Pain of Capsular Contracture

awnie1301

I am awaiting surgery (Mar 28) for my capsular contracture on my radiated side. I have been avoiding this surgery for well over a year (who needs another surgery) but now I am getting a bit desperate.

Recently my left "foob" has really started to hurt. I swear it is like a barometer and with cold weather or weather changes it is worse. I am uncomfortable all of the time and in pain most of the time. Has anyone else had this? I have no fever, redness or swelling so I don't think it is an infection.

I am allowing my PS a second chance a this so will be having another implant put in but I have to admit I am very nervous/reluctant. I would love to hear any positive outcomes.

Thx,

ravzari

From what I heard when I was researching reconstruction & problems that could potentially happen, what you're experiencing is pretty typical for having a capsular contracture; they're usually painful or at least always uncomfortable from what other women have said and the pain only resolves with having the scar tissue removed.

Daily massaging of round, non-textured implants can help prevent the scar tissue from forming again after you have the current CC taken care of by your PS. If your PS doesn't have methods to show you (which would be odd and a red flag, honestly), there are tons of youtube videos from PSes and from women who have been shown how to do it by their PS.
Anatomical implants should not be massaged as it can cause them to flip,

Some women have better luck with textured implants as well for avoiding CC as textured implants are designed to allow/have tissue grow around them, though they're not a guarantee that a CC won't redevelop (textured implants shouldn't be massaged either).

Generally, CC isn't the fault of the PS (though it can be if the implant was placed improperly), it's the fault of your body and the way it reacts to a foreign object; some women have repeated issues with CC with implants where some women never have it, some women get it once or twice then never again, and it's really hard to predict what will happen. It's also something that can develop years after having no problems, it all depends on how your body decides to react to the implant in the end.

SeattleBound

I, too, have capsular contracture on one side, but no history of radiation. Look up "Baker Scale and you will find information that would indicate you have Stage IV contracture (it goes from I to IV). Mine is likely at III now. I would absolutely ask your surgeon what he/she plans to do to reduce the risk of subsequent contracture! My understanding from one surgeon is that the risk goes up each time you have it. I had 3 different opinions given me about what each surgeon would do!