A-B before surgery with some drooping in one breast. Breastfed two kids. I'm 2-3 weeks PO. Implants are still hard and high. My only concern is one breast feels like the natural breast tissue from the drooping one is below the implant. Nurse said it'll drop down and fill that out but I'd just really like to hear from someone that's been through this already. Thanks
Such a wonderful experience with Dr. Becker. They were amazing and it was an easy choice, which I'm so thankful! I can hardly wait for my surgery. I'm just questioning the perfect size, of course. We are planning on Mentor 325cc smooth round moderate plus extra profile. I'm wanting a very natural look. I'm 5'5" 125lbs. 11.7 bwd. 32A preop. Do you think this size will get me close to my wishpics? It felt like a great size but then looked so small in a picture so I'm a little torn. Please help! Updated on 14 Dec 2020: March 2nd! Can’t believe it’s officially scheduled and really happening! So excited but also very nervous. Anyone else feel that way? Any tips for must have after surgery? I’m 5’5 (1/2) 125lbs, planning of doing silicone smooth round moderate plus extra 325cc, although will retry sizes 1 month prior to make sure because I’m questioning 275/295cc. I’m wanting very natural. Will keep y’all posted :) Updated on 3 Mar 2021: Today was finally the day! Everything went very smoothly, and so far I'm pleasantly surprised with the recovery. I chose mentor round silicone 300cc moderate plus profile. I wanted a very natural look, and hopefully to be a 32C. I know it's a waiting game until they drop and fluff. But I'm wondering if I can expect them to get bigger or smaller when they drop and fluff? These pictures are day of and I'm not very swollen yet. My stats are 5'5" 125lbs, 32AA preop Updated on 4 Mar 2021: How many updates is too many? Lol. Trying to help out other ladies as this site helped me so much! Overall, Feeling great! Hardly any meds. And took off my bandages today.. which was scary! But I’m pleasantly surprised. You can still see the sharpie and yellow stuff. And they are more swollen now. But feeling hopeful that I’ll be happy once they are healed! If anyone has any questions, feel free to reach out :) xo Updated on 6 Mar 2021: Fun to see before and afters already even though I know they will continue to change with time. Ignore the yellow stuff and sharpie from surgery. Still nervous to rub off. Pain is very minimal, just experiencing some itching over the incisions because they are healing. And some slight fatigue which I think is left over from taking the meds for 2 days. Overall, doing well & feeling more happy with my size today! :) Updated on 10 Mar 2021: Feeling pretty good, surprisingly more sore and harder to take deep breaths. I think it’s because they are changing. I compared the two photos to see the difference! I always thought when u first get them done they are swollen and look way bigger than what you will have, but my experience has been different so far. They seem to be getting bigger! Probably why they call it the fluffing. I’m no longer worried I went too small, just praying they don’t get tooo big. I wanted a very natural look. :) Updated on 15 Mar 2021: Trying to continue updating to help anyone going through the same process as this site was very helpful for me! Almost 2 weeks Post-Op and feeling GREAT. Honestly surprised and so thankful for how easy the recovery has been! I think it has to do with the fact that I chose a smaller size so my skin doesn't have to stretch as far. I don't see a lot of change in the past week (see pic), but I did try on an old bra just for fun to compare and it made me happy with my results. Its crazy how one day I'll be questioning if I went too small (when I'm wearing a shirt), but then the next day i'll be praying they don't get much bigger (in a swimsuit). Strange process. Updated on 16 Mar 2021: 2 weeks out and check up went well. Everything is healing properly and I’m in no pain but still need to wait 4 more weeks for lifting & exercise. I’m starting to have boob greed now, but just praying for patience as I know it’s a process. Do you think they fit me well? Updated on 2 Apr 2021: My boobs have begun to soften and drop. You can see I’ve lost the upper fullness but they are getting rounder in shape. I feel like I chose a good size for my frame 5’5” 120lbs (300cc). I wanted a natural C cup and I’m hoping that’s what I’ll be at 3 months when the drop and fluff is done :) I still have days where I question if I chose the right size... but I think that’s normal until the process is through? Updated on 10 Apr 2021: They are getting softer, but I thought they would be fluffing more than they are and I’m starting to feel boob greed :/. I’ve lost the upper fullness which I’m ok with for a natural look, but I wish they would be rounding and filling out more. Maybe I just need to be patient as I hear it can take 3 months? Or I need a good bra. I haven’t gone shopping yet. Or did I simply go too small? I wanted a natural C cup. Updated on 15 Apr 2021: All cleared for workouts with zero restrictions. Including lifting my kids. Which I was so excited about! Did a before & after pic for fun :) I have days of boob greed, but other days I’m thankful for the conservative size for my small frame. Either way, way better than where I started! Updated on 18 May 2021: 11 weeks post op and they are definitely much softer. But From what I saw, read and was told - when they drop and fluff they appear larger, but that hasn’t happened for me. They seem smaller as I no longer have that upper fullness. I wanted a natural look, but also worth it. I have boob greed which I never thought I would! Not sure if I in fact went too small or if they’re proportionate & I’m just used to them now? Also, everything healed great but scars are still bright red. See pics for reference! Updated on 18 May 2021: Here are before/after pics from 11 weeks post op. Are they proportional or too small? :/ I’d appreciate your feedback as I feel as though I may just be getting used to them. I’m a 32C. I wanted a natural c cup and started as a 32AA Updated on 20 Jul 2021: Posting a before/after to hopefully help others through their journey. Again my stats - 5’5”, 125lbs, 32AA preop. Chose Mentor 300cc moderate plus profile. Now a 32C. I definitely have days I wish I went bigger (boob greed is real), but overall I’m very happy with my conservative natural size. I hope this review is helpful and feel free to ask any questions! I’m so relieved the stress of this process is finally over haha. Updated on 21 Jul 2021: Not sure why my pic didn’t post on my previous update. So posting again! Before & after for comparison. 300cc mentor moderate plus profile. Started at 32AA, ended with 32C. 125lbs, 5’5”. :)
I wasn’t sure if I’d post a review or not but I have to say this site helped me a lot in choosing what I wanted and didn’t want. I’m 32 years old, mom of 2. I breastfed both kids and that had left me with a very deflated 32b/c. My surgery went well with no complications. I went with Natrelle 470cc ultra high profile. The sizer I chose was 450 but this was the implant that my surgeon chose based on my size, measurements and desired outcome. So far I’m happy with my results. I’m a hairstylist so finding the time to take off for a surgery like this was difficult. Also my Dr recommends 4 weeks off for hairstylists as we work with our arms all day. I’m 2 weeks post op today and I’m feeling better every day. Recovery has been slow and I would say more painful than I had anticipated. My husband took a week off of work to care for me and our kids and I’m glad he did. Updated on 13 Nov 2020: 15 days post op. Still pretty tight and sore feeling. Started doing light massage this week to help soften and drop. I realized I didn’t put in my stats on my original post. 5’8” 138 lbs. went with natrelle 470cc ultra high profile gummy bear implants. Updated on 20 Nov 2020: Here are my 3 weeks post op photos. I feel like the implants are starting to drop a little. Doing daily “massage” to encourage the drop. I have a bit of lax tissue at the bottom yet and I’m hoping that will fill out once they fully settle. My dr told me I was borderline to need a lift or not. He helped choose the implant to help with the issues. Also said I could have gone larger but I think I’m happy with size. I still have a lot of uncomfortableness and I think that’s due to tight chest muscles as I’m a hairstylist and love to workout at the gym. The skin sensitivity is still there and that drives me crazy. Hoping that will start to subside. I also am aware that my nipple is a little low on my mound. Hoping as they drop it will give the appearance of a higher nipple once the lower pole fills out. Updated on 1 Dec 2020: I was 4 weeks post op On Thanksgiving. Getting better all the time. I’m went back to work last week. Dr suggested 4 weeks off as I’m a hairstylist and work with my arms all day. Glad I took more than the 2 weeks I was going to originally be off. Dropping and getting softer each day. Massaging 3 times a day.
I had a BA in 2011 and ended up with a capsular contraction. Had them taken out. This happened in TX. So 9 years later I'm doing it again with a real surgeon!! I am 8 days post op and feeling OK! Hard to use my arms (I have a 3 year old :)) still but the pain was managable! My doctor and staff are awesome! I have my post op Appt on the 10th so we'll see how that goes!! Updated on 7 Aug 2020: 10 days later and I yearn to sleep on my side!! Pain is about 75% gone. Took all my diazepam. It really helped with my boob muscles! Still trying to be careful with what I do with my arms. Hard when you have a 3 year old! Praying my implants take and no capsule contraction again! Updated on 11 Sep 2020: Feeling amazing!! Just had 6 weeks post op and things are looking great!! I massage every day and super excited for them to drop!!! How long did it take for any of you to drop? What kind of bras did you find that were the most comfortable??
From my consult to my postop visits, Dr Becker and his staff were amazing every step of the way. Staff is caring, kind, and attentive. Dr Becker is truly an artist and his work is perfection. I could not be more pleased with my experience! A++
After 9 years of waiting, I am finally starting to feel more like myself! I am 32 years old, 5' 4.5'', 140.5 lbs current weight. I chose Dr. Rick Becker out of Bismarck, ND. We have 3 kids ages 9, 3.5 and 1.5, and while I love our babies and would go through it all over to have them, they have changed my body to the point that I am not comfortable with. I have felt like I am trapped in someone else's body for years. Other than gaining/loosing weight with each, I have developed diastasis recti with my eldest. I could fit 4 fingers in my abdominal wall "hole". I did exercises and it somewhat improved, but never fully closed. With each pregnancy "the hole" got worse. Other than loose saggy lower belly skin, I developed that permanently "pregnant" look even when not pregnant. I cannot describe how many times have people asked me "Are you pregnant" or "When are you due?" even when not pregnant! The other day was the last time! It really took a tool on my self confidence. I love dressing nicely and I am in contact with people all the time through my work. I fell like confidence translates at work too. I would buy baggy clothes just to cover my mid section and that is not me. If I wore anything tight, I would wear fajas for an improved look, but even then I had a pouch. People would compliment how great I look, but then I would take that off at night, and everything would be the same. It really got me into an emotional slump. I am very sexual in front of my Hubby, and while we still have "love times", I noticed that I was not as sexual lately due to my self confidence issues ( in terms of lingerie, or certain poses ), or I would be thinking about it when he would touch me in those areas. For reference: First child ( 9 years old ) - I gained 69 lbs lost 70 lbs after pregnancy Second child ( 3.5 years old ) - Gained 50 lbs , lost 35 lbs Third child ( 1.5 years old ) - Gained 25 lbs, lost 35 lbs lbs so far I will try and split my experience into multiple posts. I have been reading Real Self for a long time, and am so thankful for everyone that posts their stories/updates, they are so helpful! After consulting my Doctor, we decided to split the procedures into 2 rounds. First round ( today ) - we did extended tummy tuck ( incision hip to hip ) with liposuction of the flanks, back fold release with surgical wire ( I had 2 main back folds ) and the breast lift. Second round in 3 months will include the breast augmentation where he will put the implants in. He does not combine breast lift and breast augmentation together, but inserts the implants after 3 months as the breasts would be healed by then he says. I didn't plan to have a breast lift originally, but he said that the implants would just make them bigger and more uneven, and that is not the result I want. I love big boobs, but definitely not big and saggy boobs. Pre Surgery: I was 158.8 lbs in December. During my consultation, Dr. Becker explained that while I do not need to loose weight, loosing several pounds will make me have better results. I went on strict keto diet, followed by a liquid Almased diet ( will write more details about it in a separate post ) and lost 18 lbs in 5 weeks, hoping that will improve my results. Surgery Day 01/21/2020 - checked in at 7:30am. Did a urine pregnancy test, talked to the nurse and anesthesia who inserted an IV and then Dr Becker. Anesthesia gentleman gave me a numbing shot in my vein before inserting an IV. I had several IVs for the past surgeries ( non plastic surgeries ) and never had this done. I thought it was over the top but nice. :) Dr Becker came in and marked me and off to the OR I went. I stepped up on a stool while they prepped me with antiseptic solution. They "painted me" with povidone iodine antiseptic solution front and back, from my neck to my knees. Then I laid down and that's the last thing I remember until I woke up. I scale everything using labor pains haha. To me, 10 is labor pains on a scale. Upon waking up, my tummy was 9/10. They gave me hydrocodone pill. My Hubby thankfully brought all of the medications before I woke up, so I had them available right away, and then the pain went to 5. We went home at 1:30 pm. Current pain levels: Breasts - 1/10 (mostly discomfort, not really pain ) Liposuction - 2/10 , starting to bruise a bit Back folds - 1/10 ( barely feel it ) Tummy - 4/10 ( I just took a hydrocodone ) We rented a home while here ( we live in ND too but a different town ), and it has been great and much more comfortable than a hotel room where 5 of us are crammed! So far my clothing is pajamas as you can see. I cannot quite tell yet how my tummy will look like as I cannot stand up straight. In this photo I had a pillow behind my back and am bent, but it looks much better than before it seems? My boobs were bleeding a bit at the bottom incisions. My Hubby changed my gauze pads and while I didn't get to take a peek at the boobs from the front, they are so lifted that they don't move at all! Which is great I find, for the first time I have a little cleavage without wearing a push up bra, I find it incredible! :) So excited to see it all in hopefully 2 days when he will have me take the gauze off if everything stopped bleeding. I am still drowsy from anesthesia, and am getting ready for bed. I will post more over the following days, and months, and I hope you will find my journey helpful just like I found yours! Thank You so much for reading! :) :) :) Updated on 22 Jan 2020: I have chosen Dr. Becker out of Bismarck ND for my procedures as well as my future breast augmentation in 3 months, and he is phenomenal! I have been to another plastic surgeon years ago, and did not feel comfortable at all! On the contrary, Dr Becker listened to my concerns, answered patiently to millions of mine and my husband's questions.When I inquired about different procedures, he told me what I do not need while making suggestions on which procedures combined would improve my results ( so happy he did this! ), and is very thorough. His whole Staff, Nurses and receptionists are so helpful and patient. I felt like a truly valued client, and that they care about my whole experience and recovery. I have been reading real self posts for months, and Thank You to everyone that posts their stories, they are very helpful! I cannot wait to share my whole experience with You All! :) Updated on 22 Jan 2020: It has been a full day since my surgery, and overall I fell great! If I keep up with my medications that is :). The liposuction bruising is visible, here is just a quick photo, I will have better photos tomorrow when we take off the dressings. The bruising looks bad but honestly I don't feel it at all except that it itches sometimes. I still walk in a bent position, as everything feels tight when I try to straighten up ( as you can see in the photos ). The biggest lesson learned so far is : please take your pain pills ( as well as antibiotics ) around the clock for 3-4 days and then reevaluate if you want to take acetaminophine or spread out the pain killers. Even if you feel better, please take it! The goal is to stay ahead of your pain, not for it to get full blown and then to try and contain it. I was given 6 prescription pills: Hydrocodone for pain Celebrex - anti inflamatory Lyrica for nerve pain Valium - muscle relaxer Antibiotic Anti nausea medicine that I can rub on my wrists from a syringe, but I never needed it as I wasn't nauseous You are not supposed to take Hydrocodone, Valium or Lyrica together in ANY form as they can be deadly! If taking them, you can take them all in a day, but they have to be spread out per my doctor notes. For me, I start to get sore and my pain starts creeping up in my tummy area every 4 hours. I felt great around 11pm, tummy pain was around 3/10 so I figured I will skip my hydrocodone dose and just take a muscle relaxer as my back felt stiff from sleeping upright. What a mistake! While my muscles felt relaxed, once the pain pill "expired", my tummy pain shot up from 3/10 to 9/10! Then I had to wait 5 hours for the Valium to stop having effect to take Hydrocodone! I was counting down the hours, it was very painful. I have decided that I will just take my pain pills/antibiotic and anti inflammatory for several days, and leave Valium for after I stop the pain pills ( if I need the muscle relaxer ). I would much rather not be in much pain than have relaxed muscles! I am also taking arnica 3 times per day, bromelain once per day, iron and B complex vitamins - should all aid in recovery. For my surgery, I got the following supplies: Waterproof sheets that are of great help initially in case you have some oozing - it will save your upholstery and sheets different gauze pads/tape alcohol swabs and sterile cotton tip applicators ( haven't used them so far ) Neorsporin and povidone iodine antiseptic solution Anti itch cream Bio oil and a few other creams Hot/Cold massager to massage my scar once the stitches dissolve - it should help break the scar tissue and flatten the scar Arnica Biotin Collagen Vitamin B 12 Complex Vitamin A Iron supplement CoQ10 Those supplements should aid in swelling/bruising/healing faster Silicone sheets/silicone scar cream I have researched these vitamins, although please talk to your doc and see if he/she recommends them. I will take them only for a few days to air my recovery. Current pain levels are the same as yesterday, the tummy feels 3/10, boobs 2/10, back and liposuction aren't painfull at all, just itchy at the moment. Tomorrow I will take my dressings off and hopefully get better photos too! We are also returning back to our home today, my next follow up is next Friday when he will take my sutures off and hopefully both drains. Depending on the drainage input that we have to log multiple times per day, he may not be able to take any of the two out, or just one. But I hope both will be out so that I can shower. I have to do sponge baths only until the drains come out. Thank you so much for reading! :) Updated on 23 Jan 2020: Today is Day 3 Post Op - per my surgical notes the day when swelling peaks and the swelling will stay this way for weeks! It said to slowly expect the swelling to go down after a month, but that it can last up to 6 weeks or even a year post op. We got to take the gauze off ( still have to leave steri strips on for another 9 days and the belly button sutures will still be in till their removal next week ). I wanted to cry after seeing my results, swollen and all! I am an emotional wreck, but for the first time in my life I think I truly have a flat tummy and not a pregnant look! Even swollen, it still looks flat to me. Tummy area was always a big insecurity to me, but happy to say no more, I cannot wait to just dress whatever and even wear a two piece bathing suit too! I still cannot straighten up, this is the best I could do standing. The liposuction results should show in the following weeks, although I can already see less of the stubborn love handles. The ladies are swollen but perky...It can only get better from here! I am not really worried about scars, and will make sure to share all of the tips I get from the surgeon/ladies that had this done before me as I go. Excellent care is crucial and keeping multiple sites from getting infected. Instead of sponge baths, my Hubby gives me a bath with these "Shower pill" bath wipes - they are antimicrobial wipes with Aloe Vera and Witch Hazel, and they really leave you feeling fresh. We dry shampoo the hair if needed. You can dab neosporin on the incisions if needed, although we didn't need to so far. We recorded a little video clip of how to drain the drains, I will try to add it somehow if I figure out how to add videos. It is very important to keep them draining regularly and keep an eye on their output. They don't really bother me at the moment, and are not uncomfortable. My Son pulled on them by mistake a few times, and that hurt, but other than that they aren't really bothering me at all. Looking forward to updating my progress in a few days! Updated on 25 Jan 2020: Today is 4 days since my surgery, I still walk bent but do not need pain killers around the clock. My back muscles are starting to hurt now from being bent from several days. I ocassuonally take Valium which was prescribed as a muscle relaxant. It helps for a few hours, I do not take it regularly. My tummy and everything else is still swollen, but again, doesn't hurt as much. I am off of hydrocodone and will just take 500 mg of acetamemophone before I go to sleep. I try to walk often but easily get tired and have to sit down. I still want to sleep a lot. Both are normal at this early stage of healing. I will try to update with a pic of my back folds too, the bruises should be mostly gone by now, the liposuction bruises are mostly gone too. My belly button stitches will be getting removed next week, I am interested to see how it will look like. I will be so excited to get the drains removed as they are quite annoying to have to carry around and mostly to watch my toddler not to yank on them as he did it twice. But they do their job and do keep draining...Hope you are all doing well and will update again in a few days. Thank you so much for reading!:) Updated on 27 Jan 2020: Day 6 post op update - no more opioid pain killers since day 4 woohoo! I only take acetaminophen at night to help with my back soreness. Sometimes I take Valium instead at night (prescribed as a muscle relaxant) I am closer and closer to standing up straight, I think within two, three days I may be all the way straightened. Other than back muscle issues from being bent, I have no tummy pain except when I cough or laugh out loud. My sutures are starting to itch a bit, my belly button sutures are coming out on Wednesday ( not sure about drains at this point, he will check and see ), steri strips are coming out on Thursday. I went in the surgery at 140.5 lbs and they told me not to step on the scale after surgery as I will have water retention/swelling weight. What did I do of course? I stepped on a scale after coming home haha. I was 145.8 lbs! The swelling is coming down nicely, I am at 141 lbs 6 days post op, drains are working well. For reference, on day 1 my drains were draining 75ml per day, now they are at 45ml. It is definitely getting better every day. I am very excited about the lack of my back folds! I cannot believe that trick worked so well! When I asked Dr Becker what can I do with the back folds, he told me that there is such a thing as a "back tummy tuck" where they make an incision all the way around, 360 degrees (back lift). But I am not a candidate for it because I don't have loose back skin and not much back fat. He said he can take a surgical wire and carefully go in and break the ligament that gives that back fold look which is what he did. He said the surgical wire is only $850 vs a lot more for the other option, plus he said since I am not a candidate for other back options, he would recommend this one. I am so happy I listened to him, and now my back is flat hands up or down:) My waist is starting to shape up nicely from the liposuction, my belly is getting even more flat each day, the ladies are perky. Looking forward to passing a month post op where I should really start to see even more results ( from month till 3 months post op he said ). Today is my first day back to work! :) I will just hide the drains and I told my clients that I will be a bit bent due to surgery, but I am so ready to get back to finding Dream Homes for my Clients/selling homes! Woohoo! Thank you so much for reading and will post after my belly button sutures/steri strips are out. :) Updated on 28 Jan 2020: This blog and Your experiences has been a lifesaver with all of the tips. I decided to share some of mine just in case they help anyone. Before my TT, breast lift, lipo & back folds surgery I lost 18.5 lbs in 5.5 weeks. A lot of people asked me how I did it and it was a combination of keto diet, followed by intermittent fasting (eating from noon to 8pm each day), exercising 5-6 times per week either at the gym or at home with exercise videos and Almased shake. Since not many people heard about Almased ( including me prior to a month ago ), I wanted to elaborate a bit more.:) I have been on keto diet before and it works for me. I lost 12 lbs on keto at that point before surgery, but I couldn't help but feel that I am not eating diverse food and am lacking nutrients. My food would consist of similar or same items every day. As we know, we need a lot of good nutrition to help us heal. Because I wanted to loose more weight, I read what Victoria Secret Models use to get ready for their famous Victoria Secret Annual show. 9 days before the show they go on a liquid diet, exercise and don't drink water 12 hours before their show. That prompted me to look into liquid diets. Upon researching, I stumbled upon Almased and I am so happy I did! Almased is a low glycemic high protein shake that originated in Germany. It is a full meal replacement weight loss plan, designed to work in 4 phases. Phase 1: you replace ALL 3 meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) with the shake. If you get hungry in the meantime you can drink 100% vegetable juice in moderation. This phase should last 3-14 days. Phase 2: 2 shakes per day instead of 2 meals and 1 (lower carb preferably) meal, until you reach your weight goal. Phase 3. 2 meals and 1 shake Phase 4 for long term weight management: 3 meals and 1 shake per day I did Phase 1 for 4 days, and phase 2 for 5 days and lost extra 6.5 lbs. I stopped the day before my surgery, but plan to continue it again to shred the last 12 lbs before my breast augmentation in little less than 3 months as 127 lbs is my goal weight (I am 139lbs today). The shake has all nutrients, vitamins and minerals to keep your metabolism going and not to slow it down, plus proteins and amino acids. As long as you stick to the plan, you WILL lose weight due to plain calorie deficit. 3 shakes per day is about 600 calories total. Because I fast, I would only do 2 shakes per day or 1 shake and 1 meal. Each shake would keep me full for about 4-5 hours. I had plenty of energy and didn't feel sluggish - I would even do body pump weight lifting classes without issues on just shakes. I had to switch to phase 2 because I just wanted to chew something, anything lol. I just missed chewing and texture! While taste wise it is not something I would necessarily crave, it is not bad at all! It is made with fermentation process, so it tastes much better than it smells ( it doesn't smell bad, just not that great either ). Find the combo that works for you. :) I experimented mixing it with water, almond milk, coconut milk, different extracts such as vanilla extract and any others I could find, adding cocoa powder. You can add fruits too, but I didn't due to added calories. I find that the best combination for me that is the best tasting, is mixing it with almond or coconut milk, and 1 tsp of stevia. That's it! I would actually drink it without gagging or anything, I got used to the taste and it is even nice. :) Please run it by your doctor if you want to go on any diet prior to surgery. This one was excellent for me and I didn't lack any nutrients before surgery which I find important. If you give it try, let me know how it works for you! :) If you buy it, Amazon is the cheapest. Please get the Almased or other shake bottle with a little "mixing ball" at the bottom. It makes making a shake a breeze, and it is not lumpy at all. Here is the Amazon shake link. Thank you so much for reading! :) https://www.amazon.com/Almased%C2%AE-Protein-Supports-Optimal-Maximum/dp/B004RRC3P2 Updated on 28 Jan 2020: Hi Ladies! I have had a lot of questions asking me was I nervous about going under general anesthesia. I was, but not nearly as much as the first time ( this was my 4th time going under anesthesia ). I had tonsil removal surgery, ruptured ectopic pregnancy surgery, deviated nasal septum and now plastic surgery, all under general anesthesia. I am not a nurse by any means, but hope my "patient view" will give you some comfort. While anesthesia complications can happen, including coma and death, every anesthesiologist says they are very very rare. Most plastic surgeons, including mine, will conduct a pre operative exam 10 days - 2 weeks before surgery and make sure you are healthy enough for surgery/anesthesia. You will NOT be able do drink or eat anything past midnight on the day before surgery. That includes gum, lozingers, lollipops, candy etc. You can brush your teeth in the morning, but make sure you spit all of the water out. I try to load up on water exactly at midnight. If I happen to get thirsty at night, I just swish some water around in my mouth and spit it out, or stand above the humidifier - moist air really helps me not feel as thirsty. On the day of your plastic surgery, you will most likely go in and pee for a pregnancy test. I always do this first, as I usually hold my pee overnight for this. If you have to pee earlier, make sure you don't pee right before surgery as you will have to pee again when you go into your surgery center. Considering you don't drink water, it might take a while for you to have some pee in you. After you pee, you will be given a patient bag to put your clothes/belongings in and change into a gown they give you. You will most likely strip everything off beside the socks. They will bring a warm blanket and perhaps even turn on the warm air ( like they did for me ) under the blanket, to keep you nice and cozy. The nurse will go over some general questions, and either the nurse or the anesthesiologist that you will see after the nurse, will start your IV. The IV will contain saline solution. The second it starts, and the saline starts circulating through you, you will not feel thirsty anymore as it will hydrate you from the inside. The IV hurts like a sting for only a second or two. Sometimes nurses cannot find a vein so it can take longer, but it is tolerable. This time, my anesthesiologist gave me a local numbing shot in my vein so other than that initial shot sting, I didn't feel anything when they put the IV in! I thought that was over the top, but nice. :) The anesthesiologist will look at your mouth and your throat, to make sure that the breathing tube can be inserted in ( you will be fully asleep for this part and won't feel it go in at all ). Next you will see the doctor and he/she will mark you. After that, you are ready to go! Sometimes, they will give you relaxing medicine ( in your IV, so no poking anymore ) before you go into the OR, or after, depending on the procedure. Because I was doing many procedures at once, they had to wipe me down with a sterilizing povidone iodine solution front and back. After they wiped me then they gave me the relaxing medicine. Within a minute, I was feeling "drunk and giggly" lol. Had they given me that before they rubbed me down, I wouldn't be able to stand up quite straight. The anesthesiologist says that it takes 8 seconds for the anesthesia medicine to travel from your injection site to fully knock you out, so it works fast. I ask every time for them to tell me when they are about to inject it so that I can count down. They would tell me "Now we are about to give you sleepy medicine" and I would count 10...9...and never made it past 9 haha! They once also put a mask over my nose to breathe in when they gave me sleepy medicine, but other 3 times they didn't. When you are asleep, they will insert a breathing tube in your windpipe to assist with your breathing and to breathe for you. That tube is removed before you wake up. The anesthesiologist will let you know that you may have a sore throat for a day/two due to the tube insertion. I usually don't, but have a raspy voice after waking up for a day or two. He says that is completely normal. Anesthesiologist closely monitors you during the surgery. When the surgery is complete, they give you a reverse medication so that you can wake up. He added sometimes they give short term amnesia medicine, usually something against nausea, sometimes pain medicine, whatever they feel is needed. Out of 4 times so far, I never woke up nauseous! Some people do, some people even want to throw up after anesthesia, but I never did. I however always shake after I wake up, and that is for only a few minutes. That is completely normal. My Hubby doesn't shake after waking up from general anesthesia for example nor he is nauseous. I shake like as a though I have chills, but don't have chills. And after a few minutes I am just ok. You will then be wheeled into recovery room where you will fully wake up. I can always hear first, and I can open my eyes right away, but they are so droopy. It feels like I had a good nap! I saw my Hubby, smiled at him, heard the nurses tell him where to park and I asked them for pain medicine. I felt right away the tightness in my belly and soreness so I asked for the pain meds. Prior surgeries taught me not to wait for pain medicine. If you are in pain, let them know. My Hubby brought all of the prescription pills before I woke up (they told him to do) so I had all of the pills ready and didn't have to wait. I didn't have any trouble breathing after waking up or taking a full breath. I was wheezing a bit sometime (it is normal as you have some fluid in your lungs). Within 2 days the wheezing went away, they tell you to take deep breaths few times per hour so that the fluid would get cleared out. I was afraid to go under for the first time when I had my tonsils taken out. Now not anymore, as I have been through it before. It is like taking a good nap. Now I always try to see how much can I count down from 10 until I am asleep, but can never count it past 9 lol. You will most likely be sleepy for the whole day and that is normal. It can take up to 24 hours for the anesthetics to be fully out of your system. Again, I am not a doctor or a nurse, but this is my experience with anesthesia. Sure hope it helps someone. Going under will always feel a bit nervacking as it is honestly such a surreal experience. But at the same time, it is like taking a good nap! You know once the nap is over, you will be ever more fabulous than before! :) :) :) Updated on 1 Feb 2020: Hi Everyone! I am 10 days post surgery and can finally stand up straight for a little bit! Not for a whole day, but I consider even a few minutes at the time a success considering I wasn't able to do that yesterday. My doc said that each day I will be able to stand straight more and more! :) The drains are finally out and I can finally shower! Woohoo! They took them on day 7 post op, I was draining 29ml from both sides per day at that point. The drain removal didn't hurt at all! I was wondering how it would feel, but it didn't hurt at all. It feels weird but not painful. Our son used my drains as anchors and tugged and pulled on the drains a few times by accident of course. He accidentally ripped 2/3 stitches on each side and that hurt! I was afraid the drains would fall out! However, after taking them out, I realized why they wouldn't fall out even though my son broke some of my drain stitches. You will have at least 12 more inches of tube on each side inside of you, so it is very secure in there. The drain removal lasts about 1-2 seconds per side. It feels like they are pulling two snakes out of you haha, but doesn't hurt. :) My next check up is in 3 weeks. I cannot put silicone tape or silicone cream yet, until all of my scabs fall out and the wounds are completely healed. I am noticing that my belly button is changing shape, opening in a way, and he said that over the next two weeks it will open up and round up more. They say I have a nice "clean cut", although it is still very raised around the tummy area. My boobs - one itches less than other. The more red one itches more as it is healing. Now that the drains are out he said to expect my lower tummy/pubic area to get more swollen due to gravity which I notice it has been. He said the swelling will decrease between 3-6 weeks. :) I feel mostly stiff in the tummy area in the morning or after I sit for a longer period of time. Sometimes I still feel back stiffness too. I take occasional acetaminophen or Valium for my muscles, and just my bromelain/arnica/B complex and collagen vitamins. What is incredible is that even after loosing 19.5 lbs before surgery, my pants size before surgery was 8. Since my surgeon doesn't want me to wear any high wasted pants, I found my old low cut pants size 4. To my ecstatic surprise, not only did they fit comfortably but I even had two or so inches of space, so could have probably fit into size 3 too if I had it. The size is not really that important to me, but how I feel. And I already feel incredible. It is just mind blowing that that bulge and extra skin can make such a big size difference too! I need to buy more pants for work, as I keep rotating two pairs of pajamas at home haha. :) Cannot wait to keep healing and getting better and better each day! :) Updated on 2 Feb 2020: Hi Ladies! As I generally feel good, and my Hubby has been taking amazing care of our 3 small kids and me ( like a 4th child after surgery although I am getting better each day ), and house, and cooking and everything, I told them to go and watch some movies downstairs that they have been wanting to watch. I have done only light cleaning such as dusting, cleaning up the surfaces, picking up the toys, putting laundry away etc. I didn't feel the pain at all while doing it for about 2-3 hours without a break. But the next morning when I woke up I definitely felt it! My whole tummy was hurting and was very sore. I called the doc as we have the after hours phone number and he said that it is really easy to over do it at this early stage of healing even if we feel well. He says if I am doing anything like this to take frequent breaks, even if I don't feel like taking them. I am still a bit sore, but it is getting better. Just wanted to mention this in case someone like me decides to go on a cleaning spree since I was feeling great haha. :) Updated on 6 Feb 2020: Hi Everyone! Here is me 16 days post op. My scars are almost all healed, only a few more small scabs. I cannot wait for them to fall off so that I can start putting the silicone scar tape and silicone cream for the scar management! I don't hurt at all, although my back still tenses up towards the evening or if I am very active. I notice that I have more swelling at night, doc said that is still very normal at this stage. My swelling is overall going down. I thought for a second that I will have dog ears in those first few days as one side of my flanks was dropping down in swelling faster than other, but now they evened out and I see no doggie ears. :) I can start seeing my abs a bit too which is unbelievable! I still have a small divit by my belly button due to swelling my surgeon said. That will go down within a few weeks, and he is right, every day it seems more and more shallow. :) When did you ladies start sleeping on your sides? I was told I can sleep on my sides now if comfortable but to rotate sides at first. I hate back sleeping so I was so excited to sleep on my sides! To my surprise it is still not comfortable to sleep on the sides lol. I feel some tightness which doc said it is very normal, so to take it little bits at the time when it comes to sleeping on my sides. Now I sleep maybe an hour or two on my sides and then switch to my back. I started that from 14 days post op. Hope everyone else is doing great too! :) :) :) Here is to more healing every day! :) :) :) Updated on 15 Feb 2020: Hi Everyone! I have been so busy at work ( doing it overboard of course, but that's me it seems ) that I haven't posted an update in almost 10 days! This is me today, 25 days post op. :) I feel better and better each day, my belly button is opening more. I think I have two little stitches still stuck in it, but they have little scabs over them. I tried picking at them but my belly button started beading so I will just leave it alone until my post op on the 24th. I finally started putting the silicone scar sheets and silicone cream on my tummy scar and majority of my boob scars ( I still have 2 scabs left on my boobs, but they are shrinking each day ). I have only worn silicone sheets for about 4 days now and the difference in scar texture and smoothness is incredible! I will make sure to post side by side before and afters of it all in a few days, when it is my month. Do any of you feel their tummy tighten randomly? I would describe it like Braxton Hicks contractions. My doc says it is normal, but it always feels weird. I always hope I am not breaking something inside. :O What do you do for your body skincare? Supposedly you have to remove these particular scar sheets every time you shower, and then reapply. They are good for up to 12 uses each ( although my friend would just shower with them ). After drying up. I put biooil over my tummy and boobs and then use the rotating hot cold ( warm function ) for the scars. I apply Medix cream on the plate and just massage it in followed by massaging in the silicone cream. I find that bio oil makes my skin so slippery that then the silicone tape won't stick to it well and we don't want that haha. At night I put Maroccan oil night body serum on the rest of my body including the exposed tummy/boob area. Maroccan oil night serum is very expensive but it makes your skin luxuriously soft! The scent is great and is thick, so a little big goes a long way. I am still 137 lbs. After surgery I was 140lbs. Now that I still cannot go to the gym I find that I am loosing weight more slowly. I will have to restart Almased shake, I have 10 more lbs to go! Almost there! Cannot wait to see side by side of my photos from after I got out of the surgery and see if I see improvement ( it seems like I am improving in my head lol ). I still walk slouched sometimes, especially towards the end of the day. As I get tired, I start to slouch. Doc said it is normal, does anyone else do it? He said the slouchiness when tired should go away soon...:) :) :) Hope you are all doing well!!! :) :) :) Updated on 22 Feb 2020: Hi Everyone! :) Yesterday was my full month post op! I can fully stand up straight most of the time unless I really overdo it and get tired. I still have swelling but it is going down ( breast swelling is completely down, just tummy swelling remains ). I am starting to see more and more abs each day, my waist is shaping up nicely. :) I had two sutures stuck in my belly button under my scabs, but they came out this past week. Just a little bit of scabbing there, but it is going away, and the belly button is opening up. Mine is taking a lot longer to open up compared to some ladies' on here, but the doc said everyone heals differently. I am overjoyed even with the belly button like this as my old one was all wrinkled and saggy after pregnancies. It can only get better from here! :) Since I am not fully done healing, I decided to post 11 days post op and 30 days post op photos to show the swelling difference. I will post before surgery and after photos when fully healed of course. Since the surgery I have lost 6 lbs, 7 more lbs to go and I will be at my weight goal. I am not allowed to exercise for 2 more weeks, so the weight is coming off slower but still coming off thankfully. I am so excited to be able to exercise again, I miss it! Silicone scar tape works wonders and I highly recommend it! I have only been using it for a few days so far and can notice a dramatic difference - it works if you have new or old scars it says. Scars are more flat and soft, I will definitely keep using it. My ladies are nice and perky, although I won't lie, I cannot wait to get them enlarged in April! I am excited to own a two piece bathing suit and not be embarrassed walking around for the first time! :) As far as my confidence - I thought I was confident before, but it truly cannot come even remotely close to the self confidence I have now. When you feel comfortable in your own skin - it truly shows! You radiate from the inside so to speak. Confidence is the sexiest trait in anyone I think! Hope you are all doing great! I cannot wait to see everyone's update pics! :) :) :) Updated on 9 Apr 2020: Hi Ladies! I have missed all of You and hope You are all doing well! I will make sure read and catch up with your updates! :) I am almost 3 months post op ( on the 21st will be 3 months exactly ). I feel pretty good overall, I still sometimes get lower tummy swelling if I overdo it or eat some heavy foods. Doc said that is normal and can last up to 6 months. My lower tummy skin feels numb, so that feels interesting! Otherwise, my scar is flat, but still red ( fading away slowly ). I have no regrets and would do this procedure over and over! My tummy is improving every day, and I can see my abs more and more every day! :) I started working out at home due to our gyms being closed. My ab muscles get tired easily when working out, but it feels great at the same time - feels like they are actually doing something vs before, I could do abs for a long time, and I didn't see any results lol. During my post op the other day, I also had my preoperative consultation/exam for the upcoming breast augmentation, as well as liposuction. I originally thought that my upcoming surgery will be postponed as some states banned elective surgeries at the moment. When I asked, they said that North Dakota didn't ban them yet. Maybe because these are private practices with their own operative rooms not connected to the hospitals, so patients do not mingle with hospital patients so to speak? Not sure really, just my theory. When I originally had my tummy tuck and breast lift on January 21st, 2020, my doc said that he wants me to wait 3 months for the breast pocket to heal before placing implants so that is why they scheduled my surgery for April 21st. I chose silicone smooth implants. Before the breast lift, my boobs were visibly uneven and saggy. After the breast lift they are perky, and to me they look very even, although Dr. Becker said that the right is still slightly bigger than the left one ( I don't honestly see it, but if he says it is , it must be? ) I chose 500cc silicone smooth round implants under the muscle. Due to one being slightly larger, he will put 475 ccs into my right breast, and 500cc into my left, this way they are even. :) I am so excited to actually have boobs for the first time! I have been wanting larger boobs for as long as I can remember! I also added inner and outter smart liposuction, lipo of the love handles and fat injection to the hip dips. Smart lipo: - it is a liposuction followed by a laser that heats up the skin to tighten it. Dr Becker said our outter thigh skin is thick and we usually do not have laxity problems there, but inner thigh skin is very delicate and can often produce unwated laxity when fat is removed. That is why he uses the laser afterwards to tighten the skin. He will help me achieve more hourglass figure by removing some more of the love handles fat ( he removed some during the tummy tuck too ), and using that/thigh fat, to fill in my hip dips. Total cost for the breast augmentation: $5,900 Cost for the lipo procedures ( inner/outter thighs, love handles, and hip dip fat injections ) $9,100 I am currently 133.8 lbs. I plan to hopefully loose another 3-5 lbs before the 21st. He didn't tell me I need to loose it, but I figured the more I loose, he will be able to contour me better. I will post some implant sizer photos soon, here are my tummy photos from today. Cannot wait to catch up with you all! :) Hope you are all staying healthy and happy!!! :) :) :)
I felt like a valued guest from the moment I called to schedule my consult until my last appointment. I was taken care of, all my questions answered. Dr. Becker and his staff are knowledgeable and very pleasant to work with. I am pleased with my breast reduction surgery results. My neck feels better and my migraines are significantly better. I highly recommend Becker Plastic Surgery!!
I trusted Dr. Becker completely with the reconstruction of my left breast following a mastectomy. The care I received from him and his staff was top notch and I would not hesitate to recommend his services to anyone looking for this type of surgery. The whole experience was wonderful and I felt really cared for.
I had such an excellent experience with Dr Becker and his staff from start to finish and am so thrilled with my results! Highly recommend to anyone considering a plastic surgery procedure!!! Don't go anywhere else in North Dakota!
So happy with my results. I had a Breast Augmentation and Liposuction. I went to 3 different Plastic Surgeons in Bismarck for a consult and by far I knew Dr. Becker was the physician for me. Him and his staff made me feel comfortable, answered all of my questions and the consultation was free. They helped me choose the right breast size for me, I noticed a couple other Plastic Surgeons I went to for consultations really tried to pushed me to be larger then I felt comfortable with. I wanted to share my experience because I am so thankful for the wonderful care I had at Becker Plastic Surgery. I noticed most people only share there experience when they want to complain I guess that seems to be human nature lately (sad). I have referred many family members and friends to Dr. Becker and they have also had wonderful results and great experiences as well. Highly recommend. Thank you Dr. Becker and Staff.
It appears to me that everything is very likely to be fine. I think everything will be fine.
It’s difficult to determine a lot from the picture, but I believe the answer will be the same, regardless. Do not attempt to “hold it closed”. It would become likely to be infected. I suggest you do a simple wet-to-dry dressing on it daily. It will heal over in the next few weeks. It may end up perfectly normal, or you may want a simple scar revision in that area, but it will be many months before you’ll know. Ask your surgeon about how to do the dressings.
If you determine that you absolutely want areolar reduction, I suggest you do it separately from augmentation, and do it well before, at least 4 months.I would strongly urge you to re-evaluate though. Your areolae are completely normal. And not like “on the big side, but technically normal”. They are average normal. Normal normal. Consider simply doing the aug, and leave all else alone.
It appears that everything is healing adequately. You’ll want to wait at least 4-6 months before considering revision. Everything will need to be fully healed, and enough time given to allow for scar maturation and softening.
The right side has more ecchymosis (bruising) which will change the appearance temporarily. I will begin to look more like the left side in the coming weeks.
