Access to the Picture Forum - READ 1st POST

Hello Nowhere girl and Lilah,

I am newly diagnosed for the 2nd time.  Details about whther tis mets etc coming soon.  In the mean time, its going to be a bilateral mx.  Previously I had a lumpectomy that was essentially invisible.  I would apprecaite counsel on reconstruction from anyone; I had a ps tell me that he wouldn't recommend it for my size and I am shocked and reeling and will be getting another consult.  In any case I would appreciate beng able to see photos and also get other counsel especially about being large breasted.  

Thank you.

V

Thank you.

HVV,

I don't know what size you are, but I was a DD when diagnosed and currently have 750cc implants. I would get a 2nd opinion. Best wishes to you.

Yes ladies please just PM me or Nowheregirl! 

Also HVV -- check out Breast Implant Sizing 101 (a thread here on BCO).  I agree with the others that you should seek another opinion.  Some women who are large and need large implants DO go with saline (which come in larger sizes than silicone)... but not knowing anything about your size I can only suggest getting more info and another opinion.  The Sizing thread is run by someone very knowledgeable who can help guide you if you can share info with her (read the header of that thread and contact Whippetmom).

I would love to see pictures and share mine. I don't post a lot but read so many posts. I just had my exchange earlier today.

Karen/Mamalyon,   I like you am plus size and have noticed the commonality re: BMI.  

I know it can be frustrating when you are facing decisions regarding recon. Please understand that the picture forum is not part of bco and is private. Those who maintain it and participate/contribute in it do so voluntarily. I hope those dealing with this can understand the reason why restrictions to the picture forum exist (and I'm sure the screening is not perfect). There is a huge amount of info on all recon options on bco and, at some point, you may be given access to the picture forum.

Thank you all for all of the help. I think these pictures y'all have sent me to do look like real women. I sort of have a crazy question...but in some photos I've seen where there is a only one breast being reconstructed, the before picture shows a lot of what appears to be scar tissue. I am not sure if that's what that is or perhaps that is "skin sparing" extra skin for the new breast? I am wondering if a person doesn't go recon, is it possible to wind up with all of that scar tissue? Or does the dr make it smooth? Is that a stupid question?

K

Mamalyon - It's my understanding that if a woman is certain she does not want reconstruction or if for some reason she is not a candidate for reconstruction the breast surgeon can make the skin snug across the chest at the time of the mastectomy.  If a woman wants or is undecided about reconstruction the breast surgeon leaves a skin "envelope" to allow for reconstruction.  That is what the terms skin sparing and skin sparing/nipple sparing refer to.  The breast tissue is removed, but the breast skin (and sometimes nipple) is spared.  Sometimes reconstruction is started immediately at the time of mastectomy, but sometimes chemo and/or radiation can affect the order of things.

Additional areas of lobular neoplasia and multiple ADH throughout left breast found at mastectomy. Oncotype DX = 18 (Opted out of chemo)
Dx 12/8/2010, ILC, <1cm, Stage Ib, Grade 1, 0/1 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2-Dx 12/18/2010, DCIS, <1cm, Stage 0, Grade 1, 0/1 nodes, ER+/PR+Surgery 02/16/2011 Mastectomy (Both); Lymph Node Removal (Left); Reconstruction: Tissue expander placement (Both)Hormonal Therapy 04/15/2011 ArimidexSurgery 08/24/2011 Reconstruction: Breast implants (permanent) (Both)Surgery 04/08/2013 Reconstruction: Breast implants (permanent) (Both)

Mamalyon, let me speak for myself. I'm probably one of those that needs to post as my "story" is different than most (see signature line below for more details) and I'm probably considered a bit overweight now. 1 mx in 1996, 1 last year with bilateral recon. For me, part is a privacy issue: while I know that the ladies who run the picture forum,  screen it as best as can (thanks by the way to Lilah and Nowheregirl for ALL your efforts to run, monitor and screen the picture forum!), I'm not absolutely positive I won't find my pictures available to the world. Unfortunately, there's always some sicko who can figure out how to beat the system. So I appreciate the ladies screening as best they can. 

While my experiences have been pretty good, the one biggest hurdle I'm finding is that I really stopped looking at myself (my mx's) long ago. It pains me at times to see ME as others see me. As a matter of fact, I have just begun posting my story (on the picture forum) and haven't gotten the nerve to post the pictures of the different stages of reconstruction. Why? For me, it's the final acknowledgement that everything's going to be ok and I'm not there yet. I still have stitches and my foobs (fake boobs) are far from perfect. Even after healing, I'll always have scars. So, in my mind, if I can't stand to see the pictures I'm not ready for others to. It feels like to ME all the times I went to various medical "professionals" and they all wanted a peek and a feel like I'm some kind of freak. (Just had this again recently when I went for a PT appt when I requested a woman and got the male owner of the company who wanted a peek and a feel and didn't even provide me with a gown! Yes, it was a private room, and yes, he just wanted me to lift my top!) Oh, and by the way, there was a student present so I thought I was the show. And, yes, I reported him to all that I could.  

The one thing I know for sure is that the ladies on BCO are super compassionate and not in it for the "gawk" factor, come for knowledge (like you), support, understanding (as only those of going/have gone thru breast cancer can understand), and above all HOPE. 

So, I for one, am grateful there is a screening process. Maybe when you're here long enough you'll understand from the other side of the mx/recon point of view. 

How do I get access to the picture forum? I am trying to research SGAP.

2nd_time-around:

Your last post hit a nerve with me and I teared up. I look in the mirror and cannot believe this is what I have become. Those horizontal scars and the misshaped-missized TE's make me feel like a freak and as much as I want to put this whole experience behind me, my body will never let me forget. I do hope it gets easier as it's been less than 6 months, but deep down I think I will forever feel damaged. 

Thanks AmyQ, for reflecting what I posted!



As I continue to say, bc is a roller coaster with its up and downs and getting whipped around. I know that it took me years before I didn't think of bc daily, then very infrequently. Guess I bottomed out the other day as I had had enough of pain and pain meds (which i know cause me to feel depressed), after what I thought was a fairly easy revision (saw PS today and she validated that I had severe pain because it wasn't so little, so easy or quick-recovering. Tired of "friends" who don't have a clue about what we are going thru tell me they were tired that I talk about pain and pain meds so much, but, duh, that's my life right now!). Anyway, today with stitches out and more freedom of movement (and I can sit in a chair without wincing, tomorrow's high-light is a shower and a real hair washing) I actually started feeling like a better me, even a bit better than before bc DX. Another real friend (going thru knee surgery recovery who has friends going thru bc) had only encouraging words, boosted my ego by saying she'll go with me bra shopping for really SEXY bras (which I haven't seen in 20 years) and what an inspiration I am. Forgot I have good points too, like being selected as a national bc mentor and just applied today for local bc center mentor. So, looking at myself in the mirror tonight, I have 2 foobs which beats 1 real and 1 absent any day. Just need time to finish my post to the picture forum.

Having BC and losing a breast or two breasts is a loss no matter what.  But many women do have good results so I agree with Tina that you should not EXPECT disappointment in your outcome.  Feel and experience the loss but expect to get a good result.  We all deserve a good result.

Please read the first post in this thread, ladies.

I am new to the forum and I understand the rules that I need to share more in order to get access to the picture forum. Everything happened to me so fast that it is hard to build more prominent profile. I was curious to see if anyone had nipple sharing grafts. I cannot find pics anywhere on internet and I am not sure what the results look like. My surgery will be in two months and I would like to emotionally prepare. If I join the forum after my surgery it won't matter.