Weight loss and implants.

Are you having a DIEP? Then,if you are,your boobs will reflect your weight loss....or gain!

All the best...

There is no rush. Don't let your surgeon press you into doing something until you have decided what you want to do. I had my single mastectomy on my cancer side. Then I waited to see if I needed chemo or radiation (I didn't need them). Then I made an appointment with my PS and scheduled my prophylactic mastectomy and tissue expander placement. That surgery was five months after my original Mx. Then the fills and resting period took seven months. When we decided on the implant before my exchange surgery, we were able to look at my body and make the right decision for me. The entire process took one year. Because of my slower pace, I had no regrets about what I did. I had time to think it through and learn along the way.

I was 63 at the time of my diagnosis and overweight. When I met with my MO, I was sure I wouldn't need anything more. Then he explained that the extra weight I carried had estrogen in it, and the fact that adrenal glands produce estrogen that could feed stray cancer cells. At that appointment in December of 2013, I decided I was going to lose my extra pounds. I was one of those people who could never diet and had gradually gained extra pounds since my early twenties. I asked for a Fitbit for Christmas and started walking with a goal of 7500 steps a day. I decided that I needed to make a lifestyle change since I couldn't or wouldn't diet. I cut out all sweets and desserts, although I would take a token bite if presses. Pretty soon I started craving tart things and sweet things didn't even appeal to me. One year after my initial diagnosis, I had lost fifty pounds. It has been almost another year now, and I am down another ten pounds and have a BMI of 22.

My PS and I decided on an Allergan 410 cohesive gel implant for a natural look and I couldn't be happier. I even had 3D tattoos done by Vinnie Meyers in June 2015 and feel like a real, normal person for the first time since my diagnosis. My granddaughter walked in on my after my shower in our RV and didn't notice anything - although I did cover up as quickly as I could.

If I can be of any help or encouragement to you, message me. If I can do this - anyone can. Any simple pedometer will work as long as you use it and keep track of your steps and active minutes. Mine made me aware of the fact that when I sit down at the computer all day, I won't reach my goal. So it gets me up and I walk an extra lap around the block to make up for it.

I am thrilled to help motivate anyone I can. I remember the talk my doctor had with me when I was in my 40's. He said there was an elephant in the room. I looked up and said, "what?" Then he said my weight was creeping up slowly every year. I explained that I didn't drink or smoke and sweets were my treat and escape when I felt overloaded. I wasn't willing to commit to exercising three times a week for the rest of my life. I felt there was nothing I could do to stop the weight creep. And it didn't stop until I decided I had to do it. The estrogen in my extra pounds scared me enough to make a change in my life. I read a book that talked about how dropping something from your diet (or on the other hand, adding something to your diet) will add up to a pound or two a year. Since it had taken me 45 years to end up with 50 extra pounds, I was going to drop sweets and desserts and start walking more. And it worked!

Good for you Kjana! You've taken the first step by making up your mind to do it!