No more options for me after having implants removed

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Well, I was back at the Royal Marsden yesterday to see Miss MacNeill as I wanted some answers to why my chest feels permanently tight so long after having the implants removed. It turns out that the pectoral muscles have atrophied and shrunk and that is why I have this permanent feeling of wearing a bra that is much too tight and has ridden up under my arms. Unfortunately there isn’t ANYTHING that can be done about it, or to alleviate that particular feeling and I was told, more or less, to learn to live with it.

I raised the issue of lipomodelling, didn’t say I’d already seen Mr Bonomi at Worthing, and was told that it’s too new, too experimental, she wouldn’t recommend me for it in light of what happened with the implants… She said that she’s seen some results presented at a cancer conference recently from a surgeon in Nottingham and wasn’t impressed at all.

So to cut a long story short, all she recommends for me is to tidy up the chest wall cosmetically, so that when that is healed I have the option of wearing a contact prosthesis. I also have an appointment for Acupuncture tomorrow that the Pain team referred me for.

All in all, very depressing. I don’t want to be flat chested for the rest of my life but what else can I do? Sadly we can’t afford for me to have a Private 2nd opinion even as I haven’t been working due to the discomfort in my chest.

Trudie.

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sorry to hear your comments, i was made to wait 2 yrs for my recon, I had the tram flap and was so desperate for it to work. Luckily for me I had fantastic result, I really dont know how I would be if it had failed. Hope you get some good luck shortly or that 2nd opinion.

debbie

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Trudie,

I’m so sad and sorry to read your post - I know Fiona MacNeil too and I think she does tell you how it is. I’ve had my recons and recent (minor tweaking) lipomodelling done by Elaine Sassoon but she is incensed by the recent news about lipomodelling - she said too many inexperienced surgeons are doing this with disasterous results. Reading between the lines of what she said, if I was you, I would sit back (if you can) and wait for what will be available in a couple of years. Elaine is based in Norwich and does see people out of area referred to her, but the incidence of bc in Norfolk has gone mad recently so you might have to wait to see her. She’s done great things for me and I trust her completely - worth googling her and giving her a try?

Love,

Sally