BREAST IMPLANT SIZING 101
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Hi folks,
I'm having my exchange surgery on fri nov 9th, I'm having Sientra teardrop shape silicone 400cc implants.
I'm 118lb and was 34A before all this, wanted a Bcup. Anyone have any experience with these implants? I've heard they're quite new.
What about recovery after surgery?? Hopefully allot easier than BMX?
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Rozem, Hang in there awhile longer before you make that decision on TE's. I am alittle over 5 wks post op, they get better!! I know it is hard. Thinking of you...
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Cailindearg,
My PS started to use the Sientra ,,,I was suppose to have my exchange oct 23 but go figure the sz he ordered for me was on back order and refuses to go to a different sz so now I play the waiting game again..stinks..0 -
That does stink sherry, back ordered, thats crazy!!
Rozem, hang in there, it was 5/6 weeks after my BMX that I was ALLOT better and felt I turned the corner!
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rozem: Honestly, you should not have disabling pain with TEs. My PS told me that if a patient has intractible pain with TEs, "then the PS did something wrong and it needs to be fixed." So in your case, I feel that you should tell your PS you want a second opinion because there is no reason you should be having such severe pain. You need to tell your BS as well. It is crazy that you are having such severe pain. Something is not right and your PS should not be ignoring this. Pain is such a subjective issue, and what is painful for one might be easily tolerable for another.
ADDED: Referable to your question about placement, yes, they can be placed over the pectoral musculature. My concern would be detection, should there be a local recurrence. If it is near the chest wall and under the pectoral AND the implant, it might take a lot longer to detect. I just do not know enough about detection issues with over the pec placement to advise. Perhaps you could have the TEs removed and just have Mentor Spectrum expandable implants placed. This would enable the PS to expand slowly over the next six months and then when you are happy with the size, he just closes off the port and the implants are now permanent. No further surgery needed.
Personally though, I think something is wrong with the placement of the TEs.
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I had a NS PBM on August 31st after a diagnosis of DCIS in my left breast. My TEs are Allergan 133sx-12 which means they are extra projection and with a suggested fill volume of 350cc. My TEs are now at 360ccs and my nipples & skin look great. My PS suggests that I fill up to 420ccs in order to have silicone implants of 425ccs to achieve a natural look with projection without looking flat. I am 5'1", 106 lbs, and my rib cage measures 30". I used to be a C/D cup and I am now at a full D cup. I am concerned that I will be too big. Will the implants look/feel smaller than the TEs? Not sure if I should fill another 60ccs. Any thoughts?
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the implants do appear smaller than the TE's. I'm sure Whippetmom will let you know what will work for you.
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Laura: I do not know why you would need to overfill to get to implants with a volume of 425 ccs....especially since you were a C/D cup pre-BMX. Make sure you tell your PS you do not want DROOP....Some plastic surgeons assume we want what we had previously. Perish the thought. These short height TEs are perfectly capable of getting you to 425 ccs without overfilling.
You will not be too big....
Deborah0 -
Hi Rozem, I'm so sorry you're suffering. I'm six weeks out from my NSBMX, and I have TE's over my pecs. (I haven't run into many others with this type of placement.) The first few weeks of recovery were rough with soreness, burning, and inability to get comfortable. Nothing that I would describe as extreme pain. In fact my complaints seemed similar to recovery stories shared from other gals on the surgery thread. I agree with whippetmom, and would check in with both PS & BS to ensure you're not having complications.
Wishing you a pain free future, ASAP! Please keep us posted.0 -
thanks so much ladies
they have ruled out infection/seromas as I have met with the PS several times. The feeling is that i have nerve issues and they have prescribed gambapantin (not sure of the correct spelling) to help with this. I have one of the top surgeons in Toronto so I am not sure how these would be placed incorrectly? in any case I will ask about the implants, that sounds interesting, noone has offered this alternative to me
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rozem --
I, like you am a newbie to all of this. BUT, is what I can absolutely tell you is that Whippetmon knows what she is talking about! I had my own issues and she was a tremendous help to me and so many others! It is such a journey frought with ups and downs and more doubts than I care to even think about. But, there are so many wonderful ladies on this site to be there for you when no one else is. Whippetmom foremost, Blessings is so very insightful and a definite blessing indeed, and Lilah who has so much to offer us newbies!! We're all going to make it and we WILL go out into the world after this experience more beautiful in what we project unto the world around us both physicsally and spiritually. Hang in there and let time take it's course. This sight has helped me on my darkest days because the fabulous ladies here have given me the strength and peace of mind I honestly couldn't get anywhere else. I wish you the best of luck on your personal journey and the best outcome possible! Hugs to all my BC sisters!0 -
Cailindearg, I realize your exchange is tomorrow so my response may not help. I was a 34C before surgery and wanted to be a 34B after the exchange. It was given the textured oval based moderate projection 290cc model (20645-290MP) and got exactly the result I wanted. However everyone is different. It was predicated on the width the inplant needed to fill (12.3"). If you are narrower or wider you may need a a different model (volume and projection). Also I am slightly thinner (110lb) and smaller volume worked well for me. My surgeon was very helpful in making the decison even though she had never used this implant before. I am sure you will be very pleased with the sientra impants, they are amazing!
Recovery was easy (practically no pain) though I underestimated the recovery time and went back to work after 5 days...I was exhausted for the next 2 weeks but am fine now. Let us know how you are doing!
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Aw, vik11 - MWAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Yes, Vik.....thank you for the sweet sentiments!
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vik11, patience is not my best quality. I was so impatient when I got my exchange and got home from hosp. The new foobs were so flat. They look so much better now. I wish everyone great looking,cancer free,new boobs for Christmas. Its funny now but at first I thought Oh My just paint the Target sign on them and call these turkeys done! Hoping to order the temp tatoo nips,I got some fake nips from Amoena but they keep falling off despite body glue. Did you decide on tatoos or surg nips?
fmaury,I got exchanged last of Aug and tried to ride a bike the other day. I could barely peddle. Didnt know how weak I got durng surg recovery.
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Ok, ladies, just had my exchange yesterday 400cc Sientra tear drop shape, the shape looks good but they look alot smaller than my TE's which were also 400cc, will they"fill out" after a while or is this it?
thanks!
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UPDATE / I finally got the courage up to seek a second opinion after my implant exchange. I am a UniMX who also had a breast lift to native side so I know they say it is more difficult to get symmetry. I have been scheduled for a revision on Dec. 21st with my original PS so to get in under this calendar year for insurance purpose. I haven't been happy with the size or shape, so when I told him this he said well you know people gain & lose weight, but we can do a revsion. I asked what would he do? His answer was that they have different shapes. And that was the end of discussion leaving it all up to his decision. So after scheduling this I began to have second thoughts if I wanted to go thru this with him if I don't have a clue if it is really going to fix the problem.
I finally found a female PS who had a cancellation to see me last Friday, I was so pleased she gave me more than an hour of her time to discuss, examine, take pictures and plan a course of surgical treatment. My 1st PS never spent more than 15-20 min. with me and never really listened to me. She stated that she thought the orignal expansion should have been more and then use a larger implant and add fat grafting to the upper pole and side divot.
This was such a relief to know that I didn't have to settle and that I should have a say in the matter not just go with what he suggests because he thinks he knows best. He never once suggested any fat grafting to the upper pole where it doesn't have that same fullness as the other side. My implant/breast now looks like a non-movable stuck on foob without any give or drop.
Her suggested plan is that I have this implant taken out/ have new expander put in to expand further and then wait 3 months before exchange (to ensure adequate time) and then use larger implant with added fat grafting.
Of course I wasn't thrilled about the additional surgery, and starting again with an expander. Another huge deductible for sure will have to be met because this is going to take more time and wouldn't get started until January.
Any of you had to go this route?? And can anyone tell me about fat grafting, has it worked for them? What problems if any have occured? I would so appreciate any insight on this.
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Janiceg415,
I am also a uni, with implant placement and lift of my good side scheduled for 11/19. I have read enough to know that revisions are pretty much the norm to try to achieve symmetry, but I am trying to stay positive and hope that I will be happy enough with my outcome that I won't want to consider another surgery.
My PS REALLY wanted me to consider "downsizing" my good breast and therefore my implant as well, but I want to look as much like the old me as possible after all is said and done. He is a skilled PS, and I have put my faith in him to take care of me. But in the back of my mind, I hear a little post surgery voice saying "told you so," so part of me is still doubting my decision.
My DH is super supportive, my kids are grown and I don't need to look like a centerfold (thank goodness!). I just want to look as much like "me" as possible before this blip in my life. It sucks that insurance is part of the equation for you and that you will end up paying more in an attempt to get more symmetry. I get it. You don't want to feel deformed in any way, perfection is likely not your goal, but you don't want to feel like a freak either.
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Janice, I was a bilateral, I am short an after breast feeding several babies, up and down with weight, etc. I was a saggy D, always buying minimized styles . I went smaller c cup and am thrilled with the results! Friday I had a little extra fat grafting and a tummy tuck. I figure that life goes on and I deserve to look good. I know that may sound vain, hope I am not offending anyone.
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staynsane
You know my PS did the exact same thing wanted to go smaller on the native side, well I don't know why the unaffected side needs to conform in some way I feel is just easier for the PS. Some of us don't want to go any smaller lets just say we are Sm/Med size so why on earth do they always want to go smaller????
My original PS never made any mention of revision until I did, he seems to think it is all fine and doesn't think it really needs fixing. I fell that he thinks I should just be thankful that I have somewhat of a breast.
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Layla --
In response to your question regarding tattos and nips, God blessed me in this area as my cancer was non-invasive and not close to the nipple, so I am so very, very fortunate that my surgery spared everything except the tissue! In addition, I required NO chemo, radiation, or hormonal therapy. Thank you, Lord! Please keep us posted on your progress! I, for one, am interested in everyone's journey and end results and I will pray for you and all my sisers here that your results exceed your expectations. Good luck!0 -
Okay, I consider myself pretty computer savy, but for the life of me I cannot figure out how to turn the message toolbar on! Anyone, please advise!
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Whippetmom: I posted a few weeks back with questions regarding implant size and I took your advice to my PS. He insists that I will not be happy with a the saline 68HP and instead is strongly suggesting the 68MP, saying I will not be happy with the look of the HP because the circumference will be too narrow and the projection to much and that they will not look right. He is not the greatest at explaining things in a way that I can easily understand and just wants me to take his word for it. He said the sizes he will take into surgery range between 390-510, which is pretty far off from what you suggested. I was starting to think I should just stop asking questions and let him do his thing, but I am so afraid that they are not going to turn out like I want. And besides, given the choice, wouldn't any woman in my shoes want the HP just so that I can have a younger look? I'm only 37 so i'm very particular about how they turn out and I DO NOT want to have a revision!! And can't afford it anyway! If you look back on the thread here, our original posts on this were between Oct 4-6. If there is anything you can help me with so I can understand this a little better, I would greatly appreciate it. I just don't feel very comfortable with the decision the PS has made on this and I just need to be comfortable with everything before moving forward. Thanks so much!!!
ETA: I am now expanded to 480 and no more expansions are scheduled.
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jmemama
I was in your shoes not so long ago. I too asked Whippetmom for her recommendation which called for larger implants than what my PS eventually used. I was totally dissatisfied with the end result. My PS sounds much the same as yours never giving much explanation, just trust him because he knows best. I think he just wanted to go the easiest route to get some form of a foob. Much to my dismay I am not happy.
One thing I learned from a recent 2nd opinion was that the implant only takes up so much of the missing breast tissue. So there is no gentle sloping on the upper pole, it is much flatter because there is no tissue or fat there. Never did he explain this and never offered anything about fat grafting. I was also told that going to a higher profile does not always achieve the best result as I have been told if you go higher profile it means you trade off for a more narrow base. This might not matter to everyone but if you have a longer or wider torso it may not be right for you.
I hope Whippetmom can either correct me if I am wrong or add more on this subject. I have yet to decide exactly what to do as my 2nd opinion PS is advising to remove expander, have new one placed, expand further and use larger implant w/fat grafting.
It is not easy making these decisions, but you sure wish you could get some assurances from your PS that the finished look will be what you want.
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janiceg415: Thank you for sharing your experience. Our situations do sound very similar. I am feeling very pressured at this point to go forward with the surgery, which is scheduled for November 27, mainly because I want it done before the end of the year for insurance purposes, and I am very uncomfortable with the expanders and can't wait to get this done and overwith so I can move on with my life. I am fearful that the outcome will not be what I want and my gut keeps telling me that it's not going to be right. I usually go with my gut, but again, I feel pressured to just go thru with it. I have an appointment on November 19th to ask my PS additional questions, but unfortunatley, if there are any changes at that point, it will delay my surgery until next year. I didn't even know that fat grafting was an option as it was never discussed. Did you end up with a MP implant? I am actually happy with the pole fullness I have with these expanders and don't want to be less full up top. Why do these men think we want to droop? Grr.
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jmemama, this is just my opinion, but I would strongly suggest consulting with another PS. Rushing to get this surgery in before the end of the year really won't do you any good if you need a major revision & it does not sound like what your PS has planned for you is going to get you to the size you said you wanted to be. I'm sure the experts will chime in here...
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jmemama,
I was also rushing to get my revision surgery done before end of year. But I kept feeling like I wasn't being given enough options to go forward with this surgery even though high deductibles with insurance make us feel like we have to get this all in before the next year.
I am probably going to tell you exactly what I didn't want to hear, but if you are uncomfortable & fearful of the outcome you may want to consider a 2nd opinion. I know it might not be possible to get this all done before end of year, but atleast you will go forward with out hesitation.
I have heard other women here talk about fat grafting, and I hope some of them can give some information regarding it. My original PS never mentioned it, but the 2nd PS has.
And as far as the upper pole fullness, I agree most of us need it. As far as the droopiness, since I am a uni and I am 55 yrs old (at time of implant exchange had breast lift on native side) but with time it wouldn't look very natural without some drooping.
Good luck and I hope you get some other comments to help you in your decision.
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Thanks for the feedback. I think my biggest hangup has more to do with HP vs. MP and the fact that I expected HP but PS is insisting on MP. I guess I don't fully understand what it is about these implants to make them HP or MP. Can someone explain? PS keeps telling me that he will make me the same size as I look now with the expanders, but according to what he has ordered for me, even if he went with the largest one, it still wouldn't get me there. I do like the upper pole fullness that I have with the expanders, and I don't want them to be any lower on my chest. It's so hard to know what to tell him b/c I can't be sure that he and I are on the same page. He seems so confident in his decision, it makes it hard for me to question when he's "supposed" to be the expert. *sigh* Sorry for the redundant questions, i'm just frustrated that the PS is not explaining things as clearly as I need him to.
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Jememama,
So sorry you are struggling to be sure you get the result you want. I am not able to explain the difference in the different implants (hopefully whippetmom will be along with some advice). What I will say is stay strong and let your PS know what your goals are! You are young and deserve to look and feel great! I was fortunate to have a PS who listened to my goals and got me there. I have high profile implants with very little droop, I wanted a youthful look. I also have had several rounds of fat grafting and the results have been amazing. Stay strong!
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Hi, jemama-
I know that whippetmom / Deborah is totally swamped with outside commitments right now and can't get back to the forum as frequently as she would like to. (Of course, she'll probably post right after I do LOL)
The issue of high profile or moderate profile has several factors. If you go to the top of this page, there is a link to the Allergan Natrelle Implant catalog. It's the last link.
If you click on the sizes your PS wants to use, you can see the exact measurements of each. Compare the HP and the MP sizes, especially in projection. This will tell you the differences between HP and MP.
Keep in mind that your implants will be squishy all over and will mold themselves to your chest wall structure after a while. They will not project nearly as much as the same amount of ccs in the TE.
It's really hard for a PS to guarantee a cup size....especially since once you are cleared to purchase regular, underwire bras, the cup size may differ according to brand.
I just had a fitting at Nordstrom this week. I tried on a thousand bras. (Or maybe it just felt like it...)
What I measured around my chest was 32-33" . The fitter brought me a 34DDD bra that fit perfectly in the cups, but was tight around the band for me. So we went to a 36DD that felt better on, but I had more trouble in the cup fitting.
One thing that many women notice is that an implant is much flatter than a natural breast - especially if you haven't had nipple or areola recon (or NSM). Therefore, there is often an empty, rippley space at the tip of the cup, and limits the type of bra you can wear. Some women choose minimizer type bras to eliminate this issue because the cups are flatter.
I am 5'5", and weigh 148. My implants are Allergan Natrelle Smooth Saline, 68HP-700s, filled exactly to 700 ccs. (My TEs were Allergan Inamed 133MV-16s, filled to 620 ccs.
I am almost 3 months out from exchange and I love how the New Girls look on me. They fit my frame perfectly.
I know you are getting anxious about the sizing issue, and I just wanted to say that you really can postpone your exchange if you are not comfortable with your PS.
Wishing you the best.....0
