implant recon
implant recon hi all,
I am thinking of having an implant only, lots of reasons - partly fear of big ops and psychologically don’t think I will take to any more scars. Any way, as you all know it’s more than that, big thought process…So, can anyone else tell me their experiences with regards to implant only. My bc nurse said that this is the less usual route to take but understands my reasoning. This is all very well, but made me wonder then if my surgeon has done many if any!!! I am seeing him again soon and will ask. Had rads and chemo and am on tamoxifen, feel really well a the mo [apart from horrible cold]. Would love to hear anyone elses thoughts on this, I know there is risk of infection, but how big a risk. There are risks with all the different options in reconstruction, so hopefully the risks won’t be any worse with just implant.
Any way, babbling on now!!
Take care all
and hear from someone soon I hope.
Scarlet. xxx
For Scarlet Hi Scarlet
Read your posting and thought I would let you know about my recon, it may or maynot help. I had right mastectomy in November last year with immediate becker implant. This was done to enable the plastic surgeons to stretch the skin to take a silicone implant at a later stage.
A port hole is attached to the becker implant and is situated below it and it is gradually expanded by saline over a period of time, I have been told this is usually about six months from start to finish, obviously depending on size etc.
In my case I am not very big breasted and I have had two expansions and am seeing the consultant in June, and should have a contoured (teardrop shape) silicone implant put in about a month after that.
The becker implant is behind my chest muscle and this makes it rather high and quite rounded it is also very firm. I am being told that the contoured implant will be more natural shape than this one.
Overall I find it quite uncomfortable at times as the skin is quite stretched, and the port hole site can also cause discomfort from time to time. I am pleased with the overall look though and have no regrets about going down this route. I will probably need to have a lift done at least to the other side sometime in the future to look more even.
It is a very hard decision to make, but if you have the implant and it fails you do have the other options still to choose from. However, I was told by my surgeon that if I had had to have rads, the likely hood of rejection was far higher, luckily for me I didnt have to. Perhaps you should check this out.
Also if you want to talk it through a bit more go back to your breast care nurses, they are very knowledgeable and should be able to help.
Good luck to you, hope all goes well whatever choice you make.
Lilymayx
good advice from lilymay Hi Scarlet
Lilymay has given you good advice, I too have this type of implant, (however like you I was going to go for the straight implant originally) and had the op 5 weeks ago…at first I thought it was the worst thing I had ever done…but now I am glad that I have had this type of reconstruction…as Lilymay say’s it is uncomfortable at the outset with the expander but when it settles down and the swelling etc goes away it is much more manageable…just make sure you do the exercises provided and look after it the way the doctor/ bc nurse tells you and all should be fine…
I think I may still have to have rads, but was told it’s not ideal but better with this type of expander implant as it will be coming out anyway for the new one to be put in…
hope this helps
Lucy
XX
Thanx girls Thankyou for your thoughts and comments, I think that my nurse and surgeon were trying to say that this type of recon less common at the stage that I am at. Most people seem to have it done at the time of mastectomy, they would not do this for me as they were keen to get me into chemo and then later rads and didn’t want that held up by an infection. The trouble is of course that the rads may make it harder for me to go ahead with this implant as the rejection risks are greater. However, I feel that this is the right route for me because as lilymay says at least if it goes wrong I will still have other options, and there are ladies out there who have not had problems, I just have to hope that I am one of them.
Thanx again, and any more advice greatly received.
Love and Hugs
Scarlet. xxx
hi
I had this type of recon done in aug 06, had it filled up 3 times so far, this can be uncomfortable but settles down quickly. I had rads with the expander in place and it was ok.I’m having herceptin treatment and my onc said to wait for it to finnish before i get a new silicone implant, so guess i’ll just have to wait
hope this helps
lov susanne xx
My new boobs are Fab Hi Scarlet,
Just to let you know that I had had re-con implants 3 months ago and kept my nipples and my new boobs are fabulous.
Quite frankly they are miles better then they were before and it has been the only good thing that has come out of all the gahstly treatment. Honestly, for me the discomfort was minor, I stayed in hospital a week but mainly because I have a toddler and I was going shopping a couple of days after surgery. It was bliss to have a break from my little fella!
Anyway I now have pert, symetrical beautiful boobs, and while others will watch theirs go South as time goes by, mine shall remain firmly North! My surgeon was amazing and followed the exact line of my nipples so the scaring doesn’t show at all.
Regards
Interested in the surgery you had It sounds amazing to only have scars around your nipples, are these the only scars you have? The reconstructions I have seen all have big scars - I don’t live in your area unfortunately perhaps that’s why, is there a name for this type of insision do you think? I would be interested in finding someone who did that.
Recovery Hi there,
Interested in your pleasing outcome.
How long did it take for you to recover?
Best wishes Hazel