Hey guys, I thought today was the perfect day to get into the whole “explant” surgery scenario. First of all, I have to start off by saying that this is sort of a tough subject to speak about. Secondly, I am very vulnerable anytime I talk about myself, especially, when it has to do with my body.
I want to insert a definition of what explanation is for those of you who are familiarizing yourself with this topic.
Explant surgery: A timely and proper explant (removal) of your breast implants and the capsule tissue that grows around the breast implant is the most crucial step to your recovery from breast implant illness.
It is highly important that you get the capsule removed along with the implant. This is the scar tissue that forms around the implant. You have to be sure to tell your doctor or he might not know to take it out. It is a must!!
Why I decided to get implants
I was young and always self-conscious of having small breasts. After looking back, my breasts weren’t small at all, size 34B. They were actually pretty close to perfect. We are our own worst critique and we want what we don’t have. That was the case for me…I wanted the bigger, perkier breasts and I wanted to feel sexy. The fact is bigger breasts doesn’t make you sexier your personality does! If your partner doesn’t find you sexy or beautiful get rid of them and find someone who does.
Ps…Todd was never the reason I got implants. He has always supported me with any decision I have made. He just asks that I do my research and do what I feel is best for me. He loves me for how I am little boobs, saggy boobs, or big huge boobs. That is what I encourage you to do as well…do your research ladies. This is no time to be lazy – we are talking about your body and you only have one. I also recommend consulting with 4-5 doctors. Find the one who you have the best chemistry with…the doctor that can see things from your perspective. But also gives his own perspective and good advice. The doctor that your best friend may have loved for her procedure may not be the one you book for your surgery. It is a must that you check out reviews and ratings. Here are a couple of websites I checked out:
Why I decided to explant
I got my implants put in in 2012 just before Todd + I moved to Florida. The size of my implants was 600cc’s in each breast – my bra size was 34-36 DD. In the beginning, I felt like I was on top of the world – I felt sexy, desirable and pretty darn amazing. It continued to be like this for a few years. It wasn’t until 2015 when I started to suddenly have health issues. It started with vertigo, then brain fog, memory loss, major fatigue. I also had horrible insomnia + joint pain. The joint pain was so bad sometimes it was hard to make a fist or open jars. My insomnia hit a downward spiral in 2016, I would only get 2-3 hours of sleep. I would try melatonin, red wine, sleeping pills, and nothing would help me sleep. This was a huge problem for me because I was a mother of two young girls and I was substitute teaching on a regular basis. I needed sleep!
I made my final decision to explant after Christmas of 2018. I was still struggling with a lot of the same symptoms and more…I was gaining weight even though I was taking several classes at Platinum Fitness + Cycle Station. My apple watch would calculate burning up to 650 calories in each session. I was also following a specific macro plan which I would see little to no loss. This was frustrating! Another thing was hair loss, after each shower, I would grab a handful of hair from the drain. This was not right and I just saw a decline in my hairline and it was thinning out. I was scared.
In November of last year, my doctor suggested we do a super detailed annual checkup. This included mammogram, several blood panels/labs. Everything came back normal, which made me happy but still left a lot of questions. Why was I still feeling like crap?? I just knew in my gut that it was time to go through with the explant surgery. It wasn’t a guarantee that the implants were causing my symptoms but I was willing to take that chance. I was so desperate all I wanted was to feel better. It was so exhausting putting on a happy facade every day when in fact I was feeling so miserable.
Days leading up to surgery day
I couldn’t understand why I was so fearful about this surgery. After all, I had other surgeries in the past and I was completely okay. On the day of surgery, I was a little nervous but nothing like I had been on the days leading up to it. The doctor came in and went through all the markings + measurements. We also had a chat about what to expect and he also managed to make me laugh. The only way I can explain it to you is that it just felt like it was the right thing to do. I didn’t feel regret or have any ill feelings about what I was doing. I also fell in love with the anesthesiologist! She was so warm and reassuring – I didn’t worry about a thing. I knew I was in good hands.
After the surgery, all I remember is watching Todd walk into the room and telling me everything is done and I am okay. I will tell you those words are the best words you can hear right after a big surgery like this one. I also think having Todd there right after made me feel so safe. Another thing that I feel is important.
My recovery period
One day one of recovery, I was feeling a little pain but I took one pain pill and I was fine. I know the compression bra that I used made all the difference in the world. I purchased my own bra because the doctor preferred that the patient would be the most comfortable in their bra of choice. It just had to be a compression bra not anything like a bralette. I absolutely loved the ones I snagged off of Amazon.
I really appreciated the doctor going through my original scar for my procedure. My incisions are about 2.5″ long on the fold of the breast. You can’t see it unless I lift my breast slightly or if I reach up for something. I ended up purchasing bandages that were made of silicon. I had read that silicon is great minimizing the look + appearance of the scar. I honestly think that is why my scar is healing so fast. My scar is also more flat feeling – the original scar was raised and bumpier.
For pain management, I took Hydrocodone Vicodin prescribed by the doctor for four days for pain. On the days after, I switched to Advil or Tylenol for pain as needed. I also added a probiotic that I would pair with my antibiotic every morning. Another supplement I took is called Mag7. One thing you need to know, when you are taking any kind of pain medicine it can constipate you. This can be very uncomfortable and also make you feel bloated. The Mag7 supplement helped keep me regular and feeling good in the belly. I took 2 pills at night starting on day two post-op. Consult your doctor to see if you are okay with taking magnesium supplements.
I am writing this on exactly the seventh day of post-op and I feel great! Straight away I will tell you what I have noticed since removing my implants:
-no brain fog at all
-more motivation
-more energy
-lighter at the chest
-I have lost 10 lbs
-I feel like I can take a deep breath
-the sclera is whiter than it has been in a while (white part of the eyeball)
-my face looks less swollen
-I feel no joint pain or hip pain
-no headaches
-I feel like myself again
For anyone considering this procedure, I highly recommend it. I only know how I feel 7 days post op, I can’t wait to see how I feel months after. I can imagine it will only get better and better. I know you are also wondering how my breasts look. In respect to Todd, he has kindly asked me not to post a picture of my breasts. I will say the doctor measured my breasts and told me that I didn’t need a lift. Obviously, it was entirely up to me on the route I would choose. I am going to be 40 in September of this year so he advised me that it would be something I could always do in the future. There is more downtime + scarring involved – I want to be absolutely sure of my decision. As of this moment, my breasts look really good. It brings me back to before my implants at a more youthful stage in my life. That makes me happy.
Please feel free to ask any question you want – I am here to help. Let’s keep this space positive. Any negative or rude comments will be deleted and your account will be blocked.
❤️Here are my recommendations if you are going to have explant surgery❤️
