BREAST IMPLANT SIZING 101
Comments
-
Good luck with your exchange, TinaT! Yay for you!
Whippetmom, hope you're feeling some relief! Out of curiousity, which side of your body was your cancer on? Same side as your shingles? My PS did put off my exchange surgery because of it... He said if the blisters had been dried out/crusted over, he might have done it, but since the blisters are still fluid-filled, he's not comfortable doing the exchange. It was totally what I expected... At least now I have time to straighten out the size/type issues, etc.!
Lago, interesting link on the shingles... After reading through the thread, I am wondering now if there is some connection between the side the cancer is on and the side you get shingles on? My BC was on my right side; both of my shingles outbreaks were on my right side. In addition, I also had cellulitis in my breast on my right side a few years before my diagnosis. It seems that is the side of my body that has all the issues!
I also had wondered prior to reading your thread about the correlation between cancer and shingles... I wonder if there have been any studies done on it? Also, I just read that common complications are scarring and bacterial skin infections. Both times, I had a red streak indicating the skin infection and had to be on antibiotics.
0 -
Well I'm hoping by the time I need replacements they will last longer so it will only be once.
0 -
My shingles are on the right and bc on the left.
0 -
Allergan Style 45 - Becoming more popular....
Does your PS use these same measurements? If not, WHY not??? I know it is a bit aggravating....you are going to want to see the results, but alas...
EDITED TO STATE: Here are the immediate post-surgical results using the Style 45 implant...
0 -
"HAVING A REALLY GREAT MASTECTOMY" IS KEY TO THE SUCCESS OF BREAST RECONSTRUCTION. THE BREAST SURGEON'S ROLE IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
0 -
INTRAOPERATIVE COMPARISON OF STYLE 20 VS. STYLE 45
0 -
Deborah,
Sorry to hear about the shingles! Thanks for responding to my PM, in spite of dealing with all that!
Does anybody know if you can get the shingles vaccine in your early forties? I emailed my oncologist, and I can just imagine what she's going to say, "It makes sense, but we don't recommend that" (only because I've heard it before...).
0 -
Pink....oh yeah...same words I have heard also. But good question. There sure are a lot of women under 50 who get them after bc.
0 -
whippetmom - hello! Here is my deal - NSS BMX last Nov. w/ immediate TE's, had 3 skin revisions on left (prophy) side before losing the left TE in Jan. '11. Chemo until June, still continuing Herceptin. Left TE replaced in July. Having first fill next Tuesday (yay!) Now that I am past the main surgery/chemo phase I am focusing on recon. Here are my stats:
5'3", 125 lbs, 32" ribcage. Mentor style 7200, med. ht, recommended fill 550cc. PS will overfill. I am unaware of any specific abnormalities, am shortwaisted (shorter torso, longer legs). When my left TE was replaced after being out for 6 months it has less saline than the other side but looks very similar, I am guessing due to scar tissue. I asked my PS about whether or not this may mean that I ultimately end up with two different sized implants, he said possibly, don't know yet. At first when the TE was replaced it looked very little like the right one. I am pleased to say that now that the surgical swelling has come down they look remarkably similar - very much relieved.
What are your thoughts? Is there anything else you need to know in order to advise me? Thank you so much for this, and for helping so many. Also, I have never been to the photo site but now may be the time - can you give me the secret handshake, or should I ask someone else?
0 -
Whippetmom,
I haven't been on this forum for a while and just catching up today. Sorry to hear about your shingles. I had sent you a PM a couple of days ago not knowing.
Get well soon !
0 -
SpecialK: Lilah will either read this and contact you, or you can contact her for pictures forum information.
What do you hope to achieve from reconstruction? I can tell you what I think will look good on your frame, but it is important to get your input also. So my recommendation:
Mentor high profile smooth round silicone implant - 600 ccs or 650 ccs. I think anything from 13.5 cm to 14.5 cm would be just right for you in terms of width. I am being conservative, as I don't think you should overfill too much - with your complication history. I just mentioned Style 45 in Allergan above, which would be another option for you, if it were not for the fact that it would require 700 ccs to meet the width requirement. Also, it has so much more projection, it requires more skin flap to ensure implant coverage and again, with your TE issues, we don't want to push the envelope - literally.
I think that if your skin integrity continues to do well with fills, we should revisit how you are feeling about your size when you reach the recommended fill volume of 550 ccs.
Deborah
EDITED TO ADD: I forgot to mention your NAC sparing status. The style and volume of implant will also depend on where your NAC ends up on the mound. You want it to be in a pleasing location and so this has significant bearing on which style and volume you will end up with when it is all said and done.
0 -
terry: Oops....I think I missed your PM to me. I am afraid I am missing things, reading on bc.org from my iPhone. I'll go find it and respond right now!
0 -
Sending you a PM about the Picture Forum SpecialK...
0 -
whippetmom - thank you for answering so quickly! I see you are a SoCal girl. I am the rare born and bred Los Angeleno, I miss CA.
What I hope to achieve is a reasonable facsimile to what I had, which on a good day was B-ish. I would like for my clothes to fit, which they kind of do now just with the TE's. I need a bit more projection to completely fill out my old clothes - but I agree with you, I don't want to ask for trouble by wanting more than is prudent! I am small-boned through the shoulders, so bigger for me would probably not be better anyway. PS is happy with the skin so far, he is cautious also. My complications were below the nipple down to just above the IMF, about the size of a quarter. The good news is that I never developed an infection as many ladies do, mine was just the necrotic skin, and establishment of good blood supply under the necrosis. All incisions in the IMF healed beautifully, and it has been incised 3 times. As far as the NAC - right and left look different right now, left is higher, even though the overall volume look of both sides is pretty close. The left has less fill in it, and the nipple is slightly inverted because of that. It is looking softer every day, and in light of six months of looking like a raisin, I am happy with it so far. My first fill is next Tues. so it will be interesting to see if they match up more closely after that. We are going low and slow with fills - PS says he wants to be conservative and isn't worried about how long it takes.
I will keep you posted - and probably ask you more questions along the way! Thanks again. Sorry about the shingles
0 -
Lilah - thank you so much!
0 -
SpecialK: So perhaps 550 ccs in a high profile implant will be just the ticket for you. At that volume, I do not see that overfilling would be needed at all. We will know ever so much more when you have at least 400/450 ccs fill.
0 -
YamahaMama, I have been wondering the same thing. I had shingles Nov. 2010 and then was diagnosed with BC in Feb.2011. Makes you wonder.
0 -
Hi to everyone,
Firstly, I would like to thank everybody for creating and posting on this thread! The info and experiences here have really helped me.
A quick biography: I had a unilateral MX on 7/12/11 due to DCIS. I had immediate TE placement and am currently at my desired size after one fill. Here is the TE info: Allergan tissue expander 133MV-13 with a current fill volume of 350cc. Diameter: 13cm; height: 12cm. I am 5'6", 137 lbs, ribcage measurement is 31" or so.
I will have exchange surgery sometime in October. My goal is to do my best to match the reconstructed breast to my natural one. If possible, without a lift or augment on the natural side. I know, this will be tough to do...my PS is willing to work with me, but I know he would prefer do do a little augment on the natural side.
I would love some advice on what size and type of implant to use, to have the best possible result. If I have to alter the other side, I will...but I really prefer not to.I have posted pictures on the picture site, under my same login (lbarbados) if anyone want to see what I looked like before, and what I look like with the TE. Thanks for any advice!
0 -
Well, got the official word from my oncologist: I am well past the window for getting shingles as a result of chemo (I finished last Nov), which is more common with other types of chemo (leukemia and bone marrow transplants), so, no, it is not recommended for me...
I wonder why it's not recommended VS not necessary? Cause it really sounds like she's telling me it's not necessary, which I think is different from not recommended. Maybe I will ask, though I usually get only one response per topic...but I am grateful to be able to communicate with her by email at all.0 -
lbarbados: I commented on the pictures forum!
0 -
I had a BM and have 650 TE now. My ps filled me to 700 and says that I can get 800 at time of exchange. I am not happy with the size of my expansion now and was wondering whether the 800 are going to make me look somewhat bigger than what i am now. I would like to be larger because of my body size.
0 -
Whippetmom, I can't see what you posted until I get home from work tonight (can't look at boobs on my work computer!), but thank you in advance!
Also, sorry about the shingles. My DH had them about 5 years ago on his forehead...not pleasant for him. I hope you recover soon...
PS-- do you own Whippets? I very good friend of mine breeds them in the Chicago area, so I was around them a lot growing up. Wonderful dogs!
0 -
If I was to post my measurements do you think you might be able to help me choose the right size/type of te's and implants, so that when I go for my consultations I will have all the needed information. From reading the posts it sounds like some Dr.s use different products, regardless of the fact that certain expanders/implants might be better/worse for some women. At least if I have an idea before, this might help me choose my ps!
thanks!
Kindest regards,
Perrier
0 -
Perrier: Yes....look at the header on this thread to see what information I will need.
0 -
You look great at this point. However, in order to gain some natural ptosis, you are going to need to continue with fills. I also think that your PS is going to need to release the IMF a little in the inferior medial area. I would recommend Allergan Style 15 in either 371 ccs or 397 ccs. Another option is to use the Mentor Spectrum saline expandable implant on the MX side. Your PS can be more precise with the volume than he could with silicone - in order to get symmetry with the native breast. He could fill it gradually, giving the skin time to stretch and respond and then seal it off when you are happy with the size and symmetry. However, ripples are a concern with saline in women with thin skin and so it would be sort of a trade off. But I think that you could come pretty darn close with one of the above-mentioned implants Allergan implant. But you are going to need to fill to 500 ccs at least.
0 -
cmillie: 800 ccs will give you approximately what you have currently. If you do not feel it is sufficient, you do NOT want to go through this another time. What you need to do is switch over to saline implants. With saline, you can get up to 960 ccs. In some gals, it just makes no sense to try the silicone 800s, when we know they are not ample enough to make a presence on the chest wall. So talk to your PS. Quite a number of women have ended up going to the salines overfilled to 960, after trying out the silicone 800s. Skip that step and go immediately to saline.
Do you want to PM me all of your vital statistics [height, weight, ribcage] so that I can make sure this will be right for you?
Deborah
0 -
Yes, I have a whippet - Jack age 4 ....just one currently.
0 -
Hi Whippetmom,
Thanks for the fast reply. Sorry you had to repost the info here.
Ugh, my PS thought I was done with fills!! I am seeing him next week, I will come armed with this info.
In your opinion, is it just a pipe dream to try and match my native breast? Should I just bite the bullet and let my PS do a lift/ augment? It seems petty to be so concerned about cosmetics, but what the heck, I want the best possible outcome( like we all do!)
Thanks again! Your caring and wealth of information are really inspiring...
0 -
Lbarbados- don't ever think it is petty to think about cosmetics. I am sure there are plenty of women who decided against reconstruction and this is their own personal choice. I am a uni too, I had 2 lifts and now am ready for an implant on the native side, at the same time I am grateful that I am alive, but I also want to feel comfortable with my body.
Good luck
Patricia0 -
Lbarbados if you are going through all the pain and hassle of getting reconstruction I don't think it's wrong to try and make them match. While they might never look like identical twins they should at least look like sisters or fraternal twins. Just keep your expectations realistic. You PS I'm sure is very good but he can't completely replace what mother nature gave you.0
