Breast Reduction: Stories

Before I start I want to thank everyone for their encouraging stories, you ladies are amazing :) Like others, I have been surfing this website and reading many different stories that have inspired me for quite some time.

I am 25yrs/ 5'6'/ 162lbs/ 38DD. I have been suffering from large breast since i can remember. It became real noticable in high school.(THAT JUST CAME OUT OF NO WHERE) I was always known as "the girl with the big breast" which I hated! All four years of high school I stayed active (dancing, sports, etc) and my breast have always been a problem with that. I suffer with severe back pains, cervical neck pains, and headaches on a daily basis.

I have been considering a breast reduction for many years now (probably since high school). I was a dancer, but having big breast always slowed me down, making things more difficult. i couldn't fit into costumes anymore because my breast size wasnt carried:( So after many thoughts, here i am in the process of having breast reduction surgery.

I would like to become a full B-small C, but at my consultation with my PS, he thought is was best for me to be a full C; so I will trust his judgement. I had tried to have a breat reduction in 2009 but the insurance i was with at the time (BCBS) denied me; this was in tacoma, wa. I didnt put up a fight, i just felt that maybe that was a sign that i didnt need the breast reduction, so i chickened out and left the breast reduction surgery alone. Instead i just did a couple weeks of physical therapy and went to my chiropractor thinking maybe some how this will "cure" my pains (THINK AGAIN!!)

Now it's 2012 and I have had more backpains, headache and neck pains than before. I'm really tied of being in pain and so when I moved back home (new orleans, la) i found a really good PCP, I explained to her about my pains, she put me on pain meds, gave me anti-inflammatory injections and also set me up with a great physical therapist twice a week. I mentioned to her about me having breast reduction, she agreed 100% and found me a nice PS. Next was getting the consult and hopefully getting approved by my ins comp.

It's been a while since i've written a post. I have had my consult with the PS back in Sept 2012 and he was very reassuring. He answered all my questions clearly, didnt rush anything which was great, i felt very comfortable with him. I told me he would be taking about 900 grams from my breast! he told me i would not have to stay overnight at the hospital, told me i would have drains put in for a couple days, explained the pros and cons of this procedure also. He alsomentioned that my breat was about 4lbs a piece (YIKES) and he would remove 2lbs from each breast. I told him i would just Love and Hope to be a full "B cup", he insured me that it would be hard to determine exact what cup i would be but he thinks more of a full "C cup" would fit my frame ...i said ok but i plan on talking more about that during my pre-op appointment.So the office took pictures of my breast and He told me he was really sure my insurance would approve my right away, im a good canidate for this surgery and he would be very specific in his dictation letter. He made me feel better. I think he would be really good surgeon, so far i have met four different people who have had this procedure done by him including two nurses i work with, one lady at my physical therapy office and another lady who i have never bet but when i went to my consultation that day, she was there getting her post-op visit, she ask me what i was here for, i told her and she was VERY eager to show my her new boobies lol, she actual came and kncoked on my door at the PS while i was waiting and showed my a sneak peek of her new scars (it was kinda weird! lol)...but she reassured my that he was a great PS and i would love the result!, i was just more of a nervous wreck after that lol...the nurse at my job just hugged me and told m everything was going to be great, she couldnt be more happier so that felt good to know :)... so everything was initially submitted to my insurance company that same day in the office back in SEPT2012, and about a week later i got a cll from the PS office that i needed addtional document with the next 72 hours! WHAT?!?, I couldn't make an appointment with my PCP or get and medical records from tacoma, wa in that time frame, myphysical therapist had already written a letter for me but that letter got " mystery misplaced" in the PS office. So basically only a dictation letter from the PS was submitted to my insurance which led to my denial. So i got on the phone with humana and explained to them that i needed more time to get these additional documents, the nurse i soke with was very nice, she explained to me why i was denied ( one reason was that they didnt see any rashes on my breast from the pictures that was submitted) i was like what the hell?? I explained to the nurse my medical history and she told me pretty much if i could get "PROOF" i could do an appeal and resubmit everything, it's like starting all over ...geeesshhhh!!!!

But after being denied by my insurance company (HUMANA) to cover my breast reduction back in Oct 2012...i was told to do more physical therapy (which ive been doing off and on for years), I also needed to fax additional document. I got my PCP to write and medical neccessiy letter along with my physical therapist. I had to request different docs from my therapist back in tacoma, wa (2009) also for my history of back, neck and shoulder pains to my current insurance company stating ive taken pain meds and anti-inflammatories, and different meds for rashes on my breast :( nothing helped! So after requesting different additional documents for the insurance company, i had to wait another TWO MONTHS to resubmit everything back to th PS office because of the thanksgiving, Xmas and New Years holiday because the PS was already booked for the rest of the year. So I was told my their office to wait until Jan2013 to submit my additional documents for an appeal (SIGH)

....So after waiting about THREE LONG MONTHS..i finally faxed over the addition documents needed to the PS office on 01/09/13 and received a call from the PS office on the morning of 01/15/13 stating i have been APPROVED by my insurance for the surgery! I was sooo happy, it was such a relieve to know that the long wait for approval is over and this is really soon to be happening. The nurse at the PS office stating that i will be getting a call sometime before the end of this week to schedule my pre-op appointment! i believe today it just hit me all at one time and i'm a bit nervous! lol My girls are really going to my leaving me soon lol

Hello ladies! I have finally got the nerve up to post my first pictures showing how HUGE my girls are. You women are all so brave and i'm so happy i have this website to help me through this because I am FREAAKING OUT!. I had my pre-op done on 1/17/13, we went over instructions on me having drains put in, (which im sort of nervous about)..the procedure again...i had blood work done and also some additional photos taken at the hospital which was across the street from the PS office; where i'll be having my procedure done. I was a nervous wreck the whole day! But everyone in the office was so pleasant and that helped alot.! We scheduled my procedure date for Feb.21st (OMG) and i was given instructions on what to do before and after the procedure. I still can't believe this is happening, i am sooo nervous..scared...anxious!! i have never had any type of surgery before and going under general anesthesia is freaking me OUT!

I have questions that i really need help answering please:

What should I do before surgery, is their any supplements i should take prior into going in?

What is a good bra for post-op?

How did you ladies deal with the general anesthesia??

Well my surgery is today..its scheduled for 3pm and i have to be at the hospital for 1:45p..im so calm but anxious..sounds crazy right!? lol i think it will really hit me once im actually on my way there in the car.OMG!! But im excited and i pray everything goes well...my boyfriend and grandma is taking me and my mom will be there too...i can't even sleep right now ha! ...just a fewmore hours. Im fasting of course but im not too worried about being hungry before then because im sure my nerves will take care of that lol. ..got all my cleaning and shopping out the way so i'm ready...i will try to post pics soon...Goodluck to all the ladies for surgery today and in the future...and happy healing to all in post op...see you guys on the other side soon..* gentle hugs*

Well i have made it to the other side..THANK YOU JESUS!! My surgery was yesterday, i'm one day post op. Everything went really well, I've just been sleeping alot. My girls are def alot smaller and i'm in love!! ;) I will try to post some post op pics once i'm up and moving around and tell you guys about how the surgery went for beginning to end. Thank you all for tge goodluck, sending my hugs to everyone, I will be updating shortly! Feeling good today ;))

Really quick random update, I am now 26 years old.

ok I just wanted to tell you guys about my surgery experience. I had to be at the hospital for 1:45pm and my surgery was scheduled for 3:00pm. I'm staying a hour away from the hospital with my boyfriend and his family for recovery so I had to leave a little earlier to be on time for arrival. When I got to the hospital I went to same day surgery. My boyfriend and my grandma arrived with me and later my mother, aunt and bestfriend arrived. I checked in, sign my consents and waited to be called. I didn't have to wait long at all. The nurse called my back and had my urinate in a cup. Once i did, she ordered me to get undressed and put into the hospital gown. They started my IV and strapped my legs with the little air compressions to prevent blood clots. I had two nurses who were really sweet, they asked a bunch of questions and once they were finish they brought my family into the room with me :).

Shortly afterwards the residental doctor came in and had my sign consents, ask a bunch of questions and told me he will be working with Dr. Babycos (my surgeon) during my procedure. Once he was done, Dr. Babycos came in and did his final markings on me. He asked me what size I wanted to be again, I begged him for a B cup, he and the nurse looked at me like I was crazy lol, they thought that would be too small for my height and frame. So I told him I wanted to stay as far away from a D cup as possible. He agreed and thought a Small C cup would be a great size for me. I wanted them as small as possible because I haven't had any kids yet. He insured me that he will get me as small as he can :) . So once he was done with his markings, I just waited for the anesthesia nurse and doctor to come in. They explained the risks of anethesia and everything and had me sign MORE papers lol.

Then became the waiting game, my surgeon explained to me that their was a quick case (surgery) in the OR before my surgery and that I would probably go in the OR around 3:30pm, well 3:30pm came and went and I was still waiting and my family was getting a bit anxious and so was I lol, But around 3:45pm, the nurse and surgeon came in and said that they will be ready for me in 5 mins, (I guess the case before me took longer than planned). But then me and my family said our temporary goodbyes or see you soon talk. And off to sugery I went. I was a bit nervous so before they road me out the room on the bed, the nurse gave me some meds to calm me down, and boy it def worked! All I remember after that was being put on the OR table strapped down and ask to breath in oxygen, I was knocked out after that!! lol

The next thing I remember is a recovery nurse waking me up and immediately asking me what was my pain level from 1-10, it was about an 8, my left breast was on fire way more than my right one. She gave my two pills to take and put something in my IV, I then had realized how sore my throat was from the tube being down it during surgery, It was kinda hard to swallow. My pain level then went to about a 5, she ask if I wanted some juice and then brought my bed into a private recovery room. After a few questions she bought my family in and everyone was just excited and happy to see me. The nurse showed me how to drain my drains and told me my surgery was only about 1 1/2 to 2 hours long but I was really hard to wake up durung recovery. My family was trying to talk to me and I was falling fast asleep on every word lol. They ask me did I want to stay overnight and I didn't, so shortly came time to be discharged, it was about 9pm or a little later. My boyfriend got my prescribtion filled and once I took my first pain pill, the burning feeling went right away and I was sound asleep again

I am now Post Op day 3 and I am feeling pretty good. I had a little dizziness the first day but by day two I was walking around a bit. I'm taking my antibiotics and pain meds. I'm trying to not take my pains meds as much and maybe just start taking tylenol because I don't want to become constipated ( which I think I might because I haven't had a BM since before surgery), but I am drinking plenty of water and eating light foods and fresh fruit. I am happy I have done this surgery. My surgeon was awesome! He stated that my breast was about 4lbs a piece and that he will be taking off 2lbs from each, but after surgery he told my family he took off 3lbs a piece which is soooo exciting to me because I really wanted them small as possible!. I didn't get to see him after surgery but I have my first post op appointment with him on Wednesday Feb. 27th, and I will be getting my drains out that day. the drains aren't too bad. They help alot with swelling. I haven't have much come from the left breast as I do th right. But It's starting to look more clear so I'm guessing that's a good thing. Overall very happy and truely blessed, healing pretty good and more bruising is also good too. Hope everyone is healing well and goodluck to everyone on the pre-op side. this surgery has helped immedicately with my back, shoulder, and neck pains, it was really worth it, can't wait to go shopping!!! I look sooo much smaller now :) I have updated to new post op pics!

~ QUESTION ~
what should I do about constipation????