42, No Kids, 2 Sets of Implants, Finally Explant Day - DFW, TX

First implants were way to big. My friends said if you're going to get them, get at least a C. My Dr only wanted to do a B and I should have listened. I was tiny, 5' 85 lbs. 20 years old and a 32a at the time.

So, November 1993, I got saline Mentor 300cc and immediately hated them. All anyone ever saw were my huge boobs and thats not the kind of attention i really wanted.

Fast forward to November 2002 I asked to have them removed and Dr said you will hate them and talked me into saline McGhan 230cc tear drop shaped. They were way better and I was happy for a while.

Last year I was diagnosed with MS and my implants have also been causing me pain. Burning, on and off pain when I take a deep breath, mostly on my left side. I also found a hard lump and had it checked and all was fine. I am assuming it's the scar tissue around the implant. They both are still really soft which is good. It's been 13 years and Dr said the tear drop shaped implants usually rupture by 10 years and was surprised mine were still ok. I am also getting that matronly look which isn't pretty. And I hate how big they look in shirts.

I'm now 42, 5' 97 pounds.

Well ladies, today is the day. 1:00pm I'm having them removed plus the capsule. I'm very nervous but very excited. I have enjoyed reading everyone's stories and it gives me hope that I will have a good outcome. I'll try to post pics in a few days. Wish me luck!!!

Today is Friday and I'm feeling ok. The drains are so uncomfortable but if I'm really still it's not too bad. Its hard to move my arms too but each day I see improvement. They are sore like I worked out really hard. Going to the restroom is also a challenge. Luckily my Mom & husband are on hand to help me and make me snacks.

My procedure was Tues 1pm and Dr told husband it went well. I think the whole thing took about 1.5 hours for explant and capsule removal. They wheeled me in and put the oxygen on and that's all I remember. I woke up in some pain but they gave me a lot of drugs so by the time I left the day surgery center at 5pm I was feeling very little pain. I came home and took a muscle relaxer, ate some soup and took a nap. I went back for dr apt yesterday and they cut off all bandages and they look pretty good. I know they are still swollen and will still shrink some but I'm pretty happy so far. The drains will hopefully come out Monday at 2pm which means the drains will be going to work with me that morning ugh. They told me I should shower each day with the drains (which I will try today) and put some ointment on them. I'm sleeping in a recliner and getting up and down with these drains and trying not to use my arms sucks. I know I will feel way better on Monday when they come out. They are draining less and less each time so that's good. I'm only taking the antibiotic and Advil now also. I'll take some after photos after the shower and try to figure out how to upload them later today.

Today is Saturday morning and I had the procedure Tuesday at 2pm. I finally got some pics up. I can tell they have shrunk a little but so far I am happy with the results. I have more energy today which is good. They told me to wear a stretchy bra/sports bra and I tried yesterday but it hurt the incisions under the left breast so I took it off. I'm trying again today and it's a little better. I have just a stretchy bralette thing on because the sports bra was way too tight. I'm still draining at least 25 cc from morning -night on the right and a little less on the left. I hope it all dries up by Monday. Taking a shower with the drains sucks. I have to wear a thin scarf around my neck and attach the drains to it. I hate these drains but over all I am doing pretty good. Not really in any pain, just a little sore here and there.

It's Tuesday and Dr wanted to wait until Wednesday to let drains work a little longer. After sleeping in that bralette Sat night I was in some pain on Sunday. Mostly on the left. My arm also hurts more on the left. No more bras for me. I'm now in a stretchy tank top. I drove myself to work today and needed help opening the heavy doors. I'm trying not to over do. Can't wait to feel much better.

About my Dr.
My Dr isn't the original Dr that put in my implants, that one retired. My friend found this Dr when she had her breast lift and said he was great. I have to agree. Some of the nurses at the surgery center said a lot of great things about him too. He really is pretty great.

Come on Wednesday, hopefully I will be drain free!!!

I drained 16 on the left and 23 on the right and they decided to take them out this morning. Whooooo I am soooo happy. The left of course hurt a little more than the right but it was over quick so it wasn't too bad. I am very happy. I'll try to post more pics soon.

Well it's been 2 weeks today and i'm doing pretty good. I don't really have any pain except if I stretch my arms out too far to reach for something and maybe some quick second nerve pain here and there. I assume its nerve pain. My right breast has always been a little bigger than my left but i really don't even notice it much until I see it in photos. Yikes! My husband says he can't tell. Luckily when my husband is looking he's not measuring for symmetry so I guess it's no big deal. I have read other ladies on here say they have the same problem so that makes me feel a little better. I am very pleased so far. I am assuming I will shrink up some but I haven't really been wearing a bra consistently so maybe that's why I still look the same. I am still trying these cheap, stretchy 6.00 Walmart bralette bras but I can't make it through the day without taking it off because it irritates my incisions underneath. I just wear a scarf and no one notices. My drain holes underneath my incisions are healing pretty good. I will try to update more photos as time goes on. Good luck to all the ladies that are going to go through this!!!

I forgot to say before that my 2 sets of implants were under the muscle so I thought I would add that.

I was swollen for a full 3 weeks and then just like that it went away. I went from a tight 34 small Hanes bra to a very loose band. Now all of the tight bralette things i have fit pretty loose. I will wait until 3 months before I purchase nice bras, just to see if I shrink any more.

I still have a few zinger pains mostly on the left side but they are gone pretty quickly so it's not too bad. Dr said I could work out after 6 weeks and I took a yoga class yesterday. I'm a little sore today but not too bad. I'm hoping to get rid of the little side boob fat I have going on. We will see.

Today I started using the Mepitac silicone tape I got on Amazon for $14.00. Some other ladies on here had good reviews about it so I thought I would test it out. I'll let you ladies know how that works when I post more pics.

My one tip would be to stretch your arms before they strap them down before surgery. I think that was the worst part was my left arm pain from being strapped down. I'm not 100% sure stretching would have helped but it's worth a try. The pain in my left arm is a lot better now but still goes numb when I stretch it straight out like it was strapped down. I guess maybe I stretched a nerve or something.

I’m loving my new small look and the way I look in shirts. I should have done this a long time ago. At 3 months I couldn’t take the cheap bras anymore and went to Dillard’s to get measured. I went from a pre BA of 32A to now a 32C. The lady asked what I didn’t like about the bras and I poked the side/back boob fat and said this! It was depressing to see it hanging over the top but I purchased 2 bras that I really like. I’m happy to report the side/back boob fat has gotten a little better and I don’t notice it as much anymore. I did loose a few pounds so maybe that helped too.

I don’t have any zinger pains anymore which is great. My arm only gets numb every once in a while when I’m using the mouse at work so it’s a lot better.

I recently took advantage of the VS sale and bought some new swim suits and a few more bras all in a 32C. I think I shrank in the upper pole part so I could use a fluff fairy to swing by and help me out.

I’m not sure if the Mepitac silicone scar tape helped or not. I wore it over 9 weeks everyday/all day until I just got tired of it. My scars look pretty great but I can’t say if it was the tape or just time.