All About Gummies

Violet_1, do you like your Sientra's? I am going to try and post pictures of mine today.

hey guys I have been MIA!  I had my revision 8/6 and just RTW today.  I am very happy with revision!!!  So I have sientra teardrop/anatomicals with round base 425cc.  I really like them.  I kinda got them as plan B, but very happy!  So long story short (I'll try, but I tend to ramble!).  My right foob appeared narrower and fuller upper pole than the left and it hit my shirts higher up than my left so it appeared like it was a much higher foob than my left when in reality it was a tiny tad higher overall, but in clothes it looked significant to me.  I had a lot of pocket work on right side with my exchange on 4/23.  Lots of tightness, and lots of stretching needed to get my ROM back and break through scar tissue, but it all worked out in the end with full ROM and no scar tissue pain.  So I talked with my ps about revision and he said I looked great...which I agreed, BUT... so ps sees me unclothed so its difficult to explain to him my concerns in clothes, etc, but I did bring pics, etc.  I said I am not so concerned about naked me vs clothed me.  He seemed hesistant a little to do revision, but we scheduled it out for 8/6 (at least 3 months since 4/23 surgery).  As the surgery date got closer, I questioned if I should do revision or not.  I saw him about a week and a half before surgery and we changed plan from matching lefty to righty to widening righty to match lefty..holy anxiety!  We talked about fat grafting at the (can't think of the term) transition of my bony chest to implant area as well.  Again, he said I really didn't need it, but would do it if I felt it was noticeable.  Again, not life altering noticeable, but I was planning on this being the last surgical chapter for me (3 surgeries in 9 months is plenty).  So 8/6 was revision.  Fat grafting from love handles pretty painful for me..corset was very uncomfortable too!Grafting way more painful than revision to widen right pocket.  So ps tells me that my right implant was leaning to the right (lateral side).  (Now don't fret that it rotated..read on!) He moved implant and it fell to lateral side again.  He removed implant, flattened and replaced it and it fell to lateral side.  PS said  he did this repeatedly only to find it leaning to lateral side.  He said he could not figure out what was going on.  He checked out implant thoroughly and it was ok..then he looked at the pocket and my ribs and noted that my right ribs were more concave/bent than my left and when implant was put in, it would tip over the rib to the lateral side. So he widened pocket so it would sit more flat/balanced out.  He said he didn't know if it would resolve my concerns, but he was not going to crack my ribs!  So immediately after surgery i was very swollen from him messing around, but it was 100% better!  I was SOOOO happy!  So at post op..he says..I have to be completely honest with you and tell you that I really didn't see that much of an issue as you did regarding revision, but when I looked at you in OR from head to feet and then feet to head I could immediately see what you were saying about the right side!!!!  I thought yep..so glad I stuck with what I felt/saw! )  Anyways, he said it would take about 6 weeks for swelling to go down near completely because of all the messing around he did and I am bruised around there too so he must have had a time in there!  He said he has had maybe handful of patients in all his years that had one side of their ribcage different from the other..yay for me, right??!??    I will try to put pics up too..I started but then could not modify pics to be able to add to site...  So felt good enough to "be with" hubby sat and was very sore for a few days (no, its not what u are thinking!!)..and wound up with a bladder infection!  HA!  You guys have such dirty minds! 

Hi All!  I am scheduled for revision 9/5 - still curious about the gummys, but I would worry about them turning, as my TE's have turned from port being at the top in February and now is at the bottom..

I've had my gummy in since Jan 2011 and it is still flat looking. I thought at first it was my mastectomy scar pulling it back but I think it's just the shape of it.

I can't really complain because head on it looks pretty good (symmetrical) with my natural side. It's only when I look down or maybe even from the side that I can see how flat it is.

I do agree is is a wide implant but I've got cleavage (when I need it) which is nice.

My implant is much softer than others I have seen/felt but I think that the fat grafting is helping with that.

I did have allerderm showing and rippling on the bottom of the breast but again the fat grafting is helping with that too.

I opted not to have the recon nipple but instead am going for a 3d nipple tattoo on Nov 28.

I'm hoping next spring to have more targeted fat grafting placed behind the nipple and along the mast scar line to give me some projection.

Lilah: Nice to "see" you. You were one of my heros when I started here.

I had an implant exchange to Allergan 410 high profile implants on November 6th. My original reconstruction had left me very over expanded and my round silicone implants just looked saggy and awful. I am very happy so far, but I am wondering if the 410's will fluff like other implants?

Mine did not fluff up but it was softer and more comfortable compared to the TE.

What did fluff my gummy up was fat grafting. I had some done in May and I noticed a bit difference especially along the scar line and where my skin was very thin and rippling along the alloderm at the bottom of the recon breast.

I'm having another fat grafting surgery in Feb and my PS thinks that will improve the area along the scar more and fill in some of my "divots" (at the centre cleavage and at my underarm).

I just had a 3d nipple tattoo put on and now my PS has a "target" area to build up with fat to give me more projection as well.

I'll keep you posted on how it turns out.

Ladies, what does "fluff up" mean? I am still in TEs and this term is unfamiliar to me.

Aw Slinky! I'm so sorry to hear you are feeling this way... AND that there is no improvement to the rippling! But 6 weeks is still very early. I noticed mine got softer only after 3 months. I've never had rippling so I really don't know what to tell you about that. Did your PS tell you there would be no rippling with gummies?

Hi there,

I'm a long time reader, first time writer here. Your stories have helped me immensely. I've spent hours and hours and hours reading threads. Thank you everyone for your generous spirit. I'm ready to jump in the conversation.  Elizzim's post touched me bc I am single, too, 43. 

I had a prophylactic  nipple-sparing BMX 12/12/13, with tissue expanders and strattice added in left breast. 200 cc's added at recon. Then filled to 350. Was a 32D before, wanted the same.  On right breast during expansion, actually from time of first surgery, I had a large cavern across the top of the breast. And some muscle discomfort.  PS didn't really worry about it. 

Exchange to Allergan 410 on 3/4/14. I'm one week out and have these deep caverns on both breasts now, what i think is the upper pole (above nipple).  It's like a riverbank running across the width of each breast.  I see my PS tomorrow. On the phone he said they are not going to move. I do not like the shape - definitely wide and flat, hamburger syndrome.  But has anyone had this cavern thing?  I'm not opposed to revision, but hoping they are settling? 

Many thanks for any feedback. 

BC -- The 410s don't "drop and fluff" (as people refer to the changes) as much as regular silicone implants, but they do go through some settling.

With that said, I think what you are describing sounds like "step-off"... which is the spot where the implant meets the chest wall at the top of the breast.  I'm surprised you have a big "cavern" (as you put it) with the 410, however, since the 410 is teardrop shaped and tends to minimize that effect.  Are you very slim? 

I do believe that fat grafting can help with the issue.  But I don't know anything about fat grafting (other than that).  Have you looked at a thread here on BCO called "Breast Implant Sizing 101"?  The woman who runs that thread -- Whippetmom -- knows a great deal about sizing and also about fat grafting.  She might be able to help more.

Pinklotus - Technically 'gummies' originally referred to the Allergan 410 anatomical implants - which is what I have so I can't advise.  You might like the thread "exchange city" - link below - because there are all kinds of implants discussed and ladies in all stages of exchange.  There's lots to read & You'll probably get a quick answer.

https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44/topic/728266?page=1080#idx_32372

Lilah and MinusTwo,

Thank you so much for reaching out! The good news is that my PS says he WILL fix it. Made me feel understood and heard that he sees what I see, the "caverns" across now both breasts (developed in right breast now ). He says it has to with my muscles. I am thin, 5'6, 117 lbs and do some rippling but that doesnt bother me.  Says they won't drop but will settle and soften.  Still have my drains, dang it .  Think I overdid it this week, as I am very sore.

Pinklotus, I don't have the same implants ( I have allergan 410) but  I don't like mine right now. Yours sound just like how I would describe mine, exactly. Except I have these trenches going across the width of each breast after the step-off. I do know these things can be fixed. Let's hang in there....

BC - you need to go to the "exchange" thread.  That's where all the action is about various implants and revisions.

thank you, MinusTwo...on my way there.  Have checked out that tread before. I just ended back up in the hospital with a infection in left implant. Hoping it will clear up soon. I see you have allergan 410 and like them.  Did you from the beginning, or did you grow to like them?

Thank you.