Still Uncomfortable with Implants

I think the PS is such an afterthought when dealing with cancer.  I didn't really realize the importance of picking a good one.  I didn't even know what questions to ask.  I wish the BS, or cancer center, oncologist or whoever would take us by the hand and help us there as well.  Doesn't seem most cancers have this added layer to treatment and it ends up being a huge part of treatment.  Though I was treated at a highly respected cancer center in Arizona I was shocked when I discovered it was up to me to go out and find a PS to put me all together again.

IllinoisNan:

Your last few sentences said it well. Everything happened too fast and GOOD decisions could not be made. ABSOLUTELY TRUE.

dwlsGirlL:  The only statement I can add is that gals who decide to have implants put in still have their own tissue. My implant was placed over the muscle, no tissue. On my augmented side which had to be lifted to match my mast side, no pain there because tissue is still there. I hope this helps you understand what I could never understand either, how come girls who put "implants" in for augmentation have no pain. Now I understand.  I hope I am correct in what I am saying.

 My PS also wants me to wear a bra 24/7, so I wear a sports bra all day but at night, I go braless. I do have a sleeping bra, but I do feel comfort completely when turned on my side or lying down flat.

Your word Nagging is very appropriate and I will use that word when I see my PS in March .

I'm on page 7 of this thread (opened another window so I could reply) but wanted to say THANK YOU so much for posting about the uncomfortable implants.  

 My implants look GREAT (according to my MO, my primary and a few select friends), I've had nipples recreated and got my tattoo's BUT they're too wide and they're uncomfortable.  I had a really, really good plastic surgeon in that he makes pretty breasts.

I had immediate reconstruction after my bilateral mastectomy in June 2011 (no expanders - straight to silicone).  I can't remember the unit of measure but I think he said they removed 1400 ml from my mastectomy and my implants are 750ml's.

My complaints are they are too wide, too flat, bra's don't fit (I don't fill out the cup), my skin feels so TIGHT like I'm always wearing too tight of a bra even when I'm bra-less.  They spasm a LOT (maybe that's what others describe as "ripple"?), I also describe it as they're "crawling". Additionally, I have a constant pulling, painful area above my right breast (below my shoulder but in the front).  They're the first thing that I notice when I wake up and the last thing on my mind when I go to bed.  They make it so that I can't move on from this nightmare.  I think of them (feel them) 24/7.  They're a constant reminder and I'd like to forget about it sometimes.

I've contacted Dr. Khouri's office in Miami because of this thread and am seriously contemplating changing these out for the fat grafting.  I'm 40lb's overweight though so I don't know if they'll consider me right now.

btw... some of the acronym's in here have confused me.  One of them that came up a lot and I could not figure out is NS.  What is NS?   And "LE".  What is "LE"?

Thank you 1openheart!  Those acronyms now make sense.    I sent you a pm back.  We had the same surgeon!

TheNancygirl-  If you look on the forum for New to Breast Cancer you will see a thread called Discussion Board Abbreviations that has a really long list to help you out.  I just now looked for it and there are still quite a few that I don't know!  Good luck with everything!

Ronna- I don't think you being unable to do fills would matter because I did months of fills and we have similar issues.  And I know others who had immediate recon, no TE's but straight to implants, who are fine.  Not sure why some of us are dealing with this and most have no pain or discomfort at all.  I just wish they would research this and try to find out the underlying cause for so many.  Maybe then doctors wouldn't think it was all in our heads.  I wonder if any of us have any commonalities?  TE's vs immediate recon, size of implants vs natural size, pre-existing conditions (auto-immune, etc), heck even weight, height, physical condition prior to surgery, etc.  Maybe there's a link or maybe it's just luck of the draw.  I sometimes wonder if my discomfort is an auto-immune response to the implants due to my fibromyalgia.  I've seen theories about this but doctors have discounted it when I've brought it up.  

My weight is somewhat under, too.  I am pretty small boned and have very thin skin (both literally and figuratively- ha!), I had TE's, expanded to 345 with a 350 silicone implant.  I went from a small C to a full C so not much change from my natural size.  My MX and exchange were 4 months apart.  I wasn't big on upper body workouts so I know it's not that my pecs were tight to begin with.  I did a revision last year and my PS swapped me to a 225 implant with fat grafting.  At first I felt great and thought the smaller implant was the answer but as the months have gone by the discomfort has returned.  It always feels like there is a weight on my chest.  It just always aches.

Kate,

My pain is not so much of a tightness or weight across my chest as it is just a nagging, pulling pain.  The main area of pain seems to be right where the stereotactic bx was.  There are two levels of pain...one deep whenever I move my arm or flex my pec and the other is on the skin surface whenever I touch it or anything rubs across that area.    I did not have TE's, just a gummy silicon and alloderm along the bottom of the breast.  My pain started about 2-3 mos. post mastectomy.  Then when I had my nipple done at the end of Nov., he did a revision and took out the implant and made the pocket somewhat smaller.  Low and behold, the pain was gone...until a couple of weeks ago....about the same amount of time as when the pain originally started after the UMX.  I also have a lot of rib pain on that side and some cording underneath the breast.  That really hurts alot!

 Layla....you made me giggle talking about your car door swinging open!  My doc said I could use the pain meds and muscle rlx. for as long as I needed them.  You don't heal as fast when you are in pain...the body stays tense and tight when in pain and that is counterproductive to healing. 

Layla - I see you are in Florida.  Go to facecrafter.com - Judy does 3D tattooing and is absolutely fantastic.  She works out of the Sarasota area.  A true artist!  She's also a breast cancer survivor and a beautiful lady, inside & out.  Call or email her.  As far as the pain meds, stay on top of the pain so you can heal and recuperate.  We know our bodies best and one week is not a long time at all.  Best of luck!

Can't believe I have only just found this thread especially after following kate's journey. I had the lat surgery with immediate reconstruction with silicone 250 Naturelle implants. I hate them.

 My BS is the one who recommended lat surgery - I also have MS so he was strongly against doing anything involving my abdominal muscles and said amazingly I didn't have enough fat anyway. So I trusted his advice. The first PS he sent me to two days after my diagnosis was rude and uncaring - I was awfully upset at the time and he kept telling me I should be happy for the chance for cosmetic improvement. When I burst into tears he told me I was going to ruin my chance for a good prognosis by being so upset. 

He said he would not do the lat surgery as he said I would be able to handle the surgery. He recommended just putting in the harder implants many of you have talked about. I was devastated. I actually knew nothing as it was so soon after my diagnosis but I asked why no one uses just fat for breasts. At this point he leaves and brings in this huge black box with what looks like a vest with oversize breast pumps - this was apparently an early version of the Brava. He told he me had only had one woman do this but I'd have to agree to wear this thing 16 out of 24 hours( I think - might have been more) and it would take about a year! I had told him I wanted to be the same size I was which was a 34  - small B. He kept saying how of course you will want to be bigger. Didn't listen to me at all.

I left and cried for days. Went back to my BS and he sent me to another surgeron who said he would do the lat. He was nice, no pressure so I didn't ask all the questions I should have. I think after the first one I felt such relief that I just went with it. Everything happened within the month as if I had waited then I would have had to have waited another 4-5 months and I was such a basketcase dont' think I could have done that.

 Now I totally regret not learning a lot more. I wish I had even gone with the awful first man as at least it was something that could be fixed. With the lat - I have huge long totally uneven scars across my back - one side is higher( I asked the PS - he said oh I must not have drawn them straight - isn't that kind of detail the reason you go to a PS is for nicer looking scars?)

No one told me 2 years out I would still be in huge amounts of pain. Not only did I lose feeling in my breasts but my entire back!! If I have to scratch my back it is like scratching the bottom of your foot. So now back rubs or massages. Plus I can't sit in most chairs as they hurt so bad. The scar tissue is extremely painful. 

Also where the tunnelled the muscle - they caught up so fat so there are big bulges under my arms making bras impossible and so many clothes. Plue the whole area is still amazingly tender. 

As for the breasts themselves - they are cold, a bit uneven, there is so stopping so they continue under my arms. I had asked him to go a tiny bigger as in I was a 34 small B - meaning a lot of B's I didn't quite fill out so just wanted to fill out the B. So what did I get? C's. I didn't want a C at all and hate them. Because of the wrap around effect of the lat I have a dent on one side where the implant starts and the lat wraps. And on both there is a ridge where the chest wall comes down and the implant starts. 

Anyway, can't wear bras other than sports bra so most of my clothes I just look flat and frumpy. I have been in such pain and with the extra fatigue of MS I've gained weight and just been so depressed by it all. I would adore to have something done - but what??? The lat is pretty well a permanant fixture. How could I have done something so  tremendously disfiguring to myself without even realizing. I feel so stupid and I'm just stuck. It isn't like they can put the muscle back and all will be well. 

So sorry this is so long. once I got going I found I couldn't stop but I did want to warn others what the problems can be with this type of surgery. I have only found a couple of people who have had problems with this so I wanted to get this out. Thanks.

 I'm so glad some of you are finally getting relief. And yes the way the look and feel really does matter tremendously. What if this was a male surgery equivalent - I'm sure how big or small and whether there was pain or how the reconstruction made you feel would be much more important and paid attention to. Also losing the sensation is tremendous but to then be told you can't have them look cosmetically as good as possible for you just isnt' right. And how the insurance will pay for the reconstruction but then you are on your own!

Stanzie, so sorry for all the pain and suffering you have gone through and continue to go through.  I see you are in Georgia - not too far to make a trip down to Miami.  I saw a lady who had gone through similar experience with lat flap - she also had horrible scars and her flap failed so she ended up with a concaved chest.  Dr. Khouri did a great job of improving the scars on her back and had started the process of re-building the breasts for her.  I know it was a long process and I don't know if she has completed her treatment, but when I met her, she was so grateful for the improvement in the scars both on her back and breast.  Would certainly be worth it to schedule a consult and see what he can do for you.  Hope things will get better for you.  You certainly deserve it.  Hugs.

Stanzie--there have been many recent improvements in Breast Reconstruction.

I have hopes for fatgrafting.  I had scar reduction--will be having additional scar reduction.

I agree with Leeinfl.  Perhaps a trip to Dr. Khouri would help.  Definitely try additional plastic surgeons.  The answer may be available for you.  Good Luck.  Eileen

I wonder if women plastic surgeons are more understanding when their patients are having problems with their reconstructions?  Sometimes I think that men just don't get it.  They see our breasts as just boobs....objects for men to appreciate.  For us, they are so much more.  And if they are causing pain everytime we take a breath or move our arms, it makes it hard to get through the day. Just wondering......

Thanks so much to all. To tell you the truth I don't know where to go. A while back Whippit Mom was trying to help me find someone locally and No one will touch lat surgeries. Kate knows I did speak with Dr. K's nurse which was a bit odd but ... well never actually answered my questions. My sisters live in the keys and I was thinking the next time we drive down I'll try and schedule a consult. But I'm thinking there isn't a lot of hope given how much they changed my body. I just didn't really understand at the time.

 There is a massage therapist - not one of those relaxing feel good ones but one that actually works on you. I may try her about my back and sides as it is at times just unbearable. Wish I could get the surgeon to order PT but he doesn't think anything is wrong, of course. Thanks again.