more research and reading. I like to be in the know!!! I really wish it were Feb. 10th!  In a way the days are dragging, but then again, I have all this stuff I am trying to 'do' before surgery and recovery. We will all help each other through!

Hi Feb'sters-

I'll be going in the same day as Barbara (Feb. 13th), but having the same sort of procedure as sandyk - Stage II of my Bilat. DIEPs.

My Plastic Surgeon is going to do some reshaping on the lateral sides of both breasts (mostly on the right which is a bit larger), which should also gain more perfect symmetry (pretty darn good already), he's going to find out what is causing a persistent seroma on the right and fix that (didn't even appear until 8 weeks after Stage I ), going to break up a small area of fat necrosis near the right axilla, eliminate two small granulomas in my abdominal scar, give me two very small nipples and tattoo on my areolas (I have never heard of tattooing being done at the same time as nips and certainly never heard of a PS doing tattooing, but there ya go!). And he says he'll do all of this in 2-2 1/2 hours and send me home.

I have been thrilled with my bilat recon since the day it was done. Anyone who did not know I had surgery would have no idea it wasn't my original equipment, just perkier.  Even wearing a spaghetti strap camisole with cleavage showing, it's all me - I had skin-sparing mastectomies, so even the little freckle between my breasts that my ex.DH loved so much is still there. 

It is absolutely normal to feel ambivalent, even anxious, about upcoming bilat. mastectomies, especially if it involves removing a 'healthy' breast. I remember the night before, undressing for bed, thinking "This is the last night I'll ever have responsive nipples". But I took an ativan and reminded myself I was choosing to live, even if with created nips. I could have done well with a lumpectomy (had a very nice cosmetic outcome and clean margins) except for the fact of my BRCA-1 positive status. Off they go!

Good wishes to all of you!

Lisa