BREAST IMPLANT SIZING 101
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Deborah, my Mom was over this weekend and I had her bring her tape measure along. She measured my rib cage to be 29.5 inches, but she squeezed pretty tight so 30 in may be more accurate. Anyway, smaller than I had measured.
My exchange surgery is tomorrow. I'm nervous!
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Ann: We are still in the ballpark with your measurements. 29 or 30 inches is on the small end of the ribcage spectrum. I think your PS is taking in a bevy of sizes to make sure he gets it right. I am excited for you. Saying a prayer for you tonight....please let me know how you do!
Deborah
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Ann: Good luck tomorrow! We will all be thinking of you.
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Hi whippetmom, I am 5'9" and weight 165. My ribcage measures 33. My PS used a textured Mentor, moderate height, 550ccs. I am hoping to be a small c cup with projectile and no droop. I was an E cup or DD and had always hated them. How do you think my results my work for me? Thank you.. Annielynn
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Annielynn:
Are you a unilateral or bilateral? And in either case, I also want to know if you have a fairly substantial skin envelope, OR, did your PS reduce the skin at the time of MX? If you have a lot of loose skin, we have to come up with a plan to make sure you do not have excessive droop once you have implants. There is only skin to hold up the implants and if the skin is lax, the implants will drop like a stone. I don't know why someone did not consider you for a one-step - since you wanted to be so much smaller anyway....
Deborah
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Hi Deborah, I am bilateral. I expressed concern to PS because of excessive skin left. He said they could trim that up. I am very determined to see this through to get the look I want. I have 120ccs in so far but it feels like under my arms are what is ballooning up. I am clear with him to be smaller with no droop and more conical than round. Thank you for your help.
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annielynn: I want to know what he means by "trim that up". We are not talking about a haircut here. You might need to email me photos so I can see what is going on. I am of the mindset that you might not need further expansion or much more filling at all. The reason it is ballooning up under your arms is that the width is expanding first and then the projection and height. And your redundant skin is probably not helping matters. I am going to PM you my email address.
I feel that you want implants in the 600 cc to 650 cc range - high profile - and it is going to require very little to get you there.
Deborah
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whippetmom - You have and continue to be so helpful ... How many Grams is 175ccs??? This will help me visualize and have an idea of what the size of my new breast are compared to the numbers that are being talked about ... Thanks.
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Thank you so much whippetmom. I am overwhelmed by how much the Lord loves me with the wonderful people he brings in my life.
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Jainey: Aren't you getting Mentor CPG's? If so, they are measured in cubic centimeters, not grams.
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Thank you whippetmom..I will see if I can have a girlfriend take pictures Monday. I wasn't aware I had not clarified with PS what trim up means until you asked me to explain. I don't know what he meant. I see him Friday for another fill and will ask. I believe he is the best PS in Montana and have been comforted by his compassion and know he wants to get me where I want to go.
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annielynn: He does love us, doesn't He?
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The Beauli Method of Fat Graft Transfer: For augmentation, breast reconstruction and apparently to treat intractable capsular contracture...
http://www.beauli.de/en/beauli/about_beauli
A Canadian doctor using this method....
http://delorenzi.ca/contact-us/
From PubMed...
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21161858
Still researching....
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Hi ladies, I recently was given access to the photo forum but have not been able to spend much time on the site. I was hoping to find some picture of women my size but have not so far. I am 5'8" normally weigh between 110-115 and have a 27" rib cage. Any help would be greatly appreciated
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Dani did you post this request on the picture forum? There are a lot of gals around your size there.
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Lilah - I did not post this on the picture forum but Whippetmom sent me a PM and advised me where to look. I have not been able to go through all the threads yet but it is nice to be able to see other peoples results.
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Cool Dani!
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My PS has not told me anything yet about what I will be getting for my TE. I can't even get an appointment until the nurse talks to him on the 1st. I ma getting very anxious. He has a huge waiting list that i have been on for months. (one of the only PS that take medicaid he only comes to the learning hospital one day month for surgery). so i am trying to be proactive and ask some questions here about advise on size. I am 5'6' i weigh 147 lbs (going to lose at least 7 pounds b4 surgery). My rib cage (just under where my boobs were b4 my bmx) measures 32 inches. I was a 34-36 DD prior and I would like to be a C now. Any advice on what kind of TE or implant or how many ccs? My docotr has told me he only uses round silicone and suggest moderate or medium profile for me. How does that sound?0
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Carrol - I sent you a private message....
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Hi Deborah, I thought I could get a picture to you by now but my husband would prefer me not. I saw my PS today and asked about the bulging skin under my arm and he called it dog ear. He said the BS took as much as she could within the sterile area. To get to this skin, they would have been in the unsterile area and they don't like to do that. He said during the exchange he can take some fat and skin off and hope that fixes the problem. I was an E cup before and would like to be a small C. When he explains it I understand, however I can't get a visual for the fix. Faith and trust! I understand when you explained the width would fill first so I'm watching that. I just got another 60ccs so am at 180. He is going to fill again next week. It's exciting and daunting.
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annielynn: Yes, dog ears can be addressed at the time of the exchange and any residual can be dealt with three to six months down the road. But make sure your ride herd upon your PS about it and don't let him forget about doing this for you! Sometimes they resolve quite a bit - flatten out - with expansion of the TE.
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This is what you said back in October for me:
"Allergan or Mentor:
High profile [Style 20 in Allergan - just high profile in Mentor] smooth round silicone implants with a volume of 375 ccs to 425 ccs."
Right now I have the expanders in (they were the ones you recommended) and I'm at 385ccs (this was overfill today, the size I liked - yesterday - was 345ccs. The 385ccs feel enormous. My surgery is set for April 4 for exchange. He uses the Allergan. And he said it would be high profile smooth round. And he's thinking 325ccs but said he's bringing 325, 350,375, and 400cc into the OR with him. You were recommending bigger. The expansion process has been extremely hard on my back (every time I'm expanded, I'm on muscle relaxers for 4-6 days because of the back pain) so I'm ready for it to be over with. He said I could change my mind and go in for another fill before the surgery if I decide that I like this size (385ccs) better than the 345cc. What do you think? I'm 5'7". 118 llbs and I have 28" chest circumference. I like the way the 345ccs looked in my clothes. I keep hitting them on things. It's weird. So what do you think? Thanks for holding my hand during this process!
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kj: So your PS used Mentor CPX 250's or 350's? Which volume?
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350s I'm pretty sure. It was the same one you had recommended in the first place. I'll go back and find it.
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133SX was what he put in me for expanders. is that what you mean?
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Yes...short height...but I just wondered if they were 250 or 350 ccs. If 350, they have a width of 12.0 cm and in that case, the implant of choice would be 400 ccs or 425 ccs. But I think you have sufficient fill to exchange out without further overfilling. The low height TE in nearly all circumstances where I have seen it used, enables the PS to exchange the patient out to implants with at least 100 ccs greater volume than the TEs.
The only concern I have with overfilling is that the purpose of the short height TEs would seemingly be defeated. The reason for using short height TEs is to avoid expanding the pectorals and upper pole and overfilling might do just that.
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It was recommended that I jump over to this thread with my question. After reading the intro and multiple posts here, I am a bit chagrined that I did not do more research prior to my mx.
I had a mx 8 days ago, with the intention of having a TE placed and later exchange, after chemo and rads. My PS indicated that I could be a candidate for an 'expandable breast implant'. Well, despite my certainty that it would not be the case, during surgery, my PS determined that I was a 'perfect candidate.' So, I don't know much about this implant I am now wearing.
Did anyone else get an expandable breast implant? I understand it could be permanent, eliminating the need for exchange, if it doesn't respond poorly to the rads. He also mentioned that it would only require ~ 2 fills. In fact, with a bra on, my breasts are quite close to even in size (~c cup). They may have to remove some prior to rads to increase aim effectiveness.
whippetmom, you were mentioned as the expert, and I can see why. Thoughts?
many thanks.
M
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Maxine: Yes, there have been a few gals whose surgeons used the Mentor Spectrum or Becker expandable inplants in place of TEs. I think it is a perfectly fine method of expansion. However, in nearly every circumstance where I see it used, the patient ultimately elects to exchange out to a silicone implant, rather than close off the port and keep the expandable. Silicone is a much preferred medium on these forums. So I think that the test will be to see how the expandable holds up and fares during and after rads. I would not recommend decreasing any volume prior to rads. It would be better to have that side a bit larger than the native breast, because volume will almost certainly be lost with radiation. You have the option of switching out to silicone implants if you prefer, after radiation [wait about three months though], or keeping the expandable, if you are happy with the appearance and symmetry.
Keep me posted on how you are doing with rads. You might want to go to Exchange City and talk with some of the gals there who have gone before you, so that you learn how to take care of your skin during the rads process.
Deborah
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Whippetmom, I know I should not be impatient but have any other gals skipped the TE fills and gone straight to implants (after BMX with TE's)? Have they had successful results?
I guess I want to get back to work and back to normal and since I previously had implants maybe my muscles are already stretched enough to support implants. Of course, now there are incisions and an open wound that I have to consider. I want to ask my PS, but I don't want any undue risks and I don't want to appear too antsy. Thanks!
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slinky: You need to wait at least two to three months after BMX....so you might as well have one or two more fills in the interim. It all depends on the volume of implants you hope to exchange to after expansion. Your history of having had submuscular placed breast implants prior to BC probably is of significant benefit in your case. Why don't you tell your PS you would like to schedule the exchange and ask him when he feels he could safely do this?
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