Breast reconstruction with silicone implants

Has anyone out there had silicone implants for over 10 years and have been
happy with them? Have heard so many negative stories (via internet and this
site). Are there any positives out there? Reason for asking is that I have
no other option offered to me except implants for reconstruction (due to my
thin build) as I have had bi lateral bc. I am 51 nearing 52 and still
classify myself as a youngster and don't feel old or really look old. I
know I should be fortunate and thank myself that I am alive and have the
cancer removed and hopefully never to return but I have been offered this
surgery through the public health scheme in Australia. Who knows I still
may not have them done at all!

friends say to me just to go and have it done (they know women who have had
breast augmentation and are thrilled with results) and not focus on the
negatives and same goes from the GP who said 'go for it' attitude. I dont
know anyone personally who have had trouble with implants. I have seen a
couple of ladies with implants (reconstruction)who say they are happy with
them but have not had them in for very long. I have only finished my chemo
in August and the oncologist is in the process of deciding which is the
suitable hormone therapy for me as I have fibroids and an ovarian cyst and
my bone density is not good. Tamoxifen is good for bones but not for
fibroids and Arimidex is bad for bones!

I suppose deep down I want to feel that I have beaten this disease by
'recreating' what I had before. My next visit to the plastic surgeon is in
December so will go into more depth with him. Older women I know in their
60's havent bothered with reconstruction and just dont want any more surgery
anyway.

Any positives? I hope so...
Mary E.

"Curly" <flow@stream.com> wrote in message
news:XPG2h.58149$rP1.38033@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> Has anyone out there had silicone implants for over 10 years and have been
> happy with them? Have heard so many negative stories (via internet and
> this site). Are there any positives out there? Reason for asking is that
> I have no other option offered to me except implants for reconstruction
> (due to my thin build) as I have had bi lateral bc. I am 51 nearing 52
> and still classify myself as a youngster and don't feel old or really look
> old. I know I should be fortunate and thank myself that I am alive and
> have the cancer removed and hopefully never to return but I have been
> offered this surgery through the public health scheme in Australia. Who
> knows I still may not have them done at all!
>
> friends say to me just to go and have it done (they know women who have
> had breast augmentation and are thrilled with results) and not focus on
> the negatives and same goes from the GP who said 'go for it' attitude. > I
> suppose deep down I want to feel that I have beaten this disease by
> 'recreating' what I had before. My next visit to the plastic surgeon is
> in December so will go into more depth with him. Older women I know in
> their 60's havent bothered with reconstruction and just dont want any more
> surgery anyway.
>

This is not answering your question, but I'll speak up for the "no need to
do it" camp . . . something I think that doctors & friends sometimes aren't
willing to do. I'm doing this partly because you sound as if you might
truly be thinking about considering this option. Sometimes it seems like
friends/family/doctors assume this needs to be done, almost to the point of
railroading some women into it!

Please understand: If you feel reconstruction is something you need to feel
good about yourself, or to psychologically put BC behind you, I certainly
wouldn't try to convince you otherwise -- it's a very personal and difficult
decision. I've supported friends who've made every kind of choice there
is, and would likewise strongly support you in *your* choice, whatever it
may be. (One of my closest friends had the expander put in this past
Spring, and will get the permanent implant this Winter, some 20 years after
her initial unilateral mastectomy, and she's delighted with the results so
far.)

Personally, I chose not to have reconstruction after bilateral mastectomy.
I was 44 y/o at diagnosis, and now will be 51 in a couple of weeks. I'm
single (widow). I'm *very* happy with my decision. I wear prostheses for
most "dress up" occasions (the more elaborate clothes hang better), and go
without for casual wear.

So, it's not just for "older women". In fact, I had a friend in her 40s
(married) who decided to have prophylatic bilateral mastectomies several
years after her (stage IV! and now NED!) BC diagnosis in her mid-30s,
because she got so tired of the emotional upheaval of getting called back in
for additional views or biopsies after ambiguous mammograms.

As to whether I feel/look/act old: I'm very active, have become a
competitive athlete (rowing) since diagnosis, learned to kayak, etc., so I
don't think I'm exactly in my dotage. There're photos of me on
http://www.cancersupporters.com, in the newsgroup photos & bios sections, so
you can judge yourself whether I look old (maybe so; don't dye the hair,
either!)

Points in favor of no reconstruction (after bilateral mastectomy): No more
surgery, no foreign objects in body, super-easy to detect the (unlikely)
local lump/recurrence by self-exam, nothing obstructing radiological exams
(xrays, etc.), no additional perturbation of chest muscles (in the friends
who've gotten implants here, the implants seem to go under a muscle layer).
Points against: Appearance (which isn't an issue for me), fit of clothes,
possible reaction of intimate partners.

Astoundingly, most people don't seem to notice that I'm flat -- to the point
where I've multiple times been in conversations with people about breast
cancer or mastectomy and had people say with sincere suprise "I didn' t
know you'd had that" . . . I wanna say (and sometimes do), "didn't you look
at my profile?!?".

At first, I felt a little self-conscious & wore loose shirts. Now I
routinely wear regular t-shirts and don't even think about. (I do find that
I have to be careful about fitting tank tops, unless I want to share my
scars with the general public <g>).

After a unilateral mastectomy, I think it would be a tougher choice: I
gather some women who don't reconstruct (or wear prostheses) can develop
back problems, due to the imbalance. But, for me -- and speaking *only* for
myself -- the decision to skip reconstruction after a bilateral was a
no-brainer.

Don't know whether it affects payment for the operation in Australia or not,
but one thing to consider is that -- medically, anyway -- this isn't a
decision you need to make quickly. You can "test drive" no reconstruction
for a while, then decide on reconstruction later.

Good luck in finding the right decision for *you*, be it reconstruction or
not.

Ann T.
Remove 'dontsendspam' from address to reply by email

"A.P. Thorsen" <annthorsendontsendspam@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:eifus5$cb3$1@news.msu.edu...
>
> "Curly" <flow@stream.com> wrote in message
> news:XPG2h.58149$rP1.38033@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>> Has anyone out there had silicone implants for over 10 years and have
>> been happy with them? Have heard so many negative stories (via internet
>> and this site). Are there any positives out there? Reason for asking is
>> that I have no other option offered to me except implants for
>> reconstruction (due to my thin build) as I have had bi lateral bc. I am
>> 51 nearing 52 and still classify myself as a youngster and don't feel old
>> or really look old. I know I should be fortunate and thank myself that I
>> am alive and have the cancer removed and hopefully never to return but I
>> have been offered this surgery through the public health scheme in
>> Australia. Who knows I still may not have them done at all!
>>
>> friends say to me just to go and have it done (they know women who have
>> had breast augmentation and are thrilled with results) and not focus on
>> the negatives and same goes from the GP who said 'go for it' attitude. >
>> I suppose deep down I want to feel that I have beaten this disease by
>> 'recreating' what I had before. My next visit to the plastic surgeon is
>> in December so will go into more depth with him. Older women I know in
>> their 60's havent bothered with reconstruction and just dont want any
>> more surgery anyway.
>>
>
> This is not answering your question, but I'll speak up for the "no need to
> do it" camp . . . something I think that doctors & friends sometimes
> aren't willing to do. I'm doing this partly because you sound as if you
> might truly be thinking about considering this option. Sometimes it
> seems like friends/family/doctors assume this needs to be done, almost to
> the point of railroading some women into it!
>
> Please understand: If you feel reconstruction is something you need to
> feel good about yourself, or to psychologically put BC behind you, I
> certainly wouldn't try to convince you otherwise -- it's a very personal
> and difficult decision. I've supported friends who've made every kind of
> choice there is, and would likewise strongly support you in *your* choice,
> whatever it may be. (One of my closest friends had the expander put in
> this past Spring, and will get the permanent implant this Winter, some 20
> years after her initial unilateral mastectomy, and she's delighted with
> the results so far.)
>
> Personally, I chose not to have reconstruction after bilateral mastectomy.
> I was 44 y/o at diagnosis, and now will be 51 in a couple of weeks. I'm
> single (widow). I'm *very* happy with my decision. I wear prostheses for
> most "dress up" occasions (the more elaborate clothes hang better), and go
> without for casual wear.
>
> So, it's not just for "older women". In fact, I had a friend in her 40s
> (married) who decided to have prophylatic bilateral mastectomies several
> years after her (stage IV! and now NED!) BC diagnosis in her mid-30s,
> because she got so tired of the emotional upheaval of getting called back
> in for additional views or biopsies after ambiguous mammograms.
>
> As to whether I feel/look/act old: I'm very active, have become a
> competitive athlete (rowing) since diagnosis, learned to kayak, etc., so I
> don't think I'm exactly in my dotage. There're photos of me on
> http://www.cancersupporters.com, in the newsgroup photos & bios sections,
> so you can judge yourself whether I look old (maybe so; don't dye the
> hair, either!)
>
> Points in favor of no reconstruction (after bilateral mastectomy): No
> more surgery, no foreign objects in body, super-easy to detect the
> (unlikely) local lump/recurrence by self-exam, nothing obstructing
> radiological exams (xrays, etc.), no additional perturbation of chest
> muscles (in the friends who've gotten implants here, the implants seem to
> go under a muscle layer). Points against: Appearance (which isn't an
> issue for me), fit of clothes, possible reaction of intimate partners.
>
> Astoundingly, most people don't seem to notice that I'm flat -- to the
> point where I've multiple times been in conversations with people about
> breast cancer or mastectomy and had people say with sincere suprise "I
> didn' t know you'd had that" . . . I wanna say (and sometimes do), "didn't
> you look at my profile?!?".
>
> At first, I felt a little self-conscious & wore loose shirts. Now I
> routinely wear regular t-shirts and don't even think about. (I do find
> that I have to be careful about fitting tank tops, unless I want to share
> my scars with the general public <g>).
>
> After a unilateral mastectomy, I think it would be a tougher choice: I
> gather some women who don't reconstruct (or wear prostheses) can develop
> back problems, due to the imbalance. But, for me -- and speaking *only*
> for myself -- the decision to skip reconstruction after a bilateral was a
> no-brainer.
>
> Don't know whether it affects payment for the operation in Australia or
> not, but one thing to consider is that -- medically, anyway -- this isn't
> a decision you need to make quickly. You can "test drive" no
> reconstruction for a while, then decide on reconstruction later.
>
> Good luck in finding the right decision for *you*, be it reconstruction or
> not.

VERY wise words. All of them.

I wouldn't choose reconstruction but it's a personal decision.

Let us know what you decide.

Mary

Hi. I've had my reconstruction for 22 years. I was done with a tissue
expander that received saline over a period of time, through a port. The
port was then removed and the internal prosthesis automatically sealed. I
never considered a silicone fill. So far, so good. I believe that there is
an expectation that the prosthesis has a given life expectancy, and I know
that someday I may need to have it removed and another inserted. If it
leaks, the idea is that the saline would do no particular damage. The
choice to do or not do reconstruction IS a very personal decision. I knew
that having it done would make absolutely no difference in my chances of
recurrence or of surviving the bc, but it made a huge difference in my state
of mind at the time and I've never been sorry that I did it. Sending my
very best wishes to you as you make this decision. What matters is that you
are at peace with your choice.

Barb

"A.P. Thorsen" <annthorsendontsendspam@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:eifus5$cb3$1@news.msu.edu...
Hi Anne T.
Thanks for your opinion. I can see where you are at.
Cheers
Mary E.
>
> "Curly" <flow@stream.com> wrote in message
> news:XPG2h.58149$rP1.38033@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>> Has anyone out there had silicone implants for over 10 years and have
>> been happy with them? Have heard so many negative stories (via internet
>> and this site). Are there any positives out there? Reason for asking is
>> that I have no other option offered to me except implants for
>> reconstruction (due to my thin build) as I have had bi lateral bc. I am
>> 51 nearing 52 and still classify myself as a youngster and don't feel old
>> or really look old. I know I should be fortunate and thank myself that I
>> am alive and have the cancer removed and hopefully never to return but I
>> have been offered this surgery through the public health scheme in
>> Australia. Who knows I still may not have them done at all!
>>
>> friends say to me just to go and have it done (they know women who have
>> had breast augmentation and are thrilled with results) and not focus on
>> the negatives and same goes from the GP who said 'go for it' attitude. >
>> I suppose deep down I want to feel that I have beaten this disease by
>> 'recreating' what I had before. My next visit to the plastic surgeon is
>> in December so will go into more depth with him. Older women I know in
>> their 60's havent bothered with reconstruction and just dont want any
>> more surgery anyway.
>>
>
> This is not answering your question, but I'll speak up for the "no need to
> do it" camp . . . something I think that doctors & friends sometimes
> aren't willing to do. I'm doing this partly because you sound as if you
> might truly be thinking about considering this option. Sometimes it
> seems like friends/family/doctors assume this needs to be done, almost to
> the point of railroading some women into it!
>
> Please understand: If you feel reconstruction is something you need to
> feel good about yourself, or to psychologically put BC behind you, I
> certainly wouldn't try to convince you otherwise -- it's a very personal
> and difficult decision. I've supported friends who've made every kind of
> choice there is, and would likewise strongly support you in *your* choice,
> whatever it may be. (One of my closest friends had the expander put in
> this past Spring, and will get the permanent implant this Winter, some 20
> years after her initial unilateral mastectomy, and she's delighted with
> the results so far.)
>
> Personally, I chose not to have reconstruction after bilateral mastectomy.
> I was 44 y/o at diagnosis, and now will be 51 in a couple of weeks. I'm
> single (widow). I'm *very* happy with my decision. I wear prostheses for
> most "dress up" occasions (the more elaborate clothes hang better), and go
> without for casual wear.
>
> So, it's not just for "older women". In fact, I had a friend in her 40s
> (married) who decided to have prophylatic bilateral mastectomies several
> years after her (stage IV! and now NED!) BC diagnosis in her mid-30s,
> because she got so tired of the emotional upheaval of getting called back
> in for additional views or biopsies after ambiguous mammograms.
>
> As to whether I feel/look/act old: I'm very active, have become a
> competitive athlete (rowing) since diagnosis, learned to kayak, etc., so I
> don't think I'm exactly in my dotage. There're photos of me on
> http://www.cancersupporters.com, in the newsgroup photos & bios sections,
> so you can judge yourself whether I look old (maybe so; don't dye the
> hair, either!)
>
> Points in favor of no reconstruction (after bilateral mastectomy): No
> more surgery, no foreign objects in body, super-easy to detect the
> (unlikely) local lump/recurrence by self-exam, nothing obstructing
> radiological exams (xrays, etc.), no additional perturbation of chest
> muscles (in the friends who've gotten implants here, the implants seem to
> go under a muscle layer). Points against: Appearance (which isn't an
> issue for me), fit of clothes, possible reaction of intimate partners.
>
> Astoundingly, most people don't seem to notice that I'm flat -- to the
> point where I've multiple times been in conversations with people about
> breast cancer or mastectomy and had people say with sincere suprise "I
> didn' t know you'd had that" . . . I wanna say (and sometimes do), "didn't
> you look at my profile?!?".
>
> At first, I felt a little self-conscious & wore loose shirts. Now I
> routinely wear regular t-shirts and don't even think about. (I do find
> that I have to be careful about fitting tank tops, unless I want to share
> my scars with the general public <g>).
>
> After a unilateral mastectomy, I think it would be a tougher choice: I
> gather some women who don't reconstruct (or wear prostheses) can develop
> back problems, due to the imbalance. But, for me -- and speaking *only*
> for myself -- the decision to skip reconstruction after a bilateral was a
> no-brainer.
>
> Don't know whether it affects payment for the operation in Australia or
> not, but one thing to consider is that -- medically, anyway -- this isn't
> a decision you need to make quickly. You can "test drive" no
> reconstruction for a while, then decide on reconstruction later.
>
> Good luck in finding the right decision for *you*, be it reconstruction or
> not.
>
> Ann T.
> Remove 'dontsendspam' from address to reply by email
>
>
>

Hi Barb,
Thanks for your 'experience' in having had reconstruction done. I am very
glad that you haven't experienced any bad experiences from implants. Did
you have the implants inserted under the chest wall? Also, I've heard that
the implants are never at the same temperature as the body - is this
correct? Do you experience any discomfort lying on your side or exercising?
The plastic surgeon said that he would insert expanders and fill them with
saline till I am satisfied with the size and then he would insert the
implants once the skin has stretched to the desired size. I have a thin
build and had small breasts. I will also enquire about saline. If I do go
ahead - i will probably increase the size a little more.
Will let you know the outcome. I will be seeing the ps mid December. In
the meantime, I will probably visit my breast surgeon and ask his honest
opinion regarding implants in my case.

Thanks again,
Mary E.

"Barb" <ammerman@epix.net> wrote in message
news:k_n3h.498$Oc.71688@news1.epix.net...
>
> Hi. I've had my reconstruction for 22 years. I was done with a tissue
> expander that received saline over a period of time, through a port. The
> port was then removed and the internal prosthesis automatically sealed. I
> never considered a silicone fill. So far, so good. I believe that there
> is an expectation that the prosthesis has a given life expectancy, and I
> know that someday I may need to have it removed and another inserted. If
> it leaks, the idea is that the saline would do no particular damage. The
> choice to do or not do reconstruction IS a very personal decision. I knew
> that having it done would make absolutely no difference in my chances of
> recurrence or of surviving the bc, but it made a huge difference in my
> state of mind at the time and I've never been sorry that I did it.
> Sending my very best wishes to you as you make this decision. What
> matters is that you are at peace with your choice.
>
> Barb
>

"Mary E." <flow@stream.com> wrote in message
news:wFF3h.60004$rP1.14581@news-server.bigpond.net.au...

> The plastic surgeon said that he would insert expanders and fill them with
> saline till I am satisfied with the size and then he would insert the
> implants once the skin has stretched to the desired size. I have a thin
> build and had small breasts. I will also enquire about saline. If I do
> go ahead - i will probably increase the size a little more.

One thing I forgot to mention, from the experience of two friends who had
implants: They fill the expanders gradually, of course. But both friends
had one filling session where the doc was a little over-enthusiastic about
how much to add in a single session, and were quite uncomfortable
afterwards. This is not intended to dissuade you from implants -- it wasn't
*that* bad -- but may be able to be avoided by good communication with the
doctor, as their other sessions were not as uncomfortable afterward.

Both are very happy with the end result, though only one has her final
implants in. The other's probably 3 years on.

FWIW,

Ann T.
Remove 'dontsendspam' from address to reply by email

Comments interspersed below:


"Mary E." <flow@stream.com> wrote in message
news:wFF3h.60004$rP1.14581@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> Hi Barb,
> Thanks for your 'experience' in having had reconstruction done. I am very
> glad that you haven't experienced any bad experiences from implants. Did
> you have the implants inserted under the chest wall?

Yes, the saline implants are under the chest muscle. The only little
"hitch" about that is that once in a while that muscle cramps and flattens
my internal prosthesis. It hurts a little and looks funny for a few
moments!

Also, I've heard that
> the implants are never at the same temperature as the body - is this
> correct?

I believe that the saline is the exact temperature as my body. It is more
internal than not, and never feels cold to the touch.

Do you experience any discomfort lying on your side or exercising?

No, no discomfort lying on my side or exercising. I had a little work to do
at the time of the reconstruction to keep there from being capular
constriction of the implant. I think that's the term...Anyway, there were
specific exercises to keep the implant from being encapsulated inside---to
keep it moveable, to a degree, inside.
\
> The plastic surgeon said that he would insert expanders and fill them with
> saline till I am satisfied with the size and then he would insert the
> implants once the skin has stretched to the desired size. I have a thin
> build and had small breasts. I will also enquire about saline. If I do
> go ahead - i will probably increase the size a little more.
> Will let you know the outcome. I will be seeing the ps mid December. In
> the meantime, I will probably visit my breast surgeon and ask his honest
> opinion regarding implants in my case.

Would like to hear what you decide and how it all goes. Best of luck to
you, Mary E.
>
> Thanks again,
> Mary E.
>
> "Barb" <ammerman@epix.net> wrote in message
> news:k_n3h.498$Oc.71688@news1.epix.net...
>>
>> Hi. I've had my reconstruction for 22 years. I was done with a tissue
>> expander that received saline over a period of time, through a port. The
>> port was then removed and the internal prosthesis automatically sealed.
>> I never considered a silicone fill. So far, so good. I believe that
>> there is an expectation that the prosthesis has a given life expectancy,
>> and I know that someday I may need to have it removed and another
>> inserted. If it leaks, the idea is that the saline would do no particular
>> damage. The choice to do or not do reconstruction IS a very personal
>> decision. I knew that having it done would make absolutely no difference
>> in my chances of recurrence or of surviving the bc, but it made a huge
>> difference in my state of mind at the time and I've never been sorry that
>> I did it. Sending my very best wishes to you as you make this decision.
>> What matters is that you are at peace with your choice.
>>
>> Barb
>>
>
>

Thanks Anne,
Will take that up too with ps! Dont' want that to happen - good point.
Regards
Mary E.
"A.P. Thorsen" <annthorsendontsendspam@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:einvsv$68g$1@news.msu.edu...
>
> "Mary E." <flow@stream.com> wrote in message
> news:wFF3h.60004$rP1.14581@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>
>> The plastic surgeon said that he would insert expanders and fill them
>> with saline till I am satisfied with the size and then he would insert
>> the implants once the skin has stretched to the desired size. I have a
>> thin build and had small breasts. I will also enquire about saline. If
>> I do go ahead - i will probably increase the size a little more.
>
> One thing I forgot to mention, from the experience of two friends who had
> implants: They fill the expanders gradually, of course. But both friends
> had one filling session where the doc was a little over-enthusiastic about
> how much to add in a single session, and were quite uncomfortable
> afterwards. This is not intended to dissuade you from implants -- it
> wasn't *that* bad -- but may be able to be avoided by good communication
> with the doctor, as their other sessions were not as uncomfortable
> afterward.
>
> Both are very happy with the end result, though only one has her final
> implants in. The other's probably 3 years on.
>
> FWIW,
>
> Ann T.
> Remove 'dontsendspam' from address to reply by email
>
>
>