BREAST IMPLANT SIZING 101
Comments
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The best person to give you information about sizing is whippetmom. She helped me and lots of other women. You also might want to read the thread "exchange city."
I just had my exchange on 6/19. The PS used Mentor High Profile. The TE take up space and once they are removed and the implant replaces it, your size is smaller. The TE take up space. Therefore, if you like the way you look now, the PS will need to add approx 75 cc's which is the approx amount of space that the TE take up. I hope this makes sense.0 -
Ladies,
Has any of you taken accolade in order to soften scar tissue during expansion?
If so, was the treatment successful?
Thank you in advance for your help.
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Ddeal: It sounds plausible, but it all depends on the actual width and volume of your TEs. Are your TEs Mentor 450 ccs in a moderate height? If so, exchanging out to 450 ccs HPs should be a good plan for you.
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I found my card, I found my card!!!!! Yippee! Now I can give you my stats for sizing. The hospital never told me I'd even get a card, so I looked through my discharge stuff at the suggestion of the PS's secretary. :-)
I will begin by saying most of my middle age to now (61) I have been a DD to DDD. I NEVER want to be that big again! I am overweight and working it off now. I realize that, not like native breasts, implants don't grow or shrink with weight.
I would so much like to be a C cup again like I was LONG ago! LOL I am 5'2-1/2", 185 lbs, my chest is 34", and I have Allergan TE 133-MX-T, 500ccs, 13 cm, moderate profile. Thanks!!!!
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Thank you so much Lisagwa, that's exactly what I had hoped to hear, and it is make a lot of sense. And anyway, ANYthing will be better than the sagginess I had. And at the end of day, I am just happy to live.
Wippetmom, that's exactly what I have (my waist is VERY small, so they look a bit big). And I want to add an important note: I adore you and i want to thank you so much for all the work that you are doing for all of us. Best wishes to all.0 -
Thanks so much for your response, Deborah, I will ask the doctor's office for this information at my fill appointment next Thursday. I really appreciate your help!!
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Whippetmom - I second the thanks for what you do with this thread. I'm thinking of writing out suggestions for my PS about how he can better prepare women for their exchanges in terms of figuring out size, and it dawned on me - has anyone ever tried to develop some software for this? Based on what you know, if you could find a techie to put it into a formula, that would be a fantastic program, and so much help. Sort of something like Lands End's virtual model, or the "what will you look like as you age" program where you can see what different sizes might look like on you.
Just thinking...
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Sigh.....I could only wish there was a way to get an interactive model for breast recon.....but someone else will have to develop it for me.....
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Hello all,
Ive been low profile whilst healing after removal of grade 3 capsulectomy & TE revision. Ive also been on restricted movement, so am typing this with one hand (which is taking an age!!! LOL) but really wanted to share with you in detail whats been going on... hopefully this will be of some use to others...
It been a few fraught weeks, with surgical & post-surgical complications including:
- excessive blood loss in surgery,
- 500cc of blood within 24 hrs into drain - which suddenly stopped - but continued under my skin & around the implant, resulting in a flood of blood loss out of my drain site - which was most distressing!! whilst at home watching the Queen's Jubilee concert
- back into hospital... had two areas of heamatoma identified, scared++ as this can turn into contracture - a real fear given my experience
- moderate -high anaemia as a result of all the bleeding
- a breast that had hard & swollen to nearly twice its expected size...!! ( up to an e-cup z bra size) and dealing with the concerned looks of nurses & drs when checking me for my dressing change...
My point is not to scare you all but to offer some encouragement from a woman who has undergone revision treatment.
So now... Im so so proud my body's made it through all that, and the swelling has come down to a C cup compression bra, due to a combination of:
- Arnica & Bellis perellis homeopathic remedies
- stopping ibuprofin - astomishingly prescribed post op but known to cause bleeding (especially with my Hx of low clotting / bleeding - this begs' belief!!!)
- stopping all vitamins except blood building iron suppliments for the anaemia
- following the Plastics nurse's guidance to rest++ for anoher 4-6 weeks, and minimise movement with my right arm (I felt invincible on pain killers so got back to activities way too soon, and exacerbated the bleeding. Reducing movements,hasmade me more dependant on my Mom visiting from abroad for 3 weeks to help, and my partner, which I think was the hardest adjustment to make really... I am always active andthere have been tears about having to constantly ask for help regularly - Im sure Im not alone!!
And now, there is a beautiful new breast that is forming! So after the Grade 3 contracture capsulectomy & replacing my Beckers with an allergen TE, my pain is reduced by 50%, the TE is looking & feeling good & Im back on the road to hopefully a pair of foobies in the not too distant future that will help me better deal with (somewhat) this ordeal of cancer.
A warm thanks to all of you whom have supported my journey so far... Oh and Whippetmom, I got Allergen 133MX - 13cm which, filled to 300cc, is looking much more natural then my tiny tight beckers - so well done you - you got it right again! Big hug-filled thanks x
WarmlyBuddhaWolf
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buddawolf OMG! and who told you to take ibuprofen and didn't tell you to stop taking any vitamins with vitamin E in it! The only OTC med I was allowed to take was Tylenol. As you know all the others thin your blood. I'm so mad you had to go through that.0
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There is Vectra 3D imaging by Canfield Scientific, but that is mainly for augmentation patients:
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Interesting... I think it is different for us because we're left with little or nothing, and so much depends on our other anatomy. That's why I have two different size implants.
Buddawolf - It sounds like you've had a particularly rough time. Sorry to hear these past few weeks have been so stressful and painful. But glad to hear things are healing and you're feeling better about everything. I hope you enjoyed the Jubilee concert. I heard a lot of grumbling about coverage of the Thames celebration - too much celebrity chatter and not enough actual music and performances. Wish I had been able to catch some of it. Wishing you the best on continued healing and recovery.
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BuddhaWolf - So sorry you had to go through all of that
. Wow, as lago wrote, I also could only take Tylenol and my prescription meds for two weeks prior to and after surgeries - no ibuprofen, ASA, vitamins, or any herbal supplements at all. Yikes!Take good care of yourself!!!
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Oh, BuddhaWolf - gentle hugs to you...glad you are on the road to recovery after all of that!!!0
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rachel tina blessings lago, thanks for your hugs & thoughts...I certainly am on the mend,though the thought of contracture is still in my mind...
re the ibruprofen: I know, its absolutely nuts - I was prescribed this post-op by the HOSPITAL! I alerted the nurses (and my dr) that it causes bleeding...and was told 'Oh, that's only in the stomach...' I kinda played dumb at that point (better to have medical staff friend rather than foe..) but was ever so grateful for this site & the internet, so became my own physician and stopped taking it to heal myself...The homeopathic remedies were prescibed by my fully qualified, MD trained homeopath & I read scientic studies which proved these helped reduce postnatal hemmoraging so believed this helped too.
Having a medical background (I practised as a Physiotherapist) helped me in these instances to look beyond my immediate treatment plans and to look into & create a plan of my own to suppliment the medical treatment ive received...thank goodness for all the sharing that goes on in the 'global BC club', speciaaly as each country seems to have different protocols.
And Rachel, the Thames celebration in good ol' British tradition of bad weather... was at it absolute worst! It was freezing & Poored with rain most of the afternoon... there was real problems with the coverage (waterlogged digital cameras), so there was a fair bit of chatting to try to cover up malfunctions & create a cheerful mood to a great watchout! But the following day made up for it there was a huge outdoor concert for Liz outside Buckingham palace... and the weather was wonderful!!! Grace Jones,Jules Holland, Madness playing on the roof of the Palace! Elton John, Tom Jones, Kylie, Robbie Williams! basically music from each decade that Liz reigned in. It was such fun to watch, and really lifted my spirits to see such great women on the screen... Elizabeth II, Shirley Bassey,Grace Jones but Especially Kylie - 5+ yrs on after BC. Brilliant!
Warmly
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Iago: Love the video of the Sh*t Girls Say about Breast Cancer!!!! Am sending it to many!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_7JJrU9HUg&context=C322db4bADOEgsToPDskIPs_0HcwBc1cVFW_FO6DBY
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Fearlessfoot I too have sent it to many. I actually first came across the video on this site. I forget who originally posted it though.0
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Just watched that youTube, thanks for the link!
So nice to have shared sh*t
Can I add one (actually I could probably do a whole new video)(who couldn't!)
"think of it this way: you're still alive!!"
(courtesy of my sister in law...)0 -
No ibuprofen?? I just checked by discharge papers from my exchange surgery last November. Ibuprofen was the one and only thing listed for me to take for pain. Nothing about Tylenol, or anything else. Just ibuprofen which was allowed starting the day after surgery. Because I had no prescription pain meds, I decided on my own to take Tylenol after coming home the same day of surgery. I needed something and was not able to wait until the next day for ibuprofen. But I did start that the next day instead of the Tylenol as that is what the hospital instructions said was all I could use.
It looks like I was lucky. I am sorry you have had such an ordeal, BuddaWolf. Best wishes for a more easy process from here.
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Big warm hug to Buddhawolf. You are so strong and brave. You are my encouragement!
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Ladies, people make mistakes… hospitals employ people. Be sure to check if something doesn't sound right. Part of why these boards are so helpful. Yes I caught mistakes too at the beginning of my care. Doctors and nurses are great at my treatment center but there is a larger number of the support staff that is clueless and sloppy. I was actually given someone else's blood test order prior to my BMX. Talk about breaking HIPPA laws!
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Hello everyone!
I had dmx on May 15th, wasn't healing very well so had to have second surgery on June 6th to remove "dead skin" so I have stitches on outside of body now. Go back to PS on June 27th, wondering if they will remove stitches and do a fill?
I have 600cc TE's on both sides, at time of surgery PS put in 100cc's in each. I cannot lay flat in a bed b/c of sinus drainage, so sleeping in recliner, my upper back hurts some, is this normal? Maybe from laying/sitting around too much? Also having hard time determining if I have discomfort or pain from the TE's, I know that sounds stupid. Although my exchange surgery is not even scheduled, what do you think the size of the implants will be? Going with Mentor. I was a 38D before and love the cleavage. I told my PS that I would like to be around the same size as before. I'm around 5'2" and got my weight down to 154, but now it's back up to around 164.
Also was wondering if anyone goes to drag races (the nationals), the big guys like John Force, etc. We have been going to these for years and you always feel the pressure/concussion of the them taking off in your chest. I was wondering that since I have TE's if I should be concerned with anything? Anyone experience this?
Any advice would be appreciated, obviously I will also be asking my PS, but wasn't sure if anyone experienced this.
Thanks
Brenda
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LMichele yes I also hate tht when I complain about anything at all the response is always well yes but your still here ugh!
Thursday I went to a dirt track race with my TEs and to many car shows with loud engines. I know what you mean about feeling the vibration did not have any issues with my TEs. That being said I had almost no pain at all during my entire TE process jsut some slight stiffness and tightness.
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Hello to everyone here, and many thanks for the advice and input you offer on this forum.
Just really discovering this site, and I'm wondering if I need to know a LOT more than I know?! I'm scheduled for nipple-sparing BMX with placement of TE on 7/10, and have been so wrapped up in making the decision whether to go ahead with the surgery and selecting a PS (my original I'd selected had to take a leave of absense from work for a few months, and I decided to select another PS rather than wait for her return mid to late Fall) that I'm worried I could be headed for trouble.
Have had limited conversation with this new PS re: what I hope to look like after the long haul. Should I be playing a larger part in deciding which TE he's going to use in the initial surgery? How much bearing does this have in the selection of implants? I'm worried that I should have had a more in-depth discussion with him, but my initial consultation appointment turned out to be the only appointment pre-surgery, so here we go!
Basically, I'd like to look as much as possible as i do know (pre-excisional biosy though, as that took out a big chunk of a not-so-large breast). I'm only 5' 0" tall, fluctuate bet. 120 and 124 lbs, have always worn a 34C (Maidenform). I do know he said he doesn't like to overfill. . . he does use alloderm, and he uses the smooth, round, silicone allergan implants. I did contact my original PS's nurse today, and she said my file showed a tentative plan for style 20, 375 cc implants (after she'd briefly put me in front of her 4D imaging thing), and file showed my chest measurements were 11.4 (right) and 11.5 (left).
So that's all I know - - but should I just trust that this new PS will pick the right expander? Apparently he does lots more reconstructions than anyone around here, so I would think he knows what he's doing. . . I just didn't spend much time talking with him about it -
Any thoughts, suggestions, ideas? I'm starting to get really nervous about the impending surgery and loss of my breasts, and I guess I'm needing to find a little peace, so am I worrying needlessly about the details?
Thanks so much for your knowledge on this subject, Deborah, and for taking the time to hear my tale.
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annievan - Welcome to the site. You will get great support, advice and encouragement here - and you are welcome to vent and whine whenever you need to. I'm sorry to hear you have all that additional stress as you head into your surgery. From what I understand, the TE doesn't matter much - what's key is how much you have it expanded over time and then what style/size implants. If it makes you feel better, make an appointment to sit down and talk through any additional questions you have about the process before surgery, but at this point, focus on getting through the bmx, recovering, getting your arms back in shape, and then start concentrating on your top. You'll get occasional fills, and that will give you a good sense of where you want to be. Interesting that your other PS had 'plans.'
As for losing your breasts, I probably don't have to tell you it's not easy. But after surgery you can step back and realize that the cancer is gone, and you've made it through the first step of this ordeal. You're fortunate that you can have a nipple-sparing procedure; I suppose I could have on my 'good' breast, but it didn't come up. You can do it - now that I've had my exchange, I am really starting to look ahead to moving on. Yes, I miss my 'girls,' but everything has gone well and I look pretty good.
Best of luck!
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Oh thanks, Rachelvk - I think I might cry. Your reply was so sweet, and I'm an emotional blob at times these days - can't thank you enough for the supportive and helpful feedback. I'm going to take your advice and chill about this. . . one detail it sounds like I don't need to worry about right now.
Just to clarify. . . I'm not sure I characterized my PS's notes right. She just put me in front of their imaging thing so I could get the idea of how it worked and let it do the measurments, etc. I'm not sure it was nec. "a plan" -
So glad to hear you're seeing the other side of your long journey and are starting to feel better. So happy for you. It looks like it's been a very rough year for you - - so hooray that you'll hit that one year anniversary of your diagnosis feeling great!
Thanks again for your kind thoughts and support-
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Brenda and annievan- I will respond to your posts tomorrow morning...
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I posted earler, and would also like a "guesstimate" of how many cc's would be appropriate for my size.
I have been a DD to a DDD most of my middle age to now (61). I NEVER want to be that big again! I am overweight and working it off now. I realize that, not like native breasts, implants don't grow or shrink with weight.
I did find my card with the info on it! I would so much like to be a full C cup again like I was LONG ago! LOL I am 5'2-1/2", 185 lbs, my chest is 34", and I have Allergan TE 133-MX-T, 500ccs, 13 cm, moderate profile. I am currently at 250 cc's with little mounds. LOL I get 50 cc's a week, so I am thinking sometime late this summer I'll be at the size I want, maybe?
Thanks!!!
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Carroll, thanks for your response about going to race tracks. I will go and enjoy myself! Although it's supposed to be at hot one in Joliet, IN this Saturday. Luckily we have know someone who actually works for the track so if i need to find a cool place, I will be able to do so.
Annievan, I know at my first and only consult with my PS, he told me he thought just by looking at me that he would be putting in 500cc TE. I told him I wanted to try and get to the same size that I was at pre-surgery. I was also concerned that he wouldn't do what was necessary to get me there so i called his nurse and she said that they will have TE's in the surgery room ranging from 500 cc to 800 cc. That he would know more once he got in there that it all depends on your chest size. As it turns out he put in 600 cc TE.
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Annievan, this is in response to your not knowing about how you will feel after you wake up with no breasts. This is my story. On June 29, 2007 I was diagnosed with left breast cancer, had lumpectomy with chemo and rads. In April 2008 went for mammograms and they found bad area in my right breast so had to have lumpectomy, thank god it was not cancer, but it was atypiahyperplasa cells which could turn to cancer within 10 years. He also told me that if my cancer was to come back it would most likely show it's ugly head within 5 years, which I'm at the 5 year mark now. Anyway, every 6 months I had to go for diagnostic mammograms so the radiologist would tell me the results of his findings. It seems they always found "something" on my right breast and I have had many biopsies on my right breast. This last time for about 9 months something had been brewing in my right breast and I was told it was 3-4 cm which is big and was frightening to me. The radiologist suggested another lumpectomy, my surgeon who is also a scientist who came from Sweden and brought over the table where you lay face down and has mammogram technics (forgot what that is called) did biopsy instead. There is no way he could biopsy that whole area. Went back for another mammogram and was told this area is still changing. Went to my surgeon and he said that DMX was drastic for me so he suggested the BRCA testing which I am negative and a MRI to clarify what was going on. The MRI indeed showed that something was going on, that some cells were this, others were this or that and some they just didn't what they were. So obviously they didn't really know. I dreaded the thought of having a DMX, possible complications b/c of my radiated breast and it was a very hard decision to make, but I decided having the DMX was the worst of 2 evils and had my surgery on May 15, 2012. When I woke up from my surgery I had the biggest smile on my face as I was ever so happy that my problem was gone. While the TE is not the greatest thing to go through, I have no regrets. yes I have down days, but I certainly can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Brenda
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