Thanks to every contributor on this site. You have...
Thanks to every contributor on this site. You have all helped towards this point & a surgery date of August 24.
As I live in Australia I have used Australian pricing and bra sizing. I will include a pic of one of my bra tags so the size will translate to all.
I cannot wait to
1) Ditch all those stiff necks, headaches, back aches, pulled back muscles
2) Wear a dress instead of size 14 stretch tops with size 10 bottoms
3) Buy a cheap bra.
4) Jump!!!!!
Here is how I arrived at this point.
Years of thinking/dreaming about breast reduction, followed by months of trolling the internet for plastic surgeons and blogs from other woman just like me. Finally biting the bullet and making appointments with 3 surgeons (all certified)
Surgeon 1. Spent my consult giving himself a big rap and doing nothing for my confidence in him as a choice of surgeon.
Surgeon 2. Great consult, left feeling confident and calmer about my decision.
Surgeon 3. Also a great consult & my final choice.
Surgeon 2 offered me exactly what I thought I wanted which was a reduction to a C cup. However all his post op pics showed small breasts (great) but they appeared to have little or no shape and were somewhat flattened across the base of the breast. Surgeon 3 said I would end up a D cup. When I stated that I wanted to be smaller, he commented that 1. Going smaller would not be in proportion with my body. (this would not have changed my mind about being smaller as I have no desire to be an hourglass) However, he pointed out secondly, that I needed to leave some fullness/weight behind to achieve the nice rounded breast that I liked in all his post op pics.
So I have opted for aesthetics & a D cup over the C I originally wanted, and only time will tell if I regret my decision. Considering I am currently a 10G or 12F, this should still be a huge reduction.
With one month to surgery I wanted to be continuing my exercise regime to improve my upper body strength, but thanks to a myriad of pulled back muscles and nerve pain in my arm I am unable to do more than my usual walking and dancing. I plan to be extra vigilant with my diet prior to surgery to maintain my optimal weight.
Will post again closer to my surgery date. Wish me luck ladies.
Been busy busy.
Work has kept me so busy I have had no time to worry about impending op and here I am only 4 days out. Time to draw breath, & check out everyone's progress on this site. Thank you all for keeping me calm. Guess my next pics will be at the hospital. Ridiculously excited & nervous all at once.
One more sleep to go
I am so lucky. With only one night to go, I have avoided sleepless nights or undue worry as I've been so busy. As of this evening, I am now sooooo aware that tomorrow is the big day. Bag is packed, hair washed, antibacterial shower done. Ready as I'll ever be. See you all post op.
Zero hour is here.
Am lying in my pre op bed waiting for my PS & Anaethetist to visit. Too late to turn back now
Done!
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24 Aug 2015
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Day of treatment
will go into detail when I feel more with it. Feeling pretty good 4 hours post op despite earlier nausea. Most of my pain is back pain. I never sleep on my back & my back is "Not happy Jan" ( Aussie reference) quick picks then I shall attempt sleep. More tomorrow. Night ladies.
My day in review.
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24 Aug 2015
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Day of treatment
Gorgeous hubby drove me over an hour to Pindarra Private & then kicked out even before my admission. He was miffed. Ridiculously, the first question they asked....Would you like to leave your valuables with your hubby? Well maybe if you hadn't told him to leave.......
Everyone was super nice. Admission paperwork & payments done & straight into pre op ward to change. Seen by dr Peter McLaren my lovely anaesthetist. He explained all my meds & allowed me to apply my Scopolamine patch as I suffer dreadful motion sickness & never do well with going under. Next I was off to the theatre ante room for cannula & PS visit to mark me up for surgery. Pretty much all I remember until I woke in recovery. Patches worked well with only mild nausea on waking which quickly settled. Also got a dose of IV Cyclizine which actually appeared to help. Big surprise as nothing else has ever helped. Shall tuck that one away in the memory banks. But I digress.
My biggest problem night one has been back pain. I usually never sleep on my back because of it, & being stuck on my back has made it flare with a vengeance. Was given some Celebrex which helped heaps, took off the ridiculously noisy leg pumps as soon as they closed my door & got about 4 hours sleep. I'm walking to the toilet..... do not need to be kept awake by leg pump.
My Doctor popped in for 1 minute to tell me I could go home. Tried to check my wounds but the bra is doing its job & keeping them well covered. Would have taken it off for him to check properly but I blinked & missed him. Happily I have just a dribble of leakage on the right one & not much for him to see anyway.
Only have one surgical bra, so shall try to do daily picks when I wash it.
Finally found some Arnica tablets which hubby will collect on the way & will start them stat.
I have smaller, higher, & much firmer breasts. Not as small as I was expecting but they look good. Best of all, I have been suffering debilitatingly bad left arm pain which appears to have disappeared.
Oh I almost forgot I had scar revision to a poorly removed growth on my left shoulder that had been brought on by my bra straps rubbing. It hurts worse than my breasts, but glad it is done.
All typed out for now....time to rest.
Gauze removed.
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24 Aug 2015
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Day of treatment
18 hours post op. Dressing check and photo op.
Day 2 post op.
with pillow in place I tackled the 1 hr plus drive home without much pain at all. Did take a Tramadol to prepare which clearly helped.
First night at home in my own bed with wedge pillow to keep me on my back is done. Woke twice overnight, mainly plagued with back pain due to lying on back. Only fellow back pain sufferers will know what this is like.
Have managed to put on 1 kg since Monday. WTF! Have to assume it's revolting hospital food yesterday ( which I ate due to boredom) & swelling. Was sure I'd be lighter due to fasting & breast REMOVAL. Am cutting way back on intake now until I can start exercising again.
Have added my morning pic. Think I am a little more swollen as my bra feels tighter & I can feel my arms brush against the side of my boobs.
Taking my Arnica and Quercetain
Day 5 Post Op
Am doing lots of resting and relaxing. Hubby takes care of everything. Am certainly fulfilling that part of the brief. Yesterday was my first with no pain killers at all.
Now the post op itching that started last night is another matter entirely. I ended up taking a Polaramine & Valium to get to sleep last night. I had washed out my bra during the day, so I re rinsed just in case, but the itching is under dressing so not likely the case.
Any tips for containing the 5 day itch greatly appreciated.
Looking forward to Monday dressing change....it will be a very long week-end with this itch.
Besides being slightly bored, the mood is still definately upbeat and excited.
Dsily pic included. The marks between my breasts are still purple mark up lines & not creases.
1 week post op & bandages off....I have nipples!
My first real outing as my PS is over an hour away. All that way for 2 mins. Nurse removed my dressings...no pain at all & I got to see my nipples finally. PS happy with healing & gone......
Says he removed 500g. I expected more. Please don't get me wrong. My new breasts are firm & high...amazing, but I did want to be able to add small into the description. They fit me with a new support bra 12D. ???? my dream of a B/C is over. So I am putting it behind me & getting on with loving my new firm 12D's
Anyway, the nurse took a pic for me, applied some new tape (must ask what it is) & sent me home with a gift voucher for the spa & my new bra. The tape stays on for one week & then I start daily changes of Stiltape. Not sure I am sold on the pricey Stiltape. Have heard that paper tape is another good option. Am very interested in what others have used, so may add a new question in forums.
Have checked out my tape free pic the nurse took, & I seem to have skin folds on each inner breast just under my scar line. Am hoping this is not permanent. Think they might have let me look at myself without tape so I could ask this question at my appointment.
Maybe another question for forums.
Thanks to my big day out I slept like a log.
Have added some new pics. ????
A little disappointed.
Two weeks post op & today I took my bandages off to start the Siltape portion of the healing. The left breast is near perfect, the right, not so much. It is still weeping a little at the T intersection but I am sure that will not last long. However I have the strangest fold of flesh on the inner right & the outer right under scar has been pulled up into a rope. It's like the edges of skin have been pulled together to tightly. As for the weird fold of skin at my cleavage ???? Who knows. I am not supposed to see my PS for 3 months but I will be calling Monday to make an earlier appointment. I am hoping they will both just resolve with time, but my gut screams permanent & not likely to see my post op pics used in advertising on the clinic website.????
Imperfection aside. I have had very sensitive breasts by nightfall all week. Guess feeling is slowly returning to normal. They are still very tender if accidentally bumped, but for the most part of the day I can forget they are anything but normal. I am no longer tired, & have returned to office work. Fortunately I get to do my office work from home. After 2 weeks I am ditching my wedge pillow tonight & will see how I go. Have not slept on my side but can certainly rest slightly sideways now. No activity other than walking, & I'm doing my best to not agravate my healing scars.
Am posting my no dressing pics.
Shall play the waiting game.
Today I am adding my Siltape pics. I have opted for paper tape around the nipples as this can stay on longer. The Siltape I have to change daily when I shower.
I am giving up on all worrying about scars and skin folds until my next appointment in November. My PS saw me once post op & then not for 3 months. Shall discuss options then if I need to.
Since I have started changing my Siltape daily my breasts & nipples have become really sensitive and sore. Not sure if this is the daily change, the tape, or feeling returning. Have gone back to taking a mild pain killer at bedtime.
Have successfully returned to sleeping normally. No more wedge pillow and lying on my side is fine. Cannot lie right over, or on my stomach, but don't expect to for a little while yet.
Went shopping for my first post BR dress...I have a beach wedding to attend next month. V. excited as I have been able to pick a wispy gem that I will wear braless.
Can't wait. Am sticking with my surgical bras for now as they are comfy. I am now allowed to go without a bra at night but feel much more secure at the moment wearing mine 24/7. Maybe once the sensitivity settles.
That's all for now ladies. Happy healing & no looking back for those still on their wait list.
3 Weeks Post Op
The Harry come lately bruise on my left breast is slowly resolving. I also posted a question on the site here & received very reassuring feedback from a PS. It's all good.
Trying not to over exert as I know just how proportionately tender I become at the end of day. Definitely the hardest aspect to come to terms with, is still being sore and tender when I just wanted to be fully healed......be patient woman!
4 weeks post op
Same same. After week 2, healing seems to crawl. Still changing Siltape daily, suture lines remain very tender and sensitive, still wearing a crop top to bed for support & comfort, can lie on my side as long as I don't roll too far. Really can't wait until they feel normal. Did have my first big soak in the tub to celebrate the 4 week mark. Finally got hubby to take my first non selfie pic which I'll add today.
5 weeks
Small but happy changes.
Sleeping without bra...check.
Sleeping further on side pain free.... Check
Ropey scars settled with major difference......check
Still sensitive, siltaping, & lumpy folds at cleavage. But with noticeable changes still happening, I am happy to wait & see.
Forgot to take pics without tape, so next post.
Thx again for everyone's supportive comments. Amazing how much they help.
6 weeks post op
And the weeks tick by.
Scars are red but the ropiness has definitely improved.
Nipples have some sensitivity/soreness.
Bulge on inner right remains & shape does seem a little square at this point in time.
Clearly dropping but just a fraction.
Swelling has gone so I am still large, a good 12DD according to the bra fitter. A lot further from the C than I would like but I just look at my before pics to remind me of how big an improvement there is.
Tenderness continues. Most noticeable with change like removing my bra, getting upright first thing in the morning.
3 months post op
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18 Nov 2015
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3 months post
still wearing surgical bra, siltape, bio oil. Massaging is the only time I am now aware that I have had surgery as scars are still tender.
Overall I have had a huge breast lift & I can go braless if I choose.
Downside: did not get the reduction I wanted. Am a 12DD when I was aiming for 12C...huge difference. Still don't fit many of the cute dresses I was hoping to wear & cannot find a non underwired bra in a 12DD that doesn't look like a maternity bra. I can in fact comfortably wear many of my pre surgery bras. I have stretch marks, a lot of side boob that I did not have pre op, & a marked skin fold on the right inner breast so no low cut tops. My shape is a little flat bottomed.
With the benefit of hindsight I would have it done all over again but I would be way more forceful about getting a reduction & not just a lift. My PS really thought he knew what was best for me, & he was mistaken. I really did want to be smaller, not his idea of proportionate. I had a gut feeling that despite what we discussed, I was always going to end up bigger than I wanted with this particular surgeon. I should have trusted my gut.
6 months on
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28 Feb 2016
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6 months post
Well I had my second & last visit with my PS. One at week one & then at 3 months. I think he was a little surprised that I wasn't falling all over him in gratitude. He got over it quickly & suggested I see him in another 6 months time with a referral from my doctor as my current referral has run out. Not a lot to love right there. Anyway, my only ongoing concern is my scars. I have diligently worn siltape almost everyday for 6 months & I have started massaging with bio oil but I have always been a poor scarer, & this op will be no exception. Under my left breast is worse with an angry red rope of a scar which is sore & often itchy. Around both nipples the scars are pink & ropes but thankfully not sore or itchy. I'm loathe to return to my PS as I feel we have not bonded (scarcasm pun) however I may have to as I don't see my current scar fading to a white manageable line any time soon. As for everything else, I seldom think about my surgery. I have found that I comfortably fit into many of my pre op bras so have not thrown out any of them. To be honest, when I wear a bra, I can't tell I've had surgery as my good pre op bras gave me the lift & shape I am now. Funnily enough, I would still, have the surgery as the lift is awesome. I have also found that the pain I was getting in my upper back & arm has almost completely gone which is a huge bonus in itself. My apologies for waiting so long between updates. I have been very fortunate & have spent the past 2 months travelling. Shall nip off & snap some updated pics including my tragic scars. Hope you are all doing well.
