Things they don't tell you to expect after your BA

I was sat back trying to remember what to expect after my re-op and started to recall some of the things they don't tell you to expect after having your BA. They are usually the less glamourous things about having big bouncy boobies.

Heres a couple I thought of off hand feel free to add!

Constipation it took me a week to "go" and I looked about 6 months pregnant with the bloating!

Lactating a little while after the op a bit less common but definately puzzled me.

Anyone got any more?

xx

Yup! There's a whole ton of 'em [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] I could really edit that thread and add those that aren't already on it as it's a sticky, for newbies to go through. XX

I may be alone but some extra weird things I suffered included:

- Indegestion
- Pimples all over my chest, boobs and up my neck- where did they come from!?
- Shooting pains/pins and needles down my left arm (canuala arm, whether this is related in dont know!)
- Vibra-Boob! My left boob has been on and off throbbing or a vibrating feeling especially near the incision, still happens some times now.
- The hunch back- slowly getting better but still am hunching over to protect new boobies

I am sure I had/am having more will add if they pop in my head!

xxx

I have been really lucky so far- no morning boob, no problems getting up and no boobie-blues.....but god are incisions itchy!!!

aaarrrgh! <scratch, scratch>

Oh, also my ribs hurt, what's that all about?!?

The strength ud lose straight after the op. Day 3 I was all alone and off the strong pain meds I was just on calpol and I couldn't even undo the top of it (stupid child lock)

The stupid pimples I got over my chest and boobbs that are only just starting to go!

Peachy- my advice for the constipation is to start eating apricots the min u come round from the GA. I went by the time I got home from the hosp! Amazing! My stomach did swell up a tad but as I was still "going" regularly I wasn't concerned or uncomfortable!

An Apricot a day keeps the bloating at bay! Xxxxx

I got Mondors Cord 8 weeks post op - a little freaky (looks like raised tendons under breast when I lift up my arms, but is apparently swollen veins, euch), but harmless and much better now.

I had painful ribs too - put it down to the local trauma, swelling etc.

And I still (almost 3 months on) have really sensitive skin/tissue at the sides of my boobs and under my left arm. I have even bruised wearing some bras??? Would be interested to know if anyone else had this, might do a separate post ...

i am really struggling with being bloating. has anyone got any ideas that i can do or take to help me?

you know i had a really good dr and i loved them a lot but honestly i learned everythign i learned about the nitty gritty of this process from this site and others on the internet...! they told me some things but, they didn't tell me bout the weakness, the shape changing, the different healing rates, the blues from the meds, none of that!!

i would have been totally more freaked about all that stuff without reading about it here//

other than that - ive heard a lot of people talk about those red bumps on the chest and im starting to wonder if its a reaction to the tape/glue... // they also didn't say anything about that.. // the more i read about the tape/glue that they use (on lots of other sites cause im trying to find out about it now) the more i hear people mention getting rashes/red dots..// just thought id mention that.

ps about the bloating! yes on the dried fruit! totally helped me. //

shanny60 wrote:i am really struggling with being bloating. has anyone got any ideas that i can do or take to help me?

Huni- apricots apricots apricots!

Best thing ever! They are full of fibre!xxxx

And suddenly it all comes flooding back.

I had the spots and I also had and still have a greasy cleavage must be to do with my skin producing more oils as I don't use bio oil just my usual moisturiser that I used before.

My ribs were more bruised than my boobs.

I had mondors cord too.

Oh and I really hate apricots and prunes!!


Remind me again why I'm doing this for a second time lol xx

Lola pmsl at the Calpol incident xx

extreme ab ache! You have no idea how little you use your abs until you lose the strength in your arms. If I did it again I would def work on strengthening them by doing sit ups a few weeks before the op.

Oh and I really hate apricots and prunes!!

haha you dont have to eat apricots and prunes any dried fruit or fresh fruit really will do it. //

yes defo the constipation, it isnt something to boast about but i was in the toilet for over an hour on friday night with serious constipation, i was actually crying to my OH.

other than that i have been ok, no bruising, my nipples have got thier feeling back, although very tender. xxx

I was lucky enough to escape the constipation, but OMG, the weakness in your arms. I was so feeble, really hated it. I hated the fact that even driving at a week was tough. And also not being able to lift your arms up to get dressed was really annoying.
Hairy pits. No one mentions the fact that you cannot shave your pits until you can shower unless you fancy a dry shave [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
The bruising and the swelling was bad for me, no one mentioned it would look like I'd had a baseball bat smacked inbetween my boobs.
And the constant erect nips. That is a continuing 'area' that appears to draw a lot of attention
I'm sure there's more, I'll post when I can think of more!

For me it was definately the itching under the dressings - it drove me mad and as it was over Xmas I couldn't buy any anti histimines to take the itch away. Didn't suffer from constipation at all - I read on here before my op about taking a pre biotic type yoghurt, so I filled the fridge up, ate a couple of yoghurts a day and was fine.

Still haven't got much feeling in my nipples after 4 months - well not enjoyable feeling anyway!

I can relate to most of what has been said on this thread so far - I had bloating but not too bad at all. Didn't have much pain. I had my parents around to help do things for me. I had one night of crazy itching around the incisions. I have the 'sunburnt' skin feeling at the tops of my boobs and a couple of pimples from the strapping. I'd epilated my underarms before the op so I was hair free! I didn't really have any depression or sad thoughts about the Op after. Not showering was annoying but nothing I couldn't handle. In that respect for me it was a breeze.

What was worse for me was the complete disruption of routine. I was used to getting up at 7am and getting home at 7pm and I'd be busy throughout the whole day usually.
I was at home for 10 days and I was incredibly bored! After an op you are pretty much limited to watching TV, reading or using the laptop. I was so looking foward to slobbing out but after half a day I was climbing the walls with frustration and boredom. I was prepared for everything else but not that! at the one week mark I actually cried because I was so bored - that was my version of booby blues.
I'd have trouble sleeping at night propped up so I would nap during the day to catch up on sleep and then stay up til 2am. Bad move! Try to stick to your daily routine - be as active as is allowed. If I had tried to keep some sort of routine maybe I would have been better prepared when I went back to work.

Also - I bought this really complicated sports bra because it was a really good make and was on sale. I swear I don't think I could get it on by myself in perfect health. After a shower I got stuck in this bra for 20 minutes before crying then having to call my mum to come help me. Then I threw my phone at the wall. Mind you at this point I hadn't slept for about 3 weeks and was becoming delirious and the bra pushed me over the edge haha. Bloody good bra once I had it on though!

Back ache from poor posture/ sleeping propped up, morning boob, itchy skin, extremely itchy scars, numb boobs/ nipples, booby blues, greasy skin, shiny stretched skin lol so much so they looked plastic like barbies
wonky boobs, rock hard boobs, farty air bubbles in boobs, drinking cold water and it feeling like it was going over the inside of my boobs, painful ribs, heavy boobs, flaky skin, boobs that do not move no matter how much you jump, bloating, I think that's about it. The things we put ourselves through.

I was at home for 10 days and I was incredibly bored! After an op you are pretty much limited to watching TV, reading or using the laptop.

this was so true! im actually realy used to doing nothing and i was really stuck for things to do!! i ended up doing all these crazy projects like cleaning my keyboard: one day i took apart my entire keyboard, i removed every single key and laid them out in oirder and totally washed it and washed every key and put them back! that took like 3 hours. // (its very nice and clean now though)

then a few days ago i went through all my clothes....// at least that was sort of fun to clean out all my drawers and get rid of all the shapeless stuff and make room for nice cute clothes ^^ its kind of tough to find projects that dont iinvolve reaching or lifting ^^

also malibu i really relate to being pushed over the edge by a bra ^^ ive honestly always hated bras and so far that isn't changing // i hoping one day to mend my relationship with bras and find one i love that loves me back

I find sleeping in a bra was one of the toughest things. I felt totally suffocated by the bloody thing. Am used to it now though. Still dreaming of the day when I can sleep braless though... 3 and a half weeks to go. Can't imagine what that feels like... They still don't budge when I lie on my side. Makes me crack up laughing everytime I do it!

I have never thought of the aftermath of it all until now! Some if these dont sound too pleasant, the itching would drive me insane!! x x x

The constipation and itching were the worst for me but funnily although the bra at night thing was really annoying I still wear it now sometimes when I no longer have to even though I swore I'd burn the sports bra at the earliest convenience lol

Oh you ladies crack me up laughing .

I think the constipation is from the meds....am I right? I had this bad after my 2nd op and as I was pregnant I thought I was losing (with really bad tummy pains) and ended up being rushed to hospital in an ambulance. Actually was awful as had to tell medic man that I'd had a BA 2 days previously and he totally looked at me like I was **naughty word** and asked me why the hell I would do that to myself I was in too much pain to tell him my story but I'll never forget how low he made me feel.

I had a really large spot in the middle of my chest b4 my 1st op and I can remember asking my surgeon (who by the way had totally NO sense of humour) to ensure he didn't implant the spot by mistake

Ooohhh I'm dreading going through all this again :-( I was excited a while ago but as I'm getting nearer I'm dreading it :-(

misf1 wrote:drinking cold water and it feeling like it was going over the inside of my boobs

OMG yes! I though this was all in my mind!! I tried describing it to my OH and he just agreed that I must be imagining it

errr I've just drank a glass of really cold wine and it's just shivered across my boobs!! <boak!>

Should I warm up the rest?

Oohh gabby im about to get some wine myself!!! Im nervous for the cold shivers looool!!! Its a bloody crazy feeling loooll