Breast Implants

I was wondering if anyone out there had their breast implants removed
and if so, what your experience was.  I have one that has ruptured so
I am planning on having both removed but I am scared to death!  Also
do you have any idea the cost for removal of implants?  My implants
have lasted over 20 years so I guess I have been fortunate but
I dont want to go through this again so I am just having them removed.

Thank you for any info,

best wishes,
starr28

[PollyB]

Hello,

I had implants removed because I felt ill all the time. I knew my breasts would droop after the removal, so I also had a breast lift.  I am glad I did.  

My Doctors refused to believe the implants had anything to do with how I felt... so I found an excellent plastic surgeon and had the implants removed on my own.  

If you have had a rupture and you have insurance, very often your insurance will pay for removal, be careful how you phrase your request for removal, tell them you do not feel well since the rupture.  Check your insurance and see what the will do.

You probably have some effects anyway.  Go on the net and check the effects of a silicon ruptured person, believe me, they would not have had to shell out money for damages like they did, if those implants were NOT dangerous and had bad effects. Complain just enough to get them to pay for the removal, not so much that you get your insurance cancelled or rates raised.

It costs as much to have the implants removed and have a breast lift as it does to have implants.  Right now you could probably get reasonable FIXED RATE financing to have this done.  Ask at the Doctors office, look on the net for reviews of this sort of thing...  

When I had my implants removed, I also had a mastopexy (or breast lift).  I was very happy with my results and very glad to have the effects from the silicon gradually disappear.  

One thing you want to do is get that stuff out of your body and you need to make sure your Doctor understands that.  Sometimes a letter to him with all your concerns, wants and needs regarding your surgery is a good idea.  If you are dealing with a Doctor who resents being asked questions... FIND ANOTHER DOCTOR.  I will look at women Doctors this time, since I have found them to be more open to questions and patient concerns.

I actually had one Doctor tell me, once I was under, he could do anything he wanted... that is true and that is scary if you don't trust your Doctor.

You need to be aware that when they remove your implants, your breasts are going to droop.  

It may bother you a lot.  

It would have bothered me a lot, so when I had the removal, I also had the breast lift.  I had this done about 20 years ago, my surgeon was excellent, he removed the implants, and did a beautiful job on the lift.  Yes, the lift will leave a lot of scars... unless they have come up with something magic since then.  From what I have been able to find on the net... the procedures appear to be the same so far.  

One thing you definitely want to use are the new scar reduction treatments... you Doctor should tell you what they are, use them faithfully and you will have less scarring.  I know this because my niece and nephew were in a terrible accident that nearly killed them both.  The surgery scars were terrible... faithful use of the scar treatments recommended (they are expensive, but worth it) left these two young people with surprisingly small scars... since I have more stitches in me than a baseball and the scars that go with it, I was amazed.

It isn't fun, but it isn't anything to be scared about as long as you have a first class Doctor doing your surgery.  You will need someone to help you for a few days after the surgery, because you will have drains and you will be taking some pain medication.  You will not feel like doing very much, but you get over this soon enough.

DO NOT price shop.  DO NOT use any Doctor that is NOT a member of the American Board of Plastic Surgeons.... you MUST use a ABPS certified surgeon.  There are lots of small boards that will sell a Doctor a Certification that he can claim he is a Board Certified Surgeon.  

The fact of the matter is, any doctor can do any surgery once he has his license... doesn't matter if he has gone on and taken the years of extra training it takes to get REAL certifications in Plastic Surgery.  You also want a surgeon that does A LOT of reconstructive breast surgery.  Not a boob mill Doctor.  NOT some guy who graduated at the BOTTOM of his class either.

Decide what you want, cut out some pictures or print some off the net.  Ask to see his book of before and afters, ask to talk to patients, get on the net and spent 25 bucks and see if he has been sued and for what.  You can check with your state registry, but lots of times they cover up for Doctors.  Finding out if a Doctor was sued is better, sometimes they cover this up by settling, you might have to look harder.

Talk to your friends and see if any of them have had reconstructive surgery.  DO NOT GO TO A UNIVERSITY OR TEACHING HOSPITAL for your surgery.... unless you WANT a student doing your surgery.

I would not go near such a place...  in our town we have quite a few Doctors that used to be heads of the local Plastic Surgery Unit at the University turning out Doctors.  these folks often do an excellent job.

I am pleased with what my Doctor did for me, but 20 years later, I am looking at having another lift.  My breasts are still a pretty shape and relatively perky looking, BUT since I have gotten older, I have gained some weight and my breasts are a Dplus.  They are drooping again and frankly, I find them uncomfortable. I would use the same surgeon, but I believe he is retired now, so I need to find another one that will give me the same quality job.

I made myself absolutely clear, I took in pictures, I was pleasant, but firm about having a result that left me with equal size and shape breasts and nipples that were on the same level.  I did not want to end up with downward facing nipples and I showed the doctor pictures of what I wanted.

I am aware that as I get older, I am probably going to gain weight, It is hard to keep it off, so this time I will ask for a breast reduction in addition to the lift I want.  I will ask for a small C... as time goes on I am sure I will gain size due to weight gain as I get older.  But I will try to hold the line.  Large breasts that droop to your waist are not attractive or comfortable.  

I originally had implants because I had so much of my breast tissue removed due to tumors and cysts. I had terrible problems with incapsulations, having to have the implants removed and replaced, surgery to releave incapsulations... I would never recommend implants to anyone.  I think you are smart to have them removed.  I wish you luck.

Always ask and get it in writing if possible, what is his policy on correcting something that did not turn out to be a good result.  You must not smoke if you are going to have surgery.  

You should prepare yourself for this surgery a couple of months in advance (if you don't already do this) by exercising, eating a very high protein, no junk, no soda, no sweets diet, it would be best to cut out dairy products also.  Take a high potency multi-vitamin and mineral tablet, take pharmaceutical grade fish oil capsules and vitamin D supplements if you are NOT in the sun daily, you must get sun 20 minutes a day without sunblock or you must take a vitamin D3 supplement. Two weeks before the surgery and two weeks after the surgery, you should not take any supplements of ANY kind.  Your Doctor should give you a sheet of what you should do.  

DO NOT LIE to your Doctor about anything.  People lie to their Doctors all the time, and have problems or die as a result. Lying to your Doctor about say, medications you are taking... can result in problems.  It could be problems with the surgery, problems with healing, scariest of all... problems with anesthesia.... and that can kill you.

I have had numerous plastic surgery procedures... I am a veteran at this... if you prepare and follow instructions and make your wants and needs clear to your Doctor (and find the best doctor around and the one YOU trust the most)... you will be fine.  Just make sure you have someone to help you for several days or a week afterwards... a nice husband will do fine.  Mine does.

[margo123]

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