Rather Scared but Health Come First... I Want to Stop Waking Up Worrying All if the Time - Nuffield, GB

After a few years if soul searching I plunged straight in and had breast augmentation in 1998. Everything seemed fine until I began experiencing
pain in the left breast (2006). I was examined by one of the Transform consultants, and short of telling me I was imagining things, I was told not
to worry and to go away and forget about it. The pain never left but I was
Able to cope day to day. In 2011 the PIP scandal broke so I therefore
contacted Transform again to enquire if my implants were in fact the dreaded
PIP variety. I was told that the Pips had not been used by the until after 2000,
however they would check anyway.... In early 2012 I received a letter from
Transform informing me that implants were in fact PIP and referred me for a scan.

Surprise surprise the breast I had continually complained about had within it a ruptured PIP implant and the radiologist also suspected silicone leakage into my lymph glands in the left arm pit... Transform duly offered to remove the implants free off charge and also offered a cheaper uplift if I required such.
So I decided that I would have the implants removed and not replaced.
Then out if the blue Transform wrote to me doubling the price explaining
that due to the age of the implants I was not entitled to have reduce rate surgery. I was appalled by this and got absolutely no where with them.. So I have eventually found a charming specialist who has bundles of experience in
Both Private and NHS ... So it's D day on April 10th 2013 and I'm rather scared and apprehensive about the visual outcome... ( I clearly had implants in the first place as I didn't like the look of my self). However I keep telling myself that health is the important thing here. I just don't relish the pain, and just to add insult to injury I've developed a rather painful connective tissue disease and have terrible hot flushes just to keep life interesting !!!... So if anyone out there can offer me any comforting words I would really appreciate it..

Hi Ladies, thank you so much for the many words of encouragement and differing opinions ( as it helps to flag up questions that you previously may not have thought of.) Well I am now 7 days post op, and feeling absolutely fine. I was dreading that moment when you come around from the anaesthetic and the pain starts creeping in. This just did not happen, the cocktail of drugs ensured that I had no sickness, no pain and just felt comfortably drowsy, drifting back into the real world. I was aware that once the drugs wore off the pain may return, but thankfully I remained pain free. The lovely attentive nursing staff, helped me get ready the following day and I was able to have a look at the healing finished result... (although the wounds were all taped up) I was pleasantly surprised at the lack of bruising or swelling. I also did not require any drains which was also a bonus. On leaving the hospital I was given a bundle of aftercare advice, 24 hour telephone numbers for questions or emergency queries and a date and time to return for the removal of the stitches.
Since returning home I have not experienced any pain to speak of, the only thing of note is the itching around the wound sites. I am hoping that once the stitches are removed that will ease considerably. I can also feel a lot of nerve activity around the nipple areas ( and ladies that have experienced that tingling sensation when the breast milk is coming in will know what I mean).... I am still a little unsure of the complete finished look, as I am still strapped up, however I remain un-phased at this stage with the change in size. I was not particularly big pre- op, but over the last few years I felt that I was starting to look matronly having gained a little too much weight. So not only have I got rid of some nasty sub standard leaking implants, but I have also gained a more youthful looking chest area. This has also given me the impetus to trim down all over, and hopefully return to a healthier, fitter regime. Although the drive to have the implants removed was from the fact that they were those nasty PIPs, I now feel so liberated because I know that I will never have to worry about what I put willing into my body all those years ago. Even though I am a very "body conscious" I feel that the removal of the implants, has had such a positive psychological effect that it outweighs any doubts over the changes to my shape. Hopefully come Friday when I have the stitches removed, I will upload some photographs .
The final comment I would like to make, is just a great big thank you to the Newcastle Nuffield Nursing staff ......they were tip top, as well as the very talented Consultant Anaesthetist, and ultimately the very lovely and professional Consultant Surgeon.