Allergan issues a world wide recall of textured breast implants
Hello everyone, Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) is advising our members that Allergan has today issued a worldwide recall for its textured tissue expanders and breast implants. This means that these expanders and implants will no longer be able to be used in breast reconstruction, or breast augmentation, surgery anywhere in the world. See here for more information Click here for more information
implants
I had implants put in about 5 months ago...just very small ones, as I wanted to mimic what my natural breasts had been ...... has anyone else had implants? If so, how do they feel? My breasts feel hard, and sort of numb. Is this normal ? I had expected they would feel soft and have feeling. Could you please tell me about your experience with implants please as Im not sure how mine should be feeling.
Unwell
Hi there I am in my second week of radiation for breast cancer and DCIS so I wonder if anyone is in my situation where they already have implants and if the radiation affected them and they had to be removed down the track which apparently there is a 40% chance they will. Also does anyone recommend acupuncture as I have been really ill with a virus and was wondering if this would help my immune system.
current breast implants
I have been diagnosed with stage 1 IDC. I had a lumpectomy right breast on the 11th Nov. Then they told me it was a grade 3 tumor and a mastectomy was their recommended choice or plan b was to have 2d surgery to remove more tissue. I refused mastectomy and are now considering 2d option with radiation in 6/8 weeks time but I have implants (2006) and am trying to decide whether to have the right implant removed before radiation or wait and see what happens. I cant find any info on removal of implants prior to radiation and anything about the impact of that surgery itself. Feeling a little lost and confused.
Flat or Implants ?
Hello! I was diagnosed in August ‘22 have just finished 6 chemo rounds with 12 more Herceptin treatments to go. My surgery is Feb 23 for a double mastectomy. I am considering immediate recon with implants and am seeking any advice you may be able to share with me based on your own experiences with implants. Thank you 🙏 Chris
Double Mastectomy & Reconstruction Support
Hi everyone, I saw my breast surgeon today for my post lumpectomy follow up appointment. There was much more DCIS found as suspected including in all 3 margins plus some other suspicious looking bits. I had decided already that after my lumpectomy I would be having a double mastectomy and reconstruction because the thought of it coming back and being worse as well as the stress of frequent follow ups to check if the cancer had returned with an already strong family history was too much for me. I feel comfortable about my decision to have a double mastectomy and reconstruction, I'll be having the expanders put in first and then about 6 months after I will have the second operation for the silicone implants. If there are any ladies on here who have had the same surgery I would love to hear from you, hear your experience and hear any information or advice you feel is important. If you don't feel comfortable talking about it on here I would be very open to hearing from you on Facebook via private message. Hoping to hear from some of you over the next little while and sending lots of love to anyone going through the same journey. <3
Wound Healing after Rads and Implant
Hi All, my first post so hopefully I’m doing this right! I was diagnosed 2.5 years ago with 2cm Tumor in left breast. I had lumpectomy and Rads with my existing Breast implants kept in place as recommended by my surgeon.. As a result I ended up with very painful Grade 4 Capsular Contracture of the left breast. I lost my patience with the public system and saved hard for a private open capsulotomy and replacement of implant. The PS did a great job of regaining symmetry for me also. Its 4 weeks post and I’m concerned, my incision just does not seem to be healing as well as the other side. The nurse does not seem concerned. Unfortunately my anxiety is off the scale as I had hoped to be back at work this week , and my incision is nowhere near healed enough. Have I done the wrong thing 😢 Would like to know if any other ladies have gone through this and had a successful outcome.
Annual Review
So this years annual review with the breast suregon had a bit more than the 4 minute discussion. (Yep 500 k drive for 4 minutes usually) This year we discussed my allergan implants. We discussed I had both tits cut off so not to become a worrying mess as my first cancer was consealed by breast density until I could feel it. We discussed my concerns over implants initially and was assured they would never cause health issues from the implant product. We discussed that the current stats from cancer council Australia of 1 in 1000 to 1 in 10,000 is a huge variation...and just plain guesswork and I don't consider 1 in 1000 rare. (If you bought a lottery ticket with only a thousand sold you'd be confident of good chance of winning) also I do not believe already having proved my body couldnt stop cancer that I should have the "lets wait till you have cancer before we remove them attitude". I pointed out obviously those people had never experienced cancer treatment and it's impact on your health. ..like I would want to risk doing that again. Sooooo...after a full scan to check no lymphoma of fluid build up that could be lymphoma I've been referred to a plastic surgeon. I could have chosen to have them replaced with the new current considered safe implant...but my comment...sadly I have no confidence that in 5 years we won't have new information that they are a problem also. Sigh. This was my 1st year with no surgery since diagnosis. I doubt it will be happening this year but probably some time in next 2...unless of course I have a new cancer to deal with prior then of course.Teardrop vs Round
Due to the recent recall I have had my surgery postponed (it is now 17 months living with a expander). I was to get a teardrop implant that my surgeon recommended last year but as he is on leave I have a new surgeon who told me it’s up to me and he can’t advise which one is best. After discussions with him I have chosen the round. I would appreciate people, who have had either implants, to comment about what they think of their reconstruction. Please no comments from people that don’t have either of these implants. Thanks
Size of Implants verses expanders.
Hi BCNA friends, I was wondering if anyone has an idea of how the sizes of expanders swap out for implants? I have been trying to decide whether I need to have one last fill or not. Do implants end up being the same size as the expander after surgery? I have read online where many have said that implants are usually smaller. I asked the breast nurse who has been doing my fills and she seems to think that they will be the same. Anyone had any experience with this? Thanks x