I just got to add my two cents worth here.

In 2005...yes 2005 my PS said that I didn't have enough fat for my tram. I was kinda happy about that because I really didn't want to lose my AB muscles. He then wanted to do LAT with implants and I objected because I wanted my lats as I was a very active outdoor person. He said ok I've never done this before but I'll try a IMPLANT OVER YOUR PEC even though your chest is so very very radiated and scarred. I had the most radiation a person can get.

We S L O W LY stretched with the TE for way over six months, maybe close to a year I can't remember. It was so gentle that the fills were not painful.

Got my both my B size saline implants in and I have NO troubles at all. Yes my boobs aren't as pretty as they should be but I dont blame the student PS at my university hospital.(his first complete surgery)It's mostly because they had to carve so deep into my chest to get the hockey sized puck attached tumor from my chest-wall, I had no flesh to work with left. Also I had very radiated skin that was thin and tough.

At my age I really only wanted something to fill up a bra anyway.

So I am happy my PS tried this and that I can be very active with my upper body.

I do watch that I don't flare up my lymphedema and I have normal strength and continue building muscle thru gradual weightlifting. I do have shoulder problems but that is from pre cancer days not from implant over pec surgery.

I often wonder if my PS was the first one to ever try this out! He's a teacher at the university in reconstructive. Anyone got it done before 2005!

Edited to add: kbee is right cancer can hide. Where I live there is no after bc screening procedure for me (paid by insurance or offered by my medical system )that I am aware of. That's scary but ONC comforted me a bit by saying if bc comes back it's usually in the scarline where you can feel it. I laughed to myself when ONC told me that because they were deflecting from the responsibility of finding a way to follow up back in 2005. I think MRI might be able to detect reoccurrence. Do any of you get MRI for afterscreening especially with implant over pec? Ultrasound and Mammo can't see under pec implant I understand.

is this thread still alive lol??

I'm a competitive powerlifter hoping to go back to competeing with implants too. This thread has been helpful yet it's scared the shit out of me!

I have underdeveloped chest muscles, my surgeon had to use mesh to mould it. I wonder if that means I'll have the same issues as the rest of you atheletic women or I'll be at a lower risk of it

well the worst is when I am doing extra curricular activitiesin the bedroom with my husband. My flexing breast really freaks me out and makes me incredibly self conscious. I do noticed the movement ( I call it breast flex) when I am doing just about everything. I have read that women with Tight Pecs from exercise have this condition the very worst but really in my case there is only a thin layer of skin so basically my breast is my pectoral muscle. I would have to travel to try to get something on the outside of my pec but in hindsight I wish I had just waited to get reconstruction and then chosen either DIEP or over pectoral muscle implant. I do not do any chest exercises now because I am worried about the pec muscle pushing my implant under my armpit. My breasts are already quite wide apart from the exercises I do for back and abdomen.

For those experiencing this, it might be worth consulting with a PS to see if you are a candidate to have sub-pectoral implants moved to above the muscle. I have always had a very strong upper body and chose above the muscle placement because I wanted to avoid any disruption of my pectoral muscles. They used AlloDerm to hold the implants in place. I am very happy with mine and it is disheartening to know how many women are not offered this option.

Look at my thread about Over the Pectoral Implant Reconstruction. I have a listing for a PS in Toronto doing Prepectoral Implant Reconstruction. Don't know where you are in Canada. Gracem1 will also PM this to you

Topic: TE/Implant OVER pectoral Can exercise, comfortable &NO RIPPLES!

Forum: Breast Reconstruction — Is it right for you? Discuss timing and various procedures and techniques.

https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44/topics/835911?page=53#idx_1574

I have a long story, but basically had a TE stuffed under my poor tortured Pectoral. Hated it, just hated the animation deformity. I also really hated the loss of strength. I couldn't open a bag of chips, my strength was completely missing.

Took out the TE, and my pectoral not "reattached", just left to heal however it could. Did Fat Grafting with some sucess, but not enough to creat a breast, so new PS for me and did Prepectoral Implant Reconstruction over my Pectoral Muscle, with Seri Silk Mesh as the ADM ( Acellular Dermal Matrix, like Alloderm)holding the implant in place . Much, much more comfortable and my strength is about 95 plus percent of what it was before. Also a much faster recovery. No Animation Deform6when I use my Pectoral Muscle. My Pec6seems to have recovered its function for the most part.

I have a list on my Thread of over 60 PS across the US doing Prepectoral Implant Reconstruction. I really believe it is the wave of the future for implant reconstruction.

I had bmx and prepectoral reconstruction in May. Even though I had several complications (axillary cording, nerve pain, etc), I was able to resume exercising quickly. I went hiking 11 days after surgery, went to spin class 3 weeks post-bmx, and resumed lifting weights 6 weeks post. I still have TEs in and will have exchange surgery in Sept. I have been very happy with how active I’ve been able to be. When I exercise, my only discomfort is cording on the SNB side that won’t go away even with PT

hi

I am 5 days out from double mx. I have above muscle te and planning for saline implants. I am not allowed to work out yet but am so scared after reading all this. My pec muscles are very developed. I am a 38yr old who competes in CrossFit and isn’t very active. Please can someone advise me if I am headed in a good direction. My world has been turned upside down.

GrAn I feel your pain. My strength is tied to who I am. Hugs to yo

Samnjb - I think I’ve had the same reconstruction done as you. And, I can tell you - my ROM is 100%. I workout HARD and don’t hold back. I do push-ups and all the upper body exercises and go all out. I might end up with lymphedema - but one thing I learned from having breast cancer is there are no guarantees...

I do a lot of HIIT classes, including Turbo-Kick, “Insanity”, and Grit Plyo. And, can tell you that I am in better shape than before BC. (though I do eat a lot of junk).

I Hope that helps!!!