BREAST IMPLANT SIZING 101
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I have a question for anyone out there who may be able to help. In Feb, I had reconstruction following a BMX with TE's. At the time my left TE had about 100cc's more saline than my right to achieve symmetry. At reconstruction, my PS put Natrelle style 15 457's in my left and 371's in my right under the same premise as my TE's. For what ever reason, my implants are now visibally unequal. I had a consult with him yesterday to have the right one revised. Now, I have never been pleased with the size or shape of the implants. They are flatter than I had hoped for. His nurse told me yesterday that I could consider using style 20 which is a higher profile to get more projection, and have both breasts done at the same time. My dilemma is this. I like the size of the left one, as well as the cleavage and how they look overall on my chest(they don't look like 2 circles sitting on my chest). I would like more projection, however, the 20 style isn't as broad as the 15's and I'm afraid that I will get the look that I'm trying to avoid, going with a less wide diameter implant, even though I would have more projection. If I go with a wider 20 to compensate for this, I'm afraid I will have too much projection. Does this make sense to anyone? Any ideas or opinions?
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annie I would think if you moved up to the 20's then your PS would choose an implant with the same width. Whippetmom can explain it better. I would be sure to give her your measurements so you can discuss what would work for you. BTW I have the Naturelle 15 and the work well for me… but they are not for everyone.0
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reposted with permission of Dunes:
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Mallory: I would not be doing push ups. Frankly, I personally would not perform any exercise which can distort the pectorals and perhaps cause some malpositioning of the the TEs or implants. I am three years out and I am just NOW incorporating a modified push up.
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Anniebell: As I posted a few pages back, using different volume implants with breast reconstruction [unless a flap is involved as well] just does not seem to render a good result. There seems to be no need to adjust the size in this manner. So if you go with a Style 20, you would need 550 ccs. What is your height, weight, ribcage circumference? Look at #4 in the header to this thread.
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Eeek....listen to kayb - not me! She is right - it is #3!
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Deborah---------hello=======sheila -----says i was deleted 7 hours ago ===wrong---deleted b/c i gave a non -BCO supported scenario=======
Deborah you are unique in all of BCO. Let all celebrate your knowledge.
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Thank you ladies for your input. Whippetmom, I'm 5'6 and weigh 150#. My rib circumference is 32.5 inches. I was thinking the 500's would be a good fit. I was being conservative. Do you still think that 550's would work now that you have my measurements? I don't want to be too big!
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Definitely 550 ccs in a Style 20. You need the width - at least 13.5 cm width. You will have the same width as the 457cc and a little more projection. They will not be too big.
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Thanks so much whippetmom!! I appreciated the feedback and input.
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whippet mom - It's encouraging to me that you are now trying a modified push up. I'm almost two years out and still can't. The most i can do with my pecs is a weighted ball on an incline and flies with a band. I really miss it. Glad to know that maybe I can still progress to something more with time.
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why isn't you cannot workout those pecs? or can you still do some light workout but being careful in the beginning? I tried some flies with light weights and it feels really odd, everything moves with them now, so I am shy to do it in pubic at the gym. But it doesn't hurt. I am wondering if I should be doing this or not. My doctor released all restrictions but always tells me be careful. It's 8 months since my exchange.
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Carrol2 my pecs don't feel as weird as they did in the fall. It does get better. It's almost a year for righty. Lefty had the revision in late October. Give it some time. I'm still laying off the exercises that target the pecs specifically for a bit longer.0
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Whippetmom - Thanks so much for your advice. I got the smooth round moderate plus profile. Not sure of the cc's - the ID card says one ref # is 350-4001BC and the other 350-4251BC, so I'm not sure if the 350 refers to cc's or not. Under the bandage they look a little on the smallish side, but I know they need time to drop and fluff. I feel fine after surgery - it's so hard to remind myself not to lift my arms too high because there's not physical impediment to doing so!
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Wow-I think that I really screwed up with the excercise. I was never told that I shouldn't do it and the PT said that I have no restrictions.
I went to the PS yesterday and she refused to take any saline out of the right. She said that my pocket is loose and it could be from the excersize and told me to stop all PT. She said that if she took any saline out they would be unequal and also that it would not make me feel better(there are 400 ccis in each now and she said they are not overfilled). She didn't seem to care about how much pain that I am currently in. So Whppet mom and others her are a couple questions-
the pain that I have is constant. In my best description it is like whatever the TE is resting on is really sore and as they move because they are loose it hurts a lot more. It is starting to give me severe shoulder and back pain as I cannot pull my shoulder back without discomfort so have to slump it in. * Will this get better and/or feel better in time and will the "loose" expander tighten up if I quit excercise?
*It was fine up until the last fill. Maybe this is a coincidence and the effects of the excersize kicked in at the same time? Or could the extra fill have caused it? IF so would it make sense to take saline out of both and go for a smaller implant? I cannot live with this kind of pain and am concerned that implants will also cause this. I will go smaller if I know that this pain will still be there.
Hope I made sense :-) Any insight would really help. thanks!
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I had pain after my last fill. How many days has it been? I couldn't do any upper body exercise with my Te's. Do you have any muscle relaxers like Valium or Flexeril? Ask your P.S. for some if you don't have any.
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I had pain after my last few expansions but only for a day. Granted everyone is different.
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It has been about 2 weeks since that fill. I did get a script for flexeril but am a little afraid to take it during the day because of drowsiness. I can't believe my PT told me no restrictions when everyone else seems to have them! And my PS never really told me anything either-only time was when I asked if I could do kettlebells and she said to wait on that. I wish she would have said not to do any pec excersizes!
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rachel: One implant is 350 ccs and the other is 425 ccs. Not sure why he needed to use this larger implant. Time will tell and we will have to see how everything settles out. They are moderate plus profile silicone rounds. But they will not be small. You will be just fine in terms of volume.
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Mallory: I remember my plastic surgeon telling me that there is no reason women should be in considerable pain with tissue expanders. She said, "if you are in severe pain, I have done something wrong and I need to fix it."
I think you need a second opinion, just so that we are reassured everything is going according to plan. I can help you with that if you PM me your location.
Deborah
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kayb:
I do pushups with my knees on the ground. I do not do plank pushups. It is hard to describe, but I just lower myself to the ground half-way and bend my arms, but I do everything I can to place all of the weight on my arms and keep my chest from tightening up. I turn my hands outward, to place more stress on my arms as well. I also do light, modified pushups on the TRX - [T-Rex] which is a weight system mounted to the ceiling. I am doing it more to fit in and to feel not so much like an invalid. I still worry a bit about doing it, I have to admit. If I feel too much pectoral animation during any exercise, I stop doing that exercise.
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I do kettlebells - swinging a kettlebell between my legs as I go into a squat, allowing the swinging motion with my arms to lift the kettlebell, rather than using my pectorals. But I waited a long time to start these exercises.
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kayb: Yes, I agree, upper body exercises would make the pectorals tighter and firmer. The concern is that the squeezing motion of the pectorals against the implants, would force them laterally and this repetitive movement could either displace them and cause them to shift laterally, and/or perhaps would distort the shape of the mound, as a result of too much pectoral animation. So as the pectorals are squeezing the implant and pressing down on the implant, the pocket laterally is being stretched somewhat. You can look in a mirror and perform a pectoral flexing movement - and see how this could occur.
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It was easy to stop eating icecream, because the scooping motion just made me nauseated, so I hear you and feel your pain about opening jars.
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yes-opening jars is still so hard-and wine bottles too!
I really do think what I did was what you are describing and now they are loose and shifting. Now the big question is-will it stay this way or with rest can it repair itself? And is the pocket doomed so that even after exchange it will be loose?
I agree that I should probably seek a second opinion. I have an appointment in 2 weeks and if they still feel like this and she will not do anything I will definitely pm you for a name. My kids are out of school so it is tough to do a lot of appointments or I would just go anyhow.
thanks!!
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Kayb I too had difficulty and it felt weird but now I have no problems unless super tight (that requires testosterone to open).0
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No ice cream scooping??? Uh oh.... this is going to be tough! But I guess my waistline would appreciate it.
Whippetmom - Interesting about the two different sizes. I haven't taken the dressing off yet, so it's hard to tell if there's any visible difference. I'll ask when I see him in two weeks.
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Very interesting discussion board. I had a right mastectomy July 2011 then went through the chemo/radiation routine. I see my PS in a few weeks about when I can start recon - skin is doing very well so BS I shouldn't need to wait too long. Plan will also include left masectomy with some sort of recon.
Based on these discussions, I'm gathering good questions. I have/had big boobs and don't want to repeat the same. I look forward to downsizing to something acceptable and comfortable.
I like my PS. Original plan was BMX w/implants but things changed during surgery with the CA and node status. Anyway - been lopsided for almost a year so I'm looking forward to these next steps. I don't do pain well, but docs are good with whatever is needed to be comfortable. Better living through chemistry.
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Hi Whippetmom! I had BMX march 1 and was implanted with natrelle style 133sv-15 tissue expanders. I had hated my big breasts all my life and was thrilled to trash those fat blobs (was 38 DD before MX). I have lost 10 lbs since MX and gone from ribcage measurement of 33 1/2'' to 32''. I want to lose 5 more lbs and am very determined. I have stressed to PS that I do NOT want to be big! He is suggesting 450 cc. implants for me. I am now overexpanded to approx. 500 cc. My husband and daughter like this size but they are at the absolute largest I can accept. I am 5' 6'' tall and weigh 140#. What do you think about my situation? PS is doing 1 more, possible 2 more expansions and I am feeling like a pole dancer! Just kidding but I am pretty tight and sore. My friend ShannonR is suggesting high profile implants. Would really appreciate your thoughts on this. Thanks so much! You are an angel for us reconstruction gals!
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My implant is still pretty tight and sore or sensitive around the edges. It feels weird to stir food over the stove. I feel the implant move in circles. My new breast is pretty high up. How long does it take to drop and look natural? It's a little better than it was, but not a normal looking breast. I wish I had the tear drop implants. That would seem more natural. I've always had full breast and they touch...no space between them. My new breast is probably about a good size C and my normal a B+. About 1 size different. My PS wants to put a implant in the normal left breast with fat grafting. If this happens, would the implant be in the breast on under the pec muscle? I'm not sure about putting an implant in the good breast. My problem is the fake breast is high and the real breast is lower. Can't tell too much when wearing a bra.
I'm 5'8" now about 140 lbs so what I have looks ok. I can't wear anything too low because of my new right super cleavage. I'm hoping the fg around the implant makes it more comfortable.
How many of you spent the night in the hospital with the lipo suction and fat grafting. I'm also supposely getting a nipple for my reconstruted breast. My ps is taking half of it from my good breast.
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