28 Y/o Fat Transfer to Breasts. - Charlotte, NC

I am starting to get nervous - my pre-op is Tuesday, so I'm hoping to get more information on what's going to happen next - what the recovery will really be like. I've been speaking with some girls on here, trying to see how everyone has been doing. Hopefully my experience will be just as positive as theirs! I'll post some before photos - I'll have to take some so that I can remember what I looked like, anyway!

It's weird - I've had these girls my whole life and never really felt like they belonged on my body - and I've always been more 'hippy'. Hopefully this is the perfect procedure to balance that out.

Dr. Bednar and his staff have all been amazing so far. I have no worries about that whatsoever.

My main concern is the discomfort some girls have had post surgery. I can only take a week off - and then I have to get back to work, so I feel like I'll be at the office aching and in a good bit of discomfort, struggling through the first couple weeks.

If any of you ladies have had this procedure, please feel free to comment! I definitely could use some courage. I was doing REALLY well and then all of the sudden I started getting nervous. Oh boy.

I want to keep you all informed along my journey - please feel free to ask questions, message me, and I'll do my best to get back to you. I'm one of his few local patients so I feel like that is a plus for me.

Anywho. I'm rambling. At least it's Friday!

I had my pre-op last week. Photos, fitting for the compression garment, the whole nine. Sue is amazing, she went through every step of the procedure with me, listened to my questions - which I'm sure she has heard a million times, but she was so patient with me!

I had to get a compression garment specially ordered. Why? Because I have stupid hips the size of the moon and a small waist. That might be an exaggeration ;) - but thankfully we got one that fit! Went in yesterday to try it on. I was actually so excited because of how much fat it sucked in.

I'll have to take some before photos because my surgery is on MONDAY.

I'm bidding adieu to my wine for three whole months which will make me so sad, but to help maintain results from this is absolutely worthwhile.

Oh can we talk about the photo machine? It is the weirdest little contraption but it was so COOL. It actually measures breast volume so they'll have a better idea post-op of what I retain.

This stuff just makes me happy. I'm one of those people who watches all of the plastic surgery shows. If I could sit up in the wings like in Grey's Anatomy I'd be all over it! Maybe in a past life I was a surgeon ;)

Happy holidays everybody! Again, feel free to ask me any questions about my experience as I go through it - I'll be as open and honest as I can be so I can hopefully steer someone in a direction that works for them!

:)

Be well!

Hello everyone!

I wanted to give you a little update sort of how everything goes down the day of surgery. Some of you have emailed me asking about the process and I thought it might be helpful to put it on here.

The day of surgery, everyone was absolutely amazing. The anesthesiologist came in and explained step-by-step what would happen. I'm talking, every little detail, whether you want to hear about it or not. You'll probably just sit there nodding like I did. She asked if I had any questions, and I just shook my head because really, I couldn't think of anything.

When I got back to the table, they had music playing (I wanted to sing but my nerves kicked in pretty quickly) so they gave me a little something-something to relax, and that was it. Poof. 3ish hours gone.

When I woke up from surgery I was pretty shaky, and a little nauseated. Not only did they give me ginger-ale, but they sent me home with a few cans, too. I could not have asked for anyone better. The nurse sat with me the entire time in recovery until my mom could come back and it was time to go!

I was able to take the first round of pain killers when I got home, and while they help control the pain, it certainly doesn't get rid of it. I am pretty achy still, but really the difficult part is sitting and standing. Once I'm in those positions, if I have my trusty 8 million ice packs that I put all over the place, I feel much better, or if I'm walking around.

I cannot stress enough how important it is to get up and move around a bit. Yes, you're going to be tired, but it really does help. I'm not saying try and run a marathon, but load the dishwasher, or feed your animals. Even it's something as small as going from your bed to your living room to watch television.

Now for the nitty-gritty.

My breasts are sore. Not as sore as my legs and abdomen, but definitely sore, and gigantic. (YAY) I feel a little like dolly parton.

My nipples sort of got sucked back into my breasts, so I am hoping that when the swelling goes down they'll at least come out to where they were before. I never had extremely protruding nipples, more along the flat side - they take some effort to get hard and don't stay out long, but I can't even see them anymore and that just stinks.

I'd asked Dr. Bednar if he could put some fat into them, too, to try and see if they'd come out. He said he did that first and they popped right on out, and then as soon as he started injecting the fat into the breast they decided that it was too much effort to stay out and in they went.

I know you all want photos, and me, too. I'm trying to get the energy enough to take them for you. I can certainly do one in the sports bra today so you can get the more immediate before/after.

This is so long-winded, but I really want you all to get as much out of reading reviews as I did.

Oh also! The night after the surgery, Dr. Bednar called to check on me, and last night, Sylvia called to check on me. I cannot say enough good things about this staff, everybody.

Be well!

So I think it's super weird that I can't add photos to a post after I posted it, but anyway.

I wanted to give you guys an update. I was able to shower today and showered with the garment on, then took it off and changed into the other garment so that I could let it dry. I have to tell you, I am amazed at how different my body looks already. And I could not WAIT to put the compression garment back on.

I feel much better today. I backed off on the pain meds a lot, and I'm hoping that by tomorrow I won't need them at all (maybe just at night for stiffness).

Elevation is key, I am keeping my upper body elevated and my legs propped up on pillows whenever I am not moving around, but I am trying to move around a little bit, and ice packs are your friends.

I hope you're all well and having a safe, happy New Year!

Took photos and typed this up and then fell asleep...you know how it goes.

So I know there are a lot of you lovely ladies who have had this procedure done..and I was warned - take two weeks off of work - just DO it. But I can't do that with my job..so I'm going back to work tomorrow.

Here's the thing. It hurts. It still hurts to get in and out of bed, to sit for an extended period of time. I'm still visibly swollen, and it's so weird it's like..one day the compression garment is totally smooth on me, and the next day the zippers are all wonky and buckling which makes it so uncomfortable. I know that the more I do, the more I swell - which I think is the problem.

It's not even big things. I cleaned out the cat box. I took out the garbage, got the mail. Things like that, but then I have to climb up the stairs at the end of the day and lift my legs and they weigh a billion pounds.

So if you are having this surgery,..please listen to the wonderful people on this website. Take the two weeks. I have my first follow-up on Wednesday so I'll be able to figure out how I'm really progressing.

My breasts definitely dropped a bit more but the bruising is way worse. And don't get me started on my black and blue legs..ugh..ouch...so bad. I'm elevating as much as possible and icing I just guess I'm one of those people who bruises awfully.

I'm finally on an Ibuprofen/Tylenol routine. Thank goodness for the anti-inflammatory. I think it will really help me. I still feel like I LOOK very swollen body-wise. I know it takes up to 6 weeks so I'm really trying to watch what I eat and be good about everything. My weight is starting to come down so at least I know the swelling is starting to come down. It's going to be hard this week coming home from work and trying to cook after working. I see a lot of soup dinners in my future.

Another thing I wish is that I was sent home with some ice packs, you know the re-freezable kind. I have two of my own, but the ones that they suggest you make with 1/2 alcohol 1/2 water leak everywhere. This will be the first time that I will be actually out and about and will be purchasing about 3 more to have a total of 5. 2 for the breasts, 2 for behind my legs, one for my abdomen. Yes, that's how I feel.

But I'm moving around. I'm yelling at everyone who is trying to help me with things,...I must be feeling better. ;)

I'll post photos later,..I have to say I'm still in a good bit of pain.

The first week,..unbearable.

I realized that my compression garment was too tight - not like - oh I feel like this is a little snug, but more like, it hurts more to have it on than to have it off.

I got very nervous about it and asked Sylvia on Wednesday. I tried taking into account that I'm swollen, and I'm paranoid, and I spent a ton of money and want the best results that I can get.

So since Wednesday (9 days post op), per their instructions, I have been in Spanx..or - basically the cheap version from Target. I wore tights on top of them because I felt like my legs were moving all over the place and it's really uncomfortable.

I also had this like..massive patch of swelling on my back - it was like a hump from the incision site. According to my 10 day post-op, it's completely normal, but I think it was made worse from the garment. Honestly I think everything was made worse from the garment because it didn't fit right.

This week, it's a little better.

I have this like..wave on my stomach, though. I'm nervous that it's because of the garment - because wearing one too tight can create permanent creases etc...but I'm hoping it's just swelling and will go away.

My breasts are sore this week - they weren't really too terrible the first week. I mean, they were bruised, but they're just so sensitive now..and feel almost,..tight? Is that a weird way to describe it? Ugh I don't know. I'm just so achy still I wish it would stop.

They actually gently suggested that I use the arnica cream at my post op because my bruises were still so bad...and I was using it. Hah so that made me laugh. Apparently I just bruise very badly - and it seems that Dr. Bednar took a good bit out of my legs, so I understand that they're sensitive, I just wish that it didn't still hurt to perform the actual act of standing, sitting, and getting in and out of bed. I'm happy that week 2 is better than week 1, but all that I want now is for my 4 week post-op.

Sorry if I sound cranky. Staying positive,..I just hurt.

It's amazing what a week does. My bruising is nearly 100% gone on my legs. The pain is about 90% gone. By pain, I mean the ache from the lipo, however, I still feel like I have nerve pain. It's common, and annoying. Spots that are numb from the lipo itch at the same exact time or burn almost..it's a very strange sensation.

The lipo on my abdomen and my hips is still very numb. I have started massaging those spots because some days they'll be almost lumpy and it's very strange. I don't want there to be any weird lumpies. I know that there is still swelling in my back, hips, and abdomen, so I am trying to keep that in mind.

I cannot stress enough that if you can take two weeks off if you are having this procedure, please do it. Going back to work after one week (I believe) pushed back my recovery. On the flip side, it also made me painfully aware of just how tight my compression garment is, which I don't think I would have noticed if I were laying in bed for another week.

I will say my boobs look AWESOME right now. I don't want them to go down at all at this point, so it will be interesting to see how much I lose. I'm eating very clean - STILL trying to get down to my pre-op weight.

I find at the end of the day I weigh 5 pounds or so more than in the morning, and I'm pretty sure that it's all water retention from moving around so much at work. It's tough because there's no way around it. Aaaaanywho. One day I'll be pre-op and all will be happy. I hope this helps, guys.

I have my 1 month next week. I'll update you all then!

Have an amazing week!

Hello my beautiful people!

I'll have to share photos later, but I wanted to get some things down.

I have my 1 month post-op tomorrow with Dr. Bednar so I'll share some of my issues here and then let you know of the results tomorrow. I'm sure he'll say that it's all part of the healing process - it's what they keep telling me whenever I ask questions at this point so I wouldn't expect much different!

Okay.

1. I feel some bumps in my left breast. My right breast feels totally soft, but my left breast does have some bumps in it. You can't see them - but I can feel them. I probably mentioned it before, and Sylvia had said it's part of healing, but I am going to ask about it again - more or less to find out when I need to be concerned that they won't go away without a procedure. Patience is one of those virtues I just was not blessed with (clearly).

2. The lipo spots are still achy. I think that because I'm doing more and more, my body is reacting to it. It blows my mind that some women start running by week 3, when it's my 1 month mark and my inner thighs are still hurting like a mofo and have these splotchy looking bruises still - much different than the solid bruises that I had on the back of my legs.

3. I've also found that the spots he did lipo on my hips become hard at the end of the day with these really attractive ridges from swelling. I really didn't think I would take this long to heal. I'll try to remember to take photos of that at the end of the day.

OH. And can we talk about this is my first time having cramps while having an achy lipo belly? It's double the fun haha.

I almost want to get a copy of the diagram of my body and see how much he took out from everywhere tomorrow.

4. I'm also - of course - going to see how much he thinks I will retain if he can even tell me at this point. I'm hoping this is all I lose because I think they look great!

Photos later.

Thanks for listening, everybody!

All,

I am actually past due for my consult with Bednar, and it has been extremely difficult since starting a new job trying to squeeze it in. I don't have time off yet and often work until after 6pm.

I'm going to try and get in touch with Sylvia this week.

As for some questions I have received and updates.

My retention is fair. I'm not sure really how much I retained. 40%? 50%? I couldn't tell you. Not as much as I would have liked for the amount of pain I went through.

I know there are horror stories on here but here is what I am dealing with now. I have a pretty size able lump on my left breast. So much so that someone I was with actually commented when they were just casually fondling and were concerned, saying I needed to get it checked out.

Of course, I knew what it was from. I've been sizing this sucker since it didn't go away. I have many smaller lumps that I think will go down with time, and this may, too. I have until a year before they'll consider removing it but I will have him feel it out. The one in my right breast has decreased since my last follow-up.

My scars are incredibly frustrating. I am still wearing silicone sheeting because the scars under my breasts are still raised. I have the sheeting on now but I will take photos later so you can see. I'm just praying they go down with time because they are so noticeable.

Please give me your questions. I promise I'll answer as best I can.

Oh. And I got my nipples pierced to correct them. They still bothered me after the surgery and did NOT want to come out.