IMPLANTS REMOVED: YAY!

Nancy, prayers and positive thoughts out to you for an easy surgery and recovery. It's understandable that you want to go flat Given your history.

I choose not to have recon. because I didn't want any extra complications. I've been flat for almost 1 1/2 years, and I'm very happy with my decision.

Mebmag Sorry you had to go through all those problems with your implants. I had to keep implants that I despised for over a year. I was miserable too, i think you are making a great decision for yourself. Taking off work with those drains is a great idea a nice time for yourself. I too decided to go flat for my own comfort. Please be happy with going forward with how much better you will feel without them. Best of luck with your surgery. It's been 3 years now BTW. Hope you have a speedy and easy recovery.

I am 4 1/2 months out from implant removal. Couldn't be happier. The muscle thing is kinda strange though. When I get up in the morning its like the muscle and skin has to move back when I am in upright position? Only takes a minute but is noticeable. As time goes by it is better. I really like being flat. Soooo much more comfortable. I would say yes the muscle does go back. I think my surgeon put a few stiches in where I had some encapsulation and had to remove a bit of muscle. That area is still a little painful at times, but no big deal.

best wishes

Eve

good luck mebmarj

Give the healing some time. I didn't really want to be flat but now I love it.

Had to force myself to see my new self. Not so bad. I just keep thinking I did all I could to avoid another recurrence.

Keep in touch

Eve

glad to hear surgery went well and that you are more comfortable. Take it easy.

Best wishes,

Eve

mariajose7 if you don't want it replaced and just want to explant, and your current surgeon refuses to do that, it's time to find a new surgeon.

Unfortunately, you'll have to be your own advocate on this and, whether you're nervous or not, not agree to procedures you don't want and if the surgeon won't bend and/or won't explain why they're declining to do just an explant, find another surgeon who is capable of doing the procedure you want.

A big red flag for any surgeon (or doctor) is someone who gets angry or evasive if you start to question what they want to do; a decent surgeon or doctor shouldn't ever be offended, evasive, angry, pushy, etc...if you have questions, concerns, or doubts about your treatment or a procedure.

Explantation is not uncommon and there is no good reason, aside from the surgeon having never done an explantation without replacement before and not knowing how to do such a procedure, that the surgeon should decline doing an explant.

The main thing they'd want to do after the explantation is also remove any excess skin so you're not left with empty skin flaps on your chest if you don't plan to do any further reconstruction. Not all surgeons are skilled with doing that and leaving things as clean and smooth as possible, but a good surgeon would admit that to you and recommend you look for a different surgeon in that case, not just get pushy or tell you you "can't" just explant.

In some cases, for under the muscle implants, they may also suture the muscle back onto the chest wall. Again, that's not something all surgeons have experience with but, as before, a good surgeon would tell you that and not try to tell you that you "can't" just explant.

The main difference you'd have with a mastectomy reconstruction as opposed to a breast augmentation explant is that, as you have no breast tissue, you'd need to have the extra skin removed as part of the procedure so you're not left with empty skin flaps.

Some surgeons leave the capsule when doing an explant, others don't; you'd want to discuss the pros and cons of leaving the capsule vs. removing it with the surgeon or, if you just want it all out, tell them you want the implant and capsule removed.

Can anyone help please? I'm having the explant (and NO replacement) on sept 5th. I am a teacher and my students start the 7th, doctor said I wouldn't be ready by then but yes by the 11 sept to work. Is this realistic?

Also what do I wear right after surgery? can I wear a normal bra with a knitted knocker when I go to work on the 11th (6 days after op)?? If anyone has experience with this I would appreciate it. I am starting to panic and realize I'm not prepared, don't want the kids to know, and want to wear normal clothes (uniform actually) .

It is a private hospital and they wont give me anything to wear after sergury, I would have to go and buy whatever I need.

I can't find info for post op after explant of an implant which was reconstruction after mastectomy. The ones i can find are women who had explant after enlargement, and still have breasts.

Any help would be appreciated, thanks,

has anyone removed a pre

pectoral implant

hi all,

will the surgeon remove the alloderm if you explants? thanks

Hi, it is a personal choice. but I was rather flat chested to begin with, so not really loosing much (psychologicly) . but I was pressured into having reconstruction at same time as mastectomy, I didn't know what it was like without to compare. I HATED it, the expansor was really unconfortable. FINALLY after 10 years of uncomfortable (didnt know it was contracted) I got it out. I am sooo happy I did.

"just feel like my decision was made when I was in fight or flight mode."

Thats sooo true!! Although its necessary, when someone is going through all that stress and worry, its really not a good time for decisions. I was also convinced to spend $500 for a wig that I never used.

This site is so helpful with so many wonderful women who can share their experiences!

I wish you well with all.

I am wrestling with whether to remove my silicon implants but I really hate the idea of going through this all over again. I am 5 months from exchange and today the implants are very uncomfortable and I am hugging a pillow every night. I've had a couple of months of physical therapy. I am so angry at the PS for sugarcoating the process, and at the hospital for not providing an alternative point of view. Pretty much all the websites do the same, even this one. You will note that the recovery time after final implants is said to be 2 weeks (my PS quoted this to me too) ! Really? I wonder what their definition of recovery is. Yes, we were all in fight or flight mode, but its not our fault. Even if you asked the right questions you got misrepresentations. No one tells you how uncomfortable implants can be (I feel like I am wearing internal tupperware if I do anything physical with my arms), or that you may have to wear a bra 24/7 for the rest of your life. One of the reasons I chose not to go flat was to not have to wear an uncomfortable bra. Ha ha. I understand that there are different reactions and different directions on bra v. no bra, but they do not even mention this issue (my PS is a "full support bra every day person".and I need to wear one at night for some comfort too). I am going to hold on for a while yet, but I would never put these things back in if they had to come out at this point. Sorry for the rant. I am curious to know how strong your pecs are after explant, I want to be able to push a wheelbarrow (which is what I told them my goal was from the beginning).

I have an intermittent light rash ever since dmx, a previous poster said they had an undiagnosed low grade infection, I am wondering about that. Anyone else have that?

notthrilled

i am 3 1/2 months out and i threathened to remove them a million times. my issue is the weight. they are heavy to me. i cannot wear a bra as i am so uncomfortable in them. i have tried.. now i am on the lookout for camis with built in bra. .. i am going to wait it out as i have other issues now. sorry for your discomfort. i have mine pre pectoral so no issue with pectoral muscles. i too feel that i was not informed on a lot of things about recon..

hi Notthrilled, I haven't been on in a while but wanted to say how much this sucks. I'm 15 months post BMX. I can barely slice a baguette due to my pectoral muscles and shoulders being so messed up. I had to buy a smaller car with better turning radius because I couldn't drive my mom carpool SUV without pain. I just had surgery to repair one of my pecs which had been detached up to the 2nd rib in surgery. New PS sewed pecs back to chest wall. Huge improvrm but I fear my range of motion will never be the same.

aweate, so impressed you are out 7 days post-op. You are healing so quickly! Wise move to stick with 1 surgery

HI Kae

Did you remove your implants and go flat? There are 2 great Facebook pages: My Flat Friends and Flat and Fabulous that have a lot of info about explanting. I think about removing mine all the time even though the pre-pec diminished some of my pain. I'm curious how you are doing now? If I explant they will have to remove the implant (and scar capsule I guess) off the skin, My right prophy skin was butchered in the mastectomy and has no subcurtaneous fat layer. A bit worried about how that would peel off the implant.

Hope you mending quickly!