Breast reduction

[MissBecca]

Today I made an important decision. When I'm about 20kg lighter, I'm finally going to have a breast reduction. I've lost almost 10kg in the last 5 months and my breasts are no smaller (I'm a DD cup - but only 'grandma' bras have enough support). I remember when I was at my ideal weight they were still enormous and out of proportion - so I'm going to do it! Sick of buying clothes that fit everywhere else but across the bust. I have chronic mid-back pain, the back of my neck is knotted up beyond belief, I have dents in my shoulders from bra straps - just all a bit much really - I can't even wear bathers. Apparently this is covered by Medicare and then by private health because it's for medical reasons (rather than cosmetic), so I think I'll just go for it - got a referral from GP today!

Just thought I'd share :cool:

Rebecca

[LucyCL]

Hi Rebecca!!
I have the opposite problem! Do you think they will do a transplant?? :lol:
Seriously though - when the time comes, I hope it goes well & you are happy with the result.

Lucy

[Rosebud]

Good for you, Rebecca!:clap:
That's got to be a big decision (not one I'll ever have to make, I'm with Lucy), but one you'll benefit from forever.
Just make sure you get the best surgeon available; see if he'll let you speak with any of his former patients.
This will also be a great incentive for that next 20 kg to go.
You're going to feel great!
Good luck, mate!

:rose:Rosebud:rose:

[RedRoses72]

Well done on your decision Rebecca. I had a breast reduction 2 and a half years ago and never regretted it. I went from a EE to a C. Just make sure you get a reputable surgeon, and do plenty of research first.

Feel free to email me at red_roses_72~hotmail.com if you have any questions.

Wendy :)

[lesleyc]

I've been considering the same.

I have had some shrinkage and am now in a D cup, but things have gotten rather saggy.

I have promised myself that if at my goal my boobs hang to my waist then Iwill get them fixed.

Good luck with it - let us know how you get on.

lesley

[MissBecca]

Another important moment - I've finally got inside of 20kg to goal. Today the scales tell me I'm 19kg away from my goal of 68kg. Yippee! When I'm finally there I might set another 5kg goal to get down to 63, but the point is that 68kg means that I'm inside the healthy weight range for my height.

Thanks everyone for your support and comments re my decision to have a 'boob job' (in reverse) ... I'm single at the moment - I can imagine in the future having to explain the scars to a partner/husband, but also having to clarify that I had a REVERSE boob job - hehehehehe, cracks me up.

Gals, if were possible I'd offload some of my excess 'baggage' to you!

Can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to this. I've made an appointment with a recommended surgeon for 26 February - no doubt he'll do a whole lot poking and prodding. Blushing just thinking about it. I've tentatively set early May as the best time to have it done. Gives me some time to lose another 9kg (I'll get it done while about 10kg away from goal weight), and it works out best with my work to do it at that time - as I'll need about 3 weeks off (but I can take it as sick leave - yay!).

Cost - this will cost about $2500 of my own money. The procedure itself will cost $3000, of which Medicare will kick in $800, and HBF about $270. HBF will also cover the hospital room and theatre costs but I think I'll be up for the anaesthetic. The other option is to go to a public hospital where it would cost nothing, but I wouldn't be able to choose my doctor - AND I've have to wait 5 to 7 years!! All in all, I think it's worth spending the money - it's not a whole lot in the long run and will be soooo worth it when I can wear NORMAL bathers and NORMAL bras and not have my boobs entering a room a couple of seconds before I do!!

Well, I've rambled on enough now - I'll go and do my washing!

Thanks again everyone!

Rebecca

[sunsight13]

Wow, good for you. It is something I have considered for years and still am. Maybe when I get down near my goal weight and back to the USA I will consider it again. I will have different insurance then and will have to look into it.

I look forward to hearing how it goes. Please let us know when you have it done and your results for awhile.

Thanks for sharing this.

Susan

[RedRoses72]

Wow Rebecca.....I had mine done in a public hospital, and only had to wait 9 months. Didnt cost me a cent either.

All the best for your appointment...let us know how you get on.

Wendy :)

[MissBecca]

Thanks everyone for the posts. I'll let you know how things are going. Counting the days till my appointment on 26 Feb!!!

Rebecca :D

[KatieKoo]

Hi Rebecca

I'm looking at getting a "reverse boob job" once I get down to my goal weight too. I worry that, as I don't have kids yet, it will affect my ability to breast feed if I do it before.

Do you have any idea if it does affect breast feeding as I'm sure they "move" your nipples around?

Kate :confused:

[RedRoses72]

Katie,

It depends what they do with your nipples. With mine, they had to remove them completely and re-attach them, so I will never be able to breastfeed when I have children. In some cases, if the nipple doesnt have to be completely removed, breastfeeding is still possible.

Its always best to discuss these concerns with your plastic surgeon before having the operation.

Wendy :)

[MissBecca]

Yup, what RedRoses said! There is a definite risk that you won't be able to breastfeed because they may remove some milk ducts - yet some people have no problems at all.

For me, I'm single and it may be years until I have children if at all - and I'm not going to hang around and wait for that to happen before doing this. I'll just have to be prepared to bottlefeed!!

Rebecca

[CherylAust]

Rebecca,
Good on you for doing something with those DD's, I wish I had your guts. I would love to have my DD's reduced too, I don't want to go too small, just being in single letters would do me. I am going to wait till I've lost my 20 kilos to see what sort of state they are in, at the moment they're heading for the floor. :tears:.
As for the scars, my grandmother had a reduction done years ago and her scars are barely noticeable.
Isn't it funny how no-one is happy with their size? One of my friend's is a DD size too, but she actually paid to get to that size.

Cheryl

[MissBecca]

Thanks once again folks for the posts.

Yes, it's funny how no one is happy with their size. Personally I'd be quite happy with this size if they weren't 'heading for the floor'. I'm not far off 27 but they grew so fast in my teens that gravity just went out the window and they are "large and pendulous". I'm aiming for a C cup - not a huge change but enough to make them feel a bit more 'normal'. Right now it feels like it's just me and my boobs - I don't like them being a defining feature.

Tomorrow is my appointment with the surgeon. I'm a little apprehensive about having a stranger 'examining' my breasts - I only hope his hands aren't cold!! LOL!

I've taken the day off work. I'm a pretty strong person but this is a big thing that I've never really been through before and I guess it's possible that I may have an unexpected emotional reaction - so I thought it a good idea to just have the whole day.

Wish me luck!!

Rebecca

:)

[RedRoses72]

Good luck Rebecca....i'm sure you'll be fine :)

[MissBecca]

Hi again everyone :)

Thanks for the support. Just a lil update:

I went to see the plastic surgeon last Tuesday, and he was very nice and easy to talk to. I went armed with a list of questions but decided to let him do all the talking first because I was sure he'd answer many of them in his 'usual spiel' - which he did.

He does plastic, reconstructive and micro-surgery. He is especially well known for hand surgery which I find reassuring because it means he's a 'surgeon of precision'. He showed me some before and after pictures, particularly of women of similar breast size to me, which I found reassuring. I had no idea how common this procedure is around Perth. He himself does about one reduction procedure each fortnight for private patients, and has about 50 patients on his waiting list at one of the large public hospitals (and, unfortunately, they may never receive treatment - other more urgent plastic surgery cases arrive in public hospitals all the time so he never gets very far down his waiting list - thank goodness I have private health cover). He has only heard of about three cases of nipple necrosis (tissue dies off) in Perth - two with the same surgeon who uses a different technique. (It's never happened to him thankfully.)

When it came time for the examination, I was VERY GLAD INDEED that his hands were not cold!! I was quite nervous about this part. I'm not really used to have my breasts 'manhandled' (I'm a single gal!!) and I wasn't sure if I'd get all embarrassed and blushy and sweaty, but it was fine. I guess I just switched all that stuff off because it's a medical thing - a bit like having a pap smear, I told myself.

Still geared for May. That's the best time workwise, and also by then my cat will be old enough to have been desexed and go into a cattery for a few days. I should also have lost a few more kgs by then :)

Rebecca :yay:

[MissBecca]

I'm all set! Surgery is booked for 16 May. I'm boarding my cat at the animal hospital and she is having her surgery (desexing) on the same day! That sounds just a bit cute doesn't it?

[CherylAust]

Gee Becca, that's not that far away. Good luck. Do you know how long the hospital stay is?

cheryl

[MissBecca]

Hey Cheryl

Yup the hospital visit is between two and four nights. It really depends on how long it takes before the drain is ready to be removed. That's a thing that's individual to each person - but on average it's between two and four nights for the stay. I was a bit worried about the drain - being familiar with what netballers go through when they have their knees reconstructed - but I'm assured it's pretty painless as it's not being pulled out of a joint!

Would you believe the only niggling doubt I have is nothing to do with my personal safety or fear of 'going under' or the scarring or anything like that - it's more to do with what my potential future partner/husband might think. Sometimes I worry that he (whoever he may be) might have issues with me 'tampering' with what God gave me. But then I think about people born with birth defects and how no one would question them wanting to get it fixed. In this case, it's not a defect as such - just something that causes discomfort and pain, not to mention difficulty buying underwear and clothing, and also makes me quite self-conscious. I won't deny there's some vanity involved in deciding to go ahead with it - and I guess if a man in the future had a problem then it's HIS problem. Nevertheless, the thought niggles.

Rebecca :) :D

[CherylAust]

Becca,
I know what you mean by that, the main thing that is holding me back, apart from the cost, is my husband. I don't know how he'll react, he likes my big boobs. Many of my smaller friends are envious and say they would like theirs to be my size. My reply is "until you have them that is". To me they are a burden. I don't have back pain as such but do get a lot of neck & shoulder pain. And buying bras is a real pain. I saw some beautiful ones in my size the other day, beautiful colours, great price but the fabric would not have lasted very long for me.

Cheryl

[MissBecca]

That's about the only niggling doubt I have - what potential future husband might think (I'm single at the moment), but I figure it's something I'm doing for me. I'm the one who has to put up with the heavy boobs, shoulder grooves, chafing etc ... and not to mention the difficulty with buying nice bras and bathers and so on. (In fact shopping is the thing I'm looking forward to most post-surgery.)

I reckon if your husband loves you, he'll support anything you do that makes you feel more comfortable, raises your self-esteem and makes you feel more attractive. Hard pill to swallow - as I said, it's my one remaining doubt (and I'm single!!!), but it's the truth. It's a very personal decision and ultimately you're on the only one who can make it.

As soon as I can, I'll be back online and I'll tell you how I'm going and give you regular updates. All the stuff I've read points to it being the best decision a large-breasted lady can make ... I'll give you my views on that and some very frank feedback.

I've been posting on two forums so I can't remember if I posted costs to this site (and I can't see my original post at this moment). I have private health insurance which means that I'll be forking out about $2500 of my own money. If I didn't have private health I'd have to wait about 7 years for public, or spend at least $8K. That $2500 (plus the $500 I've set aside for SHOPPING) was a good chunk of my savings for my first home ... but this is important to me NOW, and I can buy a house anytime. Self-esteem comes first I reckon.

Rebecca :)