Breast Reduction: Stories

Hi! I have been devouring everyone's stories for about 2 weeks now. Thank you to everyone for their candid information - it has helped me immensely through this process!

My story is similar - have had large breasts my whole life (began developing in 3rd/4th grade). Through middle and high school I received lots of extra attention from the boys because I was so overdeveloped. In those days at 105 pounds, I was a 32C/D. Through college and beyond, I have grown to a 36 H/I. My OB gave me high hopes that my cup size would reduce once I had children. Oddly, though, I did not increase in size when pregnant or nursing, but rather after weaning both of my kids.

Over the past few years, I have become a regular chiropractic patient to help alleviate some of my pain and discomfort. At this point, it feels as though my pelvis is pulling up and my top is pulling down, as if to fold me in half. My shoulders also seem to be rounding in towards my chest. Basically, my posturing is getting significantly worse - and I am only 31!! Enough was enough, so I consulted my PCP about a BR.

I have passed the initial screening with my health provider. This screening was a "group" class in which another lady and I met with a PS nurse and went through the nitty gritty of what a BR entails (physically, emotionally, financialy, etc) as well as a BMI check and health history questionnaire. Tomorrow I have a consultation with the surgeon. He will take all of the pertinent scientific measurements and tell me whether I am a candidate for having insurance pay for my BR.

I cannot tell you how nervous/scared I am that he will tell me that I am not large enough to be a candidate for this surgery. It is something I have dreamed of for a very long time and is becoming so real! Wish me luck - I need it. I'll come back to post an update after my appointment tomorrow.

The short version - HE SAID YES!!!

The longer version - I went in to my appointment this morning and the nurse took all of my vitals and asked a few questions. Dr. came in to meet me and visit while I still had clothes on, then excused himself for me to get undressed. When he came back in, he did the notch to nipple measurement, a breast exam (during which he said I have very dense breasts), looked at my breast configuration and then took photos. He then excused himself again for me to put my clothes back on and came back to talk. He told me that I'm a fabulous candidate for insurance to cover the surgery (thank goodness). Then, we talked about my two options. Here is my question for ladies who have been through surgery - he gave me the choice between a vertical (more European/Canadian style) or an anchor (more US style)...WHICH TO CHOOSE?!?!?!

I really can't tell you how thrilled, ecstatic, emotional I am right now. Once he gets the order for surgery into the system (Kaiser), the scheduler will call me to book this life changing event. Dr. told me that I'd have a date set within a week and that surgery is about 2 months.

OH.MY.GOSH!!!!!!! I am on an amazing ride. The PS told me the scheduling person would call me this week. Well, I got antsy and called her yesterday. She said, "Well, the first available date is August 28th." Get out of town - that is the day I was dreaming for. I will be going in for the pre-op physical on 8/14 and then surgery on 8/28. Holy cow, that is so fast and awesome!

Ladies - this is where I need your HELP! I would love your feedback/experiences/opinions regarding the lollipop vs. anchor techniques. Please help me decide (my PS has left it up to me and has said he is equally comfortable with either).

In 3 1/2 weeks, I'll be on the small boob side - eeeeeaaaaakkkk! :)

After a lot of conversation with my hubby and tons of looking on the internet, I have decided that the anchor pattern is the way to go. I am hopeful to get to a C and feel that my chances are better with the anchor than lollipop to get there. I e-mailed my PS with this last night and heard back from his nurse. She sent me an e-mail this morning that based on his notes from my visit on 7/27 that this should be a realistic goal.

We had a family reunion this weekend and I told some of my husband's family about my surgery date. It was so awesome how much support they all had to offer. It is nice having so many family members close by. My sister in law will be setting up a website thing to have family and friends sign up to bring dinners for the first week or two. I'm really feeling blessed with everyone's generosity!

A side note - I sold out this weekend and am another one to have an app on my phone with a surgery countdown. It makes it all the more real. :)

I have been so busy being excited about my upcoming surgery that I guess I didn't stop to consider the other emotions that my mind/body are experiencing. Must be a bit stressed about all of the factors that I can't control and such becasue I've developed some acne issues. Umm, I haven't had acne since late elementary/early middle school! I've also noticed becoming frustrated with my husband and kids far more easily than normal. To deal with this, I've been trying to boost my workout routine to physically burn off the stress. Uggg!! Patience is a virtue and I need to start practicing some. All of this will happen sooner than I know and I just need to keep my mind off of it to be as productive as possible between today and August 28th.

Okay - rant over. Thank you for reading.

One other thing - I heard from the PS nurse yesterday and she has scheduled my 2 post op follow up appointments. There is one about 24 hours after surgery should be done and one that is 2 weeks post op. That made this all start to feel even more real.

Hey everyone! Sent my husband and kids to the zoo this morning so that I could get some things done around the house. I have begun putting together lists of things to do, things to buy, things to get out, questions to ask at my pre-op appt on Tuesday (on Tuesday...it is almost here!!!!), etc. Putting all these lists together and starting to work on projects is making this all a bit more real.

I think that my apprehension is settling out some and I'm finding myself excited now more than worried. My biggest fear is the pain medication after surgery as I have family members who've had addiction problems with prescription pain drugs. I hate to even take Aleeve. I've spoken about my fears with some close family members and it feels much better to have these concerns out on the table and to have processed them.

Good news this week, non-breast related - I got a truck! Never pictured myself as a truck girl, but I am in love with it. It might set me back in driving a bit longer after surgery as I have to climb into it, but oh well. Maybe I can get running boards installed while I'm out of commission?

I hope that you're having a great weekend. For those who are going through surgery this week, I hope that you're ready and at peace with all that you wanted to accomplish before this awesome life-changing event. :)

Pre-op appointment is tomorrow morning. At that appointment, I will be EXACTLY 14 days until surgery. Right now, I cannot imagine how the next couple of weeks will go because surgery is all I can think about. I have arranged for family/friends to help with my kids for almost all of the 4 weeks that I anticipate having lifting restrictions and will spend the next couple of days finalizing those arrangements. I'm trying to make minimal effect on my husband as possible as he is in the midst (yes, already) of coaching football and going back to work. My kids are young 3 3/4 and 1 1/2, so I know that this will be hardest on them, but I keep telling myself that they will benefit from this in the long run, too.

The weekend was good - got a lot done and have a game plan for even more.

Ta for now! :)

The pre-op physical was this morning. Wow, what an anticlimactic event! A nurse took my vitals, gave me some habiclens to wash with the night before and morning of surgery, provided a list of dos and don'ts and sent me to the lab to have a blook draw. I kind of felt bad for dragging hubby with. Provided blood work comes out normal, I am in for 13 days, 21 hours from now for my surgery!!! Woo hoo!!!

My hubby had heard that chocolate milk is a good repairative drink, so he bought be some this weekend. Now, my 3 1/2 year old and I have a glass before bed time routine starts. It is a great way to include her in this process. She has become very curious about it, so we've been trying to explain things to her, age appropriately. She told my husband last night that after surgery, he will have to pour the milk since I can't lift and then she will bring it to me. It was so cute!

Hey everyone! Great news - I spoke with the hospital and my insurance provider yesterday and I found out how much this awesome event is going to cost (it doesn't really matter, but thought I should know). :) Turns out that it will be around $1K - $1200 out of pocket. That is so doable.

The list of to do items is getting longer, but also am getting things done off of it, too. I've put together a calendar for surgery (8/28) through the end of September with family members who have volunteered to help me get our kids to and from daycare and cared for at home for the first week or so...the calendar is almost done - only have about 3 more slots to fill. Out of a month, that is not too bad.

Us August 28th-ers have just 12 short days left until it is our turn. For those in the next several days, I'm thinking about you. For those healing, I'm sending prayers for easy recoveries. :)

Alright, so I should wait until the end of each day before posting...just spoke with the nurse in the PS department. My blood work from the pre-op physical came back and all is good. My iron levels are probably the highest they've been in my entire adult life. All other components from my blood test look great, so I am cleared for surgery. Woo hoo!!

Happy Monday! In exactly 8 days from now, I hope to be sitting in recovery waiting to be taken home. It feels like I've been waiting FOREVER for this week to come, but is is approaching so rapidly now! This week will be busy. Hubby is going out of town for a few days, I have out of town work myself one day and then I have 2 days of vacation (that I was already planning to use before surgery was even scheduled) to get my house and affairs in order, then Hubby comes home, we celebrate my birthday, and BOOM, surgery day. Obviously, I anticipate this week going by very fast.

Not nervous at all right now, just purely excited. Reading everyone's stories has me chomping at the bit for my turn. :) I can't wait to join those of you who are already post op.

Hope you're all doing well, whether recovering, preparing like me or pondering.

OMG!!! In exactly 1 week from this moment, I will be checking in at the hospital!! Can we say EXCITED?!?!?! I am desperately trying not to talk too much about this to people IRL because I don't think that they understand how seriously life altering and exciting this is. You all know, though. :) Every time I have gotten dressed these past couple of days, I am reminded how these large over the shoulder boulder holders will be thrown away in the near term.

I found out yesterday that I have an out of town meeting tomorrow, so I only have today and Monday left in the office before I am out for 1 - 2 weeks. This is crazy. Okay, now I'm off to get more work done.

I hope each of you in recovery is doing well and those waiting are enjoying pre-surgery time with their loved ones. :) Have a great day.

I'm here at work for about another hour and then I'm off until Monday (my birthday). No doubt Monday will be crazy busy tying up loose ends...and then.....TUESDAY is the big day! I had a horrendous headache last night and couldn't take my typical two Aleeve and was so worried I'd wake up this morning to find that it didn't go away. Lucky for me, it did. :)

These next few days will be awesome - spending time individually with family and friends to catch up and spending quality time by myself at home nesting. I'm looking so forward to these 4 days!

Hey everyone! Well, tomorrow is THE BIG DAY!!! I am so excited. :) My hubby got home last night - he went to Florida with his football team to play at Disney World. They won and got out before the storms got too bad. My kids spent Wednesday - last night with their grandmas (between my mom and mother-in-law) and I was able to get 99% of my projects/preparation done by yesterday. The couple of things I have left will be done today. Basically, I am so ready for this...bring it!!

Today has been amazing so far - my coworker came in to the office last night and decorated my office for my birthday. There are balloons, confetti, flowers, the whole 9 yards! Probably the sweetest thing anyone has done for me in a long time. Also, our childcare provider had my favorite kind of latte waiting for me when I dropped the kids off this morning. So awesome.

Alright - off to kick butt and take names with getting a lot of work done. Have a great day everyone! For all of us that will have our surgery this week - we can do this!!!! I hope it goes well for all of us. For everyone recovering - enjoy today!

Ta for now ~ Jugz

Home, exhausted and in love. Will post more later

I haven't downloaded photos yet (I know, what is wrong with me!?!? :) ), but wanted to give a quick update on my status. Dr. took 474 grams (1.04 pounds) off of the right and 610 grams (1.3 pounds) off of the left. The PS told my hubby that I will likely be in a C cup as I so desired. Hooray!!!

Overall, I'm feeling really good. The PS packed a numbing agent in my breasts during the surgery, but I feel like it is starting to wear off a little bit. It is nice to know that some feeling is returning. Overall, I'm not in a lot of pain. I have been taking the pain medication (Vicadin) because my dr/family have been pushing it. I think that I may switch over to Aleve later in the day today. Like others have described, I feel tight and sore, but not really in pain.

I'm in LOVE with what I see so far!!! The surgical bra that they put me in is a little loose, so I can peak in a bit - I actually have cute cleavage!! Once I get my camera cord out and can upload some pictures, I will. I'm also hoping to take some pictures of them bare at my appt this afternoon. :)

Alright, off to rest. I hope my buddies that went yesterday are doing great, too. For those going today and the rest of the week - the others were so right - the wait is by far the worst part of this whole experience (at least so far). For those debating whether to do this surgery - DO IT!!!! Everyone else recovering - have a great day.

~Jugz

Ooh, that darn vicadin kept me leveled for a good 4 - 5 days...I hate that feeling. I'll start at the beginning, so fair warning that this post will be long.

8/28 - arrived at the hospital to check in at 8:10 (about 30 minutes early), so sat and watched hubby eat a breakfast burrito. In his defense, I suggested he eat. We checked in and went upstairs to wait. It seemed like forever. Finally, they called us back and got into the pre-op room to get on my gown, pee in a cup, and wait for the surgeon to come mark me up. We found out the OR was backed up because the patient in there before me was having complications. We ended up being delayed about 30 - 40 minutes. My surgery only took about 2 hours (they had budgeted 3 - 3.5). When I woke up, I had to pee!! I asked the nurse about it and she said that I'd need to use a bedpan since I was just waking up. I told her I'd hold it because I didn't know how to use a bedpan. About 10 minutes later, I couldn't hold it any more, so she agreed to wheel my bed over to the restroom so I could go. Ahh, it felt so good! Once we got back to my recovery bay, I was feeling a little nauseous (despite having the nausea patch as you others so kindlly recommended). She put something in my IV to help and insisted that we stay in that bay for a minute longer. I recall being up at about 3:05 and about 3:35, was moved into the secondary recovery room. This is when I got to see hubby. I was so glad to see him! After about another 30 minutes, we were told I was doing really well and was ready to go home.

Apparently, I called my dad on the way home (I HAVE NO RECOLLECTION OF THIS). We work together and following is what I told him (and yes, I am still mortified). "Dad, I want to thank you so much for all of your ongoing support as I've gone through this. But, I need you to know that I don't need your support anymore because I have itty bitty titties!!!!" Oh yes, I really did say that! And I learned about it because my dad repeated it to me over this past weekend. Not sure that I've ever been more mortified! Oh well. :) It gives us something to laugh at, right?

The ride home went well. I was nervous that I had fogotten a pillow to have for the seatbelt, but have found that I didn't/don't need one. The seat belt actually fits like it probably always should have.

The day after surgery, my mom took me in for my follow up appointment with the nurse. She said that everything looked really good. When I asked her if I could see my new self, she hesitated and said that a lot of women want to see, but then faint at the sight. I told her that, thanks to you ladies, I'd seen TONS of post-op pictures and was fully prepared. Guess what!?!?! They weren't as bad as I thought they'd be. There were 2 things I wasn't prepared for: 1) the amount of pen marks STILL on my body and 2) the surgeon ended up using sutures on my nipples instead of just glue. Apparently, he used some sort of a new technique on my nipples.

One brilliant idea that I had was to go 2 days post op to get my hair washed/styled by a professional. In hind sight, I wish I would have done it 3 - 4 days post op. It did help me feel human again, though. :)

In the 7 days since my surgery, I've become less sore (though the sides are still the most tender) and have figured out that I LOVE THESE NEW BOOBS!!!!!!!

The only downside that I have experienced could not have been forseen. On Friday (3 days post op), I started getting some hives on my abdomen. I figured that it was irritation from the too big surgical bra. Over the weekend, it got progressively worse. We have since discovered that I am allergic to the post surgical scrub that they use in the OR. I had a similar experience with a hivey rash after my emergency C-section almost 4 years ago. At that time, the rash was attributed to fluctuating hormones and such. Now that I've had it happen twice, they are sure that it is the scrub. Basically, I just have to take cool showers to ensure that it is all washed off, use prescription Benadryl as needed (though not often enough!!) and can put topical hydrocortozone cream on my abdomen - away from incisions.

Okay, I think that it "it" for now. I'll re-read my post and see if I left anything off. :)

Thank you to everyone for your support and friendship through this process. As cliche as it might sound, I would not have made it through this as well if it weren't for you all.

~JugzRGone

Today has been a good day. Thank goodness, the itching is beginning to subside!!! I haven't had my hair washed since Sunday, so I'm looking forward to Hubby getting home so that he can help me wash my hair. Also, I was able to catch up on my e-mails and a few other work items today. It is incredible how tiring that is. For those of you who have had to go back to work about a week or so post op, I feel for you!!! By the way, my decision to start a bit of work is completely my own - my dad thinks I'm crazy for coming back so soon.

I ran into a neighbor outside today. She is one of a few who knew I was going to have my BR. It took her a while to realize that is what was making me look different to her. At first, she asked if I'd lost a ton of weight since we last saw each other - then she realized I'd had the surgery. It was nice. :)

Today marks 7 weeks post op. I can hardly believe that this much time has passed. At this point, I am feeling mostly normal. Still can't reach fully above my head (as in arms stretched way out and up), but I CAN sleep on my stomach.

I had the best experience yesterday - a bathing suit that I ordered came in and fit so amazingly! It gives a small amount of cleavage, but looks tasteful. Before, my boobs would have been spilling out of that suit so badly.

There are only two experiences that I've had that I wasn't anticipating that I wanted to share for people. While the surgery and after were not painful at all for me, it did take me about 4-5 weeks for the anesthesia to completely clear out of my brain. During that time, it felt sort of like pregnancy brain - all fuzzy and not completely clear. The other thing is that I was doing so well with weight loss, but the surgery and recovery (namely people bringing over food that I would normally shy away from) has put me at a standstill there. In all, I gained about 4-5 pounds and it has taken me until about the last week or so to get enough energy to even want to do anything about it.

Another funny experience I recently had was with my best friend. She has always been smaller chested (B or C) and she commented to me the other night how jealous she was that I was able to nurse my two kids AND get small, perky boobs. :)

I took updated photos last night and will post them once I get them loaded onto the computer. As you'll see, the scars are still pretty visible, but I have all thoughts that they'll fade soon.

Uggg!!!! I just spent a ton of time uploading a bunch of photos. The site puked. So, I will add some more, but won't go to the trouble I just did. :(

Today was my 2 month follow up appointment with the surgeon. It is a bit over 2 months (about 9 weeks) and my PS and his nurse commented on how well they feel the scars are healing. They thought that everything looked amazing and would only continue to improve. I must say that I still am in love and am 1000% happy with the decision to go through with this surgery. It has been like a reset button on life. To that end, I've been so busy that I rarely have an opportunity to check back in here. If you need me, please send a private message and I'll come check in.

Ta!!