The Best Thing I've Ever Done for Myself! - Reno, NV
Even as a young girl, I suffered with huge,...
Even as a young girl, I suffered with huge, droopy, unwieldy breasts. I was ashamed of, and disgusted with, my breasts for more than 26 years. They made it impossible for me to enjoy things like running and swimming. Bra shopping was a total nightmare. Swimsuit shopping was humiliating; only a very small number of swimsuit tops incorporate an underwire bra. I couldn't wear tops or sun dresses that showed where the breasts were supposed to be because mine were never in the right place. Wearing a strapless bra was out of the question, which even affected my choice of a wedding gown!
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I was on Vicodin for about 10 days, followed by a week of Extra Strength Tylenol. I have a very low tolerance for pain, so I might have taken pain pills longer than others would.
I benefitted greatly from a holistic approach. Dr. Virden had me take Arnica Montana and Vitamin D for two weeks prior to the surgery and two weeks afterwards. With his permission, I continued taking the multivitamins, Vitamin C, probiotics, digestive enzymes, and other supplements recommended by my Doctor of Oriental Medicine (DOM), but I discontinued the fish oil, since it acts as a blood thinner. My DOM, who totally changed my life a few years ago, approved of Dr. Virden's recommendations, making me feel even more confident that I had chosen the right cosmetic surgeon.
I saw my DOM for acupuncture treatments after the surgery. He performed acupuncture the day after surgery to detox my liver from the anesthetic and reduce pain. A week after surgery, my DOM performed another acupuncture treatment for further detox, pain management, and help with digestion to relieve the constipation caused by the Vicodin. (You definitely want to be constipated for the first week after surgery, unless you like the idea of having someone else clean you up!)
Dr. Virden was aware that I was getting acupuncture and he gave me his full support, unlike many other doctors who think acupuncture is for the birds. I feel like I can really communicate with Dr. Virden.
I slept in my favorite chair for a week after surgery. Lying on my back was just too painful. Once I was able to lie in bed, I could only sleep on my back for about 6 weeks. This was no problem for me, but it's something to be aware of.
I bled small drops of blood for about 3 weeks after the surgery. Nothing major at all. There were just a few drops of blood in my bra when I changed it every 24 hours.
For this surgery, you have to have two sports bras that open in the front. After some searching online, I found the Dr. Linder Bra, which I highly recommend. (You need two so you can wear a fresh one each day and wash the other one.)
It was about a month before I could drive safely again. Even when the pain was pretty much gone (after 3 weeks), my head was still a bit foggy and I didn't feel safe behind the wheel. At four weeks, I felt totally fine driving.
At six weeks, I finally stopped leaking yellow body fluid. Now I can sleep without a bra, sleep on my side, go swimming, go running (while wearing two bras at the same time), and take a deep, hot bath. (You can only shower, not bathe, from the day after surgery until you stop leaking.)
If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask. :-)

I took five homeopathic Arnica Montana pellets three times per day.
At Whole Foods, you can buy them in a three-pack. I bought two three-packs, for a total of six vials. These actually lasted a week longer than necessary, so I just kept taking them until they were gone. That means I took them for a total of five weeks. It's possible that this helped me recover more quickly.
Dr. Virden told me that doing just a lift would result in a reduction of one cup size to a 34D because so much skin would be removed. But, for me, he recommended a reduction to 34C because of the size of my frame (narrow shoulders, tiny waist, etc.). I trusted him to know what would look best on me, and I am absolutely thrilled with the results! :-)
Wow! Just, wow! What a difference. You look so perky and adorable. You're going to have tons of fun shopping this spring. Thank you for sharing here on RealSelf!