Finally Having my Breast Implants Removed After 16 Years of Being Unhappy with Them - Chicago, IL

I had a pre-surgical appointment with Dr. Johnson today. The purpose of the appointment was soley for him to take pre-operative photographs.

I was warmly welcomed by GiGi and Irena, who both remembered me by name and ushered me into the exam room within moments of my arrival.

I'm certain that Dr. Johnson intened for the appointment to take just a few minutes. However, I had come with a fairly long list of questions and he took the time to sit down with me and answer all of them.

I learned that I will not need to have drains placed (for which I am thankful), and that I will be sent home with a surgical bra/garment so there is no need for me to purchase one. At the hospital, I will be given a prescription for a pain reliever (mostly to ease my anxiety about perceived future pain), though Dr. Johnson does not anticipate that I will require anything that strong. The stitches/sutures he uses are self-dissolving and I will not have to have them removed.

I also have to comment that not once in any of my meetings with Dr. Johnson, did he suggest replacing my old implants with new ones. He understands and respects that I just want these out. I did not get any "scare stories" of what my breasts will look like afterwards. This is completely different than my experiences with other surgeons I had met with previously.

In less than 48 hours, my 16-year old mistake will be fixed. When I am up to it, I will post details of how the surgery went.

I had saline breast implants placed in 1995 (Mentor, saline, textured, under the muscle, 325cc overfilled to 375cc). I was very young and not mature enough to make such a life-altering decision. My surgeon did not explain to me that I would be in for a lifetime of surgeries. At the time, saline was the only option available. They did not feel soft or natural, but in hindsight I am thankful I did not put silicone implants in my body. I had very pretty (yet small) breasts, and I wish I had the brains and the confidence to never have considered putting foreign objects in my body. They didn't make me sick, I had no capsular contracture or complicatons... but voluntarily spending the huge sum of money and permanently streching out my breast skin/tissue was foolish.

I have wanted these implants out since the moment I got them, but I became disabled and have never had the funds to have them removed. I am now on Medicare, which is my only form of insurance.

About a month ago, one of my implants deflated. I promptly started researching online and found Dr. Johnson through the RealSelf website. He is a Top Answerer here (over 2000!), and many of his answers pertain to implant removal.

At my consultation, he was incredibly patient, knowledgeable, kind, and unhurried and I knew he was the doctor for me. He wrote a letter to Medicare on my behalf, which resulted in the removal of both implants being covered.

His staff, GiGi and Irena, are very nice as well. Irena is a bit stern and to the point (she reminds me of my former ballet instructor), but she gets things done accurately and very, very quickly.

I can't wait to get these implants out of me, and I will post follow-ups as to how the procedure and recovery went.