BREAST IMPLANT SIZING 101
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Hi Gals,I am cross-posting this...I am back from my fill and got 50ccs in one side to even it up. Now 350ccs on both-sides and I am done with my fills! Yeah!! My ps is doing 400-450cc high profile silicone rounds. We both agreed that having that size is a good match for my body. Any wider and they'd stick out and bump my arms."My "e-day" is July 21 as I had told you guys before. So, just have a pre-op appointment next month and we are there. Also, he gave me a set of "fipples" to wear and check out to see where to eventually place my nips. Very cool...I'll post some updated pics on the photo forum- give me day to resize the pics as it might take some time.Whippetmom, We pm'd eachother and I so appreciate your input. You were on target according to my ps. He is going to stop my fills here and give me larger implants located closer to my sternum and fuller in the upper pole. I am so thrilled!
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Hello all...
I've browsed this site and feel a relief in seeing all the helpful, knowledgable information given. Who better to 'know' really how I feel....then all of you!.
My story in short...diagnosed with High grade DCIS in January. In March I had right simple mastectomy with insertion of Mentor CPX tall height Contour Profile Tissue Expander. I've had my last 'fill' -now at 450 cc's. I'm schedule for the replacement in a couple weeks...also a lift and small implant on the left to help even things out. .Now I have concerns as to which size implant is right for me...etc.
I'm 5 foot 2 inches tall......111 pounds and my rib cage in just a tad under 29 inches. 48 years old. Now my TE seems so high to me. (I can feel it start just 2 finger widths below my collar bone.) Maybe it seems high because I'm so use to my breasts being so low....effects of gravity, childbirth...age...
MY PS said TE 'highness' is a common concern ... but that the position is OK. Its still a concern of mine -seems so abnormal. I don't want my implants starting so high...with such a big circumfrence. Yet....I'd love a little cleavage. 
I'm confused. I'm short waisted....so wondering if this comes into play.
Anyway...my PS says a 350 cc or 400 cc implant would be the range for me. Mentor Memory silicone ones have high profile, moderate plus and moderate. If I have a choice which should I choose??? I like the way the High profile implants look on the mentor website...it says 'narrow base and high projection.(Projection...that means how far they will stick out...right?) Do you think thats a good choice for me? Also should I get 350 or 400 cc's?
Thank you in advance for your input. Love, Sara
I normally fluctuate between a B or C- . (I'm looking for a "c" like look from this)
PS Can I see the photo section please?
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Sara - mine are high too but PS says its in the right place. If you send a private message to Whippetmom, Lilah or Timtam they can direct you to the photo page. I am actually a similar size and have my photos out on the forum so you can compare. I am at 495ccs on my TE side looking for a 450 implant.
Whippetmom - Have you seen my photos? I am overfilled to 495ccs and MAN I have decided I am plenty big enough today. This fill is killing me! We talked about a 350 on my good side and a 450 on my MX side. When I was at 415 I felt close but not quite what I wanted. Even my husband said today "I dont think you want to be any bigger!!!" I either have a week or 2 months to make my final decision as my PS is moving (story on my photo thread). Anyway, Id apprecate any feedback. I hope to put some pictures in a bra or clothes out there tomorrow.
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Sara-if you get to the picture site I have TE and implant photos up, I am about your size too...5'1, 110 30" rib cage, was a very small A cup (age 52 with 2 kids). I had 250 TEs filled to 330 and exchanged for 350 and 375 implants (PS had to use a different size on left and right)...I am a solid B.
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Sara: You will need the high profile style implants - as described by takeadeepbreath. I think that your PS is spot on about sizing.
I am perplexed about the high rise positioning of your TEs, since they are the CPX with suture tab style. The tabs are supposed to keep the TEs in place. You can always email me photos.
Deborah
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Had my last fill yesterday!!! So thankful that is over!! Now it is just the waiting game to schedule my implant surgery. I am at 540cc.
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Question: I am getting concerned about the way my TE look. I am wondering how my final implants will look by comparison. It's been 7 weeks since the TE surgery 650cc expanders now filled to 400cc on my way to 750cc. Right now my cancer side is a bit higher than the other side. Not so high that you notice right away but you can def tell. Also that side seems to stick out on the side less. My PS said he can even them out but I am getting worried that I might not be happy with the end result.
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Carrol, I bet whippetmom can advise you on the pic forum and I'd discuss your concerns and worries with your PS for more peace of mind. Keep us posted!
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Carroll2 - Don't worry ... but TE's were lopsided too ... and were way too far over ... kind of under my armpits. They looked so weird!! My PS fixed everything at the exchange. The TE's job is to stretch ... do tell the PS your fears ... I definitely told mine .... I wouldn't worry ... just voice your concerns.
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robynkk: Hi! I am so glad you found a PS that you are happy with, but I am shocked! I had Dr. Schooler and he did an amazing and natural looking recon on me so I was surprised to hear that he had "butchered" you! Do you mind sharing what happened? He did such an amazing job on myself and he actually rescued me from being "butchered" by a BS at City of Hope!
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How does one access the photo forum ?
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Shannon you have to be out here a little longer. Once youre ready, send a private message to Whippetmom, Lilah or Timtam and request access - they will make sure youre legitimate. This is important beause the women who put their photos on that forum trust that the women who are looking at them are who they say they are and are going through the same things...they are photos NOT for the general population.
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I am trying to decide on implants. I think I've decided against the gummies for fear of rotation & also, I'm starting to like the big look of my TE's. I have mentor 6300 tall height contour 750cc now overfilled to 840cc's. I am 5'6" 130lbs 32" under breast/rib cage. I am thinking smooth round 800cc's inamed style 20 or style 45 or Mentors high profile smooth rounds. I've read everything here and that helped me narrow it down to these. Whippetmom seems to know a lot and I would welcome her's, as long as anyone elses advice.
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Hi Whippetmom,
I had emailed you last year because my original implants were too small and too far apart. I had been expanded to 600cc and thought I was getting mentor 500cc high profile, but woke up with 450cc moderate high profile. 6 months later, I has a revision and again told him I wanted high profile 500cc mentor (round). This time I woke up with 500cc moderate high profile, but they are closer together. As the new implants settled they became obviously different size and shapes. The right one (The cancer side) is smaller flatter and higher than the left. Two weeks after the revision the PS committed suicide, so now I have a new PS. I saw him today and asked about another revision. I was told if I wanted the high profile, I would need to have expanders again. Does this sound correct? I don't want to be huge, a c would be good, I don't like these mismatched hamburger buns.
I am 4'10 with a 30 1/2 inch ribcage and from the side view look kind of flat. I was thinking a high profile implant in the 500cc would not require more expansion since the moderate ones take up a lot
of space on my chest. The new PS was not too hopeful that my insurance (BCBS of Florida) would cover another revision, however, he will try to get auth. He seemed to think insurance was obligated
to pay for the reconstruction, and it would not matter what they looked like. Do you know if there
are certain cpt codes that would be more likely to be reimbursed?
Thank you so much for your advice.
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Thankyou SuebeeBC, never dreamed it would be comforting to see other women's breasts. It is so helpful with my reconstruction anxiety to read these posts and see others having the same fears/concerns I do.
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Shannon it took me a while to get comfortable with looking....but since my diagnosis, it has definitely been a great help to me. Have you had your surgery yet? What stage of things are you at?
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nln- you poor thing- you have been through the wringer...I am sure your new PS will tell you upfront if your insurance will pay- they are good at that kind of thing...good luck with it all:)
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SuebeeBC
I had a lumpectomy in February only to find out that I had DCIS in several quadrants too. So I had a BMX on 4/7/11 with TEs. I have had 4 fills which have been pretty uneventful except for some discoloration which my PS said is the stretching. I have 500cc expanders in and am hoping to be a C cup (which is a little smaller than my presurgery size). My PS talks in terms of cc's and B, C or D cup so I am confused about what I am looking for. Not to mention that the shape (seems square) of these TEs really throws me off.
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Right they are strange. I had a uni and will go bigger than before and hope to end up with a 450. The longer youre out here, the more you'll see how the size of the TE and the size of YOU will make a difference in cup size from person to person. a 450 implant on me will bring me to a C hopefully but someone else it may be a B or a DD!!! Its also impossible for them to guarantee cup size so they dont like to speak in those terms. I dont care what I measure....Id like to LOOK like a C cup. And ACTUALLY, when I tried on some implants on my good side, the PS had me turn sideways because he like the hood to match the trunk....so my butt size came into play. LOL I thought that was pretty funny.
But looking at the TE, its higher, sticks out more and is shaped completely differently from a natural looking breast so I dont know however the PS can tell what the final result will be so in that instance I have to trust his expertise!!!
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SuebeeBC
And I thought I had trouble finding clothes to camoflage ! I bet having one expanded and one natural is really difficult. Few of my old clothes work, anything fitted shows the side foob and ripples and many others items hang. Anything low cut at all shows the top of the TE. I am starting to figure this whole implant choice out. After the surgery I was so drained that the aesthetics of the end result was the last thing I cared about. Mostly cared about drains and pain. Now that I am better and have more energy I feel really interested....maybe even excited about the implants. I love your PS making the hood match the trunk !
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Shannon my implant choice was very vague until this last fill. I was going to be a Full B...then a Full B small C...then I actually tried on implants on the natural side and liked the 350 and PS agreed...and thats how I settled on the right side. But my skin is doing well...my PS said that I would have to stop if my skin wasnt responding so well. I guess there are more factors than our desire to look HOT!!!
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Whippetmom I wanted to let you know that I ended up smack dab in the middle of your recommendations, you told me "at least 475 ccs and from there, 500 ccs or 550 ccs."
I was given 500ccs high profile, pics are on the forum! Oh trust me I TRIED for 550 but alas...it was not to be.
The good news is my TE's remained in tact until E-day came, I know you were worried!
The other good news: (at least for me) this unusual approach of 275 TE's, overexpanded to 555 seems to have left me with nearly ALL my projection. I posted pics today to compare. I am really hoping I am not swollen, I don't seem to be but we'll see. I was in denial at first and depressed after exchange but I got my head sorted out and so far, so good.
Let me know what you think, I know I have a ways to go and exchange was only Monday; but so far so good...I'm loving the upper pole and enjoying a MAJOR lack of ptosis; who needs it? I'll give up mine to someone more deserving!
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I had my last pre-op visit with my PS yesterday. He is estimating 500 cc's for implants. He will do about 200 cc's in the OR after my BMX and then begin to fill after removing the drains-which he estimates to be about 2 weeks. He thinks exchange could be as soon as October.
I still haven't decided on tear drop or round shape. I think (I'm a B cup all my life and have never had cleavage) that tear drop will be more natural looking. He said his "turn" rate is about 1%-one of the things I've been told to consider with tear drop shapes (thank you Sandy!) but I'm not convinced I want round. He said I can wait to make that final decision until after the surgery-that was a blessing.
I'm finally beginnig to put the pieces of the puzzle together-thanks to all of you. Pat
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Pat- I was trying to decide between round & gummie & I'm going with round because I think my TE may have shifted a bit....it sits higher & the fill ports are in completly different places on each side breast.
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Thanks Tara... I am sooooooo undecided at this point. I'm fairly small breasted-a small B at best and so I am tear dropped shape naturally, so thought that's what I would go with, but after talking with women here, I'm not so sure. I don't "need" or want cleavage-never had it-and I think it would be awkward for me..that being said, I don't want the gummie's to move...
My PS said I have the next few months to decide.. The exhchage will likely be In Oct. so I'm really hoping to hear from others what they decided and why.
Pat
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Regarding the teardrop shape - I'm trying to recall the conversation I had with my PS at my consult visit with him. I think I remember him saying that he would use them if that's what I had my heart set on, but he wasn't recommending them. In addition to the possibility of them turning (small chance, but apparently does happen) he had another issue with them. He said they look natural if you're upright, but if you're in any other position (like lying on your side) they just don't drape naturally. Then he picked up a round implant and held it at the top edge. Gravity causes the silicone to naturally "pool" at the lowest point. He believes the round implants more naturally mimic real breast tissue in all positions, not just upright.
One thing I've learned from being on this discussion board is that no two PS seem to be alike. Mine doesn't care for teardrops, others might think they're great. Argh, it's confusing!
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Yes, I've read what Tina said about the round silicone looking more natural with movement & that it does take a teardrop shape when upright. I would really like to hear more on this issue from people who have either. When I first met with my plastic surgeon I was set on getting the teardrop gummies....and now I want silicone rounds. Another reason I changed my mind was that I heard that you can never push them up or put them in a bra to change the shape with each outfit. I know when I had my natural breasts I had many different bras to push my boobs however they would look their best in each particular outfit.....I could push up & pad those babies to give me vava voom, or play them down.
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rehm046: My PS prefers teardrops. I went for a 2nd opinion with another PS who does only cosmetic surgery. His opinion is they are wonderful and he can hardly wait until they are approved for use other than BC reconstruction. That said, I hear they are more firm than the rounds. My exchange isn't until September so I will post before your surgery.
Of course that's assuming I don't pull my hair out with the darn hard, tight, painful TEs before the summer's over.
TinaT: I going to ask the questions about gravity. Thanks for the tip. I'm looking forward to maybe, possibly sleeping on my side again some day. That would be a true Christmas present!
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here is an experience I had yesterday while at the houston med center with my son....talking with nurse came out about my bmx, etc and she totally freaked out and said "No way, you look so good, I just figured you really just had a great figure"....what I landed up from my Mentor smooth HP 550s is a nice 36 full C that while filled out with good height and projection that does not scream boob job. I can make even more cleavage with a pushup bra if I want them looking more boobalicious or I can wear a tshirt and tshirt bra like I had on yesterday that just looks like an old chick with a decent "rack". I am not trying to be crass but it is the best way to explain it without being all technical ( I don't talk like this normally but then again, I do a lot of things now that I never did pre-BC)
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