Hi
Apologies if you’ve read something similar that i’ve posted before but i feel like i’m going around in circles!
I am nearly completing my chemo and am due a mx and recon on 10th june(all being well) followed by rads. I saw my consultant surgeon who recommended an expander with saline saying that if i wasn’t happy with the results it would leave the ld flap (thats the back one isn’t it?) to use.
I’m a bit concerned in as much that saline expanders seem to have been offered to others only ever as a temporary measure, with them being replaced with the back muscle or silicone implants at a later date.
Has anyone has saline implants and been totally happy and kept them? Have they been given to you on the understanding that they were only temp?
This whole thing is a flippin’ nightmare! I get one answer and opens up more questions. Pleeeease help!!
Hi, I think I did reply to this on another thread but threads do seem to disappear into cyberspace! I had a mx and recon February 2010. I was expecting to have a permanent silicone implant put in (not big enough for back muscles et al) but instead he put in an expander, which he told me would be permanent.Although I was a bit cross at the time, to be fair, I didn’t have the trouble with the expander that others seem to have had. It was comfortable and soft and I fully expected to keep it. I could understand my surgeon’s reasoning, that this was the best way to ensure a fair match with the existing ‘good’ boob as they could fill it until it looked right. They do seem to go with this option because it does give a better ‘finish’ eventually. Unfortunately for me, the saline began to leak out and the implant slipped so a month ago I had it replaced with the silicone implant I’d wanted in the first place. The nurse told me that although some of the expanders are considered to be permanent,they rarely are because they do have a tendency to leak.
I would anticipate that your surgeon is going to put in an expander so that the skin can be expanded slowly to accomodate a silicone implant later if it becomes necessary. I think they do this especially if you are having rads.
I hope that has answered some of your questions but please feel free to PM me if you’d like more info.
Regards
Val x
HI Staycalmandcarryon
Yes it is a nightmare, isn’t it! There are constant questions and choices. I’ve had a few recon procedures involving silicone gel implants since my expander-but I’ll just tell you my experience of the expander, and the information I was given. Do PM if you want to.
I had an mx and becker expander after chemo in '08. In theory I was told by the surgeon that some women choose to leave the expander implant in place, and just have the port removed, but this wasn’t the intention with mine. My own experience was that the implant breast was huge, very round, and very tight. (I had saline added sevaral times-mine was deliberatley overfilled to stretch the skin as far as possible. I now think that wasn’t a great idea in my case, so if that is suggested to you it might be worth asking about effects on rads skin.)
The expander was manageable for the 6-7 months it was in place, but I certainly wouldn’t have left it in permanently. Had I intended to leave it in place, I think they would definitely have needed to fill it less.
I hope this doesn’t give you even more questions, and I hope you get some other replies soon.
Best
C x
Hi Staycalmandcarryon, I had my permanent implant in Dec and am coming towards the end of filling. It is part (top) silicon and part saline. My surgeon takes the filling process slowly - every couple of weeks or so with only 20mls at a time, aiming for a total refill of 140mls. I was aware from the beginning that this would stay in, well no mention was made of replacing with a silicon only.His plan is to leave it for 5 months before he does any surgery to other side to get them to match - lost a lot of weight.After each fill it is a bit uncomfortable for a few days but otherwise I have not had any problems and I am quite happy with how it looks. Well, will be better when it drops a bit too! Too be honest I wasn’t aware how many different types of recon there are, or implant types until I came on here.My bc nurse showed me types prior to surgery.Originally he was going to put silicon one under the skin, but there wasn’t enough skin to stretch over it!Goal posts always seem to change on this journey but yes i am happy with it. All the best. Love Liz x
Thanks for your replies it’s helped. x