First of all, thank you so much for all of your posts. I am learning a lot from your experiences! I am a Pilates Instructor, I live a very busy life, I own my business and have 3 kids. I breast feed all 3 and I have very small and "empty" breasts. I've been dreaming of an augmentation for over 20 years and the time has come! I am so active that I would like to have small implants: 275-300ccs. I am 5'5, 130 pounds with a "healthy" sized rear end. I'd like my top portion to match my bottom portion! I'd like to go to the beach without feeling like a boy in a bikini. My BA is scheduled for 10/16 and I am nervous. Some days I am excited to get this done, some days I wanna just cancel the whole thing.
I have a question for all you mommies out there. How did you recover with your kids? The one thing that is terrifying to me is that I don't think I can even have a good recovery period because of child rearing...etc....Can anyone offer some advice to me?? I know I have to take it easy, I will try. But I also don't want anyone to know that I am getting this procedure except for my husband and maybe 2 close friends.
Updated on 5 Oct 2015:
Has this happened to anyone? 11 days pre-op and I am reading all about botched BAs, and ex plants. Tell me to stop! I'm going down a deep dark hole over here and need to get offline! Also, our nanny is leaving the day after I have surgery to move back to Guatemala. She just told me. Ugh! There are a few bumps in the road, but really, is there ever a perfect time to do this?? Tell me if anyone else out there is having, or had cold feet!
Updated on 8 Oct 2015:
Hi again! My husband and I went to my pre-op yesterday and all went pretty well. I didn't pay for the surgery right off the bat because I was having cold feet. After Dr.Togba answered my questions (some what arrogantly though), I felt better. He has been doing this for so long and has really good technique, I think I'll be really happy with the results. His staff, Karen and Melody really made my experience amazing. They were reassuring and comforting. Melody helped me choose a size that made sense for my active lifestyle and the fact I didn't want to look fat in my flowing shirts. I chose 285ccs, low profile Sientra textured implants. I feel really good about this decision! I simply don't want big boobs. Just enough to show off on a bikini and not have to stuff my workout shirts with...my doctor said I won't have to sleep on an incline not take antibiotics. He made it sound like it was gonna be a lot easier healing than I thought it would be. I have a silly question! How long was it before you could pick up a gallon of milk and pour it? I am worried I won't be able to do simple things like that for awhile.
Updated on 9 Oct 2015:
Hahaha! I am quoting someone on this forum who said that, and I thought that was really funny!
I am posting pictures of my little ones in two tops that I can't wait to fill out. My "free people" bra that I loooove, but makes me look flat as a pancake and my little 60s style bikini that also needs some fillin' out. I'm a week away and well, I'm excited, but now feeling like somehow I need to say goodbye to these little girls!
Updated on 9 Oct 2015:
In really 7 days pre. How do I change that??
Updated on 12 Oct 2015:
Hi there all! I am waaaaay too busy right now in my personal life to have any anxiety about my surgery nor to worry too much about what I'm about to tell y'all. So the FDA temporarily pulled Sientra implants "off the shelves" because there was an incident in Australia pertaining to bacteria. My PS caught wind of this late Friday evening. So he will not be using the Sientra implants, instead he will be using Naturelle. I am switching to Moderate Plus profile just because a lot of you have given me the advice to do so. I trust you ladies. After this is all over, lets go out for drinks. Hahahaha! Seriously though, I feel like you have all become my friends.
Anyways. If you want more information, a RS member has posted some articles on the Sientra Implants in the BA October 2015 forum....
Updated on 12 Oct 2015:
http://www.device.com.au/device-technologies-confirms-voluntary-suspension-of-supply-of-silimed-implants/
Updated on 15 Oct 2015:
Why am I so nervous? I've had 3 major knee surgeries, an ovarian cyst removal, 2 natural childbirths and one epidural. I should rock this surgery! Maybe it's because I have 3 kiddos to take care of while I heal, maybe it's because this is an elective surgery, or maybe I'm simply nervous to throw up in the car! It's the unknown! Anyways. 12 more hours and counting.
I wanted to let you know how I have been prepping before surgery. I am a Pilates instructor and orthopedic manual therapist who works a lot with rehabilitation. I've been massaging the origin and insertion of my pectoralis major and stretching them afterwards. I make circular motions down the sides of my sternum, under the clavicles and back of upper arm bones (this is where the insertion of thepectoralis major lives). Then I lie on my foam roller and make angel wings (palms up). I am trying to make the soft tissue soft and flexible for the implant and prevent micro-tears of the tendons especially at the sternum. If anyone needs any advice or details, private message me and I can let you know more about my prep!
See you on the other side :)
Updated on 16 Oct 2015:
Hahahaha! I survived it---out in the other side. I'm pretty useless right now...can't really use my arms to sit up. I'll give you a good synopsis of my experience either tonight or tomorrow, but I really really really love my size already. Small and perfect. Exactly what I wanted :) I wish I had stronger pain meds is all. My PS does not inject pain meds during surgery as to decrease infection risk. He is very clean about the whole process!
Updated on 17 Oct 2015:
Hi Ladies!
I woke up so much better today! I'm not gonna lie, yesterday was a bit rough. The surgery went great and my doctor and anesthesiologist were amazing. The procedure took less than an hour. I was at the surgery center at 6am and left at 10:30am. Things got really hard when I got home after the pain meds my anesthesiologist gave me wore off. Imagine (all you mommies out there) your breasts are completely engorged and you need that baby to get the milk out, but there's no baby in site! Add on you have no usage of your arms nor can you take a deep breath. Ugh ugh ugh! I took my Vicodin as directed and ended up throwing it up. Ugh ugh ugh! I ended up taking a Tylenol and half a Vicodin and just staying in bed all day with ice on my breasts. I slept and didn't have much of an appetite. I mainly drank coconut water, ate saltine crackers and bananas. Yes. I am going to pay for this in the bowel movement department. You'll be hearing about that!
I feel soooo much better today! I am up and walking around. Made some breakfast for my 4 yr old and myself. But I'm also taking it easy. I did some shoulder circles, neck rolls and pressed my arms back to stretch my pecs. I can also lift my arms above my head (tentatively).
My 10 yr old is being so helpful. She is the best! I'm so lucky to have her and my husband to help me out---and the nanny is still here so I have help from her. I feel very very lucky! I recommend help for your kids the first 2-3 days! At least.
I find myself bringing my head to my hands instead of my hands to my head (I.e brushing teeth, hair, eating). It's kind of funny.
Today I'm gonna attempt a shower and actually take a look at these knockers. My left side is much bigger and hurts more...that's normal though, so I'm not gonna freak out!
More later! I hope you all are doing well!
Updated on 18 Oct 2015:
Hi ladies!
Day 3 post-op. Doing better. Tight and sore in the morning and only took Tylenol during the day and Vicodin in the morning and evening as I got pretty sore. My left breast was high tight and sore and now it's my right one, but they are slowly dropping. It's still really hard for me to use my arms to get me out of bed, therefore my back is in pain :/ I'm waking up early so I can do some neck, shoulder and light pec stretches. My PS said that massage is optional. For those who are massaging, can you give me some advice on how far post-op you begin and what kind of technique's you use? I'd love to add it to my healing routine!
I hope you all are enjoying your Sunday!
Xoxoxo
I'll upload some after pics soon. Tomorrow when I have a second to myself (I can't wait!).
Updated on 19 Oct 2015:
Feeling so much better! I think they are settling into the pocket slowly, but surely...
Updated on 23 Oct 2015:
I had my one week post op this morning, which lasted a total of ten minutes! Hahahaha! Everything looked well and I'm doing very well with my healing. I am still riding pretty high--I'll post pictures tomorrow when I have some time! I got textured moderate profile cohesive gel implants. My PS says to not massage them. He says the pectorals will relax and that will allow the gel to settle towards the bottom. It makes sense to me, but anyone else here have the same or different advice concerning textured implants? I just don't wanna look like a weird boob alien...
Updated on 24 Oct 2015:
Here are some pictures of the 7-day mark. I am happy thus far! I've been doing tons of stretching and light rehab-style strengthening. I really wanna post a video for you all on my program, but I just need to find the time to do it.
I'm not gonna lie! I had an emotional break-down yesterday. I had some boob greed, but mostly it was seeing a couple realselfer's posts that sent me down my adolescent spiral. They looked so perfect coming off the OR table and one week later, amazing in their bikinis. Even mom's of 3. I was like, "what?! I didn't get the memo you had to be a super model to belong to realself!" UGH! Shut up me! I woke up feeling better and realized we are all on here to help each other and this face-less, boob forward platform only shows a tiny tiny portion of all of our full full lives. I love you all and I am so happy we are here to find comraderie and help each other out! All of our journeys are so individual, you know? Like it is still extremely hard for me to get clothes on and off and I haven't even tried putting on my tighter clothes (my belly is still swollen too!). I don't have energy to even take a picture of myself in a bikini, nor do I really want to at this point :(
Ok. Enough rambling...
I got this amazing bra I wanted to tell you about. My PS said only wear a sports bra for the first month. I found a Haynes 360 degrees bra at target (a great hybrid of wireless bra and sports bra), and man, this thing is comfy! I would've bought all colors, but they only had one in medium. You should get this! $14! A steal. And it's seamless...I added a pic of it. It's not sexy, but you will love the feel of this sucker!
Happy healing to my new friends out there!