5 Months Post-op, with Capsular Contracture. Trying to Figure out What to Do - Houston, TX

Thanks NoMoreDsplease! I wondered about that 20% deal! Why would they have to take so much tissue? Didnt make sense. I have been wondering why some docs leave the capsule in. I thought, hey if they keep them in, its like having implants made of scar tissue. Lol. Fill them in with fat please! LOl

Thanks MLJ! What a decision to make! I am glad to hear that you are the same cup size as preop, sad that your recovery was so painful! I am concerned about going back to work afterwards. I would actually hate to give up the implants. I am finally proportionate! But I will do what I have to do. Am weighing all options at this point. Thanks for the input!  

Hi Relieved! Nice to know someone is following my story. Lol,  So your doc left your capsules in? Are they just parts of the capsule? I was thinking if they left the whole thing in there, you would still feel a harder ball type thing in there. I was just joking with NoMoreDsplease below and said they could fill them in with fat and make "all natural" implants. lol Wouldnt that be ironic? Make the capsule the implant and remove the actual implant- if that makes sense. =)

Hi BB, no pain at this point with the CC. I am thinking if I leave it alone, it will eventually turn into grade 4 and hard as a rock. I dont know if that is true or not but something I am worried about. I could live with it like it is but I think it will def. get worse. Have you posted your pics yet? Also, It would be nice to hear from your other friends who had the CC surgery with Dr. Mark Berman and that pocket protector. If that is something that really works, I think A LOT of ladies would want to know about it! I would need to do more research and see some proof before I could get that done by him, but I am open to listening. Do they have accounts on realself?

Hi. They do NOT have accounts on Real Self,as far as I know. Writing personal stories on these Forums isn't for EVERYONE.but I DO think there may be reviews on other forums.Google his name for that too. I certainly could ask them,but they're VERY private people,& NONE of them did EXPLANT SURGERY FIRST,as I did. I originally did it,looking for information on others who DID the explant operation successfully & which Dr.'s they used. i was so desperate & when I THOUGHT I had found MY DOCTOR to do it, I JUST STOPPED LOOKING. If you google Dr. Mark Berman's name you can see a video,& more info on his procedures. Good For you for asking a lot of questions & doing all your homework BEFORE you make your decision. There are a LOT of wonderful ladies on this explant forum who will be your inspiration & cheerleaders along the way!

Thanks Newmom, I will keep him in mind if I decide to explant. If you ask her about the tissue, let me know what she says, if you dont mind. Do you think explanting is scary regardless of how long you've had them? I have only had them 5 months. My best friend was saying, shouldnt be too bad. Like having a baby. But what do you think?

Well I don't know if you have read my review but explanting in not nearly as scary than running a 104.1 fever for 3 days while on antibiotics and not being able to care for your 3 week old baby because of mastitis due to the large implants. So for me there really is only one option to explant because I want to have at least 2 more kids and breastfeeding is very important to me. I will have only had them 5 years in March when I am getting them out. Since your situation is a little different I can see how is could be scary for you. I couldn't imagine getting CC only 5 months into it. That really sucks since you want to enjoy your new pretty tatas ;) I think you are very smart to research your different options now because if you do decide to explant its probably better the sooner and the skin won't be as stretched out as long. The only thing I have read about CC is that if you have replacement surgery or any kind of surgery the CC is likely to come back 50% of the time (which means more surgeries) I hope you make the right decision for yourself. I am going to send that email and will let you know what she says :)

100% right! Once you've had CC's the greater the liklihood of more! The less time you have them in, I imagine, the less stretching of skin & damage they do.

Hey Newmom, I didnt read your review before b/c I was looking for cases similar to mine. i.e. One's with Capsular Contracture. But I just went and read it to see if it was one of the ones i had read. Lol Nope! But now I have! =) Thats a bummer you had problems breast feeding. I thought that was pretty rare. I would like to try to keep my implants if I can, but I know getting a regular capsulectomy is probably not going to work. I would hate to have a surgery again after that. So that is why I am considering the explant. I def. dont want a lifetime of worrying about how I am going to pay for my next surgery. I'd rather spend that money shopping! lol

Hey you and me both on the whole shopping thing! I hope you figure everything out! Very smart to ask as many questions as possible so you won't regret whatever decision you decide to make :)

And just so that you know (now that I have done research) 85% of women who have had implants report difficulty breastfeeding. I think society doesn't realize that they do cause problems with breastfeeding because most surgeons neglect to tell us. A lot of women on this site have confirmed this for me with their experiences. Just for your info I don't know if you have had kids or planning but it is always good to know these things.

Hey Scrappy, Dr. Worthings coordinator said that no breast tissue is removed when they are saline under the muscle. Hope this helps :)

Thank you Flora! I may feel that way again at some point- but for now I will go this route. =)

Thank you Reed! I am sure you will hear from me again. =)

Hi Unsure, Well I guess my surgeon is giving me some kind of discount as other docs would charge me closer to $5K. I am not sure how other docs are only charging their patients $1500. But either way I plan on getting the capsulectomy with strattice which adds another $4500 to the bill making the total come up to $7,800. I would just make sure to ask your potential PS what they would charge you were that to happen. And really, the odds are really low that it will happen. Somewhere around 15%. In the augmentation/implant forums you will not see many of those posts about CC, but in the implant removal forum you will see more of those kind of stories. My PS's office has told me that they have done lots of capsulectomies with strattice and not have had one recurrence so that is a good sign. Unfortunately it is so expensive! In regular clothes it is not really noticeable. I have more upper pole fullness on the left side which just makes it look a little more bubbly but I don't think anyone will have a clue as to why. In a bikini I am sure it will be quite noticeable. I wear a tankini now and noone can tell. Even naked, I think someone would just think I was a little lopsided. The 6 month pic that was posted in the progression collage looks really pronounced, I think b/c of the lighting. If you look at the last collage it is all at 6 months and you will see the one with the shadows doesnt look as bad.  But some girls their CC gets pretty bad, to the point that they are hard as a rock and look like it on their chest. Check out the removal forum or google pics of capsular contracture, you will see what it could look like. Sorry you are worried about it, but I guess if I had known I was going to get it, I wouldnt have had the BA done. But hey, I got boobies now. Lol Whats a girl to do?

Hi Deafsushi, If you look at my profile, you'll see I have a Part I and II. I admit they are rather long though but might have more info. Honestly not much warning sign. A little tightness at month 3, then at month 4 it was there. I could only feel it in 2 positions. If you look at my progression photos though, you'll see the left seems like its getting higher at month 1, but again I didn't feel anything till month 3.  Two ways I could tell. Laying flat on the floor, my left breast felt as if a hard ball was inside. You can def. tell a diff. from the other side. And the other way was laying on my right side, lift left arm over head and feel the side of my left breast. I have a lot of body fat though, so I think it is not as apparent on me because of that. Some believe in always getting pre-medicated before any dental work or any thing else that could allow bacteria into your system. Others causes could include getting sick or breast feeding, etc. One thing that is known about CC is that bacteria is present in every case. Try not to obsess over the idea but keep in mind the bacteria thing as noone (and I mean NOONE.... docs included)  really knows definitively the causes of CC or how to prevent it. If you ever get CC, keep in mind the options I mention in my reviews. But try not to worry, you will most likely be fine. Good luck!

Thanks you so much for getting back to me. I'm glad you are soon the ultrasound & I hope you find a solution that works for you & your body.