Really need some advise and reasurance :(

Hello to all u brave pip girls, 

I have been reading all of your posts recently and I have finally got the courage to share my story. 

I found out a few months ago about the pip worries. I had my original surgery with THG in April 09 (typical just before they stopped using pips) and from day one I wasn'ty happy with them they felt to hard and too big, my surgeon didn't even tell me what implants I was having (I stupidly didn't ask tho so I have blamed myself alot too)

I have have an ultrasound which has come back
with inconclusive results so my GP has got me
an MRI which I have had today but have to go
back next week and have again because the scans they took are not very clear and due to all the problems with the pips they want to make sure they get it right (which is a good thing I guess) so at the moment I don't know for sure if my implants have ruptured.

I have been to see 3 different BAAPS surgeons who have all said different things.

Surgeon 1. Says take the implants out for 3-6 months let them
heal and then start all over again.

Surgeon 2. Says stay with the same size implant, he dosent recommend changing to
over the muscle and he doesn't recommend goin smaller

Surgeon 3. He is happy to make me smaller and change to over the muscle.

I am so confused!! How can all three of these very good and reputable surgeons have such differing conclusions :(

I have unders at the moment and although initially wanting to change to overs I have decided at least one thing and that is to stick with unders BUT I really want go smaller I am a 32DD/E ultra high profile at the moment I want to go to a 32D high profile. Will there really be that much difference??? 

But on the other hand I sometimes feel after all the worry and upset of what's  happend, I feel I just want them out n go
back to my small B/C cup.

Has anyone gone smaller?

Or had their implants out totally?

I would really appreciate some advise :( I so so confused as to what to do.

I'm sorry it has been abit of a long read xxxx



  

I'm sorry to hear you have pips hun, unfortunately I don't know too much about reops, but the lovely Cookie on here has experienced both a rupture and re op to go smaller, so she would be able to help you more than I. I would like to wish you good luck in your reop.

Thank u misf1, it's nice to talk to other women who understand what I'm talking about :) any and all advise is very welcome and much appreciated xx

You won't have any problem at all repacing your implants straight away and going smaller babe - My left implant had completely torn, my breast had expanded and I was in a lot of a mess inside, but the op went well and I've recovered very well too.

Did your surgeon mention that you'd need an uplift if you went smaller?

I had a full anchor uplift and reduced my implant size and it's the best decision I made hunni. My boobs look great and I'm so much happier now.

Feel free to ask any questions babe, I'll be happy to answer anything you want to know. xx

27lora27...sorry to hear you feel so distressed and undecided what to do best. I can totally understand how confused you must feel when 3 surgeons have all given different advice...they all have different methods that they feel best.You do seem to know exactly what you want to achieve from a re-op so perhaps if you had more consultations you may find that your swayed more to one than the others. It is really stressfull dealing with the fact of having pips...let alone not knowing whether rupture has occurred or not. Relating to you feeling you might remove implants for good...i did consider it (for about 60 secs!)but no way!!! Hope with some advice from this site you soon come to decision as what to do... ...xxx

Hi cookie and Sharon,

Thank you for taking the time to read my post.

None of the 3 surgeons I have seen said anything about an uplift, I don't think my boobs warrant an uplift. I have been told goin smaller without an uplift can cause problems because the pocket is too big for the implant n may fill up with fluid or the capsule will form in the space and become very hard??

I will def arrange some more consults with others surgeons. I will have as many as it takes until I feel happy with what to do.

Simon Withey (think I have spelt that right??l) name comes up alot as being a good surgeon. He is very far away from me I live in Bristol n I think he is in London? I may be wrong. Are there any other reccomended surgeons?

Xxx

Hmmm your boobs may not warrant a lift now hunny but if you reduce your implant size you'll then possibly have excess skin as you've now stretched to accomodate the larger implant size you have now, that's gotta go somewhere hun, either removed to keep the skin tight and perky around the new implant or left and the new smaller implant wont fill all of the excess skin leaving the breast saggy unless there is a very minimal size difference.

Maybe an uplift wasn't discussed as you aren't sure exactly what it is you want from this BA yet or the size change would be felt to be minimal?

I could be wrong though... you could always put the question to James McDiarmid the BAAPS registered surgeon who helps answering our questions HERE

Hi,

I am so sorry to hear you have the dreaded PIPs. I had PIPs and went to get a check up (original op also with THG), and my surgeon was certain one was ruptured, i had also experienced the other implant flipping and he said that would be reason enough to take them out. Even though it is important to confirm a rupture i understand (and would need to be checked out just in case i am wrong) that because you are in your aftercare (mine was 3 years) and have PIPs i would of thought they would remove them free of charge anyway without a confirmed rupture, now that it is proven they are not of a high enough quality.
I had Mr Stratten and live in Weston Super Mare, not far from you, and i found him to be very good with me, i had overs so that might make a difference to which surgeon you go for. Choice of surgeon is very personal but i can say he has done a very good job with me.
Good luck, i hope everything works out for you xx

Hey Vix,

Thank u for writing back. Weston isn't far from me at all :)
Yeah I am still within my aftercare I had mr sulliam I felt happy with him when I had it done but now I don't feel I can trust/don't feel comfortable with THG because of using the inferior implants in the first place. Did u change the size of your implants when u had them replaced? Xx

Yes i did, i went from 335 to 375, he said it was to fill the space as it would be larger this time. Even though it seems like quite a jump, there is not that much difference in size to how they were before, just a bit fuller.
I understand your concerns with not feeling safe and secure, i actually felt safer staying with my own surgeon. Moving will mean you probably have to pay, but my breast have been giving free implants and just charging for the operation, have you been for a consultation with them yet? You have to be comfortable with whoever you go with, although many many surgeons and clinics did use PIPs at some point. xx

I have been for one consult with my breast, I think I would like a consult with Simon withey but I would have to go to London! Its abit of a trek lol. I would like to go smaller but I have been told it's not recommended. Thank u for your advice vix. All this un-certainty is horrible Xxx

It is, im so sorry you still have them. I hope it goes well and you can get them out soon. xx

hey hun, sorry to hear about your pip's, but every cosmetic company was using them at some point, but thats all changed now because of whats been going on with them.. i had the thg and my last op was with dr rento zaccheddu and cant fault him one bit finally got the boobs i wanted.. surely if there ruptured ur covered in aftercare???
and im sure with going smaller u will have to have some sort of lift because of excess skin, and if u have them removed fully they will be quite saggy i imagine.. hope u get it sorted xxx

Hi ruby roo, thank u for your comment hun. Yeah I now realise how many companies were using these implants. I think if I were to go smaller I may be able to get away without having an uplift, it is something I will def ask in my consultations tho to find out exactly what would be best. If I had a confirmed rupture then yeah ur right I would still be within my aftercare so I would have the option to get them replaced at no extra charge, I would have to decide If I felt confident enough to go back to them :( xx