Dear All
I have just finished chemo and am going to have my Becker implant filled before radiotherapy. They started before chemo but I have a long way to go still. Those fillings were fine, but does anyone know what it is like as it gets fuller? Uncomfortable? Painful? None of those things? And what is it like when it is finished?
Any information gratefully received.
Love
Dilys
xx
Hi Dilys just read your message, I don’t know if I will be of any help as I had a becker implant in to expand the skin after my mastectomy last november and have since had it replaced with a silicone implant in August this year. In my case because of what they were trying to achieve the implant was over expanded for a few months and was sitting quite high, and it did become quite uncomfortable at times.
If you are having it put in as a permanent recon I assume it will only be expanded to suit your size and they won’t put in anymore that you think you can cope with each time.
Its certainly nice to have a boob there, the only trouble is the other one is going south while this one is quite perky.
Good luck with yours.
Lilymay
Hi Lilymay
Thanks so much for answering. Nice to know what to expect. Are you ok with the end result? They gave me the impression that it would be done within three weeks, so I could go on to radiotherapy. My surgeon has alwys kept on about the southerly right one to match. I keep telling him to leave me alone!
Thanks again. I am a bit unclear about the saline v silicone thing. Must ask again.
Take care and stay in touch
Dilys
xxx
Hi Dilys unfortunately I have had a few complications since having the permanent implant put in, with an infection in the drain site which spread into the boob area, and had quite a few weeks on antibiotics. It has been touch and go whether mine will have to come out, but it is also sitting quite high and my PS said it might have to be ‘tweaked’ (whatever that means), the infection seems to have gone now so I am hoping I will keep this one. I am seeing the PS this week so should find out more then.
Good luck with rads.
Lilymayx
Dear Lilymay
Oh poor you - sounds painful. Fngers crossed then. I feel a bit unsighted about all this so good to be prepared. This is I think meant to be the permanent implant in my case. If this doesn’t work properly then I think am going to have it taken out and leave it be. I can’t bear the thought of the tummy tuck or back muscle being brought round.
Good luck when you see the plastic surgeon let me know how you get on, won’t you. Don’t seem to ber many of us about with these things!
Love
Dilys
xx
Hi Dahlia
Can’t seem to manage this whisper thing, and am having PC problems which shuts it down as soon as I try! I would love to hear your experience with them - I really trust what you have to say. I feel a bit unsighted about what happens next. Looking forward to hearing from you and meeting up at some point as well.
Much love
Dilys
xxxx
I have recently had propylatic bilateral mastectomy. I am now on waiting list to have becker implants put in. In my area they won’t put the implants in straight away because they have found that a lot of peopl have had infections and had to go back to theatre. I know that is the case with my type os surgery.
It would be interseting to hear what everyones views are on becker implants…
Also how do you go about having them replaced with silicone ones? not sure if the area i live in offers this procedure.
Thanks in advance ladies.
Tracey
xxx
Hi Dahlia
You ok? Haven’t seen you much on here for what seems like ages. At the same time I know you wanted a break. So if so, just say and I won’t worry.
Much love
Dilys
xxx
Hi
What is the Becker implant? is it the stretcher?
I am due to have my bilateral mastectomy next thursday which they are doing immediate reconstrcution with the stretcher implant. i will be having radiotherapy afterwards.
Is the Becker implant different and is it safer with radiotherapy?
Regards
Karen
Hi Karen
It is slightly different and no I don’t think there is any difference with radiotherapy. If you go back a few threads (about page 10 or 11 at the moment) and have a look at one under Surgery called message for DilysP re implant, you will find a lot more info about the differences between the tissue expander and the Becker from a lovely lady called Julie.
Good luck with your surgery my love
Dilys
xxxx
Thankyou Dilys
Think i’m just getting a bit nervous now my surgery is getting closer, wishing it was for tomorrow and wondering if i’m doing the right thing by having immediate recon. I finsihed my 8th chemo just over a week ago and am actually feeling on top of the world for once, quite normal, if thats possible without having hair and eyebrows etc…
hope your chemo is going ok for you, how many more have you got to go?
Keep in touch
Karen x
Hi Karen
Try not to worry about the surgery. If you have got through chemo then surgery is the easy bit. It honestly wasn’t painful, just uncomfortable, and the drains are a nuisance but they come out ok. I had my appendix out in 2001 and that was much worse in terms of pain and recovery time. With the mastectomy I was up walking about the following morning. At least with immediate recon we don’t have to worry about further major surgery.
I have had my last chemo! Lke you I am climbing out of that particular pit ready for inflation and rads. And enjoying this beautiful sunshine!
Love and hugs
Dilys
xxxx
Hi Dilys
Where are you at? i’m going to jog over as its so dull here i’ve had to turn my lights on. Its a good feeling isn’t it knowing that the chemo’s finished. whether it was the thought of it being my last 1 or not but i sailed through it. keep checking for hair and eyebrows can’t wait to get them back. mind you my head is itching like mad.
I have been told after having the chemo i will find the rads a walk in the park. When are you due to start your rads?
going to treat myself to some wine tonight, having been able to stomache it since the start of the chemo. When was you first diagnosed?
Love Karen xx
Hi Karen
Sun shining beuatufuly in East London! Come and join me and my sister in law for lunch! Oh yes the last chemo was just great - taxotere is vile but I didn’t care knowing that it won’t happen again. Still have 15 herceptin to go as well, but again nothing like chemo. I was diagnosed in April this year. I have to get the implant inflated next week, then have first rads planning appointment on 15th November, so hope to get that all finished by Christmas at least. No sign of hair or eyelashes yet but it is only two weeks since the last chemo. Reckon on six weeks at least before somethng shows. Like you I can’t wait! Can’t believe I was worried about washing my hair while I was in for the mastectomy. I did manage it by the way!
Better go - sister in law just arriving. Speak later!
Love
Dilys
xxxx
Hi Karen
You ok? Had a lovely afternoon with my sister in law. Great photos from her trip to China. Hope you are feeling more relaxed about next week? Having that wine?
Much love
Dilys
xxx
Hi Dilys
I’m all set now for going in tomorrow, got my Pj’s and thousands of mags. Had a bit of a laugh though, BN told me to get an A cup sports bra for after my op as she said thats all i’ll be to start off with untill they start inflating. it looks like a kids.
Glad to hear you had a good afternoon with your sister. I did have the wine, only had 1 glass and it went straight to my head, i can usually down a couple of bottles.
Good news i’ve got an eyebrow hair (he he) 1 very dark 1, and my head is starting to feel a bit bristly.
you was diagnosed a month before me, i had 4 EC and 4 Taxol with Gem(somthing). The Taxol was awful but as long as it was doing the job. my lump measured 75mm x 75mm at the start and its down to 34mm x 25mm. i’m hormone receptive so i’ll be on whatever they give me for the next 5 years after my radiotherapy.
hope it goes ok for you when you go for the inflating and i’ll be thinking of you on the 15th.
Speak to you later
Love
Karen xxx
Thanks again Dilys
you are a gem. i’ll be thinking of you tomorrow and hope it goes well for you and your husband. going to take my dog out for a run now, for some reason i feel like i got loads and loads of energy. i’ve cleaned the house from top to bottom and feel quite normal again. infact its a nice feeling. must be the chemo leaving my body.
Speak to you soon
Lots of Love Karen xxx
Hi Karen
Very very good luck for tomorrow my love. You’ll be great. Come back as soon as you can and let us know.
Lots of love
Dilys
xxxx
Hi
I’ve just been reading all the threads. I had a mastectomy a fortnight ago with immediate recon using the implant to expand the skin etc. I was told it will be filled again in about 6 weeks and then after a year I can have it swapped for a silicone one. In my case, my muscle was really painful for the first 2 weeks and I have had problems with bruising and swelling (they are currently draining 100ml off twice a week). Now I am on stronger pain killers I feel much better and able to do my exercises again. I must confess, I hadn’t expected so much pain as the WLE and lymph node op in Sept was a breeze in comparison. I am hoping that having the implant filled won’t hurt. At the mo, the boob is tiny compared to the other and I have a softie for my bra. I think they could only fill it so far after the op.
Anyway
Good luck to you all and thanks for all the input
Love
Ruth in Wales
Hi Ruth
So sorry it has been so painful for you. I am not looking forward to tomorrow but it has to be done. Yours sound like tissue expanders rather than a Becker? I fully expect to come home like an Exocet missile!
You take good care
Much love
Dilys
xxx