BREAST IMPLANT SIZING 101
Comments
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spellgirl it does have a lot to do with that. I never had kids, always had very dense tissue and not very big. I remember the nurse saying my new boobie prizes would be perkier. I said I don't think so… then she took a look at my pictures and said "Yes you did have perky ones." I would say mine feel a litle softer than jello but that might be because they are warm and jello is not.0
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Nice that yours feel warm Lago! A lot of ladies report that they feel cold. I haven't noticed that much, though.
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Lago- too funny about the jello. Some of us never did do 'perky' very well! lol
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Corinne- I am a newby here too. Seems like you are on a fast track for finishing up also with a fill 3 weeks or so post surgery? I just had my first last week at 5 weeks out and have to say I don't know that I could have done one earlier. Maybe it is because of the level each of us starts out getting filled to. I have to say that there seems to be no rhyme or reason to the PS preferences and practices, from what I have been reading here! I am not sure whether i am in moderate or high TE's myself, but I was glad to see that you could have either moderate or high profile implants put in either way. Good luck with your next appointment. Hope it goes great.
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Has anyone in Virginia had the fat grafting done, and if so, where?Did you like the results? I don't think my PS offers it.
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Spellgirl: I never did 'perky' well either, weight loss, years of breastfeeding, saggy genes, etc. I am grateful though because I was able to feel my lump easily. I had a uni mx and a lift/augmentation and as far as I can tell I do not need fat grafting. It has only been 3 weeks so that can change. It is possible that you might not need grafting.0
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Welcome NormaJean- you are my neighbor! Sorry you had to join us but glad you did...
MBJ- man oh man- that is a great new avatar pic you have posted:)
Lago- my doc had me do very simple excercises that truly worked- I was so worried they were TOO simple but in the end- all of my range of motion is intact and functioning....
Stand in front of a wall and walk my fingers up until they are over my head...slowly until it becomes easier...no stressing it....Repeat a few times each day
I clasp my arms straight out in front me and then slowly raise above my head. Repeat a few times each day
there you go. simple but extremely effective in my case.
Carroll...oh sweetie it is all so tough some times, dealing with all of this crap and life on top of it. You will look great and one day the job woes will be in the past....at risk of sounding pat, it all does work out eventually...the fear parazlyzes us some of the time and then we can't see anything and it all mutliplies...remember to exhale. big hugs
OK- nips and fat grafting and fat pad removal up for this Thursday- yikes! I just posted some final pre-nip pictures giving an accurate portrayal of 3.5 months out from exchange-the good the bad the ugly...
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annette - what is a fat pad ? Good luck on Thursday. Your pics look awesome cant believe you can improve on that !
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awww shannon- you are a sweet heart:) A fat pad (which I did not know it was called until PS said I had them) is the fatty area between my armpit and breast-kind of bunches over a bra- not as noticeable since I took off some weight but I guess is fairly common after exchange when everything gets shoved out of the way so to speak. He told me I had em and he is removing em...i half wonder now that he has decided to do some fat grafting if he won't be taking the fat from there and using that for the micro grafting....I will find out Thursday when I wake up!!!
we're so close in diagnosis...only difference with me once I heard BC I said off with em! I just KNEW there would be something wrong in left breast...if not then, eventually. That picture of is so darn cute -
I am sorry you have to go through all of this crap.I am sorry any of us do....
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fat pad I've heard them called dog ears too. I didn't have those either. I sure wish I could get fat donations from people. Lots of offers.
As far as the boobie prizes feeling warm… it's warm out so I'm assuming that's why. I really hope come winter I don't end up with cold jello. I have enough trouble keeping warm in the winter.
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LOL Lago -- cold jello.
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Hello everyone! There is really alot of good info. on this thread. I am really impressed with all of the research whippetmom has done. What a great thing to help so many people!
I am an RN for a plastic surgeon. I was diagnosed with IDC and had a BMX on 5/10/11. My #2 dose of TCH is on July 7th. I had immediate reconstruction with alloderm and PMT dual stage expanders. Will have my exchange after chemo is done-probably November?
Sometimes choosing a size can be so difficult. This is what I tell my patients. I always look at the op. report and see exactly how much breast tissue was removed during the mastectomy. That will give you a good starting point. One breast size equals about 200cc. So- if you want to adjust bigger or smaller that will give you an idea. As far as the profile goes...it is totally dependant on your "hemi-thorax" measurement your PS does. Ask what this measurement is. And I'm sure whippet-mom can guide you from there. I am also happy to help, although whippet-mom is doing a fabulous job!
Best of luck to all of you! Happy 4th of July!
P.S. I would love to see the picture forum. How does that work?
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I will PM you about the picture forum Christean.
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Christean- would that hemi-thorax measurement be the same as the width measurement for TE's that the PS does? That measurement was the only one my PS took. I would also like to view the picture forum but I know I need to be on the forum for a while- just hope it is not too long as I am trying to figure out what to ask my 2nd opinion PS about my options. Do you have threads on the pic forum that allow you to see outcomes based on TE size? I have 850 cc expanders and it seems everyone else has smaller ones- just wondering if I am going to be huge or if that is just cause you ladies are all petite!
I got on the 'staying smaller' thread and had to laugh when I got to the end and you guys were talking about re-naming it! I was a B cup before surgery and wasn't really thinking about being bigger, just perkier! 0 -
Spellgirl I guess I am a pretty petite lady. If I heard one more doctor, nurse etc. tell me that I was going to scream. They even gave me a juvenile port because as the port surgeon put it "You don't have a lot of real estate to work with." I never did find out what size my TE's were because they forgot to give me my card.0
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it is really all relative spellgirl...we come in all sizes here....and everything in between! The same implants translate very differently on different bodies. Mine are 550 HP mentors which on me (at 5 foot not much and 126 lbs) translates to a 36 full C (or D depending on the bra)-but it just looks _normal_ on me...perky if you will..yet on other woman they could be huge and yet on another look like not much.
As for being petite, again, it varies so widely and so much is perception-our own and others. I would never consider myself petite as I act big!I am so good at it most freak out when I take off my shoes and come up to their armpit! hahahaha
I think the most important thing is finding the right size for YOU that will give YOU the size YOU need to look and feel YOUR best:)
The pic forum is WONDERFULLY helpful. every shape and size and configuration you could dream of is on there...in all the various stages of reconstruction. send a private message to Lilah, MBJ or Whippetmom.
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Spellgirl - Yes, your hemi-thorax is the measurement your PS took before your surgery. I am sure that he placed your 850cc expander based on this measurement. Don't worry about being too big. You can always stop when you feel like you are the right size. Just because the expander is 850cc, doesn't mean it has to be filled to maximum capacity.
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Spellgirl I sent you a PM about the Picture Forum.
Re: 850 cc expanders... that is on the large side but perhaps you are broad around the chest? You should post here the make/model of your TE (and find out what that is if you don't know). My TE was a 600cc capacity TE but my PS filled it to 850 cc's and then exchanged me to a 685 cc implant, if that helps. Not all TEs are filled to capacity and many are overfilled. Does your PS expand you larger than the ultimate implant size (as mind does)? A good question to ask your PS if you haven't yet.
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(repost)
Hey Whippetmom:
thanks for the reply. The infection was related to a small flap section of my incision going necrotic. He had placed a 350 cc implant on the modified mastectomy side where they had taken more skin. I think the stretch caused the skin to become very fragile and within days the necrosis began, and eventually dehisced through the thin skin layer. Dr. Andre de Greef is my PS and he is concerned with a flap transfer becuase of the burn scar that is on my chest. (have you seen my pics on the "other forum". I go by PitPat as well if you want to have a look at what I'm deal with). The docs really seem to address the risks of necrosis if the graft doesn't take on the keliod tissue or has the vascularity been altered by the burn injury.
I have thought about the free TRAM and your message has had me call the PS that I want a second opinion from. I live in Canada in a rural area and the original PS I am seeing is very good. Though I definately have to have a conversation with him to understand some choices he made during my initial operation. But hind sight is 20/20 and going forward is the only option now. I am leary about any loss of core muscle strength with a TRAM. Which is one reason I lurk on the TRAM boards.
I'll write down your suggestions and have them in my pocket during my PS visits. I'll also be writing down my questions for the PS. I always seem to forget "issues to be discussed" when I don't.
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PitPat: I will look at your photos. I know of Dr. de Greef....a very good and highly respected PS in Canada.
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Pit-Pat.....Oh....I did see your photos...which was why I mentioned a flap procedure. But I did not understand the history of the burn injury - as I thought it was related to radiation tx in light of your bc diagnosis. I think it sounds like you are in good hands with Dr. Andre....
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Christean- I had my first fill and am now at 720 cc's. I still look flat in front to me, but boy do I stick out on the sides! I am oozing a bit from my surgical scar on the right side, but not much- trying not to overstretch my real estate!
Lilah, My ribcage is I think 36, so I am broader than many on this forum-my expanders are Allergan 133Vs, don't know how tall they are. whippetmom said they could be medium or tall height, I think, based on the 850 cc size. My PS does plan to overexpand a bit.
Lago- I never did get called petite! what is a port, by the way? is that a drain or something having to do with chemo, which I am not going to have?
Annetek- thanks for the encouragement!
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A port is a power port that those getting chemo often have implanted surgically... I had one and could not wait to get it out! But had to have it for over a year due to not only having chemo but also Herceptin.
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I didn't get a power port-a-cath just a regular port-a- cath. It is a medical device implanted under the skin and in a major vein. The power ones are heavy duty and can be to inject dye for cat scans etc.
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If my TE are 400cc, I can't go higher than this with the exchange can I? Whippetmom, you suggest 450-475cc. Is this possible to go bigger than the TE when I have the exchange?
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CorinneM1 - I don't know the specifics of your situation but my TE's were filled with 310cc's and my PS's exchanged me for 325cc's silicone rounds.
Does your PS generally like to overfill?
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Lago -- oh sorry! I had a power port though they never used it for anything but chemo (and drawing blood for blood tests while at chemo). Same idea though
Corinne -- TEs can be overinflated. My TE was a 600 cc capacity TE but I was inflated to 850 cc's and then got an implant that was 685 cc's. Some PS's like to inflate bigger than final implant... others like to use implants that are LARGER than the amount inflated. You should ask your PS what he is planning for you. If Whippetmom has advised that specific size then you should definitely ask your PS whether he plans to put in a larger implant!
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Corinne- my TEs were 450s filled to max and the PS exchanged them for 550 mentor HP. He took several sizes in OR and promised to place the ones that fit best.
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I am curious too about how the PS finds space to place a larger implant than the te. I am in that situation too. My 275 te's are overfilled to 350, but we are going for a 400-450 implant. I hope there will be enough room- I think the extra space comes from the upper pole underneath the pec muscle, right? If so, will this affect the ptosis? Annette, did your ps explain how you were able to get a larger implant?
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Morning Dawn
I don't know if my PS likes to overfill. I will find out more tomorrow during my first fill and I want to learn more about fat grafting since this was not brought up and I learned about it/heard about it here for the first time.
Is the purpose of overfilling to allow for the "drop" when the exchange is done?
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