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faye_arv · Dec 14, 2007, 08:45 AM

Hi!
I'm 33 years old and was diagnosed with breast cancer 1 1/2 yrs ago. I've had a full mastectomy and hysterectomy. My doctor told me that in about a year it would be safe to have breast implants done (I don't know if this is the correct term for it). I've read that more than one operation would have to be done and skin and muscle would have to be taken from other parts of my body for the implants. Has anyone had the procedure? What was it like? Are the operations painful? I also was told that because I don't menstruate my weight would have to be steady because my skin is more likely to droop than before.

J_9 · Dec 14, 2007, 09:20 AM

First let me say I am sorry you had breast cancer at such a young age. I was 32 when I had mine and weeks before my 33 birthday I underwent a double mastectomy.

The surgeries you may have to undergo are highly individualized. It really depends on what kind of mastectomy you had. Radical, modified radical, etc. Also, your health status is taken into account, as well as a smoking history.

When I had my mastectomy I had tissue expanders placed a the time of the surgery. They remained for a year and then replaced with silicone implants. I had to have several surgeries due to capsular contracture around the silicone implants and 3 years ago finally had them replaced with saline, and I've been happy with that ever since.

faye_arv · Dec 14, 2007, 05:04 PM

Originally Posted by J_9

First let me say I am sorry you had breast cancer at such a young age. I was 32 when I had mine and weeks before my 33 birthday I underwent a double mastectomy.

The surgeries you may have to undergo are highly individualized. It really depends on what kind of mastectomy you had. Radical, modified radical, etc. Also, your health status is taken into account, as well as a smoking history.

When I had my mastectomy I had tissue expanders placed a the time of the surgery. They remained for a year and then replaced with silicone implants. I had to have several surgeries due to capsular contracture around the silicone implants and 3 years ago finally had them replaced with saline, and I've been happy with that ever since.

I had mine on my 32nd birthday :-) I'm not sure about the radical, modified radical etc. I'll have to do a Google search on that. I've never smoked I guess that would be a plus. My doctor has left tissue around my breast so that the tissue expander can have let's say a pocket to fit snugly in. How is the effect? Do you have any feeling in your breast or is it still numb all over? Did you get a nipple made? Does it look well kind of natural lol! I know these questions may sound weird to someone who hasn't seen a mastectomy but what the heck, I didn't mind losing my hair I'm sure not going to worry about anything else. I'm really just curious about the whole process.
I live in Greece (Europe) and here they don't put the expanders at the time of the first surgery. They prefer to wait till the tissue is all healed and we're done with chemo etc.

How many operations did you do in all?

I wish you the best of luck and most of all the best of health! :-) Keep a positive attitude and all will become positive :-)

Thanks for taking the time to answer me :-)

J_9 · Dec 14, 2007, 05:12 PM

You are so very welcome. As for the positive attitude... I reek of positiveness (lol, is that a word?) I lost my hair, good... I needed to get rid of the old color and perms... didn't have to shave my legs for 6 months... AND, I didn't get high beams (nipple erections) in the freezer isle of the grocery store. LOL

Ask your doctor which procedure was done on you. Radical mastectomies are rarely done anymore, most are modified radical. I have no feeling in my breasts (I had both removed, only 1 had cancer), I am slightly numb on my right, cancerous side, as muscle was removed also (radical mastectomy).

They look fairly natural... I have what looks like a tan line from my nipple to almost under my arm (about 2 - 3 inches)... Nipples were recreated using skin from my bikini area then tattooed about 6 months later to give a more natural look. Actually my nipples look better than what I had naturally.

In all honesty it feels as though I have water balloons under my skin, LOL.

And, yes, not smoking is a very good thing.