Re: woman facing double mastectomy 'thinks' about saline ...

[Guest guest]

Ann- ~

Hello and welcome to the group. You certainly

do have a battle of the mind on the issue of implants

versus your fear of no breasts.

The main thing, you have to know that implants are a lifetime commitment. You will have resurgeries, and the rate of resurgeries after mastectomy is much higher than of cosmetic implants. There is controversy about implants immediately following mastectomy and waiting til you are healed and sure to be cancer free. Implants are NOT to be placed in anyone with cancer, it is in all the literature, so I am not sure why they implant immediately, cuz you arent really sure it is all gone when the mastectomy is done or not......Anyway, I am going to post some articles for you to read about

implants and cancer.....Please think things over, and get all the info you can about implants so that you can make a truly informed decision. If you feel your fear of no breasts is so big that you have to try them, just know that it wont be your last breast surgery. That is what is real. With your history of depression and suiside, please get lots and lots of counselling through this.......you life is important and so worth it, no matter what.......you are an important person to this world ! ! !

Remember selling implants is a business, so you will have all the positive in the world from the doctors, drug companies and even the FDA, just remember that is sales, not reality. I know only 1 person that received an implant after mastectomy, that has had it 12 years, and so far she is alive, but she has lymphadema in the arm where the implant is and her arm is almost twice the size. All other women I know that got implants after mastectomy got ill and had to have them removed.

If you want to try the implants, just know that reguardless, you will have re-operations, as they are not lifetime devices. If you do ok with them, you will still have to have them replaced.

Sterile saline has a 2 year shelf life, after that time, anything can happen. Sometimes there are things growing in there, sometimes there is not. It is a risk though.

I will start posting articles about implants after mastectomy for you to read.

Welcome to the group ! Please read in the archives

there is tons of info in there and we have many lovely

women here supporting each other and sharing good things.

Hugs and Prayers

Dede **************Looking for a car that's sporty, fun and fits in your budget? Read reviews on AOL Autos. (http://autos.aol.com/cars-BMW-128-2008/expert-review?ncid=aolaut00050000000017 )

[Guest guest]

Ann-,

I can tell you that I almost died when my implant ruptured shortly

after it was placed after a mastectomy. When he took it out, he did

not get all the silicone and it went everywhere in my body. It took

me 5 years to detox and think I might have any kind of normal life.

Lynda

At 06:45 AM 8/14/2008, you wrote:

>Ann- ~

>

> Hello and welcome to the group. You certainly

>do have a battle of the mind on the issue of implants

>versus your fear of no breasts.

>The main thing, you have to know that implants are a lifetime

>commitment. You will have resurgeries, and the rate of resurgeries

>after mastectomy is much higher than of cosmetic implants. There is

>controversy about implants immediately following mastectomy and

>waiting til you are healed and sure to be cancer free. Implants are

>NOT to be placed in anyone with cancer, it is in all the literature,

>so I am not sure why they implant immediately, cuz you arent really

>sure it is all gone when the mastectomy is done or not......Anyway,

>I am going to post some articles for you to read about

>implants and cancer.....Please think things over, and get all the

>info you can about implants so that you can make a truly informed

>decision. If you feel your fear of no breasts is so big that you

>have to try them, just know that it wont be your last breast

>surgery. That is what is real. With your history of depression and

>suiside, please get lots and lots of counselling through

>this.......you life is important and so worth it, no matter

>what.......you are an important person to this world ! ! !

>Remember selling implants is a business, so you will have all the

>positive in the world from the doctors, drug companies and even the

>FDA, just remember that is sales, not reality. I know only 1

>person that received an implant after mastectomy, that has had it 12

>years, and so far she is alive, but she has lymphadema in the arm

>where the implant is and her arm is almost twice the size. All

>other women I know that got implants after mastectomy got ill and

>had to have them removed.

> If you want to try the implants, just know that reguardless,

> you will have re-operations, as they are not lifetime devices. If

> you do ok with them, you will still have to have them replaced.

> Sterile saline has a 2 year shelf life, after that time,

> anything can happen. Sometimes there are things growing in there,

> sometimes there is not. It is a risk though.

> I will start posting articles about implants after mastectomy

> for you to read.

>

> Welcome to the group ! Please read in the archives

>there is tons of info in there and we have many lovely

>women here supporting each other and sharing good things.

>

>Hugs and Prayers

>Dede

>

[Guest guest]

Hi, Thank you for your kind words, and for all your leads to research about saline implants: Facts that help me stand firm in my decision to choose prostesis..... a choice that has not come easy to me.... Today I had soo much panic in my stomach, I suppose just because surgery is approaching, Sept 3. I don' t know how I am going to do it. But I hope I will find some comfort in the fact that I choose to focus on helping my body, rather, then focus on how I will look. I know it will be hard for me to look at myself without breasts because to me it brings up the issue of 'mutilation.' (I grew up in a violent household and have spent soo much of my life in theray to help me 'move past' my experiences. Suppose that is partly why I am so afraid of my own choice, because I don't want to back to 'the dark,' depression, etc. It has been so good getting past it all and to finally 'move on' with my life! And just when I started to

experience the joy of that.... here it is again: Breast cancer. I know I should be focused on 'fighting cancer, but some days it is still all about my breasts, and my loss of femininity..... Today wasn't a good day... the panic was bad.... But sharing with other woman helps. Thanks again, Ann- @AOL.COM wrote: Goodmorning Ann- ~ I just wanted to say hello, and hopeyou have a beautiful day. It sounds like you are having somepeace in your thoughts now. That is wonderful ! The biggest gift you can give yourselfin life right now, is life..... I have a feeling this journey in life youare going through right now, is an educationthat will help you, help others that are facing the same things you are. What a gift ! God Bless YOU, Ann- Dede**************Looking for a car that's sporty, fun and fits in your budget? Read reviews on AOL Autos.(http://autos.aol.com/cars-Volkswagen-Jetta-2009/expert-review?ncid=aolaut00030000000007 )

[Guest guest]

Ann-,You may feel fragile now . . . but I know, based on what you've been writing, that you're going to find the strength to get through this and accept your body for whatever it is! . . . Their ability to adapt to change is what keeps seniors mentally healthy. . . You don't see many "sexy" bodies among seniors. . . But you'll find lots of happy seniors filled with a love of life. Remember you are not your boobs! . . . any man who thinks boobs are that important is the biggest boob of all!I'm in the midst of dealing with my own ear cancer experience . . . with a number of physical alterations that may not be able to be corrected. I will never look the same . . . and I may not have any sense of smell, taste, or saliva when radiation is over. I understand

your anxiety about the changes (and depression), but we are both going to get through this! Both of us! Regardless of what comes our way, we are going to find a way to cope. Life will be good again!Hugs and prayers,Rogene

[Guest guest]

Hi Rogene, Thank you soo much for those kind words. Your timing was perfect.. I feel so overwhelmed by it all today.... all the thing I have to do for my health. (I am into alternative medecine and that is a lot of work. For example I just juiced my lunch. I drink raw vegetables juices to detox from all the toxins my body is dealing with.) Sorry about your ear cancer. That is quite a rare cancer isn't it? How long have you been dealing with that? And how long have your been getting radiatoin treatments? I went to Mrs 's laungery or lingery (pretty underware, bra's etc. not sure about the english spelling) I got myself a 'mastectomy bra,' so I can get use to wearing a 'sturdy bra.' Once I've had surgery there are 'pockets' where I can put my prostesis in. Because I've always had such young and perky breasts I never had to wear a bra,

sometimes just a light 'body' 'barely there' bra, the same material as pantihoose. So I am getting use to wearing something heavy before surgery... I am freaking out today and considering postponing surgery. I have an infected tooth+bone (jaw under tooth), and that is miserable.... don't feel up for surgery... But surgery isn't until Sept 3 and the infection in the tooth might be gone by then... What kind of surgery did you have? How long ago? Have you been able to work thru all of it? So far I have.... but I am getting more and more tired... Warmly, Ann- saxony01 <saxony01@...> wrote: Ann-,You may feel fragile now . . . but I know, based on what you've been writing, that you're going to find the strength to get through this and accept your body for whatever it is! . . . Their ability to adapt to change is what keeps seniors mentally healthy. . . You don't see many "sexy" bodies among seniors. . . But you'll find lots of happy seniors filled with a love of life. Remember you are not your boobs! . . . any man who thinks boobs are that important is the biggest boob of all!I'm in the midst of dealing with my own ear cancer experience . . . with a number of physical

alterations that may not be able to be corrected. I will never look the same . . . and I may not have any sense of smell, taste, or saliva when radiation is over. I understand your anxiety about the changes (and depression), but we are both going to get through this! Both of us! Regardless of what comes our way, we are going to find a way to cope. Life will be good again!Hugs and prayers,Rogene

[Guest guest]

Hi Ann-,I've been plagued with health problems for the past 2 1/2 years ., . . first extensive dental surgery, then breast cancer (lumpectomy/Mammosite radiation), cataract surgery, broken arm, atrial fibrillation last fall, pulmonary embolism in January followed by my first ear cancer surgery in March with a recurrence soon afterwards. Three and a half weeks ago, they operated again. They removed a muscle from my stomach to replace the muscle in my jaw that had been loosened from the back/side of my head and used to support my ear plus the new tumor. . . My outer ear canal was removed, along with some bone and other stuff. . . Tomorrow they will make a fixture to hold my head so they can radiate the proper area accurately. They will tell me tomorrow when I'll start

treatments.The affected ear is significantly lower, and protruding . . . the nerve to my face was affected to a degree. We won't know how much for a while. Looks like I may need to a brow lift on one side. Of course I've lost the hearing on that side. It's also affecting my balance at this time. . . Oh yeah! , , , you should see the haircuts these surgeons do!This cancer is extremely rare. Two hundred cases a year in the States. . I'm not blaming breast implants. By the time I got to my surgeon, he was the 18th doctor I had brought up the issue of my chronic ear problem. Only the last three ear specialists understood the problem was serious. My primary doc goofed by not recommending a specialist long ago. Between flares, I managed my ear pain by avoiding sugar and eating garlic.I'm ready to put all this stuff behind me and move on! I'm sure you understand!I still consider myself to be in good health and plan to live

into my nineties! I'm 70 now.Hang in there . . . Options aren't always what we would like them to be . . . but the human body has amazing an healing capacity. We're both going to get through this. It starts with attitude . . . You've got the right attitude - even if you're scared out of your wits!BTW, one mastectomy lady I met early on made her own padded bras. . . She bought the size bra she wanted to be . . . stuffed it with polyester sewn in place by a cotton panel. The bras were light weight and she looked very natural in clothing - bounce and all. . She considered herself to have the best of both worlds. She could be as big as she wanted to be, or feel light and free. One of my friends elected to have her second breast removed years after a mastectomy on one side. She was felt out of balance and was worried about a recurrence. . . She never bothers with a bra - and wears form fitting shirts all the

time. She doesn't care. Nobody else does either.Hugs and prayers,Rogene