Its been nearly a year since my body rejected my implant for the 3rd time and we are ready to try again, one last time. saw the bc nurses today (and cried!) where she went through all the problems AGAIN! she was telling me over and over again how my cleavage is going to look massive on one side with the implant in and not so much on the “good” side. I really got the impression that she was trying to put me off. I currently just have the skin/fat/muscle from my ld flap…and a flap is exactly what is there…some hanging skin!! I hate is beyond belief so have to give this one last try. has ANYBODY been in this position, I could really do with some positive feedback…
My goodness,you sound as though you have been through the mill…
Well, i had a tissue expander recon last year. My implant was positioned incorrectly, to the point where it burst through the skin and left with with a hole in my chest.
On Monday, my new ps did the flap, but could not place the implant, due to high risk of infection.
So, for now, i have a bandaged up flap and nothing else.
I do not know if inserting an implant in there will work until we try.
I can only hope and pray that it works, as i can’t look at it as it is right now.
I will be hoping and praying that you can have the recon that you want and most probably deserve.
Is there any medical reason why your body has rejected the implant so far?
I know how you feel, I too had the implant removed, but after having a year away from hospitals (last time for ovaries and tube removal) I decided I would also like to try again. I saw my breast consultant and she wouldnt give me an implant again due to infections etc, so I am know seeing a PS (last Friday) to have a DIEP I am terrified of the op, recovery etc but am told this is my only option. As you have been through so much already have you asked about other reconstruction options.
Nasreen, I currently have the ld flap with no implant. Im a DD and its no where near big enough without the implant and i absolutely hate it. its like a saggy piece of skin with nothing inside! I hide it from my husband everytime i take my clothes off despite him saying that he is ok with it as loves it cause its part of me.
Tinfish, they have said that if it doesnt work this time and my body rejects it (no medical reason why its rejected it in the past) then i will have to see another PS who will probably take this ld flap off and start again!! i have had 6 operations so far and the thought of it being a complete waste of time is sooo disheartening. It upsets me that we go through hell and back with the cancer and all we want to do is feel “OK” about our bodies afterwards. I used to do modelling but this horrible disease has stripped me completely off my selfesteem and confidence and ive got more chance of flying to the moon than getting back in front of a camera!
sorry guys, feeling a bit down about it all right now…thanks for listening.
thanks Naz. one of my implants came through the skin last year as well. The nurses kept telling me it was a scab until it literally fell out and i was rushed back to theatre! this was a month before i was due to get married, after cancelling it twice due to this bloody disease!!! It seems like its too much to ask to have half decent breasts after cancer!!!
good luck tomorrow, I hope your not too disappointed…just remember its a masterpiece in the making!! please let me know how you get on.
woohoo!!! glad it went well for you. hmmm what to do with the other one?? throw it over your shoulder maybe?? Ive been seeing a Life Coach who has also had breast cancer and she is FANTASTIC. I sent her a message saying i couldnt see her this week cause all i would do was sit and cry and she called me, bless her. Im at work right now so its easy for me to be positive cause ive got a million other things to think off. my prosthesis is called “jelly” and I leave it on my teenage sons bed just to freak him out!! lol Will you eventually have an implant put in??
I AM NEW TO THIS.
newly diagnosed BC triple negative type 3 cells to start chemo next week after 2 lumpectomies. genetic testing at some point and def uni possibly bi mastectomy. I will have the option of implant or reconstruction with my own tissue. Has anyone experience of the latter?
hi lavender rose, so sorry your here but welcome to the forum. Ive had recon with an implant, that didnt work and currently have a recon without the implant which i dont like the look of because I have large breasts, cup size DD and without the implant its just not big enough and doesnt give me the right shape. Its worth speaking to your surgeon in great length because its such an important decision. when is your surgery likely to happen?
Hi deed, I dont know if you can remember me but we spoke a few times last year when I had similar problems where implant was removed. I just wanted to say that there are similarities but after 4 different ops (this was actually on my good breast for balance) finally they look ‘half decent’ not great without a bra but fine with one. I just wanted to wish you luck, and tell you of a good ended story with implant rejection.
hi lavender,
I had double mast with tissue taken from my back and an expander in too.This was done 5 wks ago,and so far so good,my boobs have shrunk a little bit now they were very swollen and as yet i havent had to use the expander but i think that will happen soon.my back feels very tight but not too painful although the scar goes right across from one side to the other,my boobs feel very heavy and hard and not very normal as yet but the reason i chose to have the back muscle used was because i was told that just implants alone dont look real and dont last very long and i dont want to have to repeat it.My nipples were removed but i will have those done when everything is settled down.Its early days yet but i am reasonably satisfied with things so far.wishing you the very best,
Di
I think my implant will go in about 8 weeks from now. It seems ages away, especially as i have one breast that is running away, and the other flat and brusied at the mo!
God it is such a long journey, and there are so many women out there who have never even had to contemplate all of this stuff we are going through…!
Lavender, i had the LD flap last Monday. It done without the implant, but that will come later.
I had implant only recon last year, and that was a disaster to say that least.
Good luck with whatever decision you come to…remember to ask lots of questions, as this will also help you make an informed decision.
omg Ness I remember you…we chatted alllll those months ago! are you all finished and completed now? I remember all the leaks and problems that you had too! did you implant just stay in eventually?
How are you now?
After 6 surgeries I am really really nervous and ive still got 8 weeks to go.
Naz sounds like you and I will be having our implants about the same time…we will have to hold each others hands and compare notes?!!
feeling positive today, but like you, things change daily when you have to look in the mirror and see yourself everyday… oh how i wish i had all that innocence back that my friends seem to have!!!
Yes we may well have our implants in at the same time! Then we can be ‘implant buddies’!
Do you have a definite date for yours?
Mine is a rough estimate of 6-8 weeks,so we shall see.
How are you today?
I am sore and can’t wear anything much that presses on my back…
Hi Deed.
Yes my implant did stay in in the end, and is fine (turned out that all the time it was a certain type of internal stitch that my body rejected. I am doing fine, but typical of me I have just had to have my nipple re-done, keeps going flat, and about 8 weeks on its looking quite flat again!! back at hosp at begining of oct for next review. 3 1/2 years now I have been having treatment.
My marriage broke down at the begining of this year so I have been dealing with that and life adjusting to being a single mum. Im doing ok but its hard work and very tiring but you just gotta get on with it havnt you.
I really really hope that your new implant stays in and looks great, its not fair that we have to go through the cancer and then all this crap just to look a bit like we did before hand.
Naz, i remember the horrendous back aches! have you tried a hot water bottle on it and sitting with a V pillow? ive been given a date of decembmber 2nd but im waiting to hear back from the bc nurses to see if he can do it on 18th november. Due to the nature of my job they have said that i will be off for 6 weeks so actually looking forward to having xmas at home with the kids so would like it sooner rather than later. how is the “flap” looking today?
Ness, im soo sorry to hear about your marriage breakdown. we had problems last year too and he left for 3 months. the stress everybody is under is immense and unfortunately it seems like a common occurance. As if cancer isnt bad enough but to have this thrown on top as well! has the nipple recon just not worked, ie did your body reject it or is it infection problems.? now that you have the implant in are you pleased with how it looks? my bc has frightened me cause she kept saying over and over again how one would be much higher and perkier, despite the other one being uplifted, and how the implant was going to sit high on my chest…really scared now!!
got to run and get some food in before doing the school run. hope you girlies are enjoying the sun!!
Really hope you get your surgery done soon…and you get Christmas off too!
What do you do for a living?
Having a down day today. Just ache, chest area looks like Beirut, and generally sick of not having a ‘normal’ looking chest.
Call me vain, (because i am quite vain :-)), but i just want to wear what i want and not bloody ache so much!