questions re:replacing tissue expanders with implants

Heatherbelle said:

Im having my 3rd fill this
Im having my 3rd fill this afternoon, and I can't WAIT until I'm done with the expanders & get my soft boobs in...I miss sleeping on my side so much, I just started chemo last week so I'm about a week away from my hair falling out -having my big boobs back will definately help me with the whole bald thing...my plastic surgeon has told me for now i can either wear a sports bra or nothing, whatever i prefer (which of course is nothing!)

expanders/implants/baldness
Am looking forward next Thursday to getting my tissue expanders replaced with implants - the whole hard football thing I've seen on a lot of blogs, same here. I agree it will be great to have my boobs back (so to speak). And I understand how you feel about the hair falling out, but found that once it did and I saw my little old head, it wasn't as bad as I anticipated. Actually doesn't bother me near as much as the boobs looking weird right now. So hang in there - I had my husband and my grown son take turns shaving my head after it started falling out - it was actually a fun experience to share.

Dawne.Hope said:

Bras are important after you
Bras are important after you have your TE's exchanged because you want them to settle properly in the pocket. You don't want them shifting. Over time they can migrate over to the armpits and then you'll have to have a revision.

I couldn't stand a bra when I had my TE's. At the very most I wore cami's with a shelf bra. It hurt to have anything touch them. There's a great thread over on breastcancer.org that discusses everything bras.

But, listen to your own PS. They all are different on what they recommend.

I have found this discussion helpful, though. Here is the link: http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44/topic/753120?page=21#idx_603

Expanders/implants
I had expanders places when I had my bilateral mastectomy. That was in January of 2011. After chemo and radiation to left side only finishing in October 2011 I was told by the head of oncology to wait 8-9 months to let my skin heal inside and out. I have my outpatient surgery scheduled for August and am more that ready after 1.5 years but hope that will allow for the best results in the left breast. I was told of the risks of an implant in a radiated breast so I wanted to give it plenty of time. I am excited to have the TE removed. I am thinking the down time will be short in comparison. My Petscan is Friday Jume 15th so pray for a clean cancer free finding:). I was diagnosed in December 2010 with stage 3 lobular breast cancer with 18 of 23 lymph nodes positive. Thank you for all your informative posts and the battles you have fought.


In sisterly love

Brenda