James P. Watson, MD

Dr. Watson is the most caring and talented surgeon. He spends as much time is necessary to completely explain procedures. His staff is wonderful and caring, the office is welcoming and not intimidating. I am very happy that Dr. Watson is my surgeon

This will be a long one, so pull up your chair!

This site has been incredibly helpful to me during my journey to explanation. I got my first set of silicone implants in 1991 at the age of 29. I had always wanted an augmentation as I remained a stubborn 34A with a bony chest until I became pregnant and nursed my son. Seeing myself as a B cup was pretty compelling! After researching, I selected my PS and told him I wanted to be a 34C. He advised an under-muscle placement. After surgery, I discovered I was a 34D (I've since learned that many PS seem to feel that we want bigger than we say). I think the implants must have been 350ccs. Oh well, I thought, at least I have boobs! Fast forward 10 years and my right implant ruptured (can't quite remember how it was discovered). This was in 2001 when silicone implants were off the market but because I already had them, I could get them again as long as I agreed to be followed by Mentor. I had both replaced and requested smaller implants, but they could only go 25cc smaller to qualify for Mentor replacing the ruptured implant. Surgery was straightforward, no real issues, size didn't seem to go down at all.

In 2006 I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. I had never heard of it, but learned that it's an autoimmune disease where the body starts attacking its own intestinal wall, causing bleeding ulcers. I learned how to manage my symptoms with a combination of first-line medication and a strict no grain, no starch, no refined sugar diet. However, within a few years, I started getting capsular contracture in my right breast (the one that ruptured in 2000/2001). It worsened up to 2012, when the breast became so hard and deformed I had to do something. I again had the implant replaced, but elected not to replace the left side since it had not experienced any problems. Less than 18 months later, I again got capsular contracture in the right breast. By this time, my original PS had retired, so I saw his replacement, who advised waiting to do anything to see if the contracture worsened. This PS was extremely knowledgeable, having been a researcher in plastic surgery at UCLA for decades. He understood the possibility of biofilm on the implants causing the encapsulation, and agreed that there might be some relationship between my colitis and my ability to fight off biofilm related bacteria, thus causing the scarring to occur. In late 2014, I developed an infection in the right breast, which the new PS treated with flagyl. The infection responded quickly and went away. He told me that I should consider undertaking a protocol to strengthen my immune system in preparation for doing implant replacement using the new gummy bear implants. He felt that by following a protocol of antibiotics and supplements, I could drastically reduce my chances of recurring encapsulation. I was thrilled that he grasped the interrelationship between my colitis and other functions of my bodies, and felt that I would follow his advice.

This August, I had to go out of state to help care for my terminally ill mother and deal with her passing. About a week into it, my right breast (the "good" one) began to swell, and I knew I had another infection. My PS was awesome and helped manage me remotely over the phone, prescribing Flagyl again since it worked the first time. However, due to the massive stress I was under, it didn't help. He then moved me to Keflex, which reduced the swelling a little bit, but then plateaued. I returned home after being on antibiotics after 3 weeks, and having read posts on RS for hours on end. I also read Susan Kolb's book The Naked Truth about breast implants.

By the time I left for home, I was completely on board for a bilateral explant with no implant replacements. My PS had told me that if I still had the infection when I got home, he wanted to explant. But of course he anticipated that he would replace the implants. During my first visit upon returning home, he was a little taken aback when I announced I wanted an explant, but quickly got on board and explained the process. He spoke with me at some length about the emotional impact, and expressed concern that I would not look the same as I had for 25 years. He said I might not be symmetrical, and would likely be very wrinkly and saggy. I told him I was prepared for that, and said, "well, even if I do realize I don't like how I look, I can always get implants later, right?" He said, "of course you can." So, I said I just wanted to get the implants out and let my body heal itself. By this time, I had lumps in my left armpit lymph nodes, one on my right breast, and one near the right side of sternum. I was convinced they were all silicone lumps. I'll add my before pics and post another entry about the procedure and the after ...

Updated on 4 Oct 2015:
I had my surgery on September 24 (just didn't have time to complete the full post earlier). The doctor removed both implants, along with a silicone-filled lymph node under my left arm, one from my right breast (a mammary lymph node), and a third near my sternum on the right breast, which was scar tissue infused with silicone. He also reattached my pectoral muscles to the breastbone, to hopefully correct the pulled-muscle look I got every time I flexed. The left implant (from 2001) had split and according to the PS, was surrounded by a yellowish fluid. He showed the two implants to me during a follow-up appointment, and the left one was scary looking! It was all yellowish and had some black floaty things in it. Yuck! No wonder I had an infection. The right one (from 2012) appeared to be intact. As you can see from the pics, my left breast has good shape, just pretty droopy. The right one is pretty mangled looking from all the scar tissue removal. I'll post more pics this week as it has improved quite a lot in the 10 days since surgery. I had drains that had to be left in for a week, and honestly, the drain on my left side was the most horrible part of the recovery! It was apparently in a super tender area of my side, and it got inflamed, and just hurt like the dickens. I was so glad to get that thing out! I am really happy to have those implants gone. My chest is pretty flat, but I honestly enjoy looking at my profile in the mirror now. I had gotten tired of everything being tight across my chest. I'm actually looking forward to being able to buy padded bras - in fact I already picked up a set of the "cutlets" and they will totally do the trick if I want to look more filled out.

I did have some conversations with my PS about a possible fat transfer procedure down the road. But for now, I'm pretty happy with where I am. I hope my poor little right breast shapes up, but I am optimistic that it will. And if it doesn't, well, I consider myself lucky that this is the result of my own choices and not due to cancer, which is what causes a lot of women to have to deal with breast deformities and removal. Here's to my return to the itty bitty [RS bleep] committee! :D

Updated on 6 Oct 2015:
Hi RS friends - I am feeling SOOOO much better now that the drains are out. I am still getting a little tired every day, but have been doing short walks and other household activities, while also trying to minimize my arm use so that I give my poor tissues the optimal environment to heal. The swelling around my left breast has gone down even more, but I definitely see some indentations and feel bumpiness on the side nearest my armpit. It feels like the nipple is pulled toward that side, too. I'm worried that side is going to develop adhesions or something due to all the scar tissue and silicone node removal. I'm going to discuss with my PS on Thursday, but even if that's in the cards, I'm not too stressed about it.

I had some girlfriends over on Saturday and they were so nice to me. Two of them said, "We never even knew you HAD implants!" and one made the comment that I looked great with my new figure. She said, "You know how when someone colors their hair and the color looks good, but then they use a color that's their true natural color, and it just looks great? Well, that's how you look now." I thought that was so sweet.

Updated on 7 Oct 2015:
Yesterday I decided to try on my existing bras so I could figure out what I need to buy, and was pleasantly surprised to find the many of my soft bras still fit! I haven't worn underwires for many years as, well, you know, I didn't need any help with supporting those silicone bags ha ha! And I never did have nice cleavage because I have a very wide sternum. So I had mostly been wearing the Jockey stretch bras and soft cup Warner bras. The Jockey ones fit just fine since they don't have formed cups (they basically shrink to fit, ha ha!). The Warner ones are a little big, but I can slip the "cutlet" insert in and it looks wonderful - just like the full B or C cup I really wanted to be. :)

I had purchased a swimsuit top in size small since it's near the end of the season even here in California, but it was a pull-on style with no ability to adjust and it was just too tight, so I may even qualify for a medium in a padded top. I also bought two small sports/compression bras but they are really tight around the rib cage. I realized my rib cage size isn't going to get smaller, so it does make sense I'm probably not really a small regardless of my boob size. It's nice because I can even wear all my existing sports bras - the fronts just aren't strained to the point of popping now!!

I feel so lucky, pretty much everything has some type of padding in it, which used to frustrate me to no end when I had ginormous boobs, but now makes me very happy. Cheers to small chests and endless fashion choices!!

Updated on 8 Oct 2015:
Had my 2 week post-op visit today. Right breast is filled out nicely but as I suspected, it's from fluid build-up under the muscle, so once the fluid goes away, it should look more like lefty. The doctor still had my implants so I took pics for all to see. The left implant (from 2001) was a Mentor Siltex (textured) silicone implant. Dr. Watson said he thinks the black stuff inside the implant is mold. YUCK!!! The right one (Mentor smooth from 2012) was intact. Two more weeks of compression bras. He advised me to wear the tightest one I could stand to help get the fluid to drain. Another two weeks before resuming more strenuous physical activity.

Updated on 23 Oct 2015:


Updated on 23 Oct 2015:
Accidentally posted before I wrote my summary!

Just saw the doctor yesterday for my one month follow up and he has released me until my next follow up in 3 months. He is happy with my progress in healing but in his words, "I'm not happy with the lack of symmetry." I laughed and said, "You're a plastic surgeon. Of course you're not happy with the lack of symmetry!" We both had a chuckle over that. He is a pretty serious guy but I appreciate that he can laugh with me. He discussed doing a minimal fat gratfing procedure down the road to plump up the areas where I've lost tissue in righty and to increase the volume of the upper pole area, and possibly the lower pole to help smooth out the disparity between the left side and right side inframmamary folds. I told him I wasn't going to do anything for a minimum of 6 months as I know from reading all the helpful info on this site that full healing and final results are still months away. He agreed that it was best to wait, just wanted me to be aware of the options. I think it must drive a PS crazy to see something imperfect. Ha ha!

One bit of info he shared with me is that if you do a fat grafting procedure, apparently they have found that more fat cells survive the grafting if you are only under local anesthesia rather than general. He said that general puts the body in a stress condition, which somehow stresses the transferred cells and they have a lower rate of survival. Something to consider!

Anyway, he told me to start wearing an underwire to try and help righty get its fold back, so took another trip to Target and got a couple of cute Warners bras that are the super soft underwires. They look cute and aren't too uncomfortable. I've always hated underwires. I had to wear them after my last implant replacement on that side, because my implant was bottoming out, so my original PS had me wear underwires for several weeks and it really did help. Hoping the same holds true here. My PS said my fluid is probably 95% gone, but I think there is still some in there and that area is weak, so it is still pooling there. Just need more time and patience for it to finish itself up!

Notice the last photo with my arms raised - they look pretty good like that! Kind of like a manual lift, huh? :)

Updated on 4 Dec 2015:
Here are some photos from 8 weeks post op. Right breast is still a bit deformed. I have been wearing an underwire at my doctor's recommendation in the hope it might help righty "re-learn" its inframammary fold, but not sure it's helping much. I think that because I have had two different procedures where the PS went in to remove silicone nodules from the actual breast tissue, the breast doesn't have the same underlying tissue and support that the left one does. I'm not surprised given all the crap that right breast had going on over the years. I'm bummed about the new scars from the drains, especially the left one since it's so low on my body that a bikini top won't cover it up. Glad it's winter and hopefully it will fade a LOT by summer. I'm using Mederma so hopefully that will help.

I'm still very happy that I explanted. A few of my health issues, such as ongoing and persistent canker sores in my mouth, have disappeared, so I do believe getting that silicone out has been beneficial. It's also great to have WARM breasts, and to be able to lie on my tummy without cantaloupes on my chest, lol! I occasionally use the silicone cutlets to plump up my bra if I want to wear something where I need a little more up top, and that works great. I actually had them in last weekend and went to remove my bra, forgot I had them in, and the whole contraption of bra and cutlets dropped to the floor with a thud. I cracked up! Nice to leave the silicone in the drawer! Still trying to determine what tops I can wear. Many of the ones that fit for the most part are kind of stretched out in the chest, so guess I will be doing some shopping for myself over the holidays. Oh darn. :D