Expander changed to silicone Implant

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Just had to post this in case others are about to go through this.
On Monday, I had two expanders replaced with silicone implants as well as a nipple reconstruction!.
The expanders were hard and uncomfortable.

I can already say that the silicone ones are much much more comfortable, and so much softer.
I only stayed in hospital one night, and had drains in whilst in hospital. It is so much easier than the double mx operation.

Just thought this could be useful for anyone about to go through this.
x Crystal

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Thanks for this Crystal,
I have an expander implant which I am pretty sure will need to be changed so that is useful to know.

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Thanks Crystal,
thats very reassuring. I was supposed to go in for an expander implant change on 13th Jan, but had the op cancelled, so now i,m just waiting. Consultant is also going to lyposuction at the side, and use this fat to fill in a slight ripple on recon.
Did you have much pain after the op, and is there a recovery time?
Best wishes,
Rosie x

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Can I ask you if you had radiotherapy Ihave been told that I canā€™t have what you have had because of the radioā€¦?

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Thank you Crystal. I am due for this op in a few weeks time so it is always reassuring to know that it isnā€™t too awful and that you are happy with the result. My one expander is a funny shape so will be replaced but I also have to have an implant in the other side to match me up.
Can I ask how long you are going to be off work or how long before you can safely drive again?

regards
Val

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Thanks so much for the post Crystal, iā€™m in tomorrow - so reassuring to read it went well for you.

Lynn

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Glad the information is useful.

I am only on paracetamol for pain now (3 days after) and it is fine.

I do not not when I can drive yet, as have not asked. I would imagine that I could goback to work in 2/3 weeks.

Lisa - I did have radiotherapy 2 years ago, and this has not affected my treatment.
Good luck to all

Crystal

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Just what I wanted to hear - many thanks for posting this.

I had a double masectomy with expander implants 3 weeks ago. I know Iā€™m probably getting ahead of myself, but I woke up this morning feeling really down and wondering when I can start to feel ā€œnormalā€ again. This time last year I was training for the London Marathon and did my first triathlon last summer and now I feel completely useless. Iā€™m trying to do a walk each day and can drive short distances but all the time am aware of these 2 brick-like appendages on my front. They are really heavy and rock hard - and I remind myself that they are temporary, but do worry that I wonā€™t be my old self again. The worst is going from lying to sitting and after my saline injection last week I needed help to get out of bed in the morning for a few days and they often ache a lot, although painkillers do sort that out.

Keep us posted with how you get on. Iā€™m hoping that the temporary expanders will soften up, but if they donā€™t, hopefully I can have the comfort of knowing that permanent implants will be a vast improvement and by the summer I can move forward.

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Dear Crystal

Thanks so much for posting. Iā€™m going in for my expanders to be removed and replaced by silicone implants next month so itā€™s great to hear that it has gone so well for you.

Have you been told how long the recuperation is? - forgot to ask when I went to be measured up for implants last week.

Rosie - interested to hear that you too have a fat bit by your boob - Iā€™ve got same - appeared after my mastectomy though surgeon says itā€™s not related. Heā€™s going to lypo it - hope he slips and manages to reduce some of my enormous post-steroid/tamoxifen (well thatā€™s my excuse!) tummy at same time!

Good luck to everyone xx

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Hi Crystal, and hi to everyone else also, Just wanted to say i am have a double mx followed by expander then implants sometime later, i am having this as risk reducing surgery sometime this year. I had a wle followed by chemo and rads at the end of 2010, then found out i was brca2 carrier, so i have seen my bc surgeon who says i should have my exsisting ovary removed in the next couple of months, then see him at the end of April to further discuss my mx and recon surgry. It helps loads to here from people who have been there all ready, so thank you for the info. Can i ask how long roughly it is before others have had there inplants put in after original expanders put in, i forgot to ask surgeon. Thank you to everyone. Sandrae x x x

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Sandrae

My expanders were in for 6 months, and were only replaced as one was leaking.

This was risk reduction surgery for me too (BRCA1), it was a very very hard decision, but the right one for me.

xx Crystal

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Hi Ladies - home this afternoon with one night stay - shorter than i was told to expect. Tender where the port was previously, a bit sore and very tired but all in all ok - already so much more comfortable than the expander was. Surgeon said the expander had stretched the skin well and op went well. Hard to tell cosmetically at this stage but certainly feels better. Was told to stay off woprk for a couple of weeks and similar for driving - hope this helps.

Lynn
x

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Lynne

Sounds like you are doing well - excellent news.

I am havin my dressings changed on Monday a week after the surgery. One is a little pink, so I am hoping desperately that there is no infection.

Good luck with your recovery

Crystal

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Thanks for your updates Crystal and Lynn - Iā€™m now quite excited about having my op in 3 weeks time - youā€™ve certainly put my mind to rest - so thanks.

Wishing you a speedy recovery. Hope thereā€™s no infection there Crystal xx

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Hi Crystal and all you other kind ladies! This is my first time on here and itā€™s so helpful to find out about similar experiences. I was diagnosed in February 2010 and had a lumpectomy in March. Iā€™ve since had a prophylactic bilateral mastectomy in June 2010 as I am the fifth premenopausal lady to have breast cancer in my family. However I tested negative for the BRCA1 and 2 genes. I am having my tissue expanders replaced at the end of March. At the moment I have Natrelle tissue expanders in and been looking at the implants in their catalogue. Has anybody out there had any experience of the different gels used? There is a choice of two Soft Touch and Responsive! The hardness of my tissue expanders is something I have had difficulty in getting used to, particularly as I can feel them from the insides of the tops of my arms. I want to make an informed choice for the next stage of my reconstruction. I also have a fold and fat necrosis on my right side which is worrying me a bit, it reminds me of a sock puppet I made as a child, lol! My surgeon has arranged for lypo. Wishing you all well xxx

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Really, really good to hear this, and thank you, I am due my op in April/May, but was starting to think I might just ā€˜get ridā€™ of the expanders and have nothing as I really donā€™t like how they look or feel, so really good to read your post.

Best wishes, Samm x

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Hi Girls, I recently had my Expander changed to a silicon implant on November 9th 2010, unfortunately for me the reconstruction side is so much bigger than the other breast, im not sure what the surgeon is planning to do, i go back in april after letting the skin settle. Iā€™m still having deep chest pain and still quite sensitive hopefully that will settle with time. Iā€™m so grateful iā€™m not alone with this, I hope that you all have better results with the change over. It is so much softer and comfortable having the implant in than the expander, i was beginning to think there was a ninja turtle in there waiting come out. I guess its just going to take time for me to accept psychologically what my body now looks like. Iā€™m sure when i go back in April we will discuss what iā€™d like with regards to the nipple. I wish you all the very best for the future.
Take Care
Dee xoxo

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Thanks xwelcomex this really helps - have an appointment with my consultant tomorrow to discuss implants - i have a long list of questions. With regards to shape iā€™ve been guided more towards round implants as Iā€™m quite active and had quite a lot of movement of expanders! xx