23, No Kids, A Cup, 400cc Mentor HP Rounds - Melbourne, AU

I realised half way through high school that breasts were sadly never going to come for me. Ever since then I've had the idea in my head that implants were something I might get as an adult, but I always pushed it to the back of my mind and hoped that one day I'd be happy with the body I was born with.

I ended up putting on a lot of weight in my late teens - by 2013 I weighed around 90kg/195lb. I knew that implants weren't a possibility until I lost weight, and felt more confident with my body. These last 3 years I've changed my lifestyle, and worked hard to get myself to a healthy 55kg/120lb (I'm a size 10-12 now)!! I decided at the beginning of 2016 that my goal was to save enough money, and to have the surgery by the end of the year. I was planning on starting a review leading up to the surgery, but the date was changed last minute and I ran out of time to make a post! I'm now 19 days post op.

I only went to 2 consults before choosing my surgeon. I had my second consult with Mansoor Mirkazemi at Collins St Plastic Surgery in Melbourne. As soon as I walked in, I immediately felt comfortable and welcome.

The consult went well. It was casual yet informative. I wasn't rushed through, and I was listened to. I got to try sizers on, and I got to see/feel all the different types of implants that he used (the other surgeon I saw didn't do either of these things with me). I realised I definitely preferred the round implant over the anatomical, and Mansoor said that it was 100% possible for me to get either shape. It was all up to me. My aim was to be around a D cup, and he said 400cc HP rounds could give me the look I was after (my BWD is 12.6cm). I felt so positive at the end of the appointment that I felt it was unnecessary to meet with another surgeon. After I thought over it for a couple of weeks, I emailed his assistant and booked in the surgery for December 22 (their last available date this year)!

Mid November I got a call from his assistant asking if I'd like to move the surgery up to November 30! I thought about it over night, and called back the next day to confirm. The date went from being over a month away, to less than 2 weeks away! I felt like I suddenly had no time to prepare, but I felt so lucky that I could get it over with sooner rather than later (and not 3 days before Christmas lol).

The date came around really quickly. I didn't do too much to prepare. I cleaned my room, changed my sheets, bought the recommended vitamins and a sports bra to change into while the post-op bra was washed. My partner and mum were around to take care of me, so I didn't need to worry about cooking.

I was first up for surgery so I was at the hospital by 7am. I'm so glad it was early in the morning so I didn't have all day to stress about it and worry myself crazy! Within an hour, I'd checked in, gotten changed, drawn on by the surgeon, and taken into the OR. It was a very quick and smooth process.

I woke up to the nurses helping me into a post op bra. I was really upset with them because I wanted to keep sleeping lol! First thing I noticed was that my chest was really tight, and I felt like I couldn't breathe. It was like I couldn't get enough air into my lungs no matter how hard I tried, but that feeling went away after a few hours. I wasn't in any pain. I got moved from the bed to a recliner, and stayed there for a few hours. The surgeon came and checked on me, and I was ready to go home by 12:30pm.

I don't remember the first few days clearly due to all the pain killers. I slept on and off most of the first day home. I couldn't eat much - I wasn't sick from the medication, I just didn't have much appetite and felt full very quickly. I didn't start to feel any pain until the next day, but even that was pretty manageable with the pain meds. For me the most difficult part over the next week was sleeping on my back (I'm a side sleeper), and staying comfortable. Honestly, the pain in my back ended up being worse than the pain from the surgery. Sleeping almost upright was awful! A hot water bottle on my lower back helped a lot though, but I could never seem to keep comfy for longer than 10 minutes at a time.

The only other real issue I had was how difficult every day tasks suddenly were. I wasn't prepared at all for how weak and limited my arms were going to be. I felt so frustrated that I couldn't do anything for myself. I had to get my boyfriend to do everything for me!

I saw my surgeon one week post op (06/12/16). I was still feeling pretty rough by then. I had to take the train 50 minutes into the city and I felt so sick from the motion of the train. Every bump hurt my boobs! The doc said I was looking okay, but I was still very swollen so he told me to come back in two weeks (21/12/16). The nurse changed the dressings on the incisions, and I got some tape so I could change it myself at home once a week. I was cleared for sleeping on my side, and to wear any supportive, wire free bra (I'm still mostly wearing the post op bra because it's really comfortable! Not sure what brand it is though). I have to wear a bra 24/7, and no underwire allowed for 3 months. No exercise for 3 weeks (I can finally start light cardio now!).

I went back to work December 13 (13 days post op). I only have a desk job in a small office, so it's nothing strenuous, but by a few hours in I was exhausted and wanted to lay down. It was a lot harder going back than I thought it was going to be. My shoulders and back felt so stiff by the end of the day! I definitely hunch over my desk way too much.

I don't think I managed to poop (sorry if TMI lol) for about a week. By then I was pretty desperate and had been taking some light laxatives for a few days. It didn't feel like the laxatives did anything! Maybe they were too weak?? I was so bloated I looked pregnant! I don't think I was going regularly again until 2 weeks post op lol.

It's been 19 days and I'm feeling pretty much back to normal. Sleeping is a lot better now that I can sleep on my side, although I've found that being on my back is actually growing on me and most mornings when I wake up, I'm on my back. When I sleep on my side, it feels like the incisions are being pulled. Also I used to sleep with my arm across my chest - now I don't know where to put my arms lol because my boobs are in the way! I still wake up with 'morning boob'/ tightness in my chest, but that's getting better each day. I can drive without any real discomfort, although the seat belt can feel too tight on my breasts, and that's a little irritating.

I haven't noticed too much of a change in my breasts over the last 3 weeks. Hopefully they start dropping down soon. I'm really excited to see how they change over the next few months!! I did notice a small 'bubble' (feels like an air pocket?) this morning on my left boob, I hope that's nothing to worry about. I'm seeing the surgeon in two days so I'll him about it then.

I saw the surgeon last night for a post-op appointment. He told me everything is looking great, and I don't need to massage or anything like that, unless the implants are still sitting high when I see him again in another two months. I mentioned the little bubble that I had found when he was examining me. He felt where I said it was, and said he couldn't feel anything. Then he felt both breasts at the same time and said they felt the same. So he asked me to find it for him, but then I couldn't find it either, so I got really embarrassed and said maybe it was just in my head... Lol of course I could find it after the consult was over, but it's obviously nothing bad if the surgeon couldn't see any issues. I need to stop worrying.

He changed the tape on the incisions and was surprised at how well they have healed so far. Apparently most scars don't look that good until a month or longer!! So that made me feel pretty good about myself. I have to wear the tape for 3 months. I'm really proud of myself that I managed to stop smoking before the surgery, I like to think that I'm healing a lot faster than I would have otherwise :)

The one thing I forgot to ask him is when I can go in the water at the beach. I can't remember if it's 4 or 6 weeks. It's summer so I'm keen to get in the water but I don't want to risk getting an infection.

Today's my last day of work for the year so my spirits are quite high. Christmas is my favourite holiday! If my surgery date hadn't been moved, I'd be at the hospital getting ready right now. I'm so happy that I got moved up because I was initially really disappointed that the surgery was a few days before Christmas. My extended family don't know about the implants, so it would have been awkward/impossible trying to hide it only 3 days post-op (Christmas is being held at my place).

Physically, I'm feeling really great and sleeping is getting better with each night. I can now sleep pretty comfortably on my side for the majority of the night. Morning boob seems to have mostly gone, the stiffness is probably 2/10 now. The worst is definitely over :)

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and enjoyed some time off! I had two and a half weeks off, and the time went way too fast! I started work again this week :(

I feel annoyed at myself for not taking photos over the last few weeks, and for not writing any updates on here, because I feel like I've already forgotten important things about my recovery and healing progress. I want to remember this experience as bad as I can!

As far as pain goes, I don't really have any. Sometimes my incisions will hurt a little if I pick up something that's too heavy, or if I accidentally sleep in an awkward position, but otherwise there's nothing. Morning boob stopped being a thing for me about 3 weeks post op (thank god). My nipples are still pretty sore and hypersensitive, but less so. The skin between the incision and the nipple is just as numb, but I know that's normal and it doesn't really bother me anyway.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with the way that things are going so far. Looking at my photos from 2 weeks post op, some great changes have happened already in such a short amount of time. My left breast (your right) is moving along faster than my right. It's 'fluffed' a bit more, and is slightly bigger and a nicer shape. The difference isn't massive and my partner doesn't see it, but it's still bothering me. I'm not actually worried yet as it's early days and there's so much changing to go through still, but I can't help but wish the right one looked like the left.

I've been feeling a little sad and thinking that they're not big enough, but I know that's because I've put on some weight over the Christmas break (I feel like my stomach is bigger than my boobs now!). I've really missed being able to do whatever at the gym! But now I'm 6 weeks post op I'm cleared to do most exercises, as well as swim, so hopefully once I get back into my old routine I'll start feeling more positive about my body. But otherwise, I'm loving my new breasts/body so much!!