BREAST IMPLANT SIZING 101
Comments
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Dee: Oh yes, the Style 45's would work just fine with a 33 inch ribcage. I am so glad your PS is willing to work with you and order Allergan implants if this is your preference!
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Jujubees! Lol!!!
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Deborah - I really appreciate your input and think I will go for the extra fills, like you suggested. When I get my TE size I will let you know, I don't go till next Tues.
I have just begun over at the picture forum. I have not been able to post any of my own shots yet (but wish to), I am a bit behind on the whole computer-thing...I have no idea what I'm doing (yes, it's very sad! ;-) But the women whom I have commented on/viewed their pics have been extremely helpful in seeing how things progress.
It's weird how all of a sudden my mindshift went from surgery: the planning, prep & the recovery...to now - fills, cc's, implant sizing, etc. Now that the fills have begun I have so many more "new" things to think about. I did so much research on the BMX that now it's over I realize I didn't give much thought to what came next, and am scrambling to figure out what everything means. I definitley need to talk to my PS and get his take on what he prefers/uses, Mentor/Allergan & the profile suggested for me, and just his take in general. I don't want any surprises down the road! :-)
Well, thanks again and I will be back in touch...enjoy your weekend!
Megan
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Deborah..love the colorful
jujubees ....My PS office gave me all the pre-op and post op instructions today which includes wearing the same 2 sports bra I wore after my mastectomy. They are the Veronique Sports Bra and were very comfortable and supportive. Might have to get another one to get me through the post exchange period. My surgery is set for January 26...I am already getting the jitters even tho everyone says that its not as bad as the mast.
I will be hanging on to this forum to get me thru this...
Thanks so much for all your info and great advice and will keep everyone posted.
Terry
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Deborah: I wish to have your expert opinion on this. I like what my TE's look and will have exchange surgery on 1/20/11. My TE is Allergan 133FV-11, 300 cc. I'm 5'3", 117lb, and my rib cage circumference is 28 3/4". (When I went to the mall, they measured my size to be 32 C.) I only have 200 cc total fill. What kind of implant should I get to maintain "status quo" (maybe slightly smaller)? My PS knows what he's doing but I feel he doesn't put a lot of efforts into the planning part. He also joked that I'm making his life difficult when I mentioned maybe smaller. What did he mean? (I only had UMX so augmentation on the other side is in due order.) Thank you!
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Love the jujubees!
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treelilac:
Okay, well, even though you are underfilled by 100 ccs, you still have the "footprint" of a 300 cc TE inside that skin envelope. The width of that TE is 11.0 and the projection is 5.0. So, you have the width which is 11.0 cm, because the width is what it is, and you probably have around 4.6 cm projection at this point.
I would recommend a Style 20 - Allergan Natrelle - smooth round silicone implant - 325 ccs. You need to match the width you have currently with the TE and this implant is as follows: 11.2 cm width by 4.6 cm projection. I think that approximates very nicely what you have with your TE - and it does take greater volume with the implant to match what you have with the TE.
If you have access to the pictures forum, I have bumped up for you photos of DENRULZBC and DAWNE-HOPE. This will give you a good idea what this volume would look like on your frame. Dawne-Hope is active here and I will ask her to PM you and tell you her stats and implant size.
Deborah
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Deborah: Thank you for your explanation and recommendation! But the strange thing is that I have 9 cm projection. When I came home from the MX, I only had a small mound from the 100 cc initial fill. But the second 100 cc is miracle molecules. Maybe the TE has stooped to the bottom? But I just saw my PS and he didn't comment on any abnormality. (He also measured the projection in this visit.) I hope it's not capsular contracture...
I'll write TimTam for approval.
Jo
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Jo: Impossible! Not unless the TE has rotated? You can always shoot me a photo. PM me for my email address if once you get to the pictures forum you think it looks strangely unlike anything you see there.
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I know! (The fill record is from the PS, although I thought the nurse in hospital told me the initial fill was 200 ml.) TE can rotate too?
Why does rotation cause it to look bigger than the real size? I wonder if he has considered this in his planning for exchange. I'll send you an email once I minimize the picture byte size. 0 -
treelilac: You don't need to reduce the photo. Just email it. I'll PM you with my email address.
What you are describing sounds strange but there must be some logical explanation. Yes, TEs can rotate. I just received photos from another BC sister who had a malpositioned TE.
Deborah
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Could it be the alloderm? I have no idea how much he put in there.
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treelilac: You know, I just looked at your previous post where you stated your PS "just measured the projection" during your visit. So therein lies our answer. I was going by the dimensions listed by Allergan/Mentor - which have no bearing on the dimensions which will occur once they are inserted and filled. So yes, when the breast mound is measured in this fashion, the numbers will not match those listed by the mfr.
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So with Allergan Style 20- 325 cc, would I still get the same contour? I guess this is what he meant, making his life difficult. I also looked at DENRULZBC and DAWNE-HOPE's pictures. I'd be extremely happy if my results look like them.
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treelilac: You do not have 9 cm of projection. Your mound measurement might be 9 cm....
I think you would be very happy with 325 ccs....high profile, smooth round silicone....Style 20
Deborah
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treelilac: Again, I'm about your size. I didn't know that the implants came in low - moderate- high when I had mine put in. I got moderate. If I have them replaced, they will be high profile the next time.
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Deborah and Double or Nothing: Thank you for your suggestions. I'll bring them with me when I talk to my PS before the exchange surgery,
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hello whippetmom (deborah?)
what an amzing wealth of knowledge & information!
i'm newly diagnosed & currently deciding between re-excision/radiation and mastectomy/te/implant, possibly w/ one on the other side for "symmetry". it's a huge decision & i'm just trying to get all the information i can so i can make the best decision for me.
you mentioned a picture site or picture forum a few x's. can you tell me what that is or how to access it? one of my goals, after getting rid of the cancer & getting back to being & staying healthy & strong (hence the name) is to be as comfortable with and in my body and whatever changes as possible. i'm struggling a little bit to find out what will best help me get there.
also, did you (or anyone else out there?) have the opportunity to "try anything out" so to speak, before having the mastectomy & implant(s)? i really have no concrete sense of how something like that will feel on my body & would like to know if anyone had an experience of being able to maybe wear a bra wear silicone implants or something like that. of course it wouldn't be the same but i can't figure any way to simulate it and need a clearer idea of the options i need to choose between.
although this forum does not exist specifically for my benefit, thank you everyone for sharing your information and support with each other/everyone else. it's an amazing resource and i'm so glad i decided to search for something today.
take care, all!
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Gymnut: You might PM Val61 as she is an aerobics instructor and had a BiMX and has done just fine. There will be a period of adjustment no matter which one you decide to do. I didn't have an option of choice but there are some slight adjustments when you have an MX as there will be excercises you will no longer be able to do or that will need to be modified. That being said, if you have radiation now and need further surgery or an MX after the fact, there are many complications with scar tissue build up. I needed physical therapy after my MX, had an augmented reconstruction to match my MX side and I am very happy with the results. There is a longer adjustment period of time with an MX. Hope this helps and best of luck with your decision.
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gymnut:
Welcome! I think it would be good to navigate around these forums - those dealing with radiation and reconstruction, lumpectomy vs. mastectomy, and then formulate your decision. The majority of us on the breast reconstruction forums have had a mastectomy - either one sided or bilateral. There are many members who share your diagnosis stats. So scroll through the topics on the Breast Reconstruction forums and keep posting!
http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44
As far as finding an implant simulation is concerned, there is a kit you can purchase from Allergan Natrelle. I am not sure how helpful it will be, but it at least affords you the ability to try out the implants and see how they feel. I don't think it approximates how it would feel after MX though, because of sensory loss after MX.
http://www.natrelle.com/pre_consultation_kit.aspx
In order to get onto the pictures forum you will need to spend more time posting on the forums. The pictures forum is a private, protected space where we have our own personal photos and there is a vetting process required for entrance thereto. So post five times in a 24 hour period as you are permitted. You can send a private message to anyone if you have a specific question and this does not factor into the 5 posts/24 hour ruling.
We will keep track of your posting and I will send you information on the pictures forum accordingly....
Deborah
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Hello Deborah,
I had a double mastectomy in November. I just had my second fill yesterday. I am so stuck on how big to go. I am not getting much guidance from the PS. I was very small before surgery. Only about 150 grams of breast tissue was removed from each breast. Obviously, the size and shape of my breasts will be very different now. I have no idea what style of tissue expanders I have. I will have to call the PS tomorrow. What do you mean by : "We also need the recommended fill volume of the TEs - the number of cc's"? My PS likes overfill each TE with 100 cc's and let them sit at that volume for a month before exchange. Thanks!
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Madison777, I'm in your same boat (in my head at least). I had a unilateral MX a month ago today. I was an A before surgery, and lucky us small women... they don't make implants that small. So, I know I HAVE to be at least a B (and have an augment done on the other side so they match). I have the Allergen Natrelle Style 133V TE's (ask your plastic surgeon for a card. Mine gave me one at my first visit post-op). I'm going for my 3rd saline injection on Thursday. I'm at 240 cc's now which is pretty comparable to my right "real" breast. On the card he gave me, the recommended fill volume is 400 cc's. And I believe, that is the most he was going to do for me anyway. Talk to your PS, and ask him what he thinks would be a good size for you (personally, I love my PS's nurse. She's awesome. She measured me, noted my size, height, weight, etc) and said a big B or small C would be fine for me. I'm 5'9", 140 lbs (pre MX, I should say. I gained 10 lbs laying around and eating over the holidays. Haha.) and typically a size 6-8. My PS does 60 cc injections each time (so far) so I'm estimating another 3 injections, and then he has me wait a month for my exchange. Also, look online at pics. That helped me size wise a bit. Sometimes I think some pictures look great, and then I say "Woah! 600cc's. Okay, maybe not for me!". Overall, I think looking at pictures and going by your body type is key.
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Madison:
Tissue expanders come in different sizes. For instance, here is a link to Allergan's breast implant and tissue expander matrices. Scroll down to Page 30 for all of the styles and sizes [volume ranges] for Allergan's TEs...
http://www.allergan.com/assets/pdf/natrelle_catalog.pdf
You can see that there are a lot of TE options out there. Mentor does not have as many as Allergan - Mentor only has three styles, whereas Allergan, I believe, has six.
So I need to know if you have a short height, moderate height or full height TE. I need to know the volume. If you can obtain just the catalog number, I can find it or if you can get the width and volume of the TE, I can determine which style you have. But this information should be given to the patient after the TEs are placed. They are medical devices and patients should have this data for their records.
Also, I need your height, weight, ribcage circumference.
Deborah
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erica: Look on your card and tell me what STYLE you have. It should say, MV, MX, SV, SX, FV, FX....or - there should be a number like "12" or "13" - which tells me the width of the TE. I essentially need to know your width. And I need your ribcage circumference. Measure under the bra line...
Deborah
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Thanks whippetmom! I PM'd you. But it's a 133MV. Under my bra line is 31"
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Erica -- there is no rule that says your PS is required to fill your TE to capacity. I'm sure Whippetmom can help you find a good ultimate implant size... but I just wanted to throw that end (as it seemed to me from reading your post that you feel you have to 400 -- capacity for your current TE).
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Erica: I am a Uni 6' tall and 150 give or take. I had the same expander as yourself and I was filled to 535 and changed out to a 550. It's now been almost 5 months since my exchange and although I wear a 34DD or 36D I look like a small C cup in clothes--I have shrunk alot! My PS augmented my other side to match.
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I called my PS and got the information regarding the TE's. They are both Mentor, medium height, style 6200, 275 cc normal fill volume. I am 5 feet 1.5 inches tall and weigh 112 lbs. Thank you so much for any guidance that you can provide. My ribcage measurement is 29 inches.
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oops. Forgot the ribcage measurement. That is 29 inches!
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Erica: I am responding here and also via PM...
Your TEs are 13.0 cm in width. I believe you would be very happy with 500 ccs in a high profile smooth round silicone implant. Your PS might feel he needs to overfill you to get you to that point, but as long as your skin integrity is good and your skin has responded well to expansion, 500 ccs is well within reason. However, you are a unilateral, and so your PS would most likely need to overfill, in order to get a little ptosis with that implant.
Another option is the Style 15, in 421 ccs or 397 ccs. This style would work well also and might be more attainable. So talk to your PS and find out his thoughts regarding these two options.
Deborah
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