Breast Reduction: Stories

All these years I thought I was the only one in this situation! This site a huge lifesaver-finding so many sisters in the same place!
I was the girl who was called "Flatsy" until 9th grade and then the boobs showed up with a vengeance. I remember wearing those cotton undershirts and being the only girl in middle school gym class without a bra. I asked my mom for one and she replied,"when you show my something to put in them!" Little did she know at the time that the first semester of high school, we'd be at the bra store about every other week. By the end of the semester-i think i was a 34D.
Being a little slow to the world of boys, I had no idea boys were interested in me because of boobs. Honestly-what is it about sacks of chest flesh that drive guys crazy? College was college-away from home and did all those things that no one wants parents to know about. But I did well in classes, was frequently told by guys, "You're smarter than you look" Well, yeah, if you're looking only below my neck. Then the USMC-and that is when the boobs were really in the way. Exercising and fitness tests-the boobs did no favors. Marriage, a child, divorce, and a new life in a very competitive profession. Conservative looks are important in order to be taken seriously. After 10 years of trying to hide the girls, I am more than ready to leave the blouse gaps behind.

Until pursuing a reduction very seriously since the fall, I thought I was a 36DD/DDD because I could usually find something that restrained the girls in that size in the limited stores up here in Vermont. As I have come to find out, a 38G is closer to the truth. No wonder I have back pain from the neck to the tail. Sometimes at home to get a break, I take off my bra that's digging in the sides and just hold the girls up-a few seconds of relief! Powder underneath and then back to reality.

I think maggie g and I went to the same program-a group meeting to view a slide show and discuss the procedure and a short consult with the PS. During the consult, the PS estimated she would take 500-600 g from each side. After the photos and the questions and the whole shebang-I still wanted to procede. The next step was to submit paperwork to the insurance company and the folks said it could take anywhere from 4 to 12 weeks. I went back to work, which had become extremely demanding and I didn't have a moment to think about insurance, etc. This was in May of 2011.

Back in March of this year, I called up the PS office to ask about where things were. The paperwork was sent in, but the insurance didn't know the status of the approval. So the PS sent it back in and a week later I received a letter from the insurance company-I was thinking 'this is too fast. they must have denied it' Imagine my absolute joy when the procedure was APPROVED! A week later? Holy smokes! It may be that in Vermont, there may be a new law that requires insurance companies to be public about any denials of service. I visited the PS, we redid some measurements since I had lost some weight. but she increased the removal amounts since my overall shape was smaller. Good news all around! I was offered a surgery date of the next week-but that was impossible to get off from work. Surgery is scheduled for next Thursday-May 24th. It's gone so fast and now with about a week left-I'm busy preparing. I had no idea what needed to be done until finding this site. Thank you all ladies!
Yesterday I found front closure cotton bras at WalMart that I hope will be ok. I'm going to clean the house spotless so that's done for awhile. I'm not planning on much help because I'm out in the sticks, my daughter is grown and can't take much time off from work and all other family is out of state.

I would like to ask two questions:
1. I did not purchase Bio Oil because the PS said to avoid anything with Vitamin E. Anyone else hear this?
2. I wondering if there are other ladies out there that have not had much help and what did you do to manage? My doc is over 2 hours away and that has me a little nervous.

Thank you all for your candor and stories. It has been such a mental relief to know there is an army of support and encouragement out there!

I added this to a review of someone that was freaking out. For all the sisters out there that haven't had surgery, stitches, or a broken bone-here's a technique to try: visualization.


I've had a few surgeries that were very painful and unwanted. Hysterectomy in 06 and a dog bit a finger off in 01 that still gives me problems. I've had many broken bones which are very painful. Times have changed and the philosophy about pain management is very liberal-no doctor believes a person should suffer. And they are willing to try different meds until finding the one that works for you.
During the time of my dog bite, I did visualization of the area healing. I would close my eyes and imagine the nerves, capillaries and such reattaching and healing and everything working as it should. My doc was surprised at how quickly everything healed-what should have taken weeks only took days. I plan on doing the same thing this time-visualizing healing, the scars diminishing, the pain off my back gone, and new breasts that won't be in the way when I exercise. This may sound really hippy-dippy, but it works for me, doesn't cost a thing except a little time, and helps with the pain because I breathe it out.
Also, every doctor is different. Each doctor has things they tweak because it's worked for them. I was the same way before the hyster. I listened to my doc, listened to my body, and followed common sense.
It's hard to clear your mind of the nagging doubts-but try! And focus on all the positives on the other side. Happy thoughts and good luck!

Two days away-and I'm so ready! Was doing yard work-cutting the grass and my back hurts, shoulders, and there is going to be a rash under the boobs later. I Am So Done with Tits!

Three hours out of surgery and cant believe the boobs are gone! The area where the drains are burn a little, but other than that- things are great! Time to nap-follow up appt tomorrow and more update!

Good morning! A little sore and looking forward to having the drains removed. They're stinging a bit,but everything else feels good. Have a follow up in a bit and will know details about how much was removed. There is a lot of padding where the drains are, so cant tell ow much is boob and how much is gauze. Another interesting benefit: I am a mouth breather, especially on my back and could breathe through my nose without feeling labored. Yippee!

Day 2 post-op. still sore and feeling bruised. swollen and can't raise arms. but mostly feeling good and looking forward to a great recovery. not sure what the final size will be due to padding and swelling, but I do know I went from more than three handfuls per side to one! Taking it easy and visualizing healing.

today had a good look without padding and bra. I'm lopsided and the nipples aren't centered and the stitches look all pulled and ugly. i know it's too soon to know the final outcome, but right now things aren't looking real pretty. I'm so relieved to have the weight off and need to be patient and visualize the final result.

Yesterday I had a followup. It's been two weeks and things are healing nicely and becoming more even. The PS says the right is more swollen, I still have a ways to go. PS removed 870g from right and 850g from left-almost 2 lbs from each! No wonder I feel so much better! I'm switched over to a compression bra which should help the swelling. I have some weird stitches on the left breast-it opened up a bit but is healing. I have a strange protrusion that looks like an outie belly button that I have to push in and tape. As others have said-the sides hurt the most-like being punched repeatedly. While standing up I saw my toes and that was so weird. Progress!

Hello everyone!
It's been awhile since the last post. Today is about 1 month post-op. Much swelling has gone down, some of the incision looks perfectly healed over, I've had some sharp stabbing pains which my doc said is nerves reconnecting. My right side seems to be doing better healing. Left side still numb in places.

The big news today is that I kept a bra off for a bit of time and can tell that I can no longer hide pencils under my boob! In college this was a silly thing we did-"Can you hold a pencil under your boob?"I could hold a whole box under there! (j/k, i don't really know the number, definitely more than 2). what a relief! It's crazy hot here today and not having the weight on my chest and the heat is such a relief.

Can't find a camera for updated photos. The girls are smaller than the last photos and have evened out quite a bit. Don't know my final size yet-still have to wait two weeks to go bra shopping, but I'm guessing a C. Wearing a Genie bra right now and it's like being FREEEEEEEE!

Thinking of y'all and hoping life is good for everyone, or about to be.

I have on a 3 dollar walmart bra and I'm not falling out all over the place! I am so happy to be rid of the boobage! It's been awhile since I've updated. Here's what's new: sleeping on side (but not tummy yet), stitches are healing and softening, sometimes still have sharp pains but hardly ever. Having less on my chest this summer is awesome! Not sure yet what final size will be, something like a b/c. They are smaller than they look in the photo with the gray sports bra.

Speaking of bras-next week is the week I'm officially allowed to wear something other than the bras the doc gave me in the hospital. But I am anyway because those bras are too big. The swelling has gone down nicely. I did go to a bra store today, but don't know what size to try. and felt awkward and found myself looking at little bras and thinking, "those will never work for me" not yet used to the new me! So then went to WalMart and said, for 3 bucks, this'll work. So nice not to wear an industrial strength sling!

I saw the hospital and doctor bill sent to my insurance: over 30K. My insurance paid less than 1/3 of that. I'm thrilled to have coverage, but it just makes me think that our health insurance needs a drastic overhaul.