wimwood

I HOPE THIS IS STILL ALIVE. Why, for the love of all things holy, would a plastic surgeon purposely make a woman's breasts bigger than what she asked for?

Here's my story: I spent two and a half years researching implants. I had an entire file of acceptable results, all sorted based on the woman's height, frame, pre-surgery breast size and shape, and post surgery size and shape. I knew EXACTLY what I wanted, how it would look, and that it was realistic because I researched my subject matter based on those parameters.

I selected a pretty well-known surgeon in SoCal. We had two consultations. He made a copy of my file. We discussed max size, both in terms of cc's and cup size. I needed roughly 250cc's per side (give or take a few, breasts are naturally slightly different sizes in any human) to get the C-cup that I wanted. The LAST conversation we had before falling asleep on the table went like this,

"250cc's right?"

Surgeon: "Right."

"C cup. Don't fuck it up!"

"Got it."

I woke up with 350CC ON THE LEFT AND 325CC ON THE RIGHT. Even medicated, I was shocked and upset. The surgeon told me he simply kept filling until he'd given me the max my frame can support without looking disproportionate.

Why?

Why. Why would he do this? He said it's because a lot of women underestimate what they want, go too conservative, and come back again in a few years for a re-do because they went too small. So why would he assume I wanted to do that? Do all his patients come in with a two year research history and a file of similar results sorted so meticulously? And he still ignores their wishes?

I CAN SQUEEZE INTO A VICTORIA'S SECRET 32DD, but when I get a bra that really, truly fits right, I wear a goddamn fucking 32F. I am 5'1. I am Petite. I weigh 105lbs right now, and about 2lbs of that is the fucking implants. There is nowhere on this planet or in this solar system where a 5'1 petite woman looks "proportionate" with 32F's hanging off her chest.

Please take this to heart. Please tell me you actually listen, understand, and satisfy your patients. Even if that means they come back in five years for a few more cc's due to going to conservative the first time. Please tell me that some surgeon out there has the morals and sensitivity to not simply do whatever the hell they want to their patient's breasts.

Because Dr. Pousti sure doesn't.

I actually notice crying at ridiculous things right before a migraine. Like something being so sweet it makes me cry, or it being such a nice day that I’m moved to tears. Only hours before migraines. Emotional lability I think it’s called? However I’ve always considered it a sign that my brain just sent out shitty electrical signals rather than a hormonal shift.

I developed post concussion syndrome and POTS after a bad car accident. Also developed an autoimmune disease in the months afterward. When people give me comments that can be condescending, backwards, or almost disbelieving (you look great now... you look rough today.. but you look so healthy...) I always answer the same way, “Thanks. I work pretty hard at it.” No matter the comment made, it shuts them right the hell up :)

I experienced a severe bacterial infection that required hospitalization and was diagnosed a few months later with something called "post-infectious IBS". Has that been floated to you? Basically, it is something that can pop up sometimes after the body has undergone a major immune attack. Your guts get overly-cautious and finicky, and cause problems. In my case, I was underweight and malnourished for about two years due to this condition, and got most of my nutrition from vitamin supplements. Anything greasy, anything fibrous, anything chunky, anything seedy/with skins/etc they all would tear my stomach up, and I would pass my food out completely undigested. Sometimes I'd have a good week or two, and then it would come right back. I had diarrhea the entire time. It very slowly resolved itself and I am now at a healthy weight and able to eat what I want most of the time without my stomach flaring, although when my immune system gets grumpy now (for example, during a cold or recently during the last 8 weeks of pregnancy), the constant diarrhea returns immediately.

I left an extremely abusive situation in America, 15 years ago, with a toddler and a newborn. My experience could not be farther from what you describe.. except the part where my immediate family’s version of “help” was not at all helpful. I receive all the aid I could ever ask for, in free counseling, a safe stable and immaculate battered women’s shelter, help applying for food stamps, daycare assistance, and housing.. and even immense help in furnishing my new place (I literally only left with a trash bag of clothes, we didn’t have silverware, a lamp, a washcloth. Anything for a home).

And I lived in central North Carolina which was not only relatively poor, but also extremely conservative (ie, not as much public interest in welfare-type programs).

Just thought I’d chime in to say I’m not sure what country you’re in, but in America the picture you painted is not at all reflective of what I’ve experienced, both as a domestic violence survivor, and as someone who has consistently volunteered wherever I’ve lived since then (ca, va, dc, pa)... the only people I’ve seen that are unable to be helped or believe “the system” fails them are generally those that aren’t ready for the personal responsibility of leaving the situation.