Question
I'm having a consult on April 26th for a BL/BA. I'm preparing my list of questions and want to know what you feel are the most important questions to ask him.
Thanks!AL, BL, TT Board Moderator
320 lbs down to 160 lbs by diet and exercise
AL - 10/14/2005
ETT/MR - 1/6/2006
BL - 10/27/06
send pm for picture links and video links


Answer
Questions to ask on your BA consult:
http://www.smartbreastreduction.com/checkasurgeon.html
http://www.implantinfo.com/faqs/1.41.html pre-op checklist
http://www.implantinfo.com/faqs/1.html all questions http://www.implantinfo.com/faqs/1.40.html po check list
http://www.implantinfo.com/faqs/3.2.html
http://www.implantinfo.com/faqs/1.20.html
http://implantforum.com/q4doc.htmlMiki
Make Me Heal
Forum Administrator
yourownchoice@comcast.net


Answer
Hey Barbie,
Regarding my BA, there are two things I wish had been discussed with me prior to surgery. First of all, what the actual implant size choices are. Seems obvious, right?! They gave me a 300 cc bra to try on and a 350 bra. I didn't want to go any smaller or bigger, so as far as I understood it, these were my choices.
For a couple of weeks I pondered which I wanted to be, tried on both with the rice bag thing in my bra. Drove my husband and sister nuts. My biggest fear was being "too big". I kept leaning toward the 350, but with slight trepedation. I went back to the PS office, tried on the 350 bra again and officially decided that was the one.
I was THEN informed that the actual implants come in 30 cc increments. Therefore, 350 was not actually an option. I would be getting 360's. I was frustrated by this, but since it's only 3 tablespoons more, I was okay with it. Looking back, I have since realized that if the implants come in 30 cc increments, then 330 would have been an option for me. One I never considered because it didn't dawn on me until ... last night! And why the heck do they make the bras different sizes than the actual implants?! And then not tell you?
So, I chose 360. They wrote 360-390 on my chart because the implants would get filled to 390 and the compression makes them go back down to about 360.
Skip to surgery day. I wake up from surgery to find that since my right breast was larger than my left, he put 360 in that one and 390 in the left. 390! I never asked for 390! I was afraid 360 was too big and he put 390 in me!
It was just last night, in the middle of the night, that I basically freaked out about this. Why did he not discuss this with me before surgery? We all knew my right breast was bigger than the left. I had assumed the lift would correct that since he made no mention of possibly using two different sized implants. It's possible he had assumed this too and only realized during surgery that the lift wasn't enough. I understand that sometimes a PS has to make a decision during surgery when something is different than expected and I know that it is quite common to have two different sizes of implants. I just wished I could have been consulted as to what the two sizes might end up being "if" there were two sizes. I probably would have said to put 330 in the bigger breast and 360 in the smaller.
The one thing he knew is that I wanted to be a 34D. Well, technically, I already was a 34D, but of course, sagging (see pics). But I didn't want to be a "busting out of my bra" 34D. Just a normal 34D, high and perky. The size I chose was already a conservative choice, as were his words before surgery. So, he probably figured 30 cc more in the smaller breast shouldn't be an issue.
Well, I'm pretty sure when it's all said and done, when the swelling is gone and breasts have dropped all the way, I will probably be just fine with them. Even today I'm noticing they are smaller than a few days ago, so I'm getting much less stressed. But, as you can tell by my venting ... ... these are things I really wished had been discussed with me before hand.
Thanks for letting me get my venting out on your thread! 4/5/06 - TT,MR,BA,BL, Lipo Hips & Thighs
3/21/07 - BL by Raising Inframammary Fold / Lipo above TT Incision
http://www.makemeheal.com/pictures/viewAlbum.php?albumid=837
pw: hottie


Answer
Miki,
Thanks for the links - they were a great help! I'll be bringing a notebook with me for this visit.
Chick-a-dee,
Thanks so much for your input - these are the things I really want to know about. Let me tell you that your pics are wonderful - I am soooo jealous of your tiny waist - WOW! Your TT is also exceptional and those boobs- a masterpiece. My breasts are quite a bit longer and thinner - with AL, BL, TT Board Moderator
320 lbs down to 160 lbs by diet and exercise
AL - 10/14/2005
ETT/MR - 1/6/2006
BL - 10/27/06
send pm for picture links and video links


Answer
So glad this was asked!! I had my first consult last Thursday (more like a practice so I'll know what to expect when I go the surgeon that I really want on the 27th) and I was very very glad I did. I wasn't prepared at all and didn't have any of my questions or anything available. I'm glad that the links for those are posted because I can definately use it next week!!Still in the consultation phase.
1st consult - April 13
Next consult - April 27th
Wanting surgery sometime in May


Answer
1962 Barbie-
You can have 300 or 350 cc implants...they are Mentors, and the ones that come in 30 cc increments (i.e. 330, 360 cc's, etc) are salines made by McGhan/Inamed...Chick-a-dee must have Inameds. So it depends on which brand of implant your PS uses whether you can get ones that come in certain sizes...check out both companies' websites so you can familiarize yourself with their products...also, your PS may let you look at a catalog when you're there so you can see all your choices.
I have Inameds, originally had 360 cc salines, so I'm familiar with their sizing, but many ladies have Mentors, and their sizing is different...just thought I'd point that out...hope it helps


Answer
horsecrazygirl,
Thanks for that info as well! I did realize that there were two brands but didn't know about the size differences. I imagine that saline is my only choice, correct? Unless a BL qualifies me as reconstruction. I had a biopsy two years ago and that breast is slightly smaller than the other. Not a big deal but it was because of the procedure, not the way I was born. I do know that most gals are uneven but my uneveness was done to me. I just wondered if this might qualify me for silicone.
Thanks again!AL, BL, TT Board Moderator
320 lbs down to 160 lbs by diet and exercise
AL - 10/14/2005
ETT/MR - 1/6/2006
BL - 10/27/06
send pm for picture links and video links


Answer
horsecrazygirl,
Thanks for that info as well! I did realize that there were two brands but didn't know about the size differences. I imagine that saline is my only choice, correct? Unless a BL qualifies me as reconstruction. I had a biopsy two years ago and that breast is slightly smaller than the other. Not a big deal but it was because of the procedure, not the way I was born. I do know that most gals are uneven but my uneveness was done to me. I just wondered if this might qualify me for silicone.
Thanks again!
Yes, you do indeed qualify for silicone because you are having a BL Miki
Make Me Heal
Forum Administrator
yourownchoice@comcast.net


Answer
Thanks, Miki. I don't believe my surgeon is aware of this as he only discusses saline - where can I get credible info to bring with me so I can show this to him? (Pls, I consider you credible, but my ps has reservations about all the Internet searching I do - he's not in the digital age yet)AL, BL, TT Board Moderator
320 lbs down to 160 lbs by diet and exercise
AL - 10/14/2005
ETT/MR - 1/6/2006
BL - 10/27/06
send pm for picture links and video links


Answer
Thanks, Miki. I don't believe my surgeon is aware of this as he only discusses saline - where can I get credible info to bring with me so I can show this to him? (Pls, I consider you credible, but my ps has reservations about all the Internet searching I do - he's not in the digital age yet)
Oh, trust me..HE KNOWS you are eligible...ALL PS know this and it is an ongoing debate.
It is listed on the FDA website as well.
http://www.implantinfo.com/breast_implants/silicone_gel_breast_implants/silicone_gel_breast_implants.htmMiki
Make Me Heal
Forum Administrator
yourownchoice@comcast.net


Answer
ok I'm a freak and had all my questions answeredf, took in a check list from a freind that got the list from the same links Miki has posted. Those are very helpful and you can fill them in as the consult goes to compare docs after all your consults. Here where I get freaky, when I ws making this journey I really wanted to be hapopy and look natural, so after each consult with docs I asked then what ther favorite body part on a women is, the surgeon I chose was a boob man! My http://www.picturetrail.com/dirtrider2
PW: send private message to me to get the password


Answer
Yes, I have Inameds. I should have mentioned that in my post and that each implant company makes different sizes.
Also, I wanted to comment that I watched a Dr. 90210 one time where a girl was having her implants redone. One of the things she wanted to fix was the fact that one breast was bigger than the other. When Dr. Rey went to replace the implant that was in the smaller breast, he realized her chest was sunken in considerably more on that side than the other, so he had to up the implant size considerably to balance the two. This is something that he didn't know until she was in surgery. In her case, I'm pretty sure adding only 30 cc to her implant choice was not nearly enough to balance the two.
I tell that story to say that, you can't necessarily tell him exactly what size to use if one breast is bigger or smaller once on the table. But you can at least discuss the possibility of it before hand and make sure he knows what you are hoping for when you are all done. If you'd rather take the chance of ending up too small instead of too big, then tell him that so he can make an educated decision. I think most PS's assume most patients would rather go bigger than smaller.
Good luck!4/5/06 - TT,MR,BA,BL, Lipo Hips & Thighs
3/21/07 - BL by Raising Inframammary Fold / Lipo above TT Incision
http://www.makemeheal.com/pictures/viewAlbum.php?albumid=837
pw: hottie