Hi everyone. I wasn’t sure I was going to write a review, but after reading so many inspirational journeys I thought I would add mine to the mix. Also I haven’t found a ton of reviews for the type of implants I am getting, so hopefully this can be helpful to someone else.
So a little about me:
- 33 years old
- 8 month old baby with 4 months of breastfeeding
- 5’7
- 132lbs (athletic build)
- 11cm BWD
- 32B?? currently
- Boob goals: D~DD cup
Like many of you ladies, I have always had small boobs and have never been happy with them. I remember in grade 6 seeing girls start to fill out and convincing myself I was just a late bloomer and would catch up eventually. (Spoiler Alert: That. Never. Happened.)
Fast forward to an experience in high school where after a guy put his hands up my shirt and he described the size of my breasts as “a handful”. That stung, was insulting and embarrassing. I will never forget that feeling of disappointment.
Although augmentation was always something I wanted there were some obstacles in my way:
- I have always been athletic, playing lots of sports and went to university to play soccer and have played at some international tournaments. It wasn’t possible with my schedule to even consider it (I still play soccer but it’s not as intense).
- Cosmetic surgery isn’t something that my family or friends are familiar with and I felt embarrassed to even think about it.
- Third, and most importantly, my mother had breast cancer at 32 years old (my dad’s mother also had it twice). Growing up breast cancer wasn’t an “if” in my brain it was a “when”. So I have always locked up the notion of getting implants as an impossible, and likely, irresponsible choice.
HOWEVER, a couple of years ago my mother had testing done and was informed that she does not carry the hereditary BRCA1 or BRCA 2 genes. Therefore I do not have any more of a chance to get breast cancer as the next person.
By this time in my life I have a husband and we are planning on starting a family. So not an ideal time. (Rewind a couple of years when I was first dating my husband and I grudgingly admitted I wanted implants and he immediately made me feel stupid for even thinking about it. BUT after I explained all the things I explained to you above, and he realized it wasn’t a rash decision, he got completely on board).
So I decided we would have our first child, but I wouldn’t wait until we were completely done having children (I felt like I have waited long enough). Plus since I get a year off for mat leave, I would do it while on mat leave to not have to worry about taking time off from work.
So I had my baby in May 2017, stopped breastfeeding at the beginning of November 2017 and after extensive research in my area I scheduled consultations with two different doctors.
Updated on 14 Feb 2018:
As I mentioned in my last post I decided to make consultations with two different doctors. I picked these doctors based on RealSelf reviews and ratemeds. I was opened to seeking out other doctors as well if I wasn’t satisfied with either of them, but I was hoping that wouldn’t be necessary.
My first consultation was with Doctor Chong in November 2017. I knew he would likely be on the more expensive side but I’ve told myself from the beginning I wouldn’t be picking a doctor based on price alone. A couple of my observations about this appointment:
- His office is downtown, fairly far from my house and you need to pay for parking.
- His office was very busy (Pro - he’s sought after, must mean he’s good at his job but the waiting room was small and cramped)
- The appointment was almost 40 late (Con)
- I thought his bedside manners were much better than the reviews I had read (not a necessity for the job, it was a nice surprise)
- While we were in the appointment he was in and out of the office quite a bit, which I found distracting and made me feel rushed
- He was satisfied with the timeline I was thinking (March 2018, 4+months post breastfeeding)
- He listened to the size I wanted to go but didnt try on sizers at the consultation nor did he want to speculate on the CCs that would be used (I found this very odd, how am I suppose to make a decision on you being my surgeon if I have no idea what my body can handle/ what size you think I can go?) This was discouraging.
- The invoice for the surgery was even more than I anticipated, and I was already prepared for the cost to be on the higher end of things.
I left the consultation a bit confused but nonetheless confident in his abilities based on the overwhelming positive reviews he has received.
In December 2017 I went to see Doctor Korus:
- Her office is very close to my house and free parking (bonus).
- The office was beautiful and more open than Doctor Chong’s.
- I was the only one there and appointment was right on time
- Doctor Korus was very friendly and made me feel extremely comfortable. She is very unassuming and more looks like a school teacher than a plastic surgeon.
- She didn’t rush me and gave me lots of opportunity to ask questions. She made me feel like an equal and was impressed with the amount of research I had already done.
- She also agreed that March 2018 would give my breasts enough time to settle from breastfeeding (and honestly about 5 days after I stopped breastfeeding they dried up and went back to their original size, just with some sag to them)
- She helped me try on sizes. She was in agreement that an ultra high profile would be best on my frame. We started at smaller sizes as she likes to work her way up and see how the patient reacts, which I liked.
- I ended up liking the 400 and 445 Natrelle Inspira ultra full profiles the best.
- The cost of surgery was less than I was expecting and $2500 cheaper than Dr. Chong.
I felt so good after the consultation but I wanted to talk it over with my husband first to make sure I was making the best possible decision (he came to my first consultation, but wasn’t able to come to my second).
He told me it was a no brainer that I needed to go with Dr. Korus. I felt kind of guilty about it because I didn’t want it to seem like I was picking her solely based on the price point But I thought if all things being equal (skills, reviews, prices) I would still pick her based on the feelings I got from her.
I was super excited that I made a decision BUT I knew from my consultation that surgery dates weren’t posted yet for March. I called the office just to double check and was asked to call back the week of January 9th as dates would be available then. I know most ladies on here are like me and are super impatient with this process and it killed me I would have to wait 3 weeks to hammer out a date.
Also wanted to mention that I told my mom about my decision to go ahead with surgery while she was here visiting in October (she lives across the country). I was very upfront that I wasn’t looking for her opinion or her blessing but if she wanted to support me that I would appreciate it. She kind of rolled her eyes, but not only did she say that she would support me, she would come back to visit and help me recover in March. I shouldn’t be surprised by this - she is the most incredibly loving, caring and supportive person I know. But it was still nice to know she has my back.
Updated on 14 Feb 2018:
I apologize if this review is too wordy. I actually really enjoyed reading the lengthier reviews as it intrigues me why women decide to get implants. I love reading their trials and tribulations and I feel like it has really prepared me well so far. Im also using this review to journal my own thoughts and feelings. Even though I have a very supportive husband and best friend, I don’t want to inundate them with boobs boobs boobs 24/7. Also I’m not a very emotional person so this gives me a way to open up about a very personal experience.
So continuing on...I spent Xmas in Vancouver with my husband’s family which helped distract me and pass the time. On January 9th I called the office to pay my deposit and book the date. I was originally thinking March 20-21ish as I wanted to be done playing soccer for the indoor season and didn’t want to risk missing any games. But it appeared that week wasn’t available at all and they offered March 27. I thought that was a bit too late because I go back to work the first week of June. Due to my job requirements I would need atleast 6 weeks off PLUS time to get back into shape. So we decided on March 14th and I paid the $2000 deposit. I also made my preop appointment for Feb 6 to finalize sizing.
Interesting tidbit: March 14th is “Steak and [RS bleep] Day”. I’ve decided to change it to “Steak and Boobjob Day”. LOL. But since I’m a vegetarian, my husband can have the steak and I’ll have the boobjob!
Right after settling on the date I booked my mom’s plane ticket. She’s coming March 8 and is staying for a month. I can’t wait for her to be here and spend time with me and her granddaughter. She hasn’t seen her since October and FaceTime dates just aren’t the same. Plus who doesn’t love having their mom look after them when they are feel shitty. She will happily become the cleaner, the cooker, the babysitter and the caregiver when she is here.
After booking my date I went into overdrive looking at boob pictures. I realized I didn’t know my BWD which is a pretty important measurement to know as it is a major deciding factor on the size of implant you can squeeze into your body. I didn’t know what CC size I should focus on in my searches. I obviously knew 400&455 UHP were safe bets but I’ve always had the number 500 in my brain and was hoping I could get something more.
I waffled on calling the office to ask because I didn’t want to be that needy broad who calls constantly with different trivial questions. But I also knew that not knowing would just drive me insane and I wouldnt be able to wait for my pre op appt to find out. Well I’m glad I called but got a disappointing answer. My BWD is only 11. Which is pretty shocking to me because I have broad shoulders. My husband also attempted to measure my BWD several months ago and I think it was 13.5 - clearly we did it wrong. Womp-womp
Still I have hopes that maybe it is an 11.something and it would give me the ability to go to 480 UHP. I really want to be a D-DD (closer to a DD, but I would be happy with a D, I would be very unhappy with a C). I’m just not sure a 400/445 could give me those results.
Also I do plan on uploading photos because if I’m being honest I skipped over all reviews that didn’t have photos. But I need to work up the courage to do that. I’m thinking closer to my surgery date because once I have bigger nicer boobs I won’t care too much that my small deflated saggy boobs are out there for the world to see.
Updated on 14 Feb 2018:
I went to my pre op appointment on February 6th with my husband. Prior to the appointment the office had mailed me a pre op package that included a medical
sign off from my doctor and other pre op information.
But I need to back up a bit because I was very concerned that I might not get signed off from my doctor.....back in October 2017 I became very sick. I was getting flu like symptoms in the evenings (chills, aches, high temp, waking up drenched in cold sweats) These symptoms would subside by the time I woke up but I would then get a headache in the morning into the afternoon and the flu symptoms would start again. Thank god my mom happened to be visiting to help with my then 4 month old daughter (especially for all the subsequent doctor visits) I waited about a week before I finally went in to a walk in clinic. After weeks of different testing, (seriously everything including West Nile to HIV to Lyme Disease etc etc) Ultrasounds, X-rays, mammogram, blood tests, specialists, it was determined I had viral meningitis. With this my white blood cell count was very low (it was a 2 and the lowest acceptable level is a 4) And I knew from my research that low WBC can be enough reason to postpone a surgery. I had follow up blood tests in Nov, Dec and Jan. Nov and Dec were still under 4 but thankfully January’s results were at a 4 - progress!!
So when I went in to get signed off from my doctor I was understandably nervous AF. But because my January results were acceptable my doctor was satisfied I would be eligible for surgery - Wahoo!!
Anyways, back to my pre opp appt....Dr. Korus was fairly adamant that I stick to 400CC because she felt that 445 UHP would make me too top heavy and would be stretching the boundaries of my existing breasts. I obviously trust her opinion and didn’t want to go with something against the strong recommendation of my doctor. She did mention very briefly that there was an in between size, and thankfully my husband piped up and said that that might be a good compromise, and she agreed! She also solidified my initial though of UHP and said my body type was an excellent candidate (I have been hesitant because it’s not overly popular, but I’m not a fan of side boob and want the most CCs that my body can realistically handle). So I am happy about that and will be getting 420 UHP. In the Inspira Natrelle line this is called either SRX or SSX
S - smooth,
R - responsive gel
X - extra full
S - smooth
S - soft touch gel
X - extra full
The difference between the two is the gel used in the implant. Responsive touch is softer whereas soft touch is a bit more firm. She had SSX written down but I couldn’t find a 420 SSX online but could find a 420 SRX. So I’m not sure which one I’m getting, but I’m not concerned either way.
During my pre op I also found out I’m scheduled for the first surgery of the day on March 14 and surgery will start at 7am. I’ve heard lots of ladies on here would prefer an early start time because of the food / water restrictions prior to surgery. Oh also on that note, the first restriction, written in large bold letters that I need to avoid prior to surgery is red wine. I LOVE red wine and according to the pre op instructions I need to stop drinking it 2 weeks before surgery. Dr. Korus did say if I had a glass of two leading up to surgery it would be ok, but I might try to avoid it altogether anyways.
Updated on 14 Feb 2018:
Okay so I’m almost to present day....yesterday (feb 13) I got a call from Brenda who does all the admin work at the office. She told me they had to open up March 14th for emergencies only and was looking to reschedule me for March 27 (sound familiar? It’s the first date they proposed to me back in January). Like wth. I told her that would not be good at all because my mom was flying in to help me with the baby after surgery and her flights were already booked.
Brenda said she would look into it and call back. After the call my husband told me to call her back and let her know my mom was coming in on March 8th, so I could do a date between March 8 and 14 if needed. Not perfect for me as I have my last soccer games of the season on March 12 & 13 so the 14th is the ideal date. So I called Brenda and she said she would make note of that.
Later in the afternoon she called and said they would be keeping the original date as she couldn’t make anything else work. Surgery is still scheduled for 7 am and I need to be there for 6:45am. Which seems very last minute to me. From reading other reviews it seems most ladies need to be at the surgery facility 1-1.5 hr prior to their surgery time.
Also I am concerned that because it seems there will be no surgeries scheduled after me and only “emergencies” will my doctor be rushed to get in and out? Are they planning on cancelling last minute citing an emergency and really never had the expectation of following through with my surgery date? Needless to say I’m apprehensive about this development and won’t be feeling good about it until I’m there and it’s over.
On a happier note it is Valentine’s Day (also hubby’s bday) which means 1 month until surgery!!
Updated on 22 Feb 2018:
Earlier this week I paid the remaining balance of surgery- yay! I also asked Brenda to change my implants from 420 UHP to 445 UHP. I know Dr. Korus thought they would be a little too big for my frame, but I think she is just being conservative. I feel that if I went with the 420s that I might be disappointed but I know I won’t be with 445 UHP because they are my max size. I realize the difference is minimal (11.75cm diameter & 5.9cm projection for the 420s VS 12cm diameter & 6.0cm projection for the 445s) but it’s a head game for me - like many of you as well! Plus I have read time and time again how so many women wished they went a bit bigger. I don’t think I could regret going too big, but I know I would regret going too small. AND with the diameter being 1cm more than my BWD, I’m hoping to get some cleavage!
One thing I’m concerned about is Dr. Korus said she only brings the one size into surgery. I’ve read lots of reviews where the Doctor brings in several sizes in case the one chosen doesn’t fit. What if the 445s don’t fit like she originally thought? She only measured my BWD once at my consultation, and not at all at my pre op. I’m hoping this just means she is confident in sizing and has never had an issue in the past.
Updated on 22 Feb 2018:
I bought a 5 pack of zip up sports bras (B. Bangs) from Amazon and they came today. I hope they will fit! I’m usually a small/medium but I ordered XL. Some of the reviews online said they run small. The band fits snug right now, but the rice sizers fit fine. A couple of the girls on my breast augmentation Facebook group swear by them (on that note join some Facebook groups, it has been an endless bound of knowledge for me and the women are amazingly supportive).
I also bought 2 sports bras from La Senza because they were on sale, and a lace bralette because I wanted it for before/ after photos.
I told myself I would not buy things ahead of time but I couldn’t help myself! It is winter here and going to the mall is something my husband and I do weekly with our daughter. But if they don’t end up fitting they were all on sale and it’s not that big of a deal.
I plan on taking some before pictures in different bras and shirts soon but finding time is tricky with an 8 month old.
Updated on 6 Mar 2018:
One week left!! I hope it goes by fast, but if it’s anything like my last week of pregnancy it’s going to be the longest week of my life!!
My mom flies in on Thursday which I’m *almost* as excited about! She is staying for a month and I couldn’t be happier for the extra help. She hasn’t seen her granddaughter since October so I can’t wait for her to see how big she has gotten (we FaceTime all the time so it won’t be a total surprise). As I’m typing this she just texted to say she changed her flight to tomorrow to avoid a snow storm. YAY!!
I’ve taken some before pictures that I will attach. I am wearing rice sizers in some of them. They are 420cc because that’s what I made when I originally thought I was getting 420s. But now I’m getting 445s, I figure you lose some cc’s under the muscle so maybe the 420s will account for that.
7 days!!!
Updated on 14 Mar 2018:
Hey all, had my surgery this morning and so far everything is fantastic (I’m sure that’s the meds talking lol).
Here’s the scoop:
I set 3 wake up alarms and got my husband to set one also (my nightmare was sleeping in). Didn’t need them though because I woke up at 3:30 and didn’t fall back asleep.
Surgery was at 7:30am. Needed to be there for 6:45 but got there at 6:35 and they brought me back right away. Patty was my nurse and she was very sweet. Gave me two nausea pills, weighed me and asked some typical medical questions. I didn’t do a pregnancy test, which I thought was odd bc 99% of the reviews say they got one. But I have an IUD. I changed into a surgical gown with a fuzzy pink robe and kept on my socks and underwear.
Doctor Korus came in at 7:05am drew her Picasso on my chest and took some photographs. Patty came back almost immediately after Dr. Korus left and took me to the surgery room at 7:20am.
The anaesthesiologist was there and introduced herself as Dr Cave (not sure of spelling). I got strapped down on to the surgery tape with a warmed blanket and given oxygen. Dr. Cave said I would be out in 15 seconds and she was right! I watched the second hand on the clock and was out instantly, I don’t think I even made it 15 seconds. It was 7:25am.
Woke up in the recovery room with my surgical bra on under a heated blanket at about 8:35am. I was shaking uncontrollably and was given something intravenously, which helped pretty quickly. Felt nauseous and had a hard time focusing my eyes. My breasts hurt considerably - heavy, tight and very sore, like an elephant sitting on my chest. Nurse gave me some Percocet and I heard her call my husband and asked him to be there in an hour.
Kind of faded in and out until 9:20am. Nurse helped me get dressed (sweat pants, zip up hoodie and uggs). When my husband got there at 9:35am she briefly went over some after care instructions which I had a hard time focusing on. I got put into a wheel chair but before I made it out of the room I threw up (and then in the car and then when I immediately got home).
My husband was able to go get my prescriptions while I was in surgery (T3s and antibiotics). They also gave
me 10 Percocets).
I brought a bucket in the car but just used the bag they gave me instead to throw up in. Also brought a pillow but didn’t end up using it. Car ride was slightly uncomfortable but way better than I anticipated.
When I got home I threw up again and took another Percocet and gravol tablets. I also had a RestoraLAX which I have been mixing in my water for the past 3 days prior to surgery. Went to bed with a mountain full of pillows including some under my knees (highly recommended) and had a nap.
When I woke up a few hours later the nausea was gone (thank god, worst part so far). I checked out the girls and I was really impressed. I was prepared for the dreaded “frankenboobs” and yes they are high and yes they are swollen, but I was prepared for worse.
Also wanted to mention that I just got my nails done (gel). Most of it is clear with sparkle tips, there was no issue in surgery for this (I left my toe nails bare in case it wasn’t good enough). I thought I would mention that.
Refresher:
-33 years old
-9.5 month old daughter, breastfed for 4 months
-5’6.5 / 5’7
-132lbs but currently 139lbs with implants and boat
-11cm BWD
-32B ish pre op
-boob goals D-DD
Natrelle Inspira 445 SSX (ultra high profile).
I have to go back to the surgery centre tomorrow to have my dressings changed. I will see my doctor again in 2 weeks for my follow up
So far two thumbs up!!
Updated on 15 Mar 2018:
Last night I slept pretty good considering I was at a 45 degree angle on my back (pillows under the knees are key!) I set my alarm to keep taking my percocets every 4 hours. Getting in and out of bed to use the washroom was a pain but doable.
This morning I switched to one T3 every 4 hours and the pain doesn’t seem to be
any worse than yesterday. I went and had my dressings changed this morning and the nurse said everything looked good. She explained that everything I do for the next 6 weeks should be determined by pain. So basically if it hurts don’t do it. She said I could sleep on my side if it was comfortable, but I think I’ll stick to my back for now. She also said to try to keep all arm movement to that of a “T-Rex” so elbows stay close to the body. I’ve been doing that already and have been trying to be super cautious.
Yesterday I had about two finger gap between my collar bone and the swelling. Today it is three finger gap, so the swelling is going down but still very visible. I noticed today how swollen my sternum is (between my boobs) and under my armpits. It’s insane! I’ve been using ice gel packs on and off all day and it feels great.
I’ve been drinking a ton of water (like 12-14 cups a day) which I think has contributed to the bloat being minimal (maybe?). Hard to say because I’m up 8 pounds and no BM but I don’t feel really bad yet.
I’d say my pain level is a 3/10 (yesterday when I woke up from surgery I told the nurse it was a 5/10). But I’ve been taking it very easy. I’ve read lots of girls start to feel okay (because of pain meds or what have you) and then end up paying for it the next day. I want to avoid that and since both Mom and husband are home I have lots of helping hands.
Although I must say I’ve been a bit disappointed in my husband. I haven’t felt like he has been as supportive as I wanted/hoped he would be. I called him out on it tonight and he admitted to feeling off but didn’t know why. He said he would be more aware of it moving forward. Maybe it’s the male version of the boobie blues?
Updated on 16 Mar 2018:
I figured I would post daily for the first few days and then sporadically afterwards. My real purpose of this review is to show my long term progress of UHP. I have seen lots of reviews with the dreaded frankenboobs, but not a lot of pictures after the first few weeks and months....
Anyways I slept okay again last night. Woke up for my pain meds again every 4 hours. I plan to keep taking my T3s atleast until tomorrow. My pain is minimal, I’d say a 1.5 or 2/ 10. I’m trying not to push it but saying that I had my first shower (dr said 48hrs). I was even able to shave, I was just a lot more slow and methodical about it. I also didn’t have to wear a button up or zipper hoodie!
I thought since I was feeling so good that I could go do a little bit of shopping with my family. We went to Costco, Buy Buy Baby and IKEA. I took it slow and was very aware of how I was moving around. I really hope I’m getting better and I’m not just being lulled into a false sense of security with the pain meds, guess I will find out tomorrow.
I was wondering if I could switch out of my surgical bra so I called my PS. She confirmed that I can wear any bra right now as long as it not an underwire - no problem here, since being pregnant and having a baby I haven’t wore an underwire in forever! So I’m wearing my new zip up and it’s supportive and comfy!
Anyways boobs are still doing great. I forgot to mention yesterday that I had some on and off burning sensation on my left incision, but nothing crazy. It hasn’t happened at all today. I’ve drank 17 cups of water today (I’ve been so thirsty) and I’m hoping it will help with the bloat and BM. It has been quasi successful as I had a BM, but the bloat is still prevalent, oh well!
Updated on 18 Mar 2018:
Day 3 PO
I’m a day behind but will recap day three. I stopped taking T3 on day 2 and have changed over to Tylenol. Haven’t felt any difference pain wise. In fact I feel no pain and feel like a .5/10 for discomfort.
I washed, dried and straightened my hair without any issues. My husband and I went out for lunch with some of his buddies (the benefit of having Mom here to babysit last minute). The guys know about my BA but didn’t ask me anything about it. It was nice to have a couple of beers in celebration of St. Patty’s Day now that I’m not on pain meds anymore.
In the evening we went out to a St. Patty’s Day party and had no issues. The host knows about my BA but nobody asked or seemed to notice. I love just wearing a compression sports bra and having projection!
Sorry if this is TMI but my husband and I got down to business. He was allowed to “look but not touch”. Lol. Although he had to do all the work there were no complaints on his end!
Overnight I slept a bit on each of my sides. Nothing too drastic and I had a pillow underneath me to support the girls. I still think I’ll sleep primarily on my back but atleast now I have some options.
Day 4 PO
Woke up feeling great even after a night of drinking. I’m going to stop taking Tylenol and see how I feel.
My left has dropped much more than my right. My left has a 4 finger gap between my collar bone and the upper part of my breast while my right only has a 3 finger gap (and is much more boxy looking). I know this is because I am right handed so I’m going to try and be more conscious of using my left hand instead of my right and hopefully that will help.
All of the bloat seems to be gone. I think it’s because I was drinking an insane amount of water everyday. My weight is now 134lbs, which I think is the new norm bc the implants weigh a pound each.
Everyday I’ve woken up expecting pain and discomfort for the small pushes I did the previous day. Ive read so much that ladies feel great, but then go too hard and pay for it the following day. That hasn’t happened to me yet. This recovery has been a breeze. The only time I felt any kind of pain was initially waking up from surgery, and that was mostly nausea.
I’m still not picking up my daughter or driving, and don’t plan on doing either for atleast another week. I really recommend having a family member with you for the first week to take over all tasks around the house. The less you can do the quicker and smoother your recovery will be (from my experience).
Updated on 21 Mar 2018:
It’s been a whole week since my BA! Things are great; better than I expected actually. Here’s a recap of the last few days:
5 DPO
I went to the gym today. Only to walk the track. And I walked very slowly. I walked so slowly that my mother (who was also walking) lapped me multiple times on the track. I made an effort to keep my heart rate under 100 (Fitbit). I don’t know about the rest of you, but it’s been so hard to take it easy. I’m so competitive it was difficult watching other people pass me the whole time. I walked for about an hour but then my lower back started hurting so I stopped.
6 DPO
Nothing new, no repercussions from walking at the gym.
1 WPO
Drove today for the first time. I didn’t find it difficult but I was pretty cautious.
I slipped (twice) on the ice today when letting my dogs out. I didn’t fall and was able to correct it by swinging my arms. Hopefully no damage has been done.
I haven’t had any pain at my incisions, except for the mild burning I had on my left one a few days back. I honestly wouldn’t even know they were there if I didn’t see them taped up in the mirror.
The right is still higher and more square than the left. But both are noticeably more squisher than they have been.
Updated on 28 Mar 2018:
Today I had my 2 week follow up. This is the first time I’ve seen my PS since the surgery. She took off my steri strips and checked my incision sites. She said everything looked great (more on that in a bit).
She told me all about scar management and gave me thee different types of treatment: 1. paper tape - the least aggressive form of treatment 2. Strataderm Gel and 3. Mepitac Tape (silicone) - more aggressive form of treatment. She gave me a sample of each to see which one I prefer. I’m going to start out using the silicone tape and will probably stick to the tapes. I feel like the gels will rub off on clothes and I think the scars will be more protected with the tape.
Essentially she said the only 2 things proven to reduce scars are pressure and heat. This does NOT mean massage and heating pads. Pressure and heat are created by using tape or gel to seal the scar/ create a barrier. Also this needs to be done 24/7 and will not help if you use tape or gel sporadically while you are healing.
Also she said I can keep walking at the gym but it’s important to not raise my heart rate or blood pressure too much while the breasts are healing because it can cause blood vessels to break which will result in complications (ie. seromas/ hematomas).
I can resume baths or swimming/ hot tub etc once my incisions look water proof ie. heal without scabs. I’m not in a hurry but it shouldn’t be 6 weeks bas d on how my incisions looked today.
My PS said I should continue to wear compression sports bras while out and about and sleeping. But if I’m just sitting on the couch than I can go braless.
I won’t see my doctor again until my 3 month follow up, unless I have any concerns. Also the dropping of my left breast quicker than my right is totally normal (I knew that but thought I’d share with anyone new on the subject) and will only be a concern if they are drastically different to one another. My right is still higher because my muscle is more defined and stronger than my left. I can gently massage the top of my right breast if I want to help encourage it to drop, but it’s not necessary.
I wanted to come back to the topic of the scars: When I got home from my appointment I wanted to look at the scars myself. I noticed my left one looks perfect (Cinderella). It’s smooth and looks completely closed without any scabs. The right one is ugly and bumpy (ugly step sister). It’s more red and has some scabbing. I’m hoping this is not an indication of how it will look healed because that would be no good.
I’ve been sleeping on my side for quite awhile now. It’s less and less uncomfortable every night. I’m using tons of pillows though, I think I have 6 in use right now.
Updated on 29 Mar 2018:
I wasn’t going to update until next week but needed to say that my nipples are extremely sensitive. I have a loose t shirt on without a bra and even the most subtle moments make me cringe. I would go topless around the house but my mom is still visiting, so I don’t want to be rude.
My recovery has been a dream, this is the first thing I’ve truly had issue with (discomfort wise) so I can’t really complain. But wow, it’s insane.
Updated on 4 Apr 2018:
So I’m three weeks in and still love them! My right continues to take its time, and I didn’t realize HOW FAR behind it was until I looked at the head on photo compared to my left (which looks fantastic IMO).
Nipple sensitivity isn’t as intense anymore. It definitely helps to wear a tight bra or nothing at all.
Last week I went to to the gym and incorporated some leg exercises (body weight squats, lunges and calf raises) in with my walking. It was fine and I’m still careful to keep my heart rate down.
I ordered some bathing suits off ROMWE. I’m excited to see if they fit but am keeping my expectations low because they are cheap. They will probably take a month to get here so should be here in time for summer!
Three weeks down, three to go to be working out and playing soccer!!
Updated on 18 Apr 2018:
My Romwe bathing suits showed up! They fit pretty good. Some of the bottoms are a bit too cheeky for my liking and the one piece feels a bit too short. But it’s hard to complain when I got 6 bathing suits for about $15 each. If your going to order any make sure you follow their sizing chart (I’m usually a medium but bought XL). The tops are all great though! And I ordered some more but bought some better quality bottoms to mix and match.
I started doing a light ab workout around 3.5 weeks. It feels fine and I keep my arm movement limited.
My right boob is still a lot different from my left and looks even worse in photos than it does in person. Trying to stay patient about this process. Thankfully it looks fine in clothing and it does seem to be improving week to week.
The scars are looking great and I only have a few spots that need to seal up. I changed over to paper tape from silicone tape because 1) it’s cheaper and 2) the paper tape stays on much longer. Unfortunately the edges of the tape leave residue, but I can live with it.
I went to VS just shy of 5 weeks to get some maximum support sports bras. She measured me at a 34DDD. That’s just wild to me. I found the 34 bands a bit too big so bought two 32DDD bras. And bonus they were on sale, each are regular price $55 but bought them both for $40! Which is great because the size may still change but I need some to start proper workouts and soccer as soon as next week.
Also a couple of weeks ago I measured my bust at 35.5 inches. Recently I’ve been measuring 37 inches. I’ve added a picture comparing 2 WPO and 5 WPO and you can definitely see they are fluffing and softening nicely.
Updated on 3 May 2018:
I started jogging during week 5 and at my 6 week anniversary I started back at boot camp (high intensity interval training). I thought I would have to do modified exercises but I just used lighter weights than usual. I was even able to do push ups but they were quite a bit shallower than I used to be able to do. The VS sports bras I have been wearing have been great. During running and exercises it hardly feels different than before.
I played my first soccer game just before week 7 and everything went really well. I took some chest balls and to my surprise they hurt less than they did before (maybe more cushion!?). Some of the guys on my team know about my surgery and they kept telling me to be careful haha.
So everything is back to normal. I don’t go back to see my doctor until 3 month PO. My right boob is still the same problem child she has been since the beginning. I actually don’t even notice until I take my weekly selfies. So that makes me kind of sad and frustrated. But I’m hopeful for that it will catch up soon. I’m just happy you can’t tell in clothes.
Updated on 26 Jun 2018:
Review:
130lbs
5’7
BWD 11
Pre op 34b
Natrelle Inspira 445 UHP
Post op 32DDD
I just went to my 3 month check up with my doctor. She was very impressed with how things have progressed. She told me there shouldn’t be too many drastic changes from here on out, and I’m past the time where infections and whatnot are most prominent.
I have been concerned that my left may possibly be bottoming out. It’s mostly visible if I raise my arms above me head. While my PS could see why I was concerned she said it’s still in the pocket and can’t feel any indication that double bubble is occurring. She said as it stands right now an additional surgery is not necessary. But if it gets any worse than I should go see her again. She was fairly confident that it wouldn’t become an issue in the future.
She also told me my scars are healing well. I’ve chosen to keep silicone tape or paper tape on them 24/7. Apparently they are starting to turn white and once they change completely from pink to white the tape won’t be necessary anymore.
I went a little crazy at Victoria Secrets semi annual sale. I bought an additional 6 knockout sports bras. I absolutely love them. I wear them to bed, playing sports and work. I feel totally secure in them.
I also got measured around my 3 month mark and I’m a 32DDD at VS. 32DDD bras fit like a glove. And I hope the size doesn’t change from here on out because of all the bras I’ve bought.
Some of the underwire bras dig into my ribs a bit, but other than that they are mostly comfy. I also prefer to keep wearing bras with some padding so my nips don’t show through.
I still sleep in a sport bra as I find it way more comfortable. I’ve tried without and my boobs get in my way. Also I’m not oblivious to the fact that gravity can takes its toll. So I choose to wear bras 97% of the time. I will go braless with silicone nipple pasties, but it’s rare and dependent on my outfit.
That’s about it. I’ll try to remember to post at my 6 month mark. I’m starting to plan out a nice under boob/ sternum tattoo around September. So I should have that done around 6 Months PO.
Thanks for all the support and love everyone has shown. It can be difficult to expose yourself but you have made it much easier and it encourages me to keep going.
Updated on 26 Oct 2018:
Hey lovelies. It’s been awhile. I wanted to wait and make an update for after I saw my surgeon again. So here it goes....
I saw her today. I made the appointment back in September after I knew I was struggling with the left side bottoming out. When I first brought it up to my husband in the summer, he was oblivious to the fact that there was a problem. In fact he was down right insensitive about it. The reason why he was so closed off about it was bc I asked an online doctor about it, who confirmed my suspicions.
And my husband thought it was gimmicky and didn’t realize it was a qualified doctor making a medical judgement (he thought the doctor was just some perv who checks out women’s boobs for fun) He also knew (bc I told him) that it would cost money. He was REALLY against spending more money for more cosmetic surgery. I paid for the original surgery all by myself, but since we combined finances, it would be coming out of both of our pockets.
I got pretty upset, bc I felt that he was dismissing my concerns. I felt really defeated and like my feelings and well being weren’t being validated. Well lucky for me, even tho my husband is quick to judge and jump to conclusions, he sat back and thought about it. He also googled it and realized that bottoming out was a legit concern and not something I was making up in my head.
After that he was 1000% on board. He encouraged me to book a follow up appt and said it didn’t matter the cost, that we would figure it out.
So I waited until September to call bc that was my 6 month mark. I wanted to wait to see if I was going to have the same problems with my right side. I just wanted to make sure that there wasn’t going to be MORE issues.
So today came around. I pretty much decided I wanted the revision surgery and was prepared to spend several thousand dollars to do it.
My doctor was very supportive of my concerns. I also talked to her about a lateral displacement I see when I lay on my back (I can fit my whole hand between my boobs when I lay flat). She explained that A) if i had fat/ breast tissue it would fill in the middle of my cleavage area, but since I have none, the breasts naturally fall to the sides without any “filling” are the center. B) bc I’ve bottomed out on my left side, it has also slid to the side a bit (lateral displacement).
She agreed that surgery was needed to fix the problem (although not NECESSARY, meaning it’s just a cosmetic issue).
I asked her how much I was looking at for a cost. She said she would cover the cost. Ok cool, I thought, most surgeons cover their cost, leaving you to foot the bill for the facility fees and anesthesiologist (she already said local anesthetic wasn’t an option as we needed to be in a surgical room to eliminate any contamination).
So I asked her again how much it would cost me. Get this, she said NOTHING OUT OF POCKET. She would cover the entire bill bc she wanted me to be satisfied with the procedure. Holy [RS bleep], I couldn’t believe it. I have literally never heard of that. I consider myself well educated in this area with real self, fb groups and general internet searches and I have never heard of a free revision. Usually the surgeon will cover their fee but you are stuck with facility and anesthesiologist fees.
So even though I’m really bummed I *need* to have a revision, the circumstances couldn’t be better.
I should mention that this is not a 100% guarantee. This may not fix the problem, but hey it’s worth the chance, especially bc it will cost me $0 and I’m so unhappy at the moment. Also according to my doctor, I need to treat this like the the original surgery. This means no picking up my daughter, and 6 weeks off from the gym/sports. Due to my work requirements I would also need to go on light duties, which I’m not looking forward to.
Anyways I’m thinking about doing the revision in March. That will be one year from my original surgery. March is also a good time for me because it’s between soccer seasons.
So I will keep everyone posted, probably in the new year, once I hammer out the details ;)