Recovery Timeline (Q&A)

How many days/weeks/months approx. after surgery:

(Copy & paste / put ‘NA’ if doesn’t apply to you)

Used the toilet by yourself?
Out of bed all day?
Shower/bathed (body)?
Went for a walk?
Picked up a light object (e.g. Phone)?
Prepared a meal?
Washed your hair?
Moved a heavy object (e.g. Chair)?
Lower body exercise?
Upper body exercise?
Used weights?
Went to someone’s house?
Stopped taking medication?
Returned to work (include type of job)?
Drove your car?
Had sex?
Went to a party/social gathering?
Bra shopping & try on?
Lifted your arms above your head?
Drank alcohol?
Began scar care?
Breasts were settled enough to look normal in cleavage clothing (V-necks, fitted dresses, etc)?
Healed scars?
Nipple sensitivity back to normal?
Able to handle breasts without pain?
Went braless?
Breasts finally felt like part of you?

Used the toilet by yourself? Straight away
Out of bed all day? Day 5. Went back to work day 7.
Shower/bathed (body)? Bathed day 4 and from then until day 13 then showered from 14 onwards.
Went for a walk? 5km on day 4
Picked up a light object (e.g. Phone)? You can pick things like phones up straight away. Heavier lifting slowly from day 7 onwards.
Prepared a meal? Around day 10 – would’ve been able to do it before but didn’t need to.
Washed your hair? I could do this by myself day 5 over the bath.
Moved a heavy object (e.g. Chair)? Day 7
Lower body exercise? Not tried until I get the all clear at 6 week appointment
Upper body exercise? NA
Used weights? NA
Went to someone’s house? Day 18 but only because of work commitments
Stopped taking medication? I took ibuprofen regularly for 7 days to help with swelling but day 6 for stronger medication which I was taking at night.
Returned to work (include type of job)? Day 7 – high school teacher
Drove your car? Day 7. 5th gear is very uncomfortable
Had sex? NA
Went to a party/social gathering? Day 24
Bra shopping & try on? Bought an underwired one on day 20 and tried it on but going to wait until after 6 week appointment to wear
Lifted your arms above your head? Day 5
Drank alcohol? Still haven’t
Began scar care?
Breasts were settled enough to look normal in cleavage clothing (V-necks, fitted dresses, etc)?
Healed scars? Not allowed to until after 6 weeks
Nipple sensitivity back to normal? Nipples are so sensitive
Able to handle breasts without pain? Straight away but from 10 day without scar pain
Went braless? Only in shower as it still feels heavy and like they are going to fall off
Breasts finally felt like part of you? Day 16-18 is when it started. Still not there though.

Used the toilet by yourself? Straight away
Out of bed all day? Day 4
Shower/bathed (body)? Bathed like flannel wash day after had to wait til day 14 for a shower due to one of my incisions
Went for a walk? Day 4
Picked up a light object (e.g. Phone)? Straight away
Prepared a meal? Day 3
Washed your hair? Over the bath with help day 3
Moved a heavy object (e.g. Chair)? About 2/3 weeks
Lower body exercise? Week 6
Upper body exercise? Week 10, feels strange but okay
Used weights? ^ as above
Went to someone’s house? Day 4
Stopped taking medication? Day 4 i just did as an when i needed after that
Returned to work (include type of job)? Day 10 office job
Drove your car? N/A
Had sex? N/A – single AF
Went to a party/social gathering? Week 2
Bra shopping & try on? Week 6
Lifted your arms above your head? About day 7
Drank alcohol? Week 2
Began scar care? Week 6
Breasts were settled enough to look normal in cleavage clothing (V-necks, fitted dresses, etc)? Week 6
Healed scars? I cant remember, week 6/7 ish?
Nipple sensitivity back to normal? Week 10 ish?
Able to handle breasts without pain? Week 3/4
Went braless? Properly week 6, it feels weird til you get used to it
Breasts finally felt like part of you? Probably like month 3 is where i stopped faffing and panicking about them all the time. Im 5mpo now and i forget they arent real most of the time

@Elle what type of exercise did you participate in? I’m an avid CrossFitter and I know I’ll be desperate to getting back to lifting weights etc

Used the toilet by yourself? Straight away
Out of bed all day? I think about day 4 or 5
Shower/bathed (body)? First 2 weeks washed my top half with a flannel and had shallow baths
Went for a walk? Took a good week for me to have a proper walk without feeling exhausted
Picked up a light object (e.g. Phone)? Straight away
Prepared a meal? Day 7
Washed your hair? My mum helped me day 3 and i washed my own hair over the bath on day 5
Moved a heavy object (e.g. Chair)? 2 weeks
Lower body exercise? NA
Upper body exercise? NA
Used weights?NA
Went to someone’s house? Day 7
Stopped taking medication? Day 4
Returned to work (include type of job)? 2 weeks, carer
Drove your car? NA
Had sex? Day 7
Went to a party/social gathering? Week 2
Bra shopping & try on? 5 weeks but didnt start wearing them till week 6
Lifted your arms above your head? I could do it comfortably by day 3
Drank alcohol? Week 2
Began scar care? Week 6
Breasts were settled enough to look normal in cleavage clothing (V-necks, fitted dresses, etc)? Id say week 8 they really started looking more settled and in place
Healed scars? Judging by my pictures week 10 they were completely healed
Nipple sensitivity back to normal? Honestly one of mine is still numb 8 months post op
Able to handle breasts without pain?3 months
Went braless?6 weeks
Breasts finally felt like part of you? 3 months

@snowflake93 @ellet0204 @bethpugh
So interesting reading these responses!! ❤️

Amanda i started really light with a PT friend of mine, body weight and resi bands mostly, then moved to small weights for your bog standard overhead presses, rows, lat raises, ect. I really recommend starting light and focusing on your form because i wont lie it does feel weird with unders.. you can feel the implant move/constrict under the muscle, id say if youre fit and healthy anyway probably more so as you will have more muscle mass than someone not into fitness and lifting.
I do pole fitness too, but im still too chicken to get back to that yet because its so much more bendy and stretchy lol!

[Rc]

Used the toilet by yourself? Within the hour
Out of bed all day? Day 1 lol I have a toddler so😂
Shower/bathed (body)? After 2 weeks, I obviously washed but not allowed shower until bandage bits are off
Went for a walk? Day 1
Picked up a light object (e.g. Phone)? Day 1
Prepared a meal? Day 5( milked it and partner made the meals 😂😁)
Washed your hair? Day 3
Moved a heavy object (e.g. Chair)? About a week.
Lower body exercise? Not done yet( 4 weeks post)
Upper body exercise? Not done yet( 4 weeks post)
Used weights?na
Went to someone’s house? On the day of surgery to pick my son up
Stopped taking medication? Day 6
Returned to work (include type of job)? After just over a week, warehouse operative
Drove your car? Na
Had sex? Day 3-4
Went to a party/social gathering? Day 6
Bra shopping & try on? 4 weeks
Lifted your arms above your head? Roughly week 2 I’d say
Drank alcohol? Day 5. Not lots, just a glass
Began scar care? Haven’t yet
Breasts were settled enough to look normal in cleavage clothing (V-necks, fitted dresses, etc)? I’d say now to be honest! Hence why I’m going shopping tomorrow 😁
Healed scars? After a week if you limit your movement
Nipple sensitivity back to normal? Oversensitive at the minute! But was after 2 weeks ish
Able to handle breasts without pain? Still feel bruised 4 weeks post
Went bra less? Week 3, only for a few hours a day, still wore sports bra 90% of the time
Breasts finally felt like part of you? 4 weeks, still feel bruised but they feel natural now. Before they felt like they were stuck on lol

• This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by Rc 8.

Used the toilet by yourself? – straight away
Out of bed all day?- day 4
Shower/bathed (body)? – sponge bath the same day and up until day 7 when could shower properly
Went for a walk? – day 4
Picked up a light object (e.g. Phone)? – straight away
Prepared a meal? – day 2
Washed your hair? – with help day 3, on my own day 7
Moved a heavy object (e.g. Chair)? – day 8
Lower body exercise? – not yet im only 4wpo
Upper body exercise? – not yet im only 4wpo
Used weights? N/A
Went to someone’s house? – day 2
Stopped taking medication? – day 2 , couldnt stand the bloating so just suffered with the pain instead
Returned to work (include type of job)? – they made me go back day 4 for a few shifts because couldnt find cover but then i had a week off – dental nurse
Drove your car? – day 5 but it hurt trying to get into 5th gear or going over bumps so i gave up and tried again day 9
Had sex? – 3wpo
Went to a party/social gathering? – not yet
Bra shopping & try on? – not yet still have to wear macom till 6 week review
Lifted your arms above your head? – day 7
Drank alcohol? – not yet
Began scar care? – not yet
Breasts were settled enough to look normal in cleavage clothing (V-necks, fitted dresses, etc)? – not yet unfortunately
Healed scars? – week 1 i had dressings removed and they looked healed but are getting better each week
Nipple sensitivity back to normal? – had no feeling in them for a week then they were hypersensitive and now i get a bit of sensitivity every now and then
Able to handle breasts without pain? – 2wpo
Went braless? – not yet other than to shower
Breasts finally felt like part of you? – they feel less stuck on now and like they are going to fall off 😂

Used the toilet by yourself? Day 2
Out of bed all day? Day 15 days post op (I caught Covid 6 days post op)
Shower/bathed (body)? 2 weeks post op
Went for a walk? 18 days post op
Picked up a light object (e.g. Phone)? Straight away
Prepared a meal? 4 days post op (with great difficulty but my husband caught Covid first so I had to cook for the kids)
Washed your hair? Washing my hair myself was 21 days post op.
Moved a heavy object (e.g. Chair)? 4 days post op (not recommended 🙈)
Lower body exercise? N/a
Upper body exercise? N/a
Used weights? N/a
Went to someone’s house? 18 days post op
Stopped taking medication? Still taking at 29 days post op
Returned to work (include type of job)? Midwifery – currently on annual leave but no where near ready to return.
Drove your car? 18 days post op
Had sex? 28 days post op
Went to a party/social gathering? 22 days post op
Bra shopping & try on? 25 days post op
Lifted your arms above your head? 3 weeks post op
Drank alcohol? N/a
Began scar care? 3 weeks post op
Breasts were settled enough to look normal in cleavage clothing (V-necks, fitted dresses, etc)? 4 weeks post op
Healed scars? Healing well at 29 days post op
Nipple sensitivity back to normal? No still hyper sensitive 4 weeks pos op
Able to handle breasts without pain? No
Went braless? Yes.! Only for an hour a day as the swelling feels so compressed in my bra
Breasts finally felt like part of you? No.!

Used the toilet by yourself? Day 1
Out of bed all day? Day 3/4
Shower/bathed (body)? Day 2 with help into the shower by my boyfriend, could only shower my lower body
Went for a walk? Day 4
Picked up a light object (e.g. Phone)? Day 1
Prepared a meal? Day 13/14
Washed your hair? Day 4 over the bath
Moved a heavy object (e.g. Chair)? Not until around 2 weeks
Lower body exercise? More than 6 weeks
Upper body exercise? More than 6 weeks
Used weights? More than 6 weeks
Went to someone’s house? 1 week
Stopped taking medication? 1 week
Returned to work (include type of job)? 11 days or so – working from home
Drove your car? Day 7
Had sex? Day 6/7 very carefully!!
Went to a party/social gathering? 2 months
Bra shopping & try on? One month
Lifted your arms above your head? Few days
Drank alcohol? 1 week or so
Began scar care? 6-8 weeks
Breasts were settled enough to look normal in cleavage clothing (V-necks, fitted dresses, etc)? 4 weeks
Healed scars? Still healing now but have basically turned white after 6 months
Nipple sensitivity back to normal? Only in the left
Able to handle breasts without pain? 2/3 weeks
Went braless? 8 weeks onwards sometimes
Breasts finally felt like part of you? 3 months onwards

Used the toilet by yourself? Hour after
Out of bed all day? Day 2
Shower/bathed (body)?day 4
Went for a walk?day 3
Picked up a light object (e.g. Phone)? Hour after
Prepared a meal?week after
Washed your hair? Week after
Moved a heavy object (e.g. Chair)? Day 4
Went to someone’s house? Day 2
Stopped taking medication? Day 3 painkillers, day 5 Antibiotics
Drove your car? Two days post op
Had sex? Week after
Bra shopping & try on? 4w after
Lifted your arms above your head? 4w after
Breasts were settled enough to look normal in cleavage clothing (V-necks, fitted dresses, etc)? 3 Weeks after
Nipple sensitivity back to normal? 2 Weeks i thinka
Able to handle breasts without pain? Three Weeks
Breasts finally felt like part of you? Day one!

[Author]

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