BREAST IMPLANT SIZING 101
Comments
-
Hi y'all,
I am just about a month away from my TE/implant exchange. IT has been a long ride with an infection on my right side (after another surgery and many weeks of antibiotics we think that is gone) and a leaking expander on the left... I am looking forward to this last phase of the reconstruction. I am 5'2" and about 110 pounds. My former (pre BMX) bra size was a 34DD, and I am looking forward to being much smaller...I was thinking a B cup (I am excited to finally be able to wear cute dresses and tshirts).
I am confused about the sizing of the implants--it sounds like my plastic surgeon wants to put a 500 cc implant in...I am just worried that is going to be too big. I still don't understand how the sizing of the implant relates to the fill of the expander (my expander currently has about 270ccs, but I was happiest with the size at 220ccs). Any advice?
0 -
JKBuffy: I would need to know the style and volume of your TEs [not the FILL level, the actual recommended fill volume]...You might have a little card with this information. I essentially need to know the width of the TEs.
0 -
I have to share! I am so excited, just got my bandages off after TE being placed two weeks ago, UMX was June 8, 2012. I have a Allergan 133MX with a fill capacity of 850 cc. My PS told me today that he put 360cc in at time of surgery. I had no idea as I only spoke with him briefly after my surgery. I can't believe how good I look already still with lots of fills ahead. This is so exciting!!
I am wondering if it is normal for this much saline to be put in right at the beginning. Also, I am wondering what the standard time is from the end of fills to exchange. Somehow I thought he had said one month when I met with him in the fall but today he said three months. Is this standard? Seems like a long wait.
Thanks!
0 -
Step mic: I had 400ccs put in each one of mine at time of surgery. Just had another 100cc put in each one at my first fill on Monday. I know you are looking good!
0 -
Chinneymae and stepmic wow you had a lot of ccs at surgery I only had 100cc in each
0 -
Yeah I thought it was a lot too, but I did good. It may have a lot to do with the person's size and how much skin sparing you have.
0 -
@Whippetmom I couldn't find that information anywhere in my papers but I contacted my surgeon's office and they said I have Mentor 275 mL contoured textured anatomic tissue expanders (and my right breast is apparently filled to 280mL right now...my left has a steady leak, so who knows how much is in there right now...)..does that help?
0 -
Jkbuffy- a steady leak? how did you figure that out? I feel like my right TE has lost volume but can't be sure that it didn't just disperse evenly. I was going to ask Tuesday when I saw my PS.
0 -
JKbuffy: So if you have 275 ccs, you have approximately 11.0 cm in width.
Is your left TE a similar size - have a similar degree of expansion - as the right? Frankly, a "slow leak" means a defective TE and a defective TE should be replaced. However, if you are done with fills...at the end of the fill process, and ready for the exchange, it is not a concern. If you have negligible fill in that TE though, that does limit your choice of implant sizes and styles. So, since you want to be on the smaller side, I would suggest that perhaps a high profile, smooth round silicone implant [Mentor or Allergan] with a volume range of 375 ccs to 425 ccs would be a nice size for you. In Sientra, there are options as well. There is a smooth, round high projection style Sientra - 405 ccs - and a couple of shaped styles which would be nice as well.
I am wondering about your previous breast size, prior to BMX. You must have fairly ample skin flaps if you were a "DD" cup. Is your skin pretty loose over the TEs or is it taut? Just wondering how much skin you have available, since you stated your PS was considering 500 ccs. So have a discussion with your PS regarding three issues:
1. Manufacturer - which brand of implant does he prefer to use or is he thinking of using.
2. Style - Is he focused on a certain style, i.e., round, shaped, high profile, moderate plus profile. You want to have no surprises in this regard, so make sure you have him define and describe the styles he is considering. One style which is completely out - MODERATE profile. Moderate PLUS is fine, but moderate profile implants are not recommended
3. Volume - The range of sizes he is considering.
Keep me posted on what you find out after this conversation!
Deborah
0 -
Thanks Chinneymae and cateyz2! Quite a range of first fills!
Whippet mom, thank you too! I have learned a lot just by reading your replies!0 -
Whippet mom u have helped me before
Just had exchange 750 cc and they look small
know one believes this
Todays the second day
They are not high like the TES
They say they will fluff out
MY PS said they would have volume and b big they look like flat pancakes
I went with silicone gel high profile 20s
I look nothing like dolly parton
any advice
obbessing and upset
0 -
Thanks Deborah--that is really helpful. We are keeping the pocket full on my left side by filling it with an additional 100 ccs every week--I just don't know the total that is in it at any given time since it starts to decrease in volume within 24 hours of the fill. The leak in my expander is very slow, but we didn't figure that out till we found the infection on my right side, and even though I had surgery for that (we replaced the infected right expander), my surgeon didn't want to risk infecting the left side during the procedure (since I had the active infection on the right). (MichelleRN78-it took awhile to figure it out...but we just noticed that the expander seemed less full than what it had been before...and while I was in the hospital for my infection on the right side we were monitoring the leak on the left as well...so then we started filling it each week to maintain the pocket).
My skin is pretty taut over the expanders at this point. I have had them for over a year so my skin has definitely shrunk around them, plus I had radiation on my left side (we also did the fat grafting procedure on the left).
My surgery is on July 11, and I have a meeting scheduled with my surgeon for a few days beforehand to discuss all of this so I will let y'all know what happens!
0 -
Orange...
Honey, if you read through the "Exchange" thread you will find that nearly every single one of us goes through what you are feeling after our exchange surgery. Much will change over the next couple of months...even over the next few days and weeks. They are not designed to stick out up high like the expanders...but once they settle into place and muscles relax, etc I bet you willbe pleased! Hang in there....and go read in the exchange thread!!
Sending you a hug!! It would be so good for us all if they could take away our mirrors for a couple of months after....0 -
Orange- I agree with Dulci. I don't know anyone that has been "over the moon happy" with their "girls". I can tell you from experience I did not like mine. And after talking to Whippetmom not once but TWICE, she has talked me off the ledge both times. Mine look very small due to my stats. I'm 5'5 240lbs so mine do look small, until i put clothes. i am 7 mos post exchange, so it does get better,
0 -
Went in for another post-op visit with my PS yesterday. It's been 7 weeks for me, and "the girls" have finally started taking a nice shape. My Dr Z said it will be 3-4 months before they completely settle, so I'll be patient. She has a great written packet she gives patients pre-exchange and I suggested she do so for the 1st post-op visit; suggested she have it boldly across the front page something about not judging the shape or size for at least 6 weeks plus a whole lot of other information that pertains to after surgery info (shaving, massage, bras, scar removal.....)
The best part of the visit is that I have my revision surgery date: July 5th! That's coming up fast! For me, the biggest issue is my flap, now being referred to as my "mud flap" under my right arm pit. This is still slightly painful most of the time but gets more so on some days, plus she's moving my right foob toward the center a bit as I have knocked it a couple times with my arm. Those were my concerns. She's such a perfectionist, she wants to raise the right side a bit to match my left and also remove the little bit of tissue under the left arm pit.
She sent me to a new PT closer to home. Had 2 awful experiences with them, the last being so horrible that I felt totally disrespected. Wrote a list of my problems with them, bottom line, she won't be sending anyone back to them.
Whippetmom, Dulcigirl and many others: this whole process would have been so much more difficult without your expertise! So grateful for all your sharing!
0 -
2nd_time: congratulations on the revision date....YAY! My PS always acts like I shouldn't expect any drop and fluff, whenever I mention that term or say 'when things settle in' he acts like I shouldn't expect any change after exchange. I sure hope I get a more natural look after my exchange than what I have with the TEs. Sometimes I feel like I could eat my meals off my boob shelf!
0 -
Lisa, that's hard to believe he'd act like that, but then again, he's a man. Maybe he doesn't get how much it matters. Are you getting silicone or saline? I have the silicone ones and my PS says it just takes a while for them to settle, not sure how it works with the saline. I didn't see the change I wanted right after the exchange but am getting more pleased as time passes. PS wants me to be really happy, am happy now. She said she's waiting to see how I look after 3-4 months have passed (so I'm about halfway there), she thinks I'll be really pleased so I guess patience is in order. And, I'm so grateful she's so compassionate and human, she's the best!
0 -
2nd_time: it's not like he's a jerk about it or anything, I don't really know how to explain it. He's a good guy, a little different personality-wise, but very meticulous and the staff all say he's very good, very focused and a perfectionist. And don't get me wrong, I'm very happy to have the reconstruction process where it's at right now when I needed it. I've been following these threads long enough that I know I need to be patient after exchange. I'm certainly not obsessing about it or anything. I do trust him and he knows (I've certainly told him enough times!) that projection is one of my primary concerns - NO PERMANENT HAMBURGER BUNS!
I'm sure if I'm patient I'll be very happy with the implants.
Here's to a great weekend for everyone!
0 -
Hi Deborah and everyone, thank you so much for sharing your knowledge!
I am 4 wks post BMX with B allergen 133MV-13-T TE. They are at 300cc post op and has capacity of 400cc. I was 34A/B. rib age size is 30". We are aiming for B maybe small C. I am 5'5" and 140 lb. does this sound right?
My PS will put anatomical implants, but I don't know exactly what? Does the brand of TE dictate the subsequent brand of implant? How does one know what shape will look good...
I will see PS for first fill next week. I read from the gummy bear and exchange threads that high cohesive implants are firm and heavy...so are the round less dense ones better? So confusing.
I am worried about the hardness of the implant. Just don't want to exchange one set of rocks for another.
For people who have made it through with the exchange already, do you still fell the implants like the TE? Or this never ending pressure on the chest? My implants will be under the muscle.
I would appreciate any help and comments!0 -
Hi Lisa, didn't mean to imply he's a jerk or anything that drastic. My experience with male docs is more like since we're covered up why we make a big deal about how satisfied we are - its not like our foobs are displayed like our faces so its not as important. That's just me experience. I have an all-female team now and it's so different.
0 -
BCT2013, a lot depends on your PS. Mine uses Allergan TE's and Mentor implants. That's what she thinks is best. I told her what I wanted for desired results and she made suggestions. Many/most PS's bring more than one size into surgery. There's a sizing kit/tool they use, then mine sat me up to see and based upon what I wanted she made her decision. Coincidentally, they're the exact ones she planned on using and matched the one that Deborah suggested.
Implants feel so very different than TE's! Immediate relief from the "metal bra" feeling after surgery even though I was very sore after surgery. Good news is that soreness disappears much quicker than mx/TE's. Still getting used to them but they're so much more manageable and I can sleep with little pain, can even sleep on my usual side. (I slept in a recliner most of the time before implants).0 -
BCT2013, my PS used Sientra TEs and Allergan implants. I'm three weeks out from exchange and the difference is night and day. The implants (silicone rounds) are soft and squishy! I barely notice my prophy side and the other side is really comfortable though still slightly sore. I can notice them but they're not on my mind all the time like the TEs were at the end. Does that make sense? Good luck to you!
0 -
2nd_time: Oh, I know you didn't mean to imply anything negative...he's just a very different type of personality. My BS surgeon is a woman and I really like her. I see her for a 6-month visit in August a week or so after my exchange. At my last visit she spent 45 minutes with me and we just talked and talked about everything, not only breast cancer and TEs and implants but family and work and fitness. I'm very glad that at least one of my docs is female
.0 -
2nd_time_around and MNSusan, thank you so much for your replies! I am much relieved to hear there is light at the end of the tunnel once these TEs are out! I am looking forward to my fills and exchange!
I know I want to have more soft implants, but the trade off may be the rippling? I guess I will have to wait until PS visit and ask to feel the different types to see how hard the gummy bear ones really feel?! from the other threads they seem to hold their shape better.
MNSusan, your allergan netrelle implant, you said round, so this is not anatomical implant. but sounds like you really like the soft squishy feel of them.
2nd_time_around, your mentor memory gel implant, that is a "gummy bear" implant right? this is anatomical implant? do you like how your breasts feel? soft? firm?
In terms of the TE cc and your final implant cc, do they correspond or final implant cc is more or less?Again, thank you!
0 -
BCT2013, I don't have the true gummy bears, that name applies only to the ones Deborah has listed above (I'm not positive of the maker/style since I don't have them). They're also not anatomical, they're round. I'm 7 weeks out and realized only recently they have lost the "hamburger bun" look, they're finally taking shape. My PS said it takes about 3-4 months to settle so I'm only about halfway there. My PS said she didn't think anatomicals would give me the look that would achieve my desired results (I had listed several items I wanted for the final results so she had a fairly clear picture what I wanted). I've come to realize that they're not going to look exactly like pre-mx, only God and nature can do that. BUT, having woken up from umx many years ago with a half-chest, this look is far superior.
Mine don't ripple, thank goodness, they are soft, so much softer than the rock-hard TE's! Could feel that almost immediately after exchange, it's the nature of TE's that cause that horrible feel. My PS's nurse compared 2 implants, saline vs silicone using same-size implants and filling saline to same cc amount (not same size as mine are but gave me a good idea of differences). Interesting comparison, maybe you could also ask to compare anatomical. I had 700 cc TE's over-inflated to 720, implants are 750's. Speak to your PS about what you want and what would look best on you as we're each different. Be sure to come back here often just to view, ask questions, vent.... Lots of experience here, the boards are just quieter in the weekends.0 -
BCT2013, yes, I'm loving the softness of my implants! My PS participated in the study of the Sientra anatomicals but doesn't use them. She doesn't think they have enough sizes yet and the pocket needs to be just right or the implant can rotate. Once she told me that, I stopped thinking about them as a possibility. But there are a lot of gals here that have them and love them!
There is some confusion with the term gummy bear. Almost all silicone implants are highly cohesive gel so if you cut them in half, they wouldn't ooze (like a candy gummy bear) but there are only one or maybe two newly approved implants that most people mean when they say gummy bear.
Mine don't ripple either. I'm not sure why at happens... If its the implant, thin skin, pocket or a combination. Your PS should be able to talk you through those questions.
My PS also said it would take about three months for the new girls to settle in. I'm so glad I knew that when the bandages first came off. I'm still a bit swollen and I know that where I am today isn't where I'll be by the end of August. Managing expectations helps avoid disappointment!0 -
It's my understanding that the saline is what ripples most.
I would just talk to women that have them and find out what they like and don't like about them. They all have their pros and cons. You just have to weight them out and go with what you feel is best for you.
I hope I wasn't butting in. It wasn't intentional.
You can learn so much from these forums.0 -
BCT2013- I don't know if you have talked with Whippetmom. She knows a great deal about implants and can help tremendously.
0 -
I just got my implants on Wednesday. So disappointed. My expanders were filled to 270 CC's. Couldn't go any further due to prior radiation. I discussed with my ps about 250 cc's for the implants with high profile. Woke up to 200 cc round implants and moderate profile. They look like freak'n pancakes. You know, the dam silver dollar ones. It also looks like there is extra skin. I don't understand this. Just upset. It was the only prize out of the whole shit show.
0 -
Chinneymae, butting in? Don't think that. If you've got experience, opinions, or info, you're welcome, this thread is open. Besides, our experiences are different so lots of times I know I learn things I didn't know previously and there are times I get to find out I'm wrong. So comment away!
Dianarose, so sorry you're disappointed! Implants start out flat and they do get better. When's your pre-op appt with PS? I'd ask what happened (maybe there was a specific reason behind this decision), maybe ask if they can be exchanged if you're not happy? For me, waking up after exchange and having foobs, even somewhat flat, sure beat waking up years ago after umx with nothing but a cave.0
