I got a breast reduction last year with Dr. Siwy which was honestly the best decision ever. I’m about 8 months post op and I’m so happy with her service/care. My measurements were something ridiculous like 28k but for reference I was squeezing into a 32ddd bra and it still wasn’t fitting. Now I am a 32d and she took about 4-5 pounds off. While I am small and wouldn’t have minded smaller, there’s only so much surgery can do safely to combat genetics so I am 100% content with Dr. Siwys work and just honestly do it. Best decision ever!
I had my breast reduction 11/9/20. I was a 28HH about 5 feet even and weighted 160. Got to the surgery center checked in smoothly. Went back went over instructions and then the 3 hour surgery happened. I have not been in much pain. Took pain meds the first 5 days and did nothing but sleep and eat. I made sure to put ice on my chest. I did not have any bruising just lots of swelling and a little bit of leakage from the left boob. I will take my tape off 11/23. I have not been in any severe pain. I do not take any meds anymore. I get a slight sting/pain in nipple every now and then. Most of the scabs on the left breast has fallen off. I am very happy with my results as I have had large breast since I was 15. Now I am super perky and I love it. Dr Siwy and her team have been nothing but awesome to me. This is the best decision I have ever made in my life. Updated on 2 Dec 2020: Posting some pictures as I forgot! Today is 12/2/20 most of the scabs are almost off! Very few zingers. No bruising, no pain. Still no working out. Very pleased with results. I have not taken any pain meds since day 9 after surgery. I have been putting arnica gel on every other day. I am not putting anything on incision lines as of yet. I asked for a D cup. Started at 28HH.
Dr. Siwy and her staff were fantastic and treated me very well. They answered all of my questions, put me at ease with any concerns I had, and gave me the best pre and post-surgical care I have ever had. The results are amazing. I am six weeks post op and my scars are barely visible. I have not had a head for two months where I used to have them at least four times a week. This surgery was worth doing, and Dr. Siwy was the best.
Dr. Siwy removed about 4 lbs from my breasts and lifted them back up to where they are supposed to be, and my neck/shoulders already feel so much better! I’m a little over 1 month post-op, so they haven’t even started to settle in to their “true look,” but they already look much better than they did so I’m confident I’ll be happy with the end result. Some tips: 1) Take the pain meds, if you need them. I took the prescribed meds for about 48 hours, but then switched to Tylenol. Honestly, I never really was in horrible pain/incapacitated – even the first few days – just uncomfortable and “very aware” of them. 2) Ice is your friend! You will be swollen for a long time (I still am, a bit) so ice when you can. It helps bring it down and it feels fabulous. And 3) Be patient with yourself! I was not and expected to be feeling completely normal within a couple of weeks and that just didn’t happen. Again, at not quite 5 weeks post-op they are still a little sore/tender so I find myself very protective of them – no bear hugs, please! Thank you, Dr. Siwy and team!
If you are looking for the perfect plastic surgeon, then look no more. Dr. Siwy is by far the best surgeon around. And her staff are more than helpful and supportive. I had a breast reduction and liposuction performed by her and I couldn't be more happier. I looked for over a year, researching surgeons and their practices. The follow up care is perfect. I had a opening of my incision site, called the office and was seen personally by Dr. Siwy within 30 minutes of the opening. She was professional and even gave me care instructions and a take home packet of supplies. If you are honestly considering having plastic surgery, Dr. Siwy is definitely the right doctor for you.
I had plastic surgery with Dr. Siwy, as she was recommended by a family friend. She took the time, to explain to me exactly what was going to be done, and what I could expect. She was an excellent choice and a decision I do not regret. She is knowledgeable, experienced, and cares about her patients, their needs and desires, which is a rather rare find in todays world. Her staff, was excellent in explaining the process of approval and assisting in getting that completed. Highly recommend!
Ok, My surgery is coming up on Monday! I plan on documenting my whole experience to try and help people with my experience like so many of you here have helped me! I am so happy to be having this done! My breasts have been big ever since i was about 10. It has hindered me in so many ways growing up and i am just so excited to be able to live my life to the fullest after treatment!!! Updated on 3 Apr 2018: Just got home a few hours ago from staying overnight after my reduction!! It’s insane to look down and not see my big ole saggy boobies! I’ve been feeling pretty good for the most part! That gave me norco, Valium, and tramadol to alternate with... The experience so far has been great! My doctor and all the nurses at the surgery center were just blessings!!!!! They said on Wednesday (tomorrow) i can unwrap and shower but try to avoid my breasts... I can’t wait! So far the worse part is being so itchy from what I’m assuming is the medicine! I can’t wait to see what my boobies look like! I will post the before pics now... I am 5 foot, size 40 F well, I was ;) Updated on 7 Apr 2018: I have had big boobies ever since I was in 5th grade... I have had insane headaches, back pain, shoulder/neck pain, numbing extremities, you name it! I had a consult with Dr. Siwy and had my surgery April 2nd!!!! So so happy with my Dr and all the staff at the surgery center! They were more than amazing!!! Updated on 14 Apr 2018: More pics for my review! Updated on 14 Apr 2018: I thinks pictures help anlot Updated on 16 Apr 2018: Updated on 23 May 2018: Healing is much better now... so happy I did it even tho my right boob is bigger than my left one!
Dr. Siwy is the most amazing woman I have ever met! Being 22, I was a little nervous about losing my "va va vom", but I'm sure glad I choice Dr. Siwy and will forever thank her for changing my life! <3
I am 34 years old and have had no breasts my whole life. That part of my body just never showed up for whatever reason. I finally decided I was in a good place in my life and ready to get this done, for me. Dr. Siwy was great! very forward, very honest, very smart. The post procedure was painful especially for the first two days, but I have come around quickly. It has been one week ago today, I feel much better and although there is still some obvious swelling and bruising, I can already tell how beautiful my new breasts are. I am so thrilled. Thank you, Dr. Siwy!
My surgery is 3 days away and I so excited that I have been sporadically bursting into tears :) I am so grateful for all the women who have shared their stories! I am a 30 year old mother of two and around age of 23-24 I decided I wanted a breast reduction. I knew I wanted a family and I wanted to breastfeed so I waited until I was done having children... Boy am I glad I did. Although they were big, I was a pretty nicely shaped 34DD before hand but after two back to back pregnancies, weight gain, weight loss and breastfeeding I was a very low sagging insecure 34E. I have tried pain killers, physical therapy, loosing weight and wearing 3 sports bras to work out but everything I do from bending over to load the dish washer to hold babies is uncomfortable. I love running, I've ran 6 half marathons with these ridiculous things and enough is enough. Zumba, step aerobics and working out but trying to control my bouncing boobs has sucked the fun out of every athletic activity. Dr. Barbra K Siwy will be performing my surgery. I spoke with 4 other surgeons in the Indianapolis area. I chose her because not only had my family doctor and gynecologist seen her work and recommended her but I also had four other real live acquaintances who were willing to share the experiences. Some of the other doctors that I considered had wonderful surgical results but their after care reviews were not as impressive. Another factor that helped me make my decision was the fact that she only does plastic surgery... not make up, laser hair removal, botox, facials etc. Dr.Siwy's office did all the foot work for getting my procedure approved by my insurance (Anthem). Every time I had gone to my gynecologist the past 4 years, I mentioned that I wanted to get a breast reduction and she documented it, along with my weight and bras size so she gladly wrote a letter of recommendation to Dr.Siwy (PS). The letter was submitted with my insurance paperwork. My family doctor had also prescribed Naproxen for back pain and referred me to physical therapy. I only ended up going to 5 thirty minute physical therapy sessions. All of this documentation plus the complaints about shoulder groves, rashes from under garments, and headaches were enough to prove that this would be medically beneficial. Here are some of the preparations I have done:* made sure my husband would be able to get family medical leave of absence (4 weeks) so he could help me*arranged for my children to stay with grandparents for the first week of my surgery*pet sitter (my puppy is a little to hyper and lovable, scared he may hop on my lap or crawl on me)* bought a cheap recliner because I wont be able to sleep lying flat* because I wont be able to lift my arms about my head I gathered up/bought a few button up pajamas, zip up sweat shirts, camisole tank tops that I can step into and pull up* got a supply of ice packs, neosporin, surgical dressing pads, paper tape, an extra ace bandage, Arnica gel for bruising, * Hibiclins cleanser - I am supped to was my chest with it for two days prior to the surgery * set up my lap top, phone charger, magazines, on a little table next to my recovery recliner :) I feel so ready! Is there anything I should do to help prepare? Updated on 22 Feb 2015: It's now midnight and yes I should probably be sleeping but I can't! I am so excited and anxious. I even did a few hours of cleaning this evening. I figured the more I got done tonight the less it would bother me while I am trying to relax and recover. I took my children up to my parents house and they will be staying with them for the whole first week of my recovery. My mother had me run out to the store real quick by myself to pick up a few last minute things the kids might need for their stay. While I was in the middle of Meijer I got a little emotional. I have two preschoolers and this will be the longest they have ever been away from mommy. I ended up going to the toy section and picking up a few goodies for them so they would have something fun from mommy to play with while I was recovering. I made sure to get some extra big hugs before I left knowing that after tomorrow they wont be able to squeeze me until I am healed. I took a shower and used the hibiclens wash all over my chest, abdomen, and under my arms. I will use is again tomorrow morning before I head to the surgery center. It is supposed to help clean your skin and continue to prevent bacterial growth from up to 24 hours. My husband was making fun of me because I was practicing getting dressed so I could plan what to wear home after the surgery. I have settled on a zip up sweat shirt and a pair of comfy matching sweat pants. I also have a camisole tank top that is loose enough for me to step in and have help pulling it up. speaking of my husband he has been amazingly supportive in this whole process. It really helps me feel confident knowing that he is okay with my decision. I packed a bag for my over night stay at the surgery center. Here are a few things I added to the bag after reading some other post on here *glasses and contacts *tooth brush *hair brush *It is -5 degrees with a ridiculous wind chill so I packed a fleece throw blanket...I am not sure how sore my under arms are going to be or how hard it will be to get a coat on so I figured I could wrap up in it if I have to when I leave * an extra pillow for the far ride home to put between my breast and the seat belt *My camera! Yes I will be sharing pictures of how they mark me and some more before shots *CHAPSTiCK! from not being able to swallow or close your mouth during a long surgery you usually get dry lips *phone charger My surgery is at 10 am but I need to arrive between 8:30 and 9. I plan on getting up early to shower with the hibiclens again and to also blow dry and straighten my hair... not necessarily for the surgery but more for the fact that I will not be able to shower for a few days Well, here goes nothing! Next time you hear from me I will hopefully be a smaller, much perkier and relieved lady! Wish me luck :) G'night Updated on 24 Feb 2015: Surgery went really well yesterday! I actually slept great the night before. I was taken back to a prep room around 8:45 where I had an IV started and was given an antibiotic through the IV to help prevent any infections. The anesthesiologist came in to go over my medical history and I made sure to tell him I did not want to wake up in pain or throwing up. My plastic surgeon, Dr.Siwy, came in at about 9:45 to mark my chest. I took one last bathroom break and then I was off to the operating room! I am very proud of myself for remaining so calm, I just kept taking long deep breaths and reminding myself that my doctor has been doing this for 20 years. The nurses helped me scootch over to the operating table which was surprisingly very narrow. I felt like I could roll right off. They had a warm pad underneath me which helped me feel more relaxed. Then the nurses attached two arm rest to the table. At about that time I looked over and saw some of the surgical instruments and decided I was just going to close my eyes so I didn't freak out. I remember telling the anesthesiologist that I was still awake and that I just did not want to look around. Then he put a a mask over my mouth and told me that I would start to feel kind of funny. The next thing I remember was waking up in the recovery room! I did not wake up in any pain at all. The anesthesiologist gave me something for pain through my IV before I was really alert enough to know. I also had asked for zofran before the surgery because in the past I have woke up from a knee surgery pretty nauseous. My mouth was super dry when I woke up so I kept sucking on ice chips. I was never put in surgical bra. My doctor just had me wrapped up in an ace bandage. I actually thing I prefer that anyways as I have read on here that sometimes the band from the surgical bra in uncomfortable on the incisions under your breast. I also do not have any drains. I kept waking up and dosing off. Every time I felt like I had slept for hours but when I asked my husband how long it had been he just kept laughing at me because I would only sleep a few minutes at a time. The first time getting up to use the restroom was pretty rough. They did not want me to use my arms to pull my self up and I felt pretty woozy still from the anesthesia. My husband stood facing in front of me and i leaned onto his hands kind of like I was using a walker. The nurse followed behind just in case I lost my balance. The bathroom was about 40 feet away and half way there I suddenly got extremely hot, my mouth turned dry and I felt like I was going to fall over. I immediately wanted to strip down I was feeling so claustrophobic and nauseous. I was the only overnight patient on that side of the surgery center so that's exactly what I did Haha I was so hot I didn't even care who saw me without my gown on. Then another nurse came to the rescue with a wheel chair and I cold wet wash cloth. I made it to the restroom and then it was back to bed for more nausea medicine and rest for me. When I woke up the next time I was in some pain but not excruciating. It was more like an aching bruised like feeling. I am a little weird when it comes to pain, one of my reactions to pain is that my teeth chatter and I tense up. My nurse wanted me to try to start switching over to my oral pain pills because I would be going home in the morning and obviously would not be able to stay on the IV. I had to eat something in order to keep the pain pills (percocets) from upsetting my stomach. My first meal was apple juice, a few bites of chicken and dumpling soup and a few crackers. Once I had my percocet and a valium to help me relax I slept great! I woke up feeling much more rested and then got up to use the restroom which was much easier this time. The anesthesia must have warn off because I did not feel nauseous or hot at all this time. I wore some comfy sweat pants and a zip up sweatshirt home. It was -5 degrees outside so my husband had the car all warmed up for me and one of the nurses helped me out to the curb and into the car. I did have some liposuction under my arms to help the contouring so layering on a coat did not work but luckily I had brought a fleece throw blanket to wrap up in. I had an extra pillow in the car to put between my new little bobbies and the seat belt. Because I had a valium before leaving the surgery center the ride was pretty relaxing and even though we live 45 minute away it went by pretty quick. I am now at home resting comfortably in my recliner chair. I apologize for any typos ;) the pain med are really nice and making me feel really relaxed! I will try to keep updating through my recovery. Even though I have not seen my chest with out the ace bandage I am already happy with how much smaller they look! Can't wait to go to my follow up appointment to see how the look :) Updated on 24 Feb 2015: I can't remember if I mentioned the removed 1 half pounds per breast and I am still not sure what size I will be. I am hoping for either a small C or a perky bubbly B Updated on 25 Feb 2015: My first night at home went pretty well. The hardest past has been getting in and out of the recliner chair to use the rest room. My pain level is actually quite tolerable. I have been setting an alarm on my phone every 4 and half hours to take my percocet. So as long as I stay on top of my pain pills I think this shouldn't be too bad. I feel more achy, as if I had done a lot of push ups or have bruises. It does hurt to use my arms to reach for things and it hurts to lift stuff. My doctor said I should not be lifting anything over a pound or two, Last time I got up to use the restroom I tried to get a pack of baby wipes to wash my face but they were too heavy to hold. But my super husband came to the rescue and wiped down my my neck, shoulders and back. I am not allowed to take a shower until after my followup appointment so it felt good to clean up a little bit. This is definitely a surgery that requires a lot of help and support so I am very grateful that my parents are helping by keeping our kids all week and that my husband has been taking such great care of me. I have a ruler and a fork sitting on my bedside table to help me reach any itches haha the back of my legs and my head and neck are hard to reach because if i lift my arms i can feel pressure on my incisions. I bought some walgreens brand gel bead ice packs but they dont seem to stay cold very long. So far the best things I have been using is bags of frozen peas. I can barely keep my eyes open again which means my pain meds are kicking in but I'll try to update again soon! Updated on 26 Feb 2015: I have been staying on top of my pain med schedule therefore the pain has not been too bad yet. I am just a little sore but the itching is starting to irritate me. I had not seen under my bandages yet and I do not want to accidentally scratch my incisions open so I have been gently rubbing them through the ace bandages. Thank God for my husband and all the help he has been providing. Today when I got up to use the restroom he helped be brush my teeth and use mouth wash, I washed my face with a was cloth, then I stood inside the shower as he gently washed down my legs, bottom and arms with a soapy wash cloth. Then he carefully rinsed me off with cups of warm water making sure not to get any of my bandages wet. He even parted my hair several different times and sprayed dry shampoo along my scalp so i did't look so greasy! Just getting to freshen up made me feel a ton better, I called to check in with my plastic surgeon, Dr.Siwy, and she said that if I was feeling up to it I could come by any time today or tomorrow for a follow up and get my incisions checked. Because I had already cleaned up a bit and was anxious to see what everything looked like, I got dressed as quickly as I could and headed to her office. Once again my super husband helped me into the car with my pillow between my breast and the seat belt, then we were off for the 45 minute drive to her office. Once we were in the office I was seen right away. They had me take off my zip front sweat shirt and the nurse, Tess, helped removed the layers of ace bandages I also had two foam/sponge-like pieces under each arm where I had some liposuction to help contour my sides to my new breast size. I had been prepared for what they might look like by reading several other blogs on here so the dry peelyness of my sin and surgical glue did not come as quite a shock. She said I am healing well and that I will be able to shower tomorrow as long as I do not let the water pressures hit them directly! The pink kenisiology tape needs to stay on to help with swelling and shape for as long as I can keep it on. Several women on here say they wait after showering a few says then use soap or baby oil to help it come of easier. Although it was nice getting out of my recliner and going for a ride in the car, it sure wore me out. I have been exhausted ever since and I am once again off to sleep! Updated on 27 Feb 2015: Ahhhh today I finally got the okay to take a shower and I feel soooooo much better. My husband had been changing the sheets on my recliner chair and keeping me clean with wash clothes but nothing compares to actually standing under shower letting the warm water just rinse everything away, It was also great to take off the ace bandages, a gentle way to let the water relieve all the itchiness that had built up under all the creases of the bandages and folds of gauze. Still setting alarms for my pain pills so I have not been in much pain just a little achy. My husband made the trip up to pick up the kids from my parents house and I had a good friend come over and babysit me. I didn't need much help but it was a great comfort having her here just in case. We talked for quite a while which made me very sleepy and out of breath. Right after my husbands and the kids came back home they each came if for a few minutes to see me and to tel me about what all they dud at their Grammy and Pa's, then I was out like a light. All the conversations and seeing the kids completely wore me our. Here are some pictures I took after my first shower. These are what I am calling my "frankenboobies" they still look pretty scary with the bruising and surgical glue. Once the swelling relaxes some and the tape if off I can already tell they will be a much nicer natural shape! Updated on 28 Feb 2015: It feels sooooo good to get all these wraps off of me. The itchiness has been way worse than any of the pain, Again I had my procedure done Monday where Dr. Barbara K Siwy took me from a low sagging 34E to what will hopefully end up a small C cup or Bubbly full B. She also did a little bit of lipo suction under my arms to help contour my sides to the new size of my breast. I have been keeping on top of my pain meds so other than a little soreness when I ry to move the pain has not been bad at all. I owe a lot of that credit to my husband who has been helping me do everything. These pictures were taken after my second shower and the kenisiology tape had started to come off. They should started to round out to a more natural shape once the swelling started to go down, I also used some Arnica gel on my bruising so hopefully that will begin to go down in a few days tool. Updated on 28 Feb 2015: Updated on 2 Mar 2015: One week ago I was waking up at the Nabb road surgery center not sure what I would see under my bandages. I have not been in much pain. I've been weaning myself off of the percocet and now only use the Valium if I can't get relaxed enough to sleep at night. My husband took the children out to play in the snow this afternoon so I took advantage of a little time to tour the house and look outside. I have basically just been wearing the ace bandages and my underwear and staying covered up with a sheet since I have not been leaving our bedroom. I have been recovering in a recliner hidden away in our bedroom just to make sure our young children don't accidentally bump me or forget that they can't hug me yet. I put on a pair of button up pajamas and immediately burst into tears. They were huge on me. For the first time in I can't even remember how long I looked down and didn't have to worry about having a gap between my buttons. I walked around the house a bit then just sat in a chair looking out the front window at my husband and kids playing in the snow. I couldn't help but get emotional thinking about how in just a few months I will be able to run around the yard with them and not have to hold my boobs. How when it warms up I will be able to help teach our little girl how to ride her big girl bike and not have to strap on 3 sports bras to jog next to her as she starts pedaling on her own. And this summer I may actually be able to buy a swim suit that I feel comfortable enough in to take my kids to the splash park. If that wasn't emotional enough for me, when the kids went down for a nap my husband helped me shower. When I took of my bandages and looked down I began to cry so hard I thought i was going to bust open my incisions. My husband was worried I was unhappy with the results but it was the exact opposite. I was just so happy that I was able to get this surgery and I am so thankful for his support through the whole process. He got in the shower with me to helped me wash my hair and all I could do was lay my head on his chest and cry. Over the past few days I have been using Arnica Gel on my bruising and Neosporin on the parts of my incisions that are dry and itchy. I have also used non stick surgical dressing gauze that I purchased from Wallgreens but you can get them at any drug store, walmart, target etc. in the first aid sections. I have been putting them in between the surgical bra and my incision to prevent any rubbing. So far I could not be happier with the results. I do get warn out a lot easier right now. Just showering and a few laps around the house did me in. I sincerely hope that sharing my story is helping to comfort and encourage any ladies out there that are considering a breast reduction. In just one week I feel so much more comfortable and confident! Off to take a little nap but I will update you all again in a few days! Updated on 6 Mar 2015: I am 12 days post op now and I feel AMAZING :) seriously so relieved to have such a huge weight lifted off my chest. I swear food taste better, the sun is brighter, skies are bluer and I am just all around a more upbeat and joyful woman. I started experiencing these "zingers" or "zaps" that people on here have mention. They aren't painful or too bothersome. The first few times i felt them it was around my nipple incision and I kept peeking under my surgical bra and gauze to make sure I didn't bust a stitch or they weren't falling off LOL To me it just feels like plucking a hair or static shock. It doesn't hurt but it does surprise me. It happened several times while my in-laws stopped in for a visit and I felt like my eye brows would raise every it happened :) probably looked like I was still loopy from my pain meds :) Speaking of pain meds I really only take them before bed time now. I did try sleeping in bed the other night but I still prefer my recliner of protection. I have a fear that my husband may forget and try to put his arm around me in his sleep or roll over and accidentally bump me. My husband took me out and about for about and hour or two today. I am still not driving. Don't want to risk injuring any incisions by turning the steering wheel, checking a blind spot or anything like that. We just stopped by the bank, CVS for some more gauze pads and a quick stop at wal-mart. I am more of a target girl myself but I see if they had any cheap bras at wal-mart that I could wear during recovery and not worry about getting neosporin on them. To my surprise I found not 1 but 4 super cute bras. Two of them had under wires but for a $5 bra I had no problem bringing them home and cutting a tiny whole in them and pulling the under wire out. I did not even try them on, brought them home and they fit perfect! The surgical bra band was kind of digging into my sides so now I have a few new bras I can wear. I simply put the gauze pads inside them to make it more comfortable. And every big boobed girl know the blah feeling of only being able to choose from white, beige, or black... You better believe this happy momma picked out a teal polka dot bra, a hot pink one, red and one white. I am sure when I am fully recovered this is totally going to boost my sexual confidence :) sorry TMI Here are a few updated pictures of how the healing is going. Almost all the surgical glue is gone and for being just under 2 weeks I am pretty impressed! Updated on 14 Mar 2015:
