Has anyone out there had lipofill?

[chrisalex]

Absolutely Suebeehoney

I have read some posts in the past and wept for some of the ladies.  It seems when times are hard it is good for the soul to catch up with stories and put ones own problems into perspective.  Some posts are so informative also.  Lets hope its up and onwards for us all now.  Regards.

[suebeehoney]

Wow! Thank God for these ladies and posts. Who knew! I've had a double mastectomy and really didn't know how long this whole process really takes! Still with implants and doing radiation. Starting to look forward to my new normal. Its such a head game at times it helps to know others trials and tribulations. Stay strong!

[Rose-White]

I had lipofill in January and have been told I need 3 to 4 further sessions to sort out shape and size, but need to wait 3 months between - firstly because of fat reabsorbtion and secondly to give time for swelling to go down.  So am thinking that if you are like me it could be at least another year!

[loona44]

Hi chrisalex.

                      no ive not been able to have second refill yet as im waiting to see cardiologist on 20 april they wont operate untill after ive been seen by them should of had it done on 28 jan . had first one done last june but nothing left of it now so hope when i finally have it done again it last if not dont think i will have it done a third time still got to have lift to other breast etc yet .feel like its never ending been going on now from 13 years ago. i hope your op in may goes well and you are happy with the results get yourself some spandex pants to try and reduce bruising and discomfort it is a painful procedure to be honest with you but only lasts a few weeks so its doeable  all the best keep in touch and let us know how you get on . linda

[drdspg]

I'm now 10 weeks post DIEP and deeply disappointed by the result. I know my PS is very good and that the remaining breast tissue was fairly mangled but I had hoped I would end up with something looking like normal breasts albeit scarred. They are partly under my arms, there isn't an even surface on which a nipple could be placed. I'm 46 and certainly don't feel like a woman. I'm due to have lipofilling in November but feel very pessimistic re whether it can make any real improvements. Sorry to whinge, I have coped well so far but now I'm just fed up

[chrisalex]

Hi Loona44

Just wondering if you managed to get your second lipofill op done after disapointing pre op.  I finally have a date for beginning of May.  I am hoping that not all of the fat will be absorbed and it is a more successful op that my nipple recon.  Yes, the waiting times between the procedures is agonising and seems to go on and on.  Let me know how you got on.  Regards

[chrisalex]

Hi piggsytrotter

Thanks for all your information.  I too take arnica tablets, especially after every op.  Its good to hear that your midriff was not too bad.  I was also told that lipfill only means day surgery which is great.

Interestingly, I had a bit of a fight on my hands to have expander replaced with a silicone implant as my surgeon was very reluctant to change it.  The original one was so big, round and hard that I had problems sleeping on that side.  The new silcone one is much softer but has left me with a lot of rippling, hence lipofill.  Good luck with your second op and hope that it will leave you with good results - let me know how it goes.

Regards Chris

[chrisalex]

Hi Linda

Uplift went well, although due to gravity (and age) a year on my breast has fallen a bit.  I am now a cup size smaller so have to throw away a lot of old bras as I do not fit into them well.  The op was not too bad either.  Lets hope that our lipofill goes well, whenever it finally happens.  Chris

[kitten_mad]

That's really interesting about the Arnica tablets, sounds as though you pre-empted the bruising issue. If I have it again I will certainly try that.

I don't understand about the radiotherapy and the Implant link though, as I had had 25 Rads and then got an implant with the LD flap on the same side. It definitely seems as if different hospitals have different ideas about ops. Certain makes of syringe can also make the lipofill more effective, and can cause less bruising. Probably just as well we are asleep while all this is going on though!

K M x

[piggsytrotter]

Hi all. I had some lipofill on 16 January 2015. I couldn't find much information about it anywhere online, not just this site, either. It's a fairly new procedure for BC patients (NICE approved late 2012 I think).

Long story short, BC diagnosed in May 2013, had left MX in June 2013 with immediate tissue expander implant. Had precautionary right MX in July 2014 with immediate silicone implant and left side expander replaced with silicone implant. Didn't look too great. Left side too small as no tissue left at all, and right side too low and too big. PS suggested right side implant be uplifted and reduced, and left side implant needed liposculpting because there isn't any fat between skin and implant so it was sticking.

Had fat removed from midriff and put around implant. Will need at least one more op, which PS had said would be the case. I bought a waist cincher and wore it for 8 days, 24/7 as well as mastectomy bras which I had kept. Still wear bras at night as still got tape over scars. I haven't had a problem with midriff at all, it isn't numb and it didn't bruise much.I was driving a week and a half after surgery without any problem. I did slather everything with arnica every night and also started taking arnica tablets about 4 days before surgery. Midriff hurts a bit if I really press on it, so I don't! I thought I might have a lot of flabby skin where the fat had been removed, but haven't so far.

The mastopexy on the right side looks pretty amazing. Unfortunately quite a bit of the lipofill fat has been reabsorbed already, so may need more than one more fill. Will see what my brilliant PS says when I see him in a couple of months. He's also removed some of the stained irradiated skin.

I had to wait about 6 months between second MX and lipofill, and will probably have to wait until June for the next session. However as next one will just be lipofill I'm guessing it will probably be day surgery.

Hope this helps. Anything else I can help with just ask. x

[loona44]

Hi chrisalex,

                     can you tell me was your uplift a success? will be pleased when mine as been done at least they will be in the same place hopefully i was told i would perhaps need 3 goes at lipo before the uplift to see the final size and shape . do you have a date when yours is going to be done ? i couldent have a implant after mx because i had radiotherapy in 2002 on same breast and they said it wouldent be much of a success due to tissue and skin damage hence the need for lipo . hope everything goes alright for you and all the other ladies out there .linda

[Yvie178]

I am having nipple tattoo in Feb will let you know how it goes! 

[chrisalex]

Dear Linda

Poor you.  Yes the waiting game is agonising.  I was told that most of the fat will be absosrbed, hence it may take 3 goes!!  Its funny how different hospitals do procedures.  I have also aready had implant change, breast uplift, nipple recon (which has not really worked).  If lipofill is sucessful I will have the tatoo.  I hope that you do not have to wait too long for the next op and that we will all get there in the end.  Let me know how things progress.

Regards Chris

[artemis17]

Hi all...
This makes good reading, I'm currently waiting for my 1st lipofill following LD recon in October. I didn't have an implant so need lipo to "inflate" my new boob.
It seems like such a long never ending process just to get back what cancer took away. But as you've said, the only way is up. 🙂

[loona44]

Hi

     I had left breast mx oct 13 and had my first lipofill in june 14 they took the fat from tummy was very bruised and sore for a couple of weeks . the lipofill was absorbed by body ( why does it    disapear when you want to keep it)  so ive been on the waiting list for second filling  appointment came through for last wed went for pre op assesment and they had to cancel op as pulse was sky high got to have another ecg on fri if its normal they will do it but i hope i havent got to wait another 7 months and hope next time it works better think they are going to take more next time from my hips and thighs OUCH hope its worth it . such a lot of waiting in between procedures got a few more yet .uplift to good breast nipple reconstruction then tatoo if all goes well . feeling pretty fed up at the moment . but as they say onwards and upwards get there in the end . linda

[chrisalex]

Hi drdspg

Do these no VPL come high enough to cover a midriff I wonder.  Thanks for the info - will get to M & S in the next couple of days.  Mind you, I have just gone on the waiting list so maybe I am being a bit prior, or expecting to have a date in the spring.  One lives in hope... Regards Chris

[drdspg]

I meant lipofil- my iPad edited it!!

[drdspg]

Haven't had li profile, but wanted to say that M&S do do some no VPL large knickers which are incredibly soft. ( am wearing them post DIEP ).

[chrisalex]

Thanks Kitten mad

I was told it will be taken from my tummy.  I was also told to get some big knickers that cover my midriff (I believe I can get them from M & S).  Its good to hear that you only had it done twice and not 3 times.  I hope that the results worked for you.

Chris

[kitten_mad]

I have had it done twice (for different areas) and the bruising was pretty bad. I could hardly walk for a week and had to wear really baggy tracksuit bottoms as I couldn't bear anything touching the skin. They don't always warn you about this!  I thought I would only be off work for the weekend, but no way could I have gone. So if you are prepared to take a week to recover and take lots of painkillers and generally not do very much then go ahead. I have also had it injected to stop the scar sticking to the ribs and it really did help. If it comes from your thighs then you have two tiny scars on the bikini line, and if it is your tummy if goes through your belly button!  The thigh scars were much worse (and sorer) than the tummy ones. Your body does tend to reabsorb the fat, but mine was not too bad, everyone is different I guess!  Good luck, and get lots of reading material in if you get it done 😉

K M x

[chrisalex]

Thanks for your reply Yvie.  Gosh, so your thighs are still not right.  I am very slight and was told that she will take the fat from my midriff.  I was also warned regarding bruising but the thought that my middle may be numb months after is a bit daunting.  Its also good to hear that you only needed 1 op.  I too had a lift on my other breast but that was over a year ago, since then I have had the implant exchanged as the original one was far too large.  As a result my breasts aren't even but at this stage I don't care.  Good luck for the future.

Regards Chris

[Yvie178]

Hi I had fat transfer from my thighs to a large dent above my implant - I am guessing this is the same as lipofill.  I had this September and most of the fat has survived - though I still have a small indent - but I will not be having this procedure again.  My surgeon said she would not inject the fact near the implant(even though I have visible wrinkling at times)  because of the risk of damaging it - and my op was done privately!  I did not have a lot of fat for her to play with and the result has been that almost 4 months post op I have still got a numb thigh - feels like it has been numbed with local.  And I have visible dents in my thighs where the fat was removed - definitely not a cosmetic finish!  The breast - whilst slightly bruised and swollen did not really hurt, however the thighs were black and blue and extremely painful!  I still have some pain in one of my thighs and can feel the areas that the fat was removed from.  The numbness was one of the possible side effects of the procedure so I guess I just lucked out!  I had my other breast lifted at the same time and comparitively this was a walk in the park compared to the fat transfer!

[chrisalex]

Hi Ladies

Saw my PS yesterday who checked me out after nipple recon.  The reconstructed nipple kind of failed due to a lot of bleeding and necrosis.  I am left with a tiny bump.  She has offered me lipofill as the recon breast has a lot of rippling and is a bit of a mess.  She explained that due to re-absorbsion it will take 3 ops, this I have already read about.  What I forgot to ask her is the possible time scale between the ops, bearing in mind it is the NHS.

Have any of you had these ops and was it worth it?  As we know it is a long journey and I just want to look fairly "normal" again.

Regards Chris