Breast implant removal - post op journey

Hi all! Figured I would share my story since so many of yours has helped me. I'm 32 and had 425cc textured implants for 2 1/2 yrs. They looked amazing but my left always gave me issues and recently had gotten worse. I always felt heaviness and like something wasn't right. I started to feel the implant at the crease and was also having nerve pain. Then came the sternum pain to the point where I couldn't sleep! I began to regret getting the implants and decided it was not worth the daily discomfort. Perhaps I went too big? And I did not want future expensive revisions and surgeries to be a part of my future. I had them removed and it was an easy procedure. I wish I had taken a picture in the first few days because my breasts were quite a scary sight! I almost had a panic attack when I saw my left was smaller, caved in under the nipple, and just looked terrible. The next day after getting out of the ace bandage and into a sports bra, I woke up and the dent was gone. Each passing day they look a little better and more like me, but they are saggier now. I hope this will improve with time. I lost all my upper pole fullness, even the fullness I had before surgery. I sometimes feel depressed bc I feel like I mutilated my body. My breasts before implants were pretty perfect and beautiful. I pray for health and healing first and foremost, and that in time, the appearance will continue to improve. The hardest part of my journey has been that I have traveled it alone. Only my husband is aware of the surgeries. I still have a little discomfort and am not yet healed (and we all know life does not stop to allow us the time to heal physically or emotionally). I went back to work 3 days later and each day is still a challenge. I wear a padded sports bra over a compressive one because I can't deal with reactions right now. I was a 34DDD or 36DD with implants. Now I am back to a C cup. I will gradually minimize padding. May seem silly but this was my technique before my augmentation and it just makes me feel more comfortable. I already have anxiety but it has no doubt gotten a little worse since I have taken on this transition. Prayer keeps me going and gives me hope that I will adjust and be ok. My heart is with all women that are undergoing this procedure. Altering our bodies and surgeries are not easy!

I really hope the discomfort I'm feeling on my left (not the boob itself, more the pec muscle and around arm pit) begins to improve. I'm 1 week and 3 days post op today. I hope this is just muscle/tissues healing. It seems the norm is to be feeling great at this juncture and I'm not. In the back of my mind I worry I've permanently damaged something. That is my "problem" side and the reason I wanted the implants out to begin with. I will never again put myself through unnecessary surgeries if there is a chance I could do harm to my body ever again.

All that being said, still very happy with my decision to explant.

Hi all. Figured it was time to post an update. I am 18 days post op. I'm very pleased with the appearance so far. I really have noticed changes in the appearance. They seem to be taking more of a pre Augmentation appearance. My leftie isn't as pretty and could fill out a little more, but I'm not overly concerned about it. My scars look great but there is still some scanning. I am going to start my tape/scar treatment this weekend. My biggest concerns have been the muscle pains still. They are not constant, but I still get a lot of discomfort throughout the day. Everything is still quite tender also. I'm more concerned about healing internally than anything else! I can't wait to feel like myself again. Not there yet...
Also, I know wearing tight bras is key right now, but I can't wait to wear a big girl bra! Sports bras just don't look flattering under clothing, lol.