POSTED UNDER Sientra Breast Implants REVIEWS
Silicone Implants
ORIGINAL POST
This website has helped me in so many ways - so I...
Austinrunner56August 6, 2014
WORTH IT
This website has helped me in so many ways - so I felt like sharing my story to help others with this amazing journey!
Finding my doctor:
I was referred to Dr. Robert Caridi from a close family friend who had a few procedures done by him about a year ago. Her results were incredible so I thought why not give it a consult and see if I like this guy. Well, he surpassed my expectations and then some. His whole staff is seriously some of the nicest people that truly care. They are all so informative and give great advice. Dr. Caridi helped my husband and I come to the perfect size/cc decision for my body type etc. He didn't sell me on the perfect boob job or give me some robotic response. He in depth took measurements and studied my chest wall to see what implant would suit me best. Trying on the sizers was SO MUCH FUN! It was like I was in shoe heaven, but it was boobs - ha! I felt so confident in Dr. Caridi and his staff after just one consult meeting that I made my surgery appointment that day before leaving his office.
Leading up to the surgery:
I made sure to have my kiddos at my mom's house for the night before the surgery and 2 more nights post op. I didn't want to be hurrying the morning before my surgery lugging all the kid junk. It made for such a quiet, nice morning before the big job :). I went to the drugstore and loaded up on gauze, neosporin, advil, ice packs, surgical hose for legs, colace for post op constipation from pain meds (trust me, take it!)...I also made sure to have all laundry and house cleaning done so I came home to a clean home and didn't have much to do after surgery. I also workout daily cardio and weights - I think this had something to do with my quick recovery...highly recommend take care of yourself. Drink lots of water too!
Day of Surgery:
August 5, 2014 so I am only one day post op as I type this. Surgery time 10:00am and was home by 12:30. Arrived at Dr. Caridi's office at 9:15am and greeted by his amazingly friendly staff. My husband and I went back to the pre-op room and were asked a gamut of typical pre-surgery questions, put on surgical socks/hose (I used my husbands old triathlon training socks that are crazy tight), met with the anesthesiologist, met with the 2 nurses, and Dr. Caridi came in a gave me a hug (I say this b/c he is so very kind and truly cares about his patients) and marked my chest to where the implants will go - looked like a giant smiley face I think? ha... They gave me some pills to help with nausea post surgery and valium for anxiety. I didn't feel anxious, it's just the normal things they give each patient apparently to ease the nerves. I was soooo excited to get this done. They took me back to the surgery room (his office has it's own private surgical suite that is amazing!) I was laughing with the nurses and next thing I knew I was OUT COLD. I remember being woken up in the surgical room and walked with nurse assistance to my post-op room where I was in recovery.
Recovery Room:
Uh... this is fuzzy b/c I was so out of it. I remember asking for my husband and gushing about how much I love him haha. They brought him back to take notes and to remember all of the important things that my drugged up butt couldn't remember. The nurse then wheeled me out to our car and gave me a blanket to keep me cozy on the ride home. She said she would be calling my husband later that evening to check on me.
Home Day of Surgery:
I was so glad to be home! Home always feels so good, right?! I was home by 12:30 (surgery at 10:00). I immediately went to bed and slept for 3 hours. I woke up and had my husband help me out of bed and go to the bathroom. I got super dizzy and fainted. First time in my life I fainted. He caught me around my waist and eased me to the ground. God bless that man. He's seen me through 2 C-sections and now a boob job. He's my rock. I got back in bed and drank lots of water, took some advil b/c it wasn't time to take pain meds yet. That helped so much and ice packs helped a TON. I ate some dinner and kept up with my pain meds and seemed to be feeling better for the most part. I was VERY sore day of the surgery. It wasn't hard to breathe and I didn't have the feeling of bowling balls on my chest like I read lots of places... I just felt SUPER sore. My left side was much more sore than the right. The nurse called later that night and said that was very common for one side to hurt more than the other. I knew what to expect visually wise from looking at this website and seeing before and after pics. They sit high, and are kinda funny shaped oblong sacks, you can tell when they settle in and soften up they will look awesome. I am SO happy with the size we went with. I gotta admit I was nervous it was going to be way too big, but they are proportionate and look great. Ok, got off track there for a bit... back to the point. Ok so I took pain meds and muscle relaxer right before bed time and slept with ice packs on this helped a ton. I slept incredible! My husband woke me up to take my pain meds every 4 hrs and change out ice packs. This must have helped b/c I woke up feeling like a new woman.
Day after surgery August 6, 2014
That's today! I woke up sore, but nothing like the day before. I don't feel any shortness of breathe, and I can get in and out of bed on my own. I have been drinking lots of water and staying ontop of taking pain meds and advil (and colace too!). I felt so good today I did some light cleaning around the house, and even ran errands with my husband (don't worry I didn't drive on drugs ha). Boobs are still weird shaped and swollen. I am still so happy with the size and can NOT wait to see them settle in! New boobs are so much fun! I see Dr. Caridi on Monday for my first post-op appointment. As each day goes on I hope to update this post so to help y'all as much as I can.
If you have any questions at all feel free to ask away! Never a regret ever - this was the best decision ever!
Finding my doctor:
I was referred to Dr. Robert Caridi from a close family friend who had a few procedures done by him about a year ago. Her results were incredible so I thought why not give it a consult and see if I like this guy. Well, he surpassed my expectations and then some. His whole staff is seriously some of the nicest people that truly care. They are all so informative and give great advice. Dr. Caridi helped my husband and I come to the perfect size/cc decision for my body type etc. He didn't sell me on the perfect boob job or give me some robotic response. He in depth took measurements and studied my chest wall to see what implant would suit me best. Trying on the sizers was SO MUCH FUN! It was like I was in shoe heaven, but it was boobs - ha! I felt so confident in Dr. Caridi and his staff after just one consult meeting that I made my surgery appointment that day before leaving his office.
Leading up to the surgery:
I made sure to have my kiddos at my mom's house for the night before the surgery and 2 more nights post op. I didn't want to be hurrying the morning before my surgery lugging all the kid junk. It made for such a quiet, nice morning before the big job :). I went to the drugstore and loaded up on gauze, neosporin, advil, ice packs, surgical hose for legs, colace for post op constipation from pain meds (trust me, take it!)...I also made sure to have all laundry and house cleaning done so I came home to a clean home and didn't have much to do after surgery. I also workout daily cardio and weights - I think this had something to do with my quick recovery...highly recommend take care of yourself. Drink lots of water too!
Day of Surgery:
August 5, 2014 so I am only one day post op as I type this. Surgery time 10:00am and was home by 12:30. Arrived at Dr. Caridi's office at 9:15am and greeted by his amazingly friendly staff. My husband and I went back to the pre-op room and were asked a gamut of typical pre-surgery questions, put on surgical socks/hose (I used my husbands old triathlon training socks that are crazy tight), met with the anesthesiologist, met with the 2 nurses, and Dr. Caridi came in a gave me a hug (I say this b/c he is so very kind and truly cares about his patients) and marked my chest to where the implants will go - looked like a giant smiley face I think? ha... They gave me some pills to help with nausea post surgery and valium for anxiety. I didn't feel anxious, it's just the normal things they give each patient apparently to ease the nerves. I was soooo excited to get this done. They took me back to the surgery room (his office has it's own private surgical suite that is amazing!) I was laughing with the nurses and next thing I knew I was OUT COLD. I remember being woken up in the surgical room and walked with nurse assistance to my post-op room where I was in recovery.
Recovery Room:
Uh... this is fuzzy b/c I was so out of it. I remember asking for my husband and gushing about how much I love him haha. They brought him back to take notes and to remember all of the important things that my drugged up butt couldn't remember. The nurse then wheeled me out to our car and gave me a blanket to keep me cozy on the ride home. She said she would be calling my husband later that evening to check on me.
Home Day of Surgery:
I was so glad to be home! Home always feels so good, right?! I was home by 12:30 (surgery at 10:00). I immediately went to bed and slept for 3 hours. I woke up and had my husband help me out of bed and go to the bathroom. I got super dizzy and fainted. First time in my life I fainted. He caught me around my waist and eased me to the ground. God bless that man. He's seen me through 2 C-sections and now a boob job. He's my rock. I got back in bed and drank lots of water, took some advil b/c it wasn't time to take pain meds yet. That helped so much and ice packs helped a TON. I ate some dinner and kept up with my pain meds and seemed to be feeling better for the most part. I was VERY sore day of the surgery. It wasn't hard to breathe and I didn't have the feeling of bowling balls on my chest like I read lots of places... I just felt SUPER sore. My left side was much more sore than the right. The nurse called later that night and said that was very common for one side to hurt more than the other. I knew what to expect visually wise from looking at this website and seeing before and after pics. They sit high, and are kinda funny shaped oblong sacks, you can tell when they settle in and soften up they will look awesome. I am SO happy with the size we went with. I gotta admit I was nervous it was going to be way too big, but they are proportionate and look great. Ok, got off track there for a bit... back to the point. Ok so I took pain meds and muscle relaxer right before bed time and slept with ice packs on this helped a ton. I slept incredible! My husband woke me up to take my pain meds every 4 hrs and change out ice packs. This must have helped b/c I woke up feeling like a new woman.
Day after surgery August 6, 2014
That's today! I woke up sore, but nothing like the day before. I don't feel any shortness of breathe, and I can get in and out of bed on my own. I have been drinking lots of water and staying ontop of taking pain meds and advil (and colace too!). I felt so good today I did some light cleaning around the house, and even ran errands with my husband (don't worry I didn't drive on drugs ha). Boobs are still weird shaped and swollen. I am still so happy with the size and can NOT wait to see them settle in! New boobs are so much fun! I see Dr. Caridi on Monday for my first post-op appointment. As each day goes on I hope to update this post so to help y'all as much as I can.
If you have any questions at all feel free to ask away! Never a regret ever - this was the best decision ever!
Austinrunner56's provider
UPDATED FROM Austinrunner56
3 days post
Update on recovery
Austinrunner56August 8, 2014
Post Op Day 2 - August 7, 2014
Today I was really tired. I wish I had my kids with grandparents one more night. Still no excruciating pain or bleeding. Very swollen obviously in my breast region, abdomen, and upper collar bone area even. I know swelling everywhere is normal, but it's hard to see yourself like that in the mirror. I have a flat stomach always and to see it puffy and distended is odd. I'll be really glad when this part goes away. I'm excited for my post op appt on Monday with my doctor to see what I'm cleared for etc. I feel like I have tons of questions! By the end of the day I was ready for some ice packs and bed.
Post Op Day 3 - August 8, 2014
Today I am off all pain meds and muscle relaxers per my decision. Mainly I didn't like feeling so tired and loopy. Today I feel so much more normal off of the medications. I am just taking advil every 6 hrs as needed. Swelling is still there a ton and abdomen still swollen. I work out every single day so being sedentary has been very difficult. I am trying to chill and recover. Chasing my 2 kiddos keeps me busy for the most part. I am not lifting them or anything heavy I have help with that. I highly suggest getting help for first few weeks if you have small children. I can tell my boobs are slowly settling in. They have a lot of dropping to do still and softening up. My skin still looks shiny and stretched. The shape of the implant/boob looks funny sort of oblong. I knew to expect this though from this website and all the before and after pics. Looking and researching this whole process helped me not freak out post op and throughout healing. I'm trying not to be impatient with the healing, but that proves to be my most difficult task thus far. I can't wait for them to look amazing!
Today I was really tired. I wish I had my kids with grandparents one more night. Still no excruciating pain or bleeding. Very swollen obviously in my breast region, abdomen, and upper collar bone area even. I know swelling everywhere is normal, but it's hard to see yourself like that in the mirror. I have a flat stomach always and to see it puffy and distended is odd. I'll be really glad when this part goes away. I'm excited for my post op appt on Monday with my doctor to see what I'm cleared for etc. I feel like I have tons of questions! By the end of the day I was ready for some ice packs and bed.
Post Op Day 3 - August 8, 2014
Today I am off all pain meds and muscle relaxers per my decision. Mainly I didn't like feeling so tired and loopy. Today I feel so much more normal off of the medications. I am just taking advil every 6 hrs as needed. Swelling is still there a ton and abdomen still swollen. I work out every single day so being sedentary has been very difficult. I am trying to chill and recover. Chasing my 2 kiddos keeps me busy for the most part. I am not lifting them or anything heavy I have help with that. I highly suggest getting help for first few weeks if you have small children. I can tell my boobs are slowly settling in. They have a lot of dropping to do still and softening up. My skin still looks shiny and stretched. The shape of the implant/boob looks funny sort of oblong. I knew to expect this though from this website and all the before and after pics. Looking and researching this whole process helped me not freak out post op and throughout healing. I'm trying not to be impatient with the healing, but that proves to be my most difficult task thus far. I can't wait for them to look amazing!
Replies (4)
August 9, 2014
Congratulations! I couldn't imagine having a BA with little ones...Kuddos to you! What kknd and size did you get? Happy healing!
August 9, 2014
I decided on sientra silicone hp 465 cc! Hopefully they settle in well :) having small kid omg is def hard but in the end worth it thank you!!!
August 9, 2014
I am going to post some photos this week. I just haven't downloaded them yet.
UPDATED FROM Austinrunner56
4 days post
The recovery continues
Austinrunner56August 9, 2014
Post op Day 4 - August 9, 2014
I woke up today feeling great and more like myself. I have no pain what so ever just swollen feeling still. I could tell instantly that the implants are starting to migrate down and not sit as high. My skin is still tight and shiny, but getting better by the day. My incisions look amazing I am shocked at how clean and nice they look. They are rather small so I can imagine a ton of skin stretching was done to shove those puppies in. My stomach swelling is starting to go down a lot thank goodness. I'm hoping to be cleared to at least walk for a workout come Monday when I meet with my doctor. I vacuumed yesterday and did normal house hold chores - I just have figured out how to push and not pull using my upper body muscles. I haven't ever had a problem sleeping at night which is a total blessing. I normally sleep on my back and sides. I sleep elevated with 3 pillows behind my head and a pillow on each side under my arms. It's comfy to me and helps not put as much pressure on my chest. I tried on a tank top with a built in bra the other day and it felt so strange and sort of hurt. Probably why they have me in a soft, loose post op bra. My doc office recommended this certain one from Khol's it's Bali brand and latches in the back. It's very comfortable and not binding at all. I was shocked b/c I thought you wore a tight bra afterwards and had them bound down pretty tight. One of my favorite things about these Sientra Silicone implants is they aren't heavy at all. I love the weight or lack there of. I've read that saline implants can be rather heavy and harden over time and feel like rocks. My silicone implants are soft and pretty natural feeling. We'll see with time how the end up and eventually feel. I'll be glad when I don't feel like the implants are in my armpits its a weird feeling - I feel like I'm walking around looking like one of those meat head guys at the gym with huge arm muscles. Can't wait 'till my doc appt Monday!
I woke up today feeling great and more like myself. I have no pain what so ever just swollen feeling still. I could tell instantly that the implants are starting to migrate down and not sit as high. My skin is still tight and shiny, but getting better by the day. My incisions look amazing I am shocked at how clean and nice they look. They are rather small so I can imagine a ton of skin stretching was done to shove those puppies in. My stomach swelling is starting to go down a lot thank goodness. I'm hoping to be cleared to at least walk for a workout come Monday when I meet with my doctor. I vacuumed yesterday and did normal house hold chores - I just have figured out how to push and not pull using my upper body muscles. I haven't ever had a problem sleeping at night which is a total blessing. I normally sleep on my back and sides. I sleep elevated with 3 pillows behind my head and a pillow on each side under my arms. It's comfy to me and helps not put as much pressure on my chest. I tried on a tank top with a built in bra the other day and it felt so strange and sort of hurt. Probably why they have me in a soft, loose post op bra. My doc office recommended this certain one from Khol's it's Bali brand and latches in the back. It's very comfortable and not binding at all. I was shocked b/c I thought you wore a tight bra afterwards and had them bound down pretty tight. One of my favorite things about these Sientra Silicone implants is they aren't heavy at all. I love the weight or lack there of. I've read that saline implants can be rather heavy and harden over time and feel like rocks. My silicone implants are soft and pretty natural feeling. We'll see with time how the end up and eventually feel. I'll be glad when I don't feel like the implants are in my armpits its a weird feeling - I feel like I'm walking around looking like one of those meat head guys at the gym with huge arm muscles. Can't wait 'till my doc appt Monday!
Replies (0)