My breasts are 30 years old, hard working, nursed...
My breasts are 30 years old, hard working, nursed two kids for 16 months each and due for a make over!
Happened very quickly in Calgary, AB.
Expected to wait 2 years for consult then another year for surgery.
Casually mentioned to MD I'd like a referral, 10 months later got a call and after consult had a cancellation and WOW - 2 weeks later it's done.
Only had 2 weeks to troll Realself - thank you you brave strong inspiring women. I think being mentally prepared helped and understanding it will take a long time for them to look and feel better has made a huge difference.
They look tiny to me!! After asking a few friends who've had the procedure they said biggest regret was not going smaller.
My weight fluctuates 30lbs a year so thought I'd ere on small side. Very lucky timing in that my Mum was visiting from UK so had help. Hubby slow at work so took few days to help me thru the first nights and Taaa-daaaaaa! DONE!!
36J to ? 36C maybe.
Too early to say but they seem tiny and perky and I look like a tomboy and need to work on tummy but they are round, can feel my nipples (very sensitive), no pain - no meds since surgery and clothes just slip on - surreal!!
Day before surgery I wore a size 12 to accommodate my breasts - next day with little breasts, instant size 8!!! Bloody hell amazing. I'm 15lbs over weight but surgery and maybe 3lbs tissue gone = 2 dress sizes! Yippeeeeeeee!
So far so good - 5 days post surgery, no drains, compression bra fitted, 1st shower no problem and 1st peekaboo. I'm so squeamish I had to have my husband and sis-in-law look and convince me I wouldn't pass out if I looked. Hideous!! Ha ha but "got potential" ........... AHC covered everything but side lipo = $900
Sigh of relief. Only up from here!
Day 8
Well after going back and looking at other women's after pictures I think I bruise ALOT!!
Still happy, still numb, still very bruised & but oh so glad each day is easier.
Except actually under my armpit is hard and swollen in lipo area - worst part so far but husband massaging with arnica cream helps quite a bit.
I have to cheat and sit very still without the compression bra on for extra 30minutes or I'll go nuts.
23hours a day in that torture device is cruel! ; )
New road map on my body....
My dark mole used to be 6" from my nipple & now it is an inch away! Cool landmarks of how high they've come!
Silly thing but one thing that really stands out is how my underarm hair now seems to be close to breast tissue. Silly thing to notice but they used to hang so low the armpit was unrelated ha ha!
Bless you Dr Yau!
Think a trainee doctor did one of my breasts....
Think I just figured out why each breast is having a completely different recovery. I think the trainee doctor who was with my surgeon during the mark up did my right breast. I guess everyone needs to practice at some point.
Left breast barely any bruising, already softened and pain free.
Right breast massive bruising all down my ribs, hard, swollen, painful and rigid.
I suppose if I had my surgery on the provincial healthcare system & not privately then that is one of the risks?
Certainly bit fed up with right breast!
Massaging with arnica, oils, ice packs and compression bra does nothing. Feels exactly as I did when I had mastitis nursing babies.
Friday to PS.....fingers crossed settled down by then.
Plastic surgeon SOS
Sent last few pictures to Dr Yau with concern I had hematoma. I've read too many of these forums! Am I a hyperchondriac??!!
She thankfully called back just as I was starting to panic - said everything looked ok & even if I came in there wouldn't be anything she would do. All symptoms of swelling, pain, altered colour to nipple all "normal" side effects of trauma breasts have gone through.
Meh!
I'm getting tiny bit fed-up, but I'm not exactly a patient person. : )
Tried on swimsuits and I don't overflow them, fit like a glove off the rack!! One benefit of swollen breasts is they kinda look fantastic! I should be careful what I wish for wanting them to soften - the swelling does make them a lovely shape! : )
1st Surgeon check up.
So, simply said looks great, everything normal, see you in 3 months if you feel like it!
Righty = 339g
Lefty = 431g
Grand total only 1.7lbs of tissue between the two breasts. I was surprised but it makes sense as I had really low density, big floppers for boobies. They were big but not full & dense........greedy little babies who refused all bottles & other sources of milk for total of ~30months of nursing - life sucked out of them. Mind you they were never ever perky so didn't stand a chance! : )
Ha ha.
I finally changed the yucky tapes one piece at a time. I'm quite squeamish so didn't look at scars very closely but everything seems straight & closed. I rather over applied the new paper tape so it acts like a bra. I was terrified the incision might split so not sure how I'll ever get it off......I'm just leaving well enough alone.
Right breast still quite swollen and wide. Deep bruises keep coming to the surface of poor battered Righty. I massage one away and it's deep green cousin comes to the surface.
Puckering between breasts at incision points and soft Lefty seems to have puckered so breast indented under armpit.
It's SUCH early days I know eventually I'll be able to straighten the scar tissue and break up more knotted fibres but that's a long way off. I trained as a massage therapist and worked 10 years - I did work on a few full mastectomy scars so know dramatic improvements are possible. Lots & lots of patience first.
Pictures next.
Look mostly the same. Too scared to go without tape to show incisions yet.
OOOOH, my PS said swimming at 5 weeks fine, also underwire bra fine if I don't feel irritated.......I can see the light!!! : )
Tried on 1st non-compression bra
So, 38g/j to a 38C
Picked out a beautiful off the rack bra at THe Bay, pink & orange embroidered lace, so unbelievably pretty. Slipped it on nervously and I didn't even nearly fill the cup! Whoo-hoooo! Too lazy to get dressed and try another bra but off the rack & pretty. That's worth celebrating!
Fingers crossed they stay nice & high.....please, please Breast Gods, don't let them fall : )
Could I possibly have gone from g-cup to b-cup??!!
Needed a comfy bra to help me sleep....sports bra, nothing fancy!
One bra fit and it was a 38B!
Never in my life, and I'm swollen! Wheeeeeeeeee!
I really should move on from breast obsession!
This is turning into my daily breast diary.....dear diary, today I wished I'd allowed photos from before in my bathing suit, all were immediately deleted and I've no proof of gigantic boobies. Only found one snuck by Hubby this summer - from a distance you can see the shelf-like rack.....
2nd time retaping breasts. 3weeks
First time I've ever looked at breasts without tape on. Managed to replace little piece by little piece last time so didn't need to look too close.
Well, they're healed and lumpy & bumpy and a tiny bit puckered at horizontal incision ends......is that called a dog ear?
Righty is misbehaving again, still darkly bruised and nipple edge looks a bit wobbly.
It WILL fade
It WILL smooth
It WILL return to a normal colour......right?
Fingers crossed! I might be a B cup.....it IS worth it........right?
Best wishes girls. Thank you for all your support & brave, baring pics!
Love c xxx
5weeks 3days
Had a little trip away, swimming & lounging in the sun.
Back to underwire bras in the day time. I'm taped all over incisions and it doesn't hurt at all and seems to mould them into round, separated shape so I'll stick with it.
Still sleep in surgical compression bra, going to gym for legs and planking for core all no problem.
Can't see much change. They feel soft and little bouncy just thick scarring along incision lines but wondering if that creates support for the girls? Should I try and massage that out? Hmmmm?
Not using any oils just tape all the time. Lines are really thin and almost white on vertical. Red horizontal.
Still no hang...........please don't drop, please don't drop, please don't drop.........
Tape free boob pic & my son's head fills my old bra. Ha ha
More lingerie cruising, my 6 year old son grabbed a 38DDD and put it on his head, came down over his ears with room to spare.......ha ha ha, and I carried 2 heads around??!! I've lost perspective on how big I used to be......keep thinking, "Well they're still kinda big...." Does anyone have an accurate body image?
Quick pic without tape week 6
