Hi
I had a skin sparing mastectomy 2 years ago, followed by chemo, radiotherapy,herceptin and am on arimidex.
Sadly, my implant has gone very hard and is like having a rock stuck onto my chest! I am almost sure this was caused by the radiotherapy, but this was not flagged up at the time and I was not given the opportunity of having things which could have helped ie refills prior to the radiotherapy and naturally enough I am very cross about this as I feel it could have been avoided!
I am now being offered an implant exchange, but warned that there is a 50/50% chance of the implant going hard again, so I am wondering what’s the point!? Has anybody been in the same situation as myself and if so, what happened? What is the procedure like to have the implant removed and another put in ie did you have to have drains, how long was the recovery time, how long did you stay in hospital?
Please help…I am very disillusioned and fed up with the whole thing! I now realise that the only way to get a good result if you’ve had radio is by having a DIEP, but it’s an op too far for me and I just can’t go through it…
Many thanks…
Hi there. I had my saline implant exchanged for a silicone one in January this year - exactly a year after completing rads. Like you, the saline one had become hard and encapsulated, very uncomfortable. Op was straightforward, day case, went home with drain. Back to work after 2 weeks. It is not perfect, have had some shoulder problems, but much more comfortable and I am glad I had it done. I declined a further op to have nipple reconstructed as happy to look “normal” with clothes on. Can wear sloggi pull on bra tops or cami with soft cup bra from m&s comfortably.
Throughout this “journey” I have tried not to anticipate the “what ifs” and cross each bridge when (and if) it arrives. Agree with you - DIEP would not be for me, so hoping implant behaves itself. Anyway, I have secondaries now so the chest recon doesn’t seem as important.
Good luck with whatever you decide.
Thank you so much for your reply. We are all different, with different experiences, but it certainly helps to come here to discuss things and it makes you feel less alone.
Am so so sorry to hear you have secondaries and hope you will come through all the treatment and way beyond that…My thoughts are with you.
By the way, could I ask you where you had your implant procedure done and by whom as I am lacking confidence in the consultant I have. He was interested when he thought I was going for a DIEP, but once I decided not to have that done, he seemed to rapidly lose interest and if I have questions, I go through his secretary, who promises to get somebody to ring me back, but never does! Hardly inspires confidence, does it??!!
Thanks once again for replying to my post and I wish you the best with everything…
Take care.
Am in East Midlands - don’t think we are at the same hospital from your posts. I changed surgeons after asking around other bc ladies, certainly wasn’t told about the oncoplastic surgeon in the same dept. First surgeon would have “taken it away and tidied me up next year,dear”. He said no,no no to implant as rads would harden it. Heard differently so changed to different surgeon (easy, GP wrote letter.) I don’t think the rads "hardened " the implant, but you do get scar tissue causing encapsulation, I think I have some now with silicone implant, but it is livable-with. Was told I could still have DIEP if I chose at some stage (but prob not now as have secondaries - funding???). I am happy enough with my chest tbh - with clothes I look normal, and that is good enough for me.The unknown is the scary bit huh - good luck, we all know how you feel. x