BREAST IMPLANT SIZING 101
Comments
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knmtwins, I had my port removed during the exchange surgery. Chemo was completed before BMX so the oncologist said it was up to me to keep it or remove.
Diane.
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Mommyathome- I just read your posts. You had 10.5 surgeries in ONE year? What in the world did you go into surgery for almost every MONTH?
My comment on your PS comments. I think you should take two months off and in that time Find TWO plastic surgeons. In months 3-6 go to these opinions and tell them about your dissatisfaction. In the end you have to wake up and look in the mirror at them- NOT THEM. Your PS suggesting you see a therapist is BULL. She should have suggested you get a SECOND and a 3rd Opinion from a reconstructive surgeon. From as little as I know about the situation- A secure surgeon would tell you to get 3 PS's.
SO- She Also said she would bring your reconstruction pics to a meeting and they all would Praise her on her work. WHO makes THEM the critics? They are NOT god and what they say is ONLY a opinion.
I think your PS is pretty good- you sent me some pics. If you want some finishing touches tell your 2nd and 3rd opinions. I HAVE HAD 3 P.S.... DUE TO A FALLING IMPLANT. I WAS SCARED TO GO TO A 2ND.... THEN THE 3RD I WAS PRETTY USE 2 SWITCHING... YOU'LL GET OVER IT ONCE YOU GET YOUR OPINIONS.
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stix - how did you get over your fear of going to a 2nd PS or 3rd?? how did you know what the right answer was for you?? I'm at this juncture. I don't know if I'm more scared of going to other PS because I don't know what they gonna say or more scared not knowing what the right move for me will be or just scared of another revision that may not correct my rippling.
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whippetmom - where r U??? we all need you desparately!!!
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mjh1 - I checked back a couple of pages but didn't see your measurements. You need to go ahead & post all your specs per the detailed instructions in the header. That will allow Whippetmom to better answer your questions.
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minustwo - thanks, but I already put my measurements in a PM to her in reply to some suggestions she had made about PS's in NY.
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mjh1--This is hard. I know. I felt like I was cheating on my original PS because I was looking for a second opinion. After getting 3 second opinions, I realized that this was necessary because I am the "consumer" and the PS is providing a service. Just like any other service provider, the consumer must be happy with the services provided. When you put it in terms like that, you will find it easier to seek a second opinion. I am thrilled with my revision. I only wish it didn't take me so long to get the courage to seek the second opinion in the first place. Be strong and remember that YOU and your opinions/decisions are what you need to feel comfortable with!
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MJh1, I couldn't agree more. After my exchange surgey, I was SO confused about what to do to get rid of terrible rippling. I went for 7 consults. What I learned was that this is clearly not an exact science. Each PS had a different approach. Some are risk takers while others only offer a small improvement. I didn't want to leave my initial surgeon either. But in the end, I went with a new PS, at the hospital I wanted and with the conservative approach. IT took me almost a year to decide. I am now 2wks post op. Too soon to know if this worked. I can only say tthat I Feel good about researching as much as I did. If I need a different procedure then I am that much farther ahead. This is a much longer process than any Dr mentioned. You will get through this and move on. I Wish you great peace with your decision.
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loriwny/ dnice - you are right, it does feel like cheating, but I am the consumer. it just plain sucks when you see someone almost weekly for a year and you put so much trust and faith into him and he can't deliver. I'm scared taking that first baby step but not taking it is also driving me crazy, so I finally got the courage to make my first consult appointment for the 31st and will go from there. My GP's secretary is going to hate me every time I send in a fax for another request for a referral.
dnice - how are you feeling two weeks post-op; what did you have done? I hope this time was a success for you.. I'm not sure what you had done, but if it was just to correct rippling and it didn't work I would think that you would start seeing signs by now. Exactly two weeks after both my TE exchange and revision I started to see signs of it forming. it was like clockwork. That's why I joked that after the revision I would swear that I didn't even have one except I still remember being in pain and I still had the steristrips.
We should all get together and write a chapter in a book to tell all the women that come after us how it really is. I was reading the post op reports from all my surgeries and it lists how all these complications were discussed at lenght and I'm like say what??? Do you have me confused with another patient??
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I was very very scared and very leary- I almost had a mini-break down.
But....I interviewed my Plastic surgeons and I made sure that I asked them many question but the question that were the deal breakers were:specific 1. would or could it look worse, 2. if they did a lot of revisions and breast reconstruction on cancer patients 3. Would the incisions increase in size more than a total half an inch to 3/4 of an inch.
I also researched online. With my second P.S -I talked with people online and my 3 PS works at a sister site of the hospital I work at (so I knew he had a good reputation).
If I got a "Yes" on answer 1 or 3- then I excluded them immediately. With my 2nd plastic surgeon who did the first revision I Got "yes" on number 1- She said that it could possibility look worse- so I didn't use her.
Be real specific with your incisions. My Last PS ended up not increasing the size of the horizontal inicision on the breast; yet, under the breast the incision extends under the ENTIRE imf. You can't see it but maybe a little when i look from the side- I never asked him if that incision would increase.
To make a long story short- The strattice the 3rd PS used (2nd revision)- the last surgery Jan 2015- is not holding along with the sutures he used. I was in the OR for 3 hours. But, It is holding so far more than my last revision. He mentioned I have thin skin - along with what the 2nd surgeon (1st revision) said.
will keep everyone posted on my next visit in April. To be honest I would be fine with smaller implants to take the weight off the skin. But, NOBODY will put in smaller implants for fear I will then have complications on the good side -the side that is fine
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mjh:
I was very very scared and very leary- I almost had a mini-break down.
But....I interviewed my Plastic surgeons and I made sure that I asked them many question but the question that were the deal breakers were:specific 1. would or could it look worse, 2. if they did a lot of revisions and breast reconstruction on cancer patients 3. Would the incisions increase in size more than a total half an inch to 3/4 of an inch.
I also researched online. With my second P.S -I talked with people online and my 3 PS works at a sister site of the hospital I work at (so I knew he had a good reputation).
If I got a "Yes" on answer 1 or 3- then I excluded them immediately. With my 2nd plastic surgeon who did the first revision I Got "yes" on number 1- She said that it could possibility look worse- so I didn't use her.
Be real specific with your incisions. My Last PS ended up not increasing the size of the horizontal inicision on the breast; yet, under the breast the incision extends under the ENTIRE imf. You can't see it but maybe a little when i look from the side- I never asked him if that incision would increase.
To make a long story short- The strattice the 3rd PS used (2nd revision)- the last surgery Jan 2015- is not holding along with the sutures he used. I was in the OR for 3 hours. But, It is holding so far more than my last revision. He mentioned I have thin skin - along with what the 2nd surgeon (1st revision) said.
will keep everyone posted on my next visit in April. To be honest I would be fine with smaller implants to take the weight off the skin. But, NOBODY will put in smaller implants for fear I will then have complications on the good side -the side that is fine
stix
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ALSO- I am looking for another job at the same time of all this crap. I don't want another surgery till the end of this year or early next year. I want to enjoy the summer and let my body heal and concentrated on possibly changing jobs. I can NO longer put my life on hold and wait for this surgery stuff to work out- I decided I need to move on in another area of my life and that means changing jobs- hopefully. It will give me something else to bury my time into also.. Of course I will need great insurance at this new job...
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Stix - great to hear things are going so well. I truly hope your 3rd PS was the charm for you. And what's this I hear about smaller boobies?? you deserve to have the boobies you have after what you've been through and don't you ever doubt it!!!! Keep me posted.you must have been reading my mind becasue I too was also about to have a minibreak until I got in contact with all these wonderful tata sisters that are willing to share their knowledge and advice with us that are less knowledgeable. wow great advice about the questions. I'm definitely now starting a list thanks to you so I can be prepared when I interview PS's. I know it sounds silly, but I really think in my nervousness I'll probably forget if I don't write it down. 1 and 2 are very important to me as well so that's definitely at the top. Number 3 really doesn't matter to me becaue in my mindset they are my battle scars and I'm proud to have survived. I knew there were going to be things I could live with and things I could not in a reconstruction. RIPPLING IS NOT!!!!
Anyone else have any great questions they have asked when they were going in for a revision that they would like to share??
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stix - oops, missed the last post. Good luck with job hunting!!!!!!0 -
Hi ladies. Thanks for your comments and support. So, I finally got a hold of my ps yesterday to get a prescription for the comment garment. My bs and ps are minutes from each other so I told my ps I would stop by before my bs appt today at 330. She said great. The receptionist that is. I had my 6 month appt w bs today. I drove out there in the snow and the flipping ps office was closed!!! Closed!!! They told me 330 would be great! So I have my fat grafting Monday and didn't have a script! So I went to my bs appt upset. When I saw the bs we talked about my osteopenia, my upcoming fat grafting etc etc etc. I explained I didn't have a script she wrote me one. She said the fat grafting should help w my concave spots. She said I could fix the divot in my arm put area. I told her its sore. She said she can see there's scar tissue and we can fix it. I told her ps said she wouldn't touch it now. She said that ps is sometimes reluctant- if there's too much risk she won't. But she said there's risk in all surgeries. If I want it done shell give me some ps names to talk to. I was surprised. I showed her a spot on was concerned about and she said that's my rib cage I can feel my rib! She said the fat grafting should help w that. So anyway feeling more optimistic about the surgery. I go Monday at 815, my surgery is at 945. I took a week off work- I teach kindergarten. If I need more time I can take it. Playing that by ear.
My surgeries/procedures consisted of lumpectomy, BMx, excisions- I had 4 or 5 it seemed every 2-3 weeks my incision opened the size of a marble. Ended up w infection and another excision, exchange, hysterectomy etc it will be good to be done! Planning my artistic tatoo as the grand finale lol0 -
mommyathome - glad to hear you are nearing the finish line. I hope you find great peace and joy after your surgery Monday. Best of luck!!!
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MJH1: I have not heard that the Allergan 410s ripple less than the Mentor Memoryshape implants. I would think they would be pretty similar....although it is possible that the Mentor product is a bit more pliable than the 410. Rippling indeed can be attributed to thin skin, but also it can occur if the pocket is too large for the implant, or if it is an anatomical, with malpositioning of the implant. You can always send me photos via PM
The Ideal saline implant was exclusively clinically trialed with women undergoing augmentation or augmentation revision. Breast reconstruction was an exclusion for the trial, for whatever reason I do not know.I really know not much at all about them.
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RainDew.....So glad it all worked out for you! Congratulations!
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Whippetmom,
I saw my bs yesterday. She feels the fat grafting will help with some of my issues. She saw the divot near my arm pit and said my ps can address that too, especially if it's causing me pain/discomfort. I told her the ps said she wouldn't touch it could cause more problems. My bs said she loves my ps and she's good at what she does but if there is increased risk she won't do a procedure. She said if I want it done she can give me more names to get a second opinion. I never thought of asking my bs for another name. It'd be interesting to see if she gives me the name u recommended. Not that I'm looking to do another surgery right now, I have fat grafting scheduled for Monday. I want to get through that first! It was a good visit with my bs. She validated my concerns- she felt the "cording" I felt near my arm pit and said it was scar tissue- whereas my ps said it was just fat. I showed her a spot where I could feel a "lump" and she checked it and oddly enough it was my rib I could feel. She said the fat grafting will help that too. She did say though that with the fat grafting I may feel a little lumpy. We will have to see. I'm excited and nervous at the same time! Thanks for your advice. I know I was a bit frustrated to help because I couldn't decide what to do and even though my ps pisses me off at times I stuck w her. But thanks for your help!0 -
I just want to add my 2 cents here. When I had my MX my PS INSISTED that I get at LEAST a second opinion. This guy is top ranked, board certified in plastic and microsurgery, really knows his stuff, awesome bedside manner, nurses love working with him... It was a no brainier for me, but he still insisted that I meet with someone else. A confident and professional physician will Never be upset if you seek out other opinions! Don't be afraid. At the end of the day, they really do put their pants on like the rest of us.
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I have to agree with second opinions. My first PS that I went to, he had great reviews and probably would have gone with him had it not been that the facility he uses was out of network for me. After feeling like I was going to die when my insurance company denied the facility I went one hunt for a new PS. I found my current PS who said the exact same thing regarding what my implants should be. My PS told me he doesnt do a lot of BUllshit surgeries on someone who doesnt need it. He did inform me he doesnt to like to do latflaps or tramflaps. He is now getting reAdy to do surgery #4 on me in a month to correct my. Rotating implant . I love my PS and think the world of him
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Mommyathome: I don't understand why you are going forward with surgery with your current PS. She does not plan to address all of your concerns and so it is a waste of precious neurons to undergo anesthesia. Why not cancel and do everything at once with a new PS
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I second Whippetmom's opinion!
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Mommyathome, just wanted to wish you good luck tomorrow and hope you have a great result! Did you get your compression wear?
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Ladies, what is your opinion regarding nipple areola reconstruction verses 3d tattoos? My ps said that the nipple usually flattens out after a few years and prefers tattoos instead. Thanks.
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kingster: Mine indeed flattened out (it has been five years) and I wish I had just gone with a 3-D.
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King ster,
Thank you! I'm trying to be positive and am excited. Yes nervous too! I didn't get compression garment because my bs said they would have to put me in something at the hospital. I figured Monday afternoon my husband can go pick up an abdominal binder for me. I want to speak to my ps first and see what they put me in. I tried on a few in a store that u pull up- no way!!! If I'm supposed to be sore in the abdomen there's no way I want to be struggling to pull something tight up. I appreciate you risking me well! 😄0 -
mine flattened.
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I would guess mommyathome will wait to see if the fat grafting changes her mind about another revision. Am I right Mommyathome?
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Yes stix. When I asked the bs about the fat grafting AND the divot in my arm pit. She said that the fat grafting may in a round about way help with the pressure/pain I feel in that area because the fat may help to take the pressure and pulling down feeling from the implant. Yes, it's a wait and see approach. If I feel I need to address the divot in the arm pit I will then look into other names my bs has. Fingers crossed. I'm just trying to stay positive at this point and not focus on the what ifs.0
