I'm in my 60's and do 5 hours of pliates reformer workouts per week, 5'5'', 125 lbs, married with no children. My decision to have a tummy tuck and breast augmentation, bumper to bumper even surprised me. Time, gravity and menopause in my early 40's were the culprits to breast which had not changed size but had lost much tissue, fiber and their abillity to point North. My tummy tuck was actually a skin removal since no muscle tightening was required (all those hours of Pilates paid off) and this procedure was performed on Christmas Eve, 2011.
My husband and I had last minute guests for the holidays who had to cancel and when my doctor had a cancellation, I was happy to be the fill-in. The tummy tuck was an easy operation, done under local anesthesia since there was again, no muscle involved. In about three days, I felt like really good and never looked back. The tummy incision was basically placed over my 1999 hysterectomy scar and, while it does run the length of hip to hip, I hardly notice it not because it's not noticable but because I'd rather look at it than hanging, loose skin that no exercise under the sun was going to improvie. My belly button is once again a "smiley face". One month later, I returned to the same doctor to have Allergan Natrelle Saline 350cc, left and right, areola incision breast augmentation.
My request was that he find an implant that would just refill my sagging, seemingly empty boobs. The following four or five days after BA surgery were again surprisingly pain free and then the "internal" med wore off and I didn't want to keep taking my pain medication and switched to extra strength Tylenol. The dreaded "morning boobs" arrived and were a real 7 or 8 on the pain meter. Finally, day 8, I got up after a no sleep night, took a shower, shampooed my hair and just sat in the shower with warm water running on my breasts. When I got out of the shower, I felt much better and this morning ritual was reenacted for weeks, because it provided relief. My doctor explained that so much fluid is draining to the bottom of the breasts and even some women experience a bloated belly. It made sense to me but it doesn't make it "kinder".
I bounced between "to bra or not to bra" because neither was comfortable for any length of time. Finally, settling on the wonderful Spanx body (torso) suits that are very, very lightweight. These Spanx provide just enough support to snug the breasts and comfortable enough to sleep in too. At about 3 weeks, I really got brave rolling off my back and slept on one of my sides, albeit positioning that breast carefully so full weight wasn't resting on it.
When I first approached my husband regarding my idea of a tummy tuck and breast augmentation, he was extremely supportive. That being said, when it was time for the BA, I did wait until he was traveling because I knew that "down time" was probably going to be longer than the skin removal from the tummy. A cousin drove and to my doctor's or and then new breast implants were inserted in a little over an hour. I'm now six and half weeks post op. My right breast in minutely smaller than my left and my doctor has offered to add Saline fill to the right one after 3 months have passed if I'm not happy with my final "look".
As of right now, I'm thrilled to have had the tummy tuck and the BA. Yes, I'm older than most who would even think to have these surgeries but a few upsides are: my breast implants will in all likelihood outlive me so I'll probably never have to pay for a second BA and secondly, and I'm able to see my toes again over the loose, saggin stomach skin and today they are painted Chanel Red!
