I have always had larger breasts; before I had my kids, I wore a 34C. After 2 kids and breast feeding, 60-70 lb weight gain and then subsequent loss with both pregnancies, my breasts have very little volume, appear saggy, and resemble what I call "skin bags." Ever since I was 19 (after the birth of my first child), I dreamed of the day I could get my boobs fixed. It's been 12 years of struggling with finances, going to college, and skimping and saving to earn the money. And the time has come!! I'm super excited for my pre-op appointment coming up and then the surgery. I'm planning high profile saline implants to fill out the lost tissue and possibly give the appearance of a very small lift. The doc told me at consultation that he will have to go up a cup size or more, so my result will be about a 36DD. It sounds large for my frame, but I have a fuller figure. I'm not fat, but I'm not considered skinny either. Since I have always had larger breasts, I am hoping no one really notices the increase in size. I look forward to hearing any thoughts, suggestions, or testimonials if anyone would like to comment or message me. Thank you! :) Updated on 3 Mar 2014: I posted a question regarding results with a saline implant only, and the docs seem to have the consensus that I do need a lift. On the other hand, there are docs that say implants that are located in the sub glandular region will produce the appearance of a lift. I am terribly confused and becoming frustrated. Over 10 years I have waited, I was hoping that I didn't have to wait any longer for surgery. I am looking forward to my surgeon's opinion (Dr. Kenneth Bailey) at my pre-op appointment on 3/7/14. If he says a lift is necessary, I will wait longer and save more money; however, if he feels a subpectoral or a subglandular saline implant will give me the result of upper pole fullness and volume, I will go ahead with the implants. Now I am scared I am going to be required to put $10,000+ into my breasts. For someone living near poverty level while I get my Bachelors degree, that is a TON of money! Maybe I should cut my losses and live with the skin bags. Updated on 5 Mar 2014: I spoke to the nurse at my doctor's office, and she explained that usually the doc will do the implants BEFORE the lift, see how the results are, and then if needed, will do an areola lift procedure for less than $1000 in-office. She assured me that he would let me know definitively whether or not a full vertical lift would be necessary before he placed the implants. I feel so much better knowing that I might have the option of the areola lift after the procedure. With the docs opinions on here (which I respect and am very thankful for), I was becoming nervous about not having the lift done first. Best case scenario: they will achieve the fuller, rounder look I am hoping for. Worst case scenario: I have a lift done after the implants and the implants readjusted. I am also accepting that having the implants removed might be a necessity because of some type of cosmetic issue. I hope this helps someone in the future who is reading this to make a good decision. Updated on 7 Mar 2014: I had my pre-op appointment today with Dr. Kenneth Bailey, and I was prepared with all of my questions and concerns typed and printed out. My main concern was whether or not having a lift BEFORE the implants was necessary. He explained that because my nipples are right at the fold, the degree of ptosis I have is not severe enough to require the lift first, and he recommended I have the implants and wait 4-6 months to determine if a lift will be necessary. He said he likes to prevent excess scarring if possible, and said it is easier for him to do a mini lift or a full lift AFTER the implants because sometimes patients are satisfied with the results of the implants alone. He also said that I will most likely need a lift in the future, but that I was a good candidate for high profile smooth saline implants. The size he recommended is 380cc, and I had trouble deciding whether or not I should go with the 430cc. After trying on both sizes multiple times, the nurse asked him to come back in and the receptionist came in too. They all agreed that the 430cc would be too large, and could affect my exercise and give me a top-heavy appearance. So I trusted their judgment and decided on the 380cc. I asked him about all the deformities that could occur (capsular contraction, seroma, hematoma, snoopy, double bubble, and wrinkling). He was honest about the chances of each, and told me exactly what he does to prevent those from occurring and also what I can do to prevent infection and deformities. He will be doing the dual plane placement because that seems to be the most successful with saline implants and breasts of my size and shape. Since I am a recovering opiate addict, the pain medication is a huge worry for me because I want to avoid relapse at all costs. Currently, I am on Suboxone, and I informed him of this. He recommended that I stop the Suboxone 2 days before surgery, and plan on taking the pain medication for 4-7 days. He also said to stop any NSAID medications (aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen), vitamin E, Sam-E, and fish oil. I was unaware of these being a risk for thinning the blood. He told me he would prescribe oxycodone with Tylenol (Percoset) for the pain. I asked him if he would please give the rX to my mom so she will have possession of it and be able to dole out the meds as prescribed. The receptionist told me as I was paying the doctor’s fee, $3250, that the surgery center was offering a discount, so their cost went from $2550 to $2397. Of course I was happy about that! I left the appointment feeling satisfied that all my questions were answered, relieved that he did not require the lift before implants, and excited that I finally get to have this surgery! I am now feeling a bit giddy on one hand, and a little nervous on the other. But I am really looking forward to it and praying that I have no medical problems or cosmetic deformities. I think it’s good to be aware of the risks, but not to allow a bunch of negative thinking get in the way. I hope this helps someone who is unsure about what to expect. If your doctor does not take the time to find out the outcome you want or answer your questions, I would recommend finding a doctor who listens and is very patient-oriented like mine. Bye Bye Before Boobies!!! :D Updated on 10 Mar 2014: With surgery a week away, I'm finding that I have a lot of conflicting and uncomfortable emotions going on. On one hand, I'm excited about the procedure; on the other, I'm filled with doubt about my potential results and/or complications. The aspect I am most concerned about is having the lift AFTER the implants. My doctor said it is easier for him to assess problems after the implants and actually lift the breast after 6 months post-op to place them in line with the implant. I'm really trusting him on this, and I will update my results frequently in case there are any of you who are having a similar dilemma. My other problems center around my mom, who is supposed to drive me 90 minutes to the surgery and be my caretaker. We have not always been close or gotten along well, and she's starting to come up with reasons why she won't be able to help me. I fully expect her to back out and have to rely on my ex to drop me off at the motel before the surgery, and then pick me up the day after I see the doc for the post-op visit. My current BF just broke up with me (partly bc of this surgery), so I am feeling very alone. I am trying to stay positive, but I question whether or not I am doing the right thing here. I'm going to do it bc it's something I've always wanted, and pray for a decent result with minimal complications! Updated on 11 Mar 2014: Arranging people to help, and drive me to and from the doc (about 90 miles away) has been such a frustration! With my mother's current health problems, I feel it is unlikely that she will be able to help much, and I worry about her driving. My ex has agreed to take me to the surgery, stay with me for a while afterwards, and then pick me up the next day after he gets off work. Even though we are not together, he is a great father and has always been there for me. I guess we make better friends than lovers. I am a little nervous about spending the first night alone, I do have a couple friends in the city where I am having my BA and I will be right next door to a great hospital (and my doc's office) if something were to go wrong. I think all of this worrying about transportation and companionship has over-run my feelings of excitement and anticipation. So, now I am more relieved that everything is in order, and I can actually think about the procedure itself! I still need to clean my apartment and buy pillows, OTC meds, and miscellaneous items. But I will have time. There is a lot of school work that needs to be done too. . . ugh. I guess I am mostly worried about my cosmetic appearance after the surgery; I DO need a lift, but my surgeon has assured me that I can do it later (in about 6 months), and it is likely that I will get the improvement of volume/fullness that I desire. I am very concerned about the snoopy deformity and double bubble! I think I could live with some wrinkling, but he thinks I have enough tissue to prevent visible wrinkling. Like I said, I'm not expecting perfection with this operation, just improvement. Here is my list of surgery needs and reminders: Pack post-surgical bras Several large water bottles Laxative tea and regular tea Get a nursing pillow, body pillow, and a couple regular pillows Take a couple small blankets Pack baby wipes (for quick-cleaning of underarms, private areas) Get cloth baby diapers (to cut small squares out of to place on incision site to prevent rubbing) Bring Laptop, headphones, and music player Phone charger Ice packs and heating pad Nicotine-free E-cigarette cartridges & charger Nuts and protein bars Get Hibiclens to wash with right before surgery NO deodorant NO LOTION :( Pack contact stuff, glasses, toothbrush/paste, basic cosmetics, loose comfortable clothing, slippers Medications and supplements-(ibuprofen:48 hrs after, arnica, pain meds, nausea meds, benzos, gauze, bactroban:to put in nasal passages to prevent MRSA, daily medications, thermometer) Have a high-protein meal to avoid blood sugar crash (I am hypoglycemic) No caffeine No eating/drinking after 9pm the night before Bring small/lightweight purse for ID, check to surgery center, and money No contacts in/wear glasses Take out ALL piercings Get a note to excuse kids from school/ me from college classes {I'm sure I left some things out} Relax, take a deep breath, and. . . . PREPARE FOR NEW BOOBIES!!! Updated on 12 Mar 2014: Age: 31 Height: 5'3" Weight: 125 lbs (fluctuates between 120-130) Kids: 2 Weight gain during pregnancies: 60-70 lbs w/ subsequent loss Pre-Babies Bra Size: 34C- perky and beautiful Nursing Bra Size: 38DDD Pre-Op Bra Size: 34D- saggy/deflated Implant Size/Type: 380cc Saline Smooth Under the Muscle Incision: Inframammary Probable Future Ops: Areola lift procedure or Ultimate Breast Lift Wish Ops: Tummy Tuck and Under-Eye Fillers Updated on 15 Mar 2014: I'm starting to become restless. I haven't been able to go to sleep at night very well for the last few days. My BF and I are working things out (which I am really happy about), and he is being supportive of my procedure. I still spend a lot of time researching outcomes and complications on here, and I have seen about a dozen women in my position with Grade I Ptosis and/or Glandular Ptosis who have recieved fabulous results with implants only! This has helped me overcome the anxiety I have about not having the lift. I've decided to take it one step at a time and just deal with complications IF they arise. Constantly freaking out about things that might happen wasn't helping me. Now I am content with my decision to do implants without a lift first, the size I chose (380cc HP), and the fact that I chose Saline. I have prayed about my surgery, spoken with my kids about it and told them the truth, and explained to those close to me exactly what to expect and that I may need another operation in the future. I am just about ready to go. I still have to finish packing for the surgery and a 3 day hotel stay, do some laundry, and make sure everything heavy down in the garage I might need is brought upstairs. A couple of worries or concerns I have: 1- I have been smoking my E-cigarette that has nicotine, and alternating the cartridges with nicotine free ones. I know nicotine is NOT recommended prior to surgery, but I read it is less of an issue with implants only. I'll post any problems I encounter related to nicotine use. 2- I have an underlying medical condition that can "flare up" with stress, and it is extremely uncomfortable. It is common for people to experience this during and after any type of surgery. I am hoping it will stay at bay until I have healed up a little bit. All in all, I am pretty upbeat and looking forward to the results! I do apologize for the rambling, but I enjoy reading every detail of other members' experiences. I've learned so much about BA by doing so. :) Updated on 16 Mar 2014: It's 10pm right now, and I have to be at the surgery center at 8:15am, actual surgery is at 9:30am. I'm drinking all the water I can up until midnight, but didn't eat anything after 9pm as directed. I'm always really thirsty in the mornings, so it's going to be challenging not to just grab my water out of habit! I've got my clothes laid out, took a really long bath, packed my wallet, bras, checks to surgery center, and medications so I don't have to run around in the morning and stress out. I am tired, but not sure how much sleep I'm actually going to get. I wrote letters to my two daughters and my BF to read just in case something were to go wrong and I didn't make it out of surgery. I know that's extremely rare, I just wanted them to know how much I love them and cherish being able to have them in my life. My daughter found my rice test bags and was throwing them around the motel room earlier! Lol She is so funny sometimes!! I'm pretty nervous right now, but not changing my mind or second-guessing my decision. I believe I have very realistic expectations, and am well educated about the important aspects of breast augmentation. I'm putting a lot of trust in my doctor, and I am hoping he takes his time and really puts forth his best effort when he does my procedure. That's all for now, I will get back in here tomorrow and ask the nurse to take a pic or two before she helps me put the post-surgical bra on! Thank you all for your extreme generosity and support! I appreciate it more than you'll ever know. :) Updated on 17 Mar 2014: I arrived at the surgery center a little after 8am, and the lady that registered me was really nice and said the nurse would come and get me soon. The nurses were super nice and the doctor and anesthesiologist came in, drew on me, and asked me if I had any more questions before they took me back. Sorry, I'm a bit groggy from the meds. Right now I am in the recovery room waiting to be checked out by the doc and discharged. I feel hung over and the weirdest thing I have going on is feeling like there is a huge chunk of something in my throat! I kept hacking and feeling around in there with my finger, then I realized my hangy-ball thing (in the back of my throat) is swollen from the breathing tube being inserted! Lol My daughter is jumping around and being quite annoying, so I just want to go back to the motel and rest. Maybe her dad can take her to do something. The pain is more intense than I anticipated. When I first woke up from anesthesia, it was about a level 7, now it's a 2 or 3 after IV morphine and 10mg of Percoset. But it literally feels like someone has punched me in the chest repeatedly! It is a lot more intense than being engorged from breast milk. I am in here puffing on my E-cigarette and blowing the vapor into my blanket. Now I feel a bit better! Lol I keep having to pee bc of all the IV fluids and I am downing water. Not drinking after midnight was really difficult and I was sooooo thirsty when I woke up! The nurses are super awesome and nice and even brought me graham crackers instead of saltines. :) All in all, I am feeling okay. I will post some pics as soon as I can, but it might be tomorrow. Thank you guys for being there for me! Love you all!!! Updated on 18 Mar 2014: I made the mistake of doing too much yesterday bc I was pretty numb. Right now, it's 4am and I am really sore! I didn't lift anything over my weight limit, but dinked around yesterday folding clothes, putting make-up on, getting drinks, went out to dinner, and reached too much. It's astonishing how many little tasks use your pectoral muscles! I didn't feel a lot of pain bc I was still numb. So please don't make the same mistake I did! I stayed on top of the pain meds and even set my alarm to wake up and take them during the night. I'm planning on resting on and off today and tomorrow, and taking it super easy. It wasn't that difficult to go to sleep; I am at a motel, so I asked for a rollaway bed and my BF took the mattress off of it and folded it up in a reclining position on the king bed so I could sleep sitting up with pillows behind me. It's surprisingly comfortable! My pain is at a level 4, but it hasn't gone higher than that since I left yesterday. It literally feels like someone used my chest for a punching bag. My stomach is really swollen and my liver hurts (from processing the anesthesia and Tylenol). I have had some issues with my liver ever since an OD several years ago. My back is really tight, especially in my shoulders, but it's not unbearable. I'm super exited to see them at the doc's office today and get fitted for a bra. My surgeon doesn't provide them, so I bought like 8 different types and sizes in hopes I have one that will fit! I spent $85 on one if them, and from what I can tell, it's going to be too big! But I have several that I got at Walmart, but the support may be an issue. I'm used to wearing 2 sports bras when I work out, so maybe I can do that with these. I'm going to go back to sleep for a few hours and keep chugging water. I have peed like 30 times since surgery (I know, TMI). I also drank some laxative tea last night. Nothing yet, so I will take some Senna tomorrow night. The nurse said it's extremely important not to become constipated. I haven't had any nausea since right after surgery. A lot of people become nauseous from the pain meds, but I have a high tolerance for them and it doesn't bother me. I've just been eating a few crackers or a piece of bread with them. Sorry about the rambling, I'll post pics and update after my post-op appt later! Updated on 18 Mar 2014: 2nd Day Post-Op The doctor said everything looked fine, took the bandages off (thank god), and asked if I was having any fever, chills, dizziness, or significant pain. I feel pretty good, just really sore. The doc said my left breast is swollen more so than the right, you can see that in the pictures. I had some trouble getting my nipple piercing back in, but I was just glad that it didn't close up! My nipples are completely numb right now, but the doc said the feeling would start coming back soon, and if it didn't, to let him know at my next appointment. I have 45 days to purchase the insurance in the implants that covers replacement for up to 10 years if they deflate or have some other malfunction; it only costs $100!! I was happy about that. :) I overestimated my abilities yesterday bc I was numb, so I am really feeling it today. My pain level was at a 5 when I woke up, but now at 6pm, it's probably a 2. I've kept up with the pain meds every four hours and that helps a lot. I'm looking forward to being able to take ibuprofen tomorrow! I know that will help so much with the swelling. I also bought a couple gel ice packs to use. I made it home, the two hour drive was kind of rough, but I wrapped a blanket around the seatbelt and put a pillow underneath my breasts. Tell your driver to avoid potholes, slamming on the brakes, and speed bumps!! Lol Opening doors, bottled drinks, and pill containers are difficult, so have someone do those things for you if possible. It makes it easier to open medication bottles if you squeeze it between your legs with your hands on the bottle if they are child-proof caps. I would recommend asking the pharmacy for easy-open bottles if you don't have curious children around! And always make sure you keep opiate medications hidden when people are around, even if you trust them. I'm planning on taking it easy and chilling out with some Law and Order:Special Victims Unit, Seinfeld, and Dr. Phil in my comfy recliner. I'm thinking about keeping the kids home with me tomorrow so they can help me and I won't have to drive them to school. I really can't imagine how driving would feel if opening pill bottles is difficult! I have a note excusing me from school this week, so I will just do school work from home to keep up. I've been drinking lots of water and laxative tea, and haven't had any problems going to the bathroom. My throat is still sore from the breathing tube and my hangy-ball in the back of my throat is still swollen. It just feels weird! All in all, I'm doing really well. I'll update again tomorrow. Thanks ladies for all your support and kindness!! :) Updated on 19 Mar 2014: I had a lot of trouble sleeping last night. I am ridiculously sore, and dread getting up out of the recliner to go to the bathroom or do anything else. My younger daughter is being so helpful! She's staying home from school today to help me. Pain level was at a 6 during the night, I woke up 3 different times and had a lot of trouble going back to sleep. When I woke up at 10am and realized I had missed a pain pill dose and "morning boob" was at its peak! But after the 2 Percoset with 400mg of Ibuprofen, I started to feel a lot better! I am definitely feeling the back pain that the ladies on here talk about in the early post-op days!! Thank goodness for my TheraCane, it's a life saver! I'll post a picture of what it looks like. You can get one at general pharmacies that sell medical apparatuses. It's a cane that you use to massage your back or sore muscles all over your body; you can use it with it without lotion. It's glorious!! Lol Before bed last night, I took a Zofran bc the pain meds were making me nauseous. Not long after that, I took my regular muscle relaxer/sleeping pill (Zanaflex). I was unaware that these two meds have a pretty serious interaction with each other, and I am usually very careful about these things since my dad has been a pharmacist for 30+ years. I started becoming really dizzy, my heart started beating irregularly, and I literally passed out for 3 hours! I was quite ill. PLEASE check Drugs.com and use the interactions checker if you take any meds on a regular basis and compare them to the ones you are prescribed by your surgeon!! I thought I was going to have to call 911 last night. It was so scary! And it totally could have been avoided had I double-checked for interactions. My lungs are hurting like I'm getting bronchitis or something; they said to watch for that after the anesthesia. So I'll call the doc today. I know it's partly my fault too, the E-cigarette can't be helping it any! Taking the compression socks off was a godsend, I really didn't like those. The doc said as long as I get up and walk around the house every couple hours, I could take them off today. I'm noticing the asymmetry that the doc pointed out beforehand, but he said it should level out after a few weeks and he could fix some of it if he does the areola lift. Right now it's not bothering me that much. The RealSelf docs have said over and over that it's impossible to make the breasts perfectly symmetrical, especially if there is asymmetry to begin with. I just love how full and round they are! I can't wait to see what they look like after the swelling goes down. :) Updated on 20 Mar 2014: I decided to move to my bed last night bc the recliner is so uncomfortable to sleep in! I put a couch cushion and pillows to prop me up so I wouldn't be laying down flat. I can't wait to be able to sleep on my sides again! Ended up sleeping much more comfortably and didn't wake up with back pain and stiffness this morning. Pain level went down dramatically after about 2pm yesterday. I was up and about and made dinner, drove down to the mailbox and cleaned up a little bit. I can feel the saline sloshing around when I bend over, it's kind of weird. It feels like small gas bubbles inside my chest cavity. Starting to have some muscle spasms in the pectorals, but they don't hurt. I took a Klonopin at bedtime so they wouldn't wake me up. The swelling is still present, but using ibuprofen and gel ice packs helps a lot! My stomach is still swollen too, I look like I'm 5 months pregnant! I am hoping to put a slightly tighter bra on soon for extra support. Right now I'm wearing a Fruit of the Loom sports bra from Walmart, size 42! It's so huge and old lady-ish. I have a couple cute zip front ones, but I can't get them closed yet. The incision sites are becoming itchy, so I scratch gently around the cuts so I don't introduce bacteria into the incisions themselves. My nipples are completely numb and around my areola. It feels strange, bc normally I am very sensitive in that area. I was able to drive kids to school, but it's only 5 minutes away. Turning the steering wheel is uncomfortable unless my arms are at my sides. My car doors are heavy, so I'm being really careful opening them. Morning boob was present when I woke up, so I took pain meds and ibuprofen and it calmed down. You can see from the pics that the swelling is worse than it has been, but surprisingly less painful than yesterday. Had to take a nausea pill bc I took my supplements, pain meds, and ibuprofen all at the same time and didn't want to risk it. I'm going to take a shower today, I feel so gross! I just didn't feel like it yesterday. Nap time now! Updated on 20 Mar 2014: So I measured my bra size using the general guidelines, right now I am a 36 F!!! Lol That is so gigantic! Lol I am thinking that once the swelling goes down, I will end up being a 34DD or even a 34DDD. I don't really mind being larger than a D bc I asked the doc to fill in the extra skin I had from weight gain during pregnancy and breast feeding. I'll update the size changes as they go down. Updated on 21 Mar 2014: Took the last of my pain pills this morning. I was so ready to get off them anyway! Morning boob was bad enough that I needed them. I thought I'd be feeling much better, but I am still run-down and just want to sleep a lot. Hopefully things will be better this weekend. I sure am glad I took the week off from school and other responsibilities. I'm not having any fever or unusual symptoms, so it's possible I just picked up a cold or something; or, I just didn't tolerate the stress of surgery very well. I didn't know what to expect either since I've never had surgery before, other than my wisdom teeth. On the bright side, they seem to be settling nicely and look really symmetrical to me! The ice packs help a lot with the discomfort from swelling that hasn't started to go down yet. I'm getting anxious to see the real size instead of the swelling size! :) Updated on 21 Mar 2014: I've been wearing a Fruit of the Loom front hook cotton sports bra. I felt like I needed more support when I'm up and moving around, but I didn't want anything too tight. So I have a size 42 on, then I placed a size 44 on top of it. What a difference that makes!! I feel supported and comfortable, and they stay in place while I am moving around and bending over! Just thought I'd share that in case anyone else is having the same trouble. :) Updated on 22 Mar 2014: Yesterday afternoon/evening, I wasn't feeling well at all. I have been developing flu-like symptoms: achy, cold, general malaise, lung/diaphragm discomfort still going on, very low energy. My temp was 99.1 with ibuprofen in my system. I DO NOT have any nausea, dizziness, rash, excessive warmth in the breasts, or red streaks. I just felt like I could barely muster up the energy to get up out of bed. The pain is pretty much gone, my back is more uncomfortable than my front at this point. I wish I could stretch, exercise a little, and pop my back. I see the doctor on Monday (today is Saturday), but planning on calling him later if the symptoms don't start to improve or get worse. I searched some questions on here about it, and found that some women do experience these symptoms and recover at a slower rate than others. And my E-cigarette could be contributing to the lung problems. While they are safer than regular cigarettes, they aren't problem-free. Morning boob wasn't painful today, even after sleeping more flat than I have been. The breast discomfort has been manageable with ice packs, ibuprofen and Suboxone, and use the TheraCane and heating pad for my back. It's starting to loosen up. Just a note: Suboxone is an opiate derivative given to people with opiate dependence such as pain pills, heroin, etc. It blocks opiate receptors so you can't "get high" from traditional opiates, prevents withdrawal symptoms, and aids the recovery process by eliminating cravings and allowing the person to work on the mental issues that caused them to become dependent on substances in the first place. Suboxone does not "get you high," and can be a valuable tool in recovery. I've been on Suboxone for about 6 months, as I was addicted to pain pills for about 10 years. Suboxone saved my life! I was able to save the money I would have normally spent on pills to pay for my new boobies as a reward for all my hard work. I feel I made the right choice in having my surgery, and I no longer feel like I was being vain or selfish. I did explain to my daughters what I had done and why, and they said it will be nice for me to not have boobies that stick down like grandmas do! Lol I just didn't want to give them the wrong idea and make them think having a BA was necessary for everyone. I'm always honest with them bc lying to your kids generally ends up causing negative consequences. Now that it's close to noon, I am starting to feel better than I have in the last 48 hours. Probably 50-60% of normal; Thursday and Friday I was at 20-30% of normal. I'll take that improvement! The swelling doesn't seem to be going down any, but it's not unbearable. No signs of abnormal swelling or anything indicative of seroma or hematoma, and breasts look even in size. I'm very happy with their appearance, but wishing the swelling would go down faster bc they seem very large! The docs are all over the place when they say how much swelling is present. I've found answers ranging from "very minimal" or "1/4 cup size" to "10-20%." I will be happy if the swelling goes down 1/2 to 1 full cup size being as I am measuring at a 36F! I found a post on here from a doc that recommended stretches to avoid muscle spasms in the pectoralis and reduce discomfort. I'll post pics of the one stretch. I found these to be very gentle and they feel good. Place one hand at a time on top of your head, and sit up straight. (See pic) Don't force the stretch, it will happen naturally as you reach. In addition, shoulder rolls and small arm circles (with arms out straight) were recommended. It makes the muscles feel less tight for me! But he said not to do them if it causes pain; keep in mind they are a bit uncomfortable at first. Sorry for the lengthy posts, I found that the more details women post on here, the more helpful it was. That's all my rambling for today, I'll check in tomorrow. Take care my lovely RealSelf friends!! Updated on 22 Mar 2014: Just having some fun with bras and cute tops! Updated on 23 Mar 2014: The swelling was starting to go down during they day, and they were becoming softer. I woke up in the middle of the night really swollen, so I think I overdid it yesterday. I drove for about an hour and went to Walmart, carried several bags up the stairs, but made sure each bag was under my weight limit though. Also did some cleaning around the house. It's true your body tells you when enough is enough. My pain level is about a 2 and the flu-like symptoms I was having are almost gone. I think I might have a bit of a cold bc my nose started running and I've been sneezing and coughing too (which is still quite uncomfortable). I'm really pleased with the way they look now, but becoming impatient bc I want to see the final result and praying they end up looking close to what they look like now. I'm still really concerned about getting the Snoopy Deformity due to my degree of ptosis pre-op and have begun researching the best possible lift options if that happens. Having a lift scares me though, I've seen a lot of bad results following various types of lifts. I am still happy I had the surgery to correct the baggy, flattened look, and I can't wait to start wearing real bras with underwire during the day. I like the comfort of the sports bras, but they don't make my boobs look nice under clothing. Now that it's been almost a week, I need to resume my diet of healthier entrees and snacks, not just convenient ones out of boxes and/or frozen. I want this bloating in my stomach to go down and I know fish, fruits, and veges will do that! MY FLAT TUMMY SMOOTHIE RECIPE 2 cups Frozen mixed berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries) - add more or less to taste 1/2 avocado 1 cup Spinach 1 large Kale Leaf 1/2 cup Carrots 1 serving Greek yogurt 3 T Chia Seeds 2 Scoops PlantFusion Protein Powder (Plain or Cookies & Creme) 1 packet Truvia Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk (gradually pour in to achieve desired consistency) Add a few ice cubes and throw it all in a blender or food processor! It makes more than one serving, so freeze the rest for later and sip throughout the day to kill hunger pains and flatten that belly! And don't worry, if you use enough berries, you can't taste the veges. ;) Updated on 24 Mar 2014: I had to make the long drive for my one week check up today, and it was snowing (of course). I'm so ready for spring and summer and cute little tank tops! I ended up driving for a total of 4 hours, and I am pretty sore from it. The doctor said I'm coming along fine, but prescribed me an antibiotic bc I mentioned the cold/flu symptoms I was having. He said it's better to be safe and take the antibiotic than risk not taking it if there is a minor infection. The nurse told me the bra I had on was too tight, and that could be causing them to feel more sore. I guess I'm so used to wearing bras that are really tight-fitting for support, so I didn't notice. Doc said incisions look really great and I can get stitches out in a week. I told him I was still concerned about needing a lift and the slight asymmetry he pointed out before surgery. He told me that the implants will drop a little and I shouldn't be so worried about the breast tissue hanging off of them bc he took measures to prevent that from happening. I've noticed that implants were placed a bit lower on my chest wall than girls who have more perky breasts; I don't have that "riding high" look at all, and my nipples are directly in the center of the implant. He also placed 10cc less in the right breast to account for the left having more loose skin (which caused the minor asymmetry). I am glad he did that and didn't go overboard with the cc difference. I had to go back to school today, but I only have classes that I have to go to Mon-Thurs mornings and the rest are online. I'm behind from taking a week off, but I know I can catch up. I'm still sore and tight, and bending over is what causes the most discomfort, so I do my best to avoid it. The left breast is still more swollen than the right. I'm not feeling 100% well, but definitely better than the last few days! I am dragging in the mornings and dog tired by 6pm. I'm sure it will improve from here on out. I bought a couple bras that aren't sports bras, but are soft, supportive and comfortable with no underwire. They look like grandma bras, but cute pretty bras don't exist in the size I am now. I can live with the granny bras for a few more weeks. I'll post pics and brands tomorrow of them for ladies that are close to my size. On a separate note, I can't even exclaim in words how grateful I am for RealSelf and all the wonderful ladies on here! I've lived on this site for the last month and received so much information, kindness, and support. A BIG thank you to all the RealSelf staff and members for making this such a great experience!! Updated on 25 Mar 2014: I've spent hours upon hours reading about girls who travel to third world countries for plastic surgery. I am NOT trying to put them down or say they are stupid, simply misinformed and possibly naive. Best case scenario, they make it back to the US (or European countries & AU) alive with no serious infections. Most of their pics don't even show a difference in appearance. These plastic surgery mills in the Dominican Republic seem to be the most popular with clinics being shut down bc of serious infections, medical malpractice, and even numerous deaths! They use medications that haven't been used in the US for many years bc they have been proven unsafe, these "doctors" recommend supplements that are known to prevent blood clotting, can interact with other medications, and patients are even given placebos in leu of real medications. Real plastic surgeons are absolutely appalled by this! About 90% of stories I have read includes experiences of waking up while the surgery is being performed, extreme pain and burns that don't go away even after months of recovery, and epidurals being used inappropriately that can cause paralysis, Arachnoiditis, and other permanent spinal cord injuries. Many of these "plastic surgeons" do not have any training or education related to safety, ethics, or technique. Medical schools in third world countries are nothing like they are in the higher income countries. They draw these women (and men) in by promising multiple procedures for an extremely discounted price, and use photoshopped images as their before and after photos! In the long run, these patients have to deal with permanent disfiguration and medical problems, end up spending tons of money on travel expenses, recovery houses, and private "nurses" for post-op care. These "nurses" have no medical training for the most part, and are simply caregivers hired by the "doctors." Sometimes the procedures are performed by students and other personnel and not the doctor the patient met with and paid for the surgery. The US has the highest medical standards, sanitation requirements, and medical training/experience in the world, and there are still instances where procedures can go wrong, but the risks are minuscule compared to these other places. It horrified me reading stories about patients having blood work and surgery performed by people who did NOT wear gloves, did NOT change scrubs, and were left in recovery rooms for hours (with no care) with other people's blood, vomit, urine, and [RS bleep] present on the beds, showers, floors, and toilets. There is generally little pre-op communication between patient and doctor, poor follow-up care, and extremely high rates of life-threatening infections like staph and MRSA. I understand the desire to want plastic surgery for a lower cost, but is it really worth risking your life and beauty for? I hope these girls consider the high risk situation, do their research, and make an informed decision before traveling abroad for plastic surgery. Keep in mind I am not saying that ALL surgery performed in low-income countries is going to turn out badly, and I am not naming any patients or doctors that I have come across. I am sure there are great plastic surgeons all over the world. But a patient is supposed to read REAL reviews of their physician and facility of choice, and if 2 or more negative reviews are found, move on and select a different physician and/or facility! If it takes longer to save up the money for a safer surgery in the US (or other country with high medical standards), wouldn't it be worth that to achieve a good outcome and minimal risk of complications? Trust your intuition (gut feeling) when selecting your surgeon, so many women reported getting a "bad feeling" before traveling to the Dominican Republic and other third world countries, then went through with the surgery anyway; most had terrible results, no results at all, or developed debilitating medical conditions and/or permanent medical deformities. And if a doctor is asking for payment via PayPal or Western Union, it is most likely a dangerous scam and you are gambling with your life! PLEASE consider having cosmetic surgery in a country where the risks are minimal, pre-op and post-op care is available, and precautions are taken to assure your safety and results! I had to give my two cents on this issue and I hope it saves at least one person from a devastating experience. Updated on 25 Mar 2014: I have pretty much been on RealSelf for the last month non-stop. I've probably read anywhere from 500-1000 reviews and questions from all over the world. This site was so helpful for me and I felt really safe posting my before and after photos bc I did not feel anyone would judge me. I admit I became a bit overly passionate about the plastic surgery in third world counties issue because of all the horrific stories I read, and I commented on girls' profiles that told about their terrifying experiences. I said things like, "I am so glad you made it home and over-came the life-threatening infection" or "I am glad you made it through without serious complications." I also commented on some profiles of girls planning to go to those places for surgery and said, "please read reviews and make an informed decision" or "please be cautious of having surgery in foreign countries." Apparently I offended many of these girls who have surgeries scheduled in the Dominican Republic and other countries, but that was NOT my intention. I just don't want anyone to be unaware of the risks involved and be misinformed, mutilated, or seriously injured. I do understand that some people achieve decent results in other countries, and I wasn't pointing fingers or being mean. Now these girls are inboxing me really nasty messages about the appearance of my body and my surgery results, and I do not think my actions deserve this kind of verbal abuse. I have deleted my photos bc of this animosity, and will not repost. I wouldn't even feel comfortable repeating what has been said to me! I thought we were here to help each other and offer advice; and if I was about to do something that had a high risk of infection, permanent medical problems, deformity, or even death, I would hope someone would care enough to warn me of the dangers. I am not angry, just disappointed that people feel the need to be cruel simply bc they disagree with my opinion. Updated on 25 Mar 2014: Ladies, I want to apologize for overreacting and engaging in drama. I have made amends to the best of my ability to those I offended regarding the plastic surgery abroad, and I will no longer be voicing my opinion about it. I respect others' decisions, and I let the experience of someone close to me cloud my thoughts. There are Board Certified Plastic Surgeons all over the world, and it is possible to have complications anywhere, not just outside the US. I have been on a serious emotional roller coaster for the last week, and staying positive is becoming elusive. The people closest to me and the most supportive have turned, and they are treating me very disrespectfully and/or downright ignoring me. I made it a point not to blab about my surgery constantly to them, but I answered their questions if they had any. So I am hurt and confused by their behavior. My flu-like symptoms are getting a little bit better, though I think some sleep would really help. I just can't seem to sleep for more than 2-3 hours at a time because: 1- I hate sleeping propped up on my back (I am a fetal position sleeper), 2- I am super stressed about how my loved ones are acting, 3- I have tons of school work to do, and 4- I am pretty much broke now because I spent my last $100 for insurance through Natrelle. Taking this much time off from exercise is also affecting me mentally, physically, and emotionally. I am usually active, and I work out for at least an hour a day and spend a lot of time stretching because I am a dancer. Dancing without using your arms, pecs, or bouncing your boobs is just not happening! *sigh* Enough venting, I am going to start thinking more positively, work on stabilizing my emotions, and healing from the operation. It is quite shocking to be so excited about something and then ending up feeling down in the dumps; I didn't expect that, so maybe this will help other women dealing with roller coaster emotions realize they are definitely not alone! I will also be re-posting my pics because I had such a hard time finding women who had similar stats and breast size/shape, and I really want to help them if they are questioning whether or not having a BA is right for them. May God bless all of you who have been so helpful and kind, I know I tend to ramble on and on and on and on. . . . LOL Thank you for your support and patience!! Updated on 26 Mar 2014: I'm doing better today, morning boob was pretty bad because I slept flat instead of reclined; it was worth it! I slept so much better! I am still sore, a little swollen (left still more than right), and I get weird aches and sensations through both of them. But I know that is all normal. I bought some really comfortable bras (not very pretty ones), so I don't have to wear sports bras all during the day. Sports bras flatten out my breasts and don't look nice under clothing. I can't wait to get my Victoria's Secret underwire push-up bras again! I know that I will be able to create killer cleavage once these babies heal!! I was able to get registered at the university for summer and fall and got into all the classes I wanted, so I am happy about that. I only have about 18 months left until I have my Bachelor's degree! :) I am including all my pics in this post, and I feel good about the decision to re-post. Updated on 27 Mar 2014: Today has been really busy with classes and appointments. It seemed like every door I encountered was super heavy, and most of the handicapped buttons didn't work! It scares me to pull open heavy doors, so I tried to be as careful as possible. And this lady rushed over to give me a hug and accidentally jabbed my boob with her elbow! OUCH!!!! I tried to hide that it hurt. Lol I have been kind of on edge today; everyone and everything seemed to rub me the wrong way. My 6 year old has been acting like such a brat lately, so I am looking forward to getting a break from her this weekend when she goes to her dad's. Is that bad? My swelling is going down a little, but I still have asymmetrical swelling. It's hard to tell unless you really study them, so I am glad that they look even for the most part. I feel awful for the girls that have very visible asymmetry bc it's so hard to correct. I never knew breasts came in so many different shapes and sizes until I joined this website! I suppose I never really thought about it either. . . I still find myself wishing I had little tiny A or B cups (like I did in 6th grade, Lol), but I don't think that would look right on my frame since I have always been larger. I'm hoping I can get away with wearing tank tops this summer that have the built-in bra thingy WITHOUT wearing a strapless bra underneath, and they look okay. Keeping my fingers crossed! I am still very happy I had this done! I know they aren't perfect, but my doctor gave me exactly what I wanted!! I just pray that they stay looking about like they do now. I worry they will drop too far, but hopefully that can be corrected if it happens. One more thing. . . NO ONE has noticed or said anything! I am so relieved bc I was worried about rumors being spread that I had them done. I live in a small town and everybody wants to know everything about everyone else, and people don't have anything better to do than gossip. I'm certainly not ashamed I had them done, I just don't like people talking about me. My only regret is that I didn't do this sooner! I don't cry when I look in the mirror anymore like I did before; I smile! I was so embarrassed that my breasts looked 40 years older than the rest of me. Liking the way you look in the mirror is so empowering and reassuring. It makes you feel like you have more confidence and you hold your head a little higher, even if you're the only one who knows your secret. My advice to anyone who is thinking about this surgery is to go for it! But always make sure you are aware of the pros and cons, and it has to be something YOU want to do. Don’t ever let anyone talk you into it or talk you out of it. It is your choice, and only YOUR choice! Updated on 30 Mar 2014: Tomorrow I will be two weeks post-op, I can't believe how fast time has gone by! I had a great weekend with my BF. It turns out no one was ignoring me, they were just busy. I guess I was so bored and emotional I didn't consider that. Things are looking up, and I have no pain now. Sometimes I feel weird sensations and I know very quickly if I am doing something I shouldn't. But on a personal note, I had no problems during "play time" with my BF. He actually said, "OMG they look incredible!!" I was so worried he was going to hate them bc he told me he didn't want me to have the surgery. He also said he was concerned that they were going to end up looking really fake or distorted. I understand that, bc I had the same concerns. He was such a sweetheart this weekend; he wouldn't let me lift or carry anything bc he didn't want me to hurt myself. He was very careful with me during intimacy, and I was so pleasantly surprised by his reaction. :) The glue they put on my skin where the stitches are has caused my skin to break out a little and become itchy. I have little bumps and I'm constantly scratching around it. I used some hydrocortisone cream around the stitches and that really helped. I will ask my doctor if I am allergic to the glue and if this is something I need to tell doctors in the future. It doesn't hurt, it's just uncomfortable. I still use little gauze pads and place them over the stitches so my incisions don't rub on my bra. My appointment is supposed to be tomorrow afternoon, but we have a snow storm coming in, so I don't know if I will have to reschedule or not. I considered having someone local take the stitches out, but I will clear that with the nurse tomorrow if I can't make the 90 minute drive up there. Seeing my doctor would make me feel more at ease so he can reassure me that everything is healing fine. As far as sleeping goes, I'm still sleeping on my back. I can only lay on my sides very briefly before it becomes uncomfortable. But I sleep almost flat and that is a lot more comfortable than sleeping in a sitting position. My mom asked to see them today, and I showed her. She said, "Oh, I thought they were going to be bigger and look out of proportion. They look really nice." I was also surprised at her reaction bc she has always had some kind of jealousy complex bc my boobs have always been bigger than hers. I was wearing her bras in middle school. I was happy she reacted in a positive way and didn't make some snarky comment! *sigh of relief* I really wish I could do my usual workout routine (I pole dance for fitness only, I've never worked as an exotic dancer and never will), so I kind of feel sluggish and lazy. I walked up and down the stairs this weekend and I will resume some lower body strength training this week. The nurse told me to be careful with squats and lunges, bc the pec muscles flex when you do those. I will take it easy and if it's uncomfortable or hurts, I will stop. The treadmill is just so boring! I want to get down to 120 lbs with muscle again. If I lose more than that, the extra skin I have from being overweight starts to look really nasty in my opinion. And the doctor said if I lose more than 10 lbs, it could affect the way my breasts look; I certainly don't want to do anything to make them look weird! I used to obsess about my weight and starved myself and struggled with bulimia for many years bc I wanted to weigh 99lbs. But now I am learning to accept my body and having this surgery flipped a switch in my head; I no longer look at myself and feel disgusted and gross. I am far from perfect, but I am glad I was able to lose the weight after my babies and regain most of my figure. Learning to live with the fact that I will never look like I did before I had kids has been a long, hard road, but I am making great progress! I used to dream about a tummy tuck and fillers and all these other procedures I wanted done, but now I think I am done with plastic surgery for a while. It's not as easy as I thought, and I could take my kids on a fantastic vacation for what a tummy tuck would cost! I'm not saying I will never do another procedure, but I don't want to in the near future. Just having my breasts done was enough to boost my self-confidence about my appearance and I know that working on my self-esteem from the inside out will be the key to finding happiness. Having several plastic surgery procedures is not wrong and I don't look down on people who do it, but I don't think it's right for me. To sum it all up, I am happy, confident, and satisfied with my decision to do this and the direction I am going in my life. I have found so much support and comfort here on RealSelf, and I am eternally grateful for the friends I have made on here and all the beautiful women who have taken time to comment and message me. Thank you RealSelf, for giving all of us the opportunity to share our experiences and come together as a community! :) Updated on 31 Mar 2014: I had my two week check up today and made it up there fine; it didn’t rain or snow and the roads weren’t icy! Never trust an online weather report. The suture removal went well, it didn’t hurt at all. I asked my doctor if I was allergic to the glue, and he said it was really common to have a reaction like that and most likely would have a reaction to steri strips or any type of glue in the future. He removed some of the glue, and told me not to pick at the rest. . . darn it!! Lol It will come off eventually I guess. It still kind of itches, but not as badly. He told me not to take a bath for another four or five days. ? There are tiny holes at the very ends of the incisions, and he said they are still susceptible to infection until they close up completely. The nurse told me I should be wearing 100% cotton bras, but I had enough trouble finding bras that fit, let alone cotton ones! So she said putting cotton gauze pads over the incisions will be fine, and change them frequently because too much sweating can cause further irritation of the incisions. I don’t sweat usually, but it feels better to have the gauze there to prevent rubbing, so no complaints there. My next appointment will be in two weeks. Emotionally, I am doing really good. I will progress my workouts, but starting out slowly right now: 20-30 minutes of walking at a time this week with a few squats and lunges. My doctor told me to keep my elbows at my sides and the lifting restriction still applies for the next 4 weeks because it’s vital for the tissue to form around the implants correctly. I hope I don’t end up with capsular contracture, Snoopy, or Double Bubble, but I don’t worry about it all the time. It’s really hard NOT to reach for things because it’s so automatic. I’m posting a few pics; the incisions, my favorite VS bra from before surgery, and how they look now. In my opinion, they look very natural. I still don’t want a lift if I can avoid it even though I probably should. The ptosis doesn’t bother me that much because I am so used to it. I know it will eventually get worse, but if I could put off the lift for a few years, I would be happy. ? I’ll start updating less frequently now that I’m over the hard part. My blog is getting really looooooong! ;) Updated on 31 Mar 2014: Forgot to post this pic with update Updated on 2 Apr 2014: This stupid rash I have started out small and was just around the incisions. Doctor said it was a reaction to the glue. It's been getting progressively worse and now it's all over me!! It's on my neck, face, and back! I asked my dad (who is a pharmacist) and he said, "Stop taking those antibiotics now!" I didn't even think of that. I'm allergic to penicillin, so the doc gave me sulfur-based antibiotics which I've never taken before. I will have to make sure and tell any future doctors that I may have an allergy to the sulfur type as well. I just hope this rash goes away soon, its so itchy and annoying. It's concentrated around my incisions mostly, which is extremely uncomfortable. I'll call my doc today and let him know what's going on so they can put it in my chart. On the bright side, the swelling has gone down more and my breast tissue is NOT hanging off the implants: my biggest fear. :) Updated on 5 Apr 2014: I put on one of my favorite tanks today, and I can wear it without a bra!! I have never been able to do that in my entire life! It has one of those built-in bras that is basically an extra piece of fabric, not molded cups or anything. I always had to wear an uncomfortable strapless bra underneath tanks like this to make my boobs look halfway decent. Obviously, it doesn't create much cleavage but I don't care about that. Since I have never had a problem making cleavage, it doesn't bother me; I can always put on a bra underneath if I want that effect. It feels so natural and free, and I am super confident now! My rash is going away and I have less soreness. Doing laundry yesterday was a bit of a problem. I have to drive to the laundromat, so I had to make sure all my baskets were not heavier than 10 pounds. Since doing laundry involves a lot of reaching, carrying, pushing, and pulling, it made me sore and I had to be very careful. Ladies, if you have someone who can do the laundry for you, please use that resource! I slept on my side for a little while last night, and it wasn't too bad. I'm so sick of sleeping on my back! But I worry about how sleeping on my side too much (since I am only a few weeks post-op) could potentially affect the final result. When did you ladies start side-sleeping after your surgery? Did it cause any problems? Thank you all for your support and encouragement, I will update again after my 4 week post-op appointment. Have a wonderful weekend! :) Updated on 13 Apr 2014: So I have done a lot of research on girls traveling outside of the US to have their surgery. I think I let some of the horror stories cloud my thinking when I posted the "warning" a few weeks ago. I have found almost as many girls that have had complications in the US! I wish I could delete my former post bc I feel I was being unfairly judgmental when I said those things. I've been following some of the women who had surgery in the Dominican Republic, and the vast majority of them have great results with minimal complications. I still stand firm when I say that researching your surgeon of choice is a must, and every single procedure can be risky and pose serious complications. It doesn't matter where you have your surgery, taking precautions and being informed is extremely important. I never intended to judge others unfairly, and I hope that I did not offend anyone with my words. I just want everyone who goes under the knife to be aware and understand the risks involved, and I hate to see some of the women on here who have had complications (anywhere in the world). It breaks my heart. To all my RealSelf sisters, thank you for listening to me ramble and your continued support means a lot to me! I want all of you to know that I truly care about you, and I respect your decisions to choose your surgeon and the location of your procedures, and I wish you all the best for your lives and your surgeries! Updated on 15 Apr 2014: So I saw the doc today for my 4 week PO appt. He said everything is looking really good, and the nurse taught me how to do the scar massage. I asked them about exercise, and they said at the six week mark I can start doing light weights (3-5 lbs); they said to be very careful and stop if I feel any pain or more discomfort than usual. The nurse said to pretend like I’ve never worked out with weights before and build up gradually. I’m becoming anxious to do my regular workouts like I did pre-op. I feel like a slug right now! It’s amazing how cutting down on your workout intensity can affect the way you feel physically and emotionally. And I HATE the treadmill and stationary bike! Lol I wanted to say something regarding the sizers we have to try on pre-op. My RS friend Niki inspired me to do so, and what she says is true. The pre-filled implants and the rice sizers are NOT very accurate in determining what you will look like post-op. I actually thought I wanted a larger size (450cc or 500cc) when I tried them on. They don’t look natural inside of your bra, and look like you have something odd stuffed in there. If I had chosen the size of the sizers I liked, I would have been too large. So I trusted my doctor’s opinion when deciding on the final cc amount (380cc). Ladies, I know that sizing before the operation can be a HUGE dilemma, but ultimately your doctor will have a better idea of what size/type/profile will be best to meet your personal goals. That is why it is so important to choose a doctor that you trust and with whom you are able to have a good line of communication, both pre-op
I've been meaning to do this. Time has gotten away from me. My stats 37 years old 5'5" 140-145# I've wanted my stomach and breasts "fixed" since the birth of my first child, 11 years ago. My obsession increased with my additional 2 children. I carried my three pregnancies all in the front, from behind my pregnancies were hardly noticeable. Resulting in Huge, Huge prego belly with lots of stretchmarks (you all know the mushy, yucky belly I speak of)!! Three years ago I had my first plastic surgeon consultation. I learned what he thought needed to be done and the cost. This summer I finally saved enough money and began shopping surgeons. I started by surfing pics online and emailing surgeons in surrounding areas inquiring their charges. If i couldn't afford their services i didn't want to waste my money on consultation fees. I received quotes from $8,600-$26,000. The lesser expensive Dr. happened to practice near my parents home. I thought that would work, the plan included my mother taking full care of me for the first week. She's a registered nurse and I have 3 children (4-11 yrs old) to care for. My husband works 5-6 days a week 8-10 hour days. He would not be much help. I scheduled my consultation with Dr. Kenneth Bailey. In my experience surgeons come across very professional and serious. I'm not that type of girl, Oh well. Both doctors ignored my husband at our consultations. I really liked Dr. Bailey's nurse, Lisa joked, laughed and told it like it was (no sugar coating). Unfortunately, the receptionist miss quoted the cost in her email. The price went from $8,600 to $12,500, still one of the lesser expensive doctors. Dr. Bailey recommended a full tummy tuck, which includes some lipo, and a breast augmentation. If a lift is needed that can be done at a later date once the implants settled in and found their final resting place. I really do not want a lift, so I'm crossing my fingers. Ok...after much discussion with my husband, friends and family I slowly got over my guilt of taking such a large amount of money from my family. I decided I didn't want to continue searching and put it off any more and I called Dr. Bailey to schedule an appointment. To my surprise they could get me in anytime! Uhmm...I wasn't ready yet, yes I was...ok I needed to think about it...ugh. I spoke with my mom about her schedule and called the nurse back, done! 2 weeks from my first phone call I will be under the knife. Breast augmentation and tummy tuck with lipo on sides. 2 days before surgery Dr. Bailey ordered me on a 2 day clear liquid diet with the last day including saline laxatives. He believed the smaller my innards, the tighter he could cinch me up. "I'll do whatever, just give me a flat, little belly." For my breast augmentation my husband and I decided to go with HP 380cc saline implants. I just felt worry free with saline. My pre-augmentation size was 34 DD, one D meaning droopy the other deflated. I wanted "perky" breasts, not big boobies ???? I'm a runner and do not need big bouncers. I read RealSelf every minute of the day til my surgery. I'm a planner...had my lists filled and everything I could imagine I needed purchased and ready to go. We live 6 hours from my parents and planned on a 2 week stay in their 1 bedroom home with my 3 boys and a helpless me. My surgery was scheduled for Monday 8:30am July 29th, I needed to be there by 7:30 am. Got up, went to the surgery center, honestly I never felt nervous about the surgery just the results after. They prepped me for surgery, sharpied the surgery pattern on my front side, I walked in the operating room, joked with the anesthesiologist, I woke with fire burning in my lower abs, they moved me to a private recovery room, folding me up like a taco and with drugs the pain eased and I was in and out of sleep. The nurse wouldn't dicharge me til I stayed awake...I forced my eyes open and faked alertness best I could. My husband and mom took me with binder, drains and lovely pain pump, to my parent's recliner, my resting place for the next week and a half. The day after surgery I went to my first postop appt. I was still out of it. I knew my mother's nurse background would be helpful, she kept my pain meds right on schedule. At the apt. they checked me all out and tried to put on my front closer sports bra...no go, not big enough. So much for planning, I now had to go shopping 1 day postop...that sucked. I vaguely remember getting really irritated with the "fitter specalist" and walking out, my mom found me a bra and we went back to the recliner. My mom kept my prescriptions pain pills flowing and my drains emptying. My recovery the first week was smooth. Once in awhile I walked around, I rested, and let all others care for me (helping me in and out of the recliner and toilet ect..) At one week postop my drains and pain pump were removed, I was super thankful to get those out. Mostly, they were in the way and I was scared of ripping them out. The removal wasn't painful just a tug. The right hand drain..I felt movement clear from the left upper abdomen. Kinda gross. With the drains gone I could use the compression garment of my choice. When the drain incision spots "sealed" i could shower, 2 plus days. Dr. Bailey shared, he removed the skin from just above my bellybutton down. And stitched up the very large gap between my muscles. That excited me, I've always had a weak core, now I know it's not from lack of crunches! Everything looked good. I hadn't seen anything yet I have tons of gauze taped to my whole tummy area. My breasts are super easy. I need to be careful with arm movement. Keeping my elbows to sides, no lifting, nothing that causes chest muscles to contract. I'm already taking it easy cuz my TT. Glad I did them together. My breasts are hard/swollen, numb, with stretched shinny nipples ???? 11 days post op. Every day gets better. Still super swollen, I hope, otherwise I'm not happy with my tummy. The lipo on my sides is tender/numb not much bruising at all. Today is the first day I have showered since day of surgery. And first real look at myself. I think I was in there an hour and a half. I very much needed to shave and wash my hair!! I move very slow. By the time i dressed, my breasts hurt underneath and my tummy was tight. At night, mostly, I feel zingers under my new tummy skin. Not painful just annoying. My skin is beginning to itch like crazy. I'm off most prescription pain meds. I take ibuprofen a couple times a day and Percocet at night. Not sure I really need it though. Last night I moved from the recliner to the couch, just propping my feet up. I slept like a baby. For the last 3 days I've been walking around the neighborhood park while my kiddos play, I'm clocking a slow 1-1.5 miles, depending how long they play. Still trying to nap daily, sometimes not by choice. That was a quick summery of my last 11 days. I'm sure I left lots out ???? Updated on 11 Aug 2013: Updated on 13 Aug 2013: Updated on 13 Aug 2013: Went to my 2 week appointment yesterday. Time to remove stitches, I was terrified. I didn't need to worry. Honestly, little tugs, never felt the stitch come out. Dr. Bailey needed to pick some glue, that hurt a little, kinda like a band-aid pull. I talked the whole time to distract myself :) Surprisingly, my tummy stitches were two really long "strings". I'm still numb below my belly button. I thought that area felt spongy, my friend thought it felt hard?? Still swollen. My pain is manageable, just doing ibuprofen. Doctor instructions...one more week of wearing shape wear 24/7, then I do shape wear half the time. Next week (week 3) start scar massage (it breaks up the scar tissue) and silicone treatment. I need to let the incision seal, so I'm not pulling it apart. He mentioned white interior stitches might poke out, just trim them. My breasts are healing well. Starting to soften and slowly getting feeling back, just tender. I still can't lift my arms above my shoulders and really limiting my activities that require upper body/core muscles. I go back to Dr. in 3-4 weeks. I'll post more once I think of something. ;-) Updated on 24 Aug 2013: I'm feeling better, still swell a ton in the evening. Yesterday I shopped for about 2-3 hours, without compression garment, by dinner time I wanted to remove my skin. I ached all over and my belly swelled. I took pain meds, yanked on my CG and went to bed, by morning the swelling decreased and I felt recharged. I started sleeping on my sides this week, at first rolling over proved to be a challenge. Each night gets easier. Because of my chest I'm not able to lay on my stomach. My left breast has softened and dropped more than my right. My right breast also remains more sensitive/painful. I guess the right side heals slower. All the way around, my right side is more swollen than the left. I'm still "numbish"...touching my skin is oddly irritating. Almost burning like sensation. Honestly, I've had a hard time this week. I can't decide if I'm happy with my results. I know everyone talks about swelling and being patient but I really want a flat stomach, a lower lighter scar and tighter hour glass sides. It's kinda depressing. It's hard for my friends and family to understand. Maybe my expectations were to high to start with, it was just so much money to spend to not get near perfect results. (I wanted to post this so I can come back from the future to week 3-4 and comment on how it really does get better.) Time really is flying by!! I hardly remember week one post-op...probably the pain killers ;-) happy healing!!
I was always one of those judgemental women when it came to BA. "Why do women want to put those things in their bodies?" Blah, blah, blah. Then, I had my first child at 34 years old. Suddenly, after breastfeeding and losing 50 lbs of pregnancy weight in 6 months, I realized why mommies decide to get their breasts done! I was a 32A my whole life and was happy with small, perky breasts. But, when I looked in the mirror and saw my deflated, droopy boobs about 5 months ago, I finally started looking up all the information I could on breast augmentation. After doing exhaustive research and talking extensively with my husband, I booked a consultation with Dr. Bailey in Billings, MT and felt wonderfully comfortable with him. He answered all my questions and let me look through photos of his work and I scheduled surgery for February 13th, 2013! Happy Valentine's Day to me!!!:) I am 5'4" and weigh 120 lbs, so I decided to go with 360cc saline smooth round moderate profile implants put under the muscle through a periareolar incision. (I didn't want to go too big because I love to jog). I went into the surgery center and had my IV started and before I knew it, woke up with boobies!!! I felt wonderful, wasn't nauseous at all, only mildly uncomfortable and thrilled with having gone through with it! I am now 16 days post-op and have been healing incredibly fast. My stitches are out, my nipple scars are already looking great and I have sensation in my breasts. They're dropping nicely and I'm currently measuring in at 32 C-D cup, which is exactly what I was going for. I know I have a ways to go in my recovery, but I would definitely recommend breast augmentation to anyone--especially having Dr. Kenneth Bailey performing the surgery. In fact, my twin sister is scheduled to have him do hers in another month because she's so impressed with my results! Updated on 7 May 2013: Generally, I'm very happy with my results so far. My left breast has been a little more difficult for me during the healing process. It's still just a tad bit higher and I have some weird nerve pain every now and then, but they still look WAY better than they did before! So I'm not going to compla Updated on 6 Jun 2013: It's been nearly 4 months since my surgery. I'm pretty happy. I look better in my clothes and my husband likes them very much.:-) My left breast seems larger when I have my bra on--it kind of spills out. Which is weird, because in my newest picture, it seems to look smaller than the other one....?? But, I feel better about myself and I know I've still got a few months of "settling" to go. I'll post more pics as my healing progresses.
I have been researching breast lift surgery for probably about 6 years now and finally going through with it. I would like breasts that match my age. Nervous for surgery but so excited for the results. My surgery date is September 6th. I wanted to make a review as I've been lurking on this site for so long and everyone's reviews have been so helpful in the decision process, and the support this online community gives is wonderful! Updated on 30 Aug 2016: A lot is going on in my mind, mostly that my husband is a farmer so he may not be able to be there with me the day of surgery, which would ultimately make me feel more nervous about going under of course, but I'm determined to get this done. I do have my mom, best friend, and sister there to drop me off and pick me up and help out until I'm able to get going on my own, and in a way I'm glad it won't be my husband since seeing me directly post op with Frankenstein-esque leaky boobs might freak him out a little bit haha. I've been dreaming of this for so long however, that pushing it back for me would be so disappointing. I don't think there has ever been one time in my whole life that I've ever felt good about my own breasts. I've never once enjoyed them, and they've always been a complete insecurity for me. I can't wait until I don't have 60 year old breast anymore. Actually I take that back, I saw my 80 year old grandmas boobs once awhile back and even hers were perkier than mine ha! Updated on 5 Sep 2016: Feeling SO nervous right now that I'm not even sure I will sleep! Excited too of course Updated on 6 Sep 2016: I seriously felt like crying, not because of the pain. or the on and off horrible nausea from being under anesthesia a little long than anticipated, but because I finally am free of my 'hangy,' 'old woman' boobs! :D I of course haven't been able to see anything as I have bandages and the surgical bra, but I can see even how my body has changed through my clothing. Dr. Bailey was great through the day and before I went it with marking and explaining everything again. I should've take a picture of my chest when I was marked up but I was getting super nervous and forgot. Crap. Oh well! I had a small reduction on my left breast instead of having the Liposuction we originally discussed on matching my breast size, which is why it was extra time in surgery. I'm glad he took the time to care and decide what's best for the best results! I did wake up feeling so, so nauseous and that has subsided some after a few naps and some dissolving nausea medication, as well as the two other forms of anti nausea they gave during surgery. (My whole family is prone to it so it wasn't super surprising.). I was able to go home a couple hours after surgery and still having on and off nausea, hoping that goes away for good soon because other than that, everything else isn't too bad. Updated on 7 Sep 2016: So far it hasn't seemed to go away unless I'm sleeping. Anyone else have this issue?? Pain hasn't been too bad so far just taking one Percocet every 4-6 hours. If the nausea would subside I think I'd be feeling very well. Updated on 9 Sep 2016: I re wrapped my ace bandage and caught a quick pic of how perky they are without anything holding them up! I was too scared to peel off the gauze covering my incisions because they are kind of stuck so I'd prefer to wait until my PS does it for me on Tuesday. Updated on 11 Sep 2016: Just a quick update! Everything seems to be going well, I stopped pain pills except Tylenol on day two because they were making me so sick. Haven't had much pain, but it took me awhile to get the stuck on gauze off due to the glue they used on my incisions. Everything is looking good to me so far and PS week after surgery appointment is tomorrow. I can't believe how perky they are out of my surgical bra(which I've been wearing 24/7) , never ever been the case even when I was young! I know they have some settling to do but I'm so pleased with the symmetry of the mild reduction on the left side matching the right :) (diamonds are covering tattoos for anonymity) Updated on 17 Sep 2016: Just a quick snap for ya, still have the glue and sutures in and will have updated photos next Wednesday after they are removed. Updated on 17 Sep 2016: I cried the first time I put on these two bralettes with 0 support! I've never ever been able to wear such things without it looking horrible and or just plain not working at all. Collage photo top is day one post op, and bottom is today. I'm loving how they're shaping to be!
