BREAST IMPLANT SIZING 101

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  • MBJ
    MBJ Member Posts: 4,352
    edited July 2010
    Donna:  I can answer your question.  I am tall (6') but I have a 32" ribcage also.  My TE's are 400 max but most PS's over expand.  Mine is at 535 cc's and he may go a few more at my pre-op to get a little more stretch in before the exchange.  We were trying to get to 600 but mine is sewed down on the side and it started to really hurt.  I hope this answers your questions.
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  • Trytostaypositive
    Trytostaypositive Member Posts: 35
    edited July 2010

    MBJ: Thank you for the info. So the TE can be overexpanded. What does then the for ex. 400  cc max mean then?

    I have another question. Are there websites where I could buy online bras ( I have TEs).  About one month ago , I saw this information somewhere on this site, but I cannot remember where. I know , it might  be better to get fitted in person , but I do not have the time now ( a licensing exam coming up, full time work, young child).

    Which are good brands for postMX bras?

    I appreciate so much your help!!!!!!

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  • whippetmom
    whippetmom Member Posts: 6,920
    edited July 2010

    Donna:  Your PS can overfill your TEs. I would recommend no more than 100 ccs, because of your hx of rads. If she is willing to help you get where you want to be, then let's shoot for 500 ccs at the minimum and 550 ccs preferably, in a smooth round silicone high profile style implant.  Let's see what you look like when you are filled to 450 ccs.  From there is is really height and projection which changes - the width remains the same.  We still have to keep an eye on your rads side though and make sure it can handle all of this.  That dictates how far you can go because it is not worth overfilling if there are complications.  So talk to someone like Estepp on Exchange City and ask her what she used to soften the rads skin during expansion. 

    Deborah

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  • whippetmom
    whippetmom Member Posts: 6,920
    edited July 2010

    Oh, and re: the TEs....the implant volumes do not state "maximum" but instead state "recommended" fill level.  There are some caveats in the literature about being mindful of overfilling the TEs and to make sure skin integrity is maintained, yadda, yadda,, yadda. 

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  • whippetmom
    whippetmom Member Posts: 6,920
    edited July 2010

    Michele:  I just went back and looked at one of your older posts and saw where you stated that your TEs are very wide on your chest wall.  So do you have quite a large gap in the sternum area?  How many inches between TEs in the sternum?  Do you feel that your TEs have migrated laterally - towards the armpits?  Trying to get a visual here....

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  • MBJ
    MBJ Member Posts: 4,352
    edited July 2010

    trytostaypositive:  There is a thread for post exchange bras.  I purchased a Warners soft cup bra on line (did a google search and then looked for the best price) in the size that I hoped I would end up being but now it's too small with the TE.  I also purchased from Nordstroms a Spanks bra.  I ordered a B or C but it stretches to accomodate either and it works with some of my clothes.  I also bought stick on breast forms & silicone inserts to even me up as I am a uni from JC Penney.  I hope this helps!

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  • MBJ
    MBJ Member Posts: 4,352
    edited July 2010

    Bras 1010: The Great Post Exchange Debate.

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  • MicheleS
    MicheleS Member Posts: 937
    edited July 2010

    Deborah- There's only an inch between the TE's.  They extend laterally further than my ribcage but not by much.  They are in a decent position and are symmetrical.  They don't move AT ALL. No motion. None.  I have an alloderm sling in there too... 

    I just showed DH when I got home from work and his eyes 'bout popped out of his head! LOL! I have serious cleavage!

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  • whippetmom
    whippetmom Member Posts: 6,920
    edited July 2010

    Michele:  I am just trying to understand the ribcage issues.  Do your ribs protrude at all underneath the TEs? I am just confused when you state that the TEs look wide on your chest [or maybe they do not any longer?] but you only have a one inch gap in the sternum. Now, take this measurement for me:  Measuring tape - circumference around the top part of your chest with the measuring tape going under and around the armpits...like this...but WITHOUT a bra on....

    photo of fit bra measurement
     
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  • MicheleS
    MicheleS Member Posts: 937
    edited July 2010

    well, the te's extend that high... but it is 33in with some te underneath.  under the te's (~1in below where a natural bra-line would be) I measure 31in.  my braline has te on it currently. the te's themselves are 8X8in but that's a measurement across the mound. my te's look like huuuuge hamburger buns: very round with some projection. I feel like the te's are too big (the diameter) for  my frame and my PS has said the same thing but that the implants won't have the same diameter. does that help?

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  • whippetmom
    whippetmom Member Posts: 6,920
    edited July 2010

    Michele - The width of your TEs again are?......

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  • MicheleS
    MicheleS Member Posts: 937
    edited July 2010

    unfilled- I don't know.  But when I just measured them, from top to bottom and side-to-side was 8in each.  But, they are filled.  They are Allergan. 

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  • Estel
    Estel Member Posts: 3,353
    edited July 2010

    whippetmom and/or M-Star - I don't know if it was on this thread or on exchange city, but somewhere you two were discussing submuscular (sp??) implants vs. what is normally done.  My question is this:  Aren't all implants for reconstruction purposes submuscular?  If not, how does that work?

    I'm wondering about exercise post reconstruction.  And from what I understood (which I may be thoroughly confused) it seemed that if it was submuscular there were potentially less problems for the implants to migrate over to the armpit? 

    Just wondering.  Sorry if I've posted this in the wrong place.

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  • whippetmom
    whippetmom Member Posts: 6,920
    edited July 2010

    Michele:  We need to go back to Step 1 which I guess I never pursued with you and that is:  The style and volume of tissue expanders you have....yikes...how did we bypass this???

    So call your PS tomorrow and ask his nurse/staff to look in the chart and tell you exactly which style and volume of Allergan TEs you have and then I can look up the dimensions.  The dimensions of the actual TEs is key here - especially the width.  Measuring with a tape measure does not work...

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  • whippetmom
    whippetmom Member Posts: 6,920
    edited July 2010

    Dawne-Hope - In nearly all cases, and preferably, for local recurrence detection purposes, yes, nearly all are "submuscular."  But most are partial and some are complete "unders"...

    Partial:

    http://www.justbreastimplants.com/placement/partials.htm

    Complete:

    http://www.justbreastimplants.com/placement/complete_unders.htm

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  • Estel
    Estel Member Posts: 3,353
    edited July 2010
    Thank you, whippetmom.  As usual, I'm behind, I should know what kind I'm getting, but have no idea.  Thank you for the links and your response.
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  • m-star
    m-star Member Posts: 547
    edited July 2010

    Donna~ my TE's are 300ml recommended fill but i am expanded to 500ml.

    Dawn-Hope~ i have the FULL submuscular (or so i was told before surgery!). I will find out for sure if they still did that when i have my nxt appointment. It feels like they did,as i can feel the 'grainy' muscle on the bottom outer edge of my TE's (yuk).

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  • whippetmom
    whippetmom Member Posts: 6,920
    edited July 2010

    Kay:  Is your next appointment the pre-op?

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  • m-star
    m-star Member Posts: 547
    edited July 2010

    No i don't think so. my PS said she will see me around Aug 9th to discuss the exchange in detail and to answer any questions i may have (boy oh boy is she gonna regret saying that!) lol.

    So i think it will just be a talk about what will happen in sugery,which implants they may use,what to expect afterwards etc.Mind you,that might be what you guys call your pre-op. Our pre-op is a series of blood tests anD swabs(for MRSA).

    This will brob be the last time i see my BS and PS before surgery So anything you think i should ask,please let me know. Thanks =)

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited July 2010

    Kay- The only thing I asked my PS beforehand was how much to throw in some liposuction, too!  (LOL!  JK!)   (Well, just kidding about it being the ONLY thing I asked!)

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  • m-star
    m-star Member Posts: 547
    edited July 2010

    LOL Kate .you are so funny! If i need fat grafting i will def ask them to take it from my love handles!

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  • Estepp
    Estepp Member Posts: 6,416
    edited July 2010

    I know.. I am debating on whether to have fat grafting or not.? I would LOVE to get lipo's in some spots...lol...

    Seriously, I feel I could deal with the boob dents and such... but I REALLY want the lipo since I FINALLY lost all the weight.. and still have some fatty areas I did not have prior to Chemo.. and Herceptin..

    OH.. should I pay the rest of my deductible ( 900.00) just to get the lipo and breast dent filled in???

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  • MBJ
    MBJ Member Posts: 4,352
    edited July 2010

    Kate:  I'm right there with you!  I sometimes feel as if I have aged 100 years since chemo and surgery.  I'm hoping my PS can use more Alloderm with the fat grafting.  I asked him to take it all and then he can use the rest of it later anwhere he wants.  I don't think he realized I wasn't kidding.

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  • sweetie2040
    sweetie2040 Member Posts: 817
    edited July 2010

    Kate33-You mentioned some where about your PS lasering the scars. Do you know if this is covered as part of the reconstruction or is it extra because it cosmetic?

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  • whippetmom
    whippetmom Member Posts: 6,920
    edited July 2010

    Sweetie:  It might be considered "cosmetic" by some health care providers, such as Kaiser Permanente, for example.  I suppose it all depends on how the surgeon's office codes the bill to the insurance carrier.

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  • Estepp
    Estepp Member Posts: 6,416
    edited July 2010

    Deborah.. I just wanted to share a weird fact with you.

    Here, in the Midwest.. Kaiser Permanente was here... for a few good years. It was known.. that if you have this insurance... you got the most HORRID care. NO ONE here wanted it... it was an HMO... where you did not have nearly the out of pocket other insurances had... BUT the catch was... you got the Kaiser Doctors... which were terrible..

    it was a joke that all Kaiser doctors got their  diploma from Mexico...

    NO ONE here wanted Kaiser...

    It still amazes me... how in other states... like Cali........ Kaiser is so great...!!

    I LOVED the HMO and no out of pocket with Kaiser... but the doctors were SCARY!...

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited July 2010

    So I'm thinking since everyone complains that they put on weight from BC (chemo, hormones, stress) that every mastectomy should come with free lipo!  What do you think, girls?  We could storm Congress demanding this new law!  The BCO LIPO bill!  Who's with me?

    sweetie- I'm not sure if the scar lasering was covered or not.  I can e-mail my PS and ask her. 

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  • m-star
    m-star Member Posts: 547
    edited July 2010

    Sign me up Kate! LOL

    But my extra pounds have come from sitting on my a$$ at my pc for the last 5 months! Tongue out

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited July 2010

    Hmmm, I'm going to have to figure out how to burn calories while still being tethered to BCO.

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  • m-star
    m-star Member Posts: 547
    edited July 2010

    FIDGET!!! LOL

    While ever you're fidgeting you're burning calories =) Tap your feet,move your feet about etc.

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