BREAST IMPLANT SIZING 101
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Layla I called TSA just yesterday about the very question you had. I was told that you can go onto the TSA website (I think TSA.org) and there is a search bar in the upper right hand corner - search for Notification. There is a card that you can print out to hand to the screener before you even try to go through. The woman said you will probably have a full pat down, but that you can request a private room and can take someone with you. She advised to get to the airport a little earlier than you normally would.
lago I will be flying in a couple of weeks. Was there any additional discomfort with the TE's with cabin pressure, etc? I'm nervous that they could rupture! Tell me I'm crazy please.
And also Layla, my last fill I could only tolerate 50 on one side and 40 on the other. I'm now only 350 L and 315 R and three days later still feel like I could burst! I don't feel like I can go any further.
I have a great bandeau style bra from Kohls called Barely There which I cut the straps off of and wear 24/7. It has a little foam padding and a bit of compression, and I am much more comfortable with it on. I can hardly stand to shower!
l
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jojococo you're crazy
No bursting TE's on the plane.My PS actually gave me a Barely There bra after each surgery.
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Layla2525 - You should have been given a medical device card for your TEs. Mine were lost in the shuffle after surgery but I simply contacted the medical records department at the hospital and they sent me the page from my surgical chart that had all the numbers, etc. You should also get a medical device card when you get your implants.
I flew a number of times with the TEs and also since I got my implants. I have gone through metal detectors and the new body scanners and have not been flagged or pulled aside. This included one airport that has super-tight security.
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SMG1954 - My PS's approach was to start off with a fair amount of saline (350cc) right at surgery. He or his PA then added 50cc/fill and I got to decide how to space the fills as long as they were at least 1 week apart. For a variety of reasons I ended up spreading mine out quite a bit. They always offered that I could go back and have saline pulled off if I was too uncomfortable. When I was the size I was happy with they put in an additional 50cc - that was the "overfill" even though my TEs weren't filled to capacity (500cc in 600cc expanders).
My PS prefers to use smooth round implants so that's what I ended up with.
Good luck!
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I have a question, hope someone can answer. I am now 6 weeks post new implants, Since the 3rd week I feel a hard part at the bottom of my breast toward the underarm but not quite. I was told this is scar tissue, but it makes me very nervous. Has anyone else felt anything there? It is hard and on the corner to outside of the new breast. What can it be, is it from the implants and/or scar tissue? Thanks ladies!
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Hello everyone! Question: do you have stretch marks and if so, what are you using to treat them? My first fill 180 cc's - during surgery. My second was yesterday - 60 cc's. When my (recently dismissed) PS said don't worry about the fact that your TE's are not even, they will fix that during the exchange... I say, I don't know how to "not worry about it" and what about the added pain on my lower ribcage from the TE that is too low and what about the correlating stretch marks?
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greenmonkey - I used Palmer's Cocoa Butter daily over the skin when I had TE's - I had used it many years ago when pregnant and did not get any stretch marks on my tummy.
I flew with fully expanded TE's and a chemo port. I had my TE medical device card and my port medical device card out when I encountered the first TSA agent. They did nothing different, I just had to go in the "naked" x-ray, but they only patted down my shoulders when I stepped out the other side of the machine. The most confusing part came when they tried to give me someone's puppy who was going through the regular line! I had the same experience flying back the other direction.
On fills - I had 25cc fills weekly, and filled to 575cc in the left, 650 cc in the right. I had skin healing issues that caused several surgeries and the loss of the left TE. Once it was put back we went low and slow, and it worked out fine. I really don't think your PS should dictate a larger fill than you feel comfortable with.
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Hi Everyone,
I'm a newbie
I had my bilateral mastectomy on 2/14-- Happy Valentine's Day- hahaha! It's been a so-so recovery. I had a LOT of nerve regeneration pain on both sides,mainly under my arms and around to the back. It has just about resolved,thank goodness.
The cancer was on my right side in 2 spots, but I chose to remove both breasts. Unfortunately, my left side is having the most trouble. My nipple is/was black, but is now a giant scab that is taking forever to resolve. I may end up losing it or part of it, but my PS says not to worry because she will take care of it if necessary. I also have the most pain on the left side. My right side, the cancer side, has much more sensation and little pain- go figure!
I'm going back and forth with regards to final sizing so I'd love you experiences and feedback. Prior to BMX, I was uneven. I was a full C on the left and probably a large B/small C on the right, so ideally, I think I'd like a small C. I don't want to be really big- I'm just not comfortable with that.
I have had 3 fills and YOWZA! The first 24 hours are miserable. First fill was 30 cc's in order not to stress my left nipple skin. Second was 50 cc's and I was in misery for 2-3 days. This week I split the difference at 40 cc's and that night and yesterday were awful, but today I'm feeling much better. After surgery I had 200 cc's. Right now I'm at 320 and my PS wants to get me to 350 and then really decide how big I want to be.
I really feel like I'm huge right now if you look at me from the front. I don't like it at all. From the side they don't look that huge, but head on they are "up and out"! I can't imagine going up much more, but again,I'd love to hear your experiences and thoughts on ultimate size based on my stats/info.
My TE's are Natrelle 133V's. Started at 200 and now at 320 cc's. I'm 5'6" and 145 lbs (although hoping to get back down to 135 in the next few months). My ribcage is 31.5".
thank you all! this forum is SO helpful!
jane
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QUESTION?? Thanks in advance.
Rippling-I am post transfer nipples completed, but no tats yet. When I bend over my implants ripple. What are some solutions for rippling?? Fat grafting over the implants perhaps??
Can fat grafting be done at this point in time??
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Hi Jane-
You are really close in body size to me. In fact, I was 145 lbs in May and after the BMX in July I weigh about 138. I'm 5'5" with a 31 rib cage and have Moderate profile plus style 15-421cc'c implants. I was a small B prior and I would say I'm now a small C. I would have ideally wanted a large C. I didn't have nipple sparing but did opt to have the non cancer side removed because I wanted to reduce my risk and avoid other treatments. I wasn't on the ball soon enough so I don't know what size my tissue expanders were. Good luck with the nipple healing! I just got mine reconstructed and so I have some pretty good scabbing going on, too.
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Fighter I do believe fat transfer can be done anytime. I had fat transfer twice. I still have rippling when I bend side to side. I think some of us thin gals will always have this issue to some degree. Have you discussed this with your PS?0
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Not in length just arming myself with information before my next check-up.
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hillck - it was the cutest puppy too! That was poor wording in my post, lol - it does sound like they tried to give me a puppy both directions - ha! It was early in the morning, I had not really slept getting ready for the trip so I was exhausted, and my thought was do we all get puppies? Like party favors!
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SpecialK, as a woman who travels with her 5 lb dog often, and has had her handed to strangers, that made me laugh!!!
As I mentioned here before, I am unhappy with the uneven placement of my TE's - the right is very low and I've been in pain since my 60cc fill on Tuesday. So... I went for another opinion today and was told the right TE needs to come out. It makes sense to me but I will go for one more opinion on Monday before I make up my mind.
I feel like I have to own some of this because I was so focused on the cancer going into the surgery, that I didn't ask enough questions regarding my reconstruction. I simply road on the white coat tails of the HEAD plastic surgeon for Memorial Sloan Kettering - thinking, he's the head of a big hospital so I must be in good hands.
I'm not as miserable as I should be because at the very least, this validates my concerns but it is a set back and a disappointment.
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hillck - I wish they were handing out puppies, he really was a cutie!
greenmonkey - the good news is that if they have to swap out your TE it is a relatively easy surgery. Been there, done that.
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Special K, I thought the same thing about the puppy...too funny
greenmonkey, my ps is the head of UCSF (or what my DH now refers to as UCS(WT)F? as an institution. They focus more on the uncaring doctors they are churning out than the patients they are treating, right? I have had one miserable experience after another at the hands of the large teaching institution and am about to have a second opinion - as a result of whippetmom's input - before I take the next step. I cannot even find out the mfg/make/model of my TE's because I'm just lost in the shuffle. I want a second opinion-but cannot even go to him with the details of what is IN MY BODY RIGHT NOW that no one seems to be able to tell me because the op room didn't give details to the PA who should know because she works for the PS who ordered it in the first place. Sorry to rant.
Going to stop now before I start a pity party. But so do want to thank everyone for the wonderful sharing and compassion. This site has helped me tremendously. xoxo to all of you!
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that just made me so mad jojococo! rant on. its empowering (or at least thats how I interpret it).
and special K, thank YOU, I was wondering but afraid to ask
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jojococo - your PS should have recorded in your file which make/model/size of TE was used, or at the very least ordered. I did not get the medical device cards after my BMX/TE surgery but my PS had the info in my file and they gave me copies of the copy he had. Are they unable or unwilling to give you the info? You must be frustrated!
greenmonkey - you will start to be amazed at what seems "easy" the further into the journey you get!
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Jane: Read Summer2recover's post: This is what I would recommend for you. Allergan Style 15 in 421 ccs or 471 ccs. But I do not know your TE style. It is 133V - but either followed by two letters, such as MV or MX and several others - or a number such as "13" or "14".
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jojococo: This is an implanted device - which BY LAW must be registered and that information must to back to the manufacturer - Mentor or Allergan. So this is negligence....if they have indeed lost this information.
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Oh, and I had to chuckle about your DH's modified abbreviation for the institution... 0
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Yes, that is the new acronym for one of the most highly accredited medical institutions in the country. Don't get me started. I'm about ready to take them down...and yes, whippetmom, I can show you the email from the PA who said that it is the responsibility of the OR to provide that info, which is not in my "file" but why weren't the PS's orders there in the first place? BREATHE!!! DEEPLY!!!
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jojococo - My TE card got lost in the shuffle when I was discharged. A few days later I thought of it and called the nursing station to see if it had been left behind. No luck, but they transferred me to medical records. They faxed me a release form and within 10 minutes of sending it back to them they faxed me a copy of the page from my surgical notes that had the stickers with all the info. If your PS office can't give you the info there should be something in your hospital surgery chart. It's worth a shot..good luck!
Edited to add: Oops, sounds like you've already tried this angle???
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Greenmonkey -- sorry you've had such a disappointing start at MSKCC.... I was treated there (but not by the head guy). I've heard complaints before about that head guy. I wonder if a student doctor made the mistake? (Can't imagine how a head of a department like that could do such uneven work unless he routinely lets his trainees do some of the work). Do they have to tell you if it was a student (or in training) doctor?
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Lilah I am at a teaching hospital and I specifically asked my PS if he would be doing the surgery. He stated that he does it and maybe the fellow/resident might put the drain in. My
BS also said he does all the surgery.0 -
Lilah: I have asked someone to contact you re: your BS and PS at MSK.....
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Jojo, I already talked to my PS cuz I was worried about what the TE might do on the plane but she said no problem,its a pressured cabin and its just a plastic container of saline,there are a lot of containers with liquid in them there. All the people bring 3 oz and then of course the airplane has soda and maybe mixed drinks etc so not a problem she said but I imagined a lot of scenarios. I never got a card tho and I heard same thing that lots of women went thru security and no special notice at all with the TE. Long skirt with a bomb..lol..yep and all the other folks go thru with the headscarf and freak me out cuz I cant help but wonder if they are friendly or hostile to the USA and I guess thats a little prejudice on my part but I had a lady dressed like that with her kid a few yrs ago when we flew to CA and they were behind our seats and I had to keep telling myself she wasnt gonna do anything bad.
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I am having chemo to shrink my tumor and then must decide on a unilateral or bilateral MX. My ILC tumor makes it a health decision and not just a cosmetic decision about symmetry. The only option I have considered for reconstruction is an implant as I am now a DD and my PS says that I only have enough fat for a very small DIEP graft. I would like to have smaller, perkier boobs, but do not want to dramatically alter my appearance- I guess I don't want the public to notice a big difference in how I look. I will have to have post-op rads and am worried about tissue tightness and hardening from radiation. What can I do to get the most natural cosmetic result? TIA for any suggestions. I am grateful to you all for any tips that you could share.
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SweetCaroline there are other types of reconstruction too but they more invasive. I know a friend of mine had expanders in. She decided not to do implants and switch to bilateral S-GAP Flap. She also had rads. She is pretty happy. I haven't seen her results yet. Not sure how big they can get though. They can stack things too. This is not my PS (acutally it's my friends) but she presents almost all the options: linky0
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Lilah, at my last (and final) appointment with MSK "head" PS (Cordeiro) he stated that HE and HE alone placed my TE's. I said, "I feel as though one resident did the left and another resident did the right" and he said he did both himself. My husband was there, heard him say it. I just requested a copy of the op report - not sure how much information is in it. Tomorrow is my appointment with Dr. Pusic at MSK. I didnt have a lot of pain post BMX. All was well until my first fill last Tuesday. The pain has not subsided, if anything its gotten worse. Only the right side. left is fine. Pain on my lower lip of my rib and now under my arm. I am really cranky today. I don't want to keep taking pain pills. I'm afraid I'll become dependant. I already took one today (vicodin). I went without any on Friday but I was miserable. I have muscle relaxers but they wipe me out. Tylenol and advil do nothing. sorry, I'm so bitchy.
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