So Ready to Do This!!! Want to Be Free, Light and Natural! - Portland, Oregon

A HUGE thank you to all of the brave women who have shared their stories on this site. Your reviews have helped me to actively move forward with getting my implants removed, even though I've been thinking about it for years.

I got my 350cc implants (under the muscle) 6 years ago right after I had my second child. I had my kids right in a row, so I went from being pregnant to nursing, to being pregnant again, to nursing again. I was an A cup, but with pregnancy/nursing, I grew to a beautiful B. I loved my breasts this size. Once I weaned my second son, for the first time in 2 years, I saw my little breasts again, and was unhappy. I thought breast implants were the answer and had the procedure done despite everyone around me telling me not to and that I didn't need it (sister, friends, husband). I thought I knew better. I asked for a "big B" and said I wanted to look as natural as possible. I ended up with 350 High Profile Saline implants and the change was dramatic. I am tall and thin, but had these perky and quite large (big C) breasts. I was embarrassed by them almost immediately, but thought I'd get used to it with time.

I am a fitness instructor and discovered right away, the awful feeling (and appearance) of when I would flex my pec muscles (in a push-up for example). My breasts would pull apart and distort. I absolutely hated the way this felt and was embarrassed by how it looked. The other thing that bothered me was, because I had high profile implants, they were spaced wider on my chest and I did not have much cleavage. It looked unnatural! Fake, like two baseballs under my shirt.

After about two years I did some research on ways to fix the problems, and I thought about explanting, but, at the time, I believed my results would be horrible, so I ended up having an implant exchange. My new doctor swapped saline for silicone and told me with a wider implant, I would have cleavage. He also cleaned up scar tissue saying my breasts would no longer distort with exercise. I now have 350cc (still under the muscle) moderate profile implants. Long story short, I still hate them. Yes, I have cleavage, but they look so WRONG on my body. They still distort, too!

I feel like a fool for thinking (not just once but TWICE!) that implants would be the answer. They are most certainly NOT. I am a healthy and active person and I have realized that these implants do not mesh with who I am. I want to be free of these weights that I have been carrying around on my chest. I want to be able to hug my children and not feel like there is something between us. I want to have the lean and sleek body that I was born with, and that my husband loved so much. But most of all, I want to move into the next chapter in my life...implant FREE!!!

I had my first consult today and it almost made me upset to the point of crying when both the nurse and the doctor spoke to me about exchanging the implants for a smaller size, or to go above the muscle instead. It took so much courage for me to get there and say (with all my heart), "I want these out, they are not for me" and to have the response be anything but supportive. It was disappointing. I have another consult (different PS) scheduled for next week.

My goal is to have the procedure done in late November or December... I am so ready for this!!! Looking forward to being on the other side!!!

I had my second consult this week and it was great! Dr. Gabriel and his staff were sensitive, caring and took their time with me (I think I was there for over an hour!). Dr. Gabriel also was meticulous about planning my surgery, as well as giving me hope for nice results. All in all, I felt cared for and supported, which was exactly what I wanted.

I hope to schedule my surgery for mid-December so that I can recover and take time off over the Christmas Holiday.

Thank you to everyone on this site for your kindness and support on my journey to being free of these implants! I feel a sense of relief having found such a wonderful surgeon, and now I am feeling even more ready to move forward.

Best wishes to all of you!!!

I felt a huge sense of relief setting my appointment for explant this week. I also was able to secure about 2 weeks off work to heal and recover. It will be December 19th!! I know it's about a month and a 1/2 away, but I am hoping that time flies until then.

I feel so happy that I have gotten through the initial steps of having consults, finding the right surgeon, and setting a date. To me, those were the most difficult, not to mention, telling my husband about how I have been feeling and that I want to remove my implants. But now all this is done, I am feeling this huge sense of relief...and all I have to do now is wait and prepare myself emotionally and mentally.

I am sure I will start to get nervous as the date approaches (going under anesthesia, worrying about the results etc.), but I know in my heart that I am making the right decision. And I still feel so ready to move on past this chapter in my life.

Feeling hopeful today!!!