42, Size 34M and Excited About Having This Surgery. - Orange, CA

I saw my doctor today. He removed the little bulster sponges from my nipples. They were attached with stitches and took a little time to remove them. My doctor told me that the purpose for them is to provide some pressure, holding the re-attached nipples firmly to their new position to encourage blood flow. You will be glad you took your pain medication when they are pulling at stitches. Important point; Make sure you are honest with your doctor about how much pain medication you have been taking. There are some strict laws when it comes to refilling controlled substances so you may need your doctor's approval at the pharmacy if, for instance, you run out of your pain medication early because you are taking 2 pills at a time instead of 1. Don't feel bad. Everyone experiences pain in a different way. It's really important to be honest with your doctor.

I had my BR surgery exactly one week ago. The surgery took over 6 hours. 4 lbs was removed from my right breast and over 3 lbs from my left breast. No complications. Hospital was great. (St. Joseph in Orange, CA.) Pain is being managed well. I began taking a full dose of Miralax the day I came home. I have not had any problems with constipation. I recommend taking Miralax daily after any surgery, especially if you will be taking pain medication. Don't stop taking it until you are finished with the pain medication. I also recommend taking your pain medication as prescribed. You may even want to get in the habbit of taking your next dose 15 minutes early. You don't ever want to wait until you're in terrible pain to take your next dose. A big part of healing is lots of rest and sleep. If you're always in pain you won't get any rest. Don't be afraid of pain medication. You can slowly ween yourself off as you begin to feel better.

Only things left to do are chest X-ray, lab work and going in for markings the day before surgery. Like most women having this surgery, I am trying to create a healthier lifestyle for myself. I've lost maybe a few pounds, but I just feel better. I am determined to get my confidence back. I posted one more picture of myself before surgery.