Over the past year I excercised my way down from...
Over the past year I excercised my way down from 215 lbs to about 155. I have always been athletic and fairly slender but a knee injury several years back limited my mobility and I ended up gaining quite a bit of weight. At my heaviest I was about a 38D or D; now that the weight is gone I'm down to about a 34A or small B, but with my age and fat loss combined I've been left with somewhat saggy, empty breasts. They look *okay* but if I try to wear a push-up bra they just fold up onto themselves...sort of like semi-empty water balloons. The rest of my body is quite fit and youthful so I've decided to have a BA to even out my body.
I have a curvy, tall figure with narrow waist and full hips (10" differential between the two) and I'd love a full chest to compliment that.
I chose Dr. Ashley Gordon at Restora Austin based on tons of positive reviews around the web and because I liked what I saw from her before & after photos.
My initial consultation was super easy, Dr. Gordon and her staff were very friendly; we discussed what size/shape I was interested in and I showed them some photos of 'wish boobs'. Because I have loose skin to fill out, Dr. Gordon recommended 550cc implants over smaller implants + a lift. Initially I was a bit shocked by the size, but I tried the sizers and LOVED how I looked. They were a perfect compliment to by wide hips and with my narrow waist I looked like an old school pinup model (something I love). She also explained that because of my somewhat loose skin and slight asymmetry she might end up using a larger implant once surgery commenced (she will try different sizes once I'm on the table, sit me up, and decide what looks and works best with my anatomy. So 550cc is our baseline, but I fully trust Dr. Gordon to choose the final cc amount based on what we've discussed and the pictures I've shown her.
My surgery is scheduled for Feb. 19th, pre-op Feb. 8th and I'm stoked! Looking forward to filling out bras, bikinis, and all sorts of other clothes that, until the BA, have always hung loosely on my top half.
550cc sizers
Sorry for the pixelated bits, I have very recognizable tattoos and would prefer to stay fairly anonymous.
These are 550cc sizers; they're big, but proportionate in my opinion. Hoping to stay right around the 550cc or slightly smaller mark.
A note about Restora
I'm not what I assume is the typical cosmetic/plastic surgery patient; I have full body & facial tattoos and unnaturally colored/styled hair. Everyone at Restora was kind, patient, and sweet with me. Sometimes, based on my general appearance, folks don't take me seriously, but I felt warmly accepted and welcomed by dr. Gordon and her nurses. If you are looking for a cosmetic procedure but not 'of the norm' I highly recommend Restora.
2 weeks away!
Sorry, I deleted my pictures with the sizers, even with pixelating my tattoos, I still felt recognizable. I will take some better 'pre' photos and properly blur out my tattoos; I know that's an important aspect for all the ladies here looking for similar body types to compare with their own.
In other news, I'm about 2 weeks away from surgery and I'm so excited! I keep thinking "a month from now I can go shopping for new swimsuits and bras!"
I've been massively padding my bra in hopes of making the transition to implants less obvious to people that see me regularly, lol.
I bought a zip front sports bra and have been applying cocoa butter to my chest daily in hopes of preventing stretch marks. thats about it as far as prepping, so far!
Pre-op pic
So here's my current situation, not horrible, but not what I'm happy with fullness or proportion wise. I'm modest, so you'll have to make the best of my pic with my tattoos hidden and nipples covered. For reference, I'm 5'11' and about 155 pounds with a fairly trim, athletic figure.
This is the week!
So excited, my BA is Friday morning! I'm really looking forward to not having to plan outfits around certain bras and padding and layered bras, or having to sew in padding to swimsuits anymore. I've been wanting a proportional (to my body) chest since I was a teenager, so this feels like a goal realized.
I have all my meds & supplements, packed them in a big ziplock bag with the instructions from my doctor. Have been tidying the house and prepping stuff at work to make my return and recovery period as smooth as possible. Making a big pot of bone broth right now to put in jars for quick, easy recovery meals that's also healthy and nourishing. I abstained from alcohol all last week, but did indulge in a few small glasses of red wine last night for Valentine's Day, but will continue abstaining through this week and next. I've also been pampering myself; gave myself a pedicure, herbal facials, indulged in some new makeup.
Feeling healthy and positive and like I'm getting a new start on life after the BA.
Made it to booby-ville :)
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19 Feb 2016
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Day of treatment
Please excuse any typos, I'm just a couple hours out of surgery.
Done! So easy and I was not nervous one bit (which is odd for me because I'm typically a very anxious person). Everyone was very sweet and put me at ease. I arrived, they took my vitals, Dr Gordon marked my creases, the nurse walked me back to the OR, I laid down on the table, and the next thing I knew I woke up in recovery with boobs! They put me in a super cute soft bra...a coobie, navy blue with pink polka dots. Adorable!!! I spent 20 minutes nibbling on 1/2 a graham cracker, took a pain pill, the nurse helped me get dressed, and then wheeled me out to my car.
I was a little woozy but not any horrible true nausea; I did take an Emend pill about 2 hours prior to surgery and they gave me an anti-nausea patch beforehand, as well. I dozed off during the ride home and that went faster than expected. I was so worried that I would get carsick, but it never happened, thank goodness.
The pain is more of a tightness on my chest, and pressure, like I lifted weights and then someone piled a pallet of bricks on my chest. Honestly, I think my arms hurt more than my chest---like bad growing pains. That's the only way I can describe it. But now I'm laying in bed with my pups, nibbling on unsalted saltine crackers and sipping plain soda water and Gatorade. I bought 2 therapearl ice packs yesterday (on sale at HEB!) and I have both on top of my boobs.
I did a quick peek in the mirror; they're great! Obviously riding high and looking square, but the size seems very proportionate to my frame and I think after they D&F, they'll be perfect. I will post some picks later when I'm less loopy.
Dr. Gordon went with natrelle inspira full profile 695 and 625cc (for asymmetry correction). I just can't described how pleased I am thus far. It was a great experience. :)
So happy and feeling good
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19 Feb 2016
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Day of treatment
Almost 12 hours post-op; still feeling pressure, mostly in my sternum and some pain in my arms and around the outside edges of my breasts. Really surprised at how decent I feel. I've been dozing off pretty frequently, but my naps are wonderful deep-sleep naps. I haven't experienced any issues doing things for myself like pulling my underwear down to use the restroom, flushing, getting off the commode, or in & out of bed---I'm crediting this to strong leg and core muscles. Although stuff seems pretty easy, I am trying to take it easy and not over do anything.
I've been drinking lots of Gatorade and plain water. And I have a voracious appetite, lol. My partner made me some potato leek soup with rosemary bread for starters and it was wonderful. My throat's a bit scratchy from the breathing tube during surgery, so I just had a big mug of hot tea and am going to eat a banana. Honestly, I want to eat everything sight!
Lastly, I'm just so pleased with the size; they're big & full, but don't look crazy big when I'm clothed in comparison to the multiple padded bras I've been wearing to look proportionate all this time. So I think once they've d&f'ed, it won't be too noticeable to people that know me...I'll look full but without all the fake padding. Which is exactly what I wanted.
Post op day 1
Still loving them. Obviously they are high and still a bit odd shaped, and it's hard to see how much fullness there is because it's up to my collar bones and I'm covering them to conceal my tattoos. I will try my darnedest to take a pic every day or at least ever other day to show their D&F progression.
I took a hydrocodone, Valium, and Celebrex before bed last night and slept wonderfully. Wok up at 5:30 to take my antibiotic which I'm scheduled to take every six hours. Went right back to sleep until my partner woke me up at 8:30 with breakfast tacos.
Pain is pretty minimal, I showered and even had a BM, but I'm still bloated, which is to be expected. If I press on my ribs under my boobs I can feel fluid sloshing around, not worrisome tho, as I know it's just saline and antibiotic rinse used in my pocket before the implants were inserted. It's actually kind of amusing to feel the little bubbles, and I know they will dissipate after a week or so.
Rounding out & loving them even more.
Every morning I look at my boobs and they seem to have softened and rounded out a little more. I still have tightness, but the majority of the pain at this point seems to be in my crease/near the incisions. I took the tegaderm patches off, steristrips are still in place until removed at my post op appt next week.
I've been icing them quite a bit, but have now moved the ice packs lower near the creases where the pain seems to be more prevalent.
I'm still drinking tons of water and Gatorade, eating healthy, abstaining from alcohol; taking my arnica and bromelain supplements exactly as directed by the doctor...I have ZERO bruising. I think I took my last hydrocodone today, feels like Tylenol, Celebrex, and Valium will take care of my current discomfort.
I have been taking the colace stool softener every day...and I've been regular every day since surgery. I do have some residual bloating in my tummy, but it's just fluid and will absorb fairly soon, I'm sure. I'm eager to get back to regularly excercising, but I'm forcing myself to stay home and rest for at least 3 weeks. Honestly, I've really enjoyed all the napping I've been able to do the last few days!
I'm still just over the moon happy with my results so far. I know a lot of ladies say they wished they'd had the surgery years before, but I feel like this was the perfect time in my life for it. It may sound corny, but now that I have full, proportional (to my body) boobs, I feel complete. I feel like this was the size/shape I was meant to be. Hurray!
Everything's going smoothly...
Probably won't post another update 'til after my post-op appt next Monday as everything seems to be getting back to normal. I've got some nerve regeneration pain, sort of pins & needles sensation, but other than that I'm feeling great. Still zero bruising, regular bowl movements daily, fluid retention is dissipating, taking it easy but definitely ready to get back to my active lifestyle ;)
Not being able to excercise...
Things are still going well; I'm in that part of recovery where I'm starting to get off all the meds and the occasional discomfort is more pronounced than the first 5 days when I was just lounging in bed and full of Valium and hydrocodone (no surprise there). It's all manageable, though.
I have been a bit depressed about not being able to excercise or go to the gym. I was on a very strict gym routine for the last year and I know I'm losing some muscle tone and probably gaining a little fluff around my tummy (the first place I always gain). I know all in good time I will be able to return to my regular routine, and I did walk to and from work on Wednesday (leisurely, about 1 mile each way).
The good news is, when you have breast implants...nobody is looking at the little bit of pooch on your *tummy*, lol ;)
Started my 'massages'
I realized I posted in an earlier update that I had 695 & 625cc implants---correction: 695 and 650. They are Natrelle Inspira SRF (Full Profile, that's the profile just smaller than the extra full).
I had most post-op appt yesterday; they are looking good, though still high and tight, but they are definitely getting softer.
Massages: so my nurse showed me some 'massages' (and I use quotes because this definitely is not what I would consider a soft, gentle, massage, lol); every PS has their own techniques for their patients, so I won't elaborate on details, but basically she showed me how to sort of lift the implant off my ribs, move it up and around, squish them towards the center of my chest, and pinch the skin on top to encourage the implants to drop. Everything was very gentle, but I am of course determined to avoid the dreaded capsular contracture and although I know there is no 100% method of avoidance, I am working my implants around to keep the pockets and 'capsule' roomy and soft. That said, I sure did give myself a good going-over yesterday and golly am I feeling it today. My chest muscles are so sore this morning! However, I'm betting it also has a lot to do with trying on lots of clothes over the last 2 days--I took myself shopping to try out my new figure. Lots of fun, but then again, I did pull a bunch of stuff on and off over my head, so quite a bit of stretching in that sense. Definitely taking it easy today and will be more gentle with my massages now. :)
My nurse also removed the steri-strips from my incisions and showed me how to tape them on my own at home. Again, each PS has their own methods, so I'll leave it at that.
Overall, I'm loving them. They are big but I think just right for my frame. Once they have dropped I think they'll just look I'm one of those ladies that just lucked out with awesome natural breasts. I absolutely love how clothes look on me now. I just slip stuff on and don't have to put on a big padded bra or fill my bra with pads and inserts. I included a picture with a new bralette my partner picked for me as a birthday present--we both LOVE how it looks. I'm absolutely delighted with having had this surgery.
A note about price
A few ladies have asked about the cost of the surgery; I have a firm policy of not discussing money publicly in any aspect of my life (tattoos, income, etc). What I will say is that the Breast Augmentation was not cheap. You get what you pay for and elective surgery is not one of those things to 'look for the best deal' in my opinion. Just as I seek out quality and artistry that will stand the test of time when I choose clothing, housewares, etc, I utilized the same high standards when I chose Dr. Ashley Gordon as my plastic surgeon. She is a true artist and dedicated to her field of research and techniques and very much worth the price.
2 weeks post op
Everything's still going smoothly. The weird intense nerve pain has pretty much diminished, massages are getting easier. I lifted a few things yesterday that were probably a bit heavier than I should've, so I've been taking it extra easy today. I was a little sore this morning, but nothing awful. I changed the tape on my incisions for fresh and took a few photos. They're still high, it's hard to see in my photos because of my tattoos and the subsequent blurring I add for privacy. I left my nipples uncovered in this picture because I think the difference between day 1 and day 15 is pretty significant. Quick recap, I'm 5'11", 155 lbs, 695/650cc natrelle inspira SRF silicone under the muscle, inframammery incision. My doctor utilized general anesthesia and the Keller Funnel insertion technique.
Nerve pain
I mentioned earlier that I was experiencing some nerve regeneration pain; what I didn't elaborate on was the severity of it. I started feeling some pins & needles type feeling and achey-ness in my breasts around day 4; on day 5 it turned into an excruciating sensation but only in my left breast (the side with the larger implant). It felt like a hot poker being pushed into the side of my breast and as if my breast was so swollen it might burst, although there was absolutely no actual swelling. I actually had to lift my shirt up several times and confirm in the mirror that my boob was not red or swollen because the pain was so intense it was hard to believe there wasn't a physiological visual to match.
An ice pack seemed to soothe it a bit. It would come and go throughout the day and, again, only in my left breast. I spoke with one of my PS's nurses and she said it did sound like nerve pain and not to be concerned. She described post-op breast pain in only a single breast as one of the breasts being 'the problem child', which made me laugh because it's so true. Righty is happy and content while Lefty's over here throwing a damn tantrum for no reason.
The weird pains lasted until about day 13, and then it was just back to regular soreness and muscle aches. It just came and went like that. So odd.
Anyway, my breasts seem to be softening somewhat; they really were hard as rocks the first week. They have definite squishability now, but still feel a bit heavy and not really like a part of me, especially when I bend over. I've read that the 4 week mark is usually a turning point for that, so we'll see how things feel then.
In closing, I've attached pics of my incision sites from day 15 after removing the tape and giving them a gentle wash with antibacterial soap. I re-taped afterwards and have been instructed to do so for about 3-4 months.
3 weeks
No new photos, not much has changed since week 2. The are dropping and rounding slowly but surely.
I developed a mondor's cord under my right breast and it was a little tender for a few days, now it's just kind of creepy to see. I try to massage it out when I take hot showers.
I still take Valium at night (honestly, more to just help me sleep well than for muscle tightness at this point. I've never slept well my whole life until I had the boob job and took a Valium each night, lol).
I had this weird pain last week, I was trying to shoo a moth off my ceiling and when I stretched my right arm up, it felt like someone snapped a rubber band against my nipple. It was weird! Then it happened again a few more times over the next couple days and now it's an occasional twang when I move my arm, though not any specific direction; sometimes it's when I'm putting my shirt on, sometimes it's when I wash my left armpit with my right hand. Totally random, but it seems to be diminishing. My right breast did/does have a number of benign cysts in it; I had all sorts of mammography and ultrasounds and saw a specialist before I had the augmentation to be certain that everything was kosher, and I have a follow up with the breast specialist in a few months, as well; anyway, it occurred to me that my implant is sitting behind the cysts and probably squashing them around and might account for the weird twangs and twinges. They are fairly large cysts (according to the specialist, so we'll see what the ultrasound shows when I go for the follow up.
I went back to the gym today for the first time since before the surgery; just worked out on the elliptical for about 25 minutes, no arms, of course. Happy to be getting back in the gym routine again!
1 month!
Today is day 30 post-op. I don't think much has changed shape-wise since my last photo. They are very realistically squishy now and I'd say 95% feel like they are a part of me now (as opposed to weird heavy lumps under my skin). I base this on 2 things: the lack of pain/twinges/numbness, and how they don't feel so much like they're pulling and might fall out of my body when I lean over in the shower to pick up soap or shave my legs (which honestly was one of the ickiest feelings throughout this journey thus far).
My left breast (the larger implant and on the right in photos) is still a bit funny shaped---but it was a bit funny pre-surgery and since I opted out of having a lift, well, it is what it is. I'm still thumbs-up A-Ok happy with my outcome. In a perfect world I'd want them to be closer together, but they were really far apart pre-surgery, so again, I love them the way they are and am very pleased. I love them and love filling out clothes like I never was able to before. The only downside has been that most clothes now do not fit me off the rack, so I've been having to alter the waists of dresses and tops to be smaller that are the proper size for my chest. This is not a bad problem to have, though! So just be aware, if you are planning to go big, clothes shopping becomes tricky (but infinitely more satisfying!).
Pain-wise almost all the weird twinges are gone, most of the tenderness is diminished, and like I mentioned, they pretty much just feel like a part of me now. Most of my strength has returned, tho I'm still being cautious lifting heavy things.
Looking forward to finally get to go swimming this spring/summer!
Tiny clarification to last post
When I mentioned previously that my left breast is a bit 'funny' shaped, I meant that in the world of holy-grail-perfect-boobs, it is not 100%; I, however, think it's still an awesome boob, very full, and even better than I expected pre-surgery.
Last note for this update
Forgot to mention, I honestly felt exhausted a LOT up until about day 28. There were days, even recently, where I would have to sit down and rest after doing normal everyday on-my-feet things. I worried that I would never have my energy back the way it was before the surgery. Slowly but surely I was taking fewer little breaks at work and then this Friday and Saturday I was at about 100%, and never even thought about sitting until the end of the work day. So word to the wise, extended fatigue seems to be normal and resolves around the 1 month mark.
5 weeks
I took some photos, and although I can see a little more dropping/fluffing/softening, I don't think it's dramatic enough to warrant Photoshopping out my tattoos to post. Will definitely post a 6 week photo, though.
Overall, I'm still thrilled with them and they definitely feel like they've always been there at this point. I love my shape and my silhouette in clothing---perfectly hourglass, just as I always wanted. I now have a perfect 10 inch differential between my waist and hips/bust.
I think my favorite thing about them is the joy in shopping for clothing now; never feeling that pang of sadness when I realized I'd have to stuff 2 pairs of 'chicken cutlets' in an already padded bra just to make an outfit look proportional anymore. I mean, what a silly thing to be depressed about! But I always wanted to look a certain way and I excercised my way as close as I could to that ideal and now, since surgery, I'm there and I'm so pleased.
Has Real Self been hacked?
In my 'newsfeed' I keep seeing reviews from people I don't follow but the preview pictures are from people I do follow. Not sure if this is a glitch or if the site has been compromised. I'm considering removing all my photos from my review for fear of security/privacy issues. :(
I deleted my pictures
Not sure what's happening with Real Self, but was uncomfortable having such personal photos posted here when it seems like the security of the site may be compromised.
