New Gummy Bear Tear Drop Silicone Impants - anyone have them?

momto7

Hi ladies checking in I feel pretty good and have been resting I tried to peek yesterday but I am all bandaged up and in a surgical  bra I have 2 drains and hopefully they will come out Tuesday. I got the Natrelle saline 800 inplants .

Hope TLR is doing good  and thanks Violet I will do that

l

ndroby

All,

I'm headed for my 4th surgery of 4 in less than 18 months. Hopefully, this will be the last surgery for a while. August 27th is the day I get the 410 Gummys. I have very mixed feelings. This has been the never-ending story, and I'm worried that this will truly never end.

I really have no idea what to expect post exchange. I've been told that this is the easiest of the 3 breast surgeries, but reading other stories makes me think differently. I have been going bra-less these past 18 months, but the PS told me to get fitted for a Sports Bra. I bought several in large sizes, anticipating lots of swelling. I was told no drains, but I believe there will be drains. I kept my drains for 19 days after each of the last 2 breast surgeries. UGH!

I dealt with skin necrosis in the first surgery, so my thin skin is worrisome to the PS as well as to me. I hope this is all worth it in the end.

momto7

Hope All goes well ndroby I think that step is the easiest i feel better but still have drains will see my PS again Thursday

ndroby

Thanks for the reply; how is your pain?? I had some pain post open the past 2 surgeries, but not too bad. How many drains?? I had 4 each time!

momto7

Not to much pain just  a little on the left side where he had to do some extra stitching but other than that it is okay

TLR

Ndroby, I had minimal pain with this surgery. If I did have the drains, I think I would have had close to zero pain. I had lots of pocket work done as well and a little lipo under the arms. Really for me, this was pretty easy. Good luck with your surgery.



Momto7, I see my PS Thursday as well. Maybe we will both be drain free tomorrow!!!

ndroby

TLR and momto7,

Thanks for the reply. I'm anxiously awaiting for this to be over. I'm hoping that all goes well.

Are you drain-free?

Nancy

TLR

Ndroby, yes my drains came out on Thursday! Much more comfortable as I am a side sleeper. Best sleep since this whole thing started. No expanders poking in my ribs, no drains and a little softer chest. Now when I am cleared to take off the bra at night, I may need a freight train to wake me. Actually, I have always been a poor sleeper, but being uncomfortable certainly hasn't helped with that.

You will be so happy to have the expanders out and another phase of this reconstruction process completed.

Good luck with your surgery..just a few more days. You will be in my thoughts and prayers.

momto7

Yess! I am drain free so happy with not having them too I have not fully slept on my side yet but I did sleep better after he took then out. I go back this Thursday to get the stitches out. It looks like my lefty is off to the side and my ps said it will move over I sure hope so I don't know how long I will be in this fancy bra as he calls it I am like rightt!!!

ndroby

When can you shower??

TLR

Every plastic surgeon is different but mine allowed showering two days after surgery. No tub baths, pools etc but showering was ok.

MondaysChild

Showering allowed at 2 days post-op for me, also. 

ndroby

Had surgery today. Glad to be home. Hospitals are germy places! Pain not too bad. No drains. Wearing a sports bra that I bought based on a recommendation from this forum. They had one on me fresh out of surgery, but it was too tight. I texted my PS and asked if I could change bras and he said yes. This one's the best fit ever.

TLR

ndroby, glad you are home and all is going well. Rest up and recovery!!

ndroby

TLR,



Thank you. Rough night with waking up every hour. Anesthesia does that to me each time. Can't wait to get it out of my system. The implants feel so much softer than expanders. Wow!



Nancy

ConnieGreene

Going to see my PS tomorrow to schedule a "fix it" surgery along with nipple reconstruction...mine just are not leveling out so she is going to lipo (from tummy - think I can talk her into removing it ALL?)

ndroby

CONNIE,



It never hurts to ask. Let us know your secret if she agrees. I had skin necrosis with the original mastectomy, so I need skin work as well. I kept both nipples, but have lost the color in one. Tattoo artist is next on my list!



Nancy

momto7

ndroby glad your feeling good and all went well I get my stitches out tomorrow and so far everything looks good but the left seems a bit off i will have to talk to him about that I got to shower right after i saw him  4 days after surgery i am too in a surgical bra but I have not talked to him about changing it yet it is more for compression I think  oh well will know tomorrow hugs to all of you !

ndroby

Mom to7

Glad your stitches are out. I'm having swelling issues and pain under my right armpit. Had to resort to a loosely fitting sports bra as the original bra was cutting into my skin. Everyone's gone for the weekend. Will tough this one out.

Katlebbie

I am happy to hear that all of you are doing better! I haven't been on for awhile because of issues at work and with family. I did find out that the insurance is going to cover my reconstruction revision surgery on Sept 20th. I am getting a little worried  now after reading all of your posts. I had drains the first two times and not looking forward to those again. I'm still not sure which implants to go with and any advice would be appreciated. My PS also suggested fat graphing and a lift....ouch! Has anyone had fat graphing and would be willing to share?  I don't remember having to have special bras after the surgery is this something new??

Keeping healing ladies my prayers are with all of you!

Kat

ndroby

Katlebbie,



I'm confused, are u having a revision of your current expanders with new expanders, or exchange surgery??? Fat grafting is done to fill in any hollow areas under your collar bones. Fat is removed from your hips or thighs and injected in those areas needing contours.



Best,

Nancy

Katlebbie

ndroby..... Thanks for the reply and information! My PS is calling it reconstruction revision. What she is doing is removing my existing implants from 19 years ago and replacing with new implants. She believes that my implants are leaking and I also have capsular contracture. She wants to do a lift plus fat graphing. On the fat grafting I know she is going to remove it from my abdomen but I was wondering if it really helps all that much in filling in the hollow areas??

Kat

BayouBabe

I do not have gummies, but I did have fat grafting with my exchange surgery. So glad I did! It has softened the edges of my implants, gotten rid of the "shelf" over my one boob, and helped my rads side. I definitely would recommend it for hollow areas.

ndroby

Katlebbie,



Amazing how you've had your implants 19 years! Wow! Which implants do you want?



My PS said fat grafting works, but with the teardrop expanders, I did not need fat grafting. It's painful from what he told me. That was a deterrent for me.



I wish I had a tummy tuck, but couldn't afford any more time off from work. Maybe some day.



Nancy

Katlebbie

Good Morning Nancy I hope you are doing well today!

That is one of the questions I have............which implant to go with. Last time I wasn't really given a choice, it was either saline or silicone. I choose silicone even though there was so much controversy over them back then. The reason I chose silicone back then was because they felt more real. Now after reading all of these post I am so confused. I went to a few web sites but I really don't know what I want. My PS told me she would have many sizes and shapes available in surgery to get the right fit for me. I'm still not sure what look I want.

As for more time off work becasue of fat grafting..........I thought about that and as I am on my own that is a problem but I run an in home daycare and I found someone to help out until the end of November. I already run the daycare with one lady so I plan on being there just not lifting. I usually do all of the preschool so I'm sure I will be able to handle that. My PS said no lifting, pushing or pulling for 4 to 6 weeks depending on how much reconstruction she has to do. I will see how it goes. Do you have any advice on which implant to go with?

Kat

ndroby

Hi Kat and Good Morning,

Questions that I pondered:

---Cleavage or not so much cleavage?

---Projection (high versus moderate?)

---Clothing styles that I wear

---Size?-that was a no-brainer for me (LOL!)

---More natural appearance?

---Rippling tendencies???

That all depends on you and what you're wanting. I had both the oval and teardrop expanders. The oval expanders looked like 2 coconuts on my chest. They were causing both nipples to migrate to the sides and really looked awful. I had armpit foobs. 

I MUCH prefer the teardrop because they mimic the ptosis (droop) of the natural breast. The teardrop expanders were much more comfortable for me versus the oval expanders, as the weight is more evenly distributed over the chest. Teardrops also allow for more cleavage. It all depends on what you want.

I have the 410 Gummy Bears (size 540). I'm 5 feet tall and weigh ~120 pounds. I was a C cup before mastectomy, and am now a D Cup with cleavage. (Having had a VERY WIDE breast bone, cleavage is a new, exciting thing for me!) I had thin skin issues after the initial surgery with many complications. I will have some lingering tightness for awhile, because he had to do lots of internal pocket work and make me what he calls, "an internal bra". Sports bra at all times these next 2 months except for showering. Minimal pain, A few muscle spasms here and there. That's about it. I LOVE my PS. He's the best in Dallas as far as I'm concerned.

I said that if I was going through this, I wanted bigger--after all, I live in Texas where everything is bigger! LOL! My DH has nicknamed them "Ben and Jerry's Double Scoops" ! He's happy, and so am I.

Regards,

Nancy

violet_1

Kat,

The best thing to do is to share this over in whippetmom's thread on Implant sizing.

SHE is the implant expert around here. Read the top of her thread FIRST and post your stats/info. so she can guide you...:)

Hope that helps a bit.



Violet

violet_1

Ndroby,

Glad you are doing well. ..



Violet

lilithmoon

Katlebbie, I had the round swapped for 410's in June.  It went very smoothly, no pain and it all looks great.  There is minor rippling but I think things will even out over time.  The 410's are not as soft as the previous round silicone implants however.  This takes a little getting used to.  Supposedly they soften -I'm starting to feel like they are part of my body.  I did go up a cup size, they are bigger than my originals, cleavage looks great!  Best to you, Jocelyne

ndroby

Oh, what do I know anyway???

Nancy