Silicone versus Saline implants

butterflylvr

Hello everyone,

I have spent the past week poking around this forum and getting some very sound advice from you ladies. My name is Lorrie and I was diagnosed with stage III breast cancer this past October in my left breast. I have journeyed through my chemotherapy treatments and a double mastectomy seven weeks ago. I am currently in the reconstruction phase, my tissue expanders are almost fully inflated and I should be starting my radiation treatments in a couple of weeks (early May).

After radiation I will have my implant surgery and I haven't quite made up my mind over which way to go. I know silicone is so much better today then it was even five years ago, but the whole idea of having to get MRI's every couple of years leaves me sitting on the fence as to which direction to go.

My question to you girls is this (for those of you that chose implants over the tram flap reconstruction)what type of implant did you go with and are you happy with your choice?

Thanks ladies,
Lorrie

disneyfan2008

@lorrie
I did not have implants..just wanted to say HI...AND wish you luck! I am sure you'll get info here from others...

Denise

wndringmnd

implants
hello thee,
I have had silicone implants twiceand had problems twice. both timesthey ruptured. I am coninced that it was the mammography machine that did it. although i had no proof. the thing is...i would have silicone again. they are so natural looking and feeling. i am starting rads and then will have expanders put it and when that is done i will ask for silicone to be put in.
good luck, i do't kow if I helped.
Marilyn

sal314

Hi Lorrie...
It can be so hard to make the decision which way to go! I remember driving myself crazy about it! I had a left mastectomy in 2006. I finally decided to go with silicone, though I was very leery with some of the things I read. I went with it because my surgeon said that silicone gives a much better realistic result and feels much more like real breast tissue. He also believes they are totally safe and to not worry about all the negative stuff you can read online! I trust him completely and he would have done whatever I wanted, but I decided to go with his recommendation.

I've had no problems whatsoever and am very happy with the results.

Wishing you the best in making your decision. Go with your gut. It always will lead you in the right direction!

Blessings,
Sally

DianeBC

disneyfan2008 said:

@lorrie
I did not have implants..just wanted to say HI...AND wish you luck! I am sure you'll get info here from others...

Denise

Lorrie, I didn't have
Lorrie, I didn't have implants either as I had a lumpectomy, but, want to wish you good luck with whatever you choose.


Hugs, Diane

Clementine_P

Hi Lorrie,
I had a bilateral mastectomy and decided to go with silicone. My PS told me that for women with no breast tissue, silicone is the better way to go. He said it has less rippling and feels more natural. I trust my PS's advice. I was happy with the way mine turned out. As for the MRI, since it is only every 2-3 years, I am okay with it. Like someone else said, I sort of feel like it is another way to check and make sure that the cancer hasn't returned. With that said, I have had my implants in since the end of October.

Good luck to you.

Best,
Clementine

jnl

sal314 said:

Hi Lorrie...
It can be so hard to make the decision which way to go! I remember driving myself crazy about it! I had a left mastectomy in 2006. I finally decided to go with silicone, though I was very leery with some of the things I read. I went with it because my surgeon said that silicone gives a much better realistic result and feels much more like real breast tissue. He also believes they are totally safe and to not worry about all the negative stuff you can read online! I trust him completely and he would have done whatever I wanted, but I decided to go with his recommendation.

I've had no problems whatsoever and am very happy with the results.

Wishing you the best in making your decision. Go with your gut. It always will lead you in the right direction!

Blessings,
Sally

I also wish you the best in
I also wish you the best in your decision. Do what is right for you. Let us know.


Hugs, Leeza

butterflylvr

Clementine_P said:

Hi Lorrie,
I had a bilateral mastectomy and decided to go with silicone. My PS told me that for women with no breast tissue, silicone is the better way to go. He said it has less rippling and feels more natural. I trust my PS's advice. I was happy with the way mine turned out. As for the MRI, since it is only every 2-3 years, I am okay with it. Like someone else said, I sort of feel like it is another way to check and make sure that the cancer hasn't returned. With that said, I have had my implants in since the end of October.

Good luck to you.

Best,
Clementine

Thank you all,
Wow I am overwhelmed by the responses from you ladies. I can't help but wrestle with the thought of isn't it bad enough we have to worry about our cancer coming back and now we have to also worry about our implants leaking? From what the books say, a silicone implant (and for that matter saline also) will be replaced at least once in your lifetime due to a rupture.

One day I am leaning towards saline, the next I'm back to silicone. I have an appointment on May 9th, with my PS and you can be assured I will be picking his brain for answers. I will still have a good month to make my decision as my radiation hasn't even started.

@Clementine you bring up a good point about the MRI being another way to screen for cancer. Oh I'm so confused... LOL

I'll let you all know once I've made my choice.
Thanks again my friends,
Lorrie

susie09

butterflylvr said:

Thank you all,
Wow I am overwhelmed by the responses from you ladies. I can't help but wrestle with the thought of isn't it bad enough we have to worry about our cancer coming back and now we have to also worry about our implants leaking? From what the books say, a silicone implant (and for that matter saline also) will be replaced at least once in your lifetime due to a rupture.

One day I am leaning towards saline, the next I'm back to silicone. I have an appointment on May 9th, with my PS and you can be assured I will be picking his brain for answers. I will still have a good month to make my decision as my radiation hasn't even started.

@Clementine you bring up a good point about the MRI being another way to screen for cancer. Oh I'm so confused... LOL

I'll let you all know once I've made my choice.
Thanks again my friends,
Lorrie

Between your PS and you, I
Between your PS and you, I am sure you will made the right decision. Let us know what you decide and keep us updated.


Good luck!

Heatherbelle

silicone gel implants
Hi Lorrie,
I also had a bilateral mastectomy, reconstruction with expanders, and i have Mentor memory gel silicone implants, 800ccs. Im extremely pleased with my choice. I had my exchange surgery in november of 2010, and it took just about 4 months for the implants to settle & soften, but now, they are soft, they move, i can wear a push-up bra with them -in other words, they look and feel great! From my understanding the silicone gel implants are softer than the saline ones, and like someone before me said the saline ones are known to ripple. My plastic surgeon told me that he almost always recommends silicone get implants. Mine look pretty natural, also -not at all pam anderson-fake-ish! Best of luck to you Lorrie!
*hugs*
Heather

Dawne.Hope

silicone
Dear Lorrie -

I had my exchange surgery last July. I struggled with this decision because of all the horror stories about silicone I'd heard years before ... but the silicone is much safer, much thicker than it was then. I was concerned about the silicone in my body too until I learned that even if you get saline implants, the shell that surrounds the saline is silicone ... so either way you're going to have silicone in your body.

I also chose silicone because I have very thin skin and am small on top and while I have ripples with my silicone implants ... ripples would have been worse with the saline. From what I've heard the silicone is softer than the saline but I've nothing to compare it to ... mine feel soft enough. I'm pleased. Re the MRI's ... I don't have insurance right now and hopefully I will when the time comes ... but I figured it wasn't a bad thing to get an MRI every few years just to see if everything is looking OK. Can't be a bad thing.

Have you talked to your PS? What does he/she recommend for you?

Wisdom to you as you make this decision,
dh

jendrey

Heatherbelle said:

silicone gel implants
Hi Lorrie,
I also had a bilateral mastectomy, reconstruction with expanders, and i have Mentor memory gel silicone implants, 800ccs. Im extremely pleased with my choice. I had my exchange surgery in november of 2010, and it took just about 4 months for the implants to settle & soften, but now, they are soft, they move, i can wear a push-up bra with them -in other words, they look and feel great! From my understanding the silicone gel implants are softer than the saline ones, and like someone before me said the saline ones are known to ripple. My plastic surgeon told me that he almost always recommends silicone get implants. Mine look pretty natural, also -not at all pam anderson-fake-ish! Best of luck to you Lorrie!
*hugs*
Heather

You had a choice?
I didn't have any say in the matter. I was told that the expander would be replaced with a silicone implant and it was.

I think I might've gone with a saline implant because the silicone gets very cold and I doubt very much that saline could have this feature.

tigger99

jendrey said:

You had a choice?
I didn't have any say in the matter. I was told that the expander would be replaced with a silicone implant and it was.

I think I might've gone with a saline implant because the silicone gets very cold and I doubt very much that saline could have this feature.

I have silicone, for many of
I have silicone, for many of the reasons mentioned above. When I asked my plastic surgeon what he would recomend that his own wife or daughter get, he said definitely silicone.

On another note, having the MRIs to check for leakage won't necessarily detect a recurrence, according to the radiologists at my local breast center. It's a different type of MRI that's used to detect leakage, with a different focus. Not that it definitely wouldn't detect a recurrence, it's just different, so don't base your implant decision on this.

VickiSam

tigger99 said:

I have silicone, for many of
I have silicone, for many of the reasons mentioned above. When I asked my plastic surgeon what he would recomend that his own wife or daughter get, he said definitely silicone.

On another note, having the MRIs to check for leakage won't necessarily detect a recurrence, according to the radiologists at my local breast center. It's a different type of MRI that's used to detect leakage, with a different focus. Not that it definitely wouldn't detect a recurrence, it's just different, so don't base your implant decision on this.

Like Miss Dawne Hope -- I researched and had both
Saline and Silicone. I took both implants home with me for a few days, and examine them. My choice -- was Saline. I am so happy with them! Natural, lite .. never cold and on the upside .. if there is 'ever' a leak .. you can get it fixed, and filled at your Plastic Surgeon's office. No incision, no surgery .. no invasive entrance into our body under the knife.

My Plastic Surgeon here in So. California agreed that Saline is the way to go.

My choice, my decision .. I am extremely happy and pleased with the appearance of my new girls -- Bambi and Barbie --So Happy!

Vicki Sam

butterflylvr

VickiSam said:

Like Miss Dawne Hope -- I researched and had both
Saline and Silicone. I took both implants home with me for a few days, and examine them. My choice -- was Saline. I am so happy with them! Natural, lite .. never cold and on the upside .. if there is 'ever' a leak .. you can get it fixed, and filled at your Plastic Surgeon's office. No incision, no surgery .. no invasive entrance into our body under the knife.

My Plastic Surgeon here in So. California agreed that Saline is the way to go.

My choice, my decision .. I am extremely happy and pleased with the appearance of my new girls -- Bambi and Barbie --So Happy!

Vicki Sam

Bumping this up for LynnKT
Bumping this up for LynnKT who asked me this question in a different thread.

Monday I meet with my PS to discuss my situation in further detail. Since I still have Rads to go through (starting in the next week or so) I have time to dwell. I am leaning towards Saline, Vicki Sam's Bambi and Barbie pushed me back over to the Saline side... LOL But stay tuned that could change.

Lorrie

VickiSam

butterflylvr said:

Bumping this up for LynnKT
Bumping this up for LynnKT who asked me this question in a different thread.

Monday I meet with my PS to discuss my situation in further detail. Since I still have Rads to go through (starting in the next week or so) I have time to dwell. I am leaning towards Saline, Vicki Sam's Bambi and Barbie pushed me back over to the Saline side... LOL But stay tuned that could change.

Lorrie

I am thrilled that 'Bambi and Barbie' provided
you with a laugh, Lorrie! 8-)


Vicki Sam

Different Ballgame

MENTOR MEMORY GEL SILICONE
Lorrie, I debated back and forth which one to choose. Three days prior to exchange surgery I opted for Mentor Memory Gel silicone implants. They feel soft and natural. I'm very happy that I went the silicone route.

Lora od Hugs,
Janelle

LynnKT

butterflylvr said:

Bumping this up for LynnKT
Bumping this up for LynnKT who asked me this question in a different thread.

Monday I meet with my PS to discuss my situation in further detail. Since I still have Rads to go through (starting in the next week or so) I have time to dwell. I am leaning towards Saline, Vicki Sam's Bambi and Barbie pushed me back over to the Saline side... LOL But stay tuned that could change.

Lorrie

Thanks, Lorrie, for bringing
Thanks, Lorrie, for bringing me back into the discussion. Having to wait as long as I have so far (6 months) has, I believe, actually been helpful. I've just gone on with my life and have put the implant issue on hold. I've had time to think about it and do a little research. I guess I'm leaning toward saline implants and will look into the implants mentioned by Vicky Sam. I'm still open to silicone, though. Hey, I've got time!

Lynn

LynnKT

VickiSam said:

Like Miss Dawne Hope -- I researched and had both
Saline and Silicone. I took both implants home with me for a few days, and examine them. My choice -- was Saline. I am so happy with them! Natural, lite .. never cold and on the upside .. if there is 'ever' a leak .. you can get it fixed, and filled at your Plastic Surgeon's office. No incision, no surgery .. no invasive entrance into our body under the knife.

My Plastic Surgeon here in So. California agreed that Saline is the way to go.

My choice, my decision .. I am extremely happy and pleased with the appearance of my new girls -- Bambi and Barbie --So Happy!

Vicki Sam

VickiSam,
How is the implant
VickiSam,
How is the implant fixed by the PS in his/her office without incision or surgery? I'm curious.

Thanks, Lynn

VickiSam

Different Ballgame said:

MENTOR MEMORY GEL SILICONE
Lorrie, I debated back and forth which one to choose. Three days prior to exchange surgery I opted for Mentor Memory Gel silicone implants. They feel soft and natural. I'm very happy that I went the silicone route.

Lora od Hugs,
Janelle

LynnKT .. when my right breast dropped ..
My Plastic Surgeon went in and reinforced my stitches, and added if I am not mistaken aloderm (sp) -- entered via original incision during surgery.

I have .. Mentor Memory Gel Saline implants. Saline in my opinion is safer if 'there' is a leak .. leaks can be fixed in PS office without surgery.

Since you have time to spare .. and let's face it, a clearer understanding of what's going to happen to your body .. get brochures on both, research and ask to speak to patients having both implants .. associated with your Plastic Surgeon's group.

It's your body, your decision. I am just happy and amazed that our PS can create new breast for us 'bilateral or lateral' Mastectomy Women.

Strength and Courage,

Vicki Sam

butterflylvr

VickiSam said:

LynnKT .. when my right breast dropped ..
My Plastic Surgeon went in and reinforced my stitches, and added if I am not mistaken aloderm (sp) -- entered via original incision during surgery.

I have .. Mentor Memory Gel Saline implants. Saline in my opinion is safer if 'there' is a leak .. leaks can be fixed in PS office without surgery.

Since you have time to spare .. and let's face it, a clearer understanding of what's going to happen to your body .. get brochures on both, research and ask to speak to patients having both implants .. associated with your Plastic Surgeon's group.

It's your body, your decision. I am just happy and amazed that our PS can create new breast for us 'bilateral or lateral' Mastectomy Women.

Strength and Courage,

Vicki Sam

Wow.. I am learning new
Wow.. I am learning new stuff every day Vicki Sam. I googled AloDerm (yes you spelled it correctly) and won't my PS be surprised I know all about that stuff. This seems to be another nudge towards saline for me, although some how I believe this could have been used with silicone implants as well.

I do have one question for you though Vicki Sam, does your saline implants feel anything at all like when you were carrying around your tissue expanders? Are they going to be more realistic feeling then these water balloons I am currently carrying around?

Thanks,
Lorrie