IS IT SUPPOSED TO HURT THIS MUCH?

Hi Ladies,

I was hoping that you could help me.

So I finally had my uplift with implants (240CC both breasts) on 5th October so I am now one full week post op, yay! Gone from a horrendously saggy 36B to an amazing 36D (My band size actually rocketed up to a 38 in the first few days which I was first worried about but it seems to have gone down now thank god!) I am soooooooo happy with the actual boobs but a bit worried about how uncomfortable it is to breathe. Its one week so I have some mobility now but nowhere near as much as I feel like I should actually have. I don't know if I am just being impatient and this is normal or if there is something wrong. The muscle pain (I had unders) doesn't bother me too much because its expected and it has subsided a bit but how long are you supposed o feel really tight in the chest where its really hard to breathe? I have an aching feeling across the chest and back but admitedly I have been pretty immobile for the whole week just sitting propped up on the sofa without going out. Could it be that this is the reason they feel so heavy and uncomfortable and I should really be doing more physical activity, or if its painful am I supposed to keep still as I have been? I find that if I move around and walk about I get really hot and puffed out and find it hard to breathe, and I have a stabbing, pulsing pain in only my right boob.

Advice anyone? Should i worry or is this normal and if so, how long until they actually stop feeling like stuck on boulders and more like part of me!? lol

Thanks!

X x X

Try not to worry, you had unders so the pain is much worse than having overs, plus you have had an uplift, so even more trauma to the area.

I had overs so didn't experience much pain to be honest. You just have to put up with it and keep on top of your meds!!

But it is totally worth it, trust me x

Hi huni glad you're back, I did find if I sat about imobile for too long periods actually made it worse, I did get up and gently potter about, even going out for short walks...

are you taking your medication? i did take nurofen from day 5 onwards, I stopped with diclofenac as it upset my tummy by day 4 so just had good old nurofen every four hours...

they just feel odd for a while! and diff aches/stabbing pains/throbs in diff places at diff times was normal for me...

I also struggled to take deep breaths with my front zip sb on, so I know what you mean there, as long as they are not swelling or you're running heachaches/fever then its all pretty normal part of healing..

I am 6 weeks now and mine def feel like they are 'part of me' and not stuck high up on my front!!!!!!!!!!! xx

Lol

Thanks that has really reassured me! But erm....what meds? Geez 'no one even mentioned taking pain killers for more than a few days after the op so I basically haven't been. Maybe THATS why I am so uncomfy here! lol. I haven't taken anything other than ibuprofen a few times because my boyfriend force fed me them. Oh and initially some paracetamol too. I wasn't advised on ANY medication, herbal or otherwise, and I certainly wasn't prescribed any. Has started to make me wonder if they forgot or something because my surgeon didn't even come to see me after my op either. Oh dear.

I am glad the stabbing sensations are normal though because I was getting scared it could be a clot or something! lol!

X X X

I'm very surprised that you weren't given any painkillers to go home with. I was taking Tramadol (morphine based) for a week after both ops then Paramol (apparently the strongest non prescription painkiller you can buy over the counter) and Nurophen. I'd ring your ps or GP and get prescribed some strong co-codomol or co-dydromol or something. Don't suffer in silence hunny xxxx Unders are more painful - I spent about a week doing nothing after my first op and you've had the extra trauma of an uplift too. I'd say what your experiencing is normal but normally you'd not have the pain because of your meds.

WOW I am surprised you weren't given any medication, couldn't have had what you have without pain relief.

I too was also given Diclofenac but had to stop taking them after 3 days, my stomach was sooooo bad. Their nasty tablets. Just keep taking paracetamol regularly to take the edge off x x

It brings it back to me and im only nearly 5 weeks post. I remember struggling to breathe for the first week. I went up a band on my bra (temporarily) and it got much easier. I've now been measured a 30d but was wearing a 34d and honestly the difference was amazing.

As the guys said keep taking paracetamol and just get up and walk about the house regularly.

Good luck x

Hi,
What you are describing sounds perfectly normal to me. I am now 8/9 weeks post op and my boobs are just about feeling normal. I found it very tiring to stand for not very long periods due to the fact my back ached and I became quite breathless. I found the back ache odd and also the breathlesness but after one week this had subsided greatly. I can't believe you're only taking ibuprofen. I was taking a mixture of tramadol/paracetomal and an anti-inflammatory painkiller as prescribed by my surgeon. One day I had the runs (not nice) and the meds went straight through me. It was only then that I felt the true pain of the procedure and it wasn't nice. I would say the pain killers made it go from pretty awful to more than bearable. They made me drowsy but I didn't really care as it was quite nice dozing all the time!! The stabbing/pulsing pain would probably subside if you had stronger pain relief. Yes they do feel heavy and particularly when you go from a sitting/lying to an upright position. This lasts quite a whil to be honest. Don't worry though none of it souns sinister but you are putting up with too much pain, needlessly. If nothing else, get yourself some paracetomal and codein tablets from Boots, they are quite strong and effective. xx

bllimey, no meds, they must have forgot?

I was sent home with one tramadol, diclofenac & paracetamol on thursday morning, but by sunday morning my tummy was so bad (like jemmy its the voltarol, which is diclofenac), even if you take them with food as you have to they can still cause big tummy issues, pain, cramps, diarohea... I stopped with them then and just took the paracetamol on the sunday, then on the monday 2 nurofen every four hours for about another 3-4 days then I just took them when I needed them.. yikes Cherry you're a tough coookie to cope without any!!!!!!!!!!!! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

ps..they issued me with ten days diclofenac & paracetamol... even tho I did't use them all..

Hiya, I was the same, no painkillers but ibruprofen and paracetamol, he doesn't like to give too much painkillers because of the side effects (constipation etc). At 1 week it hurt for me to take a breath aswell, but by 2 weeks that had gone. I was also walking around like a granny all hunched up to stop any movement whatsoever. I did warn you that it wasn't an easy road this uplift business, but still a shock isn't it? Have you had your 1 week post op check with the nurse yet?

It WILL get better I promise, its just a long old road, you wait until your skin starts to hurt, again, perfectly normal, but got me down loads.

I'm 3 months now and I still get shooting pains in my boobs, especially if I go without a bra for any length of time, not a quick fix this uplift business

It will be worth it, I absolubtly love mine xxx

Make sure you take painkillers every 4 hours, there is no need to be in pain! Ibuprofen and paracetamol is fine. An uplift and unders is a lot of trauma like Jemmy said x

LOL!

Thanks everyone, at least now i know i am not just a stupid wimp. But its funny because even though the boob agony is pretty dire, I got my time of the month 3 days into my recovery and I'll be honest- that pain was even worse! So at least now I also know that period pain DOES really hurt and its not just me! Wish I was one of those lucky women that doesn't really get it.

Thanks all of you who have advised- I will bring it up at my first post op visit back to the hospital. Sarahsbabies- Cheers for the reassurance, if he was the same with you then I know its not just me. But still, I didn't have a follow up with any nurse? I wasn't advised to do so either so was unaware there even was one available. :-( OH not happy at that at all.

I am trying not to worry about the fact that in my first week of recovery I was moving about and picking stuff up- using arms etc around the house quite a bit and now- my right boob is a lot harder and more painful still than the left. But SHOULD I BE worrying? Does anyone think this is because i have been too active and obviously using my right arm more because I am right handed I have damaged my right boob in anyway??

This may be normal I know coz a lot of girls say one boob drops before the other but, God I have just become SO paranoid now. Sorry for my panic but I have til Monday til I see the surgeon and Myuselessbreast are no help whatsoever.

What do you guys say?

Thanks!!

X X X

Its normal to worry, the thing is it is quite a long recovery so you have to think of it as long term (six months or so). Usually the first month or so is the worst because you're still getting used to them and noticing all these differences, but eventually you will relax and not look at them everyday.

If you feel though that you are in a lot of pain you should see your PS for your own peace of mind.

I felt tight in the chest for the first 3 weeks, once you start using your arms more and getting mobile it will be different, but you should take it easy before then.

I think everyone has had a problem with one boob settling faster than the other, you have to think of them as two separate operations, and the healing rate can be different for each of them. xx

hhmm, you sound really worried CC, maybe get it checked with your surgeon, sooner rather than later, thing is if you have't been taking meds then extra swelling may make it worse, inflammation is not ideal and it must be got rid of, better to be safe than sorry hun xx