Definitely Worth It... 38G to 38C, South-central Ohio. 5/31/2012 Surgery Date - Ohio

27 years old/ 5'3 inches/170 pounds - 38G preop, 38C post op. Like most of the women here I suffered with huge breasts the better part of my life. I will even go as far as to say my own husband of 8 years wasn't allowed to look at my breasts naked. Ever. I was completely ashamed of myself and I didn't want anyone to see or know that part of me. Because of that I do have 1 pre-op photo, but it's clothed. Since the surgery I am happy for him to see my naked breasts - this has been such a confidence booster for me.

I was a C cup in the 8th grade and continued to grow bigger and bigger until I was a 38G at age 23. At my slimmest size, a size 0 at age 17, I was still a 32DD so even though I am on a weight loss journey I knew my very dense breasts wouldn't get much smaller with weight loss.

I've wanted to do this for soooo long, but put it off knowing I would definitely want to breastfeed my children. My last child was born 7/2010 and was breast fed for 9 months, first child only nursed for 5 months. Nursing with huge boobs is a JOB and a half! I wish I would have known that women could still nurse after a reduction because I feel like I could have nursed both of them longer had I had the reduction earlier in life. Oh well, live and learn right?

I was referred to my PS through my GP and had my first consultation with him at the end of April. I initally wanted to do it for cosmetic reasons, but I was also suffering the many pains associated with large breasts as well as daily headaches and migraines. I didn't really believe I would be approved through my insurance co, but it was the only way I was going to be able to afford the surgery. I left, first off impressed by the level of care my PS and staff offered, then completely embarrassed that I let a total stranger touch, take pics of, and measure my breasts. SHOCKER - A week later, I got a call from my PS office saying I was approved and would I like to set a date for surgery? YAY! Because we were unsure of a pending layoff for my husband, I took the soonest surgery date of May 31, 2012.

Since we lived over 50 miles from the surgical center we were put up in a hotel the night before and the day and night of the surgery. The hotel was... well... less than what I would have stayed at had it been my out of pocket, but sufficient and also allowed me to see the Doc the day after for follow-up and drain removal. (Drain removal was super easy for me BTW)

Surgery day I was a nervous wreck. I was so scared I wouldn't wake up from surgery. I was shaking while they were prepping me... like literally shaking uncontrollably. I have a nervous stomach - (or colon yay) - so I was sick to my stomach. Dr came in and marked me then they covered me in blankets and turned a heat light on me. I was crying like a big baby. Anesthesiologist came in and put my IV in, then I cried a little more. Then they put the good stuff in my IV. Shaking stopped, crying stopped and I said, "Yep, I'm drunk!" I don't really remember much from then on, I don't remember telling my husband bye or being wheeled into the surgery room, but I do remember seeing the surgery room for a brief second before they placed a mask on my face and I was out.

Coming out of surgery was really hard for me. They say I came out and they asked me a pain level and I said 7 but I don't remember saying so. I woke up and had no idea where I was. I knew I had just gotten out of surgery, but I didn't know where in the building I was... I had expected to be back in the same room I was pre-op and I wasn't. I was a crying, bumbling, sleepy mess and I asked where my husband was and they said they couldn't bring him back until I was 'stable'. Well I wasn't having it, I wanted to see him so they relented and went and got him. I was sort of rude and hateful with the nurses and I felt terrible about it but I just wasn't myself. They kept waking me because my oxygen levels would drop and that would make me cry. I told them how sorry I was for being a b*tch but I just wasn't myself. Surgery was scheduled for 7:30am and I was out at 11:30am but wasn't able to leave until almost 2pm because anesthesia didn't agree with me.

When I got back to the hotel I was super sleepy and slept most of the evening and all might. Super uncomfortable, but sleepy enough not to really care. I was definitely hurting. On the way home Hubby stopped at Tim Hortons and got me some soup, and then fed me because I was completely unable to do it myself and kept dosing off. A few hours later I did throw up that soup.

First 3 days were pretty much a sleepy blur for me. Day 4 I was nervous I hadn't had a BM and sent Hubby after colace and enemas just incase. I ended up going twice that evening without any meds. Wiping was a B**** and it even caused a drain hole to open up and pour clearish pinkish fluid. Of course I freaked and called the PS but everything was fine. Pouring drain hole stopped about 10 min later, but continued to leak another 2.5 days.

I saw the PS on day 7 and he removed sutures. I took steri strips off that day before the appointment in the shower. I told the Doc my after surgery bra was hurting me as well as the genie bra, and ahh bra I bought to try out. No bra felt right or good on, he said I could keep trying for a sports bra, or I could let them hang. Letting the hang makes me nervous!! I don't want them to go saggy because I didn't keep them in a bra during healing. He PS said everything looked great and he'd see me back in 4 weeks.

So here I am at day 14, 2 weeks out. Yesterday I got out of the house and tried on a couple bras and I'm definitely a C cup according to 3 different brands - which is exactly what I wanted. I brought home a Warners 38C soft cup and so far it's been really the most comfortable bra I've put on since surgery so I am back to a regular bra now. I am so very happy I made this decision - right now I am struggling with how they look because I know they aren't exactly the cute little tear drops I wanted but I know the doc didn't have a whole lot to work with either. I'm definitely motivated to get some weight off because now more than ever I can really see my gut...I know I will need a tummy tuck regardless and I'm more confident now to pursue doing it for me. This is my life! In 40 years I won't look back and regret it, but I will be super happy I did these things for myself so I can carry myself with confidence!

16 days post op... I've got a couple spots where the clear stitches are poking through my incision lines. Really irritating. Anyone else go through this? Also my incisions are pretty much pain free unless you press fairly hard on them, but the area above my left nipple is really sore and has been since surgery. I forgot to mention my left nipple is completely numb and I am PRAYING sensation returns. It is reactive so that a good thing right?

I'm posting my clothed pre-op photo. It's the only photo I took and I'm ok with that. I already can't believe I was that big!!!

While I am so happy and relieved about the surgery, I think my nipples look a little low on the breast. I was hoping for a fuller bottomed breast with a higher nipple. I'm still ecstatic with the new me, I'm just getting more picky the more reviews I read! LOL

17 days post op... I think I am getting more sore as the days go by. I was cut all the way back (seen in photo) and I am so swollen under my arms. Most of my small scabs are gone, the thicker scabs at the T and the bottom of my nipples are half falling off and I'm scared of ripping them off or catching them on my bra or shirt. Can someone tell me if I should be wearing a bra all the time now or not? I really wish there was a definitive answer when it comes to healing!!! LOL

18 days post op...
You know how I said in the main review I suffer from headaches and migraines? I was getting them pretty much daily before the surgery and I've only had ONE since the surgery. I feel like I've gotten my life back! Headaches were literally destroying me.

Also forgot to mention, did any of you have problems with your shoulder blades hurting post surgery? My shoulder blades and ribs kill me! Maybe it's from all this back sleeping?

I can't wait until I'm released to start working out again!

19 days post op...
So I was just looking over my insurance statements and I realized one I thought was for a GP visit was actually a statement from my consult with the PS. Looks like I was charged 200.00 and insurance isn't covering anything but 20.00 of it. So looks like I owe 180.00. This is a little disheartening because I was under the impression that everything (all visits) would be billed together as one charge. Not only that but last week I got a letter in the mail last week from the PS office thanking me and asking that I pass out specially marked referral cards for free consultations to those who might be interested. For some reason this is REALLY irking me. Basically I pay 200.00 for my consult, and then pass out cards for free consults to others once I've had surgery. :/ I think I will call tomorrow and see what this is all about.

Besides that I've felt really crappy the past couple of days. I don't know if I'm just anxious or what but I had a headache last night and then again today. I suffered with headaches a lot prior to surgery and I've only had 1 other headache besides these 2 since the surgery. That has me a little down because I thought I was going to get some relief. I've also felt really short of breath and that makes me sort of dizzy. So I'm just down today. Let's hope tomorrow is better.

27 days post op
I had my appointment with my PS today. He pulled out some of my 'spitting' stitches and popped the rest of them from one end of my suture line to the other. Popping the stitches was really simple, I didn't even feel half of them and it just entailed putting a light to medium pressure on the suture line to help break up the stitches that are still intact inside me. My body hasn't reacted very well to the stitches so anything to help them dissolve faster is fine by me. I asked about a larger sized hard lump I have inside my right breast near the cleavage and he said it was probably blood (hematoma) that scarred and it would/should soften up with time. I also asked about my loss of nipple sensation in my left breast and he said that the longer I go without feeling, the less likely I will get any feeling back. :( I mean obviously the trade off was TOTALLY worth it, but it's still kind of sad. I made light of the situation by asking if now would be the time to get my nipple pierced since I can't feel it - You should have seen his face! LOL Who knows, maybe that will be my act of rebellion since the little bugger won't come to life! He prescribed me Hydrocortizone Cream 2.5% for my scars. I am supposed to use this 1-2 times a day and I have 3 refills.

Other than that I am feeling a whole lot better this week. I even got on my elliptical last night for legs only and danced around the house a bit just to be active. Sometimes just being silly is the best exercise!

Now that I've made it through I am going to start working out every single day to prepare for a tummy tuck!

I keep forgetting to mention that the PS removed a little over 2000 grams from both breasts. 4.5 pounds!

Well today is one month post op and I am super duper down. I am spitting stitches so bad! :( Not only are they very irritating, but I have about 15 open little sores/blisters that I know are going to scar up and look horrible. Also, the right breast opened up at the T junction the day I saw my PS so maybe popping the stitches wasn't the right thing to do? I don't know. Just down because I went from healing up perfectly to having over a dozen little blister like sores and an open area at my T junction.

Just updating the photo of me pre-surgery with a pic of me in the same shirt a few days ago. BIG difference!

Did you say spitting stitches? Check out my new pic.

5 weeks post op today!

So there's been this spitting stitch on my vertical incision on my right breast that was looking a little funky greenish-yellowish color. It burst open last night while I was doing my nightly wash (I always wash them before bed to remove sweat etc from the day.) Blood poured from the wound and puss as well. Not good. Went to the PS today to check out my open area from last week (which has since closed) and he wanted to put me back on antibiotics because the new open wound contained puss. I'm sort of torn, I don't really want to go back to the antibiotics, but at the same time I don't want to risk a major infection either. He told me if I had been doing the 50/50 peroxide mix spritz in the shower this whole time my body wouldn't be abscessing these stitches. There was a bit of a communication breakdown and I didn't realize I was supposed to continue using the peroxide after the first week. Anyways, the hole is tiny but deep...I'll try and get a pic later today.

He removed what stitches he could today and my next appointment is 9/27 unless my spitches (get it spit-stitches ha) get worse.

Post op day 40... wow... already 40 days!

So I decided to wait on the antibiotics my PS prescribed me last Thurs. I don't like using them as a precautionary measure if I don't actually need them. I'm a crunchy - don't really like any meds I don't HAVE to have...so far the 'ladies' are doing ok. No hot spots, no fever, or any other signs of infections beside localized bits where the stitches have risen to the epidermis. Anyhoo, as much as I hate to do it, I've taken to digging these darn stitch knots out myself with clean tweezers. I start my using the front side of my nail to push the stitch to the surface, then I grab what comes through with the tweezers and pull gently. Normally a bit of white stuff (puss or broken down stitch material) comes through as well. Better out than in. I'm really clean about it and when I'm done I wash the areas with dial soap and apply Neosporin and a Band-aid. It's working. Persistent sore spots I've had for a couple weeks or more are finally healing up. That being said, I look terrible - but I don't think it's because of my removing the spitters - I think it's from the spitter's themselves. Long term these areas might turn into superficial scars but should heal up nice and clean. :)

I'm still massaging and applying hydrocortizone 2.5% once a day to my suture lines. Still have 1 large harder area in my right breast by the cleavage, and on the left near the arm on the suture line.

I paid my anesthesiologist bill yesterday. 282.17 total after insurance.