A conversational YouTube video (Apr 10, 2025) featuring Robert Whitfield MD and a patient, Candace, discussing the psychological impact of cancer treatment and implant removal. Candace describes a strong, complex rejection of her breast implants and the ensuing identity shift (from larger to smaller size), while Dr. Whitfield frames this as a difficult but common mental-health challenge among reconstruction patients. The conversation highlights acute body-image disruption, grief/frustration in clinic visits, and the importance of close support (notably Candace's partner, Michael) after appointments.
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It's the hardest thing ever.
Yeah.
So that's why we have Candace. No. So it is a difficult problem. And it is, you know, people often, you know, have an appointment that ends up in a therapy session basically a lot. And, you know, having dealt with so many cancer patients for so many years and they have by far the worst possible situations, I listen, I try to be empathetic and understanding as possible, but I know it's going to get better because you didn't have a mastectomy. So I know that's basically the worst possible situation for me to deal with. And I dealt with that all the time doing oncology reconstruction. It is from a mental perspective, like you said, and you've told me this. It's a mind fuck. It's very hard from an image perspective right off the bat.
But here's the weird thing, and I mean this wholeheartedly. If you had paid me a hundred million dollars, I still would not put those implants back in. Like, that's. That's the mind fuck of it, is that I was like, ew, get these implants away from me. I don't want them. And when they were out and you go from a double D to a C and it's weird, I still don't want them back in. So the feeling is very like. It's like you can't grab the feeling because you don't know what the feeling is. Just. Does that make sense?
It's like, you know, you're not. The balance is gone, Right? So you had this for a long period of time. It was part of you.
It's like a narrative and an identity.
And then when you take it away, there's no. It's not this. It's not balanced anymore. And you have to balance out, you know, the system, if you will. And obviously that's a little bit deeper. And it's hard for people to get to that point. And people get extremely frustrated, extremely sad, sometimes very emotional in the office. And that's why it's great to have someone like Michael who's very supportive because we can only do so much in a very short appointment time. But afterwards, that's where he can be supportive of you, just like other significant others and spouses are supportive of their, you know, situation.
And he was. And I think, let's talk about how.
Great I am for the next 10 minutes.
What you did do that really helped is you looked at me and you said you made the 100% percent right decision. And now that I'm to the other side. I'm like, yes, I feel so much better. But I think that it is important to have a supportive partner.
