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Breast Reduction in TN- From a very asymmetric J cup to ????

Hello! Like many of you, I developed breasts at an...

  • 26 Dec 2013
  • 9 days post
Hello! Like many of you, I developed breasts at an early age and they just kept growing- especially on the right side. I have been considering a breast reduction for years and finally decided to go for it after getting insurance approval. So many of your stories here helped me, so I wanted to share mine!

A few before pictures

  • 27 Dec 2013
  • 10 days post
As you can see, my breasts were completely asymmetric! The right breast was much larger making it especially hard to find a bra that fit properly.

1 day post surgery

  • 27 Dec 2013
  • 10 days post
I made it through just fine! I was incredibly nervous and barely slept the night before. When my PS came in to mark me up, we talked again about the fact that I hoped to have children in the future and would like to have as much of a possibility of breast feeding as I could. I told him that I would like to end up a 'D' cup. Since I am 5'11 with broad shoulders, I thought that might be the best fit for my frame.

After waking up, I was only in recovery for about an hour before I was able to go home. I took my medicines and fell right asleep with little pain that evening. My sweet husband has been taking the best care of me!

3 days post surgery

  • 27 Dec 2013
  • 10 days post
I had my drains taken out the day after surgery with no trouble. I felt energetic and quite good- all things considered! However, I definitely found myself taking lots of naps, which was so nice. :)

On the 3rd day, I started to feel a lump on the top of my chest on both sides that worried me. I called the nurse who asked me to circle the lumps (seen in red in the photos) and monitor them. When I called again in the afternoon, she had me send in pictures so my PS could see what was going on. When I heard back from her, she told me it was totally normal! Because of the way he did my surgery (attaching my breasts to my pectoral muscles) the swelling was expected. Very reassuring to hear!

8 days post surgery

  • 27 Dec 2013
  • 10 days post
I went yesterday for my one week follow-up with my PS. He did a bit of lipo on the sides of my breast and I had to have fluid drained from them. I was hopeful it would make the weird looking lumps on the side of each breast disappear, but no such luck. I'm not exactly sure why they don't seem to get smaller/better, so I will definitely be following up on that at my next appointment.

I think the area around my nipples looks SO weird and I'm hoping that it will fade and look a bit more normal soon. Other than that, I am starting to get back to the normal routine but noticing that my energy level isn't quite as high as before. For someone who is used to working out 6 days a week, it feels weird that I still get tired after being out and about for just a few hours!

Has anyone has similar results on the side with the lipo? Did it go away?

10 days post

  • 27 Dec 2013
  • 10 days post
So today is officially 10 days post surgery and each day keeps getting better. I have definitely felt a bit down over the past few days as I adjust to my smaller breasts. I am so used to having so much that having a lot less is an adjustment- especially when I try on my old clothes! I know that those feelings will fade and I will enjoy having much less, but I think it's psychologically tough when you lose something you have had for so long. Having incredibly large breasts really does shape your self esteem!

Anyways, I will continue to update/post pictures over the next few weeks.

12 days post and feeling down

  • 29 Dec 2013
  • 12 days post
So much swelling and bruising today. I have been following all of my Dr's orders to the note, so hopefully it's just part of the healing process. However, when I compare what my breasts look like to some of the pictures I see here on RealSelf, I am not loving my own. They seem almost too small and boxy and very fake looking. I hope they will start to drop into something that looks more natural! I'm not exactly sure why my PS chose not to do the anchor scar, so I plan to ask more about that at my next follow-up appointment with the nurse on Tuesday. Plus, I still have 2 huge 'dog ears' on each side which are driving me nuts. I'm typically a 'glass half full' type of person, so this is tough!

2 questions for you all: Do you see your actual Plastic Surgeon at each follow-up? What did your daily activity look like at this point in your recovery?
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Comments (14)

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i got a bunch of drs notes saying that i needed the breast reduction that it was pulling on my neck back ect and that this was the only way to stop the pain and complications. my drs were shocked. i got it approved in one week! One min im thinking im going to be waiting another three months then all the sudden its a week away and the day after christmas i had my breast reduction done!! it all happend so fast! my head is still spinning!
  • Reply
I am scared to move forward with this, but I've thought about it for years. I wish I'd started sooner and that could have had the surgery around 40 or so. But, esp. after reading stories here and having a pinched nerve in my neck recently, I know it needs to be done. I wonder how long the recovery time is.
  • Reply
I had follow up at 5 days and then 3 weeks - I was told I don't need to see him again unless I have concerns. Regarding activity, I'm still only walking until 6 weeks, at which point I'll slowly return to my normal activity level of daily running of 5km or boot camp weights or aerobics.
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Also I think your shape looks okay for now. Give it time.
  • Reply
I only had follow up at 8 days and 3 months. Mostly nurse - PS popped in for a few minutes only. No activity except walking at 12 days........cleared for more at 6 weeks.
  • Reply
Hi. With most post ops you will see the surgeon who did the BR. In fact I believe mist insurances require so many post op appts. In recovery by two weeks post op you may tend to reflect and where you were prior to the BR. Many women from reading on Real Self have some surge of emotions which seem to be quite normal. Each individual heals different. Your dr should be monitoring your progress. For example one of my breasts has more swelling and one has an inverted nipple. My doc says this is normal and each breast should heal totally anywhere from 3 to 6 months or more so dont rush it. As far as activity I think most drs will monitor your progress and depending on where you are at in the healing process tell you what you can or should or should not do. For instance I am used to high impact aerobics ( even when I had the big juggas lol!). At this point 23 days post op my doc says dont over do it. Jumping up and down or pulling and twisting sb avoided, but not idleness__iow you should do some safe level of exercise and regular routine according to your ability and progress and w drs ok. Take it easy. B we happy and avoid stress and eat healthy. At 23 days post op my breasts dont look normal but the pups are coming along. Dont miss the big ol biddies I had before. BTW I think you look great!
  • Reply
Hi, sorry you are feeling a bit low. I am having my surgery later this week and one of my fears is that my expectations will be too high and that I will be disappointed. I am 57 and realistically, a slim 25 year old is likely to get a better result than me. I think 2 things are important for you. One is that it is early days and you should reserve judgment until you are 3 months + down the line. Secondly, even now you are so much better off than you were before the op when you were unlucky enough to have significant asymmetry as well as overly large and heavy breasts. Keep taking photos and then you will be able to look back and see the changes and improvements as time passes.
  • Reply
How did you get insurance to cover the br? I am 5'2", 36G with a pinched nerve, 48 yrs old and an art teacher that has to stand all day. I'm hoping insurance will cover this.
  • Reply
Hello! I think it depends on your insurance... mine had certain guidelines about how much tissue had to come out. I had 1300 grams from the right breast and over 600 from the left, so I met the criteria for coverage. I would call your insurance company and ask what they require!
  • Reply
Hi. It looks like you are coming along fine. Take it a day at a time. Youre right its psychologically tough but once you realize how much better without the old pups you will looks toward the future. I am 23 days post and still taking it a day at a time. Some days there are "zingers" a sort of after pain that some people experience. Otherwise the benefits totally outweigh those oversized juggas. Love that i can zip a jacket and can separate my newboobs without using my hands to position them-- you know what im talkn bout! Stay positive. Lookn great!
  • Reply
Thank you for the encouragement!!! Very appreciated! It looks like you are healing well there too!
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I had side lipo and it was swollen for around 6 weeks - the most difficult part of the surgery. I did not have the lump that you have though. I think some of the ladies refer to that as a "dog ear". One lady had a minor follow up procedure to have it corrected. Early days - see you things go. I think continuing with the taping helps keep scars flat though. Good luck - keep resting.
  • Reply
Thanks! My PS told me no tape, but I'm going to ask about it again at the next visit. The dog ears are driving me nuts!
  • Reply
Glad you made the decision to get a br - I look forward to hearing your great results !!!
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