BREAST IMPLANT SIZING 101
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My implant is a gummy and it only moves a little... I'm not sure what the deal is with the Mentor cohesives. But the gummy is textured and adheres to the skin, which probably accounts for the limited movement. I think with the smooth rounds there IS much more movement since they are able to turn in the cavity. It also depends on how much stitching your PS does internally. I've seen some women complain that their implants totally slide to the side when they lie down... and I'm not sure that is desirable either.
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lago: I have the smooth rounds and I can pretty much manipulate them like a natural breast--nothing like a TE, but of course they are a bit fuller then my natural breasts! I never had cleavage before, and without a push up bra I don't have any now. But put me in a VS Angels push up bra, and yes, why I do have a bit of cleavage, lol!
My PS used the type of expanders that were sewed down (I asked for them because I am so active I thought they would move) and he stiched down the side after exchange so it's going nowhere near my armpit. I did have to wear a bra 24/7 to ensure this didn't happen, though, just in case.
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Thanks for the info. I still doubt I will have cleavage. It's just not the way my body works. Based on the placement of my TE's it seems like my PS is really respecting what my body was before. Granted the TE's seem to sit higher but that's only because the are not anatomically shaped like real breasts. Lilah are yours the anatomically shaped true gummies?
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Iago -- yes that's what I have (the Allergan 410s). The Mentor cohesive smooth rounds are, I understand, softer and more malleable. I think it's good that your PS is following what your body does naturally (because, um, it's what your body is gonna do anyway
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Liah that is my understanding as well. I'm not looking for a change or a to replace my current wardrobe so I too am happy he is respecting my shape.0
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lago: It sounds like you are getting all of the answers you need here. Let me know when sizing help is needed!
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Hi Whippetmom,
My exchange is schedule for the end of April and I am getting nervous about the upcoming surgery.
I finished my radiation treatments in January and had been filled to 550ccs before radiation but the PS took out 50ccs towards the end of my rads because I was in so much pain. Since rads has been over, I have gradually been getting fills the past few months. I am currently at 625 ccs and will get another 25 ccs this week(my last fill). The TE is looking way to big and I am hating it. My PS wants to overfill 150 cc to 200 ccs more than the permanent implant size because of the radiation. I am also having fat grafting and nipple reconstruction at the same time from what I understand.
I had a unilateral mx and the PS is going to do a small implant/lift on my natural side to achieve symmetry. He is planning on bringing into surgery 440 cc and 500 cc texture HP Allergan implants.
I am 5'5" and about 130lbs. My ribcage is 32". I was a small B before surgery and would like to be a larger B or small C. My TE is style 133mx-14.
Any thoughts or recommendations are greatly appreciated.
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bher: You will not like textured implants. I would get your PS off of textured implants ASAP. They do NOT have that much more benefit for rads patients overall. Plenty of studies out there to support that the benefit of textured implants does not outweigh the negatives. He will tell you it is b/c you have had rads, but a textured implant will just grab that rads breast and you will have traction rippling. I would rather he use fat graft transfer to soften the skin of that irradiated breast. I think that you will be happy with 500 ccs in a smooth round silicone implant.
Deborah
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bher: Wait a minute though....
I just looked at your original post and you have a 14.0 cm wide TE. That Style 20 500 cc is only 13.0 cm in width. After reviewing your TE info, I don't think that will be enough, which is why I recommended the Style 15 - midrange profile - instead - especially if you stay in the 500 cc range. So this would be 492 ccs in Style 15/Allergan or 533 ccs in Style 15 Allergan. [492 ccs is preferred, in light of your rads issues and your PS' inclination to aggressively overfill.] He could also use 500 ccs in Mentor's moderate plus profile.
It all depends on how much that rads breast retracts or retains the expansion at the time of the exchange. I mean, I suppose it is possible on an irradiated skin envelope to use a narrower width implant - much more probable than with a non-rads envelope. So perhaps he could use a high profile implant in 500 ccs. I just feel that your fills need to cease. I worry about skin integrity and this is more important than implant sizing. Talk to him about this.
Deborah
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whippetmom I am 6 days since my TEs were placed. When I came to my doctor said he had to put in a wider expander than he originally thought. I guess because the tissue left from my bmx was wide. I was a very wide DD. Most people did not realize how big my boobs were unless i was wearing something very tight or revealing. Most of the time I felt like the made me look fat. He said they were allergan and that he put in 150cc to start. Tomorrow is my follow up what else should I ask him? I think he said i will have 5 fills 4-6 weeks after surgery. Right now I still have quite a bit of pain and trouble with my tummy from the meds. I stopped the pain pills to make sure i get in the antibiotic because i have read on here how so many women get infections and have to take the TE out. NOw I might have thrush in my throat not sure, could just be sore from the anesthesia. My tongue looks a little white but it's been that way for months since chemo. Overall I would say that this surgery has been more painful than my bmx was and the recovery is so far slower. The journey ahead seems pretty daunting right now. I can't imagine the fills no less the exchange surgery. But i overcame the bmx and the chemo. My hair is slowly growing back. SO as Scarlet said tomorrow is another day!0
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Carrol this might be tougher because they are putting something foreign in your body. It should get better. I hear the exchange is much, much eaiser… at least I can hope. So now you know why I wasn't doing Zumba in the gym 1 month after surgery like you
I was on antibiotics for 10 days. I ended up getting a yeast infection on the last day. I was expecting that and handled it holistically.
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lago yeah i can't even imagine driving in a car right now no less going to the gym. Also everything was completely dry last time this time i had some oozing, they said that might happen. what antibiotic were you on? I have cephalexon. I think i recall this one making me sick as a child but i don't recall.0
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Carrol: Did you get a little card at the hospital which will tell us the style and volume of TE used? If not, this is the question you want to ask. You need the exact style and volume of the TEs. Essentially, I do need to know the width - and so if you get anything - get the width. I think because of your width, and also because you do not want to be too large, the midrange or moderate plus style implants would be best for you. But let's see what we can find out about the TEs.
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Carrol I was on Clindamycin0
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Hey girls...been off line for a while haven't had the opportunity to post photos or update them. I had surgery filled to 300...got 25 cc next week, last week got 100 cc and have two more weeks of expansion before rads. I have 500 cc expanders and am at 425...I want to be 650...not sure if we will make it he said we will be close and depends on rads. I'm hoping for another 100 although painful to get where I want to exchange to. Any input?
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KCmom...I talked to someone else today who was filled prior to rads and then went through additional fills after rads as well and she is tolerating it very well. So it all depends on how you are doing with fills prior to rads and it sounds as if you will be at a full 500 ccs at the very least before rads starts. So the protocol will be just to take care of your skin, make sure you are getting good nutrition, eat all of the "skin" food you can, e.g., avocados, mangos, almonds, cottage cheese, wheat germ, and just get through radiation treatment and then we can assess further. Keep us apprised of how you are doing. You can email me photos anytime...
Deborah
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Hi Whippetmom,
Thanks for all your help, back in October. Finally had the exchange surgery on March 17th. My PS likes to overfill. The right was filled to 440mls and the left was filled to 390mls. The left started to blanch during the last fill so th PA removed the saline and left the left breast with 390ml. I ended up with 400mls high profiles, silicone. They are fine but look like hamburger buns, will they "drop and fluff"? When does that happen. My scar is raised, I just started using Scarfade, recommended by the PC. What do you think. Thanks for your input.
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pamcycle: Congratulations on your exchange! They all tend to look like h
"hamburger buns" and over the next 2-4 months they will change considerably. Take a deep breath, stay away from the mirror and if you would like to actually see the changes, take a picutre once a week and you will notice they do get better! Gentle hugs!!
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MBJ,
Thanks so much for the advise. I needed both the support and advice. I can wait as long as I know they eventually look better. Thanks again.
Pam
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Hey girls....update...I am up to 475...again 300 st surgery, 25 first week 100 second week and 50 last week. This coming tuesday wanting another 100 to put me at 575. I am rushing to get the rads done but he said we could fill a little rite after rads before skin got too hard. I am hoping for 600 to 650 implant.
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whippetmom- when you get a chance can you take a look on pic forum under BMX to 550 HP at my latest pics 3 weeks out from exchange- I am liking them but god help me- I want to know what YOU think:) I landed up with mentor HP 550 on both sides. You have been such an inspiration to so many of us:)
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KCMom: Glad you are getting there quickly and hoping for the best possible outcome for you!
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pamcycle: If the scar is "raised", you might want to get your hands on some Kelocote, which is formulated more for keloid type scars.
annettek: Going there right now!!!!
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annettek I could not find your pics on the fourm under BMX to 550HP what am i doing wrong?
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My scar was raised from my port surgery. I just put vitamin E oil (from Trader Joes) on it twice a day. It took a good month or so but it flattened out. Also remember I was doing chemo so that's why it might have taken so long. That was back in October. Now it's starting to disappear.0
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Carroll -- she means the picture forum, which is separate from (and unrelated) to this forum.
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Lilah i understand that but when i search there i am not finding it
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Somewhere on the forum there is a page with a search option (near the bottom of the page). You should be able to type in the member's name/ID to pull up all the threads/posts for that person.
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Carrol -- Last time I looked it was on page 1 in "Under Construction" -- I'll go bump it now if it isn't.
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got it thanks!
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