Empowered Explant

The Best Way to Ease Anxiety & Mentally Prepare for Explant Surgery—In 10 Simple Steps!

• Darnah Mercieca • Season 3 • Episode 57

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What if you could alleviate the anxiety surrounding your explant surgery and face the procedure with more calm and confidence? This journey is as much an emotional one as it is physical. 

Join me as I share essential strategies to mentally prepare for explant surgery. This episode equips you with powerful yet simple tools to ease your nervous system, boost your confidence, and harness the mind-body connection for a smoother recovery. 

Links and resources:

  1. Get Your Free Explant Planning Checklist:
    checklist.empoweredexplant.com 

  2. Download 44 Healing Affirmations:
    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fSH8BTY8qoxiDWa3wozj0AaeQlvJSRW2/view?usp=sharing

  3. Empowered Explant Website Resources
    www.empoweredexplant.com/resources

  4. For coaching and support before or after surgery, email me!
    darnah@empoweredexplant.com


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Let's connect!

Join the Empowered Explant Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/empoweredexplant

Connect with Darnah on Instagram: @darnahmercieca

Interviews and sponsorships email: podcast@empoweredexplant.com

Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/ilya-kuznetsov/anticipation

Disclaimer: This podcast does not constitute medical or mental health advice. Darnah is not a medical practitioner. She shares from personal experience, research, and conversations with other people. If you are experiencing symptoms, pain, post-surgery complications, or mental health concerns, please seek care from your medical provider or surgeon.


Darnah Mercieca:

If you're a woman getting ready for explant surgery and you want to feel calm, clear and mentally ready going into it, then stick with me. In this episode, I'll share the exact steps that I used and have recommended to other women to help mentally prepare for explant surgery. These tools and exercises can help reduce anxiety, improve recovery and keep you grounded throughout your entire journey. This is Empowered Explant the podcast helping women ditch their breast implants with confidence. I'm Darnah Mercieca, board certified health and wellness coach and explant warrior. If you've hit play on this episode, you might just be stepping onto the emotional rollercoaster, or you might be well into the ride. Either way, I'm so proud of you. You are so, so brave. This really is an emotional journey, and before your surgery there are so many emotions. And, if I'm to be honest with you, the emotional ride continues after explant surgery too. It just gets different, and so I believe it's super important to mentally prepare before explant surgery and have the tools to support all these big emotions you'll inevitably be feeling along the way. By the end of this video, you'll have 10 actionable steps to mentally prepare for surgery. No fluff, just practical tips you can use right away. So if you're ready to face your explant with less stress and more calm. Let's dive in A quick disclaimer.

Darnah Mercieca:

Please know I'm not a medical doctor and this podcast does not constitute medical or mental health advice. I share from my personal experience, research and conversations with other people. If you're experiencing symptoms, pain, post-surgery complications or mental health concerns, please seek care from your medical provider or surgeon concerns. Please seek care from your medical provider or surgeon. And please make any medical decisions in consultation with a qualified and experienced healthcare professional.

Darnah Mercieca:

First up, I highly recommend taking a moment to write down your why. Why are you choosing to explant? Maybe it's for your health, to feel more comfortable in your body or to reclaim your sense of self. Maybe it's more about wanting to get pregnant or be a healthy, energetic mom to your children. Whatever it is, go deep. It could be for yourself. It could be to improve the way you show up for others. There is no wrong answer here. The main thing is that writing it down helps you stay connected to your reason for explanting and this will be your anchor when the nerves or doubts creep in and it'll remind you of what's important for your future.

Darnah Mercieca:

You know this was really helpful for me because, as we get close to our surgery, we can start to feel shaky, we can start to have doubts Are we doing the right thing? Do we really want to go through with our surgeries? I know some women, you know some women pick up the phone and cancel their surgeries because their fears are too great and other women think about doing that. Fears that really consume us and take over and make us change our minds and stop us from moving forward on this journey. And fears that we feel and we recognize and we acknowledge and we work through. But we continue with our journey and our decision to explant and remove our implants is the strength of our why and how connected we are to that. And you know there was so much fear running through me and so many concerns and worries running through me before my surgery. But continuing to come back to my why really just kept me grounded in knowing that I was doing the right thing ultimately for my life and for myself, my future self, and I would think about my why and I would think about my health and I would think about my goals for my health and the goals that I have for my life and knowing that there was no way that I could possibly feel the way that I want to feel or achieve what I want to achieve in my life. Feeling the way that I was, and so really writing down my why and staying true to that and staying connected to that kept me feeling strong throughout and really pulled me out of those emotional anxiety fear-driven spirals.

Darnah Mercieca:

Now let's talk about mindset. One of the best ways to mentally prepare is through visualization and positive affirmations. So you've got your why and that's great. But you have to take it a step further to really work that mental muscle. And look, this is not even woo-woo, I promise, it's pure science. I want you to picture yourself healthy, strong and healed after surgery.

Darnah Mercieca:

So often we become so fixated on thinking about the worst outcome that we begin to believe it into existence and we turn into an anxious mess, and that really doesn't help any part of this. But visualizing a positive outcome can help calm anxiety and boost your confidence, and with better energy you actually start to attract better outcomes and also handle challenges in a more calm, optimistic way. So visualizing a positive outcome isn't just about like toxic positivity, where we're telling ourselves everything's going to be fine. There is never anything that go going to be that goes wrong, your breasts are going to be perfect, like it's not about toxic positivity or telling yourself things that may not be true, but it is about visualizing what you can see. You can see yourself healthy, you can see yourself strong, you can see yourself healed on the other side of surgery, you can see yourself pregnant. You can see yourself running around with your children and giving them the most biggest hug and feeling their heartbeat right up against your heartbeat. So it's not about so much visualizing the aesthetic outcome. It's more about visualizing your why coming into existence and your words and your thoughts matter as well and speaking kindly to yourself will create the mental strength that you need for surgery and it'll help your body heal too.

Darnah Mercieca:

It's crazy how what we speak actually takes, it manifests in us physically. I often will refer to Louise Hay's book how to Heal your Life. I'm sorry, you Can Heal your Life and it's because there's that connection, that mind-body connection, and so often I'll be feeling ill in one area of my body, one area of my body, and I'll refer to her book to understand what is it in my mental processing. What is it? What could I be thinking negatively in my life? What beliefs toxic beliefs, negative beliefs might I be carrying in me that are manifesting in my body physically, and it's actually quite amazing how, when you start rewiring your words and then that rewires your brain and rewires your thoughts, how that then shifts your body and how you feel physically. It's amazing stuff really how you feel physically. It's amazing stuff really, and I've created a list of 44 affirmations that can inspire your new loving vocabulary and the link is in the show notes or the description below for that, and I hope it's helpful. There's a lot of affirmations there and you can pick and choose what resonates with you. But what's really important is that you start to speak loving words to yourself and you start to truly visualize the positives that are going to come through you being on this journey and coming out the other side. All right.

Darnah Mercieca:

Next I'm going to dive into focusing on gut health, eating well and removing toxins, because what we put into our bodies affects our minds too. Gut health plays a huge role in mental health. In fact, about 90% of our serotonin is produced in our gut. Isn't that crazy? And poor gut health is often associated with breast implant illness symptoms, so it's no surprise we have increased anxiety, depression and mood issues. It's all connected. So, before surgery, focus on nourishing your body with anti-inflammatory nutrient dense foods and improving your gut health and, if you can reduce your exposure to toxins in your environment as well. Cleaning up your diet and lifestyle will help your body feel its best, or at least as good as it can right now, while the implants are still in your body. And when your body feels good, your mind follows. Think about it when you wake up on a good day feeling energized and your body feels good, maybe you're not in pain, maybe your symptoms aren't flaring up, maybe your head feels clearer than usual. All of a sudden, your mood is lifted. Right, you feel better. Or think about, after you've eaten a really nourishing meal, how good it feels and it kind of comes through in your energy.

Darnah Mercieca:

Now number four is to incorporate gentle movement. I know exercise can feel daunting and like the last thing you want to do, especially if you're dealing with BII symptoms, but movement is important for both physical and mental health, which is why it's on this list. I talked about this in way more detail in last week's podcast episode. It was literally all about exercise before explant surgery. So I really recommend checking that episode out after this, if you haven't already, but gentle movement like walking, stretching or yoga can really help ease stress and anxiety and actually improve energy levels and sleep quality, which is just a huge factor in how we feel. So listen to your body and do what feels right for you. Movement can just help you feel more in control and mentally prepared for what's to come.

Darnah Mercieca:

Plus, I don't know about you, but after a workout, after exercising, just the way it makes my body feel makes me feel better, makes me feel better, makes me feel brighter, makes me feel more confident. You know, I do a little core exercise. All of a sudden, my core muscles feel tighter. Once again, this isn't about how I look in the mirror as much as it is about how I feel in my body. My posture feels better. My, you know, I feel stronger. My legs feel better. My butt feels better. I feel stronger, my legs feel better, my butt feels better. Whatever it is, you just feel a little tighter, a little lighter, and all of a sudden you feel a little lighter. I don't know why. I felt compelled to rhyme all of that, but I did. That was definitely kind of weird. I'm going to own it.

Darnah Mercieca:

Number five one of the biggest ways to ease your mind before surgery is to be prepared in advance. Where are my planners at? Where are my planners at? I'm a planner. It really adds to the mental load when I'm not organized and leaving things to the last minute. I don't deal with that very well. That's when the stress kind of bubbles up inside me. The anxiety rises. So you know, planning in advance is, for sure, something I recommend. You want to make sure you have all your recovery essentials ready so you're not going to be scrambling or stressing close to surgery or worse, after your surgery like wondering if things are going to be delivered on time. I remember leaving a couple of things to the last minute and being like, oh my gosh, is this going to get delivered? Like before I even have surgery, is this going to get delivered before I even have surgery? So have your list, buy what you need in advance. And it's also wise to plan for emergencies. I know we don't like to think about it, but I think ignoring these things actually causes way more anxiety.

Darnah Mercieca:

There are things that can happen. There are risks with major surgery. So there's a lot of fear with a lot of women around um, around going under anesthesia and like what if something happens to me, like I've got my children and my family and all of these things and and those fears are warranted, right like they are legit fears and this is a major surgery and we all want to make sure that our families are good and that our kids are good. And then there are also, you know, those things that could happen after surgery, like, um, you know, typical risk like developing a seroma, developing a hematoma. What happens if that happens? If you don't know what I'm talking about, then you should speak to your surgeon and ask the questions, make sure that you have all of your questions answered by your surgeon, so have your insurance and paperwork in order, okay, and make sure you understand your surgeon's protocol for emergencies and then take all of that information and share it with your support person Because, my love, you are about to be out. If you are going under general anesthesia, which is typically common for this surgery, you're going to be asleep and you want to make sure that your support person knows what's up, and when you wake up, you're going to be groggy Quite often. The surgery clinic will then give your support person instructions. So just keep them in the loop, keep them involved. Also have a place where you've got all of that documentation in a folder, easy access for your support person, so your health insurance and life insurance, if you have it, and just all of those pieces.

Darnah Mercieca:

It's horrible to think about something happening, but I think that preparing for the worst case scenario, facing that and being prepared for it is a huge relief, just knowing that. Hey, if something happens, if there is an emergency, if something happens after surgery, everyone's everything's taken care of. Everyone knows where everything is and someone has the passwords to my computer, like whatever it is, someone has my boss's contact in case I can't come into work, like whatever it is. All of that you can feel at ease because you just know that everything's taken care of and you haven't left any loose ends or burdens on anybody. The other thing I think is worth mentioning here is to create a budget so you know what to expect financially, including any post-surgery care or supplements. That can just be such a huge weight off your shoulders to know what you have to budget for, how you're paying. And then also, even on the topic of supplements and all of that, don't forget to ask your surgeon. Make sure that they've given you a protocol in advance of when to stop taking certain supplements, what you can take, what you shouldn't take, like all of those things your surgeon should have a protocol for. So make sure that you have all of that information in advance so you can mark it on your calendars and, like I said before, you know, ask your surgeon all the questions you have, whether it's about the procedure, recovery or any potential risks. The more you know, the less you'll have to worry about.

Darnah Mercieca:

Number six is have realistic expectations for recovery. Knowing what to expect after surgery can help reduce anxiety. For sure, the thing is, recovery looks different for everyone and there are some things you just can't plan for. But there are things you can plan for. Knowing your surgeon's recovery protocol, understanding how your body might feel, how much downtime you'll need and things like what to eat, what to wear, what supplements to take and so on can help you mentally prepare. And things like what to eat, what to wear, what supplements to take and so on can help you mentally prepare and reduce some of the fears you might have about the unknown. Now there are going to be unknowns, especially around how your results are going to look aesthetically. That requires some more of the inner work and, like I mentioned earlier, those mental reframing, the positive affirmations, the visualizations, the self-talk and kind of. There's an element of surrender to this as well. But when I say having realistic expectations for recovery, I'm really talking about the pieces that you can control or at least be aware of and be prepared for. So for more on this, I do talk about all of this in podcast episode 45, that's called what to expect in recovery and that should be really helpful to get some clarity around all of that.

Darnah Mercieca:

Number seven is to make sure you have a solid support system in place before surgery. So you know, while you are in the early stages of this journey, are you isolating yourself and hiding and late at night on your computer and stressing about this all on your own and carrying the weight of this decision and this journey and all of this on your own shoulders? Because if you are, you don't have to be, you shouldn't be. This is a lot and you know, especially if you're not feeling well, it's just it's a lot to carry and so you know, I really recommend having someone that you can talk to, and this could be family friends, it could be your partner. If you have a loving, supportive partner, that makes you feel really held through this. I have seen it. It does exist and it is a beautiful thing when that is the case, but it's not the case for everybody, unfortunately. For me, my mom was my support person and it meant the world to me to have her by my side.

Darnah Mercieca:

Maybe you have a, a best friend or someone close to you, or even a therapist or coach who can help talk you through emotions and concerns. I think that that is a really underutilized opportunity on this journey. Scheduling time with a professional to work through any pre-surgery anxiety can be so helpful. A lot of my explant coaching clients come to me for more practical planning topics, you know, prepping for surgery, recovery, detox, like those kinds of things but they end up saying how it was actually such a huge support emotionally. There are also communities like the Empowered Explant Facebook group, which can be helpful to just surround yourself with women who understand your journey, who are on the path themselves, who have already healed and recovered, who can really hold space for you. And another cool thing to do could be like to find some women in a community who are having surgery around the same time as you. This is what I did on my journey and then you just stay connected with that small little pod of women who are really going through this at the same time as you, so that you can talk about your experience and you can all just really hold each other through it and celebrate each other as you each of you have your surgeries and come out on the other side.

Darnah Mercieca:

I absolutely love the group of breasties that I went through this journey with. There were about I don't know about eight of us, all explanting with Dr Dev in Miami and we all connected a few months before our surgeries and we went through the journey together in a Facebook group. In fact it was the original Empowered Explant Facebook group. From there it just grew and grew and blossomed into this beautiful community. But it started out just with this few of us and it was just so special to see each of us, one by one, go through our surgery, face our fears, be brave and come out the other side and celebrate each other. So, yeah, that's something really special and it might not be a group, it might just be one person that you meet who is on this journey at the same time as you, but it can be really therapeutic for both of you.

Darnah Mercieca:

Number eight is schedule self-care time, and I mean it, schedule it. Put it on your calendar and make it happen. Surgery is a big deal and having some quality you time is so important to keeping your mind calm and creating intentional space for yourself to work through all of these emotions. Whether it's meditating, reading, stretching, taking a bath, spending time in nature, whatever it looks like for you. Take moments to recharge and center yourself before your big day. Recharge and center yourself before your big day. Seriously, even just five minutes each day of undisturbed breathing can regulate your nervous system.

Darnah Mercieca:

Plus, you know, going into surgery and recovery, you're going to have some downtime. You know life isn't going to look exactly as it does now for a little while, which for some people like me, that was kind of a relief because I needed a break. I was like can I please just go on to anesthesia and take a long nap and wake up and rest, because my life felt really chaotic at the time and I kind of just needed that pause. But for others, that downtime can feel really taxing. It can feel really burdensome on your life and even during that not being able to take baths or not being able to take long hot showers. You just kind of take for granted those moments that you can really lean into right now. So take full advantage of every chance you get to just be with yourself and do something nice for yourself.

Darnah Mercieca:

Number nine is to lean in to your faith-based or spiritual practice. This is a big one for me. It really guided my journey, but I understand this might not resonate for everyone. If you do have a faith-based or spiritual practice, now is a great time to lean into that even more, really getting into prayer and praise and gratitude and ultimately trusting in a plan greater than your own, believing that God or the universe or that higher power has the best plan for you, even if it looks different than what you had planned for yourself, which quite often this does. I mean, who planned for this? I know I didn't plan for this in my life. So you know, really just leaning into that surrender, that trust in God's plan for you, bringing your faith into this journey, can bring so much peace and comfort as you prepare for your surgery day and as you face whatever comes next on this journey and there may be challenges that arise, but I found that the more I had faith that these challenges were presenting a lesson for me, that these challenges were presenting an opportunity for me to get closer to God, to surrender more, to trust more, to impact other people's lives. Whatever that was, my faith carried me through. And if the topic of faith or spirituality feels new to you but you kind of feel cold in the direction of exploring it, I encourage you to listen to that little nudge because there are so many miracles waiting for you on this journey. I've linked to my pre-surgery prayer, which you can listen to, you can download as well, which you can listen to, you can download as well, and it's just, it's so helpful to bring you peace as you get closer to your day, and I really recommend putting that on the night before your surgery for sure, and just feeling really grounded in knowing that you're protected, you're safe, feeling really grounded in knowing that you're protected, you're safe and that something magical is in store for you as you come out the other side of this explant journey.

Darnah Mercieca:

Lastly, number 10, the grand finale. As a final send-off, I suggest writing a goodbye letter to your implants. This is an emotional step, but it's so, so powerful. Most of us have complicated feelings about our implants. I find they typically represent a significant time in our lives, whether it's a divorce or child rearing or cancer survival, there's usually a story there, and now we're letting them go. Writing a goodbye letter can bring light and closure to this part of your life, allowing you to process whatever emotions could be stuck there. Episode 33 of this podcast is called the most powerful goodbye letter you can write, and it really is, and so in that episode you can hear all about this exercise and how it helped me and how you can also write this letter for yourself.

Darnah Mercieca:

Okay, that's my 10. And, like I said earlier, some of them seem simple. They work. So if you find yourself feeling anxious or overwhelmed with emotion, I want you to come back to this episode and choose something from this list to focus on.

Darnah Mercieca:

Preparing mentally for explant surgery can feel overwhelming, and it's quite often just something we push aside because we're like we really have to do that work. You know it sounds kind of simple, maybe. Maybe I don't really need that, but I'm telling you these steps will help you approach this, this whole journey, with more clarity, calm and confidence, if you're ready to tackle number five now, which was preparing in advance, and you're ready to tackle number five now, which was preparing in advance. Then you're ready to get organized for your surgery. Download my free 33-step explant planning checklist at checklistempoweredexplantcom. Trust me, it will be a mental relief to just have a to-do list that's already been created for you. You are welcome. Thanks for joining me today, breasty. If you found this episode helpful, please share it with as many Breasties as you can who are prepping for their explant day, so that we can create a ripple effect of calm together. You got this. You are not in it alone. You are so, so brave and I am here if you need support. I'll see you here next week, rusty.