BREAST IMPLANT SIZING 101
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Can your chiropractor adjust your back if you have implants? My back is killing me.
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evebarry, didn't you just have your mastectomy surgery? What is the PSs hurry in getting you filled? If you are in pain, tell them to SLOW down. I had fills every 3 weeks ( I was in chemo) and did not have my first fill until about 3 weeks following my surgery. I am not sure about seeing your chiropractor, you may not want to be on your tummy so soon, better ask first. I had a few gentle massages during the process, but on my side. Hope you are feeling better soon.
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evebarry - Sounds like you've hit a bit of a rough patch
. Is it wrong to miss your real breast? Of course not!!! It's a loss and there's a grieving process as with any other loss in your life. Your body has been assaulted so it's perfectly normal to hurt, feel miserable and blue, and wish for everything to just be the way it was. Hopefully, time will make it easier to handle.Regarding the TEs, I've read everything here from women being pretty miserable the whole way through the expansion process to having discomfort in the beginning and it gets easier to just the opposite. I had other problems during this phase, but the actual expansions were a breeze for me. I had 350cc at surgery time so things were pretty tight for a while. After that, my PS said I could call the shots as long as fills weren't sooner than a week apart. I waited a full month a few times. Also, they always offered for me to call and go in if it was too uncomfortable and they would pull off some saline (never felt the need, however).
Whippetmom and others keep reminding that TEs and implants are different and will look different so don't lose hope!
Not sure if your last post was a misprint (did you mean TEs?) or if you're thinking ahead to when your implants are in. I'm not a stomach sleeper and didn't ask during my TE phase, but I now have implants and I have the green light to lie on my stomach for massage so chriropractor should be the same. Don't know with TEs, you should probably check with your PS. Also, I know that massage therapists can do massages on pregnant women by having them lie on their side. Don't know how that would work for the chiropractor but might be worth asking if you're not comfortable on your stomach.
Feel better!!!
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evebarry: I have been going for adjustments since 6 weeks out. You can go sooner if you feel up to it. My chiropractor just made a few adjustments to how he adjusts me. It was such a relief to get those first few adjustments! I have found that my traps are extra tight and it really helps to take a hot shower just before I go. I was also able to lay on my stomache on the table until just recently at the end of my fills. I just timed it so I would see them a few days after my fills. For me about 5 days did the trick. You will know whats right for you. My Chiro had a scooped out foam pillow they use for pregnant women and we used that for my TE's.
Go see your Chiro - if they are good they will be prepared to deal with you imparements and make you feel better!!!!
Also - re: the lymph web cording - did a physical therapist break that up for you? This can be done and is life changing. Seek out someone who can do that for you if you haven't had it done already.
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Hi everyone. I've been on bc.org for a while but new to this forum. Today was my very first fill since uni mx in Nov. I had 300 ccs put in initially and today recd a whopping 240ccs! I had no idea it would be that much. I was told I have a 600cc TE. So another 60ccs would be the max. I was a 40D and now look so tiny - Especially Since the left side is still big and droopy. Now I'm at the point here I need to decide how much bigger I want to be. Initially I liked the idea of small and perky but now that I see myself with the fill, I worry that I'll look disproportionate. I am not petite! 5'8 and 200# - very hourglass shape. Defined waist and ample butt!
. I expect I'll lose more weight because I'm devoted to a completely new way of eating - no wheat, no sugar - already dropped 15#. Long story short...how did everyone decide on size? Seems like a one-time, no going back choice!0 -
During the mx surgery the plastic surgeon filled me with 30 or is it 300? today he put in 60 and next week he will put in 40. He said he could do this because he puts botox in the pec muscles which allows him to put more in than usual. In six weeks he will take out the TE and put in the implants. He does it differently due to using botox. It feels pretty tight and uncomfortable. I can't imagaine feeling like this for six weeks. Good to know that the chiropractor might be able to help with back pain.
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Thanks hillck. I'll do that. One other question. I've seen references to a photo forum. How do I access that?
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Lilah! I just saw your HNY post! Happy New Year to you also sweet thing!
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Merritt: The issue here for you is gaining symmetry with the native breast. Because you have described some significant ptosis, you will want to continue with fills to the point where some natural droop [aka "ptosis"] can be achieved. Are you going to have a reduction and/or lift of the native breast? Let me know how I can help you further - but read #3 in the header above and provide the additional info, as Cindy mentioned.
Deborah
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Hugs Deborah! I wish there was a "like" button here
Ladies re: the picture forum -- if you are new to BCO please continue posting and sharing here on BCO before contacting me or one of the other gatekeepers who help Timtam with the site. The gatekeepers are me, MBJ, Dawnehope, Estepp, and Firni. The Picture Forum is a private, separate site that has nothing to do with BCO and you have to register/join it. PM me if you have further questions. Thanks!
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I had 410 implants placed in 2005 and had to have them removed in 2010 due to a fluid collection around the cohesive gel, now I have had 3 tumors removed and one more getting ready to from other parts of my body.. my implant exchange I went with saline the second time.. I'll always wonder if the silicone cause this. I was in the FDA case study prior to the implant exchange and once they remove them No One cares anymore about you , they no longer do any check ups on you. You'd think that is when they would check the most to see your health progress.
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You could look on your surgery report to see the measure weight of the breast tussue that was removed and ask for that size implant as replacement. Not sure of which style though. My ps used style 45.
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azhelenmo1: Could you update your "diagnosis" in your profile? Also, you were a Stage 0 with your original DCIS diagnosis. So what is your stage currently? Are you going to undergo further treatment as a result of the findings? When the Allergan 410s were removed, were they intact? Was cohesive gel found outside of the capsule? You probably should get your operative and pathology reports so that you can be clear about what occurred with the 410s.
So sorry that you have had to go through this....but it sounds as though you are doing well now.
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Just to follow up, I had my exchange on 12/1 and my PS gave me mentor hi profile 425cc's. whippetmom suggested 400-425, so right on the money. PS brought in 375,400,425 and 450 into the OR. She started with the 400, then put in the 425 and she said the consensus in the operating room after they sat me up, was...."that's the one". I'm 5'3", 110lb and 28 1/2-29 1/2" rib cage measurement depending on how I breath.
I'm very happy with the results and feel overall comfortable. I was fitted yesterday at both Soma and Victoria's Secret as they were in the same mall. I'm a 32C which is a bit bigger than I originally hoped for, but I look like a B. I'm still getting used to looking so full though, but that is the nature of the round implants.
I didn't have the "oh wow these are so much more comfortable than the TE's" as I was very comfortable in my 350cc TE's. If anything, I feel the need to be more gentle (exercise/sports) with my new implants, but I am only 5 weeks out. Sleeping on my side and back since week 1. I think I've forgotten how to sleep on my stomach as I automatically support myself with my elbows and then move to my side before I allow myself to fall asleep.
Thank you again everyone.
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virtual: Thank you for coming here to let us know how you are doing! I am so glad that you have completed this major step in your reconstruction journey.
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virtual i work at Soma what bras did you get? I would like to know for myself and so I could pass it on to my customers.0
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Thanks whippetmom! I can get you the measurements. The only think I'm not sure of is the size of the TE. I know its Alloderm. Should I call PS to ask or can you assess without that detail?
Thanks!
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Getting close to recon stage 1 time and need education about what will "fit" my body. I like the feel of the silicon more than the saline, and the flaps really aren't something I've considered with surgery/recovery etc.
Basic info- 5'5", 145#, 40yo, previously wore a 34B with left being quite a full cup.
Dx 2003 right sided IDC 1.8 cm er-/pr-/her2- , 2 nodes taken- both neg (low inner quad), lumpectomy, CEF x6, rads x33 (on right)
Dx 2011 right sided IDC 1.3 cm er 7%+/pr-/her2-, simple BMX 3/11(left was prophy 450 gm, right specimen 270gm), abd hyst 4/11, Carbo/Taxotere x6 completed in Sept
Increased risk of complication due to hx rads on right is what I'm told. After my visit to the PS, I want to know what type of expanders and eventually implants to expect being suggested at my next visit before we go to surgery. Something was said, that physically I could go up to a 500-600ml expander. I held a 500ml implant in place. It felt a bit big to me but its been so long anything would...
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Your TE is Allergan. Alloderm is something different. You will need to call the PS - and the information must be recorded in your chart by law - and you should have been given a card with this information. But yes, your doctor's office can give this to you. Ask for the Style number and it should be something like this: 133V - MV, MX, SV, SX, FV, FX - followed by a volume, such as 400, 500, 600, or a number, such as 12, 13, 14, etc.
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mebmarj: So your ribcage circumference is around 30 inches? Measure it for me. Measure snug under the IM fold. Bra size does not tell me, because you probably have been wearing the wrong band size for years, as most of us learn after reconstruction.
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Wow, that's pretty amazing. 30 inches exactly! Was always hard to find things that fit the last few years because of the size difference from right to left. Stopped wearing horizontal stripe patterns because of the slope effect.
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whippetmom - I met with my PS today. He again said he would use either 400 or 500 cc TE. He says he uses the Allergan TE but the Mentor implants. He said he does overfill before the exchange and once full, I would stay in the TE anywhere from 6-8 weeks to 3 months, until he felt like they had "settled" and then he would do the exchange. I asked about smooth or textured. He said the TE would be textured but the implants would be smooth. All that sound reasonable to you? Thanks!
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bludaizy: It all sounds reasonable to me! I like his answers!
Just stick around and keep us posted here on how you are doing after the surgery and we can follow the fill process! 0 -
Whippetmom - Thanks so much!! I am so nervous about all of this...especially with surgery only a few days away
Saying goodbye to what I have is making me really sad, but I'm trying to keep positive and focus on what is to come. Thanks for all your help!0 -
mebmarj: Okay, well, so much of this is going to depend on your skin flaps after BMX [especially the rads side], your chest wall characteristics, your current IM fold placement, etc. But I think you could use implants with a range of 450 ccs to 500 ccs - in a high profile, smooth round silicone. I think that 475 ccs or 500 ccs would be my preference. A number of different tissue expander styles could get you to this point. I happen to personally like the short height TEs very much - I like the results I have seen with this style - and actually I think that they might be preferable for women who have had radiation, because they leave the upper pole of the breast alone and do not expand the pectorals. This lack of upper pole expansion might help prevent or ameliorate the superior migration we see with the previously irradiated breast. But the moderate height style TE is probably the most widely used style - and is just fine also.
The key is that rads breast and how the skin responds to expansion. Please go visit the thread entitled "Fat Graft Transfer and the Radiated Breast". Some of the links are broken and maybe I should ask Lago to go fix them for me...
But some of them work and you will find some posts by women whose plastic surgeons have employed fat grafting as part of the recon process with the previously irradiated breast. It is novel and not all plastic surgeons are on board, but you are starting from the get-go here with TEs and so why not discuss it with your PS? Please keep us posted on your surgery date!
Deborah
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OK whippetmom and all my sistas I just updated my pics on the forum I am now 10 weeks since my exchange. The last month things really look different. I posted pics of how I look now, and some bras and how I looked a month ago. I feel so much better about how things are going now. I hope this is encouraging to someone else. The thread is funny cause I am dislexic so here is how I typed it.
10 weeks post excahnge
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Carrol, you look wonderful. And it is really to compare the difference in the last set of pictures. So glad you are getting to sport some of those great bras you work around
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I just posted pics post exchange. Whippetmom, when PS discussed that he did not think HP implants were going to work I was so upset. You really came to my rescue with my crazy divots. I looked at the MPP implants you bumped up for me on the forum and felt so reassured. I took your advice and reasearched anatomical implants too. I decided to trust PS that he knew what I wanted and knew how to address my chest wall issues. I love my results. PS has me in a bra to help position them, hopefully a little more center. Nothing like getting rid of the TEs. Thankyou for your help ! This is indeed healing. Now, I just cant wait for pretty bras !
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Carrol, you look great! Love all your new bras! Absolutely fabulous! I am about 6 weeks out from my exchange and have got a few new bras too! I can see a collection starting
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Carrol and Shannon - I checked out your pics! FABULOUS GIRLS! All four of them!!!
Kickitmom: I PM'd you!
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