New implant has sunk, new to board and bc

CandaceMM

Well, I had my exchange surgery on 12\29 and over the past week, one of my two implants has sunk. It was a somewhat slow process but as of today, where I had cleavage is now concave. I'm almost thinking that the implant has slid under my arm, but I'm not sure. It feels very strange, but the worst part is... I'm clueless! Is this common and what is the standard repair, another surgery? I had a modified mast. on this side, no cancer and no loss of nodes. (not sure if this matters)

Do any of you know anything about this? I cannot wait until tomorrow morning to speak with my ps. However, I really want to hear what all of you have to say on the matter. I learn so much more here than I do from any other source. I was just diagnosed in June 2010 and have been on the adrenaline rollercoaster ever since.

Thanks in advance!

CypressCynthia

This just happened to a
This just happened to a friend of mine. She is also a bc survivor. She had to have the shell removed and a new one placed. If you had a saline implant, the shell is probably there but so much has leaked out, you probably can't feel it.

"What happens if an implant ruptures?
If a saline breast implant ruptures, the implant will deflate — causing the affected breast to change in size and shape. The leaking saline solution will be absorbed by your body without posing any health risks, but you'll probably need surgery to remove the silicone shell. A new implant can likely be inserted at the same time.

If a silicone breast implant ruptures, you may not notice right away — or ever. There's no evidence that leaking silicone gel causes serious, long-term health problems — such as breast cancer or connective tissue diseases — but a ruptured silicone breast implant may eventually cause breast pain or changes in the contour or shape of the breast. If this happens, you'll need surgery to remove the ruptured implant. A new implant can likely be inserted at the same time.

The Food and Drug Administration recommends monitoring silicone breast implants with routine MRI scans every two years, starting three years after the initial implant surgery. If an MRI scan detects an implant rupture but you don't experience any signs or symptoms, it may be up to you to weigh the risks and benefits of keeping the implant or having it removed." http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/breast-implants/WO00052

Dawne.Hope

dropped
Dear Candace,

I'm sorry for the roller coaster you're on. And the most recent scary turn. I've heard of implants dropping. It is not unheard of. Some ladies the implant will slide practically down to their belly, others fall over into the armpit. Where is yours? Most likely it will take surgery to fix it.

There are several options ... did your PS use alloderm? PS's will make an alloderm sling to help keep the implant from dropping down. If it has fallen over to the side, they will use sutures to keep the implant from falling. It is a painful recovery but it keeps those suckers from moving!

If your PS isn't willing or isn't able, go to a different one. There are many out there who could fix your problem. You shouldn't have to live with it.

Know that a good, supportive bra is incredibly important. Once you get it fixed, go to Nordstroms or a Masectomy store where there are experienced bra fitters especially trained for women who have had breast reconstruction. Gravity is not our friend and a good, supportive bra is incredibly important, especially while the pocket heals, in order to keep things where your PS put them.

{{{{hugs}}}}

CandaceMM

Dawne.Hope said:

dropped
Dear Candace,

I'm sorry for the roller coaster you're on. And the most recent scary turn. I've heard of implants dropping. It is not unheard of. Some ladies the implant will slide practically down to their belly, others fall over into the armpit. Where is yours? Most likely it will take surgery to fix it.

There are several options ... did your PS use alloderm? PS's will make an alloderm sling to help keep the implant from dropping down. If it has fallen over to the side, they will use sutures to keep the implant from falling. It is a painful recovery but it keeps those suckers from moving!

If your PS isn't willing or isn't able, go to a different one. There are many out there who could fix your problem. You shouldn't have to live with it.

Know that a good, supportive bra is incredibly important. Once you get it fixed, go to Nordstroms or a Masectomy store where there are experienced bra fitters especially trained for women who have had breast reconstruction. Gravity is not our friend and a good, supportive bra is incredibly important, especially while the pocket heals, in order to keep things where your PS put them.

{{{{hugs}}}}

Insurance
I wonder how open and willing Aetna will be to fix this problem... ugh!

CandaceMM

Dawne.Hope said:

dropped
Dear Candace,

I'm sorry for the roller coaster you're on. And the most recent scary turn. I've heard of implants dropping. It is not unheard of. Some ladies the implant will slide practically down to their belly, others fall over into the armpit. Where is yours? Most likely it will take surgery to fix it.

There are several options ... did your PS use alloderm? PS's will make an alloderm sling to help keep the implant from dropping down. If it has fallen over to the side, they will use sutures to keep the implant from falling. It is a painful recovery but it keeps those suckers from moving!

If your PS isn't willing or isn't able, go to a different one. There are many out there who could fix your problem. You shouldn't have to live with it.

Know that a good, supportive bra is incredibly important. Once you get it fixed, go to Nordstroms or a Masectomy store where there are experienced bra fitters especially trained for women who have had breast reconstruction. Gravity is not our friend and a good, supportive bra is incredibly important, especially while the pocket heals, in order to keep things where your PS put them.

{{{{hugs}}}}

Oh I feel so stupid
I don't even know what alloderm is... jeez. I just looked at the card my ps gave me that has the information on my implants. All I can see is that they are Mentor brand, silicone (the one thing I did know, haha) and I have 550c in each. One thing you said that really struck a chord with me is that during my follow up, 3 weeks ago, he told me that I could ditch the post op sports bra. Then, I asked about how to proceed in bra-land and he very clearly stated that a bra was no longer necessary. My implants and chest muscles have been pretty high and stiff, so I have chosen to let a little gravity work for me. It's only been 3 weeks, but it all seemed to be falling into place, then I noticed that the one side was falling... but not getting back up! Over the past two days, it's concave, where there was cleavage. After reading your response, I did some investigative work and it does seem that it has slid under my arm and also it's droopy compared to the other breast. (however the other breast was a mod. radical, with loss of 9 nodes) BLAH! So, while I was posting on someone else's thread advice on being "proactive", I've lost one boob, quite possibly, due to my ignorance and complacency. nice.

Oh well, as long as I can continue to laugh and see the humor in it all, I'll be just fine. Thanks! Do you happen to know if they will have to reopen my incision to "replace" the implant and sew it up, internally? Or is there, by chance, some way they can support it with external stitches? That makes no sense, I was sooo hoping. Nevermind! Oh and what is alloderm? (just give me the one sentence def., ha)

Dawne.Hope

CandaceMM said:

Insurance
I wonder how open and willing Aetna will be to fix this problem... ugh!

they have to fix it
All your PS should have to do is take a picture of the fallen implant and because it is reconstructive surgery for breast cancer, they have to pay.

alloderm is cadaver tissue.

PS's are all over the place on their recommendations of bras. I've spent a lot of time over on breastcancer.org reading and researching the reconstruction threads. The consensus seems to be among women with reconstructed breasts that bras are incredibly important, especially if you don't have an alloderm sling. There's nothing there anymore to hold an implant in place. Over time, the weight of the implant pulls it out of the pocket.

Grrrrrrr. I'm sorry this has happened to you. Your PS will go in the same incision.

I'll post a link to the bra thread.

http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44/topic/753120?page=49#idx_1447

Dawne.Hope

Dawne.Hope said:

they have to fix it
All your PS should have to do is take a picture of the fallen implant and because it is reconstructive surgery for breast cancer, they have to pay.

alloderm is cadaver tissue.

PS's are all over the place on their recommendations of bras. I've spent a lot of time over on breastcancer.org reading and researching the reconstruction threads. The consensus seems to be among women with reconstructed breasts that bras are incredibly important, especially if you don't have an alloderm sling. There's nothing there anymore to hold an implant in place. Over time, the weight of the implant pulls it out of the pocket.

Grrrrrrr. I'm sorry this has happened to you. Your PS will go in the same incision.

I'll post a link to the bra thread.

http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44/topic/753120?page=49#idx_1447

it may not be too late
Candace -

You're still early out from your reconstruction. Are you near a Nordstroms? Those are the best for getting fitted. Call and ask for an appt. with a fitter who knows something about bc and reconstructed breasts. Depending on how far it has fallen, a good bra could be your answer. It takes at least six months for the pocket around the implant to form and if you move that implant to the proper position and keep it there with a bra, it MIGHT fix it. You even need to sleep in a bra, though. I've found for sleeping that a zippered front exercise bra is best.

I'm sorry you're having to deal with this. I hate it for you. It is fixable, though!

Take care!

shelbyhome

Thank you for posting this
Thank you for posting this as the same thing is happening to mine. My PS said that I didnt need to wear a bra and now I wonder if he knew what he was talking about.
I am going to make some phone calls in the morning so again thank you for bringing this to light for me!
Hugs Robbin

CandaceMM

Dawne.Hope said:

it may not be too late
Candace -

You're still early out from your reconstruction. Are you near a Nordstroms? Those are the best for getting fitted. Call and ask for an appt. with a fitter who knows something about bc and reconstructed breasts. Depending on how far it has fallen, a good bra could be your answer. It takes at least six months for the pocket around the implant to form and if you move that implant to the proper position and keep it there with a bra, it MIGHT fix it. You even need to sleep in a bra, though. I've found for sleeping that a zippered front exercise bra is best.

I'm sorry you're having to deal with this. I hate it for you. It is fixable, though!

Take care!

A million Thanks!
Well, I do feel a little better. You know, there is so much to "know" about this situation and you have no clue what you, specifically, need until you really need it! I feel like I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop (or whatever that saying is). Every time I turn around there's a LOT that I did not know, but need to know, now. Oh well... onward and upward. Yes, I have a Nordstroms, and I'm happy if he will go in through the same incision (my last two surgeries: expander then replacement, were a piece of cake, due to that incision). something good! Well, good news about insurance, too. I have just taken on such a negative attitude towards insurance. I kept being told that all of my surgeries, the second being a double mastectomy, would be out-patient. Who were they kidding??? I could have easily stayed in the hospital for five days during that ordeal. Anyway, it's over, no need to dwell.

It is so comforting to know this discussion board is here. Honestly, I learn a ton, every single time I log in. Plus everyone's spirit is so bright and uplifting, just what I need! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Dawne.Hope

shelbyhome said:

Thank you for posting this
Thank you for posting this as the same thing is happening to mine. My PS said that I didnt need to wear a bra and now I wonder if he knew what he was talking about.
I am going to make some phone calls in the morning so again thank you for bringing this to light for me!
Hugs Robbin

I'm sorry, Robbin
I've found that if I don't wear a bra, my implants and my entire chest really hurts. A good bra has kept my implants from moving over to my armpit. My left one was kind of heading over there, but it is good now.

Be sure to ask for a SURGICAL FITTER. You want someone experienced with reconstruction to fit you.

Take care and I hope everything works out for you!

Hugs back at ya!

CandaceMM

shelbyhome said:

Thank you for posting this
Thank you for posting this as the same thing is happening to mine. My PS said that I didnt need to wear a bra and now I wonder if he knew what he was talking about.
I am going to make some phone calls in the morning so again thank you for bringing this to light for me!
Hugs Robbin

Meet back here tomorrow!
Haha, let's meet back here tomorrow and share what we've been told. THEN, we can figure out what we need to do! See you then Robbin!
candace

disneyfan2008

no advice since never gone
no advice since never gone through implants but just to let you know thinking of you...

keep us updated..

Denise W

shelbyhome

Dawne.Hope said:

I'm sorry, Robbin
I've found that if I don't wear a bra, my implants and my entire chest really hurts. A good bra has kept my implants from moving over to my armpit. My left one was kind of heading over there, but it is good now.

Be sure to ask for a SURGICAL FITTER. You want someone experienced with reconstruction to fit you.

Take care and I hope everything works out for you!

Hugs back at ya!

Thank you I have an
Thank you I have an appointment on Friday with a fitter but I have a call into the PS so we will see what he has to say!
Later Hugs Robbin

CandaceMM

CandaceMM said:

Meet back here tomorrow!
Haha, let's meet back here tomorrow and share what we've been told. THEN, we can figure out what we need to do! See you then Robbin!
candace

Surgery Friday
Well Robbin, I'm having another surgery on Friday. My ps will "secure" the pocket to keep the implant from shifting. Here's how common this is... I live 3 hours from Houston and he made this decision based on my detailed phone conversation. I have been crying all day today. This is my first time to really emotionally break down throughout this entire seven month ordeal. I think I'm just devastated because I believed that the worst was behind me and I was on my way "back to my self". I had a great weekend until I discovered this sinking situation. It has definitely taken the wind out of my sails. Oh well, onward and upward. I really would love to talk to someone who has had this surgery... I'm going to post a new thread asking for experiences. Keep me posted Robbin.

I was trying to describe how I feel... I feel like I'm defective, I'm faulty and my husband got a bad deal with me. I feel almost guilty for putting everyone through all of this. I had difficult pregnancies that resulted in two preemies. They were fine, but it was very traumatic. Now this.

love, candace