520cc Silicone Implants by Dr Philip Richardson - Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, Australia

I had size 12B boobs and have always wanted bigger ones. I've always been intimidated by other women with larger boobs and having been cheated on in the past I was worried having smaller boobs might make my boyfriends look at other women..

Growing up my friends always had bigger boobs than me. Occasionally I'd get the comment about my boobs being the smallest which also adds to the insecurity of having small boobs.

Then there is me living in sunny QLD. Brisbane to be precise. Many women with perfect bikini bodies with the ultimate bikini boobs. I had decided.. time to let all of this be a thing of the past.

I also live in Brisbane so it's very common for women to have I

So I tried putting up a review 3 times and my phone, Ipad and laptop all timed out and next thing you know I have an email saying my review was online (and I hadn't even finished the review) so I'll continue on from where I left off..

So from above basically the world pressures got the better of me and I decided to make me a little better. On Monday 4th November 2013 I had Breast Augmentation done by Dr Phillip Richardson from Brisbane (he also services Southport on the Gold Coast). I got 520cc in both sides.

From a review point of view, The Pacific Day Surgery where my surgery took place, they were fantastic, made me feel right at home and very comfortable. I can't fault this surgery. The Anesthetist Mr Scott Buntain was also faultless. He was very caring. Listened to my concerns and really did everything he could to accommodate me. He was very professional and again faultless and I highly recommend him. He talked me through everything, from medications, to what's going to happen when he inserts the needles to how I would feel when I would go under. Carley who is the Nurse for Dr Richardson is very helpful. She will happily answer any questions. She is very open and approachable which is relieving when your uncertain about anything. When you get answers from her she is very honest and I'm confident in her and her ability and I have faith in her answers which is very calming and reassuring.

Now to Dr Richardson. My first appointment was with another Dr in Southport on the Gold Coast but since I'm from Brisbane I'd prefer a Dr closer and my partners cousin had a friend whom recently had surgery from Dr Richardson and they recommended me to him. Anyway.. this other Dr was very structured, they had check sheets and photo albums to show before and after shots of work, but also shots of what CC is, and movement of implants and all the nasty stuff so you really knew what was what. They were VERY through and I didn't have to pay for the 1st consult which was more of a bonus. When I went to DR Richardson I'll be honest and say he just sat there and listened. He didn't have a lot to say, didn't really have an opinion and there didn't seem to be much care. He verbally went through the potential risks such as CC and rupturing etc and it was very quick skim of issues. I don't know if this is because I mentioned I had seen another Dr. so he felt the dirty work was done. or maybe he has been doing it for that long there's no spark in his job anymore (or maybe just a bad day). He did take me to put a sports bra on and put some implants in for sizing. I went through a couple of sizes. I hummed and har'd and that was about it. I wanted boobs that looked real but was willing to except bordering "questionably fake", not too much gap, but not too close, bigger than what my padded bra made them look, which I later found was 12DD. I mentioned I wanted to be taken seriously and didn't want people talking to my chest. I also mentioned 1 boob was bigger than the other and could we look at evening them out, which he said yes. The sizing options for me at that point was 420/460 or 460/520 Cost of the initial appointment was about $150 from memory, second consult free if you feel you need to go back.

I got home and started to question which Dr I wanted to use but convenience got the better of me and I decided to go for a second visit with Dr Richardson being that he was recommended to me based on actual work done, and maybe he just had an off day. So second time round I came prepared, if he wasn't going to lead me then I'll get the information from him. So this time I put pictures in front of him of what I wanted. Initially we were looking at around 450cc and when I asked Dr. Richardson for his professional opinion he said he doesn't like to give his opinion because I need to be happy but if I was not scared of sizing then even a 520cc he felt I would love in the long run. I touched base again with the unsymmetrical boobs and said I'd read online that there are risks involved in trying to even out boobs and was it worth my while to which he said no, keep them even. I felt the second appointment with my navigating the appointment got me somewhere. I even got a laugh out of him with a boobie meme. (I'll post it off my Ipad later.. its a bit funny). I felt more confident and I think its because I found a way to connect with me and he had a bit of a joke and he seemed more relaxed. I left that appointment confident enough that I contacted the reception team and booked my appointment for 3 weeks later being 4th November 2013.

At the 2 week prior point I got my confirmation letter with invoicing information. It's a little bit of a pain and I'm unsure if its normal but you had 3 different people the pay (so the total quote amount was split between 3 people). I had to call the Antitheists office and make 1 payment to them, another to Dr. Richardson and another to the hospital for hospital fees which brought the total amount to $10,500AU (yep boob jobs are expensive here in Australia). Hopefully 1 day for convenience to the customer they will maybe sort a way to have the customer make one payment, but that's me being picky, however for $10,500 per patient I think it's worth them looking into.. another way to make a better experience for the customer. Another form that arrived for a consent form for sizing. Just a simple circle, cross out and sign form. (I kept copies of all my documents just in case, I highly recommend this). There was also some hospital forms, next of kin, allergies, address etc for their records which the Dr kindly sent out with the invoice which was good to get out of the way in advance.

Anyway, so the day finally arrives, I drove myself to the surgery at 7am, I only sat in the waiting room for about 5-10 mins and I was reasonably calm. I paid my hospital fees on the day via eftpos, but they except cash and credit for anyone interested. I filled out a few forms, 1 I hadn't seen before while 1 of them looked like the one the Dr sent to me 2 weeks prior but I completed it anyway in case it wasn't the same. They then took me into a small room where they went over my details and allergies and changed me into my gown and funny little feet covers, they also put compression stockings on my legs (these needed to be kept on for 3 days after the surgery, then I could take them off). I also had a "compression bra" which I had around my waist which was ready for the Dr to pull up and over onto my boobs after the surgery was complete. They then lead me to a bed where I was met by the Anesthetist who went through the process with me (as I said he was very caring and through and I felt very at ease with him) he went through some of the medication I will be taking home and explained I would see the Dr and then he would come back to give me a sedative. The Dr came in (Dr. Richardson) he drew lines on me asked a few things like what size was I having (which kinda worried me if he was asking me this on the day), I presume this was just as a reconfirmation before going in, personally if this was the case I think it would have been good to specify it's purely a procedure to ensure nothing has changed. He then asked if my my larger boob was obviously bigger than the other when in a bra (again I thought why this question now and not 3 weeks ago, it rattled me a bit more). I said no, as they weren't obviously different in a bra. The anaesthiest then came in, put the thing in my arm and I don't remember anything after that.

I woke up blurry and disorientated. They changed me into my buttoned up shirt I brought in. After about 5 mins or being blurry and disorientated and they were asking me to get up (these times might not be accurate, as I said I was disorientated, but that's what it felt like at the time). My vision was pretty blurry still so I was a little worried about standing up so soon. So regardless I stood up, with the assistance of a nurse and they took me into a waiting room where they put me on a seat and gave me a sandwich and some lemonade (which I was neither hungry nor thirsty so I just kinda pecked at it). My partner was lead in about a min later. I saw Dr. Richardson nurse Carly who went through a few things (my partner took more notice of this information as I was still mentally not with it 100%). 1 thing I was distraught on was that I was told, no full showering for a week. I can shower belly down but not to wet my tape/incision under my breast. I could only sponge wash that area. Next thing I was walking out of the surgery to my car where he was taking me home. (as I said I drove myself there and then my partners work mate dropped him off so he could drive me back home in my car.. it just worked good for us that way at that point in time).

I got home and was a little bit in and out for the day. I took the bra off very quickly to look at my boobs and I almost died, 1 boob is WAY OBVIOUSLY bigger than the other. I called the office to check that they didn't mess up and maybe put the 2 different sized implants in (thinking this was one of those risks I was avoiding). I didn't hear back that day. The following day I rang them back and Lisa informed me that she had a response and both implants were 520cc and it may just be swelling. To be safe I emailed through a before and after comparison photo so they could see, and it helped me see what was happening too (I recommend everyone doing this, and progress shots, sometimes It's hard to see differences as well as you can in a photo). Day 1 -3 I was taking Endone (pain killer) every 6 hours I think it was, Celebrex (inflammatory med) 1 morning and night, Valium 1 morning and night, Coloxyl with senna (stool softener) and Keflex which was an antibiotic 4 times a day. All of these meds I was out of by the end of the first week (except the stool softener as I didn't need them). There was a little show bag you took home with you after surgery, inside this bag is the medication information, what to take when, what not to mix etc which was extremely helpful. From day 3 to date I have been taking Panadine forte. I had no pain at all in the first 3 days (I believe that's thanks to the Endone). By day 4 my back had given in (I'm talking it felt like a sledge hammer had hit my back). Panadine Forte does nothing to help my back. Endone has gone but it wouldn't help my back feel better and allow me to go to work (I'd probably be asleep at work, but I'd be willing to try it at this point). Anyway, I couldn't go back to work after the first week (which is this current week) which was what my medical certificate was for 1 week. Carley wrote me another medical certificate to cover a second week off work. I tried working 1.5 days and by the second day I went home half way through the day and just went into hibernation. I googled back pain in relation to breast augmentation and it's not uncommon. In fact it is common to have. I've had it now for 8 days straight, I wake up every morning with a sore back to the point where I need help to get out of bed. After that Im ok if I regularly lay down in bed or sit in my nice puffy comfortable reclining couch. I honestly at this point feel like its never going to end = ( The nurse said I can't sleep any other way than on my back (she said at best prop pillow under 1 side of my back to angle me onto my side just a little but that's it, no pressure on the incisions). When I went to my 1 week consult and saw the nurse she said all I can use is Voltaren the cream on my back (which does nothing to help). At the moment I just feel like I'm suffering (I know.. selfish 3rd world problems).

Actually touching base on my 1 week consult with Carley the nurse. She removed the tape covering my stitched up incision line and checked and said everything is looking good. She said I still had more swelling and mentioned that my cleavage would get better as there is still some swelling in the gap. She mentioned my breast size should be around the 'F' mark (and that's about when I packed my pants, much bigger than I wanted). As far as the unsymmetrical boobs, yep they are still there, swelling has gone down quite a lot since day 1. I'm hoping there is more swelling but I think it's wishful thinking. Not too sure if I made the right decision to keep both implants even in size. I was going off the Dr's opinion that it wasn't worth the risk. I guess I will never know how they would have turned out with the different implant sizes to compensate the difference. My opinion, if your Dr is confident is making your boobs even, I'd do it. 1 thing I questioned was why 1 sizing option offered to me being 420/460 was 40cc different in size when option 2, being 460/520 was 60cc. Because of the difference, the stuff online saying it can be a risk AND the Dr's opinion that it wouldn't be too different I decided to stay the same size both sides. It was just the question on the day of surgery about my boobs looking similar in a bra or not that now haunts me.. maybe I should have questioned it at the time (damn the after thoughts.. especially after paying out $10,500).

Overall this has been a massive emotional roller coaster ride. I wasn't told at any point that emotionally this effects you, whether it be really good or really bad, so please be prepared for this and really prepare your partner. I know my partner as well as I have been shocked at how emotional I have been. I'm so up and down. I like (just like not love) my boobs covered with clothes on and in a bra, out of a bra I hate myself. Naked I feel the boobs are too big for my frame and I don't feel sexy. At the moment I feel the back pain is definitely relating to the size of the implant and had I chosen another smaller implant the pain would be less and I feel the smaller implant would have been much better for me, emotionally and relating to pain. As I said I'm very up and down. I just have to hold on to 2 lots of hope. 1 that's its normal and this back pain will subside (like I said I feel like it will never end) and the other is that the Dr is right (he is the professional after all) and that I will love these boobs in due course. I know its early stages yet and I know it takes time for everything to settle down, both the boobs and the pain. I can't wish enough that time has passed by so things are normal again...

God help me when the time comes for me to have kids. I said to my partner that he better be prepared for the potential to have just 1 kid because after the first, I might ever be able to go back to having another one LOL.