BREAST IMPLANT SIZING 101
Comments
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Whippetmom, wow, thanks! I asked about the additional info and will post it as soon as I have it. Now, does anyone have any advice on how to request a certain size/brand of implant? I don't want to insult my PS, but I REALLY trust whippetmom!
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sweetbean - I already knew my PS uses Allergan smooth round implants. I printed out the style/size chart from the Allergan website and highlighted the ones I was curious about (and that matched my TE diameter). I took the chart to one of my appointments and just asked my PS how he decided what to order. Having the printout made it easier to have a specific discussion about the implants. Fortunately, my PS usually orders about 5 sets to test in surgery so he had all the bases covered.
Good luck!!!
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Tina, will you show Sweetbean where to find the info to print out? I am not on the computer and cannot link. Exchange City has the Allergan PDF in the header on that thread.
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Tina, thanks - great idea! If you could help me find that info, that would be awesome!
Whippetmom, I had rads on my right breast which has made it a little uneven - a little smaller/higher/tighter. Will the 325cc will still work with radiated skin? My skin has healed remarkably well - I've been using emu oil religiously this entire time.
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Thanks, Whippetmom and Kate33, for your input on fat grafting. Deborah, Kate is so right! What would we all do without you!!!
I have gained 6lbs to get some fat and it's suprising how much that provides. I hope he sucks it all out because I tend to gain it in my waist area. If he can transfer it from there to my foobs, AWESOME!!! Every womans dream. :-)
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You can find your manufacturer and style, click the link then print out: linky
I think my PS says he usually waits 3 months post last expansion but since I had several expansions before chemo he said I only had to wait at least 6 weeks. I think I was scheduled for 6+ weeks but ended up with an additional month delay because of shingles. Also I didn't have rads. Not sure if that makes a difference.0 -
Merrittmalloy: My PS is doing mine 3 weeks out from my last fill. He told me I can go faster because I did not have rads or chemo. I was nervous too because so many Ladies have to wait so long. I emailed Johns Hopkins (they have a breast cancer board that you can ask the Docs questions on. www.hopkinsmedicine.org/avon_foundation_breast_center) they also told me that if no rads the standard wait is 3-4 weeks. It made me feel better. Hopefully they are all right!
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Thanks rubalou! That makes sense. I didn't have chemo or rads, so that must be why I don't have to wait as long.0
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There are differing opinions regarding the timing for the exchange. Three years ago when I had mine, the standard was two to three months after the last fill. I still feel that if you are small breasted and hoping to augment to a larger size, allowing the skin to rest for a longer period of time after the final fill is just a good idea and helps insure that the PS will obtain good skin closure over your larger implants.
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I, of course, have waited many months because I had rads. However, in November, which was about four months out, my skin got much softer all of the sudden. I think the muscles relaxed a lot more. The non-rads side is softer than the rads side, but still both are much, much softer. My PS and my OT said that was a very good sign.
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I should add I was small and went bigger.
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Me too, Lago. Under an A to (hopefully) a full B. I have stretched pretty well and hope he's not rushing things! I'll post back after and report on how things went.
Whippetmom, Godess of all things implant! I'm hoping he just thinks I am really stretchy! This is sooooo nerve wracking!!! (sp?)
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rubalou - did you ever think a point in time would come in your life that you'd describe yourself as hoping to be "stretchy."
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I was an A/B I'm wearing a D on occasion a C. A bit bigger than I thought but everyone says I look proportional. I'm just getting used to having T-shirts pull at the bust
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Merritmalloy - LOL!!! you are too funny!!!! I certainly did not in the manner we are speaking about here!
Lago, you go Girl!! I am having that with my TE's which look really good considering they are TE's. If my PS does as good a job with the implants I will be sooo happy! I am enjoying having something on my chest to fill out tops and am planning big shopping fun in a few months!!! :-)
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This is a great topic everyone who has TEs needs to read, we all have so many of these questions! I can not find the thread you are mentioning though "Exchange City" can you tell me where it is? I have the swap scheduled for Feb 9 and I am currently at 340ccs, I am 5'3 122lbs and want to be a size B which she said is at 270ish ccs but needs to overfill for skin expansion. I feel like I have Bricks stuck to my chest and she still wants to go up another 50ccs, I dont think I can take it, too much pain on the rad side and I feel like Im pregnant but higher up. sigh....
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B123,
I just got my last fill (400 ccs total) on the rads side....this is the only fill I've had that actually hurts....so painful
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TonLee... YES SOOO painful on the rads side, its incredible! What size will you be once you exchange? Do you need to fill further then the 400ccs? I think Im going to do one more but only 40ccs, I dont think I can take anymore pain. I know I shouldnt complain and I reallly should count my blessings (and I do everyday, every minute) but this hurts! I just dont want to be a barbie doll either, I would like to look natural and small. So nervous!!
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B123,
I'm 5'3", 115 pounds...small frame.
I am a 32-34 D on the left side. So I'm hoping we can squeeze a D out of the rads side. Though I think the TE looks smaller, the PS told me it was a little bigger than my other side...but I can't see it. (I don't know if that sounds big breasted, it is not on me...I work out so my shoulders kinda dwarf my boobs in my opinion.)
I don't have my exchange until this summer (my PS moved to Texas so I am going down there for the exchange but have to wait for kids to get out school). The PS I see right now that is doing the fills for him...is ANTI-implant BIG TIME on radiated skin.
I think my skin looks great. No marks, etc. I do have some tightening on the right side. My PS said he can "loosen" that up at the exchange.
Anyway, the PS here that does the fills....every time she gives me a fill she tells me how "damaged" the rads skin is...and I should just let her make a boob out of my shoulder muscle.
This last fill (yesterday) was the first time I had pain, and it was so bad I couldn't sleep last night. And my right arm tingles off and on. I'm def not going bigger than 400cc. I couldn't even work out today.....and the burning....what the? I thought we were supposed to be NUMB!
Not even close.
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I bumped up Exchange City - it is in the Breast Reconstruction forum category....but you need to know if you have Mentor or Allergan TEs and you need to know the style and volume...
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TonLee I'm with you on the "you aint touchin' nothin' on my back" I didn't have rads but my BS thought I would so I went into this thinking I might be skin challenged. I told my PS that I didn't want my back muscle to be touched. Either the implants work or I go without.
I had some discomfort with the last 4 of 10 expansions. Aleve worked well for me.
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ToniLee: I agree as well, that is crazy.. I wouldnt either! That is great your able to follow your PS to Texas. My skin is very dry but getting better each day, my PS seems pleased.
Whippetmom: Thank you I will go back and look there, I dont know what brand I have nor the volume and such. Maybe if I call the office they will give me the information??
Lago: Have you had the switch yet? The fills have never bothered me like this is now, I got filled 50ccs today and my rad side is killing me! I dont think I can tolerate that again.
I dont know why she wants/needs to over fill another 100ccs.. she also said that the nipples will be done after ONE YEAR!? What is that about???
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B123 my exchange with fat transfer was in June. My Nips with more fat transfer and a revision to lefty (needed a lift) were in October. I get inked a week from Friday.
Now that I think about it, my last 3 hurt. I remember #8 so well. I didn't even think I would make it to the bus stop. This is from the gal who took no meds, not even a Tylenol or pain pump after my BMX. For #9 & #10 expansion I took the Aleve just before they expanded me. Much more tolerable!
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Hey all-Posted a new pic on picture site-had NSM Dec '10 with TEs. In April '11 had exchange to 350/375 --right side was a bit lower, eventually had ripples and a flattened part at top (ripples didn't show if I stood straight so pix don't show them well). My wonderful PS was of the mindset, might as well be happy at the end of this journey...Dec '11 (a year to the day) he swapped out for bigger implants on both sides (400/450) , tightened the pocket on the ripply one and did a bit of fat grafting from my waist to fill in on that side. I'm 5'1 112 lbs. Wearing a 34C (was a lopsided small A). So far so good, time will tell!0 -
sweetbean - lago posted a link for all the manufacturers, but each implant style is listed on a separate page for the Natrelles. Here's a link to the Allergan / Natrelle catalog .pdf file. Prior to my pre-exchange appointment I printed out the TE info (pg 30-31) as well as the smooth round silicone implants (pg 12-15). Textured implants, saline implants, etc. are also included in the .pdf if that applies to you instead of smooth round silicone.
www.allergan.com/assets/pdf/natrelle_catalog.pdf
Before my appointment I highlighted my TE info as well as the implants in various styles that had similar diameter measurements. I opened the conversation by saying something like, "I assume we'll be using implants with a similar diameter as the TEs? How do we decide which style to use?"
Best wishes!
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Great insight and information. Thanks
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B123:
Please, Do NOT be down on yourself!!!! Yes, we should all be thankful but that does not mean this process doesn't hurt and we shouldn't feel the pain and it certainly doesn't mean that you shouldn't want the best outcome from your reconstruction!!!! You can count your blessings AND complain here!
Send your info to Whippetmom. You will feel reassured and comforted after talking with her.
LOL! on the pregnant foobs! I had my last fill on the 3rd and am at 350cc. I have been saying for the past several days that I feel like my foobs are pregnant! I did have discomfort through all of my fills but it would settle down after 4-5 days to achey but tolerable. This last one HURTS!
Can you ask your PS for some pain management? I have been taking ibuprofen and muscle relaxers when needed and an occasional pain pill left over from sugery to get a break from the pain. Just having an occasional break really seems to help me.
TONLEE and Lago:
I with you too - I didn't want to sacrifice another part of my body to have boobs. I'm not knocking that option for those who choose it. It just wasn't for me.
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rubalou Same here. A local friend (met here on bc.org) just did butt boobs in December. I think she got her final drains out Monday. She is so happy with them. She was all set to do implants, had the expanders and some expansions but decided to go NOLA. Neither of us were told about the microsurgery options and we both didn't have enough tummy or back tissue. (We have the same BS. I met her PS but opted for a different one). In her case she had rads and didn't like the"high maintenance of implants (massaging daily, need replacement, yearly check ups etc.) Last time I texted her she was still happy as a clam.0
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Hi Deborah..you had given me a recommendation on Dec 31st that I would probably like the style 20 with 500 cc's , but to check in with you after I reach my final fill. I just had a fill and I am up to 440 now. My stats are 5'5 1/2, 130 lbs, 291/2- 30 inch rib cage. I had Natrelle 133 mv-13. The te's projection look really good, but they seem very wide and too much in my armpits. I told my ps that I like the overall size and the perkiness looks good. We discussed exchange and he recommended the style 45's for my frame ( he said that would give me me the upper pole fullness) . He also said he doesn't overfill and would switch these out with larger implants. I said my main concern now is the t.e's seem so wide and I have quite a bit of space down the middle. I realize this is probably the nature of these coconut boobs, but he said at exchange that he would bring them closer together and they would not at all be into my arm pits. My question/ concern is that when I looked at the allergen chart the volume amount for the width of these te's is like 600 or 650(wow) that seems like a lot of cc's, or would he drop down the width since they seem so wide. Any input would be greatly appreciated! Thank you so so much!
Jennifer0 -
Has anyone had thier exchange done through the IMF instead of back through the original scars from thier BMX. Mine have healed so nicely and I am thinking of asking my PS if he can go through the IMF instead of re-opening them. I'm just wondering about the new 'cutting', pain, etc. Although I think they cut there anyway ?????
If anyone has an experience or knowledge I would appreciate hearing it.
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