Breast Reduction: Stories

I have had large breast most of my life. Didn't mind them much until about 7 years ago when I started having issues with my back and neck. I am a massage therapist and they just got in the way all the time. We had met our deductible on our insurance last year so I made the call to my insurance company and asked for a Plastic Surgeon who was in my network. I was referred to Dr John Keller in Lawrence, KS. I am so pleased with the surgeon and my outcome. The amount listed is what I have spent so far, still waiting for insurance to finalize.

I am now 27 days post op, the itching for the past 2 days has been horrible. I have had to take Benadryl and use an anti itch cream on my breasts. I know its a sign of healing, but good grief, I can only scratch my breasts in public so many times before people start looking at me strangely. My being a good patient is thinning. At least I can partially lay on one side with the help of a couple of pillows. Ok, rant over! :-)

Benadryl is helping very much, itching is not so bad. It's amazing how much better I feel in just the last 5 days. I am a massage therapist and have decided that next week I can start scheduling clients. Will start out slow for the first week, so I don't over due myself and cause any set backs. Tomorrow I will be 4 weeks post op.

Also, I failed to mention in my initial post: 804 grams was removed from my right breast and 769 grams from my left. My right breast was more dense.

Taking the following homeopathic supplements to aide in healing; Arnica Montana to reduce bruising, Horsetail to help heal the skin, Bromelain to reduce inflammation. I started taking the Horsetail and Bromelain 2 weeks prior to surgery and immediately after surgery added the Arnica, 3 tablets - 3 times daily along with the 500 mg of Horsetail 2 times daily and 500 mg of Bromelain 3 times daily for 2 weeks. I no longer take the Arnica Montana, but I am still taking the Horsetail and Bromelain.

I also follow the Eat Right For Your Blood Type Diet, started this diet in January of 2010, I keep my body very alkaline (this aides in healing) You can purchase Ph strips at the health food store, I try to keep my saliva Ph at 7.0-7.2. I was very strict on my diet for one month prior to surgery, restricted all sugars and ate healthy and at least 1 raw food meal a day.

I have mixed my own scar remedy; Organic Rosehip Oil, Chamomile, Frankincense, Myrrh and Helichrysum. 10 drops of Chamomile, 10 Drops of Frankencense, 5 drops of Myrrh, 5 drops of Helichrysum, all these added to 50 mil bottle of Rosehip Oil.

Tips for after surgery:
1. Might need to bring some form of cough drop, being intubated made my throat very sore and hurt to swallow - Ricola cough drops helped.
2. My mouth was VERY dry after surgery for several hours, from the anesthesia, cough drops helped with that.
3. Bring a pillow for the car ride home, I placed it over my chest to keep seat belt off the new girls. Also gave me extra protection from bumps in the road.
4. If it's wintertime, make sure your ride home warms up the car, getting hard nipples is really painful, at least for me it was.
5. I had to replace the gauze daily, I bought several boxes of rolled gauze. I only had a small discharge for about 3 days afterwards. My drains were removed the next day by my surgeon before I was discharged from the hospital. I would lay down on my bed with my surgical bra on, but opened in the front. My hubby would start under my armpit area and unroll the gauze across both breasts to the other side and go back and forth, then secure the bra. I did this for the first 10 days, the gauze gave me some extra padding, my nipples were really sensitive and rubbed on my surgical bra.
6. Hydrogen Peroxide is great for washing blood stains out of your bras.
7. Buy a second surgical bra, best advice I ever followed. Those surgical bras need to air dry, so it was nice to have a second clean bra to wear. I tried to wear the sports bra like recommended, but the bra rode on my anchor incisions and hurt.
8. Get plenty of rest, take naps and drink lots of water. The pain meds will make you feel like you "feel good" don't push it. I almost fainted twice in the first 5 days. I was up moving around too much.
9. Eat healthy, avoid salty things, they make you retain water.
10. If you have a family to take care, prepare easy meals ahead of time and put them in the freezer.

Just an update, 4 days ago I noticed these tiny red spots around both of my areolas. They itch like crazy, so I called the surgical nurse and she said the Bacitracin cream they told me to use was causing an allergic reaction, so stop using it. Had to take some benadryl and use an anti itch cream on the area. That helped a lot and they are starting to clear up. Posted a close up pic of one a breast so others could see the spots.

Removed the surgical tape last night from my anchor incisions. Very pleased with the scars and how smooth they look. Slathered my essential oil blend I made for scars before bed time. I do plan on applying the surgical tape the the T junction under each breast for awhile longer. This seems to be the area that is most likely to open, and I don't want that to happen!!

I return to work tomorrow, I am a massage therapist and work from my home, will also wear my surgical bra for added support.

Saw my PS last week, I have 4 areas on the right breast where stitches are starting to spit out. They look like tiny whiteheads, one on my vertical incision under the right areola actually came to a head like a pimple. I used some hydrogen peroxide on it and it sort of popped and a small amount of clear fluid came out. I can see the stitch. I have 3 around the edge of my areola too, I can feel 2 of them when I rub my finger over them.

The PS said, "keep them clean, leave them alone, DON'T pull them out, they will come to the surface like a splinter!!!!" So I do just that, clean them with peroxide and keep them moisturized with my essential oil blend.

I am able to massage the girls with more pressure, they are starting to loosen up and move around. It is not too painful to massage now as it was at week 3. I am still numb across the bottom of both breasts. I do get some really sharp pains, twinges, zings, in both breasts. Some make me stop what I am doing and breathe for a few minutes till they pass.

I am a massage therapist and this past week started back to work. I work from my home, so I can set my own schedule. I wear my surgical bra still while working and still apply the surgical tape across the T junction and my anchor incisions. Just like the extra support since I am reaching and using both arms.

I love that I can sit down to eat a meal with ease, no more food in my bra of on my boob shelf, no more straining my neck forward to not drop food on the boobs. I can sit in a booth at a restaurant and not have my boobs resting on the table. My posture has improved so much and I feel great. Even doing massage is so much easier for me, I don't have to lean forward so much to see my hands. I can keep my back straighter, which keeps my low back much happier!

Added new pics!

Received some more bills for the surgery, will update soon. Monday I caught this crappy crud going around, ran a fever of 102 for 2 days, coughing so hard, my ribs are so sore it brings me to tears now. Thanks to the butt head that couldn't stay home when they were sick last week on the 2 days I got out of my house.

I have received all the final bills, total charges were $16,000, my out of pocket was $2000.

I have been released by my PS about 3 weeks ago. Healing nicely, girls have softened up. My anchor incisions under my arms are tender some days, I get sharp zings in them. Some small zings and little pains in the breasts still, but the PS told me that could happen for up to a year.

Been bra shopping and I am now in a 42 D, I love Bali bras, those are so comfortable for me.