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POSTED UNDER Breast Reconstruction REVIEWS

33 Year Old, Prophylactic Nipple Sparing Mastectomy in 2010, Want Implants OUT! New Jersey, NJ

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At 17 years old I had a biopsy for what the dr...

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MNM114February 8, 2015
$110,000
At 17 years old I had a biopsy for what the dr thought was a cyst. It wasn't I had pre-cancerous cells in what he found and he recommended I get a BMX. At 17?!? I could not at the age of 17 comprehend his recommendation. So I started seeing a breast specialist every 3 months and getting breast MRI's, mammograms which always resulted in some sort of biopsy and surgery. I have had over 30 surgeries not including my mastectomy and 3 reconstructions. All findings were always the same. My increased risk for developing breast cancer was 88% with my family history taken into account. Dr recommended me to have the BMX before I had a family. All my findings were always hormone related.

I had the surgery in July 2010 with expanders placed. In November of 2010 I had the expanded replaced with implants. Then in November 2011 I had them replaced with 550cc mentor high profile.

Fast forward to now and I am unhappy with the results of my surgeries. They are always cold they are heavy and I am in constant pain. I can not sleep and since replacing them I have been diagnosed with a crazy ton of things. I know that my breasts will never be what they once were but is it too much to ask to feel comfortable on the beach in bathing suit chasing my son around without worrying about how my muscles look when I go to pick him up. Or to feel comfortable enough to take my shirt off I front of my husband. I just want to feel good about myself again.

Any who, I am looking to get these bags out of me and do fat grafting with the brava method. Dr wants to do a gap flap or I gap I think it's called with the fat grafting to make my breasts a B cup. But I can't go through a major surgery like that. Recovery is at least 6 weeks for the flap. I just don't have the help with my toddler to make recovery easy and realistic. She said I'd be an A cup because my BMI is not a lot. Which I'm totally fine with. Just wondering if anyone out there has had this done and are happy with the results?

Replies (18)

Expander nightmare
February 8, 2015
Dear MNM114, I have been through only 5 biopsies prior to my Cancer diagnosis and bilateral mastectomies. Then I had surgeries to remove the expanders, place implants, remove the implants and then 5 more procedures to fix the damage caused by the implants. I went with fat grafting and am thrilled with the results. I travel from PA to Miami to see Dr. Roger Khouri but Dr. Christine Ahn in NYC is closer to you and has fabulous reviews. I will share my photos with you if you private message me
alliesmom
March 1, 2015
Did your insurance pay for it?
Lisa S2
February 12, 2015
I just had latissimus dorsi flap done I return to work Tuesday I've boon off 4 weeks, double mastectomy in Octoberber, but the right side had 2 biopsies & 1 lumpectomy prior to the mastectomy it wouldn't heal so had to do this. My arm hurts from procedure but getting better
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MNM114
March 4, 2015
I'm so sorry you had to do this. How are you doing? Was returning to work ok?
anisa69
February 13, 2015
I am having my implants go in on Feb 25. I had a flap done on one side. They took fat and muscle and tissue from my back. The dr who is doing mine is great at what he does. Another patient showed me his work
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MNM114
March 4, 2015
I just checked my messages. How are you today?
evesue
February 18, 2015
if you do a free flap where you don't sacrifice your muscles your recovery is much quicker.. you might not be able to do heavy lifting for a month but most activity is doable after 2 weeks.. dr ahn and dr Robert allen are close to you..check them out..its always easier to add fat to flap graft because the blood supply is established..and if you harvest fat before having a flap procedure it may ruin that area for potential flap use..so many tough decisions ..implants cause chronic inflammation and can cause auto immune disorders so I hope you can get rid of them soon..theres a great book on reconstruction options written by kathy steligio- the guide book of breast reconstruction.-I would highly recommend you read it ..because u will find out talking to surgeons that they only do the surgery they are most comfortable with..not whats best for you..and you are so young to be sacrificing muscle tissue..it looks like you have plenty of skin to be able to do a nice reconstructive flap..i used my thighs and my belly since I wasnt fat enough to use one large donor site..the recovery was much easier than I thought,,i guess because those expanders and implants were no picnic either..and after my flaps are shaped I can do fat transfer to fill in ant divits that I might have..
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MNM114
February 18, 2015
Thank you so much for commenting. I have been to see dr. Ahn. We went over my options. I can do the thigh or the top of the butt as my flap and then like you said fill in the divots with fat grafting. If I had to choose I would definitely do the thigh over the butt although I worry because I hear some women have trouble with sciatic nerve damage and can not lift their legs. Do you find this to be an issue? I would do the stomach in a minute but I do not have enough there. Just a lot of extra skin little fat. She also said I can do just fat grafting with the use of the brava device. But I would be left with very little breasts. Which honestly are ok with me. It's so hard to choose. I just want to make the right decision and feel good again. I truly believe that the implants are the cause of all my diagnoses. My body just doesn't accept them and is causing havoc on my immune system. Thank you for your comment.
evesue
February 19, 2015
I think you are correct about the implants...I have no nerve damage dr allen and dr sadeghi did a great job of harvesting without doing any damage..i think dr ahn is in with dr allen so im sure she is well versed in how do it properly the artery in the thigh is longer than the one in the butt so it works better.. I sat on a pillow for two weeks and had dressings for 3 weeks ,and couldn't bend completely over for 3 weeks but no serious pain or nerve issues.. you have large breasts now and to only do fat grafting would probably not give you the nice shape you have now..i would definetly recommend a pap flap..one more advantage is they can harvest it when you are laying on your back which saves several hours of surgery time compared to a butt flap
evesue
February 19, 2015
also with pap flap it can be harvested without flipping you over in surgery which would add several hours to the surgery time..pap flaps are softer than butt flats- easier to shape.. and the artery is longer which makes it better for the surgeon.. lipo suction hurts and takes a month to recover from and you would likely need several sessions so the downtime might even be greater for that option.. I wish I would have known about stacked flaps in time to have it done with my bmx..but it took me 6 months of research to even educate myself and I had opted for implants thinking I would have less downtime..not realizing all the danger they imposed and saying nothing of the painful expansion..and having my pectoral muscle lifted off my chest wall was very irritating and painful
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GildaRadner
February 26, 2015
Yeah, that's what mine look like. I was 35 and in great shape. Dr. Austen at mass general told me they'd get bigger and better. They are smaller and lumpy and painful and look horrible when I engage my muscles at all. The team at mass general says this is as good as it gets, blames the cosmetics on my thin skin. A few nurses have let me know the drs are uninterested or uninformed about patient satisfaction and post surgical side effects. I hope you find a fix and I'm really sorry this hit you so young.
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MNM114
March 4, 2015
I'm sorry that you are in pain! Pain everyday I can't take. Constant reminder of that time in my life. Do you have implants?
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GildaRadner
March 13, 2015
Yes. Mine are silicone implants. After chemo and starting off thin, there wasn't enough tissue to use my own, especially for both. Very curious about how to improve on this and am following your journey here. Best of luck!
UPDATED FROM MNM114

Not much to report

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MNM114March 1, 2015
Still trying to decide on doing fat grafting with brava or the IGAP flap with fat grafting and brava. Just have a hard time with finding help for my son while I'm recovering. Fat grafting with brava seems like a shorter recovery. Things to decide. Any advice?

Replies (7)

Expander nightmare
March 3, 2015
I just had grafting done on Feb 27 tn, attended a medical conference the next two days, relaxed today an go for my post op appointment tomorrow. While not Completely pain free I took only 3 doses of pain med but am looking forward to being able to take Motrin again as it is the most helpful for the soreness from the liposuction ((all anti inflammatory meds must be held for several days after surgery)) finding the time to keep the domes on will probably be the biggest challenges if you opt for brava and grafting alone, but comparatively speaking the recovery is a breeze but may need one or two more surgeries, I fly back to Philadelphia on Thursday if you want to meet to see the results
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MNM114
March 4, 2015
That's so great! Very happy for you and happy you are in minimal pain. How long do you have to wear the domes for after the surgery? I know it is different for everyone. I hope you are able to come home on Thursday with all this snow we are getting. I would live to meet when you are up for it. Please let me know so we can connect!
evesue
March 4, 2015
I took 5 weeks off work for my 4 stacked flap surgery but truthfully I could have gone back in 2and a half since I don't do any heavy lifting .. so I think you over estimate the recovery time for gap flaps alone..
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MNM114
March 4, 2015
That is do great that your recovery was that quick! My dr said for what I do I would have to be out of work for at least 6 weeks. Possibly 8 to allow the flap to take. I stand all day and use my arms for 10 or so hours. I have never heard of a stacked flap before. What is that? I have the option if a S or I gap flap. Can't use any other tissue. Only small amounts of fat for grafting from all over. Belly, arms, knees and thighs. Happy you recovered so quickly! Hope I'm that lucky.
Dizzy one
March 5, 2015
I too am looking for revision...check the Breast reconstruction center in New Orleans...rated best in USA last 5 yrs...5 PS do ONLY breast reconstruction...which of course is much more complicated than simple augmentation...check out the website...took me long long time to find them...I am doing all the preop pics etc now
Dizzy one
March 19, 2015
I just went thro all that with docs in New Orleans,,they are out of networks and have no contracts...pretty much independent pay...very expensive...they are rated well but not sure I buy into designer type docs...others just as good and take insurances!
JessicaClark
March 16, 2015
I'm also 33 had prophylactic surgery as well. Totally unhappy with results. Finally found a Dr who knows what he's doing. Implants placed on muscle from my back and after 1 was fixed my insurance denied me of fixing the other saying it's not medically necessary. My implant is bigger than the other and I have capsular contractors. Not sure where to go. I'm appealing and its been 3 months and went from grade 3 to grade 4. I just want it fixed. I take nerve pain meds and morphine and oxycodone and instead of paying for it to get fixed they pay to increase my meds. I hope everything goes well for you. It sucks when you have continued problems I'm on surgery #10. Let me know. Jessica Clark in N.Y.. never had fat grafts Dr just used alloderm.
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