Still Uncomfortable with Implants

beacher-  Marga's website has loads of info...  www.drmarga.com

Kate - wanted to let you know that you inspired me to (again...) send emails and letters to all the major news organizations as well as my local paper.  Hopefully, eventually....this will get more coverage and more women will learn that there are more options out there.

beacher- We are both on there.  Mine is probably pretty far back since there haven't been any recent posting.  I'll bump it up for you so you can find it easier.

Ladies,

I am so grateful I found this post... you ladies have shared a lot of experiences about implants and reconstruction...and I am listening!

I have been on the fence over recon for 3 years... and just started thinking about entertaining the idea again. I have been told before, I am not a candidate based on where my tumor lied (at the 2 oclock hour). With this said, my surgeries have left me lopsided at best! 3 inch nipple variance where the right nipple pokes over my bra is no easy PROBLEM! I have flashed more people than I wish to count... but I have kept the mindset that boobs are just anatomy and I wasn't going to let go of fashion to wear clothes up to my neck!

With this said, I have never felt more alive and just cannot imagine going through another surgery (albeit somewhat elective and voluntary!)

I have the most supportive husband and 2 beautiful chidren.

I thank you for your honest feedback so I can make a more educated decision.

To have recon... or not... hmmm

Thanks!

Nicole

THANKS!!!!! leeinfl and kate33, just simply incredible! who the heck in california does that good of work? Are you saying Dr. Greenberg? im searching alot i have an appt. with dr Gilbert Lee on sept 22, its going to cost me 262.00 just for consult he is not in my insurance group,i know none of the ps's in my group do this work so i will go else where but if im paying i want the best but need to stay in Cali to be able to afford it..thanks sooooo much for sharing, Whippetmom has been tons of help too im not done yet

beacher- I read her blog, too, and she seems behind this procedure 100%.  I would definitely check her out and see when she is going to start offering the total breast fat grafting.

Hi,

How are you doing?  i read your post and I have had my saline implant 11 years and have had NOTHING but pain and embarrassemnt, never match my other side.  I am considering a DIEP from a well renounced PS at University of chicago.  I have chickened out twice.  I hope you are doing well and when you are able would you mind telling how you are doing and was it worth it?

th

hi ladies, im 49 and had breast augmentation at 27, capsular contracture happened within the first year. i live with them like that until i was 46, when i decided to change out the implants and go with a larger implant. capsular contracture happened to one breast within the first year. i was avid with the massage that is required daily with implants but my body has other plans. when i found out at 49 that i had breast cancer and would not be able to hav radiation because of the implants, the choice was to remove them. i only had cancer in one breast, but the opportunity to have both implants removed and have insurance pay was hard to pass up. my general surg sent me to a ps whose specialty was diep. when he explained exactly why he didnt like to put implants in breast cancer patients i was greatful for his honesty. he left the choice to me, i looked at a zillion pics of before and after pics and was amazed at the results. i learned you have to go to a diep expert because the surgery takes tremendous skill and time. i knew i was pronrd to capsular contracture and did not want to go thru that again, and i knewonce they removed all the breast tissue if i had implants the ps said he knew i would not be happy with the results having having real breast augmentation. he said it would look like i had hamburger buns sewn on my chest. what sold me on the diep was the tummy tuck you get out of it. since i did both breasts at the same time i have perfect symetry. a new belly button and a crazy flat stomach. i dont have nipples yet, but because my ps is so good at what he does i will let him finish his project. i am grateful to my gen surg for sending me to this ps that he works with. my female obgyn send me to my surg, who sent me to the ps and so far my whole team have been amazing. the other day h ad my breasts measured at victoria secret, i am 36d, that is a perfect size for my body. i would recommemd the diep over implants anyday. im a been there done that. but you have to search out the experts, the reason alot of people are getting implants because most ps arent proficient in thisandit much easier to put in implants. if i knew where to post pics i would, maybe someone could tell me where we do this. thanks for you time.

Beacher -- I saw Dr. Gilbert Lee and for me he was not willing to try fat grafting with implant removal.  Maybe he would be willing to do the smaller implant with some fat over but he seemed to be pushing implants. I really wanted to get rid of the implant.  Dr. Steven Cohen was willing to try the Brava/ complete implant removal but I would have been his first and he was not directly trained by Dr. K although he is familiar with his work.  Ended up going to Florida.  Dr Greenberg was observing at my surgery as part of her training w/ Dr. K.  Did not talk to her there was too much going on.

Thanks Kareenie, i have got all the info on dr.k and would love to miami! still considering i tbut probably will not happen still researching docs around here southern cali and i actually have an appt with dr lee hmmmm maybe i should cancel im paying out of pocket for consult...

i wish someone could talk about there implants with radsexperience???i even started a thread but you can post here here if u would rather ? But please ther has to be someone out there that had rads even on the rad forum i cannot find anyone at this place rads now with implants ANYONE????

For those who asked what size I went down to, I believe I was a D with first implant, now a C. Who knows, still in gym bra, everything is tucked in. In them 24-7 until he says go regular.

Sorry for leaving this out.

Hugs,

Ronna- I'm sorry but, if it helps, I can sympathize with what you are going through!  I felt so great after my revision and now things are hurting again.  It definitely helps with the smaller implants (like you went from D to C) and am so glad I did the fat grafting as that has helped a LOT with how they look.  But the pec muscles are tightening back up and am getting a strange pulling feeling on the non MX side.  PS thought it might be scar tissue and is sending me to PT which I start on Tuesday.  I wondered about the foreign object thing too.  I found out (after exchange) that sometimes women with fibro can have pain from the implants.  (Funny, my first PS never thought to mention that to me.  Well, that's going to have to go in my report- lol!)  Sorry for all you're dealing with.  It just shouldn't be this hard.  BTW, every time I see the pic of your pup it just makes me smile!  

Kate33: Keep us posted if this gets some airtime. I definitely want to see it. My surgery should be in the first week of November and I am lurking around here, trying to be prepared with my decisions in that regard.

Thanks! 

Beacher, maybe it is the pec muscles being altered. Yes, we were not informed. I would love to see in the future, every new diagnosted bc patients have an advocate with them to guide them through and let them know everything. Yes, my hospital had staff to talk to us, but never did I expect this. Even saw a video before mast. of women having a wonderful life and how happy they were with implants. All Bs.

I also went to PT for my hands due to Arimidex, since then changed to Femara and no side effect at all, however, while at PT my therapist knew about my arm problems and had me to arm exercises.

I finally told my husband I made a mistake. Scared to remove them, just don't know. Kate, what would happen if you reached out to Hoda, who I met at a Komen event. As you know she is a survivor too, she had the tram thing and seems to be happy. If you have seen pics of that event, my pics with her were shown on  tv. What about Diane Sawyer??? What we need are professionals to guide us... Thank you everyone for listening to me ranting.