BREAST IMPLANT SIZING 101
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Hi Whippetmom. Sorry for the confusing question.
How about this: does one's measurement under one's breasts and around one's chest change with an increase or decrease in their weight?
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regarding the previous question:
How does that ribcage measurement help determine the base diameter of the implant... if that ribcage measuremen does change?
By the way my proper measurement turned out to be 31 inches.
Thanks,
Yaniza
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Thank you WhippetMom, my PS likes anatomical gummies, but when I said perhaps I might end up wanting round, he said I could have whatever my heart desired at the final exchange. He also said how nice it was to work with someone who came so well prepared! Thank you and BCO!! Unfortunately I then went to the Onc and he blew me away with my now grade 3 ILC and 28 o/o K1-67 , most likely chemo etc. Thank God my PC gave me many Ativan. They are takin my case to the tumor review hoard on Wednesday. Jeez and I thought it was going to be simpler because it was smaller hahaha!
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Whippetmom, Thank you. I don't have your experience or expertise, so the least I can do is offer my heart.
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Hi Whippetmom,
I just completed my BMX/TE placement a couple of weeks ago. I need to begin radiation in a few weeks, trying to expand as quickly as I can before I begin. I wanted to get your opinion on implants if possible? Also trying to make sure I can get expanded to that point to accomodate (I am currently at 400(left) 420 (right)... plan was one more 60cc fill should do it, but PS is willing to go further if I think I want larger and I have at least one more week before radiation where I could get another fill.) Thank you so much in advance, I can't tell you how helpful this forum has been in this process!
1. I am currently 5'7", 155 lbs, 35.5 rib-cage circumference
2. Inamed 133 MV 500cc (they said this was all the model information, let me know if there is something missing)
3. Not restricted on implants.
4. 38D or 38DD before surgery, although recently began having back issues and have always considered a reduction, so do not want to get back to this size.
Thank you so much!
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thank you SO MUCH. So so much. Pming you now. I the type of person that doesn't settle for less too often, I knew there had to be another way! My implants are under the muscle btw, I can't recall if I mentioned that!
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Yaniza: If you lose weight, your band size goes down and your cup size goes up. With weight gain, the band size goes up and the cup size goes down.
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Yaniza: If your ribcage is 31 and not 29 inches, you might need a bit larger implant to be where you want to be, but this depends on the style/size of your TE, etc.
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AZ: Thank you! I am going to see if I can just cut and paste them on the Fat Graft Transfer thread....
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Meg2016:
I would recommend Allergan Natrelle Inspira implants - SRX - 650 ccs. This is an extra full projection style implant, but I am taking into consideration the fact that you probably have pretty ample skin flaps. If so, the projection issue would be fine and 650 ccs is more than reasonable for you with your TEs. They would NOT be too large. Trust me. The only caveat is radiation. It depends on the integrity of your skin after rads, because you do not want to stress the skin. I also would ask that you please, please, please discuss fat graft transfer with your PS. I would love it if you could get one round of fat graft transfer at the time of the exchange. But this is many months down the road, due to the four to six month wait after rads. Please discuss this with your PS.0 -
whippetmom- thank you! I did mention fat graft transfer to my PS and she said it is a possibility down the road with the exchange (I read this thread and wanted her to consider it with TE placement but she doesn't do that.) I am hopeful, though, that we can do that with the exchange, so I will make sure to discuss it with her along with the implant selection. Thank you so much for this information- so appreciated! Selecting implants is overwhelming (along with the other thousand decisions and things to research that go along with this process) You take all the stress out of this part- which I am so grateful for!
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Wild... seems counterintuitive but I get it.
Thanks
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I had my exchange yesterday. I ended up with Mentor ultra high profile, round smooth 590cc with a projection of 6.3 and diameter 12.5 cm. I think my TE's had a better projection than my implants. I am also swollen.
I am 5'6 , 145 lbs (gained about 10 lbs since I started the hormone therapy, planning and hoping to lose it soon). I wonder if this was the right choice for me. Projection was what I was looking for and the mentor ultra high profile seems to have the highest projection in between all the styles my PS & I were considering. Do you think my implants will change shape once they settle?
Also does anyone know how much these implants weight? How about the TE's? I was filled to 630 cc and was wondering if it was the TE's that brought my weight up bc my jeans fit me the same.
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Whippetmom,
Thanks so much for responding!!! I was thinking that the SRX style would be a good choice for me! We will see if I will be able to achieve expansion that will allow for the 800 LOL. I am glad to have your input makes me feel better knowing I was on the right track with my research! I am hoping to get nice round ones LOL
As far as weight loss I have been working on that since July and have been continually losing. So the inches keep dropping!!! By the time I have reconstruction I will be smokin.
Thanks again for answering my question, I am grateful!
Dedra Coop
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Hi MrsB88
Thank you for sharing your details with me. I am so glad you feel good about your second exchange. I think it's really important to be satisfied with how you look. I don't think any of us are expecting perfection. It's just nice to feel comfortable and happy in your own skin as opposed to not wanting to get undressed in event of catching a glimpse and feeling anxiety that's provoked from it!! I will wait to see what happens and then go from there.. I am still only 3 weeks out but I I feel even less happy with the results as the swelling disappears. Hardly any upper pole fullness even with fat grafting. Keep me posted on your progress and I hope you heal quickly.
Remi50
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Confirmed my surgery date for 11/22. (Right before thanksgiving, oh well). PS said he likes Naterelle inspira smooth round silicone. I think he said full profile?? I'm currently expanded to 500, might be a little too big for me - the shape is nice, but hard and wide. The projection, I wouldn't mind If they just weren't so wide. So thinking 450??. I liked the size of the expander at 450. Afraid it will look smaller though as an implant. I'm 5'3 136 (was 130 morning of surgery) was 34c but deflated. Would like to be 34 b/c when done. Suggestions? Questions to ask surgeon?
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Whippetmom,
Did you see my post on Sept 20th. I see PS tomorrow and wanted to go in with some ideas! I appreciate any advice!
Thanks,
Beanybaby
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Hi Remi - I agree that we shouldn't expect perfection but should be comfortable and satisfied when looking in the mirror. Saw my PS today & finally got drains removed after 3 wks. Boy, does it feel good to get rid of those! I found a dent in the left implant right near the cleavage area yesterday. Wasn't there before. PS called it a ripple & said it's common. Could go away, could stay. Textured implants are supposed to reduce risk of rippling but not in my case. I took it in stride because all in all my revision is such an improvement & I know revisions are far more difficult to correct. I remain positive, hope it doesn't get worse & am happy to move forward in the journey toward nipple vs. 3D nipple tattooing final touches. In a few days I will try on bras & clothes to see my new results. Sorry you are still unhappy with results. Don't wait too long to get your concerns & questions acknowledged. You deserve a clear explanation from your PS on your expectations vs. results. Thanks for responding to me & I hope to continue our updates on the Implant Exchange site.
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Hello all,
My skin-sparing double mastectomy with recon is coming up and I am posting in this thread not to ask about implant sizing down the road but about choosing the best TEs for the meantime.
Due to needing rads, I will have to have these TEs for many months (I see some women have them in for up to 1.5 years) and I am VERY concerned about how they will look. I know they will feel hard and uncomfortable (other patients have assured me of this!) BUT I also know that some do look better than others (from reviewing lots of photos) and at age 31 with an appearence-based job (waitressing & bartending my way through grad school, In Los Angeles…flirting for tips!) this is something I hope I can exercise some control over when selecting the best ones for my body type. My PS says its up to me in terms of brand and if I get the anatomical ones or not.
I am 5'2 and 120-125lbs, athletic build, was a B/C cup with a ribcage of 32-33 inches, depending on weight fluctuation. I will probably come out of this with one real nipple, if that makes a difference.
Would love to hear from whippetmom and from any one here who was happy with how their TEs looked (at least in clothing/bras). Feel free to personal message me. I am also on the picture forum with the same username!
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Elise,
If you go with nip and skin sparing you will already be ahead of the game. I did and never felt that heavy, rocks on chest sensation. Sure they were uncomfortable getting out of bed each morning for the first weeks, but after that I was fine.
Also, since you are doing the skin saving, you will likely come out of surg almost or completely filled, depending on the size you're going for. I never had an office fill and went from 450 in the TE's to 595 in implants with no issues at all.
The TE's looked great in clothes for me. Tons of cleavage. My nips are stuck in overdrive, which tends to happen. That may or may not be in issue.
Hope this helps.
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I have tiny inappropriate expanders all under the muscle. Painful and ugly.. especially when flexed. Direct exchange won't work.
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Bigbluefish: 450 ccs seems small for your frame. But go to the thread header and answer item #2
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beanybaby:
Sorry....don't know how I missed your post! I know you have already had your appointment, but I will say that smooth silicone rounds would be best, if you are athletic and doing a lot of upper body flexing - anything that might displace anatomical implants. I don't recommend unders vs overs...cannot comment on this because it really depends on your chest wall characteristics, the amount of skin coverage you will have in the upper pole, etc. I think implants in the 450 or 475 cc range would be a good option.
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Elise:
I think a moderate height tissue expander with around 400 ccs would be a good size for your frame. I would definitely want the tissue expanders, whether Mentor or Allergan, to have suture tabs, to help prevent the TEs from migrating, since you are having rads and likely having them for a long time.
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Yaniza: Yes, the TEs are too small for the pockets and too wide. Under dissected it appears. What did the Montreal plastic surgeon have to say about correcting this issue?0
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Thanks! I'm actually in waiting rm of PS right now! Any questions I should def ask
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Whippetmom, the Montreal ps would want to do fat grafting and pre-pectoral wrapped in alloderm, as a first choice. He said smooth round silicone 300 to 350 ccs. He definitely saw all the problems we would expect him to see: too high, too far apart, and the necessary distortion when the muscles are in use.
I asked him what the ps here meant by loosening the muscle at the bottom and he replied that would mean detaching the bottom edge and cauterizing it. I'm guessing that that would mean there would be no chance of reattaching the muscle to my chest wall in a future revision ! YUK !!
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Carla - just wanted to clarify that having skin and nipple sparing with TE does not guarantee that you are any further ahead in the process that leads to exchange to implants. You can only be filled to the tolerance of your remaining skin. I had skin/nip sparing BMX, natural breasts were a full B/small C cup, with 550cc expanders and was filled to less than 150ccs because that was as much as my skin could handle and not impair blood flow. Your PS has to look for the sweet spot that is large enough to start the process but not too large that you end up with necrosis due to lack of circulation/inhibition of new blood vessels. I know quite a few others who had skin/nip sparing and also were filled with a modest amount at the time of surgery and did gradual fills until they were ready for exchange, just as if their nipples had been removed. I believe your experience is actually the exception. A 450cc surgical fill is quite large, which means that you most likely had a larger skin flap than others might.
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Thanks whippetmom & others - I assume the suture tabs are not visible after the TEs are placed?
Another thing I keep seeing on here (and the pic forum) is about the "pockets" being the right size - I assume this is just all about the skill of the surgeon, so is there anything I should ask or tell my PS about this ahead of time?
I realize the need for revisions is common (perhaps inevitable) with recon, but I WOULD like things to look as good as possible on this first run, as it will be several months before they can change anything.
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Carla:Ditto to what Special K said....
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