Samantha's Breast Augmentation, Tummy Tuck and Revision

Today I spoke with Samantha who has lost a phenomenal 57kg’s and started her plastic surgery journey. She’d had previous surgery with a different doctor, and decided to have a revision and more surgery with Dr Marcus Pyragius. She shares her journey with us ……

Trish Hammond: Great, well I’m here today and I’m talking with Samantha today, and Samantha has recently had surgery with Dr Marcus Pyragius, who’s based in Adelaide. Can I call you Sam?

Samantha: Sam is fine.

Trish Hammond: Awesome. Sam, so what’d you have done?

Samantha: I had a breast lift done by a different surgeon and I wasn’t happy with that result so I saw five different surgeons here in Adelaide, decided to go with Marcus so I had a breast augmentation and an extended tummy tuck and some scar revisions from my previous surgery as well.

Trish Hammond: Awesome, so a breast reduction, with a lift or without a lift?

Samantha: Yup so a breast reduction and a lift, I’ve lost 57 kilos.

Trish Hammond: How many?

Samantha: 57 kilos.

Trish Hammond: Congratulations you.

Samantha: Thank you. I actually thought that I’d be happy with small boobs …

Trish Hammond: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Samantha: And that didn’t last very long, about maybe two weeks, and I was very sad. So, started on the journey to find a different surgeon. I wasn’t very happy with my scars from the breast lift, did a good job on my nipples but didn’t do a very good job at the rest of the lift.

Trish Hammond: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Samantha: Marcus was the last surgeon I saw here and I just, straight away, I just knew he was the man for me.

Trish Hammond: Yeah, right. Do you want to just, move back a little, move your head, yeah that’s perfect, that’s it.

Okay, so you, because I’ve met him myself and like, he’s lovely. I can so understand. What was it about him that, what made you think, “Yep, I know he’s the guy for me”?

Samantha: I think like, from the moment you booked your appointment with Vicki, the receptionist, like she’s really warm and friendly and then I obviously met Marcus and he was really straight up with me. He said, “Look, I don’t like doing tummies and implants at the same time.” And I said to him, “Well I’m not having more and more and I’m not gonna book you for two or three surgeries, I want it all done at once, you can either take on the job or not.” And he uhmed and ahed and then because I’d gone from a 22E to nothing, I was adamant that I wanted quite big implants and he was like, “No, you haven’t got enough skin for that.” And in the end, everything he went through with me at that initial consult was all about my wellbeing, it was all very, like you could tell he wanted to help me but he was also very cut and dry with, “No, I can’t do this or yes, I can do this.”

With my tummy he didn’t think he would get as good a result as what he did, and I’m happy to send you photos of before and stuff, I’m not sure, you’ve probably seen them already, but the results on my stomach were amazing. And then with my implants, we laughed and joked, I really had that good banter with him backwards and forwards, and he was like, “375 is as high as I’ll go with you.” And I was like, “No, let’s stretch it to 425.” I had a 3D scan with him and we looked at teardrop round, high profile, mod profile, we went through probably honestly spending two hours on the 3D scan. And, he was amazing so I knew from then … I self funded my surgery as well, so obviously I’d already spent, I think it was just over seven grand for technically a lift and a reduction.

So, price was an issue to me as well because I was very price conscious, which is probably not the best way to go into this type of surgery, start getting your self funding it does … It is important. So, I chatted with Vicky and she gave me three different options for hospitals, and we decided that Stirling would save me about five grand. We went with Stirling Hospital, which was actually after my experience at Calvary with my breast lift. It was amazing because the service at Sterling … It was like you were the only patient there. Sort of like a little sort of … Not country but it’s a little bit more remote, not as busy.

Trish Hammond: It is a little country town, yeah I know Sterling well.

Samantha: The nurses there were amazing as well. Marcus was obviously in there everyday checking on me. Come home, I got his mobile number from him, he’s like, “If you have any issue I come home on Friday.” And he said, “If you have any issues over the weekend just text me, ring me.” So on the Sunday I remember I was obviously you know, bound up in all my binders and things, and my stomach was like … I wasn’t sure what was going on so I text him and he like, “Send me a photo.” And he’s like, “Nah it’s all good, but come and you’re going to see me tomorrow anyways.” So I saw him on the Monday. He drained some fluid and then went back every couple of days and like Meg the nurse, she’s like … My whole … Now my daughter comes with me when I go in there, and what, my girlfriends you know, took me to those initial appointments. I couldn’t drive and things, so it’s like this little network now of people.

I do … I’m one of the admins on the gastric bypass page, so I’ve sent a lot of you know, referrals to Marcus as well, like happy to share you know, my before and afters and all that sort of stuff. So, you’ve done an amazing job. I did ask him only a few months ago about doing my bum, and he just laughed. So … He won’t touch my arm, and he won’t do my bum.

Trish Hammond: Okay. Okay, so he won’t touch your arms either?

Samantha: No, he won’t do my arms.

Trish Hammond: What because you don’t … He says you … Like, you don’t need them? Or …

Samantha: The scars that I would have … So you can see my arms here.

Trish Hammond: Oh, yeah, yeah. You’ve got nothing there.

Samantha: He won’t touch them. Even though I’ve lost, I think it’s about 15 centimetres around each arm. No, he said the scars he won’t do it.

Trish Hammond: Yeah.

Samantha: And with my bum, he just laughed.

Trish Hammond: Yeah. Well your arms look great. I can totally understand that, because there’s not you know … How much are you gonna gain, is it gonna be worth it?

Samantha: Yeah the scars?

Trish Hammond: The little things that…

Samantha: Yep.

Trish Hammond: So tell me, with your whole experience like you’ve actually explained it really, really well anyway. But, with your whole experience, so you went in for surgery … So you were having your tummy tuck and your breast augmentation done at the same time?

Samantha: Yep.

Trish Hammond: And you went in on the what day of the week?

Samantha: I went in on the Wednesday.

Trish Hammond: On the Wednesday, and you had your surgery on the Wednesday. So you were in hospital until when?

Samantha: Friday.

Trish Hammond: Okay, so you came out on the Friday, and then you just followed up with him starting from the Monday, and you went.

Samantha: Yeah, I come home on the Friday, and I … He probably wanted me to stay. Really I paid to stay until Sunday at the hospital.

Trish Hammond: Mm-hmm (affirmative)

Samantha: And, he’s not very keen on letting you go home with drains either.

Trish Hammond: Mm-hmm (affirmative)

Samantha: And I pretty much begged him. I just said, “Come on you know I’m not gonna do anything, I’ll just lay in bed and do nothing.” And, so he let me go home. And then on the Monday or Tuesday…

Trish Hammond: Mm-hmm (affirmative)

Samantha: …the drains come out.

Trish Hammond: Okay.

Samantha: So, yeah. So it was all…

Trish Hammond: And … So tell me, did you … Like now that you’re post, like how long has it been since your surgery now?

Samantha: So, I had a scar revision in March last year, so a year ago, and … I’ll try and remember. So I’m eighteen months out from my tummy tuck and my implants.

Trish Hammond: Okay great, so you’re well and truly recovered now. Alright awesome. And, like I know that Doctor Pyragius is getting a bit of a following for the weight loss patient, and one thing I wanted to cover with you today, so I know that he has a lot of respect for women and men who’ve actually lost a lot, and he’s empathetic to them as well. So, how did you find him with regards to you, because like I know as well you do that … When you’ve lost weight your skin is not quite so strong as other people, you’ve gotta be careful did you…

Samantha: No, and I was his first weight loss patient.

Trish Hammond: Mm-hmm (affirmative)

Samantha: So, he hadn’t done anyone that had, had a gastric bypass before. He wasn’t sure with my elasticity of my skin, and he said that, “You know look, I’ll be honest I haven’t done a lot of tummy tucks with the skin that you’ve got.” Obviously now he does them all the time.

Trish Hammond: Mm-hmm (affirmative)

Samantha: And he does tummy tucks all the time, but he hadn’t actually you know, gone into that dramatic weight loss. You know, as you know you use weight quite rapidly at that type of surgery, and he said, “I’ll do the best I can.” And I just … The day of theatre, I remember him in his green, and he’s drawing me up and I said, “Well at the end of the day, I’m gonna look better than I do now.”

Trish Hammond: Yep.

Samantha: And, he did an amazing job.

Trish Hammond: Yep.

Samantha: So …

Trish Hammond: That’s true, gotta always think about what you’re starting with, as to what, you know what the starting point is as to what you’re gonna end up with.

Samantha: Yep, definitely. So, I’m really happy and even you know, when I saw him I had a follow up of probably just after January I think, and yeah that’s when I was laughing to him about my bum, and he said no, not ever he wouldn’t go there.

Trish Hammond: Yeah. Okay. Who knows what the future holds.

Samantha: Yeah well well that’s it. But yeah no, the whole team is amazing there so there’s been … You know, even when I’ve had to take my daughter in with me for appointments, Vicky lets her sit behind reception, and colour in and yeah.

Trish Hammond: That’s great. That’s great. It is a nice little, close little family kind of clinic thing.

Samantha: Yeah.

Trish Hammond: No doubt about it.

Samantha: It’s warm, and the surgeon that I had my breast lift with, which I won’t tell you who that was, but it was very clinical.

Trish Hammond: Yep.

Samantha: Even from the receptionist was very you know, “No he’s not here, you can’t speak to him.” You know. Like just … I sort of got sent home with tape. I didn’t know when that was coming off. I didn’t know what was going on. Whereas, with Marcus everything was really thoroughly explained before we even got to the day of surgery.

Trish Hammond: Yeah, really … You were really informed, it sounds like it.

Samantha: Yeah, and he does, even though I mean you obviously hope nothing horrible is gonna happen, he still went through … I’m a smoker as well, and he wasn’t happy about that. He said, “I’m gonna do a blood test the day of surgery.” I said, “Well, I’ll still be smoking.” So he wasn’t happy with that, and he wasn’t overly happy with doing you know, obviously lifting my boobs up, and pulling my tummy down at the same time.

Trish Hammond: Yep.

Samantha: So, I had agreed that I wanted it all done as one, and I believed the results would be better. And, I think he actually probably blew himself away with what he actually achieved at the time.

Trish Hammond: Yeah.

Samantha: He’s very, very fussy, so when I saw him in January … I mean I’m totally happy with my results, and he said, “I’m not happy, you’ve got like a little dog ear I want to fix that.” And I said, “Really.” I said, “I’m not gonna go and be some model or something, like it’s not an issue to me.” He said, “Nah, next book in and come in and I’ll fix that bit up.” And I said, “I haven’t even noticed.”

Trish Hammond: Wow. Wow!

Samantha: You know, you criticise yourself more than anyone else, but he’s very … So, he does want me to go back and have a little bit on my side fixed. And I have still got a little bit on the side here, which is from my previous surgery with the other surgeon, that he wants to fix that bit as well for me. And he just does all that bulk bill.

Trish Hammond: Wow. That’s great that he’s such a perfectionist too, that’s just a bonus. So, anyone else going through the same journey, can you give us a little takeaway, either something that you wish you’d known before that you hadn’t known, or something that you think is really important for everyone to know, before they actually embark on this journey?

Samantha: I can’t …

Trish Hammond: From stop smoking before surgery?

Samantha: Yeah. Stop smoking, smoking is not good for healing and blood flow.

Trish Hammond: Yep.

Samantha: I suppose, really you need a good support network for when you come home, like for me I’ve got two kids, so that was important for me to make sure that I had that all under control. You know, and don’t over do it, because you over do it, you swell up, you’re back on the bed again. You know, so you really need to listen to what the Doctor’s telling you. Take it easy for that first couple of weeks, get you know … When people are offering to help and bring meals, or do whatever. Just take everyone up on those offers. Don’t think “I’m very independent.” I was like, “I’ll be fine.”

Trish Hammond: Yep.

Samantha: And, you know, even in those first few days, something as simple as having a shower, you’re just totally exhausted.

Trish Hammond: Yep.

Samantha: I remember my girlfriend brushing my hair. I’d had a shower, managed to do that. Blow dried my hair and I had to sit down in the bathroom, I just couldn’t even … You know, the thought of doing my hair was not even there.

Trish Hammond: It’s a big deal. For someone who’s been through it myself, it’s a big deal. And you had like double the dose, two things at once, so…

Samantha: Well I think the funny thing is you know, out of having both at the same time, my boobs were sorer than my tummy, so I …

Trish Hammond: Oh wow.

Samantha: Yeah, and I did say that to Marcus. I said, “What’s going on?” Like, “Surely you cut me in half, my stomach should be and I should be” …. Like apart from getting in and out of bed, I did have a, like a sneezing fit and I was nearly in tears with that. But, apart from you know, not being able to stand up straight for those first couple of weeks, my boobs were just giving me so much pain, that I think honestly if I had a tummy tuck on my own it would have been just the walking part. But, like he said as well, I had a lot of scar tissue cause I’d had a lift.

Trish Hammond: Mm-hmm (affirmative)

Samantha: So you know, he’s cut all back through that again to put the implant in. And I’m quite broad across here, so where a normal person would get cut in there muscles, like in here, he had to go extra with me, because I am quite broad. Like, I’m 84 centimetres under breast measurement …

Trish Hammond: Yep.

Samantha: Which, is quite broad and I was probably size 6-8. So chest wise, I’m quite big across the top. But yeah, that was you know…

Trish Hammond: Great.

Samantha: Weight speaking.

Trish Hammond: So what do you weigh now?

Samantha: 59 kilos.

Trish Hammond: And how tall are you.

Samantha: 163.

Trish Hammond: Wow, bingo that’s just amazing. And you must feel like a different person.

Samantha: I do, and I get lots of fans. When I do I don’t have any makeup on today, but it’s a great feeling at my age to go out and have little young whipper snappers you know, tryna hit on you. It’s pretty flattering.

Trish Hammond: Yeah. Love it, love it. Oh that’s awesome. Well thanks Sam. We’ve been trying to get together for how long? Months and months haven’t we.

Samantha: Yeah, forever.

Trish Hammond: Yeah, thanks so much for taking the time to chat with me today.

Samantha: That’s okay, and if anyone wants any photos or anything, I’m happy to help.

Trish Hammond: I will I’ll get some photos, and I’ll put them up on the blog, cause I’ll get this turned into a blog as well, so that everyone can get to the fantastic result that you’ve had.

Samantha: Alrighty, cool.

Trish Hammond: Thanks so much for your time.

Samantha’s Breast Augmentation, Extended Tummy Tuck and Revision Surgery with Dr Marcus Pyragius

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