? Over-The-Muscle Breast Revision (Mentor)

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MarieJune
MarieJune Member Posts: 128
edited February 2018 in Breast Reconstruction

Hi everyone :)

It's been a long time. I hope you're all healing well. I've been doing great. NO complaints here, other than some sinking on my right side, and some dents and issues on Left side. I saw PS today and he saw the overdue damage and then he saw me make a tiny muscle movement and was like WHOAAAA!!! That happens all the time? And I cried....I Love him!! I told him that is my REAL issue. The dents, the little sagging here and there, I can tolerate all of that.....but the complete FLATNESS that happens when I make the slightest muscle as my flexing causes my implants to completely go flat?! I just can't seem to get past that......He agreed 100% that it's NOT normal, and I should NOT have to endure that. In my bra, you can see right down inside, because my right boob goes so flattened out from my muscle flexing so hard down! Ugh......Thank God for such a great surgeon. He's a miracle worker.

He immediately said "I have a solution!" He opened his handy dandy measuring stick, placed it on my chest, asked me how big I want these next ones....I said I would LOVE them to look "augmented" if possible.....as NOW I have OPEN possibilities.....whereas before my muscle didn't stretch any further than 440cc's....that's the largest he could fit and sew up. He said "550 will LOOK AMAZING!!" I will have the best cleavage, leaving about a centimeter of area apart between my girls of space, and I will have Mentor Siltex High Profile Textured implants (between 500-550cc's)

It felt amazing to be validated and to be put at ease to know there IS a solution to help me. He told me I will definitely be in much more pain afterwards, as the implants now are UNDER the muscle and the muscle will then relax, and then he will place a heavy implant on top of both muscles which will cause the muscles to go into spasms, causing much pain after, but we will get through that. I will deal with that when the time comes, I am just happy we have figured something out! When I make muscles or even open a jar, or hug someone, my chest completely flexes and people can see down my shirt! It is so embarassing- Like vanishing breasts! They just go FLAT. I am so embarassed by them. I'm so thankful to God for a solution.

I have been searching the internet for HOURS to find PICTURES of people who have mastectomies and have IMAGES of this? But can't find anything. I keep trying and trying, hoping to find something! I would love to SEE what my results MAY look like, but I only see actual augumentation pics, where they have breast tissue and I can't possibly compare to them. (*sigh*)

Should know soon when my surgery date for my NEW boobies are!! Oh my gosh, I am nervous too, because I can't even find pictures of other people with Mentor 500-500cc's in the High Profile! HELP! LOL.......If you know anyone on the pic forum and can send me to them, (I'm on there, please give me the shout out of how to get to their pics, lol.......) I will be updating my pics on the pic forum also.....Long overdue.

Best wishes. I hope to catch up with all of my ladies on here. :)

Any words of advice or if you know of where I can search for images for OVER the muscle pics after mastectomy? I will be your best friend forever! My head is spinning from 12 pages of google open at the same time!! LOL!!

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  • MrsGreenJeans
    MrsGreenJeans Member Posts: 95
    edited April 2016

    I had BMX with TEs over the muscle. Just had my exchange with fat grafting on 4/13. I am still healing and haven't put my post exchange pictures on the picture forum yet, but I do have pics there from just after MX. I will try to get more pics on soon. My thread is on page 2 of the reconstruction subject threads, same name. My implants are the anatomical style, so won't give the same look you are after.

    Have you checked out the other thread here about over the muscle implants? macb04 had the same procedure you will be having, you may want to check her thread out or contact her directly.

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  • MarieJune
    MarieJune Member Posts: 128
    edited April 2016

    I am SO HAPPY to hear from you. :D

    Oh my gosh, It is so difficult to find ladies who have had such a thing as what I am having, with the crazy muscle flex and not being able to move an inch without my boobs going flattened out because of the flexing! YUCK. :( It's by far the worst experience I have, yet I have love my results otherwise....A little dropping on one side, due to the severity of the muscle flexing but overall, I have LOVED the look of my implants, just not when I bend forward, or if I attempt to get on my hands and knees! That is a NO NO which I learned first hand last summer while going to lay on my beach towel and flashed the whole pool!! :'( I was humiliated. I realized then that my very new boobies had a big issues.But I loved them still so much.......So I simply managed NOT to do things that required me to move in ways others could physically see my shape change...now I know my surgeon tells me it's really BAD! He was surprised I have dealt with this for a year. I am excited to get the exchange to Mentor Siltex High Profile (they are similar to the ones I have now- Sientra Textured Round HP) but I will have the textured ones in Mentor as they have more stability and memory shape gel, less likely to cause ripples. I am pleased with his knowledge of all of this high tech stuff. And then, if I still have issues, we will use the next step phase in the two step plan and go for fat grafting. Take some off my belly as I only have minimal, he said try not to lose any, and a little off my thighs. NO harsh feelings there! Take it!! :D I have a little I can spare. LOL.

    I have a very hard time finding JUST pics on the pic forum......is there a "trick" you can share with me? I find posts, and some have pics, but to just find pics is a rarity?! I am not sure HOW to truly navigate it there. I am not truly sure what I am doing wrong? I don't get very good results at all...Can't even find names often. :( Hmmm......Not sure what I am doing wrong? I don't even know how to do the "how many days old to search for?" It's all so confusing.....Should I be searching for "1day and older" or "900 days and Newer" or how? See how confusing it all is? I will give it a try again. I REALLY need to search for Mentor High Profile 500-550cc OVER The Muscle (if possible)........my main goal, lol.....That's my true goal.....whether it's JUST with TE's or not.....that's my main goal. :)


    Thank you so SO much for your help so far though!! Keep in touch. I look forward to seeing how you're doing and also check in and be able to all keep up on how we're all doing. :) Great to see you got your exchange!! I hope you heal well and LOOK AMAZING! Congratulations! I am so happy for you. YAY! You did it. So exciting. Can't wait to see pics of how great they came out. Heal well, rest up and take care of you new squishies. :) Enjoy the warm weather (although here in Ma it is COLD?! grrr....... lol). Hope it's warm where you are. I'm heading over to pic forum to look for you and macb04. Thank you. Well Wishes Dust to you *:~:*:~:*~:*:~:*


    Marie

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  • Lily55
    Lily55 Member Posts: 3,534
    edited April 2016

    If the prosthetic is over the muscle then what keeps it in place please?

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  • MarieJune
    MarieJune Member Posts: 128
    edited April 2016

    My skin, Strattice, and possibly alloderm. That's what my surgeon had told me. I'm trying to get in touch with other ladies to also find out how it was done in their cases. :)

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  • MrsGreenJeans
    MrsGreenJeans Member Posts: 95
    edited April 2016

    I don't think there is a way to search just pics on the picture forum. If you select a thread choose "all" rather than starting on page one and then you can scroll quickly through the posts to find pictures within them. I haven't quite got the search option figured out either, but haven't come across any threads yet indicating there are pictures of implants over the muscle. I am slowly going through all the threads.

    The macb04 thread I mentioned is here on the bc.org forum, in this reconstruction category. There are several ladies who have been posting there lately, including myself. She has been entirely through the process and is very pleased with her results.

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  • MarieJune
    MarieJune Member Posts: 128
    edited April 2016

    I commented on your results.....I am thrilled that you posted pics. THANK YOU!!!!!!! I am so happy that you are on there. :) It gives me so much encouragement. Oh my gosh. I am so happy. I found a couple more too.......and only on page 10 so far!! YAY! So there IS HOPE. :)) It looks as though the girls with toned upper bodies seem to be NONcompatible for under the muscle.....hence why I can't open jars anymore?! I can't even open doors anymore! I have lost my muscle tone it seems.......I will get back my strength when I gain my muscle back but I will have to go to therapy.......months after I get settled in. I am so happy and thankful you responded. I LOVE your outcome, and you're not even done! I know now you have finally completed your surgery, so I have yet to see the final outcome, the big reveal...... so knowing that, is exciting.

    I hope you have found that your surgeries have been good for you and you've recovered quickly. Keep in touch. :)

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  • MrsGreenJeans
    MrsGreenJeans Member Posts: 95
    edited April 2016

    Marie, I have added some photos to my thread on the picture forum if you want another look.

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  • katykids
    katykids Member Posts: 132
    edited April 2016

    This is a form of reconstruction I am considering to possibly replace my existing under the muscle implants. Although my PS says I must give these a year. I have pectoral animation on the right--which I know isn't entirely abnormal but it catches me off guard. Is the picture forum the one you have to request access to? Thank you!

    And congratulations on the good news MarieJune!!

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  • pinkninja9560
    pinkninja9560 Member Posts: 238
    edited May 2016

    I have the same problem!!! When I had my double mastectomy, my ps put in the te's under the muscle and it was so tight he couldn't even put one drop in them! I had to go to his office and only get 30 cc's every 2 weeks and it was very painful. After the switch it was still tight and after 3 fat grafting procedures to make them look better, they don't!

    Every time I use my muscles I go flat as well and you can see them bouncing up and down like a body builder would do. My step kids crack up but I hate it! Plus it feels like the skin between my boobs is gonna rip because it's so tight. I only have 375cc's in.

    Tomorrow morning I'm going in early and the ps is going to take them out and put new ones on top of the muscle like you're having done. He said he would probably use the allograft (so?)as well.

    I just want to be done! Good luck to you!!


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  • calidancer
    calidancer Member Posts: 88
    edited July 2016

    Darn! I haven't been checking in here much lately so it seems I've missed this important discussion!

    I have reconstruction over the muscle. I had some complications (cording caused a small area of my incision to not heal and during the stitches for that my saline expander was punctured...then months without any fill per an insurance mess plus possibly a low grade bacterial infection) so my results aren't perfect, but I'm so glad I didn't try under the muscle. I've got some rippling, and it's pretty flat around the nipple from I think scar tissue that couldn't be removed during the exchange. Its not quite as round on the bottom, like it's a little stuck up high, but not capsular contracture. It doesn't look bad, just not totally symmetrical with my augmented right side, which is fabulous. I may or may not have a revision at the end of the year. I'm kind of a wimp so unless she is pretty certain she can fix the ripples I will likely just keep on trucking along. Fat grafting probably not an option. Looks great in clothes and I've found bathing suits that work like a charm!

    My PS is awesome. She's got lots of pictures on her site. Feel free to PM me. She's truly the reason I was able to keep it together. Not sure if you've already had your revision. Looking forward to hearing about your results.

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  • calidancer
    calidancer Member Posts: 88
    edited July 2016

    One more thing, I I just read whippetmoms reply to you in the sizing forum. About the placement and recurrence, my breast surgeon assured me because I had the same question/concern that because she removed the muscle fascia the likelihood of a chest wall recurrence is very slim. And I had a close 1mm margin there and she STILL said that. The fascia creates a very clean and clear division of breast tissue and other tissues. I'm extrapolating then that in the case of a muscle or chest wall recurrence in someone with traditional implants under the muscle, the skin is right up against the muscle so which was it that started that recurrence? Breast cells left on the underside if the skin where it is very difficult for the surgeon to determine the beginning and end of the beast tissue or on the top of the muscle?

    What did your breast surgeon say on the matter?

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  • Lalala1
    Lalala1 Member Posts: 20
    edited February 2018

    Hi MarieJune,

    Just wondering how you went with your round mentor implants over the muscle?

    Like you, I also have animation deformity across my breasts when i move my pec muscles. Its especially bad when i lie on my stomach by a pool or when doing yoga or pilates. It looks pretty bad and does make me quite self conscious.

    Its great to see you had surgery to fix this problem. I am also going to have my anatomical shaped implants removed from under the muscle and possibly round ultra high profile implants placed over the top. They will place the implant in a adm / mesh pocket and attach that to the muscle. I would love to see what round implants over the muscle look like.

    I also wasn't aware of the pain of this swap procedure when you explained that....'He told me I will definitely be in much more pain afterwards, as the implants now are UNDER the muscle and the muscle will then relax, and then he will place a heavy implant on top of both muscles which will cause the muscles to go into spasms, causing much pain after, but we will get through that'.

    It makes total sense when it's explained like that - thanks for the warning!

    Like you i also had some rippling etc but this is no big deal....the real issue is the animation deformity. So hopefully afterwards i'll have NO animation deformity anymore!

    I hope your surgery went well and would love to hear about your over the muscle reconstruction.


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