Health concerns of Allergan Textured implants
Comments
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bc101, read my post. I completely understand that it is about choice. Notice my use of the words "wanted" and "unwanted" when referring to surgery. There is a medical side to this and there is a personal choice. Of course.
Yes, women can make up their own minds. But they need to be given all of the facts and too often they are not. Lisey was complaining about MinusTwo's post, but Minus was only providing the facts. Lisey's post was mean-spirited and uncalled for.
"Here's another thing to consider when weighing that choice - women who are explanting must realize that removal of these devices will not guarantee you won't get BIA-ALCL in the future. Unfortunately it is a lifetime risk. That is a FACT."Facts? If you are interested in accuracy and not driving fear, perhaps it would be helpful to add that the risk of BIA-ALCL is currently estimated to be 0.1% - at the highest. It might be as low as 0.003%. (Source: Mayo Clinic) The risk that remains after the implant is removed? I don't know, but it's obviously a whole lot less than these figures.
And yes, you are absolutely right that we are all entitled to share our opinions. For those who need to explant or are considering it for personal reasons, a discussion of the option to go flat is important. The problem is that I have seen so many posts from Lisey on this topic, and she almost inevitably enters the discussion, as she did here, with a post that includes words that insult those who've chosen to have implants. That deserves to be called out, just as I or anyone else should be called out if we posted in the "Living Without Reconstruction" forum, touting the benefits of reconstruction and using words like "F'ers" to describe a choice made by those who go flat. Who would think that's okay? And truthfully, if this was the first time Lisey posted something like this, she'd get a pass. #e//, she got a pass for the first 20 times she did this. But she done this so often that she has been called out before. So she knows that her words are offensive to some, yet she continues to post using similar words and statements. I welcome Lisey to any discussion about the option of going flat - she is an excellent advocate and very informative about that option. But none of us should be allowed to insult and denigrate other people's choices.0 -
I have been shut out by both Beesie and Minus on this thread and others. I stayed away because I was told "you stated your opinion, stop restating it"... yet here Minus is, posting again and again the same viewpoint.
I absolutely felt those were 'Fr's in my body and I absolutely demanded they be removed. Women need to hear my story as well and I would love to share that I feel 100% back to me again now that I'm flat. That's not being mean or insulting, that's sharing that I absolutely had NO IDEA what I'd be dealing with when I was pressured to get implants.. and how I had no idea how amazing being flat is, especially as a younger woman rocking it.
I want women out there worried if they remove their implants that they won't look feminine to see me as an example of how amazing being flat is. I do miss my nipples, for sure for sexplay... but I wouldn't have the feeling of nipples with implants either, so mourning lost body parts is something we all go through.
In any case, I'm not the ones who is the bully, I've stayed out of this thread for months.. but I have witnessed several vocal ladies completely negating other posters and their wish to remove their implants.0 -
Beesie, you are making a logical fallacy jump. Just because I view them as F#ckers doesn't mean you have to. They were F#ckers in my body, they hurt like hell and I hated them. How exactly is my opinion of them affecting you? You may love your implants, they may not hurt or be cold, but I HATED them and will continue to call them "those F&ckers". So when if you say "I love these little darlins'" That isn't offensive or bullying to me. If I say "Get these F'rs out of my body" that isn't offensive or bullying to you. We have different opinions on the same item inside our different bodies.
Go back and read all my comments. Every single time I post I post about my experience, my opinion about what happened to my body. Not once have I ever said your experience was not valid... But I'll tell you, you two jump on me every single time I post... You are the bullies not me.
(edited to add: I just noticed Beesie doesn't feel I have a right to post about this since I'm flat and this isn't the flat board... Yet this entire post is about REMOVING implants and I absolutely experienced that and share my experience and happiness with them gone. Quite fitting for this post. This is what I'm talking about, and why I've stayed away... I jumped back in to point out the hypocrisy of others continuing to push their experience over and over again. I'm out again because I've said my piece.. we will see if others will be as considerate to the newer posters.)0 -
Lisey, I openly admit that I negate (to use your word) those who are rude and who denigrate the choices of others.
That said, I think it would be great if you came to this thread on a regular basis with a post reminding readers about the no reconstruction option, saying something like "For those considering explanting, remember that going flat is an option. It's what I've done and I'm thrilled with my choice. If your want to know more, read this thread (and provide link)".
There is a way to share your very valuable message without denigrating those who didn't go down your path. The implants might have been F'ers to you, but they are not to me and many others, so when you use that word as a general description for all implants, as you did in your post yesterday, you are insulting a lot of people who are happy with their implants. I'm not challenging your experience; I am challenging that you seem to think that your experience is right and therefore should represent everyone's experience. As an example, you just said that "Women need to hear my story" Why? If someone is happy with her reconstruction, how is your experience in any way relevant? On the other hand, if someone is unhappy with her reconstruction or wondering if going flat is right for her, then hearing your story might be very helpful. Know your audience. It's not everyone.
I happen to believe that it's really important that anyone who has a MX know about the option to go flat, and understand the benefits and downsides of that option so that she can decide for herself if that's the right option for her. It is an important message. As I said in my earlier post, you are a wonderful advocate for going flat. Why can't you present the message positively, without feeling the need to denigrate implant reconstruction at the same time? I get that having expanders (you never did have implants, did you?) was a horrible experience for you. Why can't you get that for some of us, having implants works out great? And why can't you reflect that in how you present your message?
Edited to add: Lisey, I was writing this post when your second post came up so I didn't see your second post until after. When you said "getting the F'rs out of ones body" as you did yesterday, it's obvious, at least grammatically, that you are not referring just to your own experience with implants (which you didn't even have, did you? if I recall, your total experience with implant reconstruction is having an expander for a few weeks before you had it removed) but are referring to implants in anyone's body.
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I would love to go flat but since I had a single mx, I would be lopsided and did not like the awkwardness of it the year that I had to endure it. My BS will not remove my healthy breast, so I thought implants were the best option. And since I’d always been small, I thought it would be fun to go large. That’s how I ended up with these hard textured implants. Hoping on Thursday that my PS will agree to remove them. I’ve been experiencing pain and a burning sensation in my mx side and would like them replaced with ideally my own fat, but he does that do that new procedure, so a much smaller saline implant over the top of the muscle. My first implants were larger saline implants placed under the muscle, which was the standard at the time. After a year he removed them because of the bad outcome due to rippling and poor projection, so I am somewhat skeptical of going back to saline implants. Hopefully, things have improved over the past ten years and I’ll have a better outcome!
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Hood1980, if you want your implant out, it not a question of whether your PS agrees - you are the customer and they are in your body, so he should do what you want. And if your current PS won't do it, find another one who will.
Since you are interested in fat transfer, and also wondering about other implant options, my suggestion is that you don't stick with whatever your current PS offers up, but that you talk to him and other PSs to find out all your options. PSs sometimes specialize in or prefer one method of reconstruction, but that might not be the right method for you.
With regard to implants, if pre-pectoral is something you want to consider, there are PSs who do that using the round gel implants, so that could be another option to look into. These implants are softer and more flexible than the textured 410s (which is probably what you have now) - probably not as soft as saline, but definitely less firm.
Here are a couple of threads you might want to read through before talking to a PS so that you know the options and are ready with questions:
Topic: TE/Implant OVER pectoral Can exercise, comfortable &NO RIPPLES!
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Topic: ANYONE DONE THIS? Explant then Fat Transfer Reconstruction
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Thanks Bessie! I’m researching to try to find PSs in my area that specialize in the explantation of these textured implants. They are actually Natrelle 120s. I need someone knowledgeable all the best path forward for me. I’m not seeing much info in my Google searches other the PS that specialize in reconstruction. Any advice would be appreciated. I’ll definitely check out the above topics. I have read the one on Fat Transfer reconstruction. It has really peaked my interest but can’t find surgeons that do this as the primary for of reconstruction, just to help with contouring, which my PS was doing 10 years ago when I had my done
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Hood - Below is the link for the NCI Cancer Center hospitals. Choose your state or those that may be close and you'll see those hospitals that are likely on the cutting edge of the technology. You may have a hard time finding a doc who wants to get into a long philosophical discussion about textured implants.
Please note - Beesie is correct. It's YOUR choice whether to have both breasts OR implants removed and they can't legally tell you no. Just as any reconstruction should be covered by insurance by law. You should definitely get a second opinion - and probably a third.
https://www.cancer.gov/research/infrastructure/can...
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Thanks everyone! Hoping my appointment goes well with my original PS tomorrow. I haven’t been able to find any others in the area that may be better to help me.
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hood - have you inquired at Johns Hopkins? I looked specifically at the two female plastic surgeons listed in their breast center and both do flap surgeries. If they can do en bloc explant they should also be able to do the lipo fat transfer due to both doing flap recon. Also, when I googled “en bloc explant Maryland I got these surgeons listed by state, and there are some in both Maryland and Virginia. There is one in particular in Virginia who specializes in the explant and fat transfer, Dr Stanwix.
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hood,
Have you considered DIEP reconstruction ? 12 years ago I had a single mastectomy with DIEP resconstruction and got a nice warm soft breast from my own tumy fat. After a while I forgot that it was not my natural one. Unfortunately a few months ago I was diagnosed with a new cancer in the other breast. Since I could not use my tummy anymore I am getting an implant.
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pThank you SpecialK. Dr. Stanwix does sound promising and worth a road trip to see heif does breast cancer reconstruction patients. I've asked permission to join his FB group.
Ijl I considered DIEP originally and was too thin, but I doubt that is the case now. I'm sorry to hear about the new cancer discovered in your other breast and pray all goes well. I too always worry about my original breast and wanted a double mx but my breast surgeon wouldn't remove a “healthy" breast. Maybe it is time to for second and third opinions.
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Hood - I originally choose to have my "healthy" breast removed at the same time - bilateral mastectomy - for symmetry, but also I had very dense breasts and didn't want to be called back for testing every 6 months. No one argued - not my MO or my PS or my PS. I'm soooo glad I did because they found more DCIS and other troubling issues. Yup - it's time for a new BS/PS who doesn't argue with what you ask and DOES present all your options.
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hood,
Thank you for kinds words. Good luck to you in making decisions, you should listen to your gut feeling. Sometimes it makes the right decision before the brain does
Now I wished I removed 2 breasts at that time but on the other hand you make decisions on the basis of the data you have at that time. But I stil think it was the right decision.
I have 12 years break but here I am again. I had a genetic test done I do have one mutation CHK22 but it does not explain the second one. I guess being an Askenadze Jew is the risk factor on its own
One thing I find interesting from my experience and judging by some signatures I saw here from the experience of others is that if the second cancer occurs it might be biologically diferent from the previous one.
In my case I had DCIS and during mastectomy they found 3mm of TNC. At that time I decided not to take tamoxifen. Now I have ER+, PR-. So I guess does it mean that if we supress estrogern the next cancer could be TND.
I am going to ask my oncologist about it. I am starting Arimidex next week, and the more I read these discussion the more determined I am to stick with it. I just hope the side effects are not too bad.
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Interesting study on textured implants...
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I continue to weigh the risks of the textured implants with the risk of surgery, possible infection (again) and now, covid.
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I have had no problems with my Allergan 410 textured implants. They have been in since 2011. Neither my MO nor my PS nor my OB/Gyn are worried and Allergan is not recommending explant. So I went back to the Senior radiologist who found my cancer in the first place.
For my own piece of mind, I had both an ultrasound and a breast MRI in 2019. There are no problems. He suggested absent any issues that I have an ultrasound every two years. I'm comfortable with that.
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MinusTwo, - I have to schedule some dr appointments and I hope I can follow your ultrasound/mri path!
Wishing you continued good test results!
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I am following that same plan - have my annual check with my plastic surgeon next month, which is very thorough, and she will write the prescription for the MRI. I have textured Allergan Inspiras which were placed in 2017. This imaging is done in a breast only imaging center which is next door to my breast surgeon's office, and has immediate ultrasound capability as well.
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