okay all you double mastectomy ladies... to nipple or not to

Angie2U

unknown said:

This comment has been removed by the Moderator

This thread might help
This thread might help answer some questions for you step@atime!

reddebbb

nippless
i've still got my expanders in, but i don't plan on getting nipples. i LOVE not wearing a bra and the thought of another surgery doesn't thrill me. i don't have enough belly fat to make a nipple and i don't want a skin graph. my husband has been wonderful about this. i'm soon to be 59 and we've been married 4 1/2 years.(2nd for me). bless him!!!!!

a friend reminded me that barbie didn't have nipples and we all played with our barbies! i'm tempted to buy a redheaded one, take off her shirt and sit her on our dresser!!!!!!!!

God Heals

Decided Not
And why...
1... wasn't interested in going through major surgery again... had no choice..could not do reconstruction at the same time... have IBC... possibility of interfering with radiation...

2. I like the idea of being able to pick my size when I want to... small one day... Dolly P. the next day.... 8-)

3. I am secure in my appearance...

Calleen

God Heals said:

Decided Not
And why...
1... wasn't interested in going through major surgery again... had no choice..could not do reconstruction at the same time... have IBC... possibility of interfering with radiation...

2. I like the idea of being able to pick my size when I want to... small one day... Dolly P. the next day.... 8-)

3. I am secure in my appearance...

I
was scheduled for nipple recostruction in Dec. I had double masectomy with immediate reconstruction last July. While taking a shower that morning of surgery I just busted out crying and knew I wasn't ready to go under again. Since this was a choice instead of a much needed surgery I cancled it... After reading these posts I think i'm going to check into having the 3D nipple tats done. does anyone know if insurance will cover the tats??

Calleen

ms_independent

Calleen said:

I
was scheduled for nipple recostruction in Dec. I had double masectomy with immediate reconstruction last July. While taking a shower that morning of surgery I just busted out crying and knew I wasn't ready to go under again. Since this was a choice instead of a much needed surgery I cancled it... After reading these posts I think i'm going to check into having the 3D nipple tats done. does anyone know if insurance will cover the tats??

Calleen

I think so
From what my plastic surgeon has said insurance does cover it. My plastic surgeon said the nipple procedure was a quicky, in the office with novocaine type procedure, then later get the tatooing. I totally get the part about not wanting to go under again. Last Wednesday I had my 4th surgery within the last 4 months. I've had enough!

El

SamuraiMom

Lids
Hi there,

Going through the same thing myself. I just got the implants on 3-11-10 and don't have the nipples yet.

I'm choosing to go the distance and get the nipples or "lids" as we lovingly call them around here.

A friend of mine had a double with full reconstruction and the nipples look totally real.

My thought was if I'd come this far might as well have it all.

But I struggle every day of when will all of it end...am I being vain to worry about the shape, size, etc. when I should be grateful to be alive?

My answer was darn straight...I deserve to be whole therefore I will get whatever it takes to feel like a sexy woman of 40 again.

Do what FEELS right for YOU and not anyone else. You'll know the answer only for you.

Good luck and love and luck to you.

JoJo Ruby-White/SamuraiMom

dyaneb123

SamuraiMom said:

Lids
Hi there,

Going through the same thing myself. I just got the implants on 3-11-10 and don't have the nipples yet.

I'm choosing to go the distance and get the nipples or "lids" as we lovingly call them around here.

A friend of mine had a double with full reconstruction and the nipples look totally real.

My thought was if I'd come this far might as well have it all.

But I struggle every day of when will all of it end...am I being vain to worry about the shape, size, etc. when I should be grateful to be alive?

My answer was darn straight...I deserve to be whole therefore I will get whatever it takes to feel like a sexy woman of 40 again.

Do what FEELS right for YOU and not anyone else. You'll know the answer only for you.

Good luck and love and luck to you.

JoJo Ruby-White/SamuraiMom

I had right breast
I had right breast mastectomy with expander a year ago...I just had the expander out last month and the implant in, and will have the lft. breast reduced and a nipple constructed from tht tissue this week. So far my plastic surgeon has done good work, so I trust that he will do his best to make the new nipple look natural. I'll let you know how it turns out!

pinkkari09

My daughter the nursing
My daughter the nursing student sat in on a nipple placement for one of her clinicals and then said "Mom, I don't think you should go through that". But here's my deal, I'm 38, going through a divorce, and I really want to feel whole again. I had a double mastectomy on 2-11, finished rads today, have to let the skin heal so PA can finish expanding me but I'm really liking this thread, I will soon face this decision. I'm really curious how you turned out e-hope. Was is painful? How long of a surgery? Do they look real? So many questions, lol
Mountains of Love,
~Kari

24242

pinkkari09 said:

My daughter the nursing
My daughter the nursing student sat in on a nipple placement for one of her clinicals and then said "Mom, I don't think you should go through that". But here's my deal, I'm 38, going through a divorce, and I really want to feel whole again. I had a double mastectomy on 2-11, finished rads today, have to let the skin heal so PA can finish expanding me but I'm really liking this thread, I will soon face this decision. I'm really curious how you turned out e-hope. Was is painful? How long of a surgery? Do they look real? So many questions, lol
Mountains of Love,
~Kari

Flat Liner myself
I too havne't been interested in the reconstruction thing. I finally got over all my problems and cannot imagine going through that. I also cannot help thinking about the go big or go home thing lolol...
I sort of enjoy men looking me in the eyes something that didn't happen allot before. I have actually had women come inspect my chest out because I still wear tank tops and don't care too much about the uneven sides though my arms rub on them when walking so walk with hands in pockets or arms crossed allot of the time.
I was 36 at time of mastectomies I had one at a time at the advice of surgeon and mother the nurse. I was stage 3 with 11 out of 21 positive nodes and it was felt I needed the strength to get through the cancer side and if I wanted the second one removed later then he would do it no questions. 1 year to the day I had the second breast removed due to more lumps but all benign.
I do not regret my decision and never wonder about them. As we get older us women we seem to care less about sex so that hasn't been a issue. Feeling ALIVE is the main thing for me, breathing is good.
Interesting thread I think.
Thanks

Tara

Calleen

24242 said:

Flat Liner myself
I too havne't been interested in the reconstruction thing. I finally got over all my problems and cannot imagine going through that. I also cannot help thinking about the go big or go home thing lolol...
I sort of enjoy men looking me in the eyes something that didn't happen allot before. I have actually had women come inspect my chest out because I still wear tank tops and don't care too much about the uneven sides though my arms rub on them when walking so walk with hands in pockets or arms crossed allot of the time.
I was 36 at time of mastectomies I had one at a time at the advice of surgeon and mother the nurse. I was stage 3 with 11 out of 21 positive nodes and it was felt I needed the strength to get through the cancer side and if I wanted the second one removed later then he would do it no questions. 1 year to the day I had the second breast removed due to more lumps but all benign.
I do not regret my decision and never wonder about them. As we get older us women we seem to care less about sex so that hasn't been a issue. Feeling ALIVE is the main thing for me, breathing is good.
Interesting thread I think.
Thanks

Tara

check this link
it's strickly tattooing with and without having nipples...


http://www.ashevillepermanentmakeupclinic.com/AreolaTattoos.html

m-star

This is something i too have
This is something i too have been debating. Firstly i said a definate yes to nipples.Now though,as my expansions are making me bigger,i am loving puttin on a vest top and no bra! I have not worn a bra except once since my surgery in Feb.
One of my worries is if the PS doesn't get them even-both height wise and on a leven line.
If they were uneven in any way,i would have to wear a bra as i would be self conscions. I have seen photo's of nipple reconstruction that were uneven and it looks worse than having no nipples.It was VERY noticable.

The thing is,if they do the nipple surgery while you're laying down flat,then when you sit up,your breast may hang differently and thus make the nipples look uneven.

I am still unsure of what to do.
I will wait til i've had the implant exchange and see how they feel and hang,

curecancer

m-star said:

This is something i too have
This is something i too have been debating. Firstly i said a definate yes to nipples.Now though,as my expansions are making me bigger,i am loving puttin on a vest top and no bra! I have not worn a bra except once since my surgery in Feb.
One of my worries is if the PS doesn't get them even-both height wise and on a leven line.
If they were uneven in any way,i would have to wear a bra as i would be self conscions. I have seen photo's of nipple reconstruction that were uneven and it looks worse than having no nipples.It was VERY noticable.

The thing is,if they do the nipple surgery while you're laying down flat,then when you sit up,your breast may hang differently and thus make the nipples look uneven.

I am still unsure of what to do.
I will wait til i've had the implant exchange and see how they feel and hang,

Nipple Party!
Yep....Nipple Party! Got the gals together and celebrated Patty's new nipple. I had a mastectomy in 2003 and had reconstruction with the nipple a couple months later. No regrets. I didn't even feel it because it was numb. However, I have had to go in a few times to get the tattoo freshened.
The main thing is that you know yourself....and I feel if this is important to ya, do it. If not don't.
We have enough to worry about ~ either you want the candle on the cake or you just want the cake. hahaha!
Love,
Pat

tommaseena

curecancer said:

Nipple Party!
Yep....Nipple Party! Got the gals together and celebrated Patty's new nipple. I had a mastectomy in 2003 and had reconstruction with the nipple a couple months later. No regrets. I didn't even feel it because it was numb. However, I have had to go in a few times to get the tattoo freshened.
The main thing is that you know yourself....and I feel if this is important to ya, do it. If not don't.
We have enough to worry about ~ either you want the candle on the cake or you just want the cake. hahaha!
Love,
Pat

Nipple
I had nipples done in the OR day surgery with local. My PS took some skin from the breast area and turned the skin to make the nipple. Yes at first they are big but once the swelling went down they are fine. Yes it does look like you have a nipple hard on but it is a soft nipple hard on and when you get cold they don't get bigger. They do not have the same sensation that your original nipple did. I am glad that I did it and will have the aerola tattooed on in May in the PS office. My PS numbs the area before tattooing.

Best of luck in your decision.

Margo

n01kar

m-star said:

This is something i too have
This is something i too have been debating. Firstly i said a definate yes to nipples.Now though,as my expansions are making me bigger,i am loving puttin on a vest top and no bra! I have not worn a bra except once since my surgery in Feb.
One of my worries is if the PS doesn't get them even-both height wise and on a leven line.
If they were uneven in any way,i would have to wear a bra as i would be self conscions. I have seen photo's of nipple reconstruction that were uneven and it looks worse than having no nipples.It was VERY noticable.

The thing is,if they do the nipple surgery while you're laying down flat,then when you sit up,your breast may hang differently and thus make the nipples look uneven.

I am still unsure of what to do.
I will wait til i've had the implant exchange and see how they feel and hang,

never thought of it
i had my 2 mastecomies 6 yrs apart. Just finished the switch out with the implants in march, but i had many set backs, one of the implants got hard and my skin started bruising after 2 wks from the surgery, and we had to go back into the o.r to fix that problem. Now the other breast which is 6 wks old, there is one area of about 1/2 to 3/4 inch that refuses to close, my ps said yesterday that we may have to go back into the or again to try to resolve this new problem. I have been cut open 10 times in the last 6 & 1/2 months, this would be #11 in 2 wks if this problem does not resolve on its own.(not that i am counting lol) I am not sure if i will go for the nipple or just have the aerola tattoed on. I have had my fill of operating rooms and do not want to go back into the o.r unless its a medical neccesity. And with my luck, imagine how pissed i would be if those nipples came out uneven.

twill6

n01kar said:

never thought of it
i had my 2 mastecomies 6 yrs apart. Just finished the switch out with the implants in march, but i had many set backs, one of the implants got hard and my skin started bruising after 2 wks from the surgery, and we had to go back into the o.r to fix that problem. Now the other breast which is 6 wks old, there is one area of about 1/2 to 3/4 inch that refuses to close, my ps said yesterday that we may have to go back into the or again to try to resolve this new problem. I have been cut open 10 times in the last 6 & 1/2 months, this would be #11 in 2 wks if this problem does not resolve on its own.(not that i am counting lol) I am not sure if i will go for the nipple or just have the aerola tattoed on. I have had my fill of operating rooms and do not want to go back into the o.r unless its a medical neccesity. And with my luck, imagine how pissed i would be if those nipples came out uneven.

Nipples and tattooing
I had my first surgery in May 2005, a mastectomy with a lat flap reconstruction and nipple reconstruction in Dec 2005, after chemo. My PS matched the size of my other breast very well, he even did what he called a nipple lift at the time to make both sides match. He used some of the extra skin on the breast to form the nipple and I never had any pain, day surgery.

In Oct 2007, I had the 2nd breast removed and this time I opted for implants and went a little larger (I was very small breasted before). I had the nipple reconstruction again.

I had my tattooing completed last year after finding a PS who would file under my insurance. My breasts look pretty natural now, still a little scaring, but I just call them my road maps in life that got me where I am today. I am 51 years old.