Implant troubles

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  • BigSister-2015
    BigSister-2015 Member Posts: 342
    edited August 2015

    Thanks!

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  • B123
    B123 Member Posts: 730
    edited August 2015

    hello everyone!

    Hoping for some help? I am almost 4 yrs post op silicone breast reconstruct Bilateral, with Right side being the good side. Lately my right side I have been feeling fluttering across front of the breast where incision is, and when I use that arm, I feel a crawling type feel with an achy feel all over. I don't have pain no redness no swelling. I push on the side of my breast in one area and feel like something is scratching me from the middle, almost like an edge. What could this be? Is it muscle, overdoing it?? Or is there something wrong? If it's scar tissue, how do you get rid of it?

    Mammaseeta.. Hope your doing better!

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  • Mamaseeta
    Mamaseeta Member Posts: 13
    edited August 2015

    B123.....I am certainly no doctor, but if I were you, I'd sure have my plastic surgeon take a look!! It doesn't sound normal at all. Don't take any chances with it, have it looked at. Let us know what you find out. Prayers and hugs for you!

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  • B123
    B123 Member Posts: 730
    edited August 2015

    well just wanted to update anyone who is looking for answers to maybe the same issues, it's a scary feeling. My MO said there is nothing wrong, it is the nerve endings growing ever so slowly and possible very close to the implant, it takes years growing 100mm/yr (something like that). Thanks for the support.. Wishing everyone good health and gods speed.


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  • susanwmcg
    susanwmcg Member Posts: 76
    edited August 2015

    Hello,

    I just passed my 4 year BMX anniversary. I had TEs then silicone implants. The last month both of my implants seem "wrinkly". I have not lost weight - good old Tamoxifen is doing the opposite. Has anyone experienced this implant issue? I know I should call my PS but I am also lopsided and have always thought if I need revisions I would go elsewhere.

    Thanks,

    Susan

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  • BigSister-2015
    BigSister-2015 Member Posts: 342
    edited September 2015

    Hi Susan,

    Well, now seems to be the time. It has been long enough that you don't really need to go back to the one you are not interested in. Have your records sent to someone else and start fresh. Perhaps a couple of opinions would be in order? (Although I can certainly understand that a couple of opinions can be stressful--which to follow!)

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  • ATMgene
    ATMgene Member Posts: 2
    edited September 2015

    So I'm not really one of those people to blog, but I was looking through here for anyone having similar side effects after a reconstruction and saw this.

    No one can tell you what you should do. It has to be your own person decision.

    I was diagnosed last year with a mutated ATM gene that put me at higher risk for breast cancer. I saw 5 different doctors in my area, including the genetic counselor and no one had seen this mutation. Because of this and having all 5 doctors agreeing that a mastectomy was the way to go, I had a prophylactic double mastectomy w/expanders put in, in Jan of this year. I chose to do it sooner than later because I am 44 and only will get older with recovery harder & I also have other autoimmune dieses that made it easier to decide now. In June I had the switch surgery to take out the expanders and put the implants in. I chose silicon "gummy bear" implants. I have had many surgeries in my life, but this was by far the worst. The hardest was getting passed the fact of really not having breast anymore. They do not look like natural breast or feel. I don't deal with too much pain anymore, just more tightness or comfortableness. My biggest complaint now is that something has happened to the right implant/breast. With talking to my nurse at the plastic surgeon's office, my skin has probably grown to my pectoral muscle so I can either live with it caving in every time I move my right arm (which I can't do) or I will probably have to have another surgery to remove scar tissue or have a fat transfer to separate the skin from the muscle. I still know I made the right decision, but it is very trying to stay positive everyday.

    Good luck to you with making the decision. Let me know if there is anything else I could advocate for you.

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  • BigSister-2015
    BigSister-2015 Member Posts: 342
    edited September 2015

    ATMgene, it sounds like you have a contracture, which is a fairly common complication of any breast reconstruction. Additional surgery can correct it.

    You did touch on a truth about breast reconstruction: it does not reconstruct what you had before, but it does give you something.

    I too had a genetic mutation that put me at risk for breast cancer. Since the risk was not huge, I opted for close monitoring. Not too long after, a biopsy revealed invasive breast cancer. Fortunately, it was very small, so the mastectomy was a cure. I had a both done at that time, and I do agree--it is a LOT of surgery. I was also complicated by 2 infections, so 8 months out, I am still working on my reconstruction. Sigh.

    Now that I have had cancer, I have a better picture of what having a prophylactic mastectomy versus mastectomy with cancer is like. My I have more feeling in the non-cancer side, and that side was not plagued with infections like the cancer side. I also had the risk of needing treatment for cancer, and I also lost a few lymph nodes on the cancer side.

    Some of my children inherited my genetic flaw, so they get to make this decision down the road. I can't say whether before a cancer diagnosis or after would be better--that is such a personal decision.

    I still struggle with the loss, especially since there have been complications. But I am also grateful to be alive and free of cancer and fairly free of the fear of a future diagnosis, albeit not 100% free.

    But, we have each other to commiserate with. No one who has not been told of a breast cancer diagnosis or who has not been through a mastectomy has a clue what we really feel/think.

    So grateful for this forum!

    JP

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