TEs out 3 days ago - implants are just ok

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Anonymous
Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
edited August 2017 in Surgery - Before, During, and After
TEs out 3 days ago - implants are just ok
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  • Grammieshell
    Grammieshell Member Posts: 56
    edited July 2017

    I know everyone says you have to wait for drop and fluff, but does it really take 6 months? My cancer side, that looked horrible from the beginning, looks pretty good, the other side that was preventative and had no prior skin issues looks like a big flat hamburger bun. And, neither have good projection.

    Don't get me wrong, they look amazing compared to what they did look like after mastectomy. I was just looking forward to loving them again, and, I just don't.

    :(


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  • Lula73
    Lula73 Member Posts: 1,824
    edited July 2017

    I'm so sorry you're not happy with your implants. I hope as they drop and fluff you'll be happier with them. If not, you can always investigate natural tissue reconstruction as an alternative option down the road. With all types of reconstruction it does take time for everything to settle. Time is your friend :-)

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  • SoCalBC
    SoCalBC Member Posts: 9
    edited July 2017

    Bumping this hopefully for an answer as I am having the exact same issue as you are!

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  • Grammieshell
    Grammieshell Member Posts: 56
    edited July 2017

    thanks

    I see my nurse tomorrow, I'm going to ask her too

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  • TWills
    TWills Member Posts: 679
    edited August 2017

    Grammieshell, how are they compared to your expanders? I've had my expanders for 3 weeks and I think they look small with not enough projection so I have been concerned that my implants will be even worse. PS is going back on what he originally said about over filling a little so I'm really concerned now. I see him tomorrow so I'm hoping he will fill again or give me a good reason why we shouldn't.I hear it over and over again in this site that projection can be a problem after exchange but when I mention it to my PS and even only Onc today they seem surprised. WTH

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  • Grammieshell
    Grammieshell Member Posts: 56
    edited August 2017

    my expanders were filled you 750 by the time I was done and they had lots of projection, but they were weird lol my implants are 800cc gummies and they sadly look flat to me right now. I'm easily a D cup but it's not a sticky out D

    I hope they get better, my cleavage is beautiful, but if I wear a regular t-shirt that doesn't show that, I look flatish.

    I'm trying to just be thankful that I look as good as I do, but I can't help be somewhat disappointed. We have to endure so much, I think we deserve good boobs in the end!! :)

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  • exercise_guru
    exercise_guru Member Posts: 716
    edited August 2017

    I do not see this posted very often which surprises me because I read about it on different threads. I think the gummy bear implants can very much look like a hamburger bun. I was a D to and mine actually look ok nude but they can not fill a bra. the top poles are not full enough. I have the largest anatomical gummy they make and they probably fill a B bra ( flat in the upper poles area).

    Still they look nice enough for me to be comfortable with my husband and the rest of the time my insurance paid for hollow prosthetic and Mastectomy bras to fill that space. I did try fat grafting but I would have needed to have 3-5 procedures. I really didn't notice much of an improvement after the 1st one. Also the fat can gob up and form a necrosis that freaks me out and makes me think I have a lump so I decided not to bother with any more. For now I choose to wear a masetctomy bra for the projection.


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  • Grammieshell
    Grammieshell Member Posts: 56
    edited August 2017

    yep, kinda like a hamburger bun. Mine also look good naked, I tried a bra on and it was my old C cup and it filled it up, and looked good, but I was really excited about the no more bra idea. Mine are quite high on my chest, but I've only had them a week today, so I'm not sure if they'll drop or not. I don't hate them, but I don't love them either. Did you notice changes after you had them awhile, the drop & fluff they talk about?

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  • exercise_guru
    exercise_guru Member Posts: 716
    edited August 2017

    I will be honest. When they first swapped the expanders and did the nipple reconstruction I cried when I looked at them. I did not think they remotely looked like a breast and I was very unhappy. Serious tears were shed over my reconstruction. After a few months though as the nipple reconstruction healed and was tatooed and the scars faded they looked significantly better. Maybe they did drop and fluff a bit. I will have to go back and look at the photos my PS took. I live in a small areas so I can't say what my reconstruction looks like compared to someone back east but when I get mastectomy and ultrasounds etc the techs always say I have one of the best reconstructions I have seen. I remind myself this when I am disappointed.

    I too was excited about the no bra look but since I did nipple reconstruction I now have permanent headlights. It was a good choice for me as I wanted my daughter to see that her mom have normal breasts back but if I had a been older I might have flown out of state and had the 3D tattooing. to be honest My reconstruction is so flat with very little projection so I wear some sort of prosthetic anytime I leave the house. It makes me less self conscious when I run into friends and colleagues because they know about the BS and glance at my chest. My insurance covers prosthetics every 2 years and bras every 6 months. I found a nice local mastectomy shop and order through them because I can try everything on.

    I am sorry I can't give more encouragement. I am ok with how it turned out but I spent a year mourning the loss of my old self and accepting the new reality of my body.

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  • Grammieshell
    Grammieshell Member Posts: 56
    edited August 2017

    o man, I'm sorry. I really dont want to have to wear prosthetics or a bra. That's frustrating. I saw the nurse yesterday and had my Steri strips removed and she checked the incisions. She said they looked good, I told her I don't like the no projection, she said they will get better, once they settle into the pocket and things loosen up a bit. She said my surgeon will explain it all when I see her Monday. I hope she's right. What a sad thing after all we've been through.

    My surgeon won't do nipples until at least 3 months after implants because they do change so much, is what I was told.

    I also live in a small town and travel 110 miles one way to see my doctor, but she seems to be very good at what she does, I researched many PS in Montana before I chose her.

    I guess I'm going to just have to learn to love what I have. At least it's not 50 years ago when they just chopped them off and you dealt with it.

    My husband loves them. Weirdo.

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  • Grammieshell
    Grammieshell Member Posts: 56
    edited August 2017

    also... I get what you're saying about people knowing you've had work done. Today was my first day back and my co worker said.. "well, those don't look like Ds". Sigh....

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  • exercise_guru
    exercise_guru Member Posts: 716
    edited August 2017

    GS a little update. I reviewed my pictures post surgery over the past year. I will say that the implants dropped a little and rounded out a bit more. If your insurance covers it you may want to look into the prosthetics for the time when you are dressing up and need some projection to have the look you want. It took me a year to come to terms with buying them and I was pretty bitter about it in the beginning. I have only had them for 6 months but time has given me some perspective. Still bitter a bit....

    For starts you might want to consider a padded bra.They sell every kind of bra you can imagine. If you really don't want to wear a bra I would strongly recommend 3D tatoos. If I wear a shirt without a bra everyone notices my reconstructed nipples even once they flattened out a bit.

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  • Grammieshell
    Grammieshell Member Posts: 56
    edited August 2017

    thanks for sharing

    I guess I better think about getting something to wear with nice clothes. My daughter's wedding is the end of September. Sigh. I clearly won't be pretty dress ready.

    I'm really trying to just be happy I'm alive. Happy I'm going to be at my daughter's wedding. It just sucks that my body betrayed me. I liked my pre cancer boobs.

    I just want to look and feel as normal as possible so I don't always feel like the one who had a mastectomy. I hope time is my friend with both settling of the implants and settling of my mind.

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