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POSTED UNDER Breast Lift with Implants REVIEWS

Two Part Breast Lift then Implants After Massive Weight Loss. Age 55 - Sacramento, CA

ORIGINAL POST

Lost 125lbs 3 years ago doing a meal replacement...

dzavy
$6,400
lost 125lbs 3 years ago doing a meal replacement type diet that my insurance paid for. I was planning on being a fabulous babe afterwards. Instead I was a grotesque monster and could not even look at myself naked. My boobs were the worst. After breastfeeding 5 kids, wt loss and age I just had wrinkled empty sacks. For a long time I would cry every time my husband tried to touch them. I had always had large breasts which I knew he loved and it just killed me to be so ugly now. He would always say he loved them no matter what but how could anyone be excited over an empty sack! I could roll them up and stuff them in a bra for a decent look but without a bra I was flat down to my tummy. I tried to get the insurance to pay for a repair. I have a pacemaker and with no more fat up there it flipped all around when I bent over. So they paid for my first consultation with Dr. Lim their breast reconstruction PS for cancer patients. His office was very clinical and he had no bedside manner at all. Also no before and after photos. He said I was so bad I would need 2 surgeries to get my breasts back. Lift then implants. It would stabilize the pacemaker but insurance said no and I had no money. After a while I decided the cost didn't matter I had to get them fixed. I started looking for the right guy to do it. This was a problem because of my pacemaker and heart history. Many just refused me. One I had a surgery date and even paid for but his anesthesiologist canceled the surgery. Said I was a poor risk. I really wanted it done in one surgery not 2. The PS's were split on that, but any that agreed to actually do the surgery said it had to be 2. I saw 9 surgeons. I even went to Utah to their best guy based on all your reviews. (Plus it was almost 1/2 the price), but he said no. One of the PS I saw who couldn't do it, said I really should see if Dr. Lim would do it. He said Dr Lim was the best he had seen (besides himself) at the kind of reconstruction I would need and he was connected to the hospital if I had a problem. He did not know I had already seen him. After meeting all these awesome, wonderful surgeons in their fancy offices with silk robes I had no desire to go to DR.Lim. So I kept looking. I went back and talked to him two more times. He still said two surgeries because the blood supply to my nipples would be comprimised doing such a big lift and past open heart surgery and my pacemaker. Did I want my nipples to fall off?
My husband was convinced that going to a surgeon who would have all my records and was operating where all my other doctors would have access was the best thing to do. He was also less expensive. (Someone has to pay for those robes!)So after 3 years I was ready, so ready I did not care anymore who did it! The before pics are the night before surgery when I was all marked up. See they are not even boobs any more! I had the first surgery Sept 30th. Update coming soon.

dzavy's provider

Alan Y Lim

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Replies (8)

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October 19, 2016

Thank you for sharing your story. I'm so excited to see how the first surgey went for you, and where you are today. I hope you'll keep us updated when you have a chance.

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October 19, 2016
wow can you put your after pictures?
October 21, 2016
by the way the price was for 2 surgeries. This one was $6900.
April 17, 2017
Was that total of $6900 for the lift & implants? With Dr. LIM? Kellie
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November 26, 2016
You have made yourself a priority good for you!!
December 8, 2016
The before and after pictures so far look great! I had my BR done in October with Dr. Lim. It took me several years to finally get it done. I had originally seen some other PS that had come with high recommendations and had come across as much more personable and easy to talk to (with much fancier offices). To me, it feels like Dr. Lim is in it for the right reasons and not looking to get rich. I had reservations going into it, but overall, my experience has been good. I won't say great, because I am convinced that having some of my "side boob" removed would have made them look better, and he would not do that. So to me, they don't look right yet. It almost looks like it comes to a point on the side of my right breast. I will wait until the appropriate amount of time has passed to make my final critique. Ultimately though I am still glad I had it done. I would love to hear more about your healing process and look forward to updates!
UPDATED FROM dzavy

Teenager boobies?

dzavy
I had the surg on Sept 30th 2016. The pain was not to bad. the worst part was he said to lay flat for the first few days. I hate that and it hurt my back so I took pain pills to sleep through it. On the third day he removed all my dressing. When I looked down I was in shock. From my angle all I saw were these strange small lumps with man [RS bleep]! My friend was there and she kept saying I had teenager boobies! I felt a little sick and actually fainted in the office. Luckily I got to a chair when things started going black! Very embarrassing! The next day when I could examine more closely and see the whole thing in the mirror I was much happier. I was still concerned about the size of the areola because mine had been so huge and these looked so little. I was really upset when my husband did not seem impressed. I cried most of the night and did a ton of research on this site about it and got a better idea about normal. The PS had also said that there was a purse string stitch around the areola which would relax when it dissolved and then they would be bigger and flatter.The next day I told hubby all I learned about areola and that they would get bigger. He just laughed and said there was nothing wrong with them. He was just freaked out by me being all cut up. (wish he would have said that at the time!) It is true they are getting bigger and I think they are ok now. When I went for my next PS appt he was all impressed with my breasts and said they were so big and wonderful I wouldn't need implants now. Humm I think he is used to mastectomy patients and I am probably bigger than them. I have mixed emotions about it. I guess I will just have to see how they continue to heal over the next 9 months.

Replies (1)

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October 22, 2016
Wonderful result!!! Enjoy!!
UPDATED FROM dzavy

3 weeks tody!

dzavy
I gotta say I have been more sore this past week than the first week. The incisions seem to rub all the time and feel a little burning. The PS said the nerve endings have woken up. I am still wearing the sports bra 24 hours a day. There is glue on the incisions which is starting to peel off. maybe that gets pulled by the bra. Also last week I got really tired where all I wanted to do was rest. The last 2 days have been better. I guess I have been doing to much. I have a lot of swelling on the sides under my arms. The PS said on the one side there is a lump which feels like a hematoma (bleed) formed there. But it will go away and has not gotten bigger. I like them more and more every day!

Replies (2)

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October 21, 2016
Hi Denise, congrats on your surgery! Sorry to hear about your ups and downs with the healing. I hope your issues resolved soon.

That aside, I think your results look spectacular..., especially when comparing your before and after's! The difference is totally amazing!
I think the shape is very nice; they don't look like "man [RS bleep]" by any stretch of the imagination, imho. I also don't think your Areolas look too small... keeping in mind that a diameter between 38mm - 42mm is considered to be the ideal areola size by many. Judging from your photos yours appear to be in that range. Of course it's how you feel about them that's the most important thing.

Do you know what kind of incisions your surgeon used around your Areola's. If he used regular incisions as opposed to "purse string incisions" there's a good chance your Ariola's will expand a bit over time. My own surgeon uses regular incisions for his areola reduction; and for this reason he tends to make them rather small knowing that they will expand over time.

Anyway I think yours look perfect. Wishing you a smooth healing… I look forward to following your journal.
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October 21, 2016
wow they look amazing congratulation,i had the same surgery but with implants and yes the implants make your areolas look bigger,but yours are the perfect size.Don't worrie about the scars is all worth it