Can't Wait to Watch the Healing Process! - Texas, TX

I'm a 21 college student, and, of course, I developed quickly and early. By the time I was 13 I was a C cup and wearing larger bras than my mother. By my freshman year in highschool I weighed a good 125 and was a D cup. By my senior year I fluctuated between 135-150 and was a DD. Now, I weigh in at about 155. I HATED not being able to wear cute, flowy tops without looking 5 months pregnant. Strapless bras?? FORGET IT. I was miserable! I was a 21 year old with the breasts, I felt, of a 50 year old. I wanted to wear tank tops and a bra be optional! I wanted to go to the beach and not have to wear a sports bra because it was the only thing I felt covered enough! I WANTED PERKY BOOBS! So, on July 26, I took the plunge and had breast reduction surgery. YAY!

Currently I am 5 days post op.
Days 1-3 were relatively....miserable. They prescribed me 5 mg gereric hydrocodone. (HA!) Firstly, it wasn't nearly enough for pain I was in, so I took them 10mg at a time, and much to my surprise, a side effect of the medication was major itching. Try being sliced and diced and then have the feeling of bugs crawling all over your body and not being able to itch yourself without inducing even more pain. I was going mad. So, they prescribed me ambien and I managed to sleep somehow. Added on some benadryl to help with the itching and I wasn't comfortable, but I toughed it out.

Yesterday and today have been nice. I got some Lorotabs (sp?) which is a variant of vicodin or hydrocodone which took the pain completely away. Popped a half a xanax and I have been in post-op bliss since. Feeling like I can do anything! But I soon discovered after being on my feet at Wal-mart for 45 minutes that I was over doing it and became extremely nauseated.

BATHING:
For those who are concerned about bathing so soon post op and how it would affect your pain, I took a shower day 4 post op, because, I'll tell ya, I was scared too.
I had my best friend help bathe me standing in the shower in lukewarm water. She washed my hair for me. Having a removable showerhead is a godsend, but if you don't have one I'd recommend standing with your back away from the faucet. For my breasts, I lathered up a loofa and just squeezed the suds over my breasts, to discover that I felt no pain! Probably due to the steri-strips left on by my doctor (and I'm sure the contributing factor of my hydrocodone). So, I scrubbed up some Lever 3000 on my hands and carefully rubbed over my incisions. Not even a sting of pain. Since I was too tired of standing, we used some spray in conditioner after I got out.

So, that's where I am right now! I hate that I dont have any pre-op pictures (short of the one in a bikini) to share with you, but I'll be making weekly photo updates so that I can keep up with my progress :)

The good news:
-I don't have to take pain pills anymore. I have no more (constant) pain! Yay!
-I've gotten the O.K to start driving

The bad news:
-I feel up to doing stuff, and CAN'T.
-I'm bored of "taking it easy." Really, really, really, really bored.
-I can't work out. Starting to feel super fat.
-I'm going to the beach in three days and can't surf.
-The cute new dresses in my closet are taunting me.
-Im having occasional random, shooting referred pain in my breasts (aka in places that weren't cut)
-I still can't wash my own hair, so someone else has to do it for me. (awkward)

That's all :)

Feeling good.
I've started sleeping on my side a little bit here and there. I have a really soft bed so it doesn't hurt...Not sure if thats a good thing or not.
I can officially raise my arms above my head (slowly) and even showered myself for the first time since the surgery even though it was pretty tiring. (YAY!)
Still having a bit of shooting pain from time to time, but it happens mostly around my areola scars...I attribute to the nerves healing around there and the fact that I finally started nipping again...haha...and maybe thats causing the sutures to tighten.
Also, some of my suture tape has started coming off on its own. Im not sure if that's good or bad. Around my left areola and underneath my left breast. I've included pictures.
Still not able to wear a normal bra or take a bath.
Anyway, that's where I'm at! Pretty much resumed all activity short of working out, lifting things, and taking baths...which stinks. But overall I'm very happy with where I'm headed!

Hallelujah! No more icky sticky nasty tape!
I had to reschedule my check up with my PS today on account of me being sick. And my tape had been starting to come off on its on so...I couldnt resist. I carefully started taking it off. Didnt hurt a bit. Lot of grimy sticky residue left behind though. I figure hey, im going to the doctor tomorrow, if he thinks I need more strips he'll put more on. What's one day? Here are some pics.

Tomorrow I'm 5 weeks post op. I can't believe how much Ive healed! I've come so far :)

I did have a setback this week, however. I somehow pulled a stitch on my right breast where my vertical scar meets the horizontal scar underneath the breast. There's now a triangular-shaped open spot, but it's beginning to heal.
Also, on my left breast around my nipple there is a red mark. It's not painful, but it's noticeable. I'm not sure what it is...hopefully not infection?
Lastly, in a few areas my internal sutures have come through the skin. In those places a tiny bit of string pokes out...I'm not sure if I should cut it or leave it alone? Right now I'm thinking I should cut the exposed string as close to the skin as I can, let the skin grow over it, and it will eventually dissolve. Has anyone else had this happen?
The only thing I can attribute these things happening to is from me accidentally sleeping without a bra one night. My sutures underneath my breast are SO itchy and I just wanted some relief and fell asleep. Oops.

I had the okay my last doctor visit to get in the bath and ocean (YAY!) but no lakes....however I've decided to hold off until the problems I've listed above are solved. I have an appointment with my PS at my 6 week post op. Hopefully those problems will have subsided by then.

I can also currently wear any bra, as long as it doesn't have underwire.
However, my little sister (who is a 34 C) went and bought new bras, and given that I was reduced from a 36 DD a 36 C, I wanted to try them on. They were much too small! I wonder what my actual bra size will be when I finally get to go buy new ones. Maybe there is still swelling causing them to still be larger? Regardless, wether I end ip a 36 C, 36 D, or 34 D, I'm MUCH happier with the appearance of my breasts than I was before, I'll take it!