Can I remove my implants?

There are other reconstruction options besides implants, but they require more extensive surgery. 

I had left mx -- 2 implants that developed contracture  -- second one removed last week.  I'm so happy I had it done and don't care if I end up sunken.  Not exactly happy now because my surgery site is getting more bruised and swollen -- hoping this is normal. 

Best wishes to you, Sofia.

Bonnie

Sofiajane, I am sorry you are having such pain from your reconstruction. I am glad you are asking this question though, because it is exactly what I am wondering myself. I had a bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction two years ago and have developed capsular contracture in my right implant. I also have truncal lymphedema in my right side. Both of these problems cause a lot of pain. I am learning to live with and manage the LE, but the CC has got to go.  

I have been researching replacing my implants, trying to find statistics on the success of implants and for revisions for capsular contracture. Some of the info I've found makes me think I should just remove them. I am most concerned about my health, and lymphedema care is a priority. The idea of redoing the implants and having them fail and then going through surgery again might be too much for me emotionally. I have been so stuck in limbo and really need to get back to living. My goal is to have surgery in February, whatever I decide.

What has me most concerned about the appearance of my chest - whether it is sunken or not - is because I haven't been able to wear a bra due to the lymphedema. The side band sits on my "hot spots" under my armpit and around back and causes the area to swell. So, I may have to go formless, and I hope it's not an ugly sight. However, the implants have always seemed too big and part of the problem with getting things to fit, so maybe I'd have better luck without them. I didn't pad during my expansion and never minded my appearance, so if I could, I would actually prefer to go formless unless an outfit/occasion made it necessary. 

Susan and Mary Beth, thank you for your posts. They are both encouraging. 

Thanks, Day. This may be an option for Sofiajane, but I doubt for me. My LE makes me leery of involving other areas of my trunk. I rely on the groin nodes for manual lymphatic drainage exercises for both sides of my trunk and can't risk overloading them. Microsurgery is really a wonderful thing for those who can take advantage. By the way, I saw your recent pics on the photo forum, and you are looking fabulous! Congratulations on making it through a tough experience with such lovely results. You certainly deserve it!

Sofiajane, I hope you don't mind me jumping in here - I feel like I'm hogging your thread. I hope you come back and share some of your thoughts about this process. It sure would be good to have company in making this decision. 

Bonnie, I meant to include you in that thank you about the encouraging posts. I hope your bruising and swelling goes down.  

I've been a member of the photo forum since 2008 when I had my BM, expansion and permanent implants. It's been such a wonderful place for support. I just visited the forum and had another look at the "Au Naturel" board since I hadn't been there for a while and wondered if there were any new pictures. That board doesn't get nearly as much action as the recon one. It got me thinking that if any of the women here who have deconstructed were interested, it would be so helpful and reassuring to see pictures of your results. Or you could feel free to PM me a pic if you didn't want to post. Just a thought, but I appreciate everyone's comments.

Hipchick, I have been thinking about the drs. in New Orleans. Their results are amazing. One of the women from the lymphedema forum just had surgery there and she talked about how they took such excellent care of her pre, during, and post surgery. It made me think that might be the best place for me to go as far as best results for deconstructing and LE care. Wonder if my insurance will cover it.

I have been questioning myself for over four years Should I have them removed?,..My implants have seriously slipped and I am very lopsided...It is very uncomfortable..I keep on questioning my.decision to have implants done in the first place. I have a lot of tissue damage under my arms.( I cry almost every time I see them so I try not to look)..I think from all the stretching and my implants were so tight.. I am bilateral. I know no amount of plastic surgery will ever take that away.Don't know what to do????

Laura

Hey Laura...This is for you love! The implants are out and I feel so much better...the pressure on my ribs and chest was immediately gone, Of course I am in surgery pain, but I can control that with pain meds. Just wanted you to know that if not pain free, then deinately way less pain than I had before! LOVE< LOVE< LOVE right to you from Bama! XOXO

So Sorry you had to go through this surgery. I know that it is and will be difficult for you the next while. It is quite an ordeal.!!

I often wonder Why I ever let them do this to me!!. It seems so unnatural to have something forced under the chest muscles. I have to say in my case I was scared or what life would be like without  something there to fill the gaps. I chose to go small in the first place as I was afraid of having problems. Lets just say I was totally unprepared for the whole experience. I feel uncomfortable with my GP now mostly because I complained too much when things were not going well.

 My whole experience with my implants has been horrible...I am finding it difficult to make the .decision...I know it will not look as good as would have had I not had the reconstruction.

I often complained to my Dr about the pressure and having back problems that were not there before. My Dr says that there will probably still be pain.and that it may not be the implants at all.

My body has changed so much since my reconstruction I went through menopause shortly after so things are different in many ways.

I wish you all the best and thank you for posting this message it means a lot to me to hear I am not the only one who feels this way.

Laura..

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I spent two weeks last month seeing my primary dr, interviewing three plastic surgeons, meeting with my lymphedema physiatrist, and seeing my LE and myofascial therapists. Finally decided on the surgeon, and I am scheduled to have my implants removed April 5.

Such a relief to be finished with the info gathering process. Not looking forward to another surgery, but sure looking forward to feeling better. One of the PS's noted that not only do I have capsular contracture, but the part of the implant that's been killing me and feels like it's poking and migrating toward the center of my chest has actually pushed through part of the muscle. Apparently something that can happen to anyone. Lucky me. At least I know why it hurts like hell!

Rosemary, I can relate to everything you're saying. Once I decided I needed to have my implants removed, it was like revisiting the mastectomy all over. I went through a mourning process for about two weeks. I'm sure I'll be there again once they are actually removed. It definitely is an adjustment, but it sounds like you have a good attitude and supportive husband. Being able to get back to doing and enjoying the things you love is really what it's all about. I hope everything heals well and you are feeling great soon! Thanks for sharing your experience. 

Laura, my myofascial therapist says that it's not unusual for women who have reconstruction or augmentation to experience back, neck and shoulder pain after the process. The additional weight changes your body's center of gravity and the way it's used to carrying itself. My implants are similar in size to my original breasts, but they are much heavier. One of the PS's I interviewed said that removing the implants may not eliminate the pain and mentioned post-mastectomy pain syndrome. I know women can have that, but there's a difference between that kind of pain and pressure/pain from implants. I, too, agree that it's really unnatural to have these things forced under the chest muscle. I don't know why it didn't seem so apparent when I was making that decision. I try to remember that the BC diagnosis was a whirlwind of activity - we made a decision that seemed best during this stressful time. 

Linda, I'm glad to hear you look so good after your surgery. I cannot believe you endured all those procedures! I'm sure it's great to finally be done with all that and pain free.

Sofiajane, I don't know where you are in the process or what you've decided, but I hope you are doing well. I want to thank you for starting this thread so that the women here who have chosen to remove their implants and go flat have a place to share their experiences. 

Thank you Tina for your post.

 I know it was a hard thing for you to decide to go in for surgery again. I /think the time will go by fast as you prepare yourself for having your implants removed.

I certainly hope that after this you will have relief from the pain.

Know what you mean about the decision to have breast reconstruction along with mastectomies

For me it was also a whirlwind it happened so fast. Did not have much time to think about it or even so much research for that matter..I trusted the Dr's. had my best interests at heart. .I suppose they did in a way My PS just did not let me in on the facts. He spent most of the promoting the new Gummy implants and how wonderful they are.

I am so hesitant to reaprouch my GP about anything to so with my reconstruction. I think it has become a real .parting of ways as far as that part of my medical care goes. I just don't feel as comfortable with him as I used to before the surgeries. The plastic surgeon that did my surgeries was not compassionate at all. I tried another one out of town. It is so good that the PS you saw was honest and told you the truth about what was going on as far as the implants were concerned..

• I know eventually I will come to grips with what needs to be done. I actually do not trust that they will be as careful about how my chest will look like after the surgery. There are not all that many PS to choose form here and they all practice out of the same clinic. Makes me feel a little apprehensive. My GP has to give me the referral. I am also thankful for this thread the knowledge of those who have been there or are thinking about removing implants is very helpful.

I wish you all the best. Take Care!

Laura

Hi Lisa

I am feel much the same as you do about the pressure on my chest My right implant has slipped

I am almost 5 years from the time of mastectomy. I had to quit my job b/c my chest was so tight.

I think most of my pain now is in my back. my left expander did not look right from the beginning.

both implants slipped to the sides. I don't know if it was my activity after surgery or just that every thing was so tight in the beginning.

I find it hard to do a lot of activity because my chest feels so uncomfortable after that and my back hurts so much.

My gut feeling in the beginning was just to do the mastectomies and leave it at that. My family supported the reconstution idea. Ultimately I went ahead with it b/c I did want to have something there. My expantions were painless. But the pressure afte rthe implants started to shift was almost unbearable. I swear I have had at least 15 of bras that I purchased looking for one that does not put pressure on my chest.while supporting the implants as they are moving down my chest.

I thought I was the only one that had these problems as my Dr's look at me like I have to heads when I complain.

laura.

((((((Anne))))))  My heart goes out to you. From your post, I get a real sense of what this experience must be like for you. The clothing thing, ugh! Right there with you on that. I am a member of the photo forum, and I just couldn't spend any time there for quite a while. It was too depressing with pics of all the wonderful results. On the reconstruction threads, I no longer had anything to contribute and didn't want to sound like a "downer". I, too, wondered how I got here and sometimes regretted my decision. The drs. made it sound so easy . . . Sure, I read the risks, but I've always been fit and healthy and assumed I would be fine.

I think having immediate recon is somewhat like having a safety net as far as emotionally dealing with the loss of your breasts. The loss is there, but recon gives us something to focus on, to look forward to. And it's marketed as a prize - like a boob job or once again having the boobs from your youth. Well, when the safety net is drawn away, the emotional pain of losing our breasts surfaces again. We also worry about what we will look like if we deconstruct - worse than if we never had recon? Well, I've been living for two years with pain, disfigured implants and lymphedema. Perhaps a long, drawn out process is worse than just a quick "off with their heads". I mourned when I finally decided to deconstruct - worries about my appearance, as well as concern over whether surgery would make my lymphedema worse. Well, they have to come out sometime, so they might as well be now. At this point, the process has become debilitating for me, and I need to get back with living and thinking about other things. So, I am finally ready to go - let the chips fall where they may. 

Anne, I wish I could help take away that ashamed feeling. The problems of the recon are not your fault. Someone on another thread likened recon to a crap shoot. There is a percentage of people who will develop problems after recon - it's just a fact. WE are not failures. Our bodies didn't take to the process, and we don't need to blame ourselves. I know my PS wouldn't say it was HIS failure, so why should I? And you don't need to shoulder any blame for what happened to you, either.

I know you will come to decide what's right for you with this process, Anne. I wish you peace and clarity, and freedom from the physical part of this. The women on this forum are quite helpful with info about prosthetics, dressing, and have a great attitude about living breast free. If having breasts is important to you, then please know there are many other procedures out there besides implants. I don't have experience or detailed knowledge of them, but the women on the recon forum will gladly help provide info on these other techniques. 

Tina 

Hoping for some idea of what may be wrong with implant!

I had my implants done in Dec 2010. I did not have Chemo or Rads.Things went well enough after exchange and I was so glad to be out of painful TE's. My implants are 600cc and I went much smaller than I was previously. I had some soreness on both sides where the tubes were and that has now finally settled down. I noticed the rippling on the left side soon after the exchange but thought I could live with it. About a month ago I started having more rippling and a weird feeling on left side, like a pulling, and irritation, it was like I had to move the implant up and over, it wasn't like pain exactly because I don't have any feeling there but a weird annoying discomfort. Now over the past two weeeks my left breast feels awful, It has a creepy feeling in it, like crawling, the pectoral feels weird too and then  over the past few days it has swollen up and hurts like sharp pains other times.I generally feel kinda run down!

When I lift my left arm or bend down it really feels awful and almost makes me nauseus. I saw the PS today and he said there wasn't really any fluid in it but that I had dropped and  probably needed revision work to help the rippling. I told him when I touch the breast, it feels awful, feels like something is really wrong. It isn't always pain because it is numb but really a super sensitiveness. I do have pain in the morning but it seems controlled to some degree with tylenol.He had no answer for the swelling that has occurred over the past 3 days. I never thought about the alloderm which I now believed has broken or twisted, if that's possible. He told me I could go to a pain specialist for pain meds and that I told him would not happen, because if this persists and  doesn't have an answer other than narcotics I would have them out totally! He then suggested I have an MRI to rule out rupture, or contracture or a reoccurance of BC.This is the side that didn't have BC. I have only had these implants a little more than 3 months and already problems! Has anyone had these types of issues. I am scheduled for MRI on Friday and had to fight to get it done that soon.I know this is a journey but I never thought this could happen so fast, my work doesn't seem to trust me anymore and seem cold ad distant to this ongoing saga..... because I've missed so much time.

The stress this adds, the financial burden is driving me crazy. The PS seems determined to have me keep the impants at any cost, including being medicated to a stupor- that is absoloutly ridulous! I may just get these out and my first instinct was that in the beginning. The surgeries were awful, TE's were awful and I don't think my body can handle anymore! I think this is big business for the PS and although they "seem" to care, they know the return visits will add up to more revison work for them. I'm sorry if that sounds so jaded but I really have PTSD from this all!.Nobody mentioned revision work to me during any of my visits. I just want my life back! I was also freaked when he pulled out my old breast photo to show me that I did look better than before. I really didn't need to see that and I am not even sure right now how I feel about that!  Can anyone relate to this condition of the implant? It feels like something is moving around in ther. Thanks for letting me vent here!

Hi Grover2u-I totally understand how focusing on this too long just dredges it up but I'm hoping you could  answer a few questions? Do you still have the implants? Is there a reason for the tightness? What type of work did you have done on your breasts, any revisions? Is there damga in the pecs?

The biggest thing that sucks is that I was so sure I was scott free and I would ride off into the sunset telling a tale tale happiness with implants. I guess the joke is on me~

Is there disability we can be on for this like SSDI, which I know is hard to get?

Thanks for your help!

Hi Pinky,

I will try to answer your questions...I also thought I was scott free..My expansions went great hardly any pain at all. I worked as a Care Giver which involved housework as well as pushing wheelchairs around etc..I was not really told what I could and could not do while I was doing my expansion. When I asked my PS he said "I don't Know"  I did wait for 6 weeks or so before going back to work I had two - thee days off between expansions so I thought I was Ok to do that..My plastic surgeon was not very helpful. Long story short. I have not had any revisions. I have complained to my GP about all the back pain and he just told me to take pain killers. I went to physio and I am not knocking her at all but she also did not know how to help as far as the extreme tightness goes...When I had my implants placed it was not long and my right implant slipped from under the muscel one week later I call my gp and I tried to get into my PS to see what happeded. I was told the they were training a new MOA and I could not see him for three weeks. When I finally did see hime he looked at me like I had two heads. Told me to come back in thre months for nipple reconstruction...I did not go b/c and I am glad I didn't because I would have been a real mess. I know that there was not enough skin to do that and besides my breasts were lopsided

I finally got my dr to refer me to another PS out of out of town and he verified what I knew all along the implant had slipped from underneath the muscle. He just told me what he could do to revise the implants. He did not address the tightness not only in my breasts but also in my trunk area.

What relly hurts is that no one seemed to listen to me when there were problems. Now I had tissue damage all down both arms. My reconstruction is not good looking at all. I have spent hundreds of dollars trying to get a bra that does not hurt. I am so totally frustrated and depressed about how things were handled. They are all gung ho to get them off and then when things go wrong there is no help. I often go to bed at night in so much pain. My dr says there is no guarantee if I have the implants removed that it will help..I am beside my self. Don't know who to trust. Scared about Haveing anyone do surgery to remove them as.well. I do not know who I can trust to do it properly. Or even if there is someone that will do it for me.As far as a disability goes I do not know. If no one believe you that there is a problem then there is no chance of getting any kind of compensation.

What a mess!

Laura.

re: stats... one plastic surgeon I know quotes 50% failure rate for implants within 7 years.