POSTED UNDER Breast Reconstruction Revision Reviews
Breast Reconstruction/revision Looks GREAT!
UPDATED FROM HappyRecon
still happy and very much a REAL patient with REAL results
HappyReconJuly 8, 2014
WORTH IT$700
There's been so much negativity posted that I had to respond. Here is my history: Jan 2010 double MX with immediate TEs placed for reconstruction. May 2010 exchange surgery with silicone implants. Dr. Khouri's first revision surgery was Oct 2010, with final touch up surgery Mar 2011.
Aside from the initial revision surgery, I was up and resumed normal activities (except upper body exercises) within a few days. I always drove (passenger, of course) 4-1/2 hrs back home same day of surgery and returned for post-op appointment. To me pain was equivalent to super intense muscle soreness after working out. Lipo numbness and tingling/stinging takes longer and some small spots of numbness took months to resolve. Noone can spot the lipo holes - I still love the results from the lipo. My breasts still look great and I am still a very happy reconstruction patient. Dr. Khouri did an amazing job. I will not name the plastic surgeon who did my initial MX and reconstruction surgeries because I do not fault him in the least for less than perfect results. He is a very skilled, very respected surgeon and I was lucky to get him at the time. He gave me beautiful nipples! I didn't know about fat grafting for reconstruction and didn't do much research. Getting rid of the cancer was foremost on my mind. I post because every woman should know about ALL reconstruction/augmentation procedures and in my opinion and my own experience, Dr. Khouri has pioneered the best method of regaining beautiful, soft, warm and natural looking breasts. I am posting these photos because some of the nasty posts have implied that my photo wasn't real or my story fabricated. I've been DONE for a long time and I am REAL. My photos are REAL. My results are REAL.
Aside from the initial revision surgery, I was up and resumed normal activities (except upper body exercises) within a few days. I always drove (passenger, of course) 4-1/2 hrs back home same day of surgery and returned for post-op appointment. To me pain was equivalent to super intense muscle soreness after working out. Lipo numbness and tingling/stinging takes longer and some small spots of numbness took months to resolve. Noone can spot the lipo holes - I still love the results from the lipo. My breasts still look great and I am still a very happy reconstruction patient. Dr. Khouri did an amazing job. I will not name the plastic surgeon who did my initial MX and reconstruction surgeries because I do not fault him in the least for less than perfect results. He is a very skilled, very respected surgeon and I was lucky to get him at the time. He gave me beautiful nipples! I didn't know about fat grafting for reconstruction and didn't do much research. Getting rid of the cancer was foremost on my mind. I post because every woman should know about ALL reconstruction/augmentation procedures and in my opinion and my own experience, Dr. Khouri has pioneered the best method of regaining beautiful, soft, warm and natural looking breasts. I am posting these photos because some of the nasty posts have implied that my photo wasn't real or my story fabricated. I've been DONE for a long time and I am REAL. My photos are REAL. My results are REAL.
HappyRecon's provider
UPDATED FROM HappyRecon
Dr. Khouri redid my breast reconstruction - UPDATE photo
HappyReconJuly 23, 2013
I know a picture is worth a thousand words, so here you are....
Replies (5)
August 24, 2013
Did you have a lot of pectoral muscle spasm and pain (also in the back muscles) with the expanders? What kind of implants did he use. I'm trying to decide between gel and "regular" silicone. This is quite important to me as I've had to continue taking pain meds throughout the 2 months of my recovery period, while waiting for the exchange. Thanks for any help. PS--I can't imagine these things feeling soft or natural in any way.
August 25, 2013
Yes - the expanders were very painful and the pain radiated to the back. I didn't have spasms but I felt tremendous pressure on my chest. My initial exchange was with silicone implants and now my smaller ones are also silcone. Now, with fat grafting, my breasts are so much softer and look and feel natural. Just wish I could have forgone all the TEs and implants and gone straight to fat-grafting. Still....very happy.
July 28, 2014
what size silicone implants did you have removed? and what size do you have now? and is he going to exchange them for fat sometime in the future? im worried those things will cause auto immune responses eventually..after all no one has been able to explain the formation of the capsule around them except that your own body is trying to wall them off and get rid of them right? my expanders are starting to really bother me I also feel the port rubbing from the inside..don't know whether my nerves are growing back in that area or my muscles are getting stronger and moving around more and im regaining feeling? so good to be able to talk to other patients..thanks for sharing..did dr khori take out your expander capsule? I have heard those capsules can be useful in fat transfer storage to help innervate fat with blood supply...how long before you had capsular contraction after your first exchange? I am coming to florida in couple of weeks maybe we could talk?
August 27, 2013
Your breasts look lovely, but I'm wondering if after the exchange to implants they are as firm as they look. Mine are still in the expander stage, and hard as rocks. The port on the right causes a lot of pain from the inside (yes, I know we're not supposed to have pain, but I do, in that breast). I'm scared to death the "gummy" (or any) implants are going to be hard as rocks as well. And look triangular like these weird expanders do. Any info you can give me ill help. I'm thin-ish, kinda like you, so chose you to ask. Oh, my doctor can also do fat grafting after all's said and done.
August 27, 2013
Oops, sorry, just realized you already answered some of my questions. I just can't quite believe the results you got look and feel natural. They're great! I never thought I was vain, but I do want to look somewhat normal.
August 28, 2013
With my initial exchange from TEs to implants, yes, they felt hard and cold. Anyone could tell they were implants - there's just nothing to "hide" them. In addition, one of them rolled to the side whenever I was on my back. Talk about OBVIOUS! Has nothing to do about being vain - that was my goal as well: to be NORMAL again. That's how I feel again. Normal :-)
July 3, 2014
Flat2fake2free'n'fab that is not a real picture...
She needs more photos to make it real.... we all have lots of pictures I'm going to update mine with more photos
July 8, 2014
Seriously????! This is not a "real" picture? I live in Central Florida and you can come anytime and I will show you exactly how real they look and FEEL! Geez........
It's been almost 4 years and I don't live on these forums - I will find the time to post more photos. Not to prove myself to the negative and vicious posters out there, but rather to offer encouragement to the women trying to find information and answers.
July 8, 2014
I'm coming to visit I want you 2 see mine also and ask him why he made mine ugly
July 8, 2014
Anytime - I've flashed so many people by now I should start charging.....
:-)
On a serious note, yes - he is the one you should see and address your concerns to.
July 12, 2014
HappyRecon,
I too do not live on these types of web sites either, but I just now read your story thank you for sharing it and for also making sure others who are researching Dr. Khouri know the truth. He is an amazing plastic surgeon! The people with the usernames: miagirl1234, Flat2fake2Free'nfab, and the other one who's username starts with a "B" I can't remember it right now they are doing the same thing to me, saying I am not real and that I work for Miami Breast Center. I guess they are trying to get a rise out of both of us. I know what I experienced, I know first hand how awesome the whole staff at Miami Breast Center is, nothing they post will ever change my mind about that but what I don't like is how damaging they are trying to be to Dr. Khouri's reputation and the Miami Breast Center.
July 13, 2014
I think you posted that you live in Kentucky? That would be quite a commute for you! I try to keep my own drive to work a little less than 4 hours as well. LOL. Seriously - yes, nothing anyone says or posts about me on here is of any significance to me, but like you, I don't like what they are doing to discredit a surgeon dedicated to making women whole again. Not sure if you know, but he used to perform flap surgeries for many, many years but felt there had to be a better way rather than patchwork reconstruct a breast. This really is his passion - yes, he is an amazing plastic surgeon.
July 13, 2014
I totally agree with you! And yes my drive time to work is more like 21 hrs by car and 6hrs by flight! Ha! I think the world of Dr Khouri and know he truly cares about me and my desires on how I want to look. I've got one more surgery on Aug 26th and then I should be done. Because I do not want to be any larger Dr Khouri said I will not need to wear the BRAVA system prior to the surgery. My sister who is a nurse will be going with me and she is a huge help. I am do thankful I had this opportunity to have this procedure instead of flaps and implants and even more thankful I had the opportunity to have it done by Dr Khouri!
July 14, 2014
You guys can post a whole day how wonderful dr. Khouri is but it's not helping him I have people private messaging me and calling me and even visiting me and all of them know the truth , sorry you can continue posting but the truth is winning :)))
July 14, 2014
That's great that you don't have to wear Brava - I only wore one dome for a very short time just before my initial revision surgery. I had an area where my skin was pretty much stuck to the chest wall. It was pretty noticeable, especially with the edge of the big implant. The Brava really is an amazing contraption - after just a little over a day of non-stop wear, that area felt soft and squishy. My skin took a beating but I wore it 24/7 until surgery a couple days later and it made the space he needed for the fat to take.
July 14, 2014
I had to wear the BRAVA for 3 weeks prior to my 2nd surgery. I started out week one wearing it 4hrs/nightly in creasing to 10hrs/nightly by the end of the week. 2nd week I worked up to 14hrs with the turbo machine mostly at night and the last week 14 hours with turbo last two days prior to surgery 18hrs. I followed Dr Khouri's instructions to the T and had plenty of room for the fat to take. It wasn't easy to do but I made the sacrifices needed to do it correctly! I watched a lot of Netflex with my kids! Ha!
July 15, 2014
I had the turbo too! Wheeled that thing everywhere :-)
You wore it much longer than me, but like you, I was determined and the space created by the Brava was simply incredible. Dr. Khouri was quite pleased when he saw me on surgery day and the fat took beautifully. I slept on the couch and yes - lots of movies! I hear the turbo has gone through some modifications too. Mine was on 4 wheels with a long cord so I pulled it behind me all through the house. Kind of like a pet on a leash. It helps to have a healthy sense of humor with all this but dedication is definitely essential.
July 15, 2014
Oh my on wheels??? You were a trooper! Mine was more like a purse, it had a shoulder strap you could just throw over and go. I was actually able to sleep in the bed with it and it didn't disturb my husband too much. A few times the seal would break and the alarm would sound but it was not areal loud, enough for me to hear it.
July 28, 2014
so you wore the brava with implants in place? I didn't know that was possible? I was wondering if that would help more fat be placed at first exchange? how may fat grafting surgeries did you have to get your gorgeous results?
July 28, 2014
are you a reconstruction patient or just augmentation? were you able to get your insurance to cover the procedures from out of state?
November 20, 2013
You look absolutely fabulous. I have had implants for 6 years with capsular contraction, I really don't want implants anymore and would love to try this procedure but I know it's risky as well. Thanks for sharing your story.
November 20, 2013
I'm very grateful for what I have. I would do the surgeries again in a heart beat. The first one to switch to smaller implants involved work on the pockets and capsulectomy (repair work, so to speak....) but waking up with TEs after my DMX was worse. Much worse! I didn't think the fat grafting was that bad. Felt like being super sore after a hard work out. Yes, there are always risks, but I just can't thank Dr. Khouri enough for what he has done for me. Wishing you the very best.
UPDATED FROM HappyRecon
Dr Khouri redid my breast reconstruction.....UPDATE (oops - posted as comment in error)
HappyReconJuly 23, 2013
Since you asked for an update, I'm happy to oblige! I'm still very, very happy and in October it will be 3 years since Dr. Khouri did my reconstruction revision. My breasts look and feel natural and I have feeling in the upper pole and cleavage area that I didn't have with implants. As before, my only regret is not having found him sooner so I could have had my DMX with immediate fat grafting instead of the Tissue Expander/implant route. I'll forever be grateful to Dr. Khouri.
Replies (2)