What Happened During The First Month After I Explanted
Today I’m exactly five weeks post explant. It’s September 6, 2018.
AND I’M FEELING AH-MAY-ZING!
In November 2006 (at the age of 23) I had a breast augmentation, implanting 420 cc silicone implants under my muscle. But we’re not here to talk about that…
Today I want to share with you everything that has changed for me – physically, mentally and emotionally since I explanted 35 short days ago – and what is possibly possible for you too.
Before I get into it , I do want to say:
- everyones healing journey is going to look and feel different
- what happened to me post-explant may or may not happen to you
- if you read something I took or I did, please check with your surgeon and doctor first to get cleared
Good. Now that that’s off my chest (haha, get it), I’m so excited to share with you what I’ve experienced so far.
Alright, where should I start 🤔…
Let me start off by saying that the morning of my explant surgery I was so calm. I was so excited and ready to turn the page of this final chapter and begin an entirely new chapter – one filled with an abundance of energy, clarity, confidence and most importantly h.e.a.l.t.h.
I completely trusted my surgeon Dr. Dev and was in the best hands money can buy. I trusted that this procedure absolutely had to be done, so no matter what happened, it’s out of my control and for the best. As much as I don’t want to die, my faith is so strong when it comes to times like this.
Leading up to my explant I was SO anxious. Not nervous or terrified, just anxious to get these things out of me. Every day that passed me by I swear I was getting worse. And like what I preach, “what you focus on you attract more of“.
On July 3rd, 2018 I originally scheduled my explant for November 26th with Dr. Devs’ partner, Dr Rankin, but did not want to wait four months. It’s such a crazy story what happened (I’ll write about it – it’s seriously so cool and nuts), but basically on Monday July 30th Aqua Plastic Surgery posted on their Instagram Story “Dr. Dev has a surgical opening this Thursday, August 2nd, if anyone wants it“.
I jumped on that ish!
I’m getting off topic (no, not me)… alright, here’s what I’ve experienced five weeks post-explant.
As soon as I woke up I felt relieved. “Oh my gosh, it’s over, I did it!”
My implants were sitting right in front of me on the counter in a container – something my surgeon does to 1. help you remember where you are and what happened to you as you come back to Earth, and 2. so that you can see they’re out. I like this touch.
I did not feel any pain (I did get Nerve Bloc), I was just super groggy/out of it.
But I could BREATHE. DEEP. This was the very first thing I noticed. I haven’t been able to take a full, deep breath like this in almost 12 years.
So at this point I’m groggy, not in pain, and I can breathe deep.
After waking up at home from a nap a few hours after surgery I had rashes in both of my knee creases, my left elbow crease and a huge one on my upper back thigh under my glute. They were warm, red and itchy. Those went away in two days, but what came after that was worse. On day three I developed extremely red, itchy rashes under my armpits (I shared photos on social media if you can find them and in my Breast Implant Illness Group ). I also had weird splotches on my neck and stomach too. To this day we still have no idea what caused this. It could’ve been from the anesthesia, antibiotics or my lymphatic system dumping toxins.
Honestly, the rashes drove me NUTS! I have never experienced such itchiness in my life.
The pain from my explant was nothing… the rashes hell.
Oh, and I also got my period the day of my surgery, so it was a triple whammy – grogginess from the anesthesia, rashes and my period. I was a bundle of joy for a few days, let me tell you 😂
I only took Extra Strength Tylenol on Thursday (my surgery day), Friday and Saturday night. That’s it. It honestly wasn’t bad.
The day of my surgery it’s like my pores were drowning in oil. My skin was so greasy and shiny… it was crazy. I felt like I was in High School again. My complexion also changed. My skin didn’t look so dull and colorless. It’s finally smooth looking, hydrated and pink.
Something else I noticed within the first few days was that my hip joint ache and stiffness, something that I’ve been dealing with daily since early 2017 was GONE. Not better… gone. And it’s been gone for five weeks now.
I also haven’t gasped for air or had any shortness of breath, something I also was experiencing almost daily since early 2017, since my explant.
My nipples were really sensitive for the first three weeks, but are completely back to normal 🙂
The amount of hair that I’m NOT losing in the shower anymore is what’s really exciting me. I started losing clumps of hair in late 2014. So much that I often wondered “seriously, how am I not bald?” I’ve been (weirdly) saving the hair I’ve been losing in the shower since my explant. What I’ve gathered is that the amount of hair in total that I’m losing in FOUR showers now is the same amount that I used to lose in ONE shower. I hope that makes sense. Basically, I’m losing substantially a lot LESS hair. The amount of hair I used to lose in one shower I’m now losing in a weeks worth of showers.
My energy is through the roof! It’s 9:56pm right now… and I’m writing this. What!? Just two months ago I would’ve already been in bed exhausted from the day. Today I went to the gym (literally got cleared today lol), home schooled my son and did stuff around the house… and I’m up writing. So crazy. This would’ve never been the case over the last seven years when my extreme fatigue began.
I feel more with it in the head. I don’t feel like I’m walking in a cloud, slow in the head or spacey. My brain fog has definitely lifted. I mean, again, I’m up writing this at 10pm – because I’m finally thinking clearly and alert.
My libido is back. I actually want to have sex again. And I am.
The ringing in my ears is unnoticeable… especially at night time when it was loud, because things were quiet.
I have not been wearing my glasses nearly as much because my eyes don’t feel as dry or blurry. My vision started declining a lot over the last year (when my achy hip joint and shortness of breath/gasping started too).
And lastly, if you’ve been following me for a few years you’ll know that the lymphnode in my right armpit was a major issue (and scare) for me since October 2014. This was the first symptom, actually, that I knew something very wrong was going on in my body. Each month, two weeks before my period, it gets tender and swollen. So for two weeks it’ll pop up. I’ll get my period and then like two to three days into my period it goes away. It’ll be gone for about two weeks and then return again. Four years I’ve been dealing with this! Well guess what? Last month it never got tender or swollen. I swear to God, I hope this never returns. Come to find out, there was a ton of scar tissue wrapped around my lymphnode that was carefully released and removed. Time will tell, but I’m reeeeally hoping removing the scar tissue fixed this problem.
As far as my anxiety/depression bouts, whacked adrenals and whacked hormones, time will tell. But I do feel like things are definitely moving in the right direction. I talked about all my symptoms more in depth in another blog post.
I was lucky (and feel very fortunate) to never have experienced heart palpitations, digestive issues/food intolerances, vertigo, numbness and tingling in my arms and breasts, weight gain, sensitive to light and sound, night sweats, fibromyalgia symptoms, headaches, candida/yeast infections, insomnia and reoccurring illness like so many others.
There is hope for you.
I know you’re probably worried that “what if it’s not from my implants, though?“, to that I’d say “regardless, implants are not supposed to be inside of you, sweetheart. They have to come out. Your immune system needs your help and this is the right thing to do.”
You’re going to be so amazed at how good you feel in just one month. I remember reading so many women’s stories up until my explant wishing and praying I would feel like them. And I do.
As of today, September 6th, 2018, I got cleared to exercise, swim, take a bath and go braless.
Life is good my friend.
All in all, I’m happy. I feel amazing. No regrets.
your breastie,
Christina
My Breast Implant Illness Education and Rejuvenation Facebook Group – lets stay connected!