Today is my first tittiversary

One year ago today I was in Dolan Park Hospital having my mastopexy operation.  

I've taken some pics (see below):

One year post mastopexy

One year post mastopexy

One year post mastopexy

On holiday in Mexico

Titties & I (and husband of course) are having a wonderful time! I am loving being able to go braless. I haven't worn underwear (other than compression bra to sleep in) since I got here.

9½ months post mastopexy (uplift)..........

...................and scarring is fading well :)

16 weeks post augmentation / 9½  months post mastopexy

15 weeks post augmentation..........

...........and things are improving.

Apologies for having been 'absent' from this blog.  I have been inordinately busy with my business but also trying not to obsess about righty.  Just leaving my breasts alone to do their thing seemed like a good idea.

A number of people have contacted me asking for an update, and recent pictures, to see how righty is shaping up.  I have taken some snaps this morning and have included them in this post.

Looking at the pics I took at 7 weeks I can definitely see improvement (especially in righty).  

Although righty is clearly smaller than lefty (this is especially irritating as righty was the breast that was reduced in the first op), the issue with the underside of my right breast forming a 'w' shape instead of a 'u' shape is - thankfully - resolving :).  

With regard to the size difference I have deliberately gained weight to see if that would even out the two breasts (I know women who have breast reduction ops are often disappointed that - with weight gain - their breasts accumulate fat most readily and regain size easily) .  For me gaining weight did not result in an evening out of size between righty and lefty; and I am now busy getting that weight off again (Mexico holiday booked 28th June so I'm working hard!)

The size and shape difference is more noticeable in the photos than in 'real life' (if that makes sense).  I guess because they are being 'framed' and observed face on.  I had to point out to husband the issue.  He hadn't noticed (despite spending a lot of time studying my new boobies!!!)

15 weeks post augmentation

left side

right side

All in all I am chuffed to bits with my new boobies.  The scars are healing better than I could ever have hoped.  I love being able to go braless and the fact that when I remove my bra my breasts remain up on my chest!

Oh yes........!

I am still wearing a MACOM bra at night and I probably always will.  I want to 'protect' my new boobies from sagging prematurely (again!!); and supporting them close to my body as I sleep seems like a precaution that might assist with that.  I also religiously wear sports bras when I do any exercise (shamefully I never bothered with them before).   I even strapped myself in when I did a few hours gardening the other day :).

I am now permitted to wear underwired bras and it is such a joy to be back in lovely lingerie.  Happily my size is 34F/G so a lot of the many, many bras I have from pre-op fit me well.

I have absolutely no pain (have not had any since a few weeks after the augmentation op) and nipple sensation is continuing to increase/return.

Almost 7 weeks post augmentation.......

7 weeks post augmentation

Side view

Scarring 7 weeks post augmentation

Lefty

Righty

Clinic appointment with Mr Russo yesterday......

.........has reassured me a little.

When I showed him the problem with righty he assumed I'd had an infection there. I told him not. He looked puzzled.

I told him that the issue seemed to have occurred after drains were removed. He explained that when the drains come out, any air trapped in the breast is sucked out too.

Mr Russo said that my skin will stretch and the deformity will go in time. He then asked me to stand infront of him so he could look properly - he looked perturbed (bit alarming) and again asked me if I'd had any infection there. I repeated that I hadn't and reminded him I was only a little over three weeks post surgery and that my incisions have healed very well.

He then tortured me a bit (he is a titty sadist!!); forcing his fingers either side of righty's scar (in the middle where the problem is) he pinched painfully and said there was a lot of internal scarring and that was the problem. Pulling downwards he squeezed/massaged the internal scarring and said "can you feel that?".

My internal response was: "you mean the searing agony that feels like you are ripping my breast in two??? erm..... YES of course I can feel it!!"

That's what I thought and yet I said: "yes".

He said I could manipulate the internal scarring in that way myself and it would help.

What he did was very painful and I was concerned he might have ripped my scar open and that I'd be purple/yellow/green with bruising. When I checked, however, I wasn't bleeding or bruised and he has, infact, made a positive difference and the suture line has flattened out a little.

It is painful, but I have been trying to massage the internal scar tissue near the indentation on my right breast. My fingers are - metaphorically - crossed that my doing so regularly will resolve the deformity issue.

The mastopexy scars (on the inside edge of both breasts) are becoming quite raised so I have resumed firm massage of all my scars.

Mr Russo wants to see me in a couple of months so he can see the final result and take some 'after photos' for his records.

Praying that implants will drop..........

....I don't like the shape of my breasts at the moment.  Righty is slowly improving with regard to the deformity in the lower curve; it is still a 'w' shape rather than a 'u' but less pronounced than a week ago.

But even if I try to ignore the deformity in righty, I still don't like the shape.  I am also unhappy with the lack of symmetry with regard to both shape and size.

I'm not liking shape or lack of symmetry :(

If the implants were to drop [see diagram below] I think (hope) that would help to improve the appearance and shape of my breasts.










If I hold my arms above my head the shape of my breasts improves; I am hopeful that if the implants 'drop' this is more the shape I will have.

I'm seeing Mr Russo tomorrow I hope he can reassure me.  I am very much regretting the augmentation at this point :(.

My breasts have better shape and symmetry with my arms above my head.

23 days post augmentation

23 days post augmentation

side view - lefty

side view - righty

Feeling more hopeful.......

..........today :)

Since my appointment with the nurse on Tuesday (around 30 hours ago) my right breast has significantly improved in appearance.

Perhaps the dressings being removed has had an impact, maybe my having booked an appointment with Mr Russo on Monday has terrified it into behaving ;), or it might just be the implant is dropping into position.  Whatever the reason the deformity has definitely started to even out.

Righty is far from perfect but the improvement in the last two days is very noticeable.  

Maybe I won't need revision surgery after all?  Fingers crossed.

I am trying not to obsess about my tittys; although that's easier said than done.  I'll take some photos on Sunday (I'm away in Belfast working from tomorrow until then) and hope the improvement in righty is apparent in them.

Nurse agrees that my right breast is not okay......

..........and will need revision surgery to correct the issue.

I had review appointment with Louise, nurse at my local THG clinic, this morning.  She removed the dressings and said the incisions are healing beautifully.  I told her my concerns about righty and she initially (when I was lying down) said she was sure that time would rectify the issue.  

When I stood up and showed her the 'deformity' that the suture line problem creates she agreed that it was not okay.  She said she had never seen anything like the issue I have.

I explained that, as the suture line heals, the 'W' shape at the bottom of my right breast becomes more (not less) pronounced.

Louise said I need to see Mr Russo and that, in her opinion, I will need further surgery.  I asked if I would have to pay for that.  She said I would not have to pay anything more.  Particularly as I am so soon post-surgery.  She added that she knew Mr Russo would want me to me happy with the result and clearly I am not.

I am not being 'pernickety' my right breast is deformed as a result of how the incision is healing :(

I have made an appointment to see Mr Russo on Monday (3rd February).  I am hopeful he will be willing to operate sooner rather than later.  I will be very upset if I have to wait another 6 months to heal fully from this op before he will revise the problem with righty. 

Ho hum........

Although I hate looking at them I've taken a few snaps of my breasts today.

18 days post augmentation

side view lefty

incisions

Deformation in my right breast is becoming worse as the suture line heals!

Having taken photos today with the dressings and steri-strips removed I am able to compare it to photo taken a week ago when dressings were changed the first time.

incisions 7 days post augmentation

incisions 15 days post augmentation

I think the deformation of the suture line is becoming more pronounced as it heals.  I am very upset about this.  Hope I can get some reassurance from the nurse on Tuesday.  Either that it can/will resolve or that Mr Russo will correct it.

15 days post augmentation........

...........and I have changed my dressings and steri-strips today.  The suture lines are healing well but the incision on the right breast is causing the breast to heal in a deformed way.  As the incision heals this is getting more pronounced.

I'm gutted :(

15 days post augmentation

incisions

underside of righty

underside of lefty

Dropping and fluffing

Part of me is holding out hope that the appearance of my right breast will be significantly improved if it experiences what is commonly referred to as 'dropping' and 'fluffing'.  

Not all women experience this and I believe it is more dramatic with sub-pectoral placement. 

'Dropping' and 'fluffing' can take weeks or even months to occur so I may not know whether my right breast will improve for some time yet.   I guess that is why Martina, the nurse I saw a week ago, said not to worry about any 'imperfections' I perceive in my breasts for at least three months.

Two weeks post augmentation...........

.............and, physically, I am feeling absolutely fine. I'm back to pre-op energy levels and for 90%+ of the time I totally forget I had surgery two weeks ago.

I've had a very busy week at work and have been away from home for most of it. The last two nights were spent in hotels and laying flat on my back to sleep. Back ache (like I had after the first op) was a real problem last night. I'm home again now so I'll be sleeping upright on my chaise lounge again. I have rebuilt my 'pillow fort' and am snuggled into it as I type :).

I've mostly tried to not look at my breasts this week - thus no photos. Righty is still deformed and I find it upsetting to look at it so, for the most part, I haven't. I cannot do anything to change it so obsessing won't make any difference.

I watched 'Botched up Bodies' on television last night. It's about cosmetic surgeries that have gone wrong. The series started the night before my op; for obvious reasons I decided it wasn't a good idea for me to watch it that night. There were a couple of women on last nights show having 'botched' breast surgery corrected by consultant surgeons. I am beginning to wonder if that will be my future.

Mario Russo still hasn't responded to my email. I sent it 12 days ago. I don't expect to receive a response now. I will see the nurse on Tuesday and will express my concerns to her and especially my disappointment that Mr Russo has not had the courtesy to even acknowledge my email. I will ask if I can forward the email to her and ask her to forward it to Mr Russo.

Eight days post augmentation........

........and I am feeling sore and a bit 'out of sorts'.

My skin, where the old dressings have been removed, is a tad sore (I guess I have a slight allergy to the adhesive) and the incisions on both breasts are feeling a bit raw too.  I'm sure that's due to them having been 'disturbed' by the nurse yesterday.

I am also suffering with constipation caused, I realise too late, by the codeine in the co-codamol painkillers I took in the first few days post-surgery.   

All in all I'm feeling a bit yukky.

eight days post augmentation

side view - lefty

side view - righty

Back from review appointment with nurse........

..........and all is well.

Martina, the nurse, was adorable.  She was very gentle (no "ouchie, ouchie, pulley, pulley" today) and  she was reassuring too.

The incisions are healing very well and, although the right breast incision line is clearly kinked I think it is slowly evening out and looking better each day.  

Martina stressed that before the three month mark most augmented breasts will appear distorted (to a greater or lesser extent and for more or less periods of time) and that the majority end up absolutely perfect in terms of shape.

She removed the dressings and steri-strips and I took a couple of snaps [see below].  She has put fresh steri-strips and dressings in their place.  I'm very pleased about that.  I like the extra protection they afford in these early days.

I need to continue to keep suture lines dry as Mr Russo is very much of the opinion that bacteria in water is the cause of most infections and, as a result, worse scarring.  I'm fine with that.  I went longer than two weeks post-op without a shower last time.  I'm bathing daily (with water only filled to reach my belly button) and washing my hair every other day so not struggling with feeling grubby.

I wipe my breasts down with flannel when I bathe and I use wet wipes to clean near and around the dressings a couple of times a day.  I'm changing my compression bra daily too.

one week post augmentation

incision righty

incision lefty

my first sight of the incisions post augmentation

I am very impressed with how small, neat and true to the original scar line Mr Russo has made the incisions.  

Next week:

I am unable to get to the clinic next week, for the dressings and strips changing again, as I'm working long hours each day (mostly away from home).  Martina agreed I could change the dressings myself and she gave me the materials I will need to do so and instructed me on what to do.

I will then see the nurse (Louise) the following week.  

'supplies' provided by nurse for me to change dressing and steri-strips next week

I'm seeing the nurse later today.

The dressings, and possibly the steri-strips, will be removed and I will get my first look at what my naked breasts look like post augmentation.

After the mastopexy I was very excited about this appointment, and for the full reveal of my surgically enhanced breasts.  My experience of total horror at what I saw, on that occasion, has tempered any excitement I might have had today [for the gory details see here].

I recall being in a lot more pain/discomfort once the dressings were removed last time.  Some of that - I'm sure - was psychosomatic, actually seeing the lacerations across my boobies was nothing short of shocking; some was due to the skin and suture lines being made sore by the process of removing the dressings and steri-strips (ouchie); and some was - I guess - that the dressings had been providing some support.

I hope I am better prepared for what I might see today. I also hope I will have a better idea of what the issue with the suture line on righty might be.

I'll update - with photos - later.

Wish me luck.


X

Six days post augmentation.........

...............and I think I can see some evidence of the implants beginning to drop into place :).  I'm certainly liking the shape of lefty better.

The suture line on righty is still a serious concern to me but I'm not able to do anything to affect that right now so I've decided not to waste my time stressing about it.  I emailed Mr Russo on Monday with my concerns and, as yet, received no response. 

I have my wound-check appointment with the nurse at my local clinic tomorrow.  The dressings will be removed and I am hopeful that will give me a better idea of what is going on to cause the suture line to be so wonky.  I will also be able to ask the nurse's opinion as to whether the breast will heal in a deformed way and what to do about the lack of response from Mr Russo.

six days post-augmentation

side view - lefty

underside view - lefty

side view - righty

underside view - righty