Is My Plastic Surgeon Pushing Me Towards Larger Implants?

Joan stand firm on what you want. My Dr. tried to suggest I go bigger. Filling them was so darned painful that I wouldn’t even consider going bigger. I’m extremely satisfied with the size.If I’m not mistaken they are 600ml… I’m happy I stood firm on what I had decided for myself. Hope this helps.

Yes the reconstruction of breast for me has been like the plastic does measurements and based off of those he places tissue expanders and later implants that are not patient chosen. I was told early in process that I didnt get a choice of size and type of implants. It makes me think that its the type of reconstruction that places the dr at the head of size and type

I'd get a second opinion but then I do that a lot. I don't trust anyone. Especially if they won't listen to me. My male surgeon who did my lumpectomy and mastectomy was a little pushy but I shut him down pretty quickly and said this is my body and this is what I want. If I decide to get reconstruction, I will seek out a female plastic surgeon.

Advocate for yourself and get a second opinion

I'd definitely get a second opinion if you feel your Dr Isn't listening to you. My PS talked through all options and said I had the option to be whatever size I'm comfortable with.

@Joan M curious what you decided.

So I had two lumpectomies back to back bcs they missed some, then before radiation my oncologist wanted one more MRI, found ductal, 4 different physicians involved, so I chose to go for 2nd opinion in Nashville who was a woman and advised the double mastectomy rather than continue on with the first plan, entirely different team due to the original physician being all over the place with their treatment. Always trust your gut. Get a 2nd opinion if you don't feel comfortable. Question, my first fill is this week. Is the pain really bad???

Find a female surgeon

If your not comfortable find another

You have rights ! Read on them ! Women’s rights for breast reconstruction surgery! I did and it took me 3 try’s to find a good plastic surgeon! Don’t be lied to or fooled do your research i did and I’m so glad I did !!

I'm reading some of this a couple months later from when it was posted. I'm so lucky to have had a surgeon and plastic surgeon who frequently work together and discuss everything with their patients and come to consensus on everything before any treatment starts. My diagnosis was completely a shock but they wanted to move quickly so I didn't have a lot of time to mull over my choices. I was lucky to have a good friend who works in the marketing and recruitment for my provider and reassured me that I was getting top notch care. I went in a few days later, made my decision, double mastectomy with immediate reconstruction two weeks later on Nov. 10. Overnight stay and recovery is going well. I was out doing errands in 5 days; shopping 7 days (I slept very well that night). Expanders with air went in at surgery. Today they were filled with saline, 11 days post op. Size was my choice and I am pleased thus far, as I never had a smaller chest. Best part of the week was when the surgeon told me yesterday that all the cancer was gone. She was able to remove it all and get clean margins everywhere as well. I will not need chemo or radiation immediately but after Christmas we we sit down with an oncologist to decide long term strategy. My first grandchild is due March 2. I have so much to be thankful for. These people literally saved my life. So again, my point is you do have choices (most of the time), trust your gut and have a second set of ears with you to help discuss and verbalize if you can't. You're determining your quality of life going forward. Make it the best life possible. Be well. ❤️

I've not had 1st hand experience with reconstruction but don't underestimate how you feel. Perhaps trust your gut and seek out another opinion from someone who you know/trust recommends.

Agree. Find a woman surgeon. You know, there is just a ‘sensitivity’ that only a woman surgeon would understand. My surgeon showed ‘sensitivity’ even though I didn’t communicate my fears. She just knew and I’m quite pleased with the result

I had a bilateral mastectomy with tissue expanders placed at the time of surgery. My breast surgeon, a woman, is awesome. She recommend a plastic surgeon, male, that she works closely with. I had a consult with him pre-op. I was a D- cup. He was great, left size choice entirely up to me, asked me what my thoughts were on size. If he had told me to just "trust him" about size, I have shown him the door. I chose to go smaller, a C-cup. That's what we're going with. I've been having saline injections to the expanders. Once they were the appropriate size, they had me wait 8 weeks before final surgery to remove the expanders and insert implants. My surgery is scheduled for 8/22/2024. My advice: find another surgeon that will take your choices seriously. It doesn't have to be a woman, it just has to be someone who is sensitive to your feelings and desires.

It sounds like your instincts are telling you something important about this situation, and it's completely valid to feel uncomfortable when a surgeon pushes for a different size than what you want. Your body, your choice should always be the guiding principle in these decisions. Since other survivors have shared similar experiences, this might be worth discussing further in this community to help others navigate these conversations with their surgical teams. Trust in your medical team is essential, but so is feeling heard and respected in your treatment decisions.