Access to the Picture Forum - READ 1st POST

bluewillowskys, if you send a Private Message to one of the Picture Forum's administrators - Lilah or nowheregirl - they can send you the information you need to re-connect with their off-BCO forum. We're sorry to see you're having a recurrence!

• The Mods

Could I please have access to the pic site.  I will willingly have apic of my chest posted to reciprocat.    TY.............Kamein

It seems that double mastectomy is the norm here. Anyone else have unilateral mastectomy with reconstruction? I'm struggling to with the decision to tamper with the "healthy" side for symmetry. 

little chicken,

This thread is for those inquiring about a private, non-bco picture forum. Please search the mastectomy threads or start a new thread there to get some responses to your question.

Ladies -- thank you for your interest in streamlining this thread.  Nowheregirl and I will figure it out.  And Mods: thanks for the offer of locking this thread and linking to a new one.  We're discussing and will let you all know.

In all honesty, people frequently don't bother to read the first post (whether it's blank or not) -- how many times has Whippetmom had to ask people to refer to the first post on her thread, which is visible on EVERY page and where she asks for specific info?  (My case in point).  And this is true of MANY threads. So I'm not sure it will make a big difference.  With that said, it might help a few, so we will see!

Cheers,

Lilah

Hi all,

I have read the post at the top and asked for access to pictures as I have so many decisions to make.  I see that I am supposed to post first.... but what am I supposed to post??  I am lost right now!  I am 46 and I was diagnosed last week with breast cancer.  I went for an MRI this week and I will meet with a surgeon tomorrow.  Surgery should be scheduled in a week to 10 days.  As I understand it now, the cancer I have is enclosed in the milk duct and has not spread.  However, I have 2 sisters who have had breast cancer.  Both of them had lumpectomies and then the cancer recurred and they had to have mastectomies.  I have a paternal aunt who also had both breasts removed due to breast cancer.  My mother also had cancer - it probably started as colon cancer but we are not sure. So, because of the family history I am 99% sure I am going to have a double mastectomy.   I am seriously considering having reconstructive surgery but that is where I am totally lost!  I am currently a size EE cup.  I definitely want to go smaller!  So, any advice is greatly appreciated.  

Blessings,

Kristi 

Hi, Kristi -

I understand your confusion. Exbrnxgrl is right... the gatekeepers to the Picture Forum (a separate website from BCO) want to see that you are a legitimate member here and are here posting not only to ask questions, but to give others support.

Here is a really good summary about understanding your diagnosis:

http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/diagnosis

Take a look at the home page for the BCO Community, and you can see all the different forums available. Here is the link:

https://community.breastcancer.org/

If your cancer is non-invasive, does that mean you have DCIS? There are many forums for that.

There are also different forums for different kinds of surgeries, which  you can join. Especially supportive are the forums for women having surgery in a particular month. 

As for sizing, there is a very good thread called "Breast Implant Sizing 101" run by a fabulous member named whippetmom. She is awesome at educating women about the appropriate types and sizes of implants if that's the reconstruction they choose. Just make sure you read everything in the blue box at the top of the page.

Here's a link:

https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44/topic/746448?page=366#idx_10952

Wishing you the best!

can I please have access to the pictures . i had implant reconstruction that bottomed out and am doing a prophylactic mastectomy and implant on top of muscle with strattice internal bra next month.

wolfhoundmom, please read the first undeleted post of this thread to see the process for gaining access to the volunteer-run reconstruction picture forum. Here's the direct link to learn more:

http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44/topic/8...

• The Mods

some time ago I requested access, am not sure how this works, I understand the need for privacy. Does anyone out there have implants over the muscle? My first right side reconstruction was poorly done. Since I had to find a new surgeon and want to be free of the twice yearly mammogram on my natural breast (which was also messed up by my first PS). I've decided to remove remaining breast and go direct to implant with strattice or alloderm, implants on top of muscle. Anyone have experience with fat grafting? New PS will graft to cover implant. I've heard a lot  of the grafted fat reabsorbs and am worried about implant wrinkling. This is my last chance to improve reconstructive outcome. I can't afford the physical. mental and emotional costs of repeat surgeries. Thanks for any advice-

Hi, wolfhoundmom - you have a lot going on and you deserve answers.

First of all, go to the top of this page, and look for the dark blue box on the left. Look for Member List, and click on that. Search for nowheregirl or Lilah and send them a PM requesting access to the Picture Forum. They are the only ones who can grant access, and they do get busy, and sometimes PMs don't go through. Keep trying.

Secondly, in those same dark blue boxes, right underneath Member List is a box called Search. Click on that, and put in some of the topics you need help with: over the muscle implants, direct-to-implant reconstruction, strattice, alloderm, or fat grafting. That should take you to the threads that are already on the BCO boards with lots of information on each subject.

Hope this helps!

wolf. I don't have implants but when deciding what I wanted to do, my friend steered me away. She had direct to implants and over time they have migrated to her armpits. Not sure if that's common but I guess it's one thing that could happen. 

That shouldn't happen if the pockets are prepared properly and the implants are sized to the pockets.  I guess nothing is impossible, but it isn't the norm for implants to migrate to the armpits.

lalli,

You should have received info on how to access the picture forum via pm unless you requested that it be sent to your email address. Please re-check for that message or look in your spam folder/trash if you believe it went to a personal email address. If you can't find it, you will have to contact lilah or nowheregirl again.

lespring... no, the results should be the same.