So I have long story. Try to make short! BRCA1 +. Mastopexy 6/11/19. mastectomy with direct to implant reconstruction 9/19/20. Full hysterectomy and oophorectomy 2/14/20. Finally a “me” surgery - Drainless tummy tuck with breast revision fat grafting and lipo of axilla 6/8/20. Updated on 17 Jun 2020: Hello, I had my drainless tummy tuck and I’m soooo swollen in my abdomen. I feel 3 months pregnant. Photo attached. Does this look normal?? I have my first post op tomorrow, so I will talk to my surgeon as well, just want to see if anyone had same experience Updated on 18 Jun 2020: My Dr was not concerned about my swelling and said I will notice a big change in about 2-3 weeks, but won’t see my “real self” for another 3 months. All in all a good appointment. I was having this intermittent terrible pain in the lower left side of my abdomen. He said it’s definitely a nerve. He injected me with numbing stuff and said it will last a few days. And eventually the nerve will just burn itself out and the pain will gradually subside. My incision looks awesome, he said I can go in my hot tub in about 10 days when my bellybutton scab is gone! Swelling was noticeably less this morning, so that’s reassuring. Photos attached
He was knowledgeable however my results weren’t quite up to my expectations. I still have some of my larger areola on each breast. I also feel like they have dropped a lot more than I expected and now I feel like they may be sagging. My cleavage isn’t what I was hoping to get. I know my natural breasts were further apart but I was hoping that after surgery I would have got them closer and much better cleavage even without a bra Not sure if I need a revision or not?
I was finally able to schedule my BR this past week! About a year ago I started considering having a breast reduction done, but was in the middle of moving and it just wasn't a good time to pursue it. Last November I finally had my first consult. Basically, a nurse saw me, an hour and a half past my appointment time! She said that I had jumped through every hoop insurances have (6 months physical therapy, 3 months chiropractic work, medication therapy, 12 months documented pain, etc) however, because my bmi was 40, I needed to get out under 35 before I could have the surgery done because otherwise my insurance wouldn't cover it. I left, feeling really upset, since besides the fact that that's a lot of weight for anyone to lose and I was in a lot of pain from my breasts, I also have fibromyalgia, which makes it difficult for me to exercise much, as well as hypothyroidism and polycystic ovary syndrome, both of which makes loading weight much harder. But I did what I could and improved my diet a lot. In January I had an insurance change, so I set up a follow up to see if the new insurance would approve the surgery sooner. But, instead, I got an unpleasant phone call from that doctors office nurse telling me this time that I was wrong, and that the surgeon wouldn't operate on anyone above a 35 bmi, no matter what insurance said. I was upset, because I was blamed, and occupation because I had got my hopes up for nothing. Somewhere in that time, I joined a Facebook support group for BR, so I knew people around my size were having breast reductions done, so with their encouragement, I sought a second opinion at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. This time, I met with the surgeon's nurse briefly, then I actually got to see the surgeon! He took measurements, and said he thought there would be no issue getting insurance to cover the surgery, and even said he's worked on people smaller AND larger than me! Next, the nurse took photos for insurance purposes, and I met with the surgeon for any final questions. I was surprised that he lets his patients return to underwire bras in only one month. I know I asked other questions, but that appointment was back in January, so I don't remember it all too well. I do know that at that time I was around a 42H, and I told him I wanted to be about a C or B cup. I have heard they tend to go larger than woman want... Especially if it's a male surgeon, plus is rather be too small, than too large, so I gave my goal size on the small side of what I want. He told me, of course, he can't guarantee a size, but probably wouldn't take me that small, and would do what fits my frame. Well, weighing 235 pounds, I want to make sure he fits my frame, not my belly!!! I plan to help accomplish this by emphasizing that fact until I'm under anesthesia, and I also bought a size 42D bra to take with me on the day of surgery. In been told that sometimes surgeon's get in the rut of one size fits all, so I figured an actual visual should help. I plan to take it to him on the day of surgery and tell him, unless medically necessary, I don't want to be left any bigger than the size of that bra, preferably a bit smaller. I figure that should help! And hopefully I will get to wear that bra someday... Even if I'm smaller than it, I should be able to wear it while I'm still swollen, as there's no underwire. So during this time I've been working on loading weight to get as healthy as I can for surgery. I have gone from 245 down to 235, BUT I have gone UP 4 bra sizes! So, since my worst fear is having them grow back after surgery, and because my surgeon wants that to not happen as well, I have been working with my gyno that manages the polycystic ovary syndrome to figure something out. We stopped my birth control pills, some in not, and don't plan to become sexually active, and now I just take provera, a progesterone supplement 10 days a month to help regulate my periods instead. I take my first round of it in a few days... Wish me luck! Right now I'm laid up with very swollen get, ankles, and lower legs, and I'm not sure why, and I'm hoping it's not pm. The surgeon also had me get clearance from the Cleveland Clinic breast health center. They did an exam, mammogram, etc, and everything, thankfully was normally. They reviewed my medications, and thought my gyno has it under control, so they cleared me for surgery... That was 10 days ago. Also, the Dr I saw asked me how I got so lucky to have Dr. Bernard as my surgeon, as she thought he was excellent. So that made me feel better as well. So, that leads me to this past week. I was FINALLY able to schedule surgery! However, since I have Medicare, and you cannot get pre-approved for any surgery, I had to sign the waiver that stays that if they decide is not medically necessary I understand I must pay out of pocket for the procedure. However, the hospital did tell me they will appeal of I am denied at first, which helped make me feel better about having to sign that form. So far, I have the front close sports bras from Walmart in about 8 sizes for after surgery, so that as the swelling changes, I will be comfortable (that's the kind of bra my surgeon said to use). Since I know I will probably feel like crap for awhile after surgery, especially from the fibromyalgia, I have also been buying some new, smaller tops and lounge wear, so that I can feel good about how I look/have some comfortable, pretty clothes to make me feel better! I'm planning on coming home after the operation and the 23 hour hospital stay. That's so they can keep you without admitting you, and it costs less, FYI. I live alone, with my cat. My surgeon said that's fine as long as I have people stopping in everyday. I have quite a bit of family in the area and I will have help from my church as well, so I decided I'll be more comfortable at home than trying to stay with someone for a week. Phew! I think that about brings this up to date. I've been waiting to start this until I knew for sure I would be able to have the reduction... And then it just snow balled so fast! Lol Updated on 16 May 2015: Yesterday I was at the grocery store, and they were setting up a display to advertise catering for July 4th (my reduction is the 1st). I can't believe it... It seems so far away still, so I have been trying to put it all out of mind, but seeing that display really started me thinking. When I scheduled the surgery it was 8 weeks out, and it feels like that was just yesterday. But now I'm almost down to just 6 weeks. I have to say I'm starting to mentally prepare for how I will care for myself after surgery. I had major surgery 1.5 years ago to reconstruct my right outer ear. I was born without one, and they harvested rib cartilage to carve me one. That's when my fibromyalgia really started getting worse. Hence why having the BR scares me some. But, I also have bipolar and some other mental health issues, so it's important for me to be mentally prepared to be laid up after surgery as well. I traveled across the country for the ear surgery, so I keep telling myself this should be easier some this time people can visit me and help me out... Plus my stomach muscles won't be cut apart! But still, I want to mentally prepare for what I can do to make sure I don't get lonely or discouraged while initially laid up. That said, seeing that display at the grocery store has made me realize how close I am to having the girls reduced, and I am SO excited. I cannot wait! Even typing this, my hand keeps going numb, which I think it's related to them. So I guess both my nerves and excitement are starting to increase... I can't wait! Updated on 21 Jun 2015: So I'm now down to just 10 days before my reduction! I'm ready to put it behind me at this point. I'm more worried about recovery complications than anything, so I'm ready to get there and see how it goes. This past week I've been getting some nerves, but am trying to keep busy and focus on the result following healing to stay excited versus nervous. I'm also working very hard at making sure I'm prepared for the worst, while going for the best. I have bought everything I can think of that I will need: I have 2 no rinse shower caps, a pack of body wash wipes, gauze pads, tape, the blue tape, gloves, alcohol wipes, a reading pillow for the bed, stool softener, 4 ice packs, 3 button down night shirts, and I've already got smaller tops to wear in case I'm not up for shipping for awhile but want to feel good by putting on nicer shirts that fit. Since my belly is big, I didn't have to worry about buying the shirts so small my new girls would be to large for them. Since I live alone, I'm trying to make sure I have everything in place ahead of time. I will have someone stopping in one a day and someone calling once or more a day for the first 10 days or so after surgery, and then hopefully by then I will be able to drive... Hopefully sooner! My post op appointment is 10 days after surgery. I also have arranged for someone to take me grocery shopping once during the first 10 days ago that I won't have to carry anything heavy but can still get more food. In planning on eating healthy frozen meals some coming will be hard, and I can't eat a lot of foods, so it's hard to have people make me things. Hopefully I've got it all covered... This waiting is killing me... I just want to get going already. I know this last week will go fast, but it seems like it's going to be forever! I will try to check in one more before surgery. Wish me luck! Updated on 29 Jun 2015: I know I will get busy tomorrow and may not post, so I will do so today. I have about 36 hours left until my reduction now! Last week, like I was saying, I was getting nervous. But now that is so close, I've called down a bit. I'm sure I will get really nervous right before, but I kind of feel like I've already worked through a lot of my nerves already. That's how I used to deal with nerves when I had flute recitals, etc in college as a music major. I learned how to work through and prepare for the event and the nerves ahead of time, so that when the performance came around, my nerves wouldn't effect my playing. I've kind of done that for this surgery I think. I'm keeping my self busy getting ready now, and even let myself go buy a couple more bras for after I'm a few weeks out. At the end of last week, I got a call from the Cleveland clinic, where I'm having my surgery. Apparently, my surgeon recommended me for a healthy volunteer in a research study. It involves a saliva sample, urine specimen, and letting them have a pea sized amount of tissue when they remove it during my surgery. They are studying biomarkers between healthy volunteers and those with breast cancer. I'm more than happy to help, so tomorrow morning I will be busy going down to the hospital to give them the saliva and urine samples. Then I plan to grocery shop. I also have to take out my trash and recycling one last time. I also bought dark colors sheets for my bed in case I leak fluid at all after surgery, as some women said they did, and I'd rather be safe than sorry. Basically, I'll just spend the day getting ready. I also have to remember to call the hospital after 2pm to find out my surgery time! My mom will be taking me to the hospital and staying during the surgery. She lives 30 minutes south of me, so depending on the surgery time, she might spend the night so doesn't have to get up at like 3am! Lastly, my hand keeps going numb while holding my phone up to type this... Something I'm praying goes away after surgery! I really can't wait for all this weight sitting on my chest to be gone. I can't believe Wednesday I will 'go to sleep' and wake up with that weight gone! Wish me luck! I will update with photos, etc. Once I am able following surgery. Updated on 2 Jul 2015: I've made it back home, and I couldn't be happier with the results!!! My surgery took about 5 hours, and then I spent the night at the hospital. After surgery my surgeon came up to my room to see me. He told me he took about 6 pounds out! Wow! He also said he thought he might have gotten me around a C cup, which is what I really wanted! The first thing I remember about waking up was feeling so light and not feeling like my back , shoulders, and neck were being pulled forward anymore! I had a little nausea coming out of the surgery, but they gave me medication and I've felt fine ever since. As far as the pain goes, I'm sore and achy, but not to bad. For now, I am trying to take the percocet as prescribed so I don't find out the hard way how bad my pain really is. I plan to start waiting a little past the 6 hour mark when I'm supposed to take it and see what happens, but not quite yet. I am supposed to shower daily, so I did take my first post-op shower am hour or so ago, and it felt so good! I kind of sheilded my chest with my hands at first to see how it felt, but it was fine. My surgeon also has me using burn cream on my incisions twice a day, so I put that on before getting back into my bra. So far, my fibro pain hasn't been that much worse, which I'm extremely thankful for! I am, however, itchy! Lol! I'm assuming it's a side effect of the percocet. I'm also very woosey and just feel kind of funny walking from it. I'll be glad when I no longer need it! Here's some photo collages to show how is looking so far. Updated on 3 Jul 2015: Today I felt a little more pain than yesterday, but still not very bad. I just feel very stiff and sore around my chest area. I have quite a bit more bruising today, and have started using my essential oils to help with the bruising and pain. I have a roller bottle of witch hazel with frankincense and geranium that I have applied twice today, and will probably apply once more, along with the burn cream my surgeon wants me to put on twice a day. I will tell you what, right after I put my essential oils on, both times, it felt so good! I just want to keep putting them on! However, for a variety of reasons I'm trying to wait a few hours at the last in between applications... The last thing I need to do is get an infection. However, the frankincense, as well as the witch hazel, are both antiseptic. I am also starting an inhalation regimen to help decrease my chances of infection. I am using am inhaler stick with DoTERRA's protective blend, oregano, and frankincense on it. I will try to use this through out each day several times a well... Anything I can to stay healthy and infection free is worth it! I have taken some more photos from today as well, and you will now the increased bruising. However, in the lady one you will see the swelling has gone down some since I started using the essential oils! Updated on 3 Jul 2015: The second photo didn't attach... So I will try again. Updated on 4 Jul 2015: I feel better today overall... A little less tired, less nausea and heartburn, less shaky. However, with those improvements comes the return of my bodily functions, ahem... I'm constipated but needing to go finally. Sitting is uncomfortable at the moment, but comes and goes. I also have digestive issues in general, so I will see how that effects this phase. I am using my digestive blend essential oil on my stomach, as well as drinking water with my lemon essential oil in it to help flush the toxins from the anesthesia better. Hopefully now that drinking is easier, I can drink more, and that will help as well. As far as pain goes today, I've learned now that I should just take my percocet every 6 hours and I'll be just fine, rather than try to push it. However, I know that that's not helping the constipation, so we'll see. In general, though, as long as I'm talking the percocet, my pain is very minimal. I feel stiff and sore still, but it's not too bad. And I'm still using the witch hazel with geranium and frankincense every couple hours, which helps with that stiffness... It just feels so good to put it on! It's also dramatically decreased the bruising, which I'm very happy with. I'm amazed at how much the bruising has gone away since yesterday (see photos). I'm also including a photo of me in a dress that I never would have been able to fit into prior to surgery. I've always wanted to do a high waisted dress, but I never fit in them. About a month ago, I bought one that I thought might fit after surgery, and today in happy to say it fits and looks great! It was hard to get a photo of myself in it from far enough away, but I did my best. I cannot tell you how nice and light it feels to be outside in this dress right now, enjoying the warm weather (from the shade of course) and not be weighed down or warmed down by my chest! My shoulders feel so light and airy... It's a wonderful feeling for sure! Updated on 7 Jul 2015: Today is the second day in the row I pretty much stayed in bed all day. I'm tired and my whole body aches from the fibro, plus I'm healing from surgery of course! After the area under my right breast that's really bruised got me concerned this morning because there's a layer of dead skin peeling off, I did end up calling my surgeon's office to make sure that wasn't an issue. After I described what was going on, they assured me it was fine that the skin might slough of like this, as long as there wasn't any fever, extra redness, heat in the area, drainage etc. There isn't, surprisingly, not even really any drainage! She said to just keep continuing to shower daily and gently clean it and use the silvadene cream twice a day. I'm also continuing to use the essential oil blend, but I added in some lavender now, too. I will attach photos detailing is progress since I came home last Thursday so that you can see what it looks like... May not be for the faint of heart, although I don't think it's too hard to look at! I've also started having zingers! I feel kind of like it's a right of passage in an odd way,since it means I'm starting to heal the nerves. Basically it feels like sharp stabby pains going from where the stitches are under my arm over and across my nipple area. Just at random times throughout the day, although I usually get more them in bunches, so to speak. Other than that, just trying to relax and let my body heal. My bodily functions are finally wide awake... My son is back to being oily, where right after surgery it was really dry, and my digestive system had things moving good, maybe to good, again. I'm still sleeping from about 6 or 7pm until around 9am,but don't really nap during the day, just rest. I also took the percocet again all day today. I'll have to get used to the zingers. I'm still very happy with my results, and can't wait to see what size I end up! I'm anxious about that, even though I know I should go more by looks than a number anyway. Updated on 15 Jul 2015: So I'm about 2 weeks out now. Overall, I'm healing well. However I do have the dead tissue, called eschar, in both sides, and the area in the right side is STILL getting larger! Basically, right after surgery, I had a lot of bleeding underneath the skin near the t incision, much more in the right than the left side, and all of that area is turning to eschar. But it's taking time. It looks gross, but thankfully doesn't hurt much. However, I am starting to regain feeling, so where I was taking no pain medication, I have stayed taking something at nighttime, mainly, once again. Also, I had a little mishap today. Some I put the silvadene cream on the eschar area to help reduce infection risks, I wear gauze pads from the nipple area down part the bottom of my bra. Well, today I was noticing more pain on my right side than in days past, but just figured it was more nerves regaining sensation. Finally, I decided to go to the bathroom and look because it just didn't seem right. Well, the gauze pad had slipped up and the bra band was digging into my incision line along where the eschar has already torn it up! Ugh! I fixed it, but the damage is done. It doesn't look like any actual damage, but it just hurts a lot because it had fabric rubbing against it for awhile. Also, because I had a busy day, in super stiff and sore from the fibro. I did end up taking a percocet this evening to help with all the pain. I did take photos, and like I said, it seems to not have created more issues, but it just hurts a lot! I will have to keep a better watch through out the day on the gauze pads from now on... Lesson learned! The good news is that I am finally noticing a big improvement in the amount of swelling in having... Yay! I also tried in some bathing suits yesterday and it felt SO GOOD to actually fit in them and not be spilling out with extreme cleavage!!! I got a tanking top for $9 on clearance, and a one piece for $12 on clearance! Can't beat that! Maybe once in a bit more healed I will post photos in them. For now, here's a graphic one of the right t incision eschar area, and a comparison photo collage. Updated on 18 Jul 2015: My pain level is always changing. I'm back to not taking anything at night because my overall pain isn't increasing through out the day. However, the incisions on my right side, underneath my breast, are painful, and I think I might be taking some Tylenol to help with that. Basically, where the tissue has died, there is now an area where the stitches have come apart as well, probably in part due to the dead tissue area, and, unlike the dead tissue area where is healed some underneath, this area is raw and open... Plus any bra I wear sits on it... Ouch!!! It's a constant source of discomfort, and I can't wait until it heals! The good news is that today is the first day it hasn't grown larger overnight. I know it's just a matter of time, but in the meantime, I'm in pain the only thing I can do is wait it out... Not fun! The eschar, dead tissue, however, is getting really close to falling off. I'm going to attach a photo of that from this morning, and you can see is hanging on by a thread. I'm also adding a photo comparing before surgery to today, 17 days after. I've been meaning to get a good comparison with my big honkin mile in the photo so you can really see how far down they hung before vs now! I'm also amazed that my stomach doesn't look as wide now. I know everyone says they think their stomach looks bigger after surgery, but I have found the opposite to be true. I feel like I knew I had a big belly going into this, and I'm more comfortable with it now that I can actually see what it looks like instead of guessing! Lol Updated on 29 Jul 2015: I've had trouble updating lately... Each time I get done writing and go to submit, it goes blank! Hopefully this will work. This Monday I saw my surgeon's nurse (surgeon was out of town this week). She trimmed more dead skin from both sides and taught me how to do wet to dry dressing changes. I've been lucky it hasn't been painful because I don't have sensation there yet... But today in starting to get feeling on the bottom edge and it hurts REALLY bad!!! I took a percocet and it's not doing much! I'm hoping I don't get much more sensation back for awhile yet! Yesterday I went to Lane Bryant and tried on regular bras... The best fit was a 44C!!! I'm ecstatic!!! I can't wait to wear such itty bitty bras once I'm healed! I'm really in awe that I'm so tiny, I'm still getting used to it. I'm having fun going to the store and trying on clothes in styles I never could have dreamt of wearing before! I have lots of photos for this update, so I might have to do two posts. Lots of comparisons!!! Updated on 29 Jul 2015: Even more photos, including my own wound, and how it's looking better since yesterday! Updated on 9 Aug 2015: Well, lots more had been happening... Still! First thing that I'm super happy about is that the 44C bras are now too big and I exchanged them for 42C bras!!! I'm in my dream size! The other big change is that I decided to try adding my high quality essential oils to the saline for my wet to dry dressing changes... WOAH! It has really sped up the healing process! My surgeon was super happy with how it was looking when I saw him last Tuesday. I began using the oils last Monday. I've seen tremendous improvement since then, and will include some photo collages that really show the changes. I began using the oils on day 33, for reference when viewing the photos. I can tell my body is really working on healing... I'm still really tired a lot of the time! I've also reluctantly added protein shakes to my diet to help with healing... I'm determined now to make this heal super fast! So far, so good! I'm amazed how much it has healed in the past week!!! Besides for the two open areas, the rest of my incisions look wonderful and are fully healed in the outside. Since my surgeon said he left me at A D or a C, and I'm fitting perfectly in a 42C,which is is my band size from before surgery, I'm guessing I won't lose much more in swelling now. My breasts are also starting to do and feel more natural instead of so lumpy and hard, such is nice. I still don't have feeling in my right nipple, which goes erect easily, and all have feeling in my left nipple, which is just starting to get a little hard now and then again. Overall, I'm feeling better and glad to finally have my wound getting smaller instead of larger like they were for the first 4 weeks. I'm ready to wear a real bra, though! I bought some adorable ones, and am apart amazed at how well they fit! I never knew how well a bra could fit, really! Lol I mean, I knew that the underwire was supposed to lay flat in-between your boobs, but I never could get a bra big enough pre surgery to make that happen... So imagine my surprise that now, wearing a 42C, they underwire lays so smooth against me! It's like a dream! I love it! So yes, I can't wait to get to wear these cute bras! Updated on 15 Aug 2015: Just updating in the way of comparison photos today. I'm still working on healing, and I'm happy with how it's going. It's still got a ways to go, but getting much much closer! I'm still having pain sometimes, but it's not as bad. I'm back to only taking the percocet occasionally instead of every evening. I still can't move around too much without pain, though. I tried vacuuming yesterday and that was too much. I'm getting sick of having a dirty condo, but I don't think it will be too much longer now.
