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04-02-2007, 12:02 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 87
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Capsular contracture, anyone?
Hi All~
I feel so very fortunate to find myself preoccupied with this rather light topic  ...just wondering, anyone else out there with capsular contractures?
I'm only 4 weeks post-op L SkinSparing Mastec, w/submuscular, silicone implant reconstruction. The R side was simply augmented w/a subglandular silicone implant & looks & feels so amazingly real-sometimes I wonder if they didn't just replace my 38 year old breast with the one I had when I was 14!!
I know the reconstructed L side will always look & feel different than the augmented R side, but the L side is still sitting pretty high & feels more much more firm than the R.
I'm doing the massaging, taking vitamin E, lying on my belly & putting some weight on my chest to keep the capsules stretched out, etc.
Is it pre-mature for me to be worried about capsular contracture? Will the L side continued to drop & soften? How long til your reconstructed breast "mellowed out" & didn't look & feel so new?
Would love to know what you guys might have experienced?
Thanks so much, guys. Hope Spring has sprung where you are...it's beautiful here in Atlanta~ |
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04-02-2007, 12:14 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Savannah, Georgia
Posts: 301
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Hi Jessica,
I had silicone implants also. They were VERY tight and felt like they were up to my chin for quite a while. I kept asking my plastic surgeon when they were going to drop. (kind of a reverse question, now!) Anyways, they have loosened up alot and have softened as well and I am very happy. I was very worried about contracture as I had to have radiation, but made it through with no problems.
Love, Kelly
__________________
dx'd 05/06, 37 years old
er/pr-, Her2+, grade 3
double mastectomy, immediate reconstruction- implants
Stage 2b, 2 tumors- 2.2 cm and 0.6 cm, 3/5 + nodes
all scans clear
genetic testing- negative
06/06 began dd A/C x 4, 12 weekly Taxols w/ Herceptin
30 rads
Herceptin weekly x 1 year
Herceptin completed 08/07
Port removed 12/26/07 MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!
05/17/08 Two year anniversary NED
"We gain strength, courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face... you must do the thing that you think you cannot do."
-Eleanor Roosevelt
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04-02-2007, 12:22 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Posts: 39
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Jessica--I had to laugh at the 'replacing the 38 year old breast with one you had at 14', LOL! I am the same age right now, have the 'Spongebobsquareboob' on one side and a different shaped one on the other (the radiated side) and will be getting my [hopefully] last fill in a couple weeks. So, am looking forward to the swap for the implants. Would you mind me asking what type of silicone implants you chose (cohesive gel?) and how big you chose? I will be discussing with the surgeon in a couple weeks what my options are but am curious about what someone else might have chosen. I have a small frame, about about 115 lbs, 5'8", had next to nothing for breasts before the bilaterals but am looking to maybe "upgrade" in size a bit (ha!). I am in Canada so not sure if that makes my options different or not. Anything you can offer would be greatly appreciated!!
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04-02-2007, 12:27 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,519
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I had capsular contraction at 7 months out from putting implants in. It was painful. The surgeon went in a few months later and removed most of the scar tissue and replaced the implant (we had decided I needed one just a tiny bit bigger... got the size wrong the first time). The scar tissue has not reformed since -and it has been 18 months since that surgery.
__________________
Brenda
NOV 2012 - 9 yr anniversary
JULY 2012 - 7 yr anniversary stage IV (of 50...)
Nov'03~ dX stage 2B
Dec'03~ Rt side mastectomy, Her2+, ER/PR+, 10 nodes out, one node positive
Jan'04~ Taxotere/Adria/Cytoxan x 6, NED, no Rads, Tamox. 1 year, Arimadex 3 mo., NED 14 mo.
Sept'05~ micro mets lungs/chest nodes/underarm node, Switched to Aromasin, T/C/H x 7, NED 6 months - Herceptin only
Aug'06~ micro mets chest nodes, & bone spot @ C3 neck, Added Taxol to Herceptin
Feb'07~ Genetic testing, BRCA 1&2 neg
Apr'07~ MRI - two 9mm brain mets & 5 punctates, new left chest met, & small increase of bone spot C3 neck, Stopped Aromasin
May'07~ Started Tykerb/Xeloda, no WBR for now
June'07~ MRI - stable brain mets, no new mets, 9mm spots less enhanced, CA15.3 down 45.5 to 9.3 in 10 wks, Ty/Xel working magic!
Aug'07~ MRI - brain mets shrunk half, NO NEW BRAIN METS!!, TMs stable @ 9.2
Oct'07~ PET/CT & MRI show NED
Apr'08~ scans still show NED in the head, small bone spot on right iliac crest (rear pelvic bone)
Sept'08~ MRI shows activity in brain mets, completed 5 fractions/5 consecutive days of IMRT to zap the pesky buggers
Oct'08~ dropped Xeloda, switched to tri-weekly Herceptin in combo with Tykerb, extend to tri-monthly Zometa infusion
Dec'08~ Brain MRI- 4 spots reduced to punctate size, large spot shrunk by 3mm, CT of torso clear/pelvis spot stable
June'09~ new 3-4mm left cerrebellar spot zapped with IMRT targeted rads
Sept'09~ new 6mm & 1 cm spots in pituitary/optic chiasm area. Rx= 25 days of 3D conformal fractionated targeted IMRT to the tumors.
Oct'09~ 25 days of low dose 3D conformal fractionated targeted IMRT to the bone mets spot on rt. iliac crest that have been watching for 2 years. Added daily Aromasin back into treatment regimen.
Apr'10~ Brain MRI clear! But, see new small spot on adrenal gland. Change from Aromasin back to Tamoxifen.
June'10~ Tumor markers (CA15.3) dropped from 37 to 23 after one month on Tamoxifen. Continue to monitor adrenal gland spot. Remain on Tykerb/Herceptin/Tamoxifen.
Nov'10~ Radiate positive mediastinal node that was pressing on recurrent laryngeal nerve, causing paralyzed larynx and a funny voice.
Jan'11~ MRI shows possible activity or perhaps just scar tissue/necrotic increase on 3 previously treated brain spots and a pituitary spot. 5 days of IMRT on 4 spots.
Feb'11~ Enrolled in T-DM1 EAP in Denver, first treatment March 25, 2011.
Mar'11~ Finally started T-DM1 EAP in Denver at Rocky Mountain Cancer Center/Rose on Mar. 25... hallelujah.
"I would rather be anecdotally alive than statistically dead."
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04-02-2007, 04:08 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Morris, IL
Posts: 3,507
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Jessica
I too have it from the silicone implant, but mine started after about 6 months, and has never gotten better....just worse...I have one 14 yr old boob to compare to the other 55 year old one.....not exactly what I thought would happen...I guess I need to go back in for surgery, but am very cautionary with active mets in my nodes right now.
__________________
"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."
Hugs & Blessings
Sheila
Diagnosed at age 49.99999 2/21/2002 via Mammography (Calcifications)
Core Biopsy 2/22/02
L. Mastectomy 2/25/2002
Stage 1, 0.7cm IDC, Node Neg from 19 nodes Her2+++ ER PR Neg
6/2003 Reconstruction W/ Tissue Expander, Silicone Implant
9/2003 Stage IV with Mets to Supraclavicular nodes
9/2003 Began Herceptin every 3 weeks
3/2006 Xeloda 2500mg/Herceptin for recurrence to neck nodes
3/2007 Added back the Xeloda with Herceptin for continued mets to nodes
5/2007 Taken Off Xeloda, no longer working
6/14/07 Taxol/Herceptin/Avastin
3/26 - 5/28/08 Taxol Holiday Whopeeeeeeeee
5/29 2008 Back on Taxol w Herceptin q 2 weeks
4/2009 Progression on Taxol & Paralyzed L Vocal Cord from Nodes Pressing on Nerve
5/2009 Begin Rx with Navelbine/Herceptin
11/09 Progression on Navelbine
Fought for and started Tykerb/Herceptin...nodes are melting!!!!!
2/2010 Back to Avastin/Herceptin
5/2010 Switched to Metronomic Chemo with Herceptin...Cytoxan and Methotrexate
Pericardial Window Surgery to Drain Pericardial Effusion
7/2010 Back to walking a mile a day...YEAH!!!!
9/2010 Nodes are back with a vengence in neck
Qualified for TDM-1 EAP
10/6/10 Begin my miracle drug, TDM-1
Mixed response, shrinking internal nodes, progression skin mets after 3 treatments
12/6/10 Started Halaven (Eribulen) /Herceptin excellent results in 2 treatments
2/2011 I CELEBRATE my 9 YEAR MARK!!!!!!!!!!!!!
7/5/11 begin Gemzar /Herceptin for node progression
2/8/2012 Gemzar stopped, Continue Herceptin
2/20/2012 Begin Tomo Radiation to Neck Nodes
2/21/2012 I CELEBRATE 10 YEARS
5/12/2012 BeganTaxotere/ Herceptin is my next miracle for new node progression
6/28/12 Stopped Taxotere due to pregression, Started Perjeta/Herceptin
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04-11-2007, 09:00 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 87
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Thanks so much ladies for your wisdom!
I've discovered "TUMMY TIME" - lying on my belly & chest to keep the capsule stretched out. It feels very odd & uncomfortable, b/c I can't rest my head on the floor because my L breast is in the way, but it's getting better every day.And the L & R are looking & feeling more & more similar.
Thanks again for everything, ladies!
Sherri~
Sorry so long to reply to your question about reconstruction & implants! Hope I'm not too late to be helpful!
I have Mentor cohesive, silicone gel implants. On the L side, I had a skin sparing mastectomy, so the implant is placed "dual plane" -the top half of the implant is under the muscle, the bottom is over the muscle. The R side was just a simple augmentation & the implant is completely over the muscle. The L side is a 400cc implant & the R side is 250cc. Like I said, I CAN'T believe how real the right side feels.
The L, reconstructed side, is still sitting a little high & tight, but I'm still only 7 weeks post-op, so there's still progress ("dropping") to anticipate.I was trying to be really diligent about "massaging" etc, b/c I want to avoid a capsular contracture as much as possible! But I've found "TUMMY TIME" (lying on my belly w/direct pressure on my chest) has been really helpful keeping the capsule stretched out.It felt really weird at first & I can't quite rest my head/face on the floor b/c my L breast is "in the way", but I'm getting closer!
I've always been very active as a dancer & now a Pilates instructor & was athletic & small breasted. That was my greatest concern w/the recontsruction - I didn't want to feel "exposed" wearing work-out tops, etc. (I think that's so ironic that women CHOOSE elective breast augmentations so that they can expose themselves..!)
I do still feel like the new breasts are a little too big, but they don't look too big. Actually, it's only when I wear pilates/yoga tops do I feel a little "too boob-y", otherwise they really are proportionately the right size for my body & I look very balanced. But I guess I'm just still used to being small breasted.
Ultimately, I very happy with the outcome. I have a great, compassionate surgeon-he's a brilliant general surgeon/surgical onc/plastic surgeon all wraped up in one -so he's done all of the work himself & really understands what I want & why.
I hope you have as good a relationship w/your doc as I do with mine. My sister & my girlfriends are all very impressed & envious of the new "TWINS" & I gotta say, it's not awful having full, lovely breasts - even though I am short one nipple!
Please let me know if there's any additional information or insight I can offer.
Take good care &
Keep the Faith!
ps-the silicone implants feel a MILLION TIMES more natural than the saline expander!
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