Post-operative depression after BA?

HEALING AFTER BREAST SURGERY, AUGMENTATION, LIFTS1.    pain is variable2.    it takes 2-3 months for implants to settle and muscles to relax3.    celebrex, motrin, and muscle relaxers can help4.    massage and stretching may help5.    everyone heals differently6.    4-7 days off from work is commonHEALING OF SENSORY NERVES: Tingling, burning or shooting pains, which will disappear with time and should not alarm you, indicate regeneration of the sensory nerves. If these sensations cause pain, repeated, local self-massage helps.ASYMMETRY: The two breasts commonly heal quite differently. One breast may swell more, feel more uncomfortable, or have a different initial shape. After complete healing, they will be more similar and natural. You must have patience, but if this causes concern, ask questions of the doctor or the nursing staff.SHAPE AND CONTOUR: The final shape of your breasts will start to look its best approximately three (3) months after surgery. It takes time for the skin and muscle to stretch and relax around the new implant. The breast will often look higher, firmer, and “less natural” in the first three (3) months. It can take up to a year to see your final result.FOLLOW-UP EXAMS: These are generally done in 1 week, 2 to 3 weeks, 3 to 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months to 1 year, and 1-2 year intervals. In our office we include all of your follow up appointments in the initial surgical fee.The best thing to do if you are worried about the healing process is to visit your surgeon for a follow-up appointment and have the area examined and make sure that everything is progressing as it should. Good luck.

Thanks for your question! I am sad to hear that you are feeling blue after your surgery. It's actually quite common to have post-operative depression after cosmetic surgery, really after any type of surgery and anesthesia. There are many articles written about this, your feelings are real. I would certainly bring this up with your plastic surgeon ASAP. Hopefully, this condition will hopefully resolve, although it can take months to do so. Best of luck to you!

Hello,Surgery is a big decision. Your self image is affected and financially, many people feel anxiety related to the spending. Once surgery is done, the degree of stress you've undergone may be just surfacing. It is not uncommon for pain and a change in routine while healing to also affect depression/anxiety. The good news is this typically resolves by 1-2 months post op. I recommend that you keep trusted friends and family in the loop about how you are feeling. Let your Plastic Surgeon know and don't hesitate to seek out counseling if you find you need help processing. Talking about how you feel is usually helpful.All the best

Thank you for your question. Healing after plastic surgery is a process and the earlier parts are the most challenging.  Emotions are a big part of the process as well. It is common to experience this ups and downs you are going through. If you feel concerned best i to talk to your chosen surgeon. Good luck!

What you describe is not uncommon. In fact, we discuss its possibility with all of our patients undergoing cosmetic surgery before surgery. We liken this to "post partum blues" except it's cosmetic surgery in this case. We show our patients a chart which shows patient's typical emotions from the time of surgery and afterwards.  Discuss what you are going throught with your surgeon so they may help you through this emotional roller coaster.

I am sorry to hear about the "depression" you are experiencing. It is, however, not uncommon to experience what you are experiencing at this time in your recovery. Severe emotional “ups and downs” are common after all types of surgery. Requiring reassurance (that what you are experiencing is normal) is also common. The specific cause of the "postoperative depression" is not known;  in my opinion, it is probably multifactorial ( factors such as stress, pain, unanticipated length of recovery, being away from usually enjoyed activities/people…).





I would suggest that you do your best to occupy your mind with activities that you enjoy. For example, for our patients experiencing these types of post operative “sadness”, I suggest they walk outdoors (fresh air), see movies, read books they enjoy, seek family/friends' support… Let your plastic surgeon know how you are feeling, especially if you do not see/feel improvement.







Keep in mind that the worst part of the recovery is over (and you have yet to enjoy the outcome of the procedure performed!







Best wishes.

Thank you for this wonderful question. I am truly sorry for your recent emotional ups and downs. This is actually a very common occurrence following any plastic surgery including breast augmentation. Your surgery is a physical and emotional experience that will ebb and flow as you recover. It is not uncommon to feel highs and lows throughout your recovery that are not within your normal limits. I strongly encourage you to be open and honest when discussing these emotional instances with your Board Certified Plastic Surgeon. I am very careful to discuss the possibility of subtle emotional changes that may occur throughout recovery with my patients as your surgery is not only a physical journey but also a personal and emotional journey as well. With my practice we have a personal concierge who is trained and able to walk with you through your journey of surgery and recovery which we have found to be very beneficial for our patients. Communication is the key and I strongly encourage you to not be afraid in discussing this with you surgeon as he/she may have some suggestions to help ease your path to recovery. I do hope you have found this information helpful and I wish you luck!