Breast Implant Revision: Stories

I do. I exercise and hike when I can. Still have an awful sweet tooth but always try to get in enough healthy things to eat to counteract it.

That is quite a story Jodi, I am glad you were so proactive with how you handled the cancer so that you could avoid it.  I'm so sorry to hear about your mother and aunt.  That is a really tough time to lose your family, and I'm sure it was really hard to see her going in and out of the hospital fighting it.  With your friend, it is unfortunate to hear that her husband wasn't as supportive with her handling the treatment as she should have and she suffered because of it.  You are very strong!  I am glad that things worked out and you seem to take really good care of yourself and know your body.  

Kate

I will. I am really grateful even though I have had to go thru surgeries from time to time. In 1994, I was one of the first to have a double mastectomy so early on before the need for chemo. My son was four at the time. I had tested positive from the brcka test (think I am misspelling it) which showed I carried the cancer gene. They had tested me in my late 30's, since I had abnormal mammograms in my 20's and 30's due to fibrocystic breasts. I was always having biopsies. My mother had died of breast cancer by 53 (I think I was around 17 or 18 when she died) and aunt. My mother's mother died early and the doctors speculate that it was for the same reason. 2 oncologists confirmed that If I should have a double mastectomy or risk getting full blown breast cancer within a year or two. I didn't want to take the risk. My son was 4 at the time. A friend of mine had a similar prognosis. Unfortunately her husband placed alot of importance on her breasts. She didn't do the mastectomy and had dire consequences. I didn't want to end up like my mother, always in and out of hospitals. So, even though I have had to have the implants replaced about every 10 years, I have avoided getting full blown cancer and chemo, and am doing well. Today it's common to do what I did and at a much younger age. I was pro-active and am sure it changed my life.

Oh that is so great your fat transfer went well Jodi!  I am really sorry you have been through one thing after the other but it sounds like you are good to go now.  I can see how the additional fat surrounding the implants would help them appear more natural and with less dimpling or wrinkling.  I am glad things worked out, let us know down the road how things are going. :)

Kate 

 

It went amazingly well. The implants should stay in place alot better now and the breast themselves are much improved so that was an added bonus that was unexpected. He injected fat below and on top of the implants so that should hold them and the puckering and wrinkling of the skin is gone. It is swollen right now and will go down about 50%. He took the fat from the upper thigh area- alittle on each side. It is hard to believe they can do things like this. My thighs are purple and swollen but healing well and much better today. Hopefully the fat injected won't dissolve and the implant won't rupture as before, so keep your fingers crossed. This is the 3rd. surgery since June. First, the capsulectomy, then I clotted and had to go in again and then this to help the implants and the abnormal puckering. So, I hope I am through with this for a long time.

Hi Jodi, how did your fat transfer go?

Yes, we have decided to go ahead with it. The surface skin that's left is thin and it will help keep the implants in place better and help the breasts to look more natural. This will be done on Dec. 6. I don't have alot of fat to work with but they have found some they can use on my upper outer thighs. They don't need alot so it will work out.

Thanks so much for Sharing Jodi!  It sounds like you have been through a lot and you are very strong.  I am glad the Dr took such great care of you.  

 

BTW, are you still planning on getting fat transferred to your breasts?

You are so welcome. I have never talked about it openly like this before but if it helps others, that's great.

Wow, you have really been through a lot! More than one woman should.

Thank you for sharing your experience with us.

The new ones are the improved silicone implants. He might be injecting some fat from another area around the implants. We will be looking into it as soon as I am healed. He could have done it at the same time but I have a history of being a bleeder and a slow healer so he made a decision to wait. He really went over my chart several times and even asked me alot of questions the morning of the surgeries. I had to go in again for the right side as I had some clotting, which is what happened last time I had to have them replaced. I have had more biopsies on the right (from my 20's on I was always having biopsies there as they were always fibrocystic). He actually took away old scar tissue so I look better than before and one nipple was completely to the side. He surgically removed it and moved it over without disconnecting anything, so I still have feeling- amazing. In 1994 they did a subcutaneous double mastectomy, as I was at the beginning of cancer, before stage 1. I had that blood test which came up positive and showed me to be at the beginning stages. I am the 3rd. generation of women on my mother's side. My mother died of breast cancer and her mother did and an aunte so I am the first on my mother's side to make it past 53. I am 58.-The implants were removed completely and new ones put in. The old were saline and I have always had trouble with them. Hope this helps you. I also had a full hysterectomy in 2000, there were 9 tumors, all benign but was bleeding and they couldn't control the bleeding. They took everything so now I am on hormone replacement.

Thank you for posting here on RealSelf! Were your initial implants saline or silicone? And, were they replaced or removed altogether?

It sounds like you had a great experience with your surgeon. I hope healing went quickly and easily for you!