What's a fat shelf?

Macchick

Hi,

I've seen people mention a fat shelf after bilateral mastectomies. What is this?  Would someone mind describing it to me?  I'm asking because I'm having surgery in a couple weeks and had not heard about this before.  Not planning reconstruction ever because I want to have some feeling in my chest.  I'm not a skinny woman but not fat either.  Sort of medium to slightly overweight.  

Does this fat shelf, which I'm picturing as not so nice, ever go away?  Sorry if this has been done in another thread but just focusing on the fat shelf topic might be helpful to me. Thanks for any and all replies.

BoobsinaBox

Macchick,

 

When I got home from the hospital after my Bilat (almost 3 years ago), and was sitting at my computer to let people know I was all right, I looked down and saw a roll of fat between where my boobs used to be and my waist still was.  (My dad used to call his "my lower chest muscle".  It's one way I didn't want to look like my dad!)  It had been there all along, but with a pair of 36B/Cs between my eyes and my waist, I hadn't noticed much.  It was just the incentive I needed to get back to serious exercise a few weeks later.  When I work out and stand or sit up straight, I am fine.  When I slump or skip the exercise, there is that shelf.  Go ahead and start those crunches now and get walking!  It never gets any easier to get rid of it!  By the way, I don't have much feeling on the surface of my chest, just deeper down.  I know because I tend not to feel hot, cold, or pointed things until it is almost too late!  Good luck with your surgery and recovery!  I'm pulling for you.

 

Dawn 

Binney4

M, yes, thanks for mentioning that. My experience too. From reading your other posts, Macchick, I see you have other good reasons for your decision, but I sure don't want you to be surprised if your chest ends up having little feeling.

That said, at eight years out I can't say I've ever found the lack of feeling to be much of an issue. The numbness helped a lot when the surgeon had to drain a seroma. (But unfortunately I'm still more than capable of feeling pain there from truncal lymphedema.) So, mixed reviews for numbness in the unreconstructed chest!

I don't know what anybody else is referring to when they talk about a "fat shelf," but my surgeons left a small, curved ridge of fat at the bottom of where my breasts used to be. They did it on purpose to help anchor my bra, which it does, nicely.  On the other hand, like Dawn I've been amazed at the bit of belly my boobs were hiding from my view, and that bit has definitely grown, compliments of Arimidex. But I wouldn't describe it as a shelf. More like a young beachball...

Macchick, prayers for a safe and swift journey through treatment, no surprises, and great healing!
Binney

kmccraw423

I had a double mastectomy and will be having reconstruction in the future.  I had skin sparing mastectomies and there is a roll of fat that I thought was there due to skin sparing technique.  I don't know except that the plastic surgeon wants it to lay flat so I am wearing a sports bra to push it up.  It is only on the one side.  The other side was pretty puckered so I don't think it had a chance to make a roll.

I don't think, just my opinion, that it makes a difference if you have reconstruction or not as to feeling any sensations.  Have you been on the topic of breast free women and see if any of them have experienced sensation?

Macchick

Hi, thanks everyone for your responses.  Definitely food for thought.  My understanding is that without recon you do regain some feeling as your nerves re-grow.  I went to a support group where one woman who had a TRAM said she can't feel the water under the shower, etc.  That was very jarring to me so I asked someone else if she had feeling in her chest (she had no recon) and she said yes except for about an inch where the scar is, so I thought the chances for sensation to return was better for unreconstructed breasts.  I don't see the breast free thread but will keep trolling until I do. 

 Glad to have found this site - everyone on it is so supportive and helpful.  Thanks again.

BoobsinaBox

Go to www.breastfree.org - a site begun by Barbara (Erica) with all kinds of helpful info.  do take a look!

Dawn 

barbe1958

I found that breastfree just promoted prophylactics. I don't wear anything and found it assumed I was going to! I had been hoping for dressing techniques and things like that. Not just foobie options.

The "fat shelf" seems to be just under where my bra sat, right on top of my ribs. While my drains were in, I blamed it on the drains. Now I see I will have to exercise to flatten it out. I consider it ballast from my large 42D breasts that now I don't need (the ballast, not the breasts).

I have sensation in my chest, but I've heard that women with reconstruction do too. I don't think I'd make that my only parameter on why not to do reconstruction. I chose not to as I don't want the extra surgery with time off, as well as the pain. Those ladies go through a fair bit and I've given all my energy to the bilat mast and have none left. 

Erica3681

barbe1958,

I'm sorry you didn't find BreastFree.org helpful, but I want to correct a false impression you gave, that my website "promotes prophylactics." BreastFree.org doesn't "promote" breast forms. It's a non-profit website and I try to offer the best possible options for women who don't reconstruct, many of whom choose to wear breast forms. I have no connection whatsoever to any of the companies whose products I recommend. I've either tried those products myself or heard about them from other women, or both. 

I certainly don't assume that women are going to wear breast forms. Yes, the "Breast Forms" section is geared toward women who are interested in wearing breast forms, but In various other places on the BreastFree.org website, I talk about the option of going flat. In fact, there's a separate section, entitled "Going Form-Free," which is for women who choose to go flat. In that section, there are suggestions for dressing and also links to designers who create clothes for women who have had mastectomies and don't want to wear breast forms. In addition, some of the women featured in the "Personal Stories"  and "Photographs" sections have chosen to go flat.

BreastFree.org is intended to offer support and advice to women who go through the difficult experience of mastectomy surgery. I believe women should choose whatever makes them feel best after surgery, whether it be wearing breast forms, going flat, or opting for reconstruction.

Barbara

barbe1958

Barbara, I just visited the site again and I apologize. There is a section about going form free. I see you are adding a fashion section "coming soon". I will check that out. When is it due to be ready?

Macchick

I have really found the breastfree.org site very, very helpful as I considered all this.  Thank you for posting the site online.  It was/is a source of hope to me for life beyond the surgery. 

Erica3681

Macchick,

Thanks for the positive comment.

barbe,

I've been busy with non-bc projects lately and must admit I have neglected work on the fashion section. Your interest will spur me on, though, and I'll try to get something up soon. That section is intended to be for both women who wear forms and those who don't. I welcome fashion tips from everyone!

barbe1958

Erica, I have found that the cropped sweater has become my best friend. I just don't know what I'll do in the summer as I'm normally too warm for a sweater!

Erica3681

barbe,

I think I'm fashion-challenged. What do you mean by cropped sweater? Hip length?

barbe1958

No, cropped means waist or above. It just adds enough softness to cover an obvious flat chest. My top underneath is actually longer.