Breast Augmentation: Stories

For the longest time (since high school...I am now 23, no kids), I went back and forth on whether I was okay with my tiny boobs (didn't even fill a padded A cup) or if I wanted to change it. Finally, last year I made the decision to change it. After research on RealSelf, the official plastic surgeons website, I found my doctor and started the process. My consultation went well, they let me meet and tak privately with a previous patient who had her breast augmentation done 11 years ago. It was really helpful to be able to ask her all my questions. Then I sat down with the doctor and his office staff and talked about the look I wanted. My phrase of the day was "as natural as possible." After leaving the doctors office, I felt comfortable enough to go ahead and schedule my surgery. At my post op appointment 3weeks before, the doctor was late getting out of surgery and I had to leave for work so I got to talk to him for all of 3mins. But I showed him my poster of pictures with my likes and dislikes and he seemed confident that he could achieve those results. Surgery day was actually really easy. I wasn't nervous at all, I'd been counting down the days and couldn't wait to get in there. The nurses were all super nice and made me feel comfortable. They have this great machine that blow warm air into your gown...best thing ever considering the whole surgery center is COLD. After talking with the anesthesiologist and the nurses, Dr. Pousti came in and we reviewed my poster again and what I wanted. He was encouraging me to go for more of a cleavage look when all I really wanted was a gentle slope with full breasts. I was nervous about going too big (I'm 5'7'', 128lbs) or having the rounded look (the rounded look screams "boob job!!"....kind of the opposite of the natural look I wanted.

Coming out of anesthesia, I can remember wanting to look at my chest SO bad but I couldn't open my eyes. Finally the medication wore off and I kept looking down thinking, "Oh my god, I have boobs! They're not huge but they're boobs!" They gave me percocet and zofran before I left so the car ride home (1hour drive) was super easy (luckily I had my mom there to drive me). I wasn't nauseous all day and was able to eat soup for lunch with some fruit. Then I rested and watched TV before trying to go to sleep. The hardest part is the medication routine...between the antibiotic, the pain med, and the muscle relaxer, I'm taking pills every couple of hours which means I don't get much sleep.

Now, Day 2 has been a different story. SO SORE. Every muscle hurts, especially the ones under my arms. Reaching for anything is super painful. I had one bought of nausea today but I think it's because I hadn't eaten recently but was still taking all my meds. I've heard day 2 is the worst so I'm hoping it gets easier from here. I completely agree with recommendations that other people have made: use bendy straws, set-up a mountain of pillows on your bed (you won't want to lay down all they way anyways, it would hurt too much), have plenty of zip up or button up shirts, write out your schedule of medications, and have people around to help you. I am currently scheduled for my recheck on Monday so that's 4 days of not showering, boooo. But I think I'll take a waist down bath and try to wash my hair in the sink. So excited to see them!!!

Day 3 post-op
Okay, so what they tell you is totally true. Day 2 is the worst and it gets better. Mostly I've just had a pressure/tightness on my chest (to be expected) with some painful stabbing under my right arm (I think the surgical bra they gave me may be too tight and is pinching my right boob....or maybe this is just normal?). I do have a burning/slight stinging sensation at my incision site when the percocet wears off but it's really not that bad.

I was able to change my shirts and shorts by myself (albeit slowly and gingerly) and went for a slow 1.5 mi walk today (felt soooo good after sitting around for the past couple of days). I'm trying to wean myself off the heavy drug medication...I'll have to ask my doctor's office tomorrow what they recommend. OH, also I was able to wash my hair today but sitting up against the bathtub with a pillow and having my mom do all the washing. It strains your neck muscles a little bit but is totally worth it.

Good-bye narcotic pain meds! Today I was finally able to switch over to high dose Motrin for pain control and stopped the Percocet. As necessary as the percocet was the first few days for pain management, the constipation that comes with it is terrible. I had the biggest belly and lots of abd discomfort! (sorry if that's TMI but it's reality! Follow the Drs directions as take a stool softener from day1). I don't really have pain now, it's more of a heaviness/tightness on my chest. Not bad, it just feels like you have bricks sitting on your chest when you sit up. I wonder if part of this may be due to the fact that I am still in the compression surgical bra? I do get the random shooting pains around my breasts like other people have talked about...all part of the healing process I guess. Only 2 more days until the surgical bra comes off!

So I had my first post-op appointment yesterday and it went perfectly! Dr. says that everything looks good!! It was the first time I had taken off the surgical bra and it felt great...not to mention I finally got to look at the new me! I have to say, I was VERY pleased. Dr. Pousti and I never really talked about a size before surgery (ie B cup, C cup, 300 cc vs 400cc). He is both an artist and a excellent surgeon and from his past work, I knew that he would give me what I wanted which was the most natural look possible, proportionate to my size. And while the girls are still swollen and riding high, I think he did exactly that. So to sum it up, couldn't be happier with the results so far!

At my post-op appt, I got the okay to shower and was told to hold off on massages until I see him again next week. I've also started wearing another bra ( Warner's brand, bought at Kohls) half the time which is nice because it's not as tight as the compression bra. The shower after the post-op appt was heaven, the warm water really relaxes all those muscles! I haven't really had any pain recently, just chest tightness/pressure. I'm slowly gaining more range of motion with my arms and have graduated from wearing only button down shirts (yay!). I LOVE the way I look in all my clothes now!

Went to the gym for the first time since surgery! I've been doing walks around the neighborhood but really missed my usual workouts...now that it's been 2 weeks since surgery I got clearance to go back. Did a more mild version of my normal cardio and a bunch of leg weights. No upper body, that won't be for a few more weeks. I've also started daily massages...it actually feels really good, can't wait to see the results in a few weeks!

Today I went bikini shopping and for the first time in my life, I actually LOVED the way I looked! The girls are looking great, they're dropping nicely. I can't enough how happy I am with my results, Dr. Pousti achieved perfection!