46, 2 Kids, 5'9" 144 Lbs 36DD Want Breast Reduction!! - Austin, TX

For 20 years I have struggled with the side effects of large breasts - limited athletic endeavors, chronic back, neck and shoulder pain and feeling embarrased and uncomfortable in most clothing especially bathing suits. I wear a 6 or 8 yet most clothing is too tight in the chest area. Because I am tall most friend tell me I am " in proportion" but they haven't struggled with being ogled and ashamed - my outside (too sexy) doesn't match the inside ( smart book nerd!)

A few years ago I consulted with 3 local doctors about a TT BR combo - it was out of my price ($8-10k) and comfort zone with scarring. I also tried to have my insurance bc/bs cover the BR with no luck even though I had been referred by chiro, gp and ob gyn. I did 6 months of physical therapy fir my neck, back and shoulder. Finally I just gave up...so i am very curious for those if you who were successful having your insurance approve it. Will you share your process?
A few weeks ago I consulted w/ a very good local ps who suggested "lipo" as a way to reduce my breast size as well as lipo on my flanks. I had not heard of that process as a BR so I did a little research and soul searching. Finally with my husband's approval decided to go for it. I was ecstatic, scheduled the surgery for June 19, had another more detailed consult and paid in full. The doctor asked me to get a mammo. I did and dropped the X-rays at his office. He called me that afternoon and said he would not do the surgery. I was devastated .... It took so much courage to get to that point too have him change his mind was like a slap in the face. I keep going over in my mind wondering what I did wrong? Did I ask too many questions? It is very hard to not take it personally.
My husband suggested he was not the ps for me and look in Austin & SA. In my small town the ps prefer doing BA.

I do have a copy if the mammogram and the nurses there explained to me that my breasts are "more dense." I live in a small town and got the feeling my local ps was concerned that the operation might not meet my high expectations. The BR is an idea I have pondered & struggled with for 20 years. My plan was always to do it after having & breast feeding kids. Well my oldest just turned 12 so it is time! In order to be comfortable I need to ask a lot of questions about the process & results. The ps seemed impatient with my questions. It's a lot of money that could be spent on my kid's many, many needs! Yes, it was refunded. I traveling 3 hours to Austin today to consult with dr. Haydon.
On me the DDs are the huge elephant in the room. In my family and sister in laws etc, and with my friends NO One is larger than a B+ or tiny C. I look and feel huge. It is embarrassing.

I had a great consultation in Austin with Dr Haydon for a BR and Abo Lipo. After much deliberating i have decided to go for it. I am feeling so guilty about spending this much money on me and my seemily selfish desires or vanity. Does anyone else struggle with these feelings? If so, please share. How did you get over it? I just want to be able to button my shirt.....Oh and not have back & neck pains and be able to run.
The Austin Doctor was so kind and gentle. He was patient with my questions and seemed an expert about breasts. He was very technical and specific which i respond better too.
One more thought and then i will wait for the experts who have been thru it all to respond. Thoughts about BR & Abo lip combo? Recovery? I am afraid of the pain and scars. I will be travelling 3 1/2 hours north to do this. When can i come home? and drive? I will be staying with my sister in Austin, she is taking me to the surgery. How long should i stay?

Austin Doctor said No to lipo of the breasts as a method of BR on me. My breasts are too dense and the results would not be good. He did think the lollipop method would be best. he only wants to remove tissue from the sides and bottom and move the nippl up a bit. He gave me a choice of moving more volume into the upper area (NO WAY) or removing it. I want to be a large B or very small C. He said lets go proportional to your frame & body. i go the courage to ask about my "muffin top." He thought lipo on the flanks (same as CC doctor) and tummy would give me a nice result. TT is too drastic and scary for me, although i would love to get rid of my large mommy belly. I am not willing to have that large scar and dreadful recovery process.
I am in a huge rush and feeling pressured to get this done because:
1. i am off work until August
2. my husband said yes and will pay for it
3. my kids are gone until July
4. my sister is leaving austin and the country - ie no where to stay in austin
5. i found the right doctor and he has a spot for me
6. not getting any younger! only older and bigger and wider.

so ......? Now i am on a big get healthy kick. i have lost about 5 lbs in 3 weeks. i want to lose 5 - 10 more. i am working out 3 days a week and will add more. I cant wait to hear what everyone will say, recommend and your advice. This site is so addicting and incredibly encouraging! i am happy to have an outlet for all these crazy feelings!

lots of information to ponder. I am excited and nervous too. The BR recovery shouldn't be too bad. I am most worried about the lipo and that recovery. I read pretty bad stuff about everything that can go wrong with the lipo. is it normal to be this nervous?
The anesthesia is also scary for me. Some comforting words would be helpful.

"I am doing surprisingly well. i am now back at My sister's house and she's waiting on me hand and foot. the surgery went great. And I have a lot of drugs in my system so everything's basically numb & going well. The anesthesiologist did an exceptional job. I had no nausea and came out of it very easily.no pain yet."
That is the text I sent my family including my dad & my husband around 4:30 today. My mom passed away in 2005 so my sweet Irish twin sister is my caretaker for this endeavor. I helped her in 06 with a chin implant and all her skin cancer surgeries. We call each other "Sherpa." Over the years she has help a ton with my kids bc she has none.
Btw, my husband & teenage son are at Boy Scout camp in NM, once a day my husband hikes to the highest to the top of the highest mountain to get a signal (a la the Lone survivor) and we sorta "correspond" via text. Until today all they wanted were soccer scores & USA play by play which I am sure us pretty hilarious coming from me! Now he want to know all about me and specifically the "girls."
Now it is 8 pm And surgery was at 8 am today.we had the very nice and well appointed surgery center to our self today so the entire process from walk in to wheel out was top notch! Complications in the OR and / or from anesthesia were my biggest concerns and they were a non issue!!
We were home by 1:30pm. Napping is not my forte. Only did one from 4:30-6:30. Staying on top of pain meds. Just a bit sore on the sides of my breasts where they took the weight out - Only 100 grams on left and 150 grams out on right. I know that seems tiny to most of you but the also totally re shaped them & did lift. More later must eat now.

I might have spoken too soon yesterday. I had lots of good drugs in my system and was feeling no pain. Today I am very sore. Mostly when I transition from the bed to bathroom and in & out of position.
Last night I was way over ambitious and wanted to change the pads absorbing the leaking fluids from the lipo. Lots of leakage. Well in process I felt woozy and fainted onto the bathroom floor/onto my poor tiny sister. Now I am taking it very easy & slow and cautious. That scared both of us. The dr called last night to check on me and we have talked to the nurse twice. The BA was and is the easiest part so far. Virtually no pain there. Just a bit tender at the armpit edges. Weirdly my arms, shoulder and neck are sore too. Any thoughts or suggestions to share? I am taking the pain meds & arnica.

Up & about finally. Slept much better last night bc I took ibuprofen pm and slept on my side. Went to have my hair washed & dried today at a salon - huge treat. It is just that my back is killing me. I can't get comfortable laying or sitting down. So I can't nap or lay around. I have not taken any of the prescripitoions pain meds today only ibuprofen. My sister & I are getting on each others nerves now so time to go home!!

Today i am officially one week post Op. I came home on Monday (drove myself 3 1/2 hours with very little problem.) My energy level is good (not 100% about 60-70%) I have been off the prescription pain meds since Friday night i have noticed carefully getting out helps a lot ....the walking and distraction maybe? My breasts look worse than they feel. AT the post op appt on Monday Dr. Haydon said they were healing perfectly. All my breast stiches are internal and then i have glue over the outer incisions. Only a bit sore and tender when i overdue it, reach or carry something, or really think about it. I am to wear a bra they gave me 24/7 for 2 full weeks. Luckily it's front close and pretty comfortable. I am still swollen but guessing i will be about a 34C. That what i was when i gt married 17 years ago - PERFECT!! i will post pictures from my phone.

Now the other issue and more challenging part of this experience has been the lipo of the flanks, hips and Abo. I was so obsessed about having the BR i did very little research on the lipo and its recovery. I just threw it in because the doctors were suggesting it and acting like it was really no big deal.Honestly, i was worried about looking "fat" or "out of proportion" once the girls were not so huge. Those areas are much sorer than my breast and my lower back hurts the worse. The Compression Garment is SOOOO very tight. i feel like scarlett o'hara getting laced up into her corset. i cant even hook it up myself. it takes that much muscle to get me all squeezed in and laced up and yes it does take my breath away. At my Post Op i kept asking the doctor & the nurse "are you sure this is not too small." They said it was perfect. So i have come this far - i wonder what the results of that procedure will be. Any body who has had the lipo experience please write to me and let me know how to make that recovery more manageable. Specifically wearing The CG, lower back pain and sleeping position.
Thank you so much ladies your support and advice is so incredibly helpful!

Hello all!

Today Is exactly 2 weeks post surgery. I feel pretty good and have most of my energy back. But I'm still very sore and numb in that Lipo areas. All my kids are home now so it's pretty crazy at my house. I have way over done it since Saturday and so yesterday I was exhausted and very sore.

My breasts feel relatively good ...there is feeling in the nipple and that incisions are healing nicely. My big fear is that I did not go small enough. Originally my left breast was slightly larger now my right breast is larger I think the doctor did that to compensate. Or I'm still very swollen which I'm hoping and praying is the case. the shock of the reduction has subsided and now I look in the mirror and think that I really don't look that different. The thought of going through all of this and then basically being the same size is devastating. Someone please tell me I'm still swollen.

The Lipo recovery has been much much more challenging I'm still numb in my bum and lower back. All the bruises on my body are lighter and very slowly starting to fade.

I have gotten 2 lymphatic drainage massages )basically very gentle massages.). The masseuse says I'm still very swollen in my lower back. The massages seem to be helping a lot. I'm sleeping a little bit better. I've weaned myself off the Advil p.m. & all prescription pain meds. But last night I was so sore I did take one of the prescription pain medication. It helped tremendously.

A few questions for the experience ladies:
1. when will I be 100% back to normal?
2. When will the swelling go down?
3. When will I start to see the results of the lipo?
4. Is it unrealistic for me to be driving my very active kids all over town at this point? (already doing)

Honestly the recovery is worse than the surgery itself. We spend a lot of time and energy worried and concerned about the surgery itself. a better use of all that anxiety is planning and preparing for your recovery. realistically probably three weeks. Thank you everyone for your input and help I really appreciate it! Hope that everybody is healing very nicely!

Hello all! It has been a few weeks since my last update do I will include a few pics too. Unfortunately I haven't really taken any yet but I will get on that this week.

I am Feeling great and spent a long weekend out at the beach with my family. The best part was I had to get all new bathing suits. My others were too stretched out and big in the top. It was so nice to have my breasts fit in every bathing suit I tried on. Nothing was spilling out of the top or the sides which is new for me. Very exciting. I still have not started exercising again. I'm waiting for my doctors appointment next Monday before I get back into my exercise regime.

I am sleeping much better mostly on my side. My back no longer hurts and I'm pretty active. Even being in waves at the beach was not painful. I even went paddle boarding.
I'm holding off being professionally measured because my right breast is still swollen. Plus I'm hoping to go down a little more in size - I'll be devastated if they haven't gone down much at all from my original 36 DD.

I have a few old bras that I can still fit into. But I also have some that are way too big.

I'll update again after I get some newer pictures.

Just wanted to share one more photo for comparison. Not much of a difference? Can you see a difference?