Implant questions

Hi Nyssa,

I can’t tell you what a relief it is to read yours and Bea_me’s replies- I’ve only had my partner to talk through all of these worries and possibilities with til now. I felt embarrassed to admit to my friends and family that I’m worried about the look of my breasts after surgery, as much as I am the actual cancer, because I felt it sounded vain and superficial and would be told to focus on recovery and moving forward etc. But it does matter.

Thank you so very much; I hadn’t really thought about the outline of the implants showing, so going to add a question to my list about whether the sling going above or under the muscle makes any difference to that, just in case.

I realise you’ll still have lots of swelling still, but have you got much/any sensation in your breast/ nipples? 

Thanks Bea_me. 
I’m really hoping I will come out feeling that way too. Your replies have helped calm my nerves and been incredibly helpful. Thank you for taking the time to chat, I really appreciate it

It is most definitely NOT vain - I initially thought that but it is very important to make sure you are happy knowing what you are walking into and the results. I want to retain my feminine features as I just lost both my breasts but wanted to still look feminine in clothes! 

i did forget to say after they removed my drains (about 10 days and that can get a little uncomfortable but not painful) they had to syringe me twice to remove fluids. I wasn’t overly worried and they give you local anaesthetic so you feel nothing. I was also worried about allergy/rejection to implant but it turned out I am fine. I had good surgeons who monitored me so gave me good level of support.

there isn’t so much swelling left now I don’t think but I think the implant settles is what I can see over 6 weeks. I feel they have settled in a slightly lower position but each one is recovering at a slightly different rate so I need to be patient to see final results. They can do fat grafting if needed to soften any look or any small corrections.

i don’t have much sensation in the breast and nipples unfortunately as not much tissue left and nerves will have been affected. I read it may improve but a question to perhaps ask? As my implants were under my pectoral muscle everything was very sensitive initially but now I don’t feel any more discomfort or much sensitivity.

i hope all this helps and best of luck again :)

Thank you so much Nyssa, it has all helped a great deal. I will ask about sensation tomorrow.

If I’m honest, I really want to feel feminine out of clothes, just as much as in them. I hope not to wince every time I see myself naked or worry my partner is inside . I know I need to try and focus on this being life saving, rather than mutilating, make a decision and see it as a big step towards becoming healthy again. 

thank you again and I hope you continue to make a really good recovery.

Hi Churchnursery!

I am sorry to hear you're in this situation and I hope having read through the other answers will have helped you. I had a skin and nipple sparing right side masectomy, followed by a silicone implant 4 weeks ago. I am very happy with the result.

Aisde from the cancer factor, I was also worried about how everything would look after, if I would be 'normal'. I had a sort of corset bandage on for 6 days afterwards so couldn't see anything and when my plastic surgeon took it off I remember being too scared to look down but I forced myself to. I had a little bandage over my nipple but I was genuinely relieved at how good my new breast looked. It looks great, the scars are tiny (I have one just around the edge of my nipple, another one running down from my nipple to the bottom of my breast and a tiny mark on my side where the drain was). It is incredible what they have been able to do. I am not going to tell you that I prefer it to my own breast but I was so happy to have not mentally rejected it. 

I stayed in hospital for only one night, I had one drain for 2 weeks after. I wouldn't say I had pain, I was takimg painkillers but I've stopped taking them and I'm not in pain. It is sometimes difficult for me to get comfortable at night in bed. I always slept on my right side before this, can't do that at the moment. I'm either sleeping on my back or upright. It definitely isn't cold to the touch. It's roughly the same size as my real breast, it is firmer and slightly higher though. If I touch the side of it, it feels like pressing on a bruise but apparently this is normal. The only complaint I would say I have is that there is a slight ridge at the top of the implant, it has improved a lot since the beginning and my surgeon says if it doesn't right itself we can retouch it with fat when we life my other breast to create better symmetry. 

I had the pathology results today and my tumours had disappeared completely, lymph node, behind nipple, skin and chest wall all clear. The relief is overwhelming.

I wish you the best of luck with your surgeon tomorrow and if you ever have questions don't be shy. Thinking of you x

Hi Sunflame,

I just loved reading your message and read it aloud to my partner and we both had a little weep with happiness at your outcome. That’s just genuinely wonderful and such heartening news. Thank you so very much for sharing your experience and positive news, just as I head off for the appointment xx

You're more than welcome. It's obviously a scary situation to be in and while I wish I never had to experience any of it, I will say the worrying and building things up in my head before surgery was 100 times worse than what the surgery and aftermath actually were. I hope you got on OK with your surgeon and things are a bit clearer for you. Sending love. 

Hi Churchnursey 

wanted to see how your meeting went and if you are now more comfortable following your discussions with the surgeon?  Sending my best positive wishes to you x

Thanks so much Sunflame & Nyssa,

I think the meeting went well thanks. The surgeon was very positive. I was so conflicted before I went in, that I decided just to keep an entirely open mind about the surgery and be guided by him. Right up til the evening before I was certain about the mastectomy and then suddenly became incredibly frightened.  I’ve opted for a mammoplasty reduction, with symmetry surgery. My first thought when it was mentioned was ‘good god no!’, as really don’t want to be smaller, and this will need a whole quadrant to be removed. He feels that with an uplift, it will be a lot less noticeable and I’ll just have to trust him. After the mammoplasty, I wouldn’t be able to have implants, but he said if I am unhappy once everything settles, I could have fat injections. 
I’ve got to have an ultrasound guided wire inserted before surgery, which frankly sounds sickening. But by this time next month it’ll be over and I just hope I’ve made the right decision. Thank you again for all your support and I hope you’re both continuing really well with your recovery

I'm happy to hear your meeting went well. I don't blame you for being frightened, it's a horrible situation to be in. I'm genuinely very happy with my implant, my scars are tiny and barely noticeabl and it's only a month since my surgery. I say this because it is incredible what the plastic surgeons are able to do and although, you will be smaller, they will most likely do a good job. I'm amazd at what they have done with me.  I wish you the very best of luck