BREAST IMPLANT SIZING 101
Comments
-
Thanks MBJ. I am fighting it. I'm super pissed, but my BS's office says they're doing everything they can. Does the insurance company think I'm doing this for fun?!
xx,
Jenn
0 -
Geez Jenn -- and exactly! Does the insurance company think this is cosmetic surgery??? What woman would do this who did not have to? I agree with MBJ -- fight fight fight! (Oh and thanks for the translation - of course!)
0 -
Hi Lilah, Oh those crafty insurance companies-- they figured out my elaborate plan to "pretend to need a BMX" just so I can get implants. and try to break into swimsuit modeling-- at 39 with a kid. So very clever they are:). I think this calls for an "Oy vey ist meer".
0 -
Jenn: I NEVER would have had a "boob job" so why on earth any insurance company would not only fight a woman excercising her RIGHTS to reconstruction under FEDERAL LAW is truly beyond me. I would even go to the lengths of starting to report these offenses to your local newspaper so that it is brought to the public's attention. This is an outrage! Sorry, getting off of my soapbox now!
0 -
I am with you MBJ -- that totally sucks! Jenn -- I hope you win (and give them a black eye too
Keep us posted.0 -
I have two expanders. I was so worried when my left side, not the radiated side ruptured. My PS says if it left more than 10 days it will begin to tighten up. If that happens he will replace TE and start over. I have had them since Feb. 2010. My last radiation was the week before Labor Day. Tomorrow we are going to refill so I can hold off surgery until Feb. 1st. We could not get scheduled before that date. I can only go by what has been written here but everyone has such great respect for your knowledge and willingness to help. I appreciate any help or information anyone has on similar situation. I also am questioning silicone or saline implants now. If this had been silicone I may not have known it right away.
0 -
Junebug,
I don't know if this will help your decision process or not but my mom got silicone implants 40 years ago and she still has them in. One of them has a very slow leak, but the silicone has not migrated. She just went for an MRI to verify this. She cannot afford to have them replaced, and at the age of 70 probably wouldn't do it even if she could afford it. Knowing all this as I do, I have still opted to get silicone over saline. I really need some squishy-factor in my bust and I don't think saline will give it to me. I had a BMX even though I "only" had cancer in one breast. I am now scheduled for my exchange on 3/4 -- almost a year after TE placement and I am "breast obsessed" now. Deborah and the ladies here and on the photo forum have been so supportive in helping me fight for what I want. They will help you too.
Jen
0 -
packjen,
Thank you for your response. I had made up my mind on silicone until this happened. I felt confident in my decision and now everything is happening so fast. We are close to the same dates of our treatments. I was about 1 month ahead of you with the same chemo and 28 rads.
You only have another month for your surgery. It seems like forever and then it's here. Good Luck.
0 -
Why don't implants have the same shape as TEs? I love how my TE looks and I would keep it forever if it didn't have a metal port.
0 -
Well it's saline, Claire... and most get silicone. Have you asked whether a saline implant would be the same? But do you like how your TE feels?
0 -
It's hard but it looks so good in a bra lol
I'm actually scared to death to have another surgery - last time i had an infection- 6 weeks of antibiotics which threw off my whole system and I'm still not feeling right. 3 months now - i'm waiting for april for the exchange- hoping i'll feel back to myself by then - only to be thrown back to recovery again.
I can put up with hard lol
but seriously i know i can't keep the TE - I'm overdue for an MRI now - can't have one with the metal in me.
just wondered why the implants looked flat and the TE has such nice projection
0 -
i am flipping out - i heard on the news last night that implants can cause breast cancer - ddi anyone see that? i am do for my exchange in march or april
0 -
Claire -- well think about it: the same thing that makes the TE hard is what gives it such good projection!
Nina -- I think what you heard is the news that it's possible implants can cause a rare form of lymphoma NOT breast cancer... but it is in RARE cases and you're more likely to get breast cancer again (not from the implants) than that rare lymphoma... so I would not worry about it.
0 -
Lilah...well said...a VERY low risk for a very rare cancer...
JUNEBUG: The fact that your TE ruptured has no relationship to implants, saline or silicone. Silicone implants will not just spontaneously rupture, as did your TE, unless the implant is defective and frankly, I have never heard of this occurring with an implant. This tells me that the TE is defective. So the chances of this spontaneous event ever happening with a silicone implant would be incredibly remote. Let's just get those wicked TEs out!
0 -
Hi Deborah, I had contacted you a couple weeks back (1/05) about my TE's. I'm 5' 6" , 125 lbs, 30 inch rib cage, and 350 cc's TE's. I inquired for more detail, but the nurse who filled me did not have it, but will on Monday (my next fill). I am at 290 cc's, planning for 410. The last time you advised you mentioned an implant of (if I recall correctly?) either 390 or 400 implants.
My question is : if I "sit" with 410 cc's as my final fill for 6-8 weeks, (exchange date is 3/21) will I be able to get 400 implants? Should I go for 460 as my last fill? It just seems sooo big... I would like to be a small C, I'd like projection, for the implants to sit up high, but not take up my whole chest area... and to be "perky", not all boob up top, but definitley cleavage and projection are important to the final product, to me :-)
I would post on the picture forum, but am unable to at this time. I could email you a pic of where I am right now, not sure if thats ok, or not...I have looked on the forum and hurleygurly looks about what I would like to be. My frame is longer than hers, but probably the closest I found to what might fit for me...do you have any suggestions of who I should check out for comparison? Thanks!
I definitley don't want to stop too early, or go too far...my PS only gave me the advice of going one fill past my desired size. What if I am happy with somewhere in between the two fills? I don't imagine I will want to be above 400 given where I am now, but I sure don't want to regret anything and come out too small after swelling goes down, etc.
Thanks for any adcice you might have for me!!!
Megan
0 -
Hi ladies-- especially Lilah, MBJ and Deborah,
Good news-- My insurance has finally accepted and I'm getting my surgery next week! I guess they realized I wasn't doing it for s#@ts and giggles:). Thank you so much for your support. It's meant alot.
xx,
Jenn
0 -
fire-dancer: Look at the following photos: Sweetie, Lindy323, Speech529, Vanderlady. You do not need to keep expanding. Yes, with your 410 ccs, you should most definitely be able to exchange out to 400 ccs implants. You can email me photos. I'll PM you the info.
Deborah
0 -
Deborah, you told me to come back after I spoke with my PS about the malpositioned TE (I've got a photo in the photo site if you want to refresh your memory). My PS doesn't seem concerned about the higher left TE and says he'll fix it in the pockets.
I wanted to ask you though. You suggested the Mid Range Allergan 397 for me. He told me that he usually uses the mid-range ones with augmentation and the high profile with reconstruction in order to get more projection and a more natural shaped breast. He said he'd like to take in several and try them on me and then if I'd let him choose the one that looks best on my frame. He checked off the high-profile 350, 375 and 400, and in the mid- profile said he would try 339, 371 and the 397. But he knows I want to be smaller than I am now so he thinks I'd want the 339, 371 in mid or 350 or 357 in high.
So you don't have to hunt for the info, I currently have Allergan 133 MX, 500cc and my left is filled to 490, the right to 370.
Edited to add: I'm 5'1, 116 and ribcage is 31. I want to be a B cup.
Thank you!!
0 -
Jenn -- LOL and that is GREAT news!
0 -
Ann: Are you SURE you have a 31 inch ribcage circumference? Please measure again - the tapemeasure nice and snug around the ribs just under the breast mound. If you do not have a dressmaker's tape measure or whatever it is called, use a piece of ribbon or string, cut it off and then measure that and tell me. I agree wholeheartedly with your PS about high profile implants for breast reconstruction, but if your ribcage is 31 inches, 350 ccs in a high profile implant just would be too narrow, in my estimation. Additionally, your TEs would be wider than the implants and this would mean lateral pocket revisions and why even think about doing that? The width of the TE used SHOULD be chosen based on the comparable width of the intended future implant. More importantly, the width of the TE should be selected based upon the width of your breast fold prior to MX.
The midrange profile give more of an athletic appearance than do the HPs. I am in full agreement about trying out 339 ccs or 371 ccs, since, as you stated, you want to be smaller than you are with the TEs. However, your TEs are huge....500 ccs! You will NOT be as large as your TEs!
I have talked to so many women today, my head is spinning with all of these numbers! LOL!!! WHEW!!!
0 -
I had DH help and he got 32 in. for my ribcage.
0 -
Ann: You do not look like you have a 32 inch ribcage! Okay, so this is why I feel that you need the midrange profile, so that you can have sufficient width for your ribcage and so that you will not require any lateral pocket revisions. If you were getting 450 to 500 ccs in an HP style implant, that would be more in the range of meeting the width of your TEs. But your PS is going to take in various sizes which is "a good thing", as Martha Stewart would say, and I think he will come up with the style and size which looks best on your frame. Ask one of the nurses to be your advocate in the OR....
When is your exchange date?
0 -
Thanks, Deborah. I keep seeing ladies here post their ribcage measurements and they are smaller than me and I think to myself, "I am not as small as I thought I was." I'm small boned, petite, ... but I guess not in the ribcage area!
It is Feb 9. I'll keep you all posted. I love my PS's nurse. I will mention again that I like the small, athletic look. I will keep drilling that in.
0 -
That is why I wish I could drop by your house right now with my tape measure! LOL! Because you are a petite little waif!
Two and a half weeks! Wonderful!
Make sure you come back here after the exchange - when you feel up to it - and let me know how you are doing!
Deborah
0 -
Hi All,
I had a double mastectomy last summer and have completed chemo. I've got some international travel in Feb and will have the surgery to remove my tissue expanders and put in the implants sometime in March. I'm curious to know what to expect from this surgery. I'm 54 and in good shape. How long is the recovery from the surgery? Did you have drains? If so, for how long? How long before you were up and around and out of the house (say, driving to the grocery store by yourself and grovery shopping)? I've been taking lots of step aerobics, dance, and body-sculpting classes. How long after the surgery do you think I'll be able to resume those? What else should I know about the surgery?
Big thanks in advance for any information you can provide -- or links to places where this information is written up.
Katherine
0 -
Katherine -- recovery time varies depending on how much pocket work (if any) is done. As for drains, well, some PS's use them as a matter of course even at exchange (mine did) and some don't. You should ask your PS about that. I would say at least a week and probably more like two weeks for recovery -- you can't drive till you are off pain killers, for example, and there will be restrictions about how much you can or should move post-surgery due to healing and also not ripping stitches (like no sharp movements, no lifting anything more than 2 lbs, no reaching over your head... the same restrictions as after your MX). I think I tried driving a week after surgery and almost passed out... but was fine after two weeks.
0 -
Katherine - My PS was one who didn't use drains, but as Lilah said, it depends on how much pocket work is done during surgery.
I wasn't able to drive for 2 weeks. I moved at 4 weeks and did wayyyyy to much reaching and it really hurt.
It was at least 2 weeks before I could do any cardio at the gym, and even then it was walking on the treadwill and bike.
Don't come back too soon. I think it was after 4 weeks that my PS said let pain be my guide. If it hurts, don't do it.
0 -
Adding to what Lilah and Dawne-Hope shared above....WEAR A GOOD QUALITY, SUPPORTIVE SPORTS BRA! Visit the Bras 101 thread for information...
0 -
LOL Deborah! SO TRUE! Well I wore a bra 24/7 for 8 weeks post exchange.
BTW... I went to Nordstrom's finally... and got 4 fab new bras! 38D (two of them) and 38DD for two others - all four of them Wacoal... so weird that the cup size varied and boy did it ever... the ones I got in D were baggy in DD.
0 -
whippetmom
I have decided to stay with my original decision to use silicone. I haven't been back on since I needed to work as much as I could before exchange. I did have saline added to the ruptured TE on Thurs. and so far it is holding up pretty well. I was just wondering if you had the time to look at my previous post on sizing and have any suggestions. I can't wait to have TE's out on Tuesday but would like to have best outcome as possible.
0
