BREAST IMPLANT SIZING 101
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obx..i should have picked up on obx=outer banks! i am near RDU..one foot in raleigh n one foot in durham! i have never been, but want to! we usually head out to holden beach for vacas..
thanks for sharing! thete is another nc gal too! not sure how much mine will drop n fluff as they are anatomicals..but softer than 410s. i plan to shower today and will check them out! i have pretty good projection so far! did u do forum photos? i am much more sore today..feel like i had surgery or something yesterday! whippet..yes agree with great new pic, but i thought u looked great in the other one too! very pretty gal!
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I find the picture forum a little hard to navigate. I guess I thought there would just be a link to before and after photos? Looks like you have to weed through post and find them?
I recently have run into a few ladies online who got the same implants as I am getting and are filled to the same amount 500-550 and are D cup!! YIKES I do NOT want to be a D cup. Does this have to do with them being a smaller rib cage?? They were both about the same height. They weighed a bit less, but I am up in weight thanks to this chemo:-( My rib cage is larger though...... I was also measured yesterday at my hospital. They have an entire prosthetics room for mastectomy bra fittings and they measured my TE with my ribcage a C cup at the now 500 cc I was thinking of going up to 550 cc but gezzz will that top me off at a D cup?? Or do the implants look, feel, and measure smaller once they are in there? I realize they are softer so maybe they will?? I am losing sleep over 50cc!!!!!!
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Tangles: I haven't exchanged yet so am unable to advise you there. I did, however, want to tell you that you are a beautiful woman with a great smile! I haven't decided on which photo to use here, much less figure out how to actually upload it when I do!
I have a hard time navigating the picture forum too. You can PM Nowheregirl or Lilah for some help with that. I printed off the directions one of them gave me but that's at home right now and I'm at work.
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Bras size has to do with the relationship of rib cage (band size) to cup size. So if your friends have tiny ribs and the same size implants their band size would be smaller and their cup size larger than yours.
It is VERY hard to do, but try NOT to get stuck on letters and numbers!!! Go on what you hope to look like. The first time you get professionally fitted for a bra you may have some sticker shock. I sure did!!! The fitter said, "Do not look at the tag!!"
(Yes. Of course I looked. 4Ds . FOUR OF THEM!!! I did not even know that existed!! But I LOOK like a D at most. Smaller ribcage. Larger cup size. Huge mental adjustment.)0 -
I'm sitting here looking at my very swollen new girls and I'm wondering when the swelling will go down so I can get an idea of my final size. I'd like to look at bras but I know it's kind of pointless right now. Right now I'm wearing the coobie and barely there bras so I haven't got any clue of what size I am. How long does it normally take to get an idea of what the finished product will be size-wise?
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monicaelise - Two weeks....sometimes up to a month if significant pocket work has been done at the time of exchange.
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Wish there was a "Like" button Dulcigirl....
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Thanks, Deborah & Monicaelise... Almost posted about swelling last night (am only a couple days since exchange, lots of swelling still) but felt like I was whining. Have a call to PS about pain and swelling. Hoping both end soon.
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tangles: The pictures forum is very easy to navigate. It is a personal site where actual members of BC.org post the most intimate details of their lives in photos. Some women post photos of their breasts prior to BMX, but frankly, most do not. There are other websites that do, and you can google "before and after breast reconstruction photos" and find plastic surgeons who post B and A photos of their patients.
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Thanks! Looks like I've got about 3.5 weeks to go lol...
(For the first time in my life, the term "jugs" seems applicable)
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2ndtimearound: You do want to watch for swelling accompanied by severe pain and fever and watch for any signs of infection. Always call your doctor's office if you have any of these symptoms after the exchange.
EDITED TO ADD: This applies to all of the newly exchanged gals....0 -
thanks whippet..i am much more sore today than yesterday after surgery..can really feel the pocket work on the right where he moved it in towards sternum and out of my armpit..ouch! i am thinking this is normal 1 day post op!..when i am relaxing on couch, am ok,,but when i stand up..yeeouch! i was making kids lunches today and couldnt wait to get some food in me to take pain med..i will try and put some pics on forum...thanks for all u do ladies!
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I feel like the teacher just gave me a gold star, Deborah!! ;-)
Swollen people: I feel like my swelling is FINALLY gone now. At 9 weeks. It was going away gradually and I did not have much work done at all. Hang in there. BTW: I just looked at my own pre-BMX pic. The new girls look MUCH better and they aren't even done!! Lol.0 -
Dulcigirl - did you have significant pocket work? Also, were your implants much larger than your TE? My TEs were filled to 500, but PS said only 450 in them when she took them out...I have a a 650 implant on right and 700! in left. I thought it would only be 550-600 at most, but PS said these "fit" and looked the best. Significant pocket work on right, but not swollen. Port removed on left and lots of swelling...go figure!
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MMTOMH, I had 330 and 390cc on the TE's and ended up with 400 and 480cc on implants. The difference in sides is due to the lat flap. I had lots of scar tissue removed but now I can't remember if it was at Recon with TE's or at exchange. For some reason I'm thinking it was done at exchange.
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HWHRANCH-Having it done at exchange makes more sense to me. It seems like the scar tissue would develop after the BMX and the TE placement as part of your healing process. Unless had BMX with delayed recon? I find it a blessing that we can forget details of something that once occupied such a huge part of our lives and brains! Must be part of our emotional healing process.
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I had very little work done. PS even told my DH that he was very surprised at how little scar tissue I had. Pretty simple "install" according to him.
TE's were short-height 400cc with a width of 13. Filled to 610 and 660. Exchanged to Allergan Style 45's. 800 cc with a width (I think) of 14.
PS had tried the 650 and 700's but said although he liked the width they looked flat across the front and had no projection. So here I am! As I've adjusted to them mentally a bit I really do think they fit my frame well.0 -
Now that I'm feeling a bit more coherent and less like I've been wrestling a bear, I was curious about a couple things related to the implants. My swelling seems to have gone down a lot today (there's a long way to go of course), and I'm wondering about some of the differences I'm seeing... compared to the what I'm reading from other's experiences here. I don't look at all hamburger-like and the overall shape is really quite nice. I'm wondering if this might be because I had a skin sparing MX with mastopexy incisions. My PS (the one who did the exchange) said the earlier surgeons had left me with a lot of skin to work with.
Does anyone know how this influences our final results? Do gals who undergo skin sparing procedures typically end up with bustier bustlines? What about the placement of the incisions? I did have A LOT of pocket work (turns out my expanders had totally escaped the muscles, so the real pockets were created during surgery...thus the five hours and drains), but I'm really pleased with the shape and size (I'm significantly down from yesterday). Is it too early to be happy? Will I drop and "fluff" too? My implants are relatively small, but they look huge.
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I have 2 questions:
1--How long on average before all the swelling went down after exchange surgery? I'm 4 weeks out and still have a bit of swelling. And 2--I woke up this morning to something that looks like an ulcer on the incision around my areola where I had the lift and small implant put in. Seems to be a spitting suture. Any recommendations on treatment or should I apply some Neosporin and slap a bandaid on and see what happens? (This is the general rule of thumb from my PS)
Thank you!
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lala1 - I think the swelling is different for every person. Everybody reacts differently to surgery and a lot depends on what your PS did during the exchange.
When I read the words "looks like an ulcer" I say contact your PS. It likely is nothing to worry about, but problems are best nipped in the bud. If your PS or his/her PA is open to email pictures I would send one and alert the office that you have a concern. When in doubt, it's always best to contact your doctor!
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lala1-I agree with TinaT...get an opinion from your PS. One of the biggest complications is infection and you want to prevent it or catch it early!
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I am getting so nervous about my exchange May 9th. Worring about size, pain, scars and anything else I can think of. I have overwelming anxiety feeling like I did when I had my mastectomy.
I decided to get a 2nd opinion on my size. I have to have it to go forth without regrets.
Whippetmom has given me some relief and insight.
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I haven't posted much but have been reading on this site off and on since my diagnosis about 1 1/2 years ago. I had a DMX with Tram Flap reconstruction 1/12. Within a couple of weeks my chest on both sides kept opening up as the flaps slowly died, resulting in 5 more surgeries to cut away the dead tissue. After chemo last summer, I postponed radiation to have TE placed and expanded. Of course, my left TE sprung a leak and one more surgery to have it replaced. (Yup, 7 surgeries last year if you are counting!) Finally had Rads by first of Dec. and just had my exchange for Allergan 410FX, 775g 3 weeks ago on both sides.
First off, I am 5'10", normally about 160 lbs (but am up around 200 right now -- but on Weight Watchers) and am 38" around my chest. Were these implants too big?
I should have checked with WhippetMom, but too late, I have what I have. My right side (the radiated side) is much higher and protrudes more. The left is droopier and more rounded. My PS says not to worry because the radiated side is the more difficult one and that he will go back in and put some stitches (dimples) under my left implant that will boost it up to match.
Also, with all the surgeries, I have very irregular scars right across the middle of my breasts, not the nice little line under my breast like most women have. The result is that they are a bit lumpy, a bit creased in spots, and generally not very attractive.
First, can the droopy breast be fixed? Anyone had that problem? Second, should I go for nipples? My first inclination is "yes" since I'll look more "normal" as the scars hopefully fade over time.
Any help or comments appreciated!
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I had the same thing and it was infected -- a little bubble of pus. See your doc!
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Lala, I had the same thing and it was a bubble filled with pus -- an infection. Go see your doc and get the antibiotics if it is the same thing.
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Well, last night I got out of the shower and my "ulcer" had popped. The nurse had said it was a spitting suture and to watch for "fishing line" to pop out and either pull it out or cut it off. I never saw anything like a suture come out. I looked in the mirror and had a small hole. Put Neosporin on it with a bandaid and swapped it out this morning. Bandaid had some light bloody stuff on it (sorry if too much info!!) but doesn't really seem to be oozing now. I'm assuming I just watch for redness and/or heat but I will let the nurse know. Thanks all!
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Coloradogal I don't have too much advice but I think you should get nipples! I think it will make you feel more whole! I have chosen to just get tattoo's. I have been doing research and there are many great artist that can make it look like a real nipple. No need for a bra anymore in the future under those strapless shirts! Of course it wont be until fall or winter for me to get them so I am still researching!!!
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lala1 - I had a suture work out about 1-1/2 years after surgery. Obviously, they can sometimes take a while! Glad things are looking better.
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Coloradogal and Tangles: I'm thinking about 3D tattoos also. I personally just can't get excited about another surgery for nipples that still won't have any feeling or if they do, not the kind to make my engine rev
. Haven't had exchange yet, though, so who knows if my feelings will change.I like the thought of braless too.....headlights always off! On our tropical vacation a month ago, though, I discovered another purpose for bras that I had never thought about before because I haven't been able to go braless for so many years. They absorb under-boob sweat!! I went braless for a little jaunt down the boardwalk to do some souvenir shopping and within minutes had under-boob sweat lines on my cute little strappy tank
! I imagine there are some women out there who don't sweat much but I'm not one of 'em (sigh).0 -
I'm having a hard time thinking of recon nipples myself. I'm pretty sure I'll just do tatoos and move on. Now will I have nipple tatoo's or sunflowers
....that is the question, lol.0
