If you got a breast lift . . .
It really surprise me when folks go for a breast reduction and then end up having implants a few years later. I was lucky that I did have quite a bit of tissue left so they aren't as small as they could be. I've actually had a couple of people ask me if I had implants because my breasts look bigger! The Dr did tell me that my breasts would look bigger after my panni was gone so I guess he was right. Bras do wonders too!
Only you know how you feel about this. But I can tell you I love my perky little girls. I just had a lift no implants and I am beyond pleased. I am 57 years old and I guess by all rights at this age I am not suppose to have perky girls, (although I never had children). But I've got 'um and I love 'um!
You wrote: "by all rights at this age I am not suppose to have perky girls" -- well, I don't know about that! Heaven save us from getting only the things we're "supposed" to have, or from getting what we all probably truly deserve LOL!!!!
You must feel wonderful about your new body, and I bet you're utterly thrilled. Thank you, I really do appreciate your input.
You must feel wonderful about your new body, and I bet you're utterly thrilled. Thank you, I really do appreciate your input.
Hi Charming -
My breasts were my biggest priority due to the horrible rashes that would not heal. I was fortunate to have Kaiser cover my breast lift due to the rashes - something that is pretty much unheard of! The were a saggy deflated mess, and they were uncomfortable, prevented me from exercise and they were very unattractive. I had them done at the same time as by LBL.
I understand about unending recovery and surgery after surgery. In the past 22 months - since 3/08, I've had 12 procedures/hospitalizations and have been in almost constant recovery mode. I'm tired, and even though I really could use a revison (very, very minor) to 2 areas, both my surgeon and I know that I need to wait. We both need a break! I had auto aug on my breasts with mostly skin, and almost no fat. I'm very happy with my full C small D cup, and love my breasts most of all -- and so does my husband.
Neither of us regret the breast work at all.
My breasts were my biggest priority due to the horrible rashes that would not heal. I was fortunate to have Kaiser cover my breast lift due to the rashes - something that is pretty much unheard of! The were a saggy deflated mess, and they were uncomfortable, prevented me from exercise and they were very unattractive. I had them done at the same time as by LBL.
I understand about unending recovery and surgery after surgery. In the past 22 months - since 3/08, I've had 12 procedures/hospitalizations and have been in almost constant recovery mode. I'm tired, and even though I really could use a revison (very, very minor) to 2 areas, both my surgeon and I know that I need to wait. We both need a break! I had auto aug on my breasts with mostly skin, and almost no fat. I'm very happy with my full C small D cup, and love my breasts most of all -- and so does my husband.
Neither of us regret the breast work at all. Jennie
31 lbs lost before surgery
31 lbs lost before surgery
Jennie, you've been pretty heroic. That's a whole lotta medical intervention in one life, isn't it! I'm glad it's there, but wow -- sometimes it sure seems like a lot!
Bless you -- You're looking terrific, and I hope you continue doing wonderfully well. I'm going to take your example into consideration!
Bless you -- You're looking terrific, and I hope you continue doing wonderfully well. I'm going to take your example into consideration!
It has certainly been a journey and not all of that is related to plastics or WLS directly. I ignored many of my medical issues when I was heavy because of all the grief from some doctors. Now, I'm needing to do those things and that has had a toll on me.
I had a 2nd endometrial ablation almost 2 years ago. I had started bleeding heavily again 18 months after the first one. This is probably related to my weight loss and the release of all the estrogen. The doctor could not get enough tissue for a good endometrial biopsy before the procedure, so did a d and c at the time of the ablation. They biopsied that to find that I had precancerous changes, with an ablation over the cells. There would be no way to monitor the changes, so now I needed a hysterectomy. That was done in May 2008, and 4 weeks later, I had by LBL and BL. Then the complications started and I had surgery again in July, August and September of 08 to resolve the infections and non healing seromas and quilt my skin down. Once healed, I had my thighs done in Jan 09. Of course, being me, I had infections, irritations and seromas and massive swelling in my legs. Once that finally settled down we did a revision on my legs at the end of April. That led to another seroma, drain placement and MRSA. The MRSA left me hospitalized for 6 days. Once that healed, I finally had the joint replaced in my thumb - June of 09. We thought that would be fine, but the artificial joint shifted and moved out of place. I never regained full use again of that thumb, but had already planned on getting my arms done. My arms were done on Halloween morning, and on Jan 18th, my thumb was operated on again, and I'm once again in a cast. It's a LONG saga I know! That is one reason that i'm so adament on having good post op care. I'm the poster child for - if it can happen it will - even if you've never had a complication before.
I will say - and I remind my plastic surgeon often that I had no problems with my breast surgery. The girls healed fine and dandy and are wonderful. He refers to breasts as the easy stuff since he does a lot of breast reconstruction! I really have no regrets on any of my plastics even though I knew after the LBL and the complications that I really had to count the cost in doing more plastics. It was lots to think about and evaluate, but it was worth it. The arm/flank surgery was the easiest procedure as a whole. Since my breasts were combined with the LBL, I kind of lump them together as being difficult, but the breast aspect was not complicated. I think it is how I lump them in my brain.
I think that if your breasts do bother you, then consider the lift. I had 5 pregnancies - but only 3 births. (2 miscarriages) and breastfed for a total 40 - 44 months and had lots of sag/droop before the weight loss related to that, and with the weight loss, I was in a bad state as far as the "girls" were concerned. I do find that the breast scars are the least noticible, and there is only one area that someone might notice the scar easily at a glance. It was sometime before I could comfortably sleep on my belly, even after my belly was all healed. I think that some of that had to do with needing the 3 surgeries to resolve the LBL issues, and twice I had to be placed on the OR table face down, with arms out. I woke up sore each time under my breasts. It also took sometime before I felt comfortable in underwire bras, but once everything was healed, that was no problem.
Anyway, I hope the additional backgroud is helpful and will encourage you in an answer.
I had a 2nd endometrial ablation almost 2 years ago. I had started bleeding heavily again 18 months after the first one. This is probably related to my weight loss and the release of all the estrogen. The doctor could not get enough tissue for a good endometrial biopsy before the procedure, so did a d and c at the time of the ablation. They biopsied that to find that I had precancerous changes, with an ablation over the cells. There would be no way to monitor the changes, so now I needed a hysterectomy. That was done in May 2008, and 4 weeks later, I had by LBL and BL. Then the complications started and I had surgery again in July, August and September of 08 to resolve the infections and non healing seromas and quilt my skin down. Once healed, I had my thighs done in Jan 09. Of course, being me, I had infections, irritations and seromas and massive swelling in my legs. Once that finally settled down we did a revision on my legs at the end of April. That led to another seroma, drain placement and MRSA. The MRSA left me hospitalized for 6 days. Once that healed, I finally had the joint replaced in my thumb - June of 09. We thought that would be fine, but the artificial joint shifted and moved out of place. I never regained full use again of that thumb, but had already planned on getting my arms done. My arms were done on Halloween morning, and on Jan 18th, my thumb was operated on again, and I'm once again in a cast. It's a LONG saga I know! That is one reason that i'm so adament on having good post op care. I'm the poster child for - if it can happen it will - even if you've never had a complication before.
I will say - and I remind my plastic surgeon often that I had no problems with my breast surgery. The girls healed fine and dandy and are wonderful. He refers to breasts as the easy stuff since he does a lot of breast reconstruction! I really have no regrets on any of my plastics even though I knew after the LBL and the complications that I really had to count the cost in doing more plastics. It was lots to think about and evaluate, but it was worth it. The arm/flank surgery was the easiest procedure as a whole. Since my breasts were combined with the LBL, I kind of lump them together as being difficult, but the breast aspect was not complicated. I think it is how I lump them in my brain.
I think that if your breasts do bother you, then consider the lift. I had 5 pregnancies - but only 3 births. (2 miscarriages) and breastfed for a total 40 - 44 months and had lots of sag/droop before the weight loss related to that, and with the weight loss, I was in a bad state as far as the "girls" were concerned. I do find that the breast scars are the least noticible, and there is only one area that someone might notice the scar easily at a glance. It was sometime before I could comfortably sleep on my belly, even after my belly was all healed. I think that some of that had to do with needing the 3 surgeries to resolve the LBL issues, and twice I had to be placed on the OR table face down, with arms out. I woke up sore each time under my breasts. It also took sometime before I felt comfortable in underwire bras, but once everything was healed, that was no problem.
Anyway, I hope the additional backgroud is helpful and will encourage you in an answer.
Jennie
31 lbs lost before surgery
31 lbs lost before surgery
Hi Charming,
Well, my girls never "looked ahead." I was genetically blessed with ptosis so my C-Ds were always staring at the ground. I did not breast feed, but two pregnancies and three up and down weight yo-yos left them very saggy and deflated. I looked okay in a bra except the left was bigger than the right and I was always tucking it to the side so I didn't fall out of the bra from the top. I think the biggest reason I had them done when I had my LBL is lying on my back or side in bed was completely uncomfortable. Lying on my back, they would sink into my armpits and I could feel the stretch in the center of my chest. Lying on my side, I was always lying on one, squishing the other one, having to hold a pillow up to my chest under my arm to avoid the squishing....
I AM SO MUCH HAPPIER NOW. I CAN SLEEP!
Terri
Well, my girls never "looked ahead." I was genetically blessed with ptosis so my C-Ds were always staring at the ground. I did not breast feed, but two pregnancies and three up and down weight yo-yos left them very saggy and deflated. I looked okay in a bra except the left was bigger than the right and I was always tucking it to the side so I didn't fall out of the bra from the top. I think the biggest reason I had them done when I had my LBL is lying on my back or side in bed was completely uncomfortable. Lying on my back, they would sink into my armpits and I could feel the stretch in the center of my chest. Lying on my side, I was always lying on one, squishing the other one, having to hold a pillow up to my chest under my arm to avoid the squishing....
I AM SO MUCH HAPPIER NOW. I CAN SLEEP!
Terri
LBL/BL 12/11/09; BL Revision, Quad Bleph 07/16/10. Larry H. Lickstein, M.D., F.A.C.S.
It's not how fast you go, but that you're moving in the right direction!
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