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Nipple Sparing Mastectomy with immediate reconstruction

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Comments

  • TNLady
    TNLady Member Posts: 219
    edited June 2010

    It's funny you girls bring this up.  I have noticed that my implants are more under my armpits and have been aggravating me.  I have been doing wall push ups, butterflies, bench presses, etc.  My PS never said not to do any of that.  It is very frustrating to me when we are not told clearly what we can do or not not do. 

  • hurleygirly
    hurleygirly Member Posts: 135
    edited June 2010

    Just to let you guys know...Today I cut open a silicone gel sample that was given to me, just to see how cohesive the gel was inside. The good news is that it is way more cohesive than I thought that it would be! I expected it to be way less cohesive. Anyway, just thought that I would post this since we usually get to feel the bags of saline and bags of silicone and see the insides of the 410 cohesive gummies, but don't usually see what is on the inside of the implants. The regular gel won't go anywhere if it ruptures.

  • makingway
    makingway Member Posts: 465
    edited June 2010

    That's good to know, but the shells are still made using silicone. I'm hoping to have mine removed an opt for the new Brava System that's being done at the Miami Breast Care Center. It's the closest thing to having your boob back!

  • hurleygirly
    hurleygirly Member Posts: 135
    edited June 2010

    Makingway, I don't 100% understand the Brava System...in that we removed our tissue for the fear of bc, so why would we ever wish to get real tissue back? I just read from their site this: causes cells to replicate and produce new breast tissue. This makes no sense to me. Can you explain it?

    I am sure everyone knows this already but the shells for the saline implants are made of silicone as well.

  • Kate33
    Kate33 Member Posts: 1,936
    edited June 2010

    Hi everyone!  I'm back from my get away with my DH.  It was just what the doctor ordered before my exchange.  Thanks for all the birthday wishes!

    Right before my DH and I left town I had one last appointment with my PS before my exchange (June 29th!!!).  She said I am doing so well that she and my BS want to use me as their "poster child".  That made me feel good!  I asked them to e-mail me all the photos they have taken so I can get them on the picture forum.

    Thanks for all the info on exercising.  I am going to be more careful in the future.

    hurleygirly- I agree with you on the Brava system.  I definitely do not want my body creating any more breast tissue.  That would scare me more than silicone which I don't think is a big deal.  Jessamine's research was right on about the risks.  Besides, I don't think the Brava system would even work on us, would it?

    Hope everyone is doing great!  I was having major withdrawal from this site this week!  I believe I have an addiction! :) 

  • hurleygirly
    hurleygirly Member Posts: 135
    edited June 2010

    Hey Kate! Welcome back and Happy Birthday! Hope you had a great time, getting away for awhile. Not much left to go until you get your final implants. How exciting! You'll do great. I keep forgetting to take pictures with each fill up just to see the progress and since my 3rd fill is tomorrow, I should get out the camera now! Tongue out

    I read a bit more on that Brava system and basically for reconstruction patients, it is a form of fat grafting which has a better fat transfer survival rate. I know a lot of people favor the idea of fat grafting and I spoke to my ps about it and what she told me was that not all of the fat lives when transferred and at any time can cause a hardened lump. In her opinion, she said that anything that could possibly cause a lump in someone who has already endured bc, would cause that person to wonder if what they are feeling is yet a recurrence of bc. She simply told me that until fat grafting has been perfected in that 100% of the fat that has been transferred survives, then lumps will surface and cause for unecessary alarm.

    I am super bummed to hear about the excercises we can't do I must say. I was doing tons of push ups before and now I can't! I wonder if pullups are ok? I will ask my ps tomorrow when I go in. I wanna play some golf right now but have been holding out. Need to see if I am allowed to swing right now. My husband has been going with his friends now that I haven't been able to go...he's going to get too good at golf for me to even compete with! Ugh.

  • vmudrow
    vmudrow Member Posts: 415
    edited June 2010

    hurleygirly - Let us know about the pullups - since you are going can you ask about water skiing and roller coasters?  Someone else was wondering if high inpact is ok to do with TEs or implants?  Just want to make it clear that my PS said don't try to build up the pec muscles, but building up the arms is totally good, just to do it without specifically targeting the pecs - just those three, push ups, flies and bench pressing - pull ups should be ok.

    Valerie

  • hurleygirly
    hurleygirly Member Posts: 135
    edited June 2010
    vmudrow, I am going in a few hours and will be back with some answers! I have some funny visuals in my head when you mentioned "rollercoasters". Hahahaha....
  • Kate33
    Kate33 Member Posts: 1,936
    edited June 2010

    hurleygirly- Thanks!  I am getting pretty excited/nervous/nauseous/and then back to excited about my exchange.  A week from tomorrow!

    Thanks for the info about the fat grafting.  My PS said she does it to correct any rippling, but likes to wait at least 6 months after exchange.  She never mentioned any risks, though, so that is definitely something to think about.   It seems your PS it great about giving you the whole story.

  • hurleygirly
    hurleygirly Member Posts: 135
    edited June 2010

    Ok everybody...I asked away today at the ps office. First about exercise. So, my ps said that I can do anything right now. I asked about golfing, lifting weights, pullups, pushups, water skiing, rollercoasters etc. She said everything was fine to do. The only think she had a slight concern with was water skiing in that a hard fall or impact could cause a rupture of the expanders. She just said that if you are an experienced water skiier who doesn't fall than you are golden! (=  I asked about hot tubs, since my husband and I just got one, and she said that was fine as well.

    I asked about after the final exchange and when I could go back to these types of exrecises. She said that 6-8 weeks is a good amount of time to restrain from exercise following the exchange but that after that time, your pec muscles and implant stay pretty stable and have healed so no exercise should really affect them. I know all doctors seem to have their own opinion...here is one more!

    Today I think I got another 50ccs so now I am at 270 and still no pain or weirdness. I like how these expanders are looking and am excited to keep going! I am beyond my pre-bc size! Looking perky! Laughing

  • IrishLass
    IrishLass Member Posts: 16
    edited June 2010

    Well it looks like I won't have to worry about exercise for another while... My poor sick piece of skin now has developed a hole. I'm so bummed out! I emailed a photo of it to my PS & she called me this morning & set up an appointment for tomorrow afternoon. She also put me on an antibiotic & said I would probably have to have surgery to remove the piece, hoping she can save the TE. Then about an hour ago the surgery dept. called & scheduled me for pre op & an ekg tomorrow. So, I'm off to the OR again on Wednesday...

  • TNLady
    TNLady Member Posts: 219
    edited June 2010

    I'm kind of in agreement on the whole trying to grow breast tissue back, no way!  I will have to do more research.  I have not read into the whole Brava system to make a judgement one way or the other.

    Thanks for the exercise advice girls.  I was curious about the roller-coaster rides too, we love to go to Dollywood in the Summer.  We took a spill on our bike back in the Spring, I landed right on my boobs, and they held up fine.  I think they are pretty tough.

    Kate, I'm glad you had a nice birthday weekend.  What day is your birthday?  Mine was June 14th, I just turned 42.  We took a little mini trip to Gatlinburg, TN.

    Irishlass, I hate to hear you are having healing problems.  It is good that you did not let that go.  You will be in my thoughts and prayers.

  • TNLady
    TNLady Member Posts: 219
    edited June 2010

    whitdove sent this link to me on exercising with implants, it is a thread on breastcancer.org

    http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/58/topic/720781?page=2#idx_42

  • TNLady
    TNLady Member Posts: 219
    edited June 2010

    Okay, I don't know what happened above, but click on the purple link and ignore all the other stuff! lol

  • TNLady
    TNLady Member Posts: 219
    edited June 2010

    Here is another link on exercise I pulled from the above link:

    http://www.fitnessreinvented.com/aboutDorelle.html

  • Kate33
    Kate33 Member Posts: 1,936
    edited June 2010

    hurleygirly- Yeah on another uneventful fill!  Maybe your PS should make you her "poster child"!!!

    TNLady- Happy Belated Birthday!  Mine was on the 18th.  Never thought I'd be getting new boobs for my 50th birthday!

    IrishLass- I am so sorry you are having these complications.  I know you must be so frustrated right now.  I hope your appointments turn out ok and that you heal quickly. 

  • hurleygirly
    hurleygirly Member Posts: 135
    edited June 2010

    IrishLass, Geez that doesn't sound like any fun. What do you mean by the term "hole"?  Ugh, I am sorry to hear that. Hope you get better soon!

    TNLady, Yeah I think the reconstruction part of that system is all in fat grafting. Their system allows for 95% fat survival. I think it might be some time, like anything else that hits our market, to hear both the upside and downside of the process. This is kind of funny, but I can't even imagine what real fat feels like within my breasts because after surgery my bs actually told my husband that he didn't find any fat in there...all tissue! So, silicone implants in my case will most likely feel like what I had prior to surgery. Why did I have to have fat in my butt and thighs? Why couldn't it have been in my boobs! Oh well...

  • Kate33
    Kate33 Member Posts: 1,936
    edited June 2010

    Just a reminder for anyone new on here who's already had a NSM-

    Make sure you post where you had your NSM done and the name of your doctor.  TNLady put a link at the top of this thread.  I know for me it was a challenge finding a surgeon so by doing so you're helping make it a little easier for other women to find someone.  Thanks! 

  • bcincolorado
    bcincolorado Member Posts: 4,758
    edited June 2010

    Kate, I just love your signature line!

  • Kate33
    Kate33 Member Posts: 1,936
    edited June 2010

    bcincolorado- Thanks!  It's on the t-shirt I'm going to get for my "coming out" party where I introduce the new girls!  

  • TNLady
    TNLady Member Posts: 219
    edited June 2010

    kate,  lol I thought about getting that shirt too!

    hurleygirly,  My doc told me the same thing about my boobs after surgery.  The silicone implants feel like real boobs to me, and they are nice and perky!  Mine took a little while to soften up though, I don't know if it is the same for an exchange, they may be soft from the start.

    Update on black nipple:  I am almost 7 months post-surgery and my nipple has healed nicely and has darkened back up to match the other. 

  • bcincolorado
    bcincolorado Member Posts: 4,758
    edited June 2010

    TNLady:  YEA!!!!!  That is great news!

  • sweetie2040
    sweetie2040 Member Posts: 470
    edited June 2010

    Irishlass-sorry to hear to had to go back to surgery. The same thing happened to me about three weeks after my initial Bilateral my wounds wouldn't close. My PS ended up taking me back to surgery and removed and changed out one of TE and closed the wounds. It set me back 5 weeks, but it seems much better now. I hope all went well for you,hang in there.

    TNLady-that's great about your nipple!! Mine turned black and I lost about 3/4 of it. It is now a flat pink button! The other side is perfect so I have one on and one off! What type of implants did you use. Do you know if the gummies feel just as natural?

  • Annabella58
    Annabella58 Member Posts: 916
    edited June 2010

    Hi ladies, I salute all of you, what a wonderful bunch of strong women you are!

    I have been thru this road already; I want a prophy on my remaining girl as I have had bc two times in the left one, no node involvement, no gene, just sick of the MRIs every year and the worry.  I want to be done.  So I want a prophy.

    I really, really want to keep the nipple and I know I probably won't match.  Can someone steer me to the list or PM me with it for the PS that do this?  I'm in Fairfield County, Ct and can get to NYC easily or wherever I need to go for a consult.

    Thanks!  Good luck to everyone here.

    Annie

  • Annabella58
    Annabella58 Member Posts: 916
    edited June 2010

    Kate, you crack me up!  I have the shirt also.

    I had a boob cake too :). 

  • TNLady
    TNLady Member Posts: 219
    edited June 2010

    Annie,  Welcome, the thread for "where nipple sparing surgeries are done" is up top, but I will post it here too.  I wish you the best of luck finding a doctor!  Please keep us posted on your progress.

    http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44/topic/750056?page=3#idx_62

  • TNLady
    TNLady Member Posts: 219
    edited June 2010
    Sweetie,  I have Mentor high profile silicone implants.  I don't know much about the gummies, but I am very satisfied with the implants I have.
  • Kate33
    Kate33 Member Posts: 1,936
    edited June 2010

    anniealso- I didn't think about a boob cake!  That will be perfect for my party!!!

  • vmudrow
    vmudrow Member Posts: 415
    edited June 2010

    Kate33 - how about using two of those hostess snowballs for the "boobs" on the cake?

  • vmudrow
    vmudrow Member Posts: 415
    edited June 2010

    When are you guys going to have the boob party - how long after exchange and what are you going to do exactly?  Just thinking it would be fun to have a party like that - any ideas?

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