My new boobs are so beautiful I could cry!!

[Kimberly]

I was always really unhappy with my oddly shaped breasts, bras never seemed to fit correctly and lefty was frequently painful. I wasn't unhappy with having small breasts, but I was extremely unhappy with the shape. So I pursued a BA to change the shape of my breasts and learned that I had tubular breast deformity. I saw pictures of implants being put in breasts like mine and they looked the same afterwards, just bigger. So I read medical journals and learned how the deformity is corrected and that it is possible to change the shape of your breasts with surgery, but it requires much more than just placing an implant.

My breasts were shaped like a tube, very narrow for my chest, with a high and tight inframammary crease. The only tissue that developed was constricted directly behind my areola and as it developed, it stretched the areolas, making them puffy and causing a lot of pain. I say I was a 36A but really I'm not sure if that's correct. I had some tissue on the left but it just wasn't shaped right for a bra and the right just a puffy, enlarged areola. Buying bras was really a nightmare!

I went to my consult as soon as I got home from college for the summer. I was so nervous I'd end up like one of those girls who just got implants and end up with just a bigger version of my "deformed" breasts. I knew my PS was the one when he said he would need to use the techniques I had read about in the medical journals and completely eased all of my fears. We discussed a full C and he agreed it would look nice on my body and showed me pictures of other surgeries to make sure we were on the same page with cup size. He also showed me a picture of tubular breasts that he corrected just 2 weeks before my consult. At my pre-op I asked to be a full D but my PS did not feel comfortable going more than a C because of the lack of skin on my right side. Both sides were extremely tight due to the deformity, but the right also needed a larger implant to correct the asymmetry. I decided to settle for the smaller size, because I did not go into a BA wanting large breasts, I just wanted a normal shape, and I was confident that my PS could do that.

I arrived at the Surgical facility at 7am and was taken back at 7:15. They took my vitals and I took a pregnancy test, which came up with no result. Luckily I go to the bathroom a lot when I'm nervous so in a few minutes I was able to go again to take another test. The nurse placed my IV and my PS came in and drew on me and talked to me. He said they had the full range of silicone implants and would use sizers in the OR. Then the anesthesiologist came in and talked to me. He teased me about how it was his first day, and really made me laugh. My mom was in the room with me the whole time and when the nurse took me back to the OR she gave me a hug and a kiss and went off to work because my surgery was expected to take 5 hours! The anesthesiologist came into the OR and was putting me to sleep and the nurse seemed like she was holding me down, I have no idea why. She kept telling me how proud they were that I'm going to such a good school and how beautiful I'm going to look afterwards.

The next thing I heard was my PS saying he could only fit 350 (and 375). He wasn't talking to me and it really didn't faze me. I was in the recovery room. My mom had just walked in and I remember saying hi to her. I was so tired I wanted to go back to sleep but I really wanted to wake up so I could go home ASAP. My chest was so tight and sore although I couldn't feel any real pain. I was laying flat on my back and felt like I could barely take short breaths, but I was still hooked up to oxygen so I was fine. My PS talked to my mom briefly and said he would be back when I woke up a little more. In the mean time, many people asked me how I was doing and the nurse helped me sit up so I could drink some soda. Once I was sitting up she said she could remove the oxygen line, which I was really happy about. My PS came back with instructions for my mom and he put an ace bandage around my chest, above my nipples to hold the implants in perfect place. They put my sports bra on while I was still asleep. A little later, the nurse asked if I wanted to get dressed behind the curtain or in the bathroom, so I said behind the curtain so my mom could help me. Then she told me I would have to try to go to the bathroom cause my bladder might still be asleep and I might have to go but not be able to feel it. Sure enough, I had to go. When I came out of the bathroom, they had a wheelchair for me and my mom went to get the car. On the way home, the turns hurt the most, and I had my mom avoid speed bumps.

My surgery lasted 5 and 1/2 hours. Because it was so long, I had a urinary catheter placed but I was asleep before it was placed and it was removed before I woke up. The surgery took so long because my PS had to perform a peri-areolar lift, place implants, make radial incisions to release the constricted tissue over the implants (to form a normal breast mound instead of a tube shape), reduce the areola, lower my creases, and create symmetry with all of these procedures. When I first peaked at my new breasts, I almost cried from joy. My PS is a genius, and I am so incredibly lucky I found him. They are not high, not square, and not bruised at all. I'm sure I'm swollen though. But honestly to finally have normal shaped breasts is a dream come true for me. I was hoping my PS would use 400 and 450, but he could only fit 350 and 375. It really doesn't matter to me now though, I think because the only reason I researched a BA was to correct the tubular deformity, which required an implant. I haven't seen my areolas yet, but I think I will on Thursday at my first post-op.

My recovery has been pretty easy. My PS applied a local anesthetic at the end of the surgery so I wouldn't wake up in pain. I've been taking 2 anexsia every six hours and my antibiotic 3 times a day. I'm hoping to get down to 1 anexsia every 6 hours tomorrow. I could pretty much do everything on my own post-op, I just move very slowly. I think that is because I prepared so well thanks to the wonderful advice on this forum. I've been reclined on the couch or propped up in my bed. I got a back rest pillow so I would roll over in my sleep and I highly recommend that, combined with one of those neck pillows for travel. Sitting up from the reclined position is pretty difficult. I quickly adjusted to using only my legs to lower and raise myself and by keeping up with the pain pills I have only felt like I really over did it at the gym. The lower outer edges of my boobs are the most sore, which I think is because of the radial incisions to release the constricted tissue. I've heard they cause a lot of pain, which is why I just started off taking 2 pain pills (PS said to take 1 or 2 every six hours). I took 1 at first to make sure I didn't have a bad reaction. When I took 2 at once I became itchy all over, but it's nothing I can't deal with. I think I'm recovering very well, and I'm doing much better than I had expected.

And to make it even better, my wonderful BF sent flowers today. =) I'm so grateful for all of the advice and support from this forum, I really couldn't have done it without you girls!

[pink_cashmere_26@y]

What a wonderful story! I'm so happy for you May you have a speedy recovery.

[juju corona]

Thanks for sharing your story. Sounds like you are on a good road for recovery! Congratulations! I hope you will be happy with the results!!!!

[monizzle]

Kimberly, you do not know how wonderful this message has made me feel. I also have tubular breast with similar stats as you but I'm a bit shorter and my left breast is larger putting me up to a 36B.

The first PS I went to told me I would never "look normal" and would only perform a breast lift on the right and implant on the left. I left his office feeling so discouraged and even worse about my banana boob than I already did. He even drew a picture of my boob emphasizing the ugliness! Major let down.

The next PS I found is Dr. James Sheridan in Peoria, IL. He has been absolutely amazing and is performing all the reconstructive procedures you needed (radial incisions, breast lift, areola reduction, altering the crease, correcting asymmetry, etc). He is using an expandable implant on the smaller breast so he can go back and correct the asymmetry if needed after the D&F and swelling subsides, so I will be getting saline to enable this. My surgery is July 8, just a WEEK away!!! I am ecstatic. I hope I have as much satisfaction as you have..as you know anything could improve on these puppies : )

I hope your recovery goes smoothly and make sure you flaunt those beautiful boobies!

Anna

[mamaof4]

That is a great story, thank you for sharing it with us....have a great recovery and congratulations on your new and improved boobies!!!!!!

[hyjinx]

What a great story to come home and read. I'm so happy for you and I really hope things keep going smoothly for you! Yay for pretty boobs!

[Alaria]

Congrats!!! I'm so happy for you and that you are loving your results. Continue to recover quickly. Enjoy those girls.

[newboobs32]

That is a WONDERFUL story and I'm so happy that you are finally happy with your boobs. It's amazing how much more of a woman breasts make us feel, even though they really have nothing to do with being a real woman. Congratulations!

[schwmom]

Congratulations!! You're going to look great!!

[jkelsey]

Awww I'm so happy for you!! YAY!!!

[HappyinSoCal]

I am SO very happy for you! It kinda puts everything in perspective to read about someone so happy with their results. Thank you so much for sharing. CONGRATS!!!

[MOMto3boys]

it is so wonderful to hear your post. my mind is at ease about my ps now. i have severe tubular breast deformity as well, with herniated areolas. my ps said i was the worst case he had seen in 27 years of practice. that made me curious about whether he knew what he was doing, but now that you described what your surgeon did, it is exactly what mine said he was planning to do with me. can i ask why your's did unders? and my big question.....do you have cleavage?!

[Rebecca8669]

OMG! I just wanted to tell you, that I had constricted breast also. I had/have a wonderful ps who knew exactly how to tackle the problem. I was at a 34b because I had breastfed two children (which I later found out was a feat in itself with tubular breast!). Anyway, he said he needed to do a lift AND implants in order to give me the look I wanted. In order to correct the "snoopy dog" look, as he so eloquently put it, he would have to cut/separate the tissue on the bottom side of my breast, in order to allow it to mold around the implant. Well, here I am, four weeks later, and have beautiful, round 34D breasts! Isn't it amazing how something like this can make life so difficult for you, especially when you're developing, and you see all of your friends looking "normal?"

Well, I'm happy for you.....and me....and all of the rest of us used-to-be tubular/constricted breast chicks!

[Theycallmecarmela]

Very happy to read your story. Congrats and Keep us posted.

[Kimberly]

First of all, thanks to EVERYONE for your support! I'm surprised so many people actually read through the whole thing...and then to see you all so happy for me, you girls are the best!!

Monizzle: I'm so happy you found a PS that knows how to correct the deformity! I was hoping my PS would have experience with it since he performs a lot of reconstructive work. I can't believe the first PS treated you that way, it is unbelievable that he would be so disrespectful and unprofessional. But I want to wish you luck with your surgery. I pretty much felt like anything would be better than what I had also, and I think that's why I was so happy with my outcome. I think a lot of people envision perfection after their BA, even though they know it's not realistic. I had the gauze removed today and my areolas are symmetric and in the middle of my boobs, instead of closer to the creases. My PS told me not to expect perfection but I'm so happy with my outcome I don't think I could be any happier. They are bruised (it was covered by the gauze before), very tight, and look a little flattened (I guess by the muscle) and I am just in love with them. I could go on forever...I think you are going to be really happy.

Momto3boys: I was worried beforehand also. When I was sitting in the waiting room for my first consultation I actually got sick to my stomach at the thought of spending all this money to end up with a larger version of what I had. But when I brought up the specific procedures my PS went into much more depth because he realized that he wouldn't just be talking over my head since I had done so much research on the procedure. Has he done a lot of reconstructive work? My PS didn't want to get my expectations up either. I had a more severe and more asymmetrical case than the tubular case he had before mine. He told me not to expect perfection but that I would definitely see an improvement. As far as having cleavage...I don't really. I think once they loosen up and settle I will have nice cleavage in a push up bra, but I don't have cleavage like most of the girls you see on here. But I think that's only because my implants are too small to create great cleavage. My breast skin was just far too tight to safely use a larger implant, but you can probably accommodate a much larger implant since you've had children. Even if you can't use a large enough implant to create good cleavage, don't let that discourage you. My PS said 400 and 450 was the largest possibility at my pre-op, but in the OR he realized it was not safe. It might be better if they were bigger but honestly I care very little about that, just because it wasn't a possibility. My PS said if I wanted to go bigger I'd have to wait several years to allow the skin to stretch. It completely makes sense to me, especially with having such a complicated procedure performed. I got what I wanted: round, normal shaped breasts and areolas.
When we discussed unders vs overs, my PS said he would try to do unders, because he likes to have that extra layer over the implant. But, he said he may have to switch to overs in the OR if unders did not produce a pleasing shape. At my post-op today he explained that overs were not an option with my procedure and honestly I could not explain it lol I'm still on pain meds and a little out of it. It had to do with performing the lift, the incision site, and blood flow during surgery though. It's unique to my case because plenty of people have had lifts with implants over the muscle, but somehow the blood flow would have been compromised. I think unders worked for me because I had very little of my own natural tissue that had to spread over the implant. I think overs help in that regard. I'm hoping to get an album of before and afters together soon, and if you're interested I'd be more than happy to share them with you.

Rebecca: I've also read about problems with tubular breasts and breast feeding. I know some younger (pre-children) BA patients worry about losing the ability to breastfeed but I figured I wouldn't even take that into consideration because the odds were against me that I would be able to breastfeed in the future. Plus, my PS said it's not so much that people lose the ability to breastfeed, some just aren't able to, with or without a BA. My mom stayed with me while the PS marked up my breasts, and she told me she had no idea that my breasts were shaped like that, she just assumed they were normal because I would wear padded bras. So I'm glad I hid it well, but of course now I'll look normal naked too. I'm glad you're happy and have beautiful boobs now too! =)