BREAST IMPLANT SIZING 101
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mysunshine: A number of women have been here on BCO who previously had augmented breasts. It sometimes makes it easier for one-step or two-stage reconstruction, as the pockets have already been "formed" for round implants.
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Sugartoes: The anatomicals are either for you or they are against you. The PS also needs to be experienced in the application and placement of the anatomical implants. I think that we can figure all of this out for you. Can you please message me privately and link photos? Or you can send photos via email, if you are unable to link them. Please give me the name of your PS and your location. I can help you find someone to render a second opinion. Do not despair!
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sugartoes: Just read your more recent post, where you advise your PS was skilled in the use of anatomicals. However,I think you will be happier with round implants. There is nothing wrong with Mentor....but cohesive rounds would probably suit you better with your sensory issues. HP 550 ccs, smooth, silicone rounds, would be a good option.
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dancing diva: TEs often displace laterally during expansion. The key is not not stress the skin too much as this occurs. The implants will be moved (must be) into the correct position in the pockets at the time of the exchange.. Lateal suturing (capsulorrhaphies) might be required.
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I am finally at a point both emotionally and psychologically where I feel I can post some photos on the picture forum (same user name as this forum). This takes a lot of courage and I commend every woman who has shared their most personal journey. It has been so helpful for me and it is now my turn to help others. I have been very open with my friends and co-workers through this awful breast cancer journey and have always said that if my approach could help just one woman facing this disease, then I would feel vindicated.
I had a revision on 2/17/15 from Mentor Moderate Plus Silicone Smooth Round 500cc’s (14.1 cm x. 4.3 cm proj.--no pocket work was performed at this first exchange) to Allergan 410 FF 475gr silicone implants (13.5 cm. wide x 14.0 cm. high x 5.3 cm. proj.) with lateral capsulorrhaphies as the initial implants were too lateral and slid into my armpits whenever I reclined.
I am ecstatic with the results! I am only 12 days post-op since the revision to the 410's and still a little sore but am healing nicely. The incisional pain in the area where the capsulorrhaphies were performed is still quite tender and tight feeling, but every day, I notice an improvement. My PS advised me 8 days post-revision that I could start stretching. I started seeing my chiropractor/physical therapist on 2/27/15 and already have seen a huge improvement in my overhead range of motion and a lessening in the tightness, especially in my right arm (damn ALND!).
I owe a huge THANK YOU to Whippetmom who helped me through this process! She is truly an angel and gives so much of her time to help women in this unfortunate circumstance.
Pictures are worth a million words and after being on the bc.org forum for a some time (I AM A 2-YEAR SURVIVOR AS OF 2/26/15!), I knew that I should document this with photographs.
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Lori.....Congratulations and thank you for sharing your journey here and on the Picture Forum. I is pretty liberating to do so!
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Thank you again, Deborah! You are right; it is very liberating. I feel very complete now. Before this recent revision, I could not even imagine getting nipples; now I am actually considering 3D tattoos (Vinnie) sometime in my future. My current PS actually has heard of Vinnie and he told me that he wishes he was that good.
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Sorry, wrong post!
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LoriWNY,
I am so happy to hear your revision went so well and you are so pleased (especially since I am following in your footsteps in...10 days, eek.....hope I am just as pleased!). I hear nipples are icing on the cake, and Vinnie does do AMAZING work...go for it! Glad your recovery is going well, you will be ready for diving season in no time
I am so sorry I missed you in B....our plane there was delayed a bit and we got in really late. I will definitely check your photos out....I also have my photos from my first surgery there and a revision thread that shows me currently pre-revision. The picture forum is an invaluable resource, thanks for posting photos there!
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I have read through this thread several times and am finally ready to ask for advise on implants. I had my BMX on February 2nd. My TE's are Natrelle style 133 tissue expander. The catalog number says 133mx-15- (what looks like a T). Not sure about the T as it is very hard to tell on the card. My rib cage is 34 inchs. I am 5'8" and weigh around 189. (big booty). When I first met with the plastic surgeon, I told him I wanted High profile round silicone but based on the TE's he put in......it just doesn't seem he is leaning in that direction. I asked his nurse about it and she said that it really didn't matter about the TE's as long as whatever implants I have put in have the same dimensions as the TE's. I know he is going to fill me to 800 cc's. He put 200 in during surgery and he put in 100 in each side last week. That was my first fill. He fills every week and is known for being aggressive with the filling. I have been in pain the whole time since surgery and can't really tell that adding the 100 cc's added any more pain. I talked to my nurse navigator today and she said that I apparently have very sensitive nerve endings. My skin feels very raw and painful. Especially on the BC side. I only had 1 SN taken out. I also feel very raw in the middle between the TE's. Sometimes my hair even hurts if it brushes across my chest. (I have very long hair). I can't wear a bra or any of the cami's. I have found a couple of shirts that aren't too bad but for the most part, everything...........especially on the BC side hurts. I can even fill the TE's on both sides.
Sorry for so much info.....can anybody (whippitmom?) help me with what implants I should choose. He only uses allergan. Thank you in advance!
Amanda
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Amanda- Whippetmom is fabulous with this kind of stuff. As far as your fills, are you on timeline for when you are wanting to exchange? I went pretty aggressive with my fills 100-150cc's at a time. I wanted to have my exchange surgery by the end of 2012, I succeeded but with some issues. 1) I expanded rather quickly and developed the red boob from hell. 2)Due to #1 I had to be on antibiotics for almost 12 weeks (the full length of my TE expansion). 3) the pain would be excruciating from the overexpansion. Check with your PS see if he would be willing to maybe do 1/2 that amount every other visit, that way your body has time to adjust to the expansion process. Make sure you are your own advocate when it comes to this process. As far as the implants provide whippetmom with the information in the headers and she can help guide you in the right direction.
christy
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Thank you for your reply Christy! I am hoping to be done and have the exchange by May/June? Not sure if that is doable or not. I've been filled (after the initial fill at time of sx) the one time last week. I go back this week on Thursday and I'm not sure how much he is going to put in. I can't say the fill hurt........I just haven't really stopped hurting since surgery. I also have fibromyalgia so that may be part of the problem. It can be really hard to tell when it comes to fibromyalgia. But I will be going back to work in 2 weeks and I can't wear most of what I have at home. Also can't conceive of having any type of bra on. I am going to check at the store for something soft....no seams, not tight, etc that maybe I can wear under some of the shirts I already have.
Amanda
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Amanda - with the pain you're describing, I'd cut back on the fills. I only had 25-50 cc's every OTHER week. It was worth it not to have the constant pain. Also my PS required a wait of at least 2 months after fills were completed so that may conflict with your schedule.
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Thank you for the reply MinusTwo. I may have to do that. And I'm not firmly trying to hold to that schedule. I guess I just figured if I was going to hurt all the time; and it didn't get any better or any worse after the first fill........then I didn't know if it would make a difference if slowed him down some. He is a good PS and I do trust his judgement. I think they just look at the fact that everything healed so well and my skin seems to be able to take it and end up discounting the pain. I'll have to talk to him about it again this week I guess. My boyfriend is coming with me to this one so hopefully he can help me stay on tract.
Amanda
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Amanda, along with what the other gals said regarding fills, I would also recommend that you ask your PS or BS about a referral to a physical therapist who works with lymphedema and post-mastectomy patients. There is no reason to be in such agony without seeking some remedy.
As far as implants are concerned, I would suggest either Allergan Style 20, 800 ccs, or Allergan 410-MX anatomical, 685 grams.
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This is good advice. Thank you :-)
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Could someone please tell Jane on the Pic Forum that I am unable to access photos via my mobile devices (which I only am able to use at this time), and so she will need to private message me with photos here on BCO. I tried sending a message on her thread just now but have no idea if it went through, as now I cannot get back on the site. Thank you
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Whippetmom, I posted your message on her thread. The picture forum can be really finicky on a phone or ipad!
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Thank you Whippetmom. I will look into both those styles. I had also thought about the physical therapy but I don't think we have one in our network. And my insurance is awful! And I work in IT for a Healthcare company. But I will look into that as well as some of the posts I've seen that show links to stretches you can do. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to be doing the stretches now or after the exchange( maybe both?).
Thanks again!
Amanda
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Hi Whippetmom - I'm so impressed with the help that you are giving others here, I thought I'd try asking for me too! These are my stats:
Height: 5'-3"
Weight: 123 lbs
Ribcage measurement: 34"
TEs [tissue expanders]: Allergan Style 133MX 400cc
So far, I have 275cc in my left TE and 225cc in my right one. My natural right breast was a little bigger than the the left one, so when the TEs had the same volume in them (200cc), the left one looked noticeably smaller. Strange but true. So my PS put more in the small side to get it to match.
I'm scheduled for my next fill this Friday but I'm actually not sure if I want to go any bigger. My volume is tiny compared to the numbers that I'm reading on this thread, but they look about right to me now. I plan to talk with my doctor about it at my appointment. Maybe we'll just do 50cc in the right breast to get them even.
On a related note, I requested access to the picture forum a while ago, but haven't heard anything back. Does it just take a while? Or do I not have enough posts to qualify? I really am a real patient, and I would love to get some opinions about my size based on pictures.
Thanks so much in advance!
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Emily, you may want to write another email. It took me a while too, I think somehow it was just an over sight on my case.
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Emily- lilah is very careful on who she gives access to the picture forum. I know when I requested she gave me lots of information on how she gauges allowing access. One of the main ones is activity on BCO and how often you comment on posts. Definitely send her another PM maybe it got lost in all of her PM's.
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DiveCat--Thanks! I will keep only positive thoughts in my mind for your upcoming revision. Hope all goes well, you have minimal discomfort, and you will be thrilled with the outcome. Keep us posted.
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I went to the PS today and got some good and bad news. My exchange surgery that was scheduled on March 30th has been postponed until September 14th:( I have lost 35 pounds since diagnosis and am still losing. My PS wants my weight stable for one month before surgery. The good news is she said my skin looks good and she thinks she could fit an Allergan style 45 800cc implant. Just wanted to make sure that size would be okay. My new stats are 140 pounds, 5'2", 33 ribcage. My tissue expanders are 133 mv-13 400 cc. Right now overfilled to 600cc. Filling to 700 cc in 2 weeks. Thanks for your help whippetmom
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emily...the cat.......I would go with Allergan Style 20 450 ccs or 475 ccs....or anatomical Style 410-MX, 370 gms. In Sientra, Textured Shaped Round Base HPS, 425 ccs.
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Lucy, that sounds like a lot of overfill. You do not want to end up with too large, over-stretched pockets. 800 ccs for your frame seems large to me.
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To all that saw my other posts. My reconst. revision is looking better. But, i still think it will need another revision. At least it hasn't dropped to the ground yet. Just too wide on the lower half of the breast in which has caused an overfilled lower pole look when compared to the other breast. Also a bit too lateral (which is causing lack of anterior protrusion and a flat look) I am almost two months out. I am hopeful this reconstruction won't last too much longer- hopefully only one more revision. Things can still change though.
I reached my 5 year mark on Feb. 26th of being cancer free. I had a private mini-breakdown that day. But, it didn't last long...:).
Life is getting better....at least i hope.
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Hi Deborah, thought I'd pop in. It's been 3 mos with the new girls. They have rounded out nicely and look good. Most of the pain is gone and as long as they continue to behave, I'm good. I hope to never see the inside of an OR again! I've got to admit, it was kind of neat to walk into the last one. I need to post pics on the pic forum.0
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Smaarty... Thank you for checking in! So glad you are happy with your results after a bumpy journey! Let me know when you post photos.
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Stix - Good to hear things are better. Be happy with your results for six months...as you might feel differently about another general surgery.
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