BREAST IMPLANT SIZING 101
Comments
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urban mom - It is true that the same cc's in an implant is NOT going to look the same as the size in a TE ... it will look smaller. That's why some PS"s overfill. Best advice I have is communicate, communicate, communicate! When you like the size you're at with your TE, go bigger (at least one more fill) because you'll need more cc's in an implant to be where you're at with the TE.
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I agree with communicating your desired outcome with your PS. I got nips and fatgrafting today. When I had my exchange surgery in July, the last thing I said before they put me to sleep, was
"error big", glad I did, I got the perfect size for me, 600cc High Profiles. Today when he was marking for my nips and fat grafting, he let me look in mirror to make sure I liked position of nips, etc. The TE exchange was very easy, but I must say the areas where he took the fat really are sore. Feels like I was hit in the tummy with a baseball bat.0 -
Thank you all. I have carried Whippetmom's advice (printed out so that don't forget) to my last two PS appointments, but my PS and I haven't had the "expectations" conversation yet. Mostly, the concern has been with my skin and nipples healing. The nurses have said, "tell us when you like the way they look" and that they will then do one more fill. Since I will be living with the results of this decision for a long time and the implants will look smaller, I know that I am not ready to say "stop" right at this point. Maybe after the next fill. And maybe I just need to finally hear what the PS thinks about what size is right for me and then talk about what I would like. I was a barely B, hoping to get to a full C...whatever that may be in CCs.
I am so glad that there are happy results possible at the end of all this. I appreciate all the sharing and hand holding - I do know one thing - I NEVER would have had the knowledge to be a partner in all this important decision making if it were not for all the advice on this thread.
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Whippemom - I've been skimming this thread and thought I'd ask you for opinion regarding my future exchange. I just had a right prophy MX 2 weeks ago, but I had my left MX 6 years ago. After the initial MX, and a few PS changes, I ended up with (according to my records) a 700cc. Mentor High Profile on the right. I also had a lift and sm. implant on the left at that time to match things up. Prior to this recent surgery, I was a pretty solid 36C, and honestly am hoping to go a bit smaller. I miss my B's! The proph side now has an Allergan Natrelle 133V series TE - although that's all the card says, no measurements or even which of that series, if that matters. The card is mostly warnings about not having MRI's with it in place and potential airport security detection, also a catalog number.
The plan is for my PS to reduce the rt. side (and fix a slight synmastia), and match the lt. side to whatever the right ends up being. I am concerned now because this TE in my left feels very wide, to the point of making me wonder if I'm getting a bit of synmastia from that side now too. I still have cleavage, but it's a bit puffy over my sternum. The PS, who I do like and trust, doesn't seem to think it's a concern. I guess I'm just curious about what you would recommend size-wise for me. My current 700 cc right side sounds big, but honestly, it's been a definite C-cup. I'm 5'2", 130#, rib circ. 31". Petite, but not skinny.
Thanks for your input. 0 -
Christine47- hope the pain from fat grafting subsides quickly. I'll have that done in a couple of months. Does anyone know: if you lose weight, does the fat that was grafted diminish? I'm thin, so should I gain weight to have enough fat? But then if I lose the weight, do I lose the fat that was grafted?
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dgee: Dogears -- I had skin sparing surgery and had a lot of extra skin as I was pretty big. The way the left breast was sutured left kind of a square corner on the end and since it isn't taken up by the TE, it looks like a dogear. To make matters worse, the TE is up pretty high, so the extra skin wasn't taken up by the fill. I like my right side a whole lot better!
chilivr1228: I had 4 drains coming out of surgery. The 1st (on left side) drain was in for 3 weeks, the second drain (on the right), I accidentally pulled out in bed after 4 weeks. Then drain 3 (right side) was removed after 4.5 weeks. I developed a seroma and had to had another drain put back in the right side during week 6. That drain was removed after being in an additional 3 weeks (9 weeks post op). The last drain which was on the left was a bugger. It had gone down to 35cc's for a couple of days during week 8, but in week 9, it shot back up to between 50 and 60 cc's per day. The color changed to bright red and the PS felt that it was now causing more problems than it was doing good, so it was removed last week after 9 1/2 weeks. If I get another seroma, he will have to put another drain back in, but I am praying that doesn't happen. It was awful and I was miserable! I wanted to pull them out in the worst way! I went back to work after 7 weeks off. It was very difficult and my boss was/is kind of a jerk. It was suggested by some coworkers that I work from home, but she (my boss) said no. I could not afford to stay off any longer (gotta pay the bills), so I had to suck it up. I am doing everything I can to avoid having to put another one back in. I am wearing a cami with a light compression and a sports bra to help my body absorb any fluid. Hope it works!
Phyllis
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HeftyLefty: Wonderful!!! I am so glad you are happy!
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Rene: I will respond to your post tomorrow AM. Too much to go over using this iPhone with a depleted battery...
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howard, my PS told me the grafted fat will gain and loose with fluctuations in weight, but he can always put more. I am always in the loose weight mode. I have lost about 14 lbs since chemo and have 10 to go. I wanted my PS to take the fat from my hips or butt, but he insisted on using my belly. I thought I would save that belly fat if I even decieded to do a DIEP, he however told me that I did not have enough belly fat to do a DEIP and get anything more that a very small B. Hopefully these implants will last a long time.
I had virtually no pain with exchange surgery, but my tummy is so sore, I can hardy move. Hope this is better by monday, I am scheduled to work.
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Christine my PS went for my belly and love handle fat the first time even though I directed him to my thighs…and guess what. He couldn't find enough fat so we are doing more fat grafting at this nipple recon. He's going for the thighs this time. I think I will tell him if he can't find enough fat there he can go for the butt too. But honestly if he can't find enough fat in my thighs he might consider upping is eye glass prescription. No way is that all muscle on my thighs.
BTW I didn't even have enough tummy fat for a small A/B for one breast. My BS talked about it. Initially the plan was MX but of we found a little $hit in the other breast too.
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Lago, I am not a whimp, but my belly is so sore today, I dread changing positons, sit to stand, stand to sit, etc. I am hoping to work a half day on monday. Did you have much pain from the grafting sites?
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Christine I looked like I was beat into a gang after fat grafting. He took some from my tummy and my love handles. Tylenol took the edge off for me but remember I didn't take anything, not even a Tylenol after BMX so I have a pretty high toloerance to pain. I did find that wearing the compression garment (spanx type thingy) really felt better. You will be able to go to work on Monday. I remember going out and doing my power walks at a much slower speed with no arm swinging really soon afterwards.
My PS even told me that the fat grafting donor sites was where I would hurt the most. Hope you feel better soon.
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thanks Lago, they sent me home in a binder. It also helps if I hold my stomach when I move. I must have run into the same gang that got you.
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So our we in the Latin Queens?
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Urbanmom: In order to get approximately close to the projection of the TE's your PS would have to put in an implant 100 cc's higher then the amount expanded to. I was an A/B and my PS filled me to 535 cc's (it was all I could take) and switched me out to a 550. I would have liked to have gone another 50-100 cc's more to get the same projection I had right after exchange (mostly from swelling) but I am hhappy with what I ended up at. I am now a C/D. Hope this helps. I was very clear with my PS that I didn't want what I had, I wanted something different so that I no longer had a constant reminder of having lost my breast. It looks very natural and my upper body is now more in balance with my lower half. My PS was orignally only going to give me 375 cc's leaving me an A cup.
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Exchange is October 25th and I am going for it even though my husband is only going to be able to use his right hand. He has been very self sufficient, even drove a bit. He claims he can drive to and from the hospital and that I should not postpone my surgery. I was nervous before but now I am really nervous. It does help to hear how many of you were able to take care of yourself after the surgery.
so I am 152lbs (working on getting back to 140) , 5'7", 32 in rib cage, 650 cc expanders filled to 700cc now. I seem to be a large C small D now hard to tell I can't get any bras on cause one is higher. The PS says he will fix that.
getting 650cc high profile round gel 14.4cm, implants
PS says the end result should be a large C small D.
This is as big as he says we can go. I was a DD. I think as long as they are nice and high and have good projection I will be happy.
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Rene: Symmastia IS a concern. It is not easy to repair and it must be repaired by someone who is qualified to do so. Symmastia is almost always the result of overdissection of the pocket medially. So I would honestly recommend that you get a second opinion regarding how to proceed with this. I would consult with another PS before you have the exchange. Please PM me if you want me to take a look [you can email me a photo] or post your pictures on the pictures forum.
Deborah
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Carrol I think you will look great. Just remember to give it a few months before you react to what you see after exchange. I'm with your husband. Don't wait. If it weren't for the fat grafting I would have been fine after exchange. Just remember no heavy lifting or pushing 3lbs or more. Once you are off narcotics they will let you drive. Yesexchange is easy compared to BMX.
^ go ahead. Click it.
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Leaving for Vegas soon to join the TaTa Sisterhood for our third annual reunion!
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Deborah - In reading my post from last night, I'm realizing that I wasn't very clear. I even switched my lt. and rt. at one point! Good grief.
My synmastia is slight and it's on the side that I had done years ago by another PS. It was a gradual migration medially of that implant. Like I said though, it's very slight. My current PS is experienced in correcting synmastia and is going to address it when he does my exchange to make that side a tad smaller and match the new MX side to it. The new TE has me a bit concerned that it's kind of close to mid-line, but he feels it just seems that way because I am still swollen and the synmastia from the other side. I feel pretty good that the synmastia, whether it's slight on both sides or just one, will be corrected at exchange time. It's really the sizing and symmetry that I'm wondering about. I know it's hard to pin it down exactly but going down from a 700cc high profile implant makes me wonder how much will be too much if I want to stay at least a solid B. It sounds like such a large implant to me for making me only a C.
Thanks again for your input.
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Rene: I would not go smaller than 600 ccs in a high profile implant. You will notice a difference with 100 ccs. I mean, your PS can only narrow the pocket so much - and he is going to need to do so laterally AND medially. What is the catalogue number of your TE? We need to know the width of your current TE....
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Deborah: I so wish that I could join you in Vegas-Maybe next year!
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Whippetmom - Sorry I have not posted in a bit. Went to PS last week and had a tough appointment. Combine that with Race for the Cure and I have been a bit emotional. I did get an expansion last week and am currently at 500 ccs. The expansion did seem to stretch my lower pole region. My PS is looking at these two implants; Style 15 - 371 ccs or Style 20 475 ccs. He needs width in the implants to bring my gap in (also going to medially revise by loosening muscle and won't give me a uniboob). Remember my TEs were 12 cm wide. He explained my NAC might be off center to the outside. I think left and right they are pretty centered right now, but when he moves the implants in at exchange, they might be a bit wide. If I had my choice, I would want a high profile about 425ccs, but that is too narrow for me. I feel the 371 ccs will make me a b/c cup and I worry they won't project. I feel the 475ccs will make me a c/d cup and give me projection but might be a bit to big for me. (Note: I think the 475ccs would be fine if I was just a bit taller - 5'2") I am hoping something comes to me. Any help would be greatly appreciated from you and anyone who else this resonates with. I enjoy reading everyone's posts and learn alot. Thank you for sharing.
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Thanks for the good info on breast implants. I'm just starting my 3rd round of BC & having a BMX with reconstruction on 10/13/11. I'm meeting with the PS next week - your info has given me some additional info.
Thanks again!
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Rene: I just read your initial post again and see that you have a new PS - and that the symmastia was from the previous surgery. So this is good news...
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Thanks Lago and Christine for the fat grafting info. My turn is in a couple of months to plump nipples and fix a divot. If there's anything I need to know or should suggest or discuss with PS to have best results let me know please. I learn so much from reading this discussion board!
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Lago (and others with not enough fat): Perhaps we could workout a donor program! I am sure I have enough extra between my tummy, thighs and back that I could help you all with a little something for fat grafting.
Phyllis
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whippetmom: Met with PS today and we decided to do style 20 475ccs. This is a change from the style 15 421ccs. We had a long, great conversation and I am confident that he knows what I want now. Thanks for all of the input - I will get my exchange Thursday and gladly post about my results!
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Thanks Phyllis but my thighs and butt should be more than enough. I just don't have fat in the upper portion of my body.
Getting those spanx type things over my thighs and hips is not going to be fun after surgery. momoftwo526 my PS has me wear these compression garments 24/7 after fat grafting. I had to purchase some. Last time it was just for my tummy and love handles. Now that he's taking from the thighs I had to purchase more that cover the thighs.Hate having to buy this crap because I don't need it. I got the cheaper jockey ones at nordstrom rack.
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dgee: Great!!! I think 475ccs Is a good choice for you. Report back in when you are able after surgery.
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