52 and Sick of the Anxiety with Potential Rupture - Australia

Just wanted to post and let you lovely ladies all know that all is well. Its been a while since I posted as life got very busy and I've just been getting on with it. I have my first appointment with my surgeon tomorrow as he had been away and then I went away and then had to wait a while to see him and as I have no concerns, there was no rush. I still have silicon in the nodes and at certain times, they can ache but if both my surgeon and my oncologist (I am under her care also as I have anxiety about breast cancer due to what I've been through) advise to leave them alone, I will go with that for now, but will ask again tomorrow.
In a nutshell, I am so glad I've explanted and have gotten to a stage where I don't think about them much. I think I love them and that's a good thing. They are petite and bra size ranges from an A to B and occasionally a C in Calvin Klein depending on the fit. I recently went to the Maldives for my husbands 50th and had to rock a bikini (which was way earlier than I had anticipated as Australian summer isn't till the end of the year). But I was very comfortable and my scars were concealed and are healing nicely. I still wear my black soft compression bra at night and sometimes through the day will wear my Lorna Jane soft bra. Most of my clothes still fit and I have no regrets.
Hope all you ladies are doing well, I think of you all often xx

Hi Ladies, I'm back!! After not feeling great for a couple of weeks, I then broke out in shingles. I had a small rash over the same area (left side of torso) when I went in for the explant and was slightly itchy, that seemed to calm down. I did inform the admitting nurse about it but it didn't seem to come into play in the scheme of things. Then about a week ago I broke out into a band of angry red lumps which turned out to be shingles. Its part of the chicken pox virus, so if you've had chicken pox you are at risk of shingles at some point in your life, usually as a result of a certain amount of stress (in my case) and maybe a compromised immune system. Anyway on the road to recovery and up to posting pics.
Still not entirely happy with my left breast, but I do see slight improvement, so trying not to stare at it, as this doesn't help and just letting it do its thing. I've posted a pic of the compression bra I wear at night and this keeps me contained I feel. During the day I'm still wearing the Playtex support bra and every now and then the soft Berlei bra, which is a slightly padded bra with no underwire. All feels good. The right breast is still a little more tender than the left and I have been putting Bio Oil on the scars which at this stage look very neat and should heal up nicely. I love my real breasts and don't regret for a minute explanting. I have a much nicer cleavage as it is soft and natural (even though small) and I love the way they feel. Have just been out for a walk today, first time in a while because of the shingles and am now home having my spicy pumpkin and leek soup that I made yesterday + dollop of greek yogurt. Its all about putting the vitamins back in and getting the body as healthy as you can. Hope you're all well, loving all your explants. Hugs to all x

Just updating at my one week post op mark. Recovery all but done, a little tender at incision mark and particularly on my right side where the drains were taken out and it is still weeping ever so slightly, or that could have just been when I changed over the bandage. I know it's only been a week so I'm not expecting miracles, but my right breast is better than my left one. When my surgeon removed them, the right one was pristine but the left had a big crack in it. Apparently the surrounding tissue wasn't compromised but the left side had a good clean. From memory my left was not entirely as big as the right but over time will the left fill out a bit. Please reassure me, I know it's early days. I'm still really pleased that I've explanted and was looking at bras today, fine lines and pleasure state have some absolutely gorgeous bras but not sure if I should be doing that yet. I'm still wearing my crop top support bra - how long do we wear this for?