BREAST IMPLANT SIZING 101
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amsk: Let me know either by posting here or PM'ing me that you have posted photos - as I am not there often except to look when requested to do so!
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whippetmom: will do. I am trying to figure out how to post on the picture forum (am not too technologically savvy). Thanks again. Amsk (Pam)
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Gosh, I don't know what kind of TEs are in there. But I believe he is a Mentor man, as that is what i was given to read.
Hmmm...well, I told him to keep them the same size as the expanders...I guess we'll have all these discussions Monday AM. Dang.......now I'm getting a little nervous! I just don't want that "two ice cream scoops stuck on my chest" look.
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Well, vivi...width is the key here. The implants need to be wide enough for your frame. It sounds as if your PS clearly knows what you are hoping to achieve. Please let us know how you are doing and what he ends up using for you!
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amsk: You need to go to www.drpic.com and resize your photos, save the resized photos to your server and then upload those reduced size photos on the pic forum. Reduce them by 50%.
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Hi Ladies,
can someone please PM the link to the pic forum. I have been on there a year and half but I had to restore my PC and lost my bookmarks. I have a password and have posted there but I don't have the link to get to the sign page. Thanks.
amsk-your stats are close to mine but you are about 15 pounds lighter. I also had a NSS BX. I have pics on the forum under my name if you want to see them. I had implants in a volume of 450 which looked good on my frame. I exchange out to 500 for other reasons, but just wanted to let you know that size sounds perfect for your frame. Trust Debra she knows!
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Hi Sweetie - you might already have it, but I'll PM you right now with the link...
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Hi Ladies,
I'm fairly new to these boards. I had a double mastectomy with TE's on Oct. 25. I'm feeling pretty good, chest remains very tight, more so at the end of the day. Sleeping is a challenge since I don't normally sleep on my back.
I'm currently filled to 500 on each side with 100 to 150 to go...then wait for the exchange surgery. I will find out on Monday if chemo is in my near future which will push the exchange further out.
What an interesting thread, wish I would have found it before my surgery but I didn't. When I was told I had bc I finally got to the point that I was on information overload at times. All we did was read, research and try to understand what was happening. I got to the point where I felt trust in my BS and listened to her as she guided me through the process.
I'm totally happy with my PS but it's always good to check things out. She now comes into the room and just sits down now because she knows that I will have so many questions on my pad of paper!
I see that you talk about a picture forum....can someone send me more info on that?
Thanks so much!
Keely
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Whippet: I sure will, and a big ole Atlanta "Thank ya" for all you do for all of us on here.
Your information in invaluable.
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OK everyone as whippetmom suggested i posted some pics on the forum with bras on. They don't look that bad but I still see I need to fix this somehow. the title of my thread is
6 weeks post excahnge
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I posted this update on the pic forum but thought I would post here as well. My thread is 6 weeks post excahnge.
OK everyone and whippetmom of course.
I just got back from my PS appointment. Let me know what you all think.
I told him everything that concerned me. He was not worried. He basically said he is not unhappy with where we are it's a work in progress. I told him I knew revisions were common and he said he wants to wait before he decides what is next for sure. He assured me that we will get this as perfect as we can. Here are some of the things I discussed and his responses.
First thing I said is they seem droopy. He said maybe a bit He measured from my clavicle to the high point of the breast and said for my frame that should be 19 and it was close to that.
I told him I want more bubble on top or more i guess you call it upper pole and he said he might be able to do what is called capsulorraphy to fix that. Not sure what that is I will have to google it but he showed me how it would look. He is concernd about the bottom of my left foob where you see a fold has extra skin. It is getting better since I saw him last but there is still swelling where he did lipo there so hard to tell yet how that is going to look. He may have to go in a remove a wedge of that tissue.
He def will do lip on the sides to get rid of those flaps under my arms.
I asked him if he thought i needed larger implants. He said well maybe but he wants to do everything to see how these work all the way up to nipples and if I still want them larger he said that is an easy surgery to do.
He ended the visit by saying we will get this as perfect as possible no matter what but that he does not want me to nail him down to what we say today as what we will do next. He feels he still needs to give it more time before he decides.
I don't know why I thought I was almost done. I am resigning to the idea that I still have a way to go but nothing major to be done so that is good.
And my weight is up. So I intend to lose 20 pounds so that should help a bit. He offered to do lipo elsewhere but mediciad wont cover that. I asked him about fat grafting and he laughed and said now your thinking, we will see.
So no definite answers yet. I now need to get underwire bras and wear a sports bra to bed. So happy to be rid of the strap and surgical bra.
I also now have appointment for a second opinion with Dr. Raft. He will do a fee consultation for me which is awesome.
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Help! Whippetmom, I hope you can help. I had bilateral mastectomy on July 26th, and I'm due to have exchange surgery next week. Firstly, I'd like your opinion regarding sizing. I am 5'11" and weigh close to 170 lb. My rib cage measures 301/2". I have Mentor implants, high profile, with a capacity of 550 cc. Here's the part I don't get. I was slightty smaller than a B cup before surgery and wanted to stay the same or increase to a B. The PS said clearly that he respected my preference. As he filled me, when I hit about 350 - 400 cc, I told him that I felt that was about right for me. He said he made note of it, and that's fine if that's where I want to end up, but wanted to fill me further to allow ample space....This scenario repeated itself each time I saw him and he insisted (nicely) on filling the expanders to capacity. So he filled them the entire 550 cc! he said he will bring three sizes of implants to the surgery and see. What good will that do me then? If I'm filled to 550, what are the chances of him exchanging for 400 or 450? I feel too big for myself. I tried many bras and currently fit a C! I've been an A or small B 'til now! Here's the whopper!! The doctor and his nurse forgot to take pictures before the surgery!! He apologized, and is going on based on what HE thinks will look good. He's so polite, was VERY highly reccommended, and I'm so confused! Please advise me. I have an appointment for pre-op instructions etc, on Wednesday. Rochel
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big question ladies and especially WhippetMom:
I just finished BMX with immediate silicone implants and I am horrified. I thought I had specific discussions with my ps regarding my wishes..(smaller,smaller please I dont want to look like what I was....I want to be smaller). I understand the whole discussion about width...but I now have silicone breasts that are soooo far outside....they are practically in my armpits. ps stopped by in the hospital and said give it 6 weeks, please. but if you are unhappy we will re-do. Unhappy isnt the word. I feel these implants are too wide and I look disfigured because I no longer have breasts in front...the majority is high and outside. Even my bs came in my room and said wow those are big implants. (that helped alot) How much dropping down and inside can I expect?
I am seeing bs wednesday. Cant remember when I will see ps...they work as a tight team.
Thoughts on this much appreciated thanks !
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Rochel,
I am sure Whippetmom will be along soon to give some guidance. Don't freak yet. Just wanted to let you know that I was smaller than B and my ribcage was same as yours. My TE was filled to 550cc. I felt that any bigger and I would bust out of my fitted shirts. I was exchanged for 550cc implants and now I fill out a B cup. My shirts fit fine and are not tight as when I had the TE. I don't look much different from my old self in clothes.
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Sling99, Thank you for your encouragement. I don't get it, but I'm sure glad to hear it! Rochel
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Rochel: I read your private message first and responded there... Will copy and paste it here tomorrow.
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Denjak: We can work on fixing this. I need your height, weight, ribcage ( measure under breasts) and the mfr, style and volume of your implants. You can email me photos also. PM me for my email address.
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Rochel: Everything your PS has done up to this point is perfectly fine with me! You really needed to be filled to capacity. The tissue expanders honestly should be filled to capacity to achieve the optimum expansion necessary. Once the TEs are removed, your skin will retract some and so the additional skin is required, as well as assuring complete coverage of the implant. You most certainly could have implants with a volume of around 450 ccs - and if your PS did not expand in this manner, you would have a tight, unnatural appearance. You need to stretch the skin also that you get a little natural ptosis - or droop with the implants. If not, you will have an ill-defined inframammary fold and it will look strange. I have nothing to suggest! I do feel you need at least 450 ccs - 475 ccs - in a high profile implant - for your ribcage. Or, your PS could use a 400 cc midrange profile style implant.
Let me know how it goes after the exchange.
Deborah
[Copy of my private message response to Rochel]
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I've been taking a little bit of a breather from the forums as I'm in a bit of a holding pattern right now and I haven't been posting much. I'm 15 weeks post exchange with Style 15 (mid profile?) 533cc Natrelle silicone implants. I just posted some updated pix on the picture forum.
Thanks to all (especially Whippetmom) for the support, information, and sharing of yourselves. No matter where we all are in this process I think we are always learning and the feeling of sisterhood here has made this journey a whole lot easier for me.
Best wishes!!!
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Tina: Looking good girlfriend!!! I commented over there!
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Hi...I had a double mast on Nov 7th. My PS put in tissue expanders and prefilled them. Last week he took out the stitches and 2-3 days later the left one drooped a bit. The right one (where the 2 cm tumor was) has been uncomfortable since after the surgery. It feels like something is scraping internally. He used the Alloderm and told me that these tissue expanders can be left in vs putting in implants. That was new news to me. I was a 36D or 32F depending upon the bra. My PS said that when I come back next week he wants to know if I want to go bigger or smaller. Currently my bras fit width wise but not as deep in the cup. Some of you posted how wide you feel....that's what I currently see to. Anyway I've been told that I will need chemo and possibly radiation so I will have several more months with these uncomfortable TEs but in the mean time I'm not sure what to tell the PS. There apparently is room to add more saline because I told I can feel the swooshing.....Any ideas?
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CMS2011 - I had that scraping feeling with my TE's too. As mine were filled that feeling went away. Whiipetmom is going to need to know the style and dimensions of your tissue expanders. You're in good hands here. xo
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Thanks Dawne and Cindy.
So these are Mentor implants (Siltex countour profile spectrum)...the size is 550-660 ml with a final fill volume of 580ml. I don't know how much he already pre-filled...maybe the 580 ml?
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CMS2011 - What is your height, weight and ribcage circumference? Measure under the TEs, around the ribcage.
I would not leave the Spectrums in for the long term. I have not known anyone who has done so to date. Especially so in your case, because your Spectrums are textured and not smooth and you will be at high risk for traction rippling. You want to exchange them for smooth silicone rounds - after chemo and/or rads, if it is part of your treatment.
I am also interested in knowing whether there was a good deal of skin excision involved with your BMX, because you were very large breasted pre-BMX. When you say the one Spectrum "drooped", I am thinking that the skin flaps are a good deal larger than the TEs. But you can always email me photos if we need to assess this further.
Deborah
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How do i get on the photo forum?
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Deborah,
Thanks for the advice. The discussion pre-surgery was that we would do an exchange. After surgery he mentioned that the surgeon had left him enough skin that he was able to pre-fill with saline. Maybe that is why he suggested keeping them in...but they are really uncomforable.
I'm 5"3" and weigh 150 lbs (ugh)...the ribcage measurement is 31.25 inches.
Claudia
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Claudia: I think implants with a volume of around 650 ccs would be appropriate for your frame. What do you think about the size you are currently? Granted they are wide, but do you feel that the general appearance in clothing is good for your frame?
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Dec 5 had exchange surgery and doing well. Happy with the new feel of implants verses expanders.
Is the picture available?
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vivirasselena and ingoodcompany - The picture forum is a private site, separate from BCO. You have to be a frequent poster here before gaining access. Please send a PM (private message) to Lilah, firni, or MBJ. There are a number of other moderators over there, but those are the ones I am aware of.
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Whippetmom, you continually amaze me with your knowledge...and that you take the time to walk us all through this part of the journey.
I'm seeing my plastic surgeon for my pre-op appointment tomorrow morning. I know I should be asking him something, but I'm not sure what. I'm pretty sure right now, I'm doing the blmx...although fear it. I am dreading the surgical date, Dec 27th.
This sizing thing is way beyond me. I am just going to ask the ps to make my new ones like the ones I have now. I'm going to have my dh take a picture before losing them...not sure why. The ps takes pics...not sure if I would ask for a copy. I signed that they can use the pics for teaching purposes...without showing my face...don't want finding those pics on internet.
Love to check out the picture forum, but my computer blocks me from doing it. I have seen a few picture forums of mx...just nothing right after surgery. I am not going to look at them for a long time. My bs said there is no way I can keep the right nipple, and she recommends taking the left as well...but, compromised and letting me keep it. It was enough just letting her take the breast.
Sigh
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