My cosmetic surgery experience

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-20-2004
My cosmetic surgery experience
12
Tue, 02-22-2005 - 5:42pm

So Jen busted me... the "surgery" I've been sidelined from was cosmetic. Jean said she'd like to hear a little about it, so here goes! If you disagree with plastic surgery that is understandable - it's a personal decision and not for everyone.

I had breast augmentation on 2/11. Everyone says you can't sleep the night before, but I slept like a log. I went to the hospital the next day at 5:30 a.m., got settled in my room, took a preggers test, and then the nurse started my IV. I am terrified of needles and spent much time worrying about this, but it really wasn't bad when the time came. Didn't hurt, and they actually don't leave a needle in you (it's a small piece of plastic), so I was fine with that. Then the pain doc came and gave me some sedatives-- this is one part of the process that I truly hated. It made me all antsy and paranoid and I wanted to rip the IV out and run home. Scary. Before I knew it, I was fading in and out, and was in the operating room. Last thing I remember was the pain doc putting little white sensors on me and me asking him if they were like the ones they put on E.T. after he was captured...

...I woke up really disoriented and sore in the recovery room. The doctor came and said hi, and then they wheeled me back to my room where they put me in bed for a while. The next time I woke up, I had to sit up and get dressed with the help of my fiance and the nurse. That really sucked. I was so groggy, it made my head spin and I broke out into a sweat just moving. I didn't have much pain because I was so doped up, but it was a little hard to sit up w/out using my arms. I finally got up and past the nauseous stage, was dressed, and the fiance drove me home. I was in surgery from 7:30 - about noon, I think, and was heading home by about 2 or 3. I'm not sure.

Once I got home, I got settled in my armchair and spent the next 2 days sleeping every time I took a pain pill. I slept the entire night both nights, and the only time I was in a lot of pain was when I had to sit up get out of the chair to go to the bathroom. The pain was really more like muscle soreness from lifting, times about 15, but I didn't complain because I elected the surgery. You ladies could all handle it. It wasn't terrible. My fiance had to do everything for me - lift a glass to my mouth, rip off toilet paper for me (at least I could use it myself), help me ease back into the chair, prepare my food... he was really a good nurse! He loves the new product, btw.

Ever since the surgery I've had to wear a surgical bra, which I can only take off to shower. (I could first shower on the Sunday following the surgery, but my fiance had to do everything for me). After the first 2 days, I started getting more and more independent and can now do pretty much everything by myself except lift my arms over my head and lift more than 5 lbs. I feel fine, I was back at work the following Thurs., --- I have to be patient and wait as my body heals and goes through a lot of changes in the coming weeks and months. No working out for at least another 2 weeks - no lifting for another month. I'll have to start massage to reduce the risk of scar tissue forming (one of the reasons some people have to have a corrective surgery). It's too early for me to be excited about all this, but I'm getting there. It's something I've always wanted to do, but just being happy and not feeling guilty about it is a difficult thing for me, as well as worrying about what other people think. Time will tell, esp. since I'm wickedly irritable right now as a result of not being able to work out. LOL.

I am happy to answer any questions - and I hope no one will judge me!

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-20-2003
Tue, 02-22-2005 - 5:47pm
Thanks for the update!





iVillage Member
Registered: 03-15-2004
Tue, 02-22-2005 - 5:57pm

My best friend at work had this done over the summer and she said it was no big deal either. We were both surprised at how quickly the recovery went and I'm betting it was largely because she was in good shape already. She bounced back pretty quickly and I'm sure you will too.

Not judging you at all... It's a personal preference and if it makes you happy, that's the most important thing. :)

Avatar for soleilune
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Tue, 02-22-2005 - 6:08pm

Nosy britches that I am i want to know the same thing as Jean. Actually I'm more curious about how much bigger than you were did you elect to go?

I also want to note that you should be very careful to stick to the guidelines about when you start doing upper body exercise. I had a partial mastectomy a couple years ago and was back to work (yes, teaching classes) 4 days later, but was careful not to use the arm on the side I had surgery - for about another 4 more days. Because i was healing beautifully & never had any pain (my surgeon was amazing) i got back to normal too soon and ruptured the incision. Although it didn't hurt, it was horribly messy & slowed the healing process. Now, since mine wasn't cosmetic I wasn't worried about being 'pretty' but yours is so just be careful and follow your Dr.'s orders.

I hope you're very happy w/ them. That's alot to go through not to be totally satisfied. Good luck and take very good care of yourself. Kudos to you BF for being so helpful (i'm sure he feels he's got a vested interest in 'them' healing well, though ;->).

Soleilune
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-11-2004
Tue, 02-22-2005 - 10:05pm

thanks for the info, that's interesting to know.

congrats!!! i'm sure you'll have many years to appreciate the results and this will all be a faded memory and totally worth it.

i agree with jean, that was really sweet of your fiance to help you so much. i'm glad he gets to appreciate the results as well!

don't feel guilty - it's your body, and you should do what you want with it (as long as you aren't hurting others, which you aren't) - what was the point of the whole feminist movement if the result isn't that a woman gets to decide what to do with her own body!? i think you should be proud about it.

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-20-2004
Wed, 02-23-2005 - 9:46am

The process is more tedious than anything else - at least so far - since I've had such great help. I also have a wonderful, very experienced and talented surgeon, so I'm sure that played a role.

I am 5'6", 135 - 140 lbs., and was a small B prior to surgery (A cups were too small, Bs were a little loose). I'm not sure yet what size I'll be once everything settles (I can't go bra shopping for another month because of the changes that will still be happening), but the goal was to be a small D, and that's what the doctor thinks they are. I think they really fit well with the rest of my body - my goal was to be more proportionate rather than Pamela Anderson-esqe. :) When I got measured for my wedding dress, for example, I was a size 10 hips, size 8 waist, and... drumroll please... a size TWO bust. :)

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-15-2004
Wed, 02-23-2005 - 9:52am
Yay for you for being proportionate. Working in a gym, I've seen quite a few women with boobs that enter the room before they do and I can't honestly say I find it attractive. I hope they heal soon and you can go bra shopping! :) (That was one of the things my friend did as soon as the first month had passed. And then she came to me and said "Okay, how do you do cardio with these things?"... Hee-hee. I had to give her all my big-boob-girl tips.)
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-20-2004
Wed, 02-23-2005 - 9:56am

Good advice to take it easy according to the dr's recommendations - I constantly have to remind myself that just because I feel ok doesn't mean everything is healed. It's hard for us gym rats to slow down!

I replied to Jean on the size issue - I went up 2 sizes. Initially I was thinking about just going up 1 size so it wouldn't be terribly noticeable, but I decided it was too much to go through for such a minor change. And everyone I talked to who had gone through it said I would regret not going a little bigger. I am glad I took the advice, even though I thought it sounded a little "boob fanatical" to me at first --- the new size looks really natural on me. Not freakishly big at all.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Wed, 02-23-2005 - 10:55am

I'm with the others here, pleased and happy that you are enjoying the results and impressed with your BF's great support and nurturing. Cosmetic surgery is nobody's business but the person electing to get it. Anyone who judges has their own issues to deal with and should rather than imposing them on the person who elects for cosmetic correction. Good for you for knowing what you want and going for it!

I'm on the opposite side of this problem. I've been on the waiting list for a reduction (at military expense) for two years now. I don't see it happening anytime soon unless I cough up the dough and have it done myself. I was hoping to hear a reduction story, but I guess it will be up to me to post one of those here:)

~K~

~Kiervin~

Co-author of:  MONSTER'S INK HORROR ANTHOLOGY By Cyber-Pulp Press

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-20-2003
Wed, 02-23-2005 - 11:10am

Sounds great!






iVillage Member
Registered: 05-20-2004
Wed, 02-23-2005 - 3:02pm
Sure! I'm actually in a wedding in early April so maybe I will post some of them.

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