Breast Lift: Stories

July 15, 2012
Today marks exactly 4 weeks before my surgery... and I have yet to decide if I actually want a reduction or not! The boobs will definitely be lifted, and Dr. Downey has decided on a lollipop lift with a small, 2cm incision at the base. Granted, I am 24 and a 32DD... but I have heard reports that once the breast is reshaped and lifted it will actually look much smaller anyway. So I am still unsure about the reduction part! Thoughts?

In other news, I am tripping balls that my surgery is FOUR WEEKS AWAY.

At least I have the most supportive and wonderful boyfriend ever. He says he loves my breasts now and he will love them post-op because they are on me ;) Last night, I leaned over and smacked him in the face with one of my saggy boobs and said "you see that?! that will NOT be possible in 4 weeks!!" heehee

July 18, 2012
Went for the pre-culture for my IUD at the gyno today... he is supposed to be putting it in in 10 days. That may seem unrelated, but I am actually nervous about pain from adjusting to the IUD combined with pain from surgery recovery in a few weeks. Does anyone have the IUD that can comment on that? I am terrified. At the same time, I guess I'm kind of happy to be getting everything out of the way in one swoop ;)

So I was a little too freaked out and decided against the IUD for now. I just don't want to put myself in a situation where I am doing way too much and in severe pain. I also posted some pictures in Ask a Doctor and the replies made me feel a lot more comfortable about the procedure I decided on (lollipop lift). I still scheduled an additional consultation with Dr. Downey though to show her some pictures and see if I will be able to get the results I want. Will post next after that appointment in a few days. Happy Monday people :)

I am nervous that after my lift my girls wont feel like "mine". I might sound crazy saying that... can anyone share their personal experiences on adjusting to a new look and taking ownership post-op? It's not that I don't want them lifted.. I really really do... just scared about not feeling like "me"!

Also an exercise question: I am really in to thai boxing, I do it at the gym basically every day, in your opinion how long would you say I should wait to go back to doing kick pad drills, punching drills, pushups, jump rope etc post op? Thanks again everyone for supporting me :)

Just had my third consultation with Dr. Downey (yes, I said third lol.. I'm a little crazy and nervous) and I am extremely pleased!! She is such a nice person and so knowledgeable and patient... she sat there for an hour answering every question from "is it ok to take allegra-D the week leading up to my surgery" to "will I have fullness in my upper pole"? When she walked in I had a billion things spread all over the table, prescriptions I am taking, my laptop with pictures of boobs on it, scar tape I bought at CVS, and we went through and talked about every item I brought in!! She even left the room to get a camera and showed me personally some different angles while I was lying on the table, and what she can do from her perspective. Everything makes so much sense now, and I am feeling much more calm! I am so happy I found a surgeon that I trust and now I am looking forward to just getting this over with and starting the healing process.

PS I've been working out like CRAZY and eating very well for months now because I've heard being in the best health possible helps with the healing process. I think I might actually be in the best shape of my life! I am healthy, not skinny but healthy and a little muscular. I had a dream last night I kicked a robber in the face... must be a side effect of too much kick boxing ;)

Decided not to get a reduction! Thought about it for a long time. I would rather not burn any bridges and see what I think after they are lifted. I've lost 8 pounds and am down 5% body fat... I'm so ready to get this over with!

Scar strips: check
Scar cream: check
Multi vitamin: check
Get healthy: check
Post op bra: still need to get one
Getting my house cleaned: check
Getting my cat cleaned: check (she needs to be sterile too! lol)
Mom flying in: check
Fill post op prescription: still need to do it

Am I missing anything??

Went for my pre-op physical today! I did blood work, a chest x-ray, an EKG and all the other normal physical stuff. I have been super moody over the past couple days. Been arguing with basically everyone and not getting a lot of sleep (plus the AC has been out in the building all month so sleeping hasn't been comfortable). My mom says if it is too hot around surgery time and the AC isn't fixed we are just going to get a hotel room so I can sleep. I don't know, I thought I was past the point of anxiety now but it seems like its all coming back! I am just nervous and AHHHH and want to get as much done as possible before this happens!

In other news I am ordering this bra because it has great reviews (the three reasons one) http://www.titlenine.com/category/sports-bras-and-undies/medium-high-impact-sports-bras.do?sortby=ourPicks&page=1

I am also getting this stuff called "Injurotox", it is a holistic dropper that you put under your tongue once a day I think, it has arnica in it and I have heard good things!

UPDATE: Bet you can't hold a pair of sunglasses AND a full 2012 day planner under your boobs!!!!! no hands!

Had my final pre-op appointment on Friday! I've been anxious ever since. Cant believe this is really happening in 48 hours... omg. I also had my physical/ got my blood drawn/ an EKG etc. So far so good. Everything is paid for as well, now just counting down the hours and trying not to freak out! Just praying for serenity, piece of mind, happiness and a smooth, long-lasting healing process.

Hey ladies I am alive and well but super drugged and going in and out of sleep. I

So I read my review from yesterday (the day of my surgery) and laughed and laughed this morning. Seems that I fell asleep mid sentence. hahahaha. Well that should pretty much tell you I was really, really out of it. So here is basically what happened:

I got to the hospital at 5:15am, checked in and was super panicked, cried like 4 times. Went into preop with my mom and boyfriend where they put warm blankets on me and did my vitals. Then went into the anesthesia room where that doctor went over my answers to the sheet they provided me at the beginning. Then came probably the scariest part for me. I finally saw my surgeon and as she walked into the room I almost passed out... TWICE! I got completely pale and yellowish and very hot and had to lay down and almost threw up on her while she was trying to mark me up. I was sooooo scared and nervous I think my body just reacted to it. She was able to get through the marking and next thing I knew I was saying bye to my mom (in a less panicked state) and getting wheeled into another room. Those little tricksters didn't even tell me they started the anesthesia... lol. I saw the big table where they were going to put me and all that and next thing I knew I was waking up to another random nurse! Saying "oh she's waking up". I was like duh lady. haha.. but she was nice :)

So then I think I passed out for a while longer and woke up in the same room I did pre-op in with the same blankets to my mom and boyfriend. After I was stable enough they wheeled me to the car. Then we went to the hotel, which I am currently in now, because the AC in my building is out and it is like Satan's lair in there during this heat wave.

So yesterday was me basically in and out of sleep, I got maybe 8 bites of oatmeal down, almost threw it up twice, and then finally at the end of the day was able to get some plain pasta down no problem. The other weird thing that happened is I tried to kind of peak at my nipple and I pulled up the cotton a little and MY NIPPLE looked like it was starting to peel off with the cotton!! I freaked out! It created a little hole and gross stuff started coming out so I quickly kind of pressed my nipple back on and never looked down there again. I really want to but ummmm no way haha.

I am all wrapped up and cant take pictures but after my post op tomorrow hopefully I can! xoxoxo

Today is day 2 post op and my pain has gone way down. I am pretty constipated though.. lol. Didn't need any vikodin today and went for my first post op! This is the first time I've gotten to see anything! I have gotten my appetite back, too :)

My boobs are looking really scary but I am not concerned, the incisions have a lot of healing to do and I'm sure they will do well and the swelling will go way down in the next couple weeks. This is still very surreal... cant believe these are my boobs! They are so perky its crazy...

I am loving Dr. Downey! She has been amazingly helpful with aftercare so far. Today I went and got some camis that sit comfortably over my boobs from LuluLemon ;)

Will update with more pics soon... next post op is on Friday, 1 week from today!

I am in love with my new yellow top from Lululemon! #braless baby!

Just wanted to give ya'll lovely ladies a quick update. Tomorrow marks one week since my surgery and I feel great! It's amazing how quickly the body recovers from a big surgery. I still have crazy looking boobs with big incisions but they pretty much stay wrapped up in these soft bras I got from Target most of the day. The bras from Target are amaaazing by the way, they have just enough support but are loose and soft enough at the bottom that they don't "cut into you" where the incisions are.

Anyway I stopped taking pain meds almost 2 days ago! Not even advil! And I'm through with the prescribed anti-biotic the doctor gave me. I had a small sore pain under my right boob for a while but that is completely gone now. Now I am more itchy than anything. This is all still so surreal... having completely different boobs. I am not even bruising too much yet and am able to shower every day. Just waiting on those crazy looking yellow bruises to come around :)

I am not going to go too crazy but I'm tired of sitting in the house so I think going on a short walk every day will be nice. I feel more than capable of doing it, just been paranoid lol. Besides that I feel back to my old self! Oh also sleeping is interesting... I am very much a stomach sleeper so even though I try to start out on my back I end up rolling around. Usually I make it through the night, but if my body starts feeling too much pressure it will wake me up and I will just flip back on to my back. So its all good :) Anyway post op on Friday, will update more pics then bc I look basically the same just a little less red and a little more crusty! Gross I know!

Today marks 3 weeks post op! I was doing completely fine until an incident I had last Friday. I went in for my 2 week post op and Dr. Downey applied some surgical tape (basically just sticky tape that helps hold the incisions together while they are healing). Unfortunately I had a bad allergic reaction to the tape! My breasts started itching so badly and I got a rash underneath them. It was over the holiday weekend and I panicked about taking the tape off (I didn't know whether or not I was supposed to). The itching became unbearable that night to the point I just had to take the tape off! When I took it off a bunch of gunk came off with it (mostly surgical glue) but I also opened up a few small holes and saw some fluid oozing out (clear and green). I freaked out that entire night until morning and the holes already seemed to be healing over.

I ended up calling Dr. Downey in tears in the morning (still kind of embarrassed about that one) and her answering service transferred me directly to her. She picked up right away! She told me I did the right thing and everything was completely fine. She fit me in right away, looked at my breasts and prescribed me a steroid cream that will help calm the allergic reaction (took a picture of it for you all). I only started it yesterday and so far I think it is working, I am still itchy but definitely not as bad as before. I have a followup with her on Friday. She says my scars are healing well so there is no need to put on tape and we can go over some other options on Friday.

As far as my boobs I am still very pleased! They are starting to round out at the bottom (as you can see, still a little squarish, but much better than before). Dr. Downey says this process can take 6-8 weeks. I adore my perky shape and cant wait until the tenderness goes away so I can start wearing anything I want!! I am going stir crazy and cant wait to get back to my normal routine! I am doing stuff like running errands but trying to keep my anxiety level low. There is so much going on in my life and I don't want to get stressed out for my own sake. I am not in any pain but still sleeping on my back because while the pain is gone I am still very tender. The redness you see around the incisions is from the allergic reaction I had, by the way!

Healing is going well! I think finally everything has basically closed up. There was a little crustiness under one until a few days ago. Every time I go back to Dr. Downey she pulls out a stitch (they are technically dissolvable but some work their way to the surface. Once she pulls it up the area heals up nicely. I would say underneath definitely heals slower than the rest! She also says that since I'm young the scars will take longer to mature, so they will look reddish a while longer but I don't mind. Started working out a bit too, she says I can do whatever I want now! Still wearing sports bras even though I don't need to anymore, they are so comfy!