I have wanted a breast augmentation for years, and finally have decided to go though with it. My "before" size is an A, left breast being smaller than the right. I have always been majorly self conscious of my breasts, so it's finally time that I do something to feel better about myself and feel more like a woman.
I researched two plastic surgeons;
Dr. Haas at Imaage Plastic Surgery in Louisville Kentucky. Closer to home, $5500 saline implants, very nice staff, very nice facility, IV sedation not general anesthesia, surgery can be done in the office.
Dr. Zieg at Zieg Plastic Surgery Center in Evansville Indiana. 3 1/2 hours from home. General anesthesia. Very nice staff and building. Surgery to be done at Methodist Hospital in Henderson Kentucky. They run speciala each month and for the month of February the price of saline implants were $3,195.
I chose to go with DR. ZIEG. The price was the big deciding factor, as well as knowing someone who got her breast augmentation by Dr Zieg and seeing her awesome results and her recommending him. I am very pleased with my choice of surgeon. He is very nice and I feel confident in him. He did not try to get me to go larger or smaller than I wanted, he was honest in telling me his opinion on size. He was also very patient with me when I changed my mind 3 times on the size.
Updated on 19 Feb 2016:
This is me before in a B bra. As you can tell, the bra is too too big, I really should be wearing an A bra but I never could bring myself to do so. This bra is padded.
Sorry for the poor quality pics. I was in my way for surgery and realized I had taken no before pics. So we stopped at mcdonalds and I took pictures in the bathroom ????
Updated on 19 Feb 2016:
It's very hard for me to post these before pictures without a bra on. I'm so embarrassed of my before size and look. Left breast smaller than the right.
Updated on 19 Feb 2016:
February 2nd
Ok so my consultation. I walk in the office for the time time and feel like royalty. The place is beautiful, the staff is beautiful, and they treat you so well. I'm talking big shag rugs, fur, diamonds, the whole 9 yards. (I'm posting pics of the office too lol).
So they get me in the exam room, (again beautiful), they have me watch a 10 minute video on breast augmentation. After the video the lady comes back in and asks me some history medical questions and answers any questions that I may have. Next, dr Zieg's wife comes in and takes pictures of me, for the computer to generate 3D and show different breast sizes on my actual body. I thought that was very neat. A 360 degrees, all angles , 3D of me on the computer. (I'll post a pic of this as well). She showed me with 330R and 355L implants. Then showed me with 395R and 420L implants. She printed these off for me to take home to decide what size I wanted.
Then, I meet DR Zieg. Very nice man, always wears a bow tie. He listened to me and what I wanted, he did not try to talk me into going bigger (which most doctors do). I was very please and surprised that he told me the truth ; you have a very small body frame, going too much bigger than what we computer generated will not look right on you, and going too much smaller than what we generated I do not think you will be happy with. He tells me to think on it, I don't have to decide today. He takes pictures of me with a camera (for portfolio or website I guess).
I went ahead and paid the $1000 deposit while I was there to lock in my surgery date.
I will come back on the 8th for my pre-op visit.
Updated on 19 Feb 2016:
Feb 8th pre op visit.
I go to dr Zieg's office first, I tell him I want 375cc left breast, 400cc right breast. He agrees that will be perfect. I sign a bunch of paperwork, pay my remaining balance of the surgery , ask my final questions, and he gives me all my prescriptions to get filled. Then I go to the hospital where I'll have the surgery at, and they ask me a bunch of medical questions and history, get some blood work on me. I met the anesthesia guy , he was very nice and informative. They gave me a surgery day list :
Nothing to eat or drink after midnight before surgery. No jewelery , no makeup, no lotion, no deodorant. Shower with anti bacterial soap. Bring the surgery bra that dr zieg gave me.
And I'm done, surgery is February 18th.
Updated on 19 Feb 2016:
I am not a but nervous. How could I be nervous when I've wanted this procedure done for so long. There's only one word to describe how I'm feeling - EXCITED!
My surgery time is 11:30
I have to be at the hospital at 10:00
My mom drove me, as I will definitely not be able to drive home, you have to have someone drive you.
I get to the hospital and check in, I get in a hospital gown and hospital socks. I have to take a pregnancy test, which of course came back negative. If you're pregnant obviously they won't do the surgery.
The nurse came in and started an IV. They kept asking me if I was nervous at all, to which I kept replying no I'm very excited. They checked my vital signs which were perfect. (When I'm nervous my heart rate is really high) so there was their proof I wasn't nervous. They were going to give me Valium to calm my nerves but I said no I didn't need it. Dr zieg came in my room and met my mom, asked me how I was doing and if I had any last questions or concerns.
Then the nurses wheel me into the OR, I scoot myself over onto the operating table. They started to get me hooked up to everything, tied my arms down to the arm boards, put a breathing mask on me...... and then I woke up in recovery. I woke up shaking and crying, I have no idea why, must have been because of the anesthesia. Because I definitely wasn't sad or hurting. In fact I even had to look down to see if the surgery was done and I had boobs. Sure enough, there they were , big boobs!!! I couldn't quit looking at them , and I didn't care who all was around I lowered my surgery bra and really checked them out. The nurse just laughed at me ! The nurse helps me put my clothes on, and walks me out to my mom. *(wear a button up or zip up shirt to surgery because that is all you'll be able to put on where you can't lift your arms).
My mom goes and gets the vehicle and the nurse pushes me out to her in a wheelchair. I'm outta there !! Super quick and easy process. I cannot be happier with how smoothly my whole process went, from consulration to surgery.
Was the surgery worth it? OMG YES 100%.
Pictures : right now obviously I'm sore, swollen, my boobs are sitting very very high , they are kind of far apart, and they are square looking. They will drop and soften and all that in a couple months. But right now they look very strange. I'll post more pics in the days to come.
Updated on 19 Feb 2016:
I'm feeling very very sore. I slept on my back last night. It was so hard to get out of the bed this morning. I woke up at 5am in pain, so I got up and took my meds. The outter sides of my boobs are what hurts the most, it feels like the implants are going to bust out of the sides. And then my sternum is also hurting , it feels so tight. Like I've been punched in the chest or have an elephant sitting on me. Either way, it hurts and I'm sore. I don't think I'll take any pictures today, I'll wait a few days. Still wearing the same clothes from yesterday as I am not physically able to change them, I hurt too bad. And I am not allowed to bathe until tomorrow. Ahh I have to have a shower everyday so this is killing me not to be clean. I can barely even brush my hair right now. I'm just taking my meds and watching netflix ... will update in a couple days.
Updated on 19 Feb 2016:
Pics of me right before surgery. And 2 bras that I just ordered online. I don't want to wear the ugly plain surgery bra for 6 weeks.
Updated on 22 Feb 2016:
Day 3... was the WORST. I could barely get out of bed, it took me forever. I'm so bloated, been taking stool softeners but still unable to use the restroom. Ughhh. I don't feel like doing anything today but taking my meds religiously and sleeping. I filled the bath tub with a few inches of water and gave myself a sponge bath. I can't wait to take a shower or a real bath.
Day 4, I took another bath today, before church. I got to wash my hair for the first time since surgery, which felt absultley amazing. My hair had never been so greasy! I finally used the bathroom and wow I feel like a new person. Im still bloated and need to go more but i already feel so much better! Changing shirts is becoming much easier. I moved around alot more today, didn't need to take pain meds as much. I even drove for the first time today since surgery! I took the bandages off today, one little bandaid covering each incision. (I kept them on a day longer than I was supposed to because I was afraid). My surgery bra keeps rubbing the incisions though so alot of the day I've acually had my surgery bra unclasped and open.
Day 5...I just woke up and very sore and in alot of pain. Took my meds and now I'm laying back in bed. I did take a couple pics of my incisions just now though ! (Posted)
Updated on 6 Mar 2016:
Day 5- I went back to work. I managed , because my coworkers are great and really helped me alot. Driving to work, sucked. It was so hard and painful to turn the steering wheel! (45 min drive to work).
My one week post op appt went well, dr said everything looked fine. Left breast isn't dropping much at all, right breast doing great. He told me to start doing breast massages and showed me what to do. I can wear bralettes and sports bras now (thin, non padded). So excited ! Made my appointment for one month post op!
Also, day 7 is the last day that I took my meds. I may have taken one the next couple of days but that was it.
Updated on 6 Mar 2016:
It's killing me to not be able to sleep on my sides. I swear I feel like I've gotten no sleep the past 16 days. All I can tolerate right now of course is sleeping on my back. Each night gets easier, I start to turn a little more. I'm hoping by next week I'll be able to sleep all the way on my side like normal.
Left breast is still higher than the right. Wearing sports bras, bralettes, or the surgery bra still. The outter underneath sides of my breasts are bruising, not sure why but it's really aggravating.
I can -almost- change clothes like normal again, there is still a little bit of discomfort when changing shirts because I cannot fully straighten my arms above my head just yet.