Breast Implant Removal: Stories

I'm 1 week away from my surgery - ten-year-old 300 cc saline implants getting removed. Your stories are scaring me; I need to go back to work on Monday, 3 days after getting them out.

Even if it's awful, I won't turn back; I've hated having these for 9 of the past 10 years! I was 39 when I got them but at 49, big boobs just make me look matronly. I think that in addition to looking thinner, I'm going to turn back the hands of time, too! I can't wait to look better in clothes!

Please encourage me - since mine are smaller than most of yours, will I have less pain?

Here are my "before" pics...it's stunning how huge they look in a photo...does a camera lie?

I got up at 2:00 AM, completely unable to sleep...huge presentation at work today but my nerves about Friday's surgery. Wondering if husband will be shocked, angry, glad, or stoic. It doesn't matter; this is for my health & for me. I haven't mentioned that my GYN's been watching 3 growths in one breast for a year now - that's just one more valid reason for explanting...I want all docs to be able to see anything & everything, as I age. Thank you all for your well wishes & support. If only I could turn the hands of time forward 3 days! =)

It's 3:00 AM and I haven't slept a wink...come on...I want to post that they're gone!

Oh...my...GOSH. I am "boobless"cious!!! My procedure took 90 minutes in the PS's office, with just Lidocaine. I've had dentist visits that were worse. I felt almost NO pain other than the numbing shots, and even they weren't bad. We talked the whole time, and I am just elated to be ME, again. Sadly, he showed me my pre-augmentation photos, and girls, they were cute, little breasts! Why did I buy into the "breastfeeding robbed me of my sexiness" lie? They were perfectly fine, fairly deflated breasts, but they looked lovely. What a difference a decade makes.

He told me I can exercise immediately! I am in no pain, and I'm going to walk the dog after I rest a bit. Are my breasts saggy? Yes. Big DEAL. I could not be any happier! Yes, explantation is SO worth it! =) Hugs to all of you!

So, look at my pics and tell me: How long do you predict it will take hubby to notice what I did today?

OMG this is worse than Christmas as a kid, wanting to tell your parents what's in your gift to them! This morning, Hubby asked, "How much weight have you lost? You're looking good." Wondering whether that should be "point for Hubby," I asked, a few minutes later, "Why'd you say I'm looking like I've lost weight? Can you see it in my FACE?" He chuckled and confessed, "Well, at the time I said it, I happened to be looking at...your buns." AAAAARGH!!!!!!! NO POINT FOR YOU! LOL

So I was going NUTS, and my mom came over to do some clothes talking, so I ripped my tee off in front of BOTH of them and tried on about TEN shirts! What did Mom say? "You know, you just have to lose weight, Honey...your boobs will look so much better when you do." OMG!!!!! The day after my explant? LOL again...

So the pic I'm posting is the view they got...and neither wised up to it at all. They are truly about 1/3 the size they were, and I have YET to lose the weight I need to lose - I used to fall over sports bras, like having four boobs - two in the bra & two overflowing above it. That overflow is GONE and I'm IN the bra. Neither one had a clue.

An hour later, I burst out laughing to Hubby, "You're dumb."

"About what?"

"I guess you'll figure it out when you figure it out."

"What do you mean I'm dumb? What did I do?"

And it's back to football games...I think I'm going to go shop for bras! Ha - have a great day, Friends! The saga of discovery continues...

I just said this on mommak1978's profile as a comment, so stop reading, if you've seen it there. I think it's worth sharing with people who might not read that far down on her page.

I agree with you (we learn to love our bodies post-explant in a way we were unable to, pre-augmentation); when my surgeon showed me my pre-augmentation pics right after the explant, my jaw hit the floor. I asked him why I ever thought I NEEDED the implants. I honestly remembered feeling flat & deflated, believing nursing has "ruined" me. I didn't regret nursing, but I'd lost my "I'm too sexy for this shirt" confidence. To see those pics ten years later was a genuine SHOCKER - I looked FINE. I'm sad I didn't realize that, a decade ago.

What really bothers me is that the first time I asked Hubby what he thought of me getting implants, his exact reply was, "If you'd like them, then I'd like them." I took that & RAN with it - he hates my boobs - he wishes I looked like I did pre-babies - he isn't attracted to me now - etc., etc., etc. Deep down inside, I've BLAMED him for my hatred of the implants all these years (I never voiced regret to him - that's one reason he's slow on the uptake, having yet to discover they are GONE - he doesn't have the context to help him guess what I did yesterday!)...but I'm wondering if my blame was misplaced. As many things as I admire about a man whose been mine for 30+ years, one character flaw I despise in him is his habit of answering the way he thinks I want him to, rather than simply putting opinions out there honestly & letting the chips fall where they may...I hate that about him. But now, that flaw almost defends him in my mind, & I think he answered how he thought I WANTED him to - maybe he was just going along with what he THOUGHT I wanted (implants) rather than "liking" the idea, himself. Sadly, what I NEEDED to hear (I'm typing this in case any couples or hubbies read this) was, "Absolutely NOT. Do NOT get implants. You are beautiful, exactly like you are. Whatever you don't like about your sagging needs to be revamped in your mind to realize that is your GLORY - that you poured life & love into the two most incredible kids ever born on this planet. They didn't take the life out of your breasts - they took love." That would've made me blossom with self-esteem. Tragically, I heard, "Yeah, you need implants." Don't do it, ladies - don't put foreign bodies into your beautiful, well-loved body. And if you have them, YES, removal is worth it! I'm not going to look any better than I did pre-implants - but Oh My GOODNESS, I feel FREE. It is a feeling that is worth more than words can articulate.

Help me help my hubbie, ladies...we're watching Saturday Night Football together, and he's asking, "WHAT do I not notice? You know I'm not a detail person! Is it something you're doing to lose weight? Is it something you bought? You know if you changed the tint of your hair I'm not going to notice (I don't color & have 20-30 white hairs, so he should know I'm not coloring). Help me figure out what detail I'm not noticing."

Kinda makes ya wanna rip your shirt off, huh... =)

2 margaritas made hubby spelled hubbie & others as well, but no judging here, right? How do I TELL him? Just get naked? I can tell right now he's NOT going to figure this out on his own. Do I drink 'grita #3? When he got up to get me #2, he said, "Here - let me get you some more truth serum." Isn't that cute? He's trying! =)

It is approaching midnight, and we've shared four drinks together...he's guessed that I had my eyebrows done, my lips done, or "something done to your face, but I can't tell." I'm tired of the guessing game. Just want to tell him. Sad he doesn't notice. Will anyone at work notice on Monday? My gosh, is all of this just in our imaginations? He just needs to see them, but I'm hesitant to be intimate within 24 hours....might hurt. I guess we'll see tomorrow. =)

Day 3:

1. Still no pain...so very grateful.

2. I RARELY drink, so 3 margaritas, trying to get up the nerve to play Show-n-Tell w/ Hubby last night put me to sleep.

3. He deserves at least 1 point for bringing it up again, this morning:

Him:"How much have you lost?"
Me: "Not much. And you're looking at my front side today instead of at my buns. Does my front side look thinner to you?"
Him: "Every side looks thinner."

So, I think he does notice, and he just wouldn't think "Your boobs sure look smaller" as being a compliment he should attempt to offer!

I hope all of you are healing beautifully, today. To those of you struggling with pain, infection and/or patience, I'm sending squooshy hugs & prayers from the Live Music Capital of the World. Have an incredible, positive day!

Question for those of you who have had your implants removed already: I returned to work today, and my left breast had needle-stick-like, sharp pings of pain, all day, but as soon as I would think, "Ouch! There it is again!" they'd be gone...very brief - nothing that interrupted conversations, etc. It was a stinging, tingly (in a bad way) sensation - but nothing panicky... Did you all experience those prickly pains? Are they a normal part of the healing process?

Day 2 back at work - not one pins-n-needles stinging sensation today, so that lasted just one day. =) Now ladies, I'm reading many negative comments about fears about saggy, saggy boobs...so I just have to share a funny truth, from the authoritative source known as one Steve Harvey, via Family Feud - yes, Family Feud (an American Game show, for those of you in other countries - families answer questions that were posed to 100 people in a survey & try to guess the top x answers those who were surveyed said).

Last week, Family Feud asked this question, "We surveyed 100 adults. Name something that DROOPS."

What was the FIRST answer offered up, to THUNDEROUS applause, before flowers or eyelids? BREASTS. That's right, wonderful ladies, they DROOP. The world knows it. I think we've all looked at implants for so many decades now that we are FORGETTING breasts DROOP! The world knows it is NORMAL to sag...it is NOT normal to be perky, post adolescence. You...are...beautiful. =)

Day 6 - Sutures were removed & he told me to return in 3-4 weeks - he said I can exercise, as long as I don't do the high-impact stuff (don't make them bounce)...all-in-all, about as traumatic as a hangnail - very grateful for that - this was an expensive, life lesson. I will never regret getting them removed! =)

I'm watching the Milana Bra by Genie infomercial. Please reply if you've bought it and/or a regular Genie bra. I don't want to pay for them without hearing from "real" customers. Please let me know if you like or dislike it! I think I might prefer the regular Genie over the Milana if it has the same support...what can you tell me? Thanks!

I had my first mammogram today, almost 2 months post-explant. (1) GOOD NEWS: You only have to have 4 pics taken instead of 8, after you rid yourself of the implants! That was nice. (2) My tech said I did THE best thing for my health I ever could have done. She said that while techs tell implant clients that their mammograms are as good as those for women without implants, they are trained to lie to encourage...she said NO tech pushes as hard on implants as they do without, for liability reasons. That truth is NOT in implanted women's best interest! (3) She said she has been SHOCKED by the sudden surge in post-explant women she has screened, just this year. (She even asked me what led me to get them in the first place, and what led me to explant, afterward - she said she's fascinated by the answers she's getting, but that in general, women did it for men and now realize their health is more important.) She asked me what is causing the meteoric rise in explants. I told her I don't know, but that I think we are simply wising up to the grass not being greener on the implant side of the fence. She still said there are LARGE numbers of women making this health decision, and she is encouraged by the increase in wisdom, whatever the reason...so I think we, on this site, are a drop in the bucket of a much bigger revolution - we don't know how common this procedure is becoming just yet, because we don't discuss it with strangers or acquaintances, and the number of surgeons out there is relatively huge, so most haven't done many themselves...we are wise, ladies, and healthier, and yes, more beautiful! At this point, I don't care how low my breasts droop...it just feels incredible to be me! =)

I had my two-month post-op today, and he won't see me again for a year. I asked how much sports bras help at night, at this point, because my back hurts so badly, in the morning. He drew a curve & said that obviously, they help a lot at first, but I'm right at that point where the steep slope will level off. He was ambivalent about whether or not they will continue to do anything & said pain due to bras isn't a good thing. So, I'm thinking about stopping. Have any of you worn sports bras all night for more than two months, post-op?

Last night, I took my arms out of my sports bra and slept with it on, just around my breasts, with nothing over my shoulders. I figured I'd wake up with it around my waist, but it worked beautifully! My back didn't hurt this morning, because there was no pressure on my shoulders/back all night. The bra held my breasts tightly against my chest all night! I hope this might help some of you who have experienced similar back pain. Hang in there!

Just have to share with all of you that Hubby greeted me this evening with, "Do you have ANY idea how much CUTER you are? Those things were TOO BIG on you! I can't tell you how many times I thought they were just wearing you - I just never would've told you that before now. I don't care HOW much any of you droop after explanting - you ALL look better natural. The change is AMAZING."

Just have to share what I heard Terrence Howard tell Jimmy Kimmel Tuesday night: he looked out into the audience and with UTMOST SINCERITY AND SERIOUSNESS said, "Seriously ladies , STOP IT WITH THE FAKE BOOBS! They've come and gone and all men love the feel of REAL breasts. So, please stop putting in fakes....."