Mastectomy or not
I am 68 and have been diagonised with breast cancer in both breasts.Have just had 4 lumpectomy's. 3 in one breast and one in the other. They did not get clear margins in one breast. Can anyone give ...
Forum Discussion
Hi @elle1948 - I have had a delayed reconstruction and used both the aeroform and saline expanders. My Aeroform failed within 3 months - it is filled with air and when I took an international flight it over expanded and created a slow leak. They say this problem has now been fixed, mine was 12 months ago. I now have a saline expander in and it is more comfortable than the Aeroform - it's softer. If you have to keep it for more than 3 months I would suggest saline. Both expansions are painful as it's stretching muscle and skin. The Aeroform was easier to manage myself for the expansion and I could slow it down. WIth Saline I am having 100 ml injections every 2 -3 weeks. With both I've had trouble sleeping on my side - the tummy is impossible.
With the expanders I have experienced quite a bit of nerve pain in my upper chest wall from the pressure the expander puts on the muscle. It's quite sensitive and the edge of my bra causes irritation.
In terms of reconstruction types - the things to consider are - how stable is your weight? Implants will not change size with you but tissue flap reconstructions will. Tissue flap reconstructions are softer and will be your own temperature. Implants will be cold andmay be uncomfortable when sleeping on your side and many women can not sleep on their tummy with them.
Surgery and recovery time is much quicker with implants than a tissue flap. So, your overall health may influence which procedure you have. Also, they say that if the implant works well for you, the new models can last 20 years. But there is consideration about what to do if they don't work or if they do spring a leak. As we age surgery options reduce and you might think about 10 years down the track - do you want to be considering removing implants and replacing them if necessary?
Each is an individual choice depending on your personal health circumstances.
Good luck! It's a decision we never wanted to have to make! Krooz
With the expanders I have experienced quite a bit of nerve pain in my upper chest wall from the pressure the expander puts on the muscle. It's quite sensitive and the edge of my bra causes irritation.
In terms of reconstruction types - the things to consider are - how stable is your weight? Implants will not change size with you but tissue flap reconstructions will. Tissue flap reconstructions are softer and will be your own temperature. Implants will be cold andmay be uncomfortable when sleeping on your side and many women can not sleep on their tummy with them.
Surgery and recovery time is much quicker with implants than a tissue flap. So, your overall health may influence which procedure you have. Also, they say that if the implant works well for you, the new models can last 20 years. But there is consideration about what to do if they don't work or if they do spring a leak. As we age surgery options reduce and you might think about 10 years down the track - do you want to be considering removing implants and replacing them if necessary?
Each is an individual choice depending on your personal health circumstances.
Good luck! It's a decision we never wanted to have to make! Krooz