Doran Stark, MD (retired)

Was a 36b chose to go with 450ccc under the muscle.. I am six months po and wearing a 38 double dd bra.just oredered my first bikini and it fits amazing..pain was tolerable and I would so do it again. I have no problem sleeping on my sides or tummy. i absolutely love my new girls and so very happy I finally did it. Thank you Dr. stark

I had gained some weight and felt I needed lipo on my belly and thighs . I am one week post op and had my stitches out yesterday. My belly feels like I am 6 mos pregnant and really hurts. I have very sharp pain in the sides of my belly when I move around when lying down. It's really concerning me. Also constipation was a major problem three days ago and I gave myself a fleet enema. I finally went! I think my compression garment is too tight. I unzipped the very top waist part to loosen it some. I'm still very bruised and bumpy. Dr says to massage the area. I can't wait to start seeing improvement. Right now I feel like I look way worse .

It was just too large and the back pain was just too excruciating Updated on 21 Apr 2011: MY expectation was not very high all i wanted was relief to my back pain and to be able to walk in any store and be able to purchase a bra. It took about 2 weeks for me to be able to drive again. I didnt feel much pain it was more of a discomfort that to say pain.

mother of 2 age 3 and 8. i am 27 years of age. i wanted a tummy tuck and breast impalnts becuse i did not feel good about my self. i loss alot of wight i wight 150 i am 5'8 feet tall and i had a pouch that did not go away even tho i workout 5 day a week and i always had small breast as well and my entire life i been depress about the way i look and also have very low self esteem. also has cuese me problem with my married life thank god i have a wonderful husband that love me no matter what, but i feel bad when i always went to hide my body from him and tell him to turn off the light in the bedroom if you know what i mean. i had my tummy tuck and my breast implants done on june 15. i been wanted this for years this is a dream come true that never never in my life thouht that this day were to come. today is 5 day op and let me tell is pain but i know that this pain is worth it 100%. my breast are great. i love it. i did 550cc on one breat and 600cc on the other. at frist i told the doctor i wanted a full c that i wanted big but not that big and he told not worry i know what will be great for you and he sure did. so for the tummy tuck when i went to the doctor 2 days after my procedure i was able to peek and i can tell the deffrent already. they took off one drian off already last thursday. i going back tomorrow so to take of the other one, have not be able to shower at all just wipes but tomorrow i will be able to atfer i come back from the doctor.. cant wait to see the result!! but so far i am happy. i will keep up dated.. also i will post pic soon of my both procedure. make sure to take your pain meds every 4- 6 hour it helps there were one i had to stop uses becuse they were giveing me nightmare... Updated on 24 Jun 2010: now it has been one week and 2 day atfer my op and i feel great most of the pain has gone away thanks god just a little pain in my tummy i will post soon pics of my tummy

My grandmother was a designer at a bra factory and made custom bras for every woman in my family. This worked out perfectly, because all of them (her sisters, her nieces, her cousins, her youngest daughter) were WELL endowed and all my life I heard about all the creative ways they lassoed those giant boobs. All of them...except my own mother, who even after 3 pregnancies did not fit into a B cup. I was certain she was the exception to the rule and I would be blessed with these genetic miracles and so I waited with excitement. By 6th grade, I was an inch under 6 foot tall so I knew they were coming...I was certain they would sprout over the summer and I would finally be able to fit into a bikini top. But that summer came and went...as did the next...and the next...and the 22 summers that followed and the damn things never showed up! Yes during my 2 pregnancies, I managed to fit modestly into a C cup but even after my milk came in, it wasn't anything to thank the boob Gods for, by any means...I didn't even get stretch marks, if that says anything. So here I am...plenty of hips, plenty of butt...and nothing but nipples and ribs above my waist. I wear a size 6 or 8 in pants but my blazers and button ups are size 0 and 2. That's some serious disproportion, from where I'm standing. I NEVER would have done this without prompting; I would have continued to wear my $90 bombshell bras (which in Florida feel like an underground bomb shelter for your boobs) and looked longingly at cute halter dresses and strapless gowns (like the one I had to wear in my brother's wedding and every photo shows me holding it up so it didn't slip right off of me) but my wife (yes, you read that correctly) decided that this she was sick of being 100 pounds and hauling around D cups so she was getting a reduction. And then she said, "We are doing this together...you are getting bigger boobs and I am getting rid of mine." I chuckled and told gave her a list of important things (our master bathroom remodel, landscaping, our 11 year olds upcoming braces) that I could spend six grand on but her mind was set. We were doing it. So 4 consults later, her boobs have been reduced and I am 1 week away from my pre op appointment and less than 3 weeks away from my surgery date. I have had 2 c sections, a cyst removal, and oral surgery so I'm not nervous about the actual surgery but more about the pain and the recovery. We have 3 boys ages 11, 4, and 1 so I don't know how well they (or I) will do in the days after surgery when I'm doped up and my chest that they normally lounge on (with the aid of pillows because God knows that's not a comfy spot as is) will be off limits. During my initial consult, Dr. Stark showed me 490cc silicone implants which were MUCH larger than I expected but he did explain given my height and dimensions, if he put much smaller ones in they would look like baseballs instead of boobs. That's doesn't sound too cute. He highly recommended silicone behind the muscle because I have no breast tissue and have a very bony chest and said that saline would have a much higher chance of rippling and that I would most likely be able to see the outline of the implant. I figure I'm already spending this much, I may as well go with the good stuff. I am very much a planner so any tips on stuff to have ready or have completed BEFORE my surgery would be much appreciated. I bought an Under Armour zip up sports bra, but I'm not sure if a compression bra would be a good idea too and which one is best. (I only know about Miracle Bras, Water Bras, and Wonder Bras so I'm out of my element). I've read that I need ice packs, but I don't if frozen veggies work or if I need something special. One reviewer said she put together a "day of surgery" kit which I thought was an awesome idea...but she didn't give any indication as to was in the dang thing so I don't know what is useful and what is pointless. My pre-op is next Thursday so I am hoping to be able to play with sizes and make sure I'm not going to come out of surgery looking like the ghost of Anna Nicole's chest. I've included some before pictures so the world can grimace at the oddity of my chest with me. I haven't really looked at "wish boobs" pictures because when asked that question, the only answer I have is "not the ones I have" but maybe I should wrestle some up while I'm trying to devise a day of surgery kit. Updated on 11 Jun 2015: I had my pre-op appointment last Thursday, but the week prior I decided that I should make some rice sizers so I would be prepared to pick a final size at my appointment. My initial appointment was back in December so maybe I had garland and mistletoe in my ear, but I thought for SURE my PS had suggested 497cc implants to I made sizers that equated to approximately 500cc and wore them all day. Thank God silicone is lighter than whole grains or this entire thing would be a no go for me...those suckers were HEAVY, but when I put my clothes on over them I have to admit I liked the way they curved and popped. Fast forward to pre-op day. We went through all the boring stuff and signed all the disclaimers and then my PS looked at my initial documents and said "So based on your measurements my proposal is a 397cc Natrelle Mid Range (style 15) implant." And so I told him that I had been looking at reviews on RS of women who were also 5' 11" and around 150 pounds and thought maybe I wanted to up that to 450cc or 500cc based on the rice sizer experiment because I certainly didn't want to do this and wish I went larger. He gave me this "eh" look and got out his measuring tape and basically told me he was sorry but he would not be comfortable taking me that big. He said that because I have literally no breast tissue and my upper body frame is equivalent to that of a woman between 5'2" and 5'6" (which I suppose is true because my blazer size is a 0 or a 2 while my pants size is a 6) he is pushing it by going to 397. He showed me the sizing chart for the implants and my BWD is just at 12. The 397 is recommended for a 13 BWD so he said he would not feel comfortable with the possible results if we went larger. Now I had tried on the 400cc implant the first time around and was over the moon about it, but those rice sizers gave me size envy so I was pretty bummed about not being able to go bigger. I wore the 400cc sizers in his office for over half an hour under my clothes and the nurses had me do things like squats, bend down to pick something up, text on my phone...just everyday things to see how they felt. They looked tons better than my current breasts, with our without a foam padded bra and I have to remind myself that I am doing this to make my body look more proportioned and natural and that I'm not a flashy, showy kind of gal so this makes sense for me. (Repeat 3 times daily). Unfortunately, I also learned that my iron should be a minimum of 13 and mine is 8.5 so I've been iron loading all week (seriously, how much spinach can one person consume) and am crossing my fingers that it has done some good, otherwise I have to postpone my surgery until I can get it to a normal level. UGH! I got my blood drawn yesterday (after 4 attempts...stupid jumpy veins) and I haven't heard from my PS office yet so that's a good sign since the nurse said she would call first thing in the morning if I had to reschedule. At this point, I have 6 different post surgical bras (I've never needed a sports bra and wouldn't wear one anyhow since I look like a boy in them so I went a little crazy), I've rented a recliner for sleeping post surgery, ordered ice packs, have my surgery outfit ready and bought quite a few button up shirts and pajamas (I didn't have many of those either because they've never fit my shape). Now we just need to make some energy bites and high nutrient soups to freeze and thaw for the post surgery week and I think I'll be all set. Feel free to remind me of anything I may have overlooked :) Updated on 12 Jun 2015: I went for my pre-op on Thursday of last week and got a call Friday that my hemoglobin was under 9 and I needed to take iron and come back this week for another blood test. After consuming 2 iron supplements daily and ingesting more iron rich foods than will ever be humanly possible, I tested again on Wednesday...and failed. My PS is on vacation so I have to wait for him to respond to my results via text to determine if my surgery is cancelled on Tuesday. He is very cautious so I'm sure he is not going to move forward and from a scheduling standpoint I won't be able to do this until 2016. Ugh!!! Did I mention he's turning over his office to another surgeon and retiring shortly so if I do get cancelled and decide to reschedule I have to start my surgeon research all over again. Not feeling like Friday today :(. Updated on 16 Jun 2015: I finally made it to surgery day and my low iron didn't even stop me. I went in at 8:30n came out at noon with boobs. They are giant but I'm hoping they look natural and appropriate for my frame. Updated on 19 Jun 2015: I am so thankful that I poured over this site for months before my BA, otherwise I would have been totally horrified by my Frankenboobs and my bloated belly. I am used to having a pretty flat stomach so I'm not keen on this new puffy midsection I've acquired. Yesterday was my post op appointment and it was rather concise. My PS said everything looks fine, my bandages came off but the steri strips stayed on, I can shower today, and can walk at very low speeds on the treadmill as long as I don't sweat or increase my blood pressure. I wasn't prepared for the post op back and shoulder pains or the headaches that have greeted me every morning. Luckily, my chiropractor is my cousin and he does house calls. He worked on my back and neck which he said were strained from being toted around during and after surgery and from sleeping in this recliner. Now that I finally have some relief from that I feel 10 times better. I think I'm ready to escape from the house today...I've had enough resting and can't watch anymore HGTV at this point. Updated on 5 Jul 2015: I love these boobs. They were 100% worth the first 3 days of intense pain, worth sleeping upright in a recliner for 9 days, worth trying to find business attire that works with sports bras, and worth giving up crunches for 2 weeks. They are amazing and I love them and I don't have to take them off every night...they just STAY! I had my 2 week follow up appointment on Thursday and had my stitches removed. I had no idea they were so annoying until they were out. My doctor says I am exactly where I should be and still have some softening and dropping to do but he wants me to start wearing underwire bras to lock the girls in and help develop a crease. Since I had NO breast tissue before, I have never had a crease. I ordered a few Natori bras in a 34D based on the measurement charts online but I wanted a second opinion so I went to Soma today for a fitting a was deemed a 34D so that was pretty exciting. Overall, this has been an awesome experience. I stopped taking pain meds and muscle relaxers on day 5 and went back to work on day 7. I started walking very slowly on the treadmill on day 4 and the doctor released me for normal speeds this week and also for ab and lower body resistance exercises so I feel good about that. I wore a bikini top for the first time in years last week and didn't feel like an 11 year old girl. I'm a mother of 3 and I'll be damned...I'm kind of hot! The change in my outlook is astounding.

I currently have scheduled to have a bi lateral mastopexy, double implant removal, reconstruction and lift. I have had implants since 2002. I am so ready for them to come out. My left implant has capsulized and causes a lot of pain. Currently my breast are very heavy and I measure a size 38G. My goal is to get down to a C. I will be posting pics of my journey. Stay tuned.

I am 32 years old a Mother of 2 boys. I have always had very small breasts, 34A-B. I would like to go to a small D. I stay very busy and work 4 jobs. I feel like I am always doing things for others and now it's time to do something for myself. I am finally at a place professionally and financially where I have the means to get my BA. I want to have a BA for many reasons, some are selfish, some are silly. I work in a very male dominant field and we all wear the same uniform. I have been called sir several times. I want my clothes to fit better. I want to be able to wrap a towel around me and have something to hold it up. lol. My Mother and my Sister both have large breasts but I ended up very flat chested like my Grandmother. The doctor I have chosen is Dr. Stark in Lakeland FL. He has been in practice for 30 years and I haven't been able to find any complaints about him. I had my first consultation about a month ago. Dr. Stark took time to answer my questions and discuss size. He has an in office surgical suite but due to my history of allergies and allergic reaction during anesthesia, he advised me that I would need to get the procedure done at the hospitals outpatient department. This is going to increase the cost but, better to be safe. I have had 2 pre op appointments so far. I had to go to my PCP and have ekg, labs and stress test done. I received surgical clearance from him. I went to my pre op with my surgeon last week. We again discussed size. He initially told me that he would not due more than 360-420. I advised him that I wanted to be a full C small D, We decided on 500cc moderate profile saline. I have 1 more pre op scheduled for this Friday with the hospital. During this appointment I will have the opportunity to meet with the anesthesiologist to discuss my concerns. Updated on 19 Sep 2013: As I talk to several people that have had BA, most of them tell me that they have gotten Moderate Plus profile. My surgeon told me that he is giving me the Mentor Moderate smooth. I tried to do research on the different profiles but I couldn't find anything on how the choice is made. I did read that the Moderate profile is flatter and wider then the others. I assumed that would make my breasts look smaller. This morning I called my surgeons office with my concerns. The nurse explained to me that they use the Moderate profile most often and for those with a "normal" body, and that they usually use the Moderate Plus profile for those that are very petite.. ie around 100 lbs or with a very small frame. She said I have a normal frame. She also said that the Moderate Plus implants sit further apart from each other causing less cleavage. She said that the Moderate profile are more round at the bottom giving the appearance of nice natural cleavage. Natural cleavage is definitely the look I am going for. So glad I chose to call and get this clarification. I feel much better about the decision. :) I am getting so excited! One week from tomorrow! Updated on 25 Sep 2013: Wow, where has time gone. It's getting close. only 45 hours to go :) I have to be at the hospital on Friday morning at 6am. My husband is going with me. He is so awesome. He took off of work for a week to take care of me and help me thru recovery. I am starting to get a bit more nervous. I think it's because it is becoming real.... It's something I have wanted for a long time and it's finally almost here. It is very exciting to know that in 2 short days I will finally have the boobies I have dreamed of. LOL. I have been working hard on preparing the house. I have purchased a few extra pillows, and a neck pillow. I'm not sure how I will do sleeping sitting up. I have a really comfy Papasan chair with an ottoman that I love to read and nap in but I'm not sure how I will do sleeping in it all night. Any suggestions to help with comfort or preparation for recovery?? Updated on 26 Sep 2013: I only have 8 1/2 more hours until I head to the hospital for my BA. I started to get nervous earlier but I am doing okay right now. I'm sure by morning I will be a hot mess. I always am right before surgery. Hopefully they will dope me up with Versed shortly after I get there. :) I made sure to have everything in order at the house today. I have all my snacks, Extra Pillows, Meds, and My hubby. I cannot wait to be on the other side. I'm so excited to have this over with. They gave me Zofran to take tonight and in the am because I get so sick with Anesthesia. Hopefully this will keep the nausea at bay. Updated on 27 Sep 2013: I had my surgery at 735 on Sep 27th. I had an allergic reaction to the compression stalkings. I managed not to throw up until I got home. I am taking Percocet, Zofran, and flexeral as well as a stool softner and Keflex. The pain is unbearable at times but doing okay. My husband took a week off to help with my recovery. I only three up once today. Eating okay. Feeling short of breath at times. Lots of pressure/ heaviness to upper pole. Will update more tomorrow. I got between 450-500cc not sure how much. I will find out at my post op on Monday. Updated on 28 Sep 2013: Updated on 28 Sep 2013: My night was okay. I only slept about 3 1/2 hours but I don't feel too bad. Ice packs are my bff right now. As long as I do pain meds and muscle relaxers I seem to do okay. I have a very heavy feeling and upper pole tightness this morning. I am so thankful for my hubby, he is amazing. He even fed me because it hurt to raise my arms. I will update more later. Updated on 28 Sep 2013: Today is officially 1 day post op. Today I was able to eat breakfast and take my medicines without nausea. My husband and I were able to go to Chipotle for lunch. I hate being on pain medication,It makes me feel fuzzy. We also went to a movie and did some shopping. I think I did too much too fast as I am really sore. My breasts are very achy and very tight. They feel like they did when I was breast feeding. I am now at home resting with my ice packs. My chest and arms feel as though I have had a strenuous workout. I was told not to take a shower until after my Post Op apt on Monday. I cheated a little. had a shower from the waste down and wash cloth for the rest from my hubby. He has been so amazing. I changed my sports bra today. Yesterday they put me in a 38 front closure bra. Today I put on my Danskin front closure sports bra in a 36D, it was really tight and uncomfortable to now I am wearing a seamless compression sports bra I forgot the brand but I bought it at Kohl's. It is much more comfortable. I never though I would every say something in a D cup was too small. LOL. I am curious as to how big they are going to be when the swelling goes away. I was also able to put my nipple rings back in today with no problem. My voice is very scratchy from being intubated. It is very sore as well. I didn't get the warranty card with the information about my implants. I assume I will get that at my post op visit on Monday. I am very fearful of my PS squeezing my breasts on Monday. They are so sore. I have been pushing down on the top of them. Not sure if I am supposed to be doing that yet but it feels so good to relieve some of the pressure. I can't wait to start massaging. Hopefully that will help with the tightness. I feel like I am rambling. LOL. Must be the meds. I feel like I'm in a fog. I will update more later. Updated on 29 Sep 2013: I feel I was much too ambitious yesterday... My husband and I went to the movies, out to lunch and did a bit of shopping to find a few more shirts that button in the front. The pain got ahead of me and I have been fighting it ever since. I did not have a good night. I am alternating between ice packs on my breasts and a heating pad on my back. I decided to take it easy today. It is very hard for me to sit still but I know that my body is telling me to slow down so it has time to heal. I feel like my breasts are very tight when I wake up. I cannot wait until I can start massaging them. Everyone says that makes them feel much better. I hate not being able to use my arms to get up or do things. I find that I am getting fatigued very easily. I went to Wal-mart for about 15 minutes today with my hubby to get a few more of the front closure sports bras. I bought a few regular sports bras before my surgery but they are very hard to get on. I have spent most of the day today resting in my chair and I even took a nap. I was able to eat a normal meal today. I have not had much of an appetite with my medications. I had stuffed acorn squash and it was amazing. Boobie weirdness--- Today I noticed that I have a small area of edema (fluid) at the bottom between my breasts. It feels weird. I also have the feeling of air under my skin bilaterally to the sides of my breast. Hopefully that will absorb soon. It doesn't hurt it just feels strange. Hope all of you are doing well. My bruising is a bit worse today. I will try to post a few pics in a bit. Updated on 30 Sep 2013: Today is day 3 Post Op. I slept really well last night. I had my first Post Op visit today. My PS was slightly concerned with the amount of bruising I have to the bottom of my breast. He said that I have been doing too much and need to rest more. He took the bandages off and left the steri-strips in place. I have to go back to him on Thursday to reevaluate possibly having to drain the hematoma and replace the steri-strips. It is so hard to make a conscious effort not to use my arms. Overall I am doing well with the pain. I was a bit more sore after leaving the PS office. He says no massages for now because he doesn't want me to bleed anymore. I had to laugh when we were at the Dr's office... The nurse was discussing with my husband how we can have sex but he can't squish my boobs. LOL. My husbands face was priceless. After we left he was like... I can't believe she said that. I told him I love that she is filter-free just like me. I will post a few pics of my progress/bruising. Hope you all are doing well. Updated on 30 Sep 2013: Here are pics of my bruising Updated on 1 Oct 2013: Today I concentrated on resting. I went 8 hours without any pain meds. I had to go to a meeting this evening and I became very sore and swollen. My left breast actually went numb for a while. I am back at home. I had a nice hot shower and I am enjoying my heating pad on my back and ice packs on the girls. Hoping for some good rest tonight. Updated on 2 Oct 2013: Today my Husband went back to work so I am on my own. I took my son to school this morning. Driving was a little rough. It was awkward to turn the wheel without hitting them with my arms. Lol. I spent the day relaxing until it was time to pick my son up from school. I have been wearing the bali sleep bras. They are seamless and really comfy, but they are not very supportive. I feel very sore and feel like they are a bit swollen from being out and walking around. Trying to find a happy medium with support that doesn't rub on my stitches. My bruising seems a little better today. I go for another post oo visit tomorrow to recheck my hematoma and change steristrips. Updated on 4 Oct 2013: I didn't get to rest much because my son and I both had Dr appointments. As much as I try to rest and get a good nights sleep I seem to still wake up exhausted. I took my son to his appointment and then we had lunch. By then I was ready for a nap but I was time for my appt. My hubby drove me to my follow up because the PS said he was probably going to have to drain the hematoma that was under my right breast. I am happy to say that the bruising was much better and he said he didn't have to drain it. I spent the rest of the day relaxing. My bestie brought me cupcakes.... She said the boobies needed cupcakes to heal. LOL Updated on 4 Oct 2013: Today has been a rough day for my family. My husband was out of town working and our 14 yr old Bassett hound got out of our fence and was hit by a car. I had to call my dad to take us to the vet because I was unable to pick her up. The vet was unable to do anything for her and she had to be put to sleep. After I got back home I had to go get my kids from school and they didn't take the news well. I managed to get dinner done and tried to do some laundry. Somewhere in my need be productive as an outlet to my stress I did too much. When I went to change into my pajamas, I noticed that my stitches on the right side were bleeding a little bit. I talked to the nurse and she said it was okay. I am now in my chair as I should be. I am feeling very sore. Updated on 5 Oct 2013: Today I woke up with an intense burning pain to my right breast. It almost felt like a Charlie horse pain. I am trying not to take pain medication because it has been causing a lot of constipation. I took a muscle relaxer and it seemed to help with the pain. I have also noticed a lot of tenderness to my nipples in the last few days. Hoping for things to improve in the coming days. I am supposed to go back to work by next Friday. Updated on 11 Oct 2013: Today makes 2 weeks since my surgery. I am recovering well. Yesterday I had my stitches removed. That was a weird feeling I felt the string spiral under my skin an a bit of a pinch when they came out. I have to keep steristrips on for 2 more weeks. Other than that the girls are healing nicely. Unfortunately I am not able to return to work yet. I was supposed to go back today but due to the heavy lifting of patients I do at work, the Dr wouldn't clear me to go back yet. I will be back to work on the 20th. Updated on 11 Oct 2013: I forgot to mention I am still having a terrible time with those horrible burning nerve pains. I mentioned this to my PS and he said I need to start at the site of the pain and massage inward and around the nipple several times a day. He said this should help with the pain as those nerves regenerate. Updated on 11 Oct 2013: I went to Victoria's Secret today, mostly to use up some coupons but also because I really wanted to get sized and pick out a few bras. I know it's early but I hate the sports bras. I was measured at a 36DD. I know this may change but I bought a few bras from their clearance/sale area. Updated on 11 Oct 2013: Another VS and a dress I bought Updated on 7 Nov 2013: Today I had my 6 week post op visit. I am healing really well. Dr says I still have some dropping to do but that I am coming along nicely. Have my next post op in 3 months. I have too say that I am absolutely amazed at the difference. This has been a great experience.

I am so glad I stumbled onto this site, it's awesome! Thank you to all the beautiful ladies for sharing their experience, good or bad. I love the "real" photos. I have not yet scheduled my surgery but have decided to go with the tummy tuck with lipo to my thighs & flanks. A little about me...I am 34 years old & live in Florida, where its summer all the damn time! LOL. I am married & have 2 beautiful children, my son is 18 & my daughter is 2 1/2. Yep, you've read it correctly. Trust me, I was shocked myself. I had my son @ 15 & it did a number on my body. I gained 62 Lbs. I was able to loose the weight over the years. I fluctuate constantly anyways. My daughter pretty much pushed me over the edge. I weighed 184 when I delivered her & at the moment I am 138. I feel I've done all I can with my body. My goal is to have the body that I lost 18 yrs ago. I am very surprised at how much swelling there is several days to months post-op. I have concerns that I am hoping to put to rest so I can make the call for the green light. I would appreciate any insight so here goes... 1) what is the right amount of recovery time before I can return to work? (I am a judges asst, do mostly sitting & days where I am up continually) 2) the swelling that does occur, will I be able to fit in my work clothes, say 10 days post-op? 3) any recommendations how to handle my 2 1/2 yr old after surgery? My husband will be taking time off as well to help out. Again, to all the ladies who have posted on this site, I thank you. Updated on 25 Sep 2013: So today I call my doc to get info on the next step for me. The nurse informed that my next appt would be the pre-op where they do the blood work & "before" pics. Surgery would be scheduled 2 weeks from that appt, pending that all is well with blood work results. I was really shocked that surgery would be set so quickly. Needless to say, I didn't book the appt. I've looked nonstop at this website, saw the good, the bad & ugly results, with the good being at a better percentage & I'm still scared beyond belief! I'm worried about recovery, recovery time, what if it looks bad. But yet, I'm excited to be able to see the final result & be happy. I've read a lot of comments of how the surgery effects them emotionally & it never occurred to me how that can also be a issue. In my mind, you do the surgery, swell & heel, it NEVER crossed my mind how much swelling & how long it does last. I'm still a scardy cat & will probably continue to take the baby steps to get to the final result.