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My personal experience after the surgery/post op:
1st day of Post-op: As I was awoken by the nurses, my DH and kids standing in front of me, I wanted to lay back down and fall asleep. Instead, I was instructed to get up, put on my shirt because it is time to go home. Sometime, I wonder if the nurses understood what it is like to be awoken up from anesthesia, ;). My PS had a compressor strap wrap around my chest to help assist keeping my implants down. I was tired, exhausted, it was painful to move my arms and I slept the whole day.
2nd day of Post-op: I was instructed by PS to walk around at least total of 30 mins today, as I did. I must say, it wasn't as bad as I thought because I was feeling like sh*t. I was able to walk around but was slouching because I did not want to stretch my muscle tissues, too painful. I was on pain killers for sure. I have high pain tolerance, birth 3 kids with out epidural, been through one surgery not needing pain killers but this was a whole different level of pain. I can take in a lot of pain but not this time. You don't realize how much you use your pectoral muscles til it puts you in pain every time you use it. Anyways, the pain killers kept me tired. So, I slept all day again.
3rd day Post-op: Miracle day. I gain some energy, was able to lift my arm up a little. I got off the pain killers and had a doctors appointment to get the straps taken off. At the appointment, my PS said I was healing nicely and approve me to start showering. When I got home, instead of showering immediately, I went straight to my room to check out my new boobs. I did have mixed emotions. I thought it was going to look perfectly round, soft, and positioned right. Instead, it was sitting up a little high, uneven, and my boobs were still swollen. I started to question myself, if I gone too big and why wasn't it looking normal.. Which is normal to do because I was never informed of the post-op process and I am use to having small boobs by now that anything bigger than what I had, in my case, 3 sizes bigger, was big. I understand why the PS or coordinators don't get into detail of the post-op process because every single women has different outcome and/or experience. Too many hypothetical questions and it probably would of second guess our decision to move forward with the surgery. My areola still had strips covering the incision.
4th day Post-op: I can reach slightly higher than the day before, higher than shoulder height. I still had energy and I got back into doing light chores. It was still painful to move around but still got through it. I'd experienced lots of spasms when I would reach for things and with certain movements. I was back to making my kids lunch and taking care of them on my own. Thankfully, my 11 year old helped make breakfast for the 2 younger ones.
Any mothers with questions about having clingy toddlers:
My 21 month old was very clingy to me. Meaning she was on my hip through out the day. Once your toddler understands that you are in pain, trust that she is willing to alter her habits. Ex: My daughter has always laid on my chest before she napped or slept but knowing that mommy had a boo boo she just laid next to me in bed until she fell asleep. She was also use to being on my hip everywhere we went but knew she couldn't be held, so, she did not give me a hard time and walked. So, don't worry they will adjust.
5th &6th day Post-op: Both days, I gone to the beach to walk around and let my kids go loose, since, I kept them all cooped up in the house. The pain has lessened but I am still sleeping elevated up 45 degrees. I also felt, at the end of day 6th, I over did it by walking a lot because I can feel soreness and increase of pain in my chest area. Did I forget that I was pushing my daughter in a walking stoller, which I think that is what caused the soreness in the bottom part of my boob.
I strongly advise any mother with Toddlers, have your Husband or an adult go with you on any outdoor activities. You would not be able to chase them or any quick movement can cause a tear in the muscle tissue.
2nd week Post-op: I was pretty much able to do everything I normally did except lift anything over 10lbs, vacuum, or carrying/pushing my 2 year old. I am still feeling discomfort & little pain when lying down at a 45 degree upright position. My boobs has dropped a little but is still uneven. I still have taping over my areola. I did run into a problem where I washed it and soap gotten into an open area causing a throbbing pain. I called the nurse and found out that was the case. I felt a little embarrassed. I have also, noticed an area of incision is oozing yellowish, light reddish/pinkish color. I was told this is normal and not to worry. I forgot what the explanation was, sorry.
3rd week: I was able to drive everywhere without having too many spasms. I hear from others that is a constant problem but if you start stretching your pectoral muscles, it will help improve and eliminate this problem. Check out Rapid Return Exercising on You Tube for PS recommended stretches.
4th week: This week I had a follow up appointment for my areola incisions to take the tapes off. After my PS took the tape off, I noticed there was some areas that were still open, especially one that was huge with the end knot of the suture right in the middle. My first immediate reaction was, is this going to cause the incision from closing up/healing properly. I asked my PS and he mentioned that sometimes this happens, do to the way my body heals. It will eventually close up but will take time and not to worry. It is easy said then done. I stressed all day and week long about this open incision. Other areas was small and I had faith it will close up but an open incision with a big knotted up suture in the middle, I was questioning my PS. Although, I know he has years and years of experience and he knows what he is talking about but fear causes doubt. I was also prescribe a different Anti-biotic cream then the one purchased from the PS office. It was a very expensive cream, I went to one pharmacy, they charged me $45.00 per tube and another charged $25.00 per tube. Crazy how there is a big difference in price, it was for the exact same cream.
5th-6th week: My incision is still open and looks the same. Trying not to be so paranoid about my healing of my incision and am always afraid of other possible complications. I need to just relax and enjoy my new boobs. I am healing just fine and have not had any complications yet excluding areola incision. I want to mention prior to the surgery I was dealing with numerous areas of tendonitis, as well as low back pain. So, I did a lot of researching for almost a year. Anyone dealing with any chronic pain/ailment understands the difficulties of finding a solution. Fortunate my husband was listening to a Pod Cast of the Underground Wellness Radio Show by Sean Croxton. He had a guest name Todd Durkins who just wrote a book called 'The IMPACT! Body Plan.
Basically, this was a book that interest me and the issues I am currently dealing with. It is a 10 week program to recondition and strengthening your body, that I was not able to do just yet. During this time, I took advantage of reading the whole book and preparing my body for this intense workout in the hopes of a full recovery. Anyone interested in following my progress, I am working on another blog and will attach the link once it is ready. As this blog is for implants & exercise purpose.
7th week: My incision is finally starting to slowly close up. Other areas of open incision did close up. So far, so good. I forgot to mention since I have been so worried to let you know that I am completely satisfied and happy with the size my PS was able to make it. He wasn't sure I was able to get the size I requested but made it happen, YAY. Other than the incision, my boobs is slowly dropping.
8th week: My incision has finally closed. I am happy and worried free. My breast is still in process of dropping. Some areas of the areola incision has healed but some areas still has sutures in it.
9th and 10th week: Nothing different from week 8 but boobs dropping a little more.
11th week: Ok this week was really scary for me because my husband was lying ontop of me with his chest up and giving me kisses. There was something around his foot that was bugging him, so, as he was trying to kick it/shove it away. He slowly leaned his shoulder towards my left breast pushing it further out until I felt a striking pain as if my muscle tissues tore. Obviously, I wasn't thinking straight and telling him to lay off my breast. He did not realize he was doing this until I screamed. I called my nurse and she said nothing to worry because after 6 weeks the implants is sitting in the pocket and will not cause it to lateral bottom out. I am still worried it has pushed it out a little bit, although it feels that way. Could be in my head, I don't know but I am still sore in that area. The nurse also, ok me to continue working out. We will see when I go in for another follow-up.
12th week: My left boob has dropped completely but has not fluffed. My right boob is still dropping. The side of my left boob is still a little sore but I have been watching it and making sure it does not lateral bottom out.
13th week: It is still bothering me in the left boob. It has been uncomfortable & painful laying on my left side. There is an area where one of my sutures are coming out, it is turning reddish and it was discharging yellowish and pinkish fluid. Which is normal. I can not wait til it is completely heal and sutures are gone.
14th week: End of week 14, I have noticed improvement in my left boob. I did not wake up feeling tenderness or soreness. Although, I still am not laying on my left side due to fear of putting too much pressure on my muscle tissue causing it to lateral bottom out. Even though my nurse assure me that it will not happen. It is crazy how we allow our emotions get the best of us. I have noticed this week, on Friday and Saturday my left and right boobs are starting to fluff. My right boob has what I believe completely dropped. As they fluff, it is making the look of my boobs rounder and beautiful.
15th week: Having these new set of twins are so nerve reckon. I still have burning/tearing sensation coming from the side of boobs. As well as, stinging pain on my left areola incision. This is normal til the breast fully heal and the sutures are completely out & healed. I don't believe I was informal about the sutures that were used because some of you probably are reading this blog and wondering, why do I still have sutures and yours are completely out and healed. As I have mentioned, I had an areola reduction and my PS put in a type of suture that will last up to 6 months. To make sure my areola won't get bigger than what he had reduced it to. There is still a chance that the areola can enlarge during healing the process, as it drops and fluff if you get a suture that dissolves within 2-3 weeks. This fact isn't from my PS but from others whom had this done.
16th week: I still feel the burning/tearing sensation and stinging pain in the areola incision area. Let me elaborate on my statement for week 15. I said nerve reckon because I am so paranoid that something might go wrong by quick movement or my kids/hubby running, jumping, or accidentally striking my boobs. Many other possibilities based on reading the internet. I try to not read to much into what others experience but is hard to not think about it. I will say that I am very very very pleased with my results and love the way it looks. Over the past few weeks, I have noticed that my boobs are starting to slowly fluff but still think my right boob has not completely drop.
17th week: I am happy to announce that my boobs definitely blossom this week. Both are rounding out really well and sitting in a very nice position. It still has a little more to go but over all I love it. I am very pleased and full of happiness. Time is torture but at the end it will bring it to light. I am still experiencing burning sensation in the side of my boobs, mainly left, and in my incision areas where the suture is slowly coming out.
18th week: Boobs are still rounding out. Not as big of a change from last week but can tell the bottom and side is rounding out more. I believe I am completely dropped both sides. My side boobs still have the burning sensation when getting up in the morning. My left boob only has 6 sutures left and my right has 7 sutures left. It is crazy when sutures come out because you can see a hole from that area. It takes quite a bit of time before it closes up and heals, too.
19th week: I am slowly starting to adjust to not having to worry so much about problems arising or my kids being around me or having to constantly micro scoping it out daily. The greatest thing that happen this week, I have noticed my boobs has round out more causing my areola to redirection itself towards the middle. It was a little towards the side but now it is centering out.=)
20th: Nothing new this week. I do want to mention that my boobs still get sore at times. Maybe, it is from all the workouts.
I want to let you ladies understand that it is normal to go through a lot of emotions during these healing process. We all wish it will go smooth and that our results meet out expectations. Things do happen of course to some that are unfortunate but we shall remain positive and hope to get positive results.
