Visitors' Stories -- Teri

I had my first BA in September of 1980: McGhan 260cc smooth round double-lumens. Double-lumens have a silicone inner compartment with a saline outer. In my case, they were 200cc of silicone with 60cc saline, over the muscle, thru the crease. I can still remember sitting outside of the PS's office, early that morning, very nervous. My husband reassured me that he loved me just the way I was, and that I could still back out. I didn't back and I have never regretted having my BA.

My surgery took place in the PS surgery suite. I was given and IV with Demerol and local anesthesia. Although I was awake, I was very high from the drug and don't recall anything except my goofy chatter--I talked nonstop thru the whole thing--the poor staff!

Afterwards, I went straight home and to bed. I remember taking a couple of the pain pills and I couldn't lift my 3-year-old daughter or open the refrigerator door without assistance, but I really wasn't that uncomfortable. I think I had stitches under tapes that were removed later, but I was able to shower on second day and swelling was minimal. There were no bruises.

I returned to work after having one week off. Most of my friends/co-workers knew where I had been, but it was surprising that the others never really noticed anything different. If they did, they never asked.

After that, there isn't much to tell until spring of 1999. That's when they finally gave out, after 18 1/2 years. They both shrunk at the same time--don't ask me how they managed "synchronized shrinkage," but they did! No warning, no pain, just deflation. I still have them, BTW, and the inner bags with silicone are still in tact, no silicone leaked out. I also have a lab report that describes the tissue around them--everything was healthy.

There was one thing that, in all honesty, I think should be said. I lost complete sensation in both nipples for about 5 years. The PS couldn't explain it, (I honestly think that he thought it was in my head), but I tell you they were just totally numb.

I cried and cried about that, and then I just accepted it as one of those risks you take when you decide to have a BA. And then a funny thing happened...one day they just woke up. Not all at once, mind you, but little by little. Best that I can figure is that the pressure behind them from the implant itself, began to lessen as gravity set in, thus relieving the pressure over time.

When the implants ruptured, there was no pain, just a slow shrink for about 2 weeks. Notice I said "slow," it did not happen in 48 hours, took about a couple of weeks, but when I went to see a new PS (former one is retired), I didn't need any sort of test to tell me that they were ruptured.

I replaced my "old faithfuls" on June 15th, but that would be another story. :)

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