Mastectomy and reconstruction implant help!

Dear Chillypom,

I'm sorry you are in this position. I have a mastectomy about 6 weeks ago with implant reconstruction. I couldn't have any other type of reconstruction due to spinal problems and not enough tissue any where else. I found the implant they put in very big at first as I had lots of fluid build up which was drained quite a few times. Even after draining it was still to big I felt so make sure size is really discussed before the operation. I ended up having another operation 2 weeks ago so as they were in there so to speak they changed the implant to a smaller one which is much better.

For the implant, the risks to everything are scary aren't they! I can feel it although I think I'm still healing from the 2nd operation as still got a lot of bruising. I have thin tissue so you can see a bit of rippling. I was told I could have fat injected later down the line around it if I wanted to which would help cover it up a bit. At the moment I really don't want any more surgery though. For my none implant boob, maybe as ageing happens I could get something done with that one but will cross that bridge if I get to that point.

Please do ask any questions as very happy to help.

I couldn’t tolerate the long anaesthetic for DIEP etc so I had an expandable implant reconstruction. I had the other breast reduced because that also had cancer in it, so it was a bit of a punt to get symmetry. In the end though the results were great. I’m seeing plastics in July to talk about adding a nipple and maybe tidying up the scars but in clothes yiu wouldn’t know I’d had a mastectomy. My implant is combined silicone with a saline core, which can be expanded via a valve in my armpit. So it’s firmer and heavier than my (reduced) real breast, but you’d have to be squishing then to tell! I went into this expecting all kinds of problems, and it’s better to see it as a process rather than one op and done, but generally I’m pretty chuffed with the result. 

Thank you both for replying to me. It does give me some comfort knowing there are others out there with a limited choice. I was overwhelmed when they gave me all the possibilities for reconstruction which took me a while to get my head round it all and then finding that i just had one option was another shock to the system. Hearing, your stories with positives has eased a little of my stress and has given me the confidence to push forward and hope for the best.

Anabrok, youre right about seeing it as a process. I had been looking at it as 1 op, done.  It not being that simple has thrown me. I also, want it done and dusted but i guess i need to change my view on that. I've put everything "me" on hold for the last 5 years with the birth of my 3rd child and I was just getting back into work and finding my feet again and now I'm back to being on hold. I did find the cancer in time and i should be grateful for that but I'm so frustrated, angry, still scared! I really want to skip to the end!

And don’t forget, if you get older and fatter you might be eligible for DIEP then. So bonus if you get middle aged spread