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POSTED UNDER Breast Implants REVIEWS

Transaxillary 375cc - 1 Year ago added - then and now

ORIGINAL POST

Here I am, 21 years after my first baby was born...

wow63June 27, 2012
WORTH IT$5,750

Here I am, 21 years after my first baby was born and I love my body EXCEPT for the breasts! SO... I made a hard move for me toward that which I thought NEVER would be in the same sentence as my name..... Plastic Surgery - Breast Augmentation! OMG!

This site has really helped me to understand my feelings by reading about people like me and those with other feelings/reasons for coming to this conclusion.

When I was young I was always small breasted but, liked my body and my 34B breasts. I thought they were nice and never had to wear padded or push up bras. After breast feeding 2, and 3 pregnancy's under my belt, I lost quite a bit of fullness. I adjusted to the smaller breasts, though I didn't like the shape of them anymore but, I took it like a battle wound and being the warrior I was, I figured that breast feeding was well worth it. I started buying the 'thicker' bras, then... the push-up ones... to give me that 'illusion' of the fullness I had lost. Then came weight fluctuation and natural age atrophy of the breasts. I'm 48 - enough said?

I finally wanted my old body back and determined to get it through natural means (exercise) I jumped - NO Dove! Head First, with utmost determination, onto the work-out fitness wagon in order to better my body. I REALLY thought I could turn back time. Yeah, well it worked in a limited fashion. I got leaner and firmer and started to Love my body again .....then I looked in the mirror (which I really ever did - especially naked) anyway - you know? I looked mainly at my hair and make-up while wearing a bra or a towel!! Doesn't everyone? Eeeekkkkk!! Was that me?

After feeling pretty proud of all those push ups and core killers I mastered; I actually looked...."Eeeeekkkk!! WHO is that?" I had never seen myself looking like that! A new low for me. "Is that me?" Yep it was, I found myself looking like what I call... a concentration camp victim.

Thats my story - that is why I am here.
Thank you to everyone here for sharing and caring about each other and helping make it better, easier and a more informed experience.

Here is to our REAL SELF, the one that gives us the freedom to just plain love ourselves and others and support, as we come together for strength, to walk along our separate paths.

Cheers!

wow63's provider

Thomas H. Bartell, MD (retired)

Thomas H. Bartell, MD (retired)

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

wow63 rating for Dr. Bartell:

Overall rating
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Answered my questions
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Replies (7)

FitLuv
June 27, 2012
Welcome to RealSelf! Congrats on your decision! I'm a fitness buff as well and I understand how it is when you get in shape and your breast just don't respond to the workout! Infect the more fit I was the worse mine looked. Now I love them, and I am so glad I made this decision. Please keep us posted on your journey!
wow63
June 27, 2012
Now those ARE rock hard abs! (and everything!!) How do yours move with exercise? Does it feel weird?
Kooberry
June 27, 2012
You're 48??? EEEEEEKKKKKK.....NO WAY!!!!! Lol Seriously, you have such tight, rock hard abs. It's obvious you hit the gym and take great care of your body! I recently lost 35 lbs and felt the same way. My body was pretty tight but the bewbs didn't measure up. Since my BA in Jan. I feel like a real woman :) Good luck with your upcoming surgery, look forward to seeing the post op piks!!
wow63
June 27, 2012
Thank you so much Kooberry and FitLuv! Don't know about rock hard but certainly getting there! I don't go to a gym just do a high intensity thing at home - Yeah it is addicting!! Love to work out and push myself. I do not feel 48, I just cannot believe HOW that happened! :) I am excited about being in great shape for 49 around the corner in October and my wedding this fall too! New life and new me!
FitLuv
June 27, 2012
It still feels weird to work out! Im not back to my upper body workout yet. I am back to my regular lower body workout. It still feels a little painful to do upper body lifting so I am taking it easy until there is no pain.
wow63
June 29, 2012
I read your story and I wish you all the very best with your revision (tweak). Was that under the muscle for you? Mine will be under the muscle. My doctor told me that they will move weird with chest presses so wear a loose fitting shirt over them or I may have people looking and pointing "Hey did you see that?!" Lucky me I work out at home. Wonder if it feels as weird as it may look? Honestly the thought of an upper body work out scares me. My fiance and i was a Tri-Athlon posted in the newspaper this AM. It is in later in September. My surgery is 7/25 so .... I am thinking about it but, worry I will be out of shape from lying around healing. I know I can do leg work at 2 weeks and that is crucial. I notice my core exercises also use my pecs more than I thought. I am much more keenly aware of these things now. The transaxillary incision I am opting for seems to be a longer recovery. Cannot lift my arms for 3 weeks!!! Elbows at sides..... T-Rex arms.
wow63
June 29, 2012
That Tri-Athlon part - really messed up. Maybe my brain and fingers should have a talk? Sorry for the typo's.
UPDATED FROM wow63

OK... so above are some pictures of what I am...

wow63June 28, 2012
OK... so above are some pictures of what I am thinking in terms of size. The 3 pictures after my before are me with rice equal to the look of 375 implants under the muscle. I decide on giving myself an up-grade from my old 34B to a 34C. Rice is maybe not totally accurate but I am doing it also to bring with to pre-op, to show my doctor my desired outcome.... along with several other pictures and then I will show my doctor some from his own work that I found at his office.

CC's are tough! Everyone is different! our size, the chest type/shape, just everything! To me, looking around I see 375cc looking like 400cc, or 350-325cc even. I have pictures of 400cc, 375cc, 350cc and 325cc that I like and that oddly look similar.... to my untrained eye haha.

So it remains to be seen how I end up looking after. It will be interesting to see how similar I end up in that sports bra and t-shirt!

Replies (3)

Sarah in Ohio
June 28, 2012
We have exactly the same story! I used to be a 34-36 B as well. I have 2 kids and worked out super hard and ate clean the last 2 years. I am finally happy with my body except in the chest area as well! I always joked about the surgery, but never actually thought I would go through with it. I had my surgery June 18th and very happy that I did it. When I went for my pre op, I tried on different sizes. We came up with 390 cc's and agreed that 410 was too big. I told him that I wanted at least a C to full C. Not too big bc I'm a teacher, but big enough since I'm going through all this. I knew and had total faith that my doctor and nurses would have the final say in the size at the end during the actual operation. He ended up putting in 510! It sounds huge, but it looks perfect on me, esp when swelling goes down. It is hard to pick a size bc once it goes in your body, it looks different. Just pick a doctor that you feel 100% confident in. Best wishes on your journey :)
wow63
June 28, 2012
Do you know or remember your triangle measurement? Just curious. We are a lot the same! Thanks for your comment! Best wishes to you too :)
FitLuv
June 29, 2012
Wow, I got under the muscle. Yes, I'm waiting to do heavy upper body. I have been doing light arms. I workout with my friends who have had breasts Augs under the muscle and I don't notice anything weird. Maybe because they have had it for a while. Keep me posted on the triathlon, I've always wanted to do one!
UPDATED FROM wow63

I have been driving myself crazy with sizes! Cc's...

wow63July 3, 2012
I have been driving myself crazy with sizes! Cc's are so confusing and JUST when I KNEW I had all that figured out...Bam! I have to consider my own body measurements. Is it not hard enough to find breast before shots that are my own shape size and configuration, upper pole, lower pole to compare to see what the different cc's might look like on me? AND there are tons of cc choices and for that matter so many variables in styles, profiles etc. Further, complicate that with height and weight! Then even further with age! and DID that women have children and breast feed like me??.... I may just have more skin stretch than a 25 year old w/o 3 pregnancies under her belt. OMG!!!

I am one of those if I know it I can deal with it people. I HAVE to feel am well informed and going into things with eyes wide open. I have to sort of build it in my head and it has to make total sense. I must know every pitfall all the pro’s and con’s and try to make all the shades of grey acceptable for my rather black and white brain. This trait (better or for worse) has gotten amplified with age and life experience. I am a plethora of information I tell you!! REALLY!

I read a review of someone saying that her friend said that SHE could probably do the surgery herself for she knew so much about it from her research. I can totally relate. I feel like that!

Hot off the presses: New development, I just recovered from pre-op booby greed sickness! Thank God I recovered!!! I could have ended up looking scarrrry!!! This illness was only made worse by my well meaning soon-to-be husband. Bless his boob loving heart! :) I was told it is a primal thing in Men's DNA if I understand him correctly....lol. Yes, it has been quite interesting and with my reading so many stories, and so much support here too, for BIG boobies!! WOW, it was a miraculous recovery, if I do say so myself!!
I am back to reality and the limitations of my own measurements. I think so anyway?
OH Boy! Is there hope for me? IDK!

Replies (1)

indigoskye
May 13, 2015
Hi. I am enjoying reading your story because we are similar in age and I breastfeed 3 kids then had a 50 pound weight loss and really hit the gym. Well I think about 10 of those lost pounds came from my breasts. ...and suddenly they appeared very asymmetrical. I never imagined I would have a BA but it seemed like the right thing to do. I am about 2.5 weeks post op. I went with form stable highly cohesive mentors. It was a crazy process to decide on which surgeon, type, profile and size implant vs. Fat transfer. The surgery was more painful then expected but they are beginning to look very nice. Because you are am athletic women like me I would suggest staying in the more moderate size range! Best to you.
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