How did your implant feel 3 months post op?
Has anyone else experienced rippling starting around 3 months after implant reconstruction?
Over the last week I’ve started to notice what I think is rippling on the outer side of my right reconstructed breast not far from the nipple. It’s an area of skin where I had several biopsies, magseeds inserted and then lumpectomies so the skin has never entirely stopped looking bruised and bumpy. I could feel it before but now I can see it too. The first time I noticed it i was quite gutted because up until then I’d really liked the shape. I’m trying not to let it get to me too much as it’s not always as noticeable.
I’m not sure what should be happening to your implant around 3 months in?! The other change has been the return of intermittent discomfort on the inside edge. It feels a bit like an underwired bra digging in. There’s quite a lot of lumpy/ hard areas along that side that seem to feel more or less noticeable at different times. Anyway interested to hear other people’s experiences.
Hi @rainbowcat I’m coming to 3 months after my implant reconstruction and mine is starting to ripple a bit more near to the inner side. It also aches in that area but it has been like that from the start. I’m also still tight in the pectoral muscle area - are you the same?
My surgeon wasn’t happy with the rippling but said he can sort that out after 6 months. He wanted it to settle first.
Did you have radiotherapy? I know that can cause changes to appearance. I’ve had some underarm discomfort since radiotherapy and slight lumpyness but have been told it’s just “settling” and not to be concerned.
Hi @irenko, I’m similar, the bits that are lumpy/ ripply are the areas that have been achy from the beginning. And yes, my pectoral muscle area is still tight - I mainly notice if I’m getting up from sitting/lying down for a long time or I jolt and I can feel a real pull. I’ve started doing gentle static cycling at the gym again and trying to get back to doing home chords like vacuuming (with my other arm) and I noticed that the pec muscle is tight and will ache if I’ve done something new. Overall, I find the arm exercises help and that it’s less sensitive along the top (where I’m told the stitches are) if I touch it. It’s so tricky to know what ‘normal’ feels like isn’t it? X
Hi @jooliepie30, No I didn’t have radiotherapy. I was offered it because of my age and my cancer being multifocal, and I considered it for a long while. However as I didn’t meet the usual criteria for it, there’s no data to indicate how much benefit it would give me in my situation. Whereas there were clearer costs to my body so I decided against it, especially as I need more surgery because I’ve got BRCA2 gene mutation. My consultant said there’s lots of nerve ending in the underarm area so it’s the place he sees patients experience the most discomfort after surgery both with and without radiotherapy however he was optimistic this would settle down too so I hope things continue to settle ok for you. X
For sure. It is hard to know what “normal” feels like that’s why this group is so good. Thank you for your response too, I ache the most after a nights sleep, and sometimes it aches during sleeping too. Bizarrely I had a really lightweight necklace on today and my pectoral muscle was irritated by it.
Oh yeah it’s sensitive isn’t it?! I banged myself whilst putting a coat on the other day and was like “ouch!”. It took me by surprise as I really don’t think I hit myself particularly hard but it’s clearly ‘different’. My skin was quite irritated from all the dressings after back-to-back lumpectomy and then mastectomy & recon so since I’ve been able to put moisturiser on the scar I’ve also been massaging the whole breast skin with moisturiser. I certainly think it feels better after that - my physio was saying how important gentle touch is to regaining sensation after any surgery. I’ve only just started to lie on that side in bed and I can’t do it for very long as that definitely aches. Looking forward to that easing as I need to have the other breast done and I am SOOOOO done with sleeping on my back Have you braved not wearing a bra for more than a few mins yet? I’m 12 weeks next week so thinking I might treat myself!
I only sleep on my opposite side for about half an hour. I HATE sleeping on my back but it seems to be the best option right now. I don’t wear a bra for bed anymore and take it off around 7pm for TV. I can’t lie on my surgery side - that still aches.
Hello, I’m 5.5 months in after implant reconstruction (no radiotherapy) and feel like things are at last starting to settle down. Gentle massages have helped. There is a bit of rippling on the arm side (has kinda always been there tbh) but it doesn’t seem to have changed lately. It no longer aches, though occasionally I still still that uncomfortable underwire bra feel, but it comes and goes. I’ve not yet removed my bra at night but I’m feeling inspired to try after reading these posts!
My chest muscle is also still tight but stretching every day helps (my surgeon told me that I should not be afraid to ‘push myself’ a bit after 4 months - which I now do in the hope to regain full arm movement). And I’ve started to sleep again on my side/front too lately (a longer spell every time before I have to turn over), which I was also told was ok to do but took a bit of courage at first.
I hope everything settles down for you too and some ‘normality’ returns - it takes time, a lot of patience and tlc.
@qwerty this is good to hear and very assuring. I ditched my bra for sleeping after 6 weeks as instructed by surgeon and nurse as it was causing redness under the boob. Made all the difference. I slept so much better as well. Keep being inspirational x
Great to hear you’re getting rest from the bra! I’ll give that a go next week. It’s interesting how some nights I feel pretty comfortable on my opposite side and even for short periods of my surgery side. And then others, like last night, I’m constantly trying to get comfortable and my surgery side aches more so is a no-go. So you’re right, the back is still pretty much the best option. Still, at least I’m not trying to sleep at a 45 degree angle anymore
Thanks for sharing @qwerty - it’s SO good to hear from people a few months ahead of me on the healing path. It helps me to be more patient knowing what is a ‘normal’ pace for things. I’ve been trying to gradually add back in something each week to help me feel like I’m making small steps - stuff like sleeping on my side, starting to do some exercise, moisturising my scars, etc.
I agree that even sleeping on my opposite side took some courage! The hospital instructions said I could start doing that a bit from 4 weeks but I put it off until about 5.5 weeks, only starting doing it for short periods when my lower back was absolutely SCREAMING after being in one position for hours. Then at 9 weeks I rang the BCN to check it was safe to start sleeping on my surgery side and, even when she said yes, I still didn’t give it a go immediately! She suggested using a pillow on that side to help me sleep on it but I’ve found that quite uncomfortable compared to having nothing there. But I can’t sleep on it every night so I pick my moments when it feels less achy!
I’m trying not to feel too disappointed now the rippling has become more visible. It wasn’t there from the start so I got used to the original ‘look’ around 8-9 weeks and, wrongly, thought that was how it’d stay. I keep trying to focus on how fortunate I am to keep my skin, nipple and get this far with the implant reconstruction. I had a rough journey with a seroma/ haematoma after my second lumpectomy and it seriously knocked my confidence in how well I’d heal so we keep going in the right direction.
Glad things have settled well for you and hope your arm movement keeps getting better. Xx
Keep on keeping on! Think we all have good days and less good ones. I can’t always get comfy side sleeping and revert to my back. Sometimes my implant decides to ache but it passes. I seem to remember my surgeon saying that if there are ripples after 6 months he can sort that
Hello all, just jumping in. I had a double mastectomy with implant reconstruction on Friday. OMG the pain for the first few days but now I’m feeling fine, still really sore and taking painkillers but totally bearable. However I have bad rippling in the inside (cleavage) on both. Bit disappointing although Im extremely grateful. Surgeon said they could do remodelling but just wondering if they’ll get any better over the next few weeks. Other than that happy with shape, they look quite similar to my own. Drains are a pain but I’m happy to have it sorted. I’m just waiting for results now and will know next steps.
Any advice, stories or suggestions would be amazing…thank you
Have you braved not wearing a bra for more than a few mins yet? I’m 12 weeks next week so thinking I might treat myself! 
we keep going in the right direction.