I had a consult back in Nov of 2023. Since the time of consult to the day of surgery my surgeon Dr. Secretan from Lethbridge Plastic Surgery and Aesthetics everyone there was amazing. I did not want a lift and that was my biggest concern was the scars. Updated on 18 Apr 2024: Honestly obsessed and in love with them. Was the best decision I have ever made. I love how I'm standing taller as well and they don't even feel heavy or different. 10/10 would have definitely made this decision again if I didn't previously already go as big as I could have gone.
So my story, where to start? Well my first bra when I was 11 was a B cup and it all went down hill from there. Like so many of you on here I was the first to have boobs in my class so all the girls hated me and all the boys had a problem looking me in the eye. By the time I was 14 I was a DD and the back pain started. I considered a BR then but the NHS won't pay for it until you have gone through puberty. Anyway 2 kids later and now living in Alberta I decided it was time to talk to my GP about a referral. Well I left my GP's office feeling very down hearted and thoroughly convinced that it wasn't going to happen. He told me that he wasn't sure of the exact numbers but that I would have to meet certain criteria, like BMI and how much was to be removed etc. I had explained to him that my physiotherapist and my naturopath who treat my calcific tendonitis in my shoulder had both recommended that I have a BR done. So he sent me off to request written referrals from them and my chiropractor and massage therapist who treat my back, all so that he can add these to my referral to increase my chances of Alberta health paying for this. This was in December be the time the naturopath had a chance to send the referral letter to my GP it was February which my GP sent on straight away. I got a call from the PS office on the 25 of February to schedule a consultation on the 31st of March. So I got all my referrals and my X-rays of my scoliosis all ready to take with me to argue my case as to why Alberta Health should cover this. I researched all the surgical methods, I read countless posts on here, I printed lists of questions to ask. I was as prepared as I possibly could be, oh and extremely nervous and feeling rather nauseous. Anyway arrived at the PS office 15 minutes early and they were running 15 minutes late so a wonderful 30min of working myself up in to a nervous frenzy. First thing the surgeon said to me was that Alberta health would cover the procedure no problem. What an anticlimax, I was all ready to do battle just to be cut off right at the start oh well brilliant news though. In fact the whole consultation was like an amazing dream really, still not sure if it was real. He answered all my questions examined me and explained which method he would use in the surgery went through everything from start to end left his office and the receptionist booked the OR for the 20th of May. Just seven weeks from the consultation, I really can't believe this is happening certainly not this fast it seems so unreal especially when the Alberta Health is covering it. I don't think I have ever seen the system work so fast. Now I am driving my husband mad as all I can talk about and think about and research is BOOBS. He thinks I am obsessed which I guess I am. I am madly exercising trying to get rid of the belly before the op as I know I will not be happy with how I look if I can't hide it under the boobs. Did anyone else experience this? How was it post op did it really stand out as much as you feared? Also the whole post op bra thing is seriously stressing me out, you'd think I'd be worried about the pain or how it will look after or even whether I'll regret having it done but no all I can worry about is what bra to buy. Any advice on this would be most welcome. Now I am counting down the days. I'll will update my story as it unfolds and will post some before and after pics. Updated on 18 May 2015: Well not long now 2 more days of back pain yeh. Starting to get rather nervous feeling all butterflies in my tummy I think it is starting to sink in that this is actually going to happen. Had hoped to get more done on my house before hand but the last 7 weeks have just flew by. Trying to reno my kitchen looks like that will have to wait for a while. Have got my post op compression bras thanks to everyone on here for their advice. Also got loads of meals made and in the freezer so hubby don't have to much of a hard time. Will clean the house tomorrow as I got all my yard work done today so I think I am all organized now, hope I haven't forgotten to do anything. Oh well looks like my kids will be gaining chores if I have lol. I will update this more as I go probably be on here ranting about how scared I am tomorrow night. Glad my op is 7:10am at least I won't have to much time on the day to stress, have to be at the hospital for 6:20am nice and early. Updated on 21 May 2015: Surgery was 2 hours long after waking up the first time I dozed on and off for a couple of hours then the hunger got the better of me so I had to get up to eat lol. Left the hospital at 12pm, I am very thirsty though drinking gallons of water must be the T3's they leave a nasty case of dry mouth. It's 2am here I had to set an alarm to wake up to take my pain meds now I'm wide awake and can't get back to sleep. Pain level is a dull ache that comes and goes but it's at the side where the bandages are taped to my skin so I think the swelling is making them pull on me. Luckily they come off tomorrow and I get to put on my surgical bra. Yeh can't wait to see what they look like the suspense is killing me. Don't know how much they removed yet either as I just wanted to get home will find out tomorrow. This time yesterday I was a 32H as I managed to loose some weight before surgery 15lbs in total glad to be closer to my target weight before surgery. I am hoping to be a 32C when the swelling goes down last time I was that size I was 13. Fingers crossed. Another side effect of the T3's is the itchiness but the nurse said after 48 hours I can start to alternate with ibuprofen so hopefully the tingles will go then. My surgeon ordered me some compression stockings for the surgery and I am still wearing them they help with the pins and needles you get from sitting to much I think I will wear them for the first 48 hours as it helps so much. So far the biggest effect is my posture I can sit up straight without it hurting my back I haven't been able to do that for years talk about a weight off. I can also see parts of my torso that I haven't seen for years I am so glad I did this and the pain is no where near as bad as I thought it would be :) So far at least! I slept on the corner of the sectional last night to stop me from rolling over glad I did it meant I could get up and wonder around without disturbing anyone nice peace and quiet. Updated on 21 May 2015: Updated on 21 May 2015: Well I was so looking forward to having the bandages off and seeing my new boobs was not prepared for how purple they are. I bruise really easily so I expected to be a bit battered looking but my left side is so swollen and full of blood in my eyes it looks double the size of the right side which I am really happy with. Surgeon assures me it is all swelling and they will look so different in a couple of weeks which I do know logically emotionally however, especially when taking opium drugs ( codeine) it is not the same. Total roller coaster of emotions today woke up this morning all excited couldn't wait to see them by lunch time my energy crashed got to outpatients this afternoon and got a shock. Now I am feeling rather down which I know is crazy and I know it will be all ok but!!!!! So I found out they took 400 grams from the left 337 grams from the right yet with all the swelling and water retention I am 4 lbs heavier than the morning before the surgery. Can't believe that was only yesterday. Updated on 23 May 2015: So off the T3's just using ibuprofen now finally managed to go Poo today yeh! Appetite back to normal swelling going down, no pain bit itchy but that's only going to get worse before it gets better lol. So 3 days post op feeling great so glad I did this was totally worth it and would recommend it to anyone. Looks like I'm gonna be really happy with the results when the swelling is gone as it's looking good already. Thank you to everyone on here for all your info, advice and support it has certainly made this journey a lot easier for me. Will continue to update this review with each milestone and picture updates. Just looking forward to getting back to life as usual and exercise again. Just a few more weeks yeh. Updated on 28 May 2015: So 1 week post op wow it seams like it was ages ago. A lot of the bruising is gone and the swelling is getting better. I can finally fit in to my post op bras that are supposed to stretch from an A cup to a DD cup though they just fit and no more. I have been wearing genie bra's and my old sports bra's since my operation as I had so much swelling. Problem with the genie bra is that it's just not enough support so it starts to hurt after a while. The sports bra smooshes them together to much so that starts to hurt as well. Tried the post op bra today for the first time since the day I got the bandages off and hooray I feel so much better today pain wise hopefully I will loose some more swelling soon so they fit a bit better. My energy level has been in the toilet these last couple of days since Monday when my daughter started getting a cold and gave it to me ahhhhhh I hate being sick. Just getting up and washed and dressed in the morning takes it out of me at the moment. On the plus side my system is finally doing a clean out and all the uncomfortable swelling everywhere is going down Yeh my fingers don't look like sausages anymore lol. Another week till I have to go get my steri-strips off and the stitches snipped. Will be interesting to see what my scars look like under there. Still have the whole waterbed swooshing going on so still have quite a bit of swelling hopefully they might come down to a D or the much hoped for C eventually fingers crossed. Updated on 8 Jun 2015: So I went to see my PS for a follow up at 2 weeks post op, he snipped the end of my stitches and said everything was looking good. Need to go see him in a month for another check up and he told me to take up my incisions for another 3 weeks. As you cN see from the pics I'm still bruised and swollen. Otherwise they are looking good so for hoping they shrink quite a bit more though as I am still a 34DDD at the moment. Fingers crossed. Updated on 8 Jun 2015: Updated on 12 Jun 2015: They are getting better each week left is still very hard and swollen compared to the right but the incisions look good so far. Updated on 17 Jun 2015: They just keep getting better and better. I still have to keep taping them for another week but they are healing really well. Left still bruised a little and swollen but it's starting to catch up with the right. Very little pain now just the occasional zing also if I do to much while wearing the wrong bra they will swell up. Other than that so far so good, I have been so lucky no complications so far hopefully it stays that way. Best decision I ever made. Updated on 17 Jun 2015:
