Breast Reconstruction

Hi Ladies

 

Wonder if there is someone out there that can help me.

 

I had breast cancer and had a reconstruction done back in July 2013, I have had an implant put in with expander.  as I am quite a large lady the implant has been filled as far as it will go.

 

I decided to give myself a break, and take a year off before getting my other breast adjusted and this is being done in January 2015.

 

The question I would like answered is, I feel my implant moving, if I bend over it move slightly forward and if I turn to the right side, it also moves, it this normal or should it not move at all.

 

I have spoken to the hospital about this and they have jsust said “it’s an implant it will move” and I dont find this very helpful, so I thought I would ask on the forum

Hi sweetcandy,

 

I am sorry you feel you have to ask questions on here that your hospital can’t answer. I was dx with stage2 back in March 2013, had adjuvent chemo (chemo before MX). Finished chemo Sept then had right Mx with immediate expander implant recon in Oct. Then I had RT. In Jan I noticed that my implant was moving upwards and when my Oncologist saw the results of the operation she was shocked. I had a twisted flap where the nipple once was and it was sat so high under my collar bone I could rest my chin on it. A scan showed the port was in the wrong place and back to front. The surgeon had tried to fill but it took half an hour to find it using a scanner. I was immediatley taken off his list and sent to a fabulous onco plastic surgeon at another hospital. Last week he took the implant out and replaced it with a new tear drop implant. The horrid flap has gone and he offered a lift on the other side to help with symmetry. I looked down on Monday during a dressing change and I now have two lovely level pert looking boobies and a slight clevage with no bra on. Sure enough they are bruised and sore, but I know there are right.

 

You have been through so much sweetie. If you feel that anything is not right then push for the answers. If you feel you daren’t do this yourself then take a family member or friend with you who can. Be polite but keep pushing.

 

All the best. xxx

I had a bilateral strattice reconstruction in July and I can feel my implants shifting under the skin when I have to tense my pectoral muscle! Feels very odd but my surgeon was reassuring that this is normal. He said it takes up to a year to get the most natural appearance and feel and said soon I will get “swing”!!! The breasts will move side to side and up and down “as a natural breast would”. But with the implant sitting under the muscle, I can’t see how it will ever feel completely like a normal breast as my old boobs certainly didn’t move about on their own when I reach to pick up a coffee cup!