OMG, I wrote a whole review and then lost it when I tried to add pictures! I'm 51 and have hated my large breasts since forever. I have wanted a reduction ever since I even knew it existed, but after decades of postponing due to lack of funds, being self-employed with no insurance or paid vacation time, I find myself in a position where I can finally do this! Have been a DD+ cup since age 13. Currently wearing a 34-36 DDD or G depending on brand. All the women in my family have had large pendulous breasts. I am the first one to do anything about it! My poor mother has gained weight in her old age and hers are so big and heavy she can't even stand up straight. I already have arthritis and disc degeneration in my neck and have issues with nerve compression in my neck and shoulders. I want to remain active into my old age! I enjoy running, swimming, hiking, biking etc. but am limited by having to cram all this saggy flesh into tight compression bras that pull on my neck and shoulders and make it hard to breathe fully. Tired of ending up with a headache after running! And wearing a repurposed sports bra for swimming because I can't find ANYTHING that fits and supports. I was able to get on Apple Health (Medicaid) about a year ago and have taken the opportunity to get a number of nagging health issues addressed. I decided this year that I was going to get this BR one way or another so I found out what I needed to do (3 months minimum of conservative care and a referral from my primary) and set the wheels in motion. I was able to find a chiropractor who would give me discount (Apple doesn't cover Chp) and do the documentation of my symptoms, and my lovely PCP didn't hesitate to give me a referral once I told her how long all this had been going on. I saw Dr. James for my consultation on July 17th and then there was a bit of a delay getting everything submitted but once they did, I got approved in 2 days! I was told it could take up to 14 days for the insurance company to make a decision so I was really surprised when she called me yesterday and said when do you want to schedule your surgery?! She said she had an opening this Friday and my first thought was oh my god that's really soon but then I thought why not? I've been waiting for this practically my whole life, and I've been mentally and physically preparing for months, so I might as well just go for it! At the consultation she said she will probably have to do a full anchor incision because I have so much extra skin to remove, and that we might have to "go kind of small" to satisfy the insurance requirements. I don't care about the scarring, and I WANT to be on the small side!! I can't wait to be able to go braless or wear a little sports bra without these monsters flapping around like dead fish. She explained that I have very thin skin that doesn't have a lot of elasticity and that because my breasts grew really fast it just blew out the skin. And then my weight has fluctuated over the years so that hasn't helped. I've been as heavy as 200 pounds and as thin as 135 in my adult life; right now I'm about 167 so right smack in the middle. I'm in good health, I don't smoke or drink, try to eat healthy, exercise regularly, and I had a normal mammogram last fall and my bloodwork is good so I'm ready to rock n roll! Thanks to all the information I've gleaned off of this site the last few years I already have pretty much everything I need. I just have to finish up errands and shopping for the house so I won't have to go out for a while. A good friend is going to transport me to and from surgery Friday afternoon and then my husband will be home all weekend to take care of me. He JUST started a new job-I was hoping I could do this before he started working but it didn't work out that way. After the weekend I'll be on my own during the day but I have friends and neighbors I can call on if I need to. Other than that I plan on vegging and watching Netflix. Updated on 2 Aug 2017: Just finished my phone interview with the outpatient surgical center. Surgery is scheduled for 1:30-4:15 on Friday. I have to check in at the surgical center no later than noon. My instructions are no food after 4 am and only 12 ounces of clear liquid between 4 am and 9 am and then nothing by mouth after that. That will be black coffee for me, so I don't end up with a caffeine withdrawal headache. I have to shower the night before and morning of with antibacterial soap. Wear comfortable clothes (duh). I'm waiting for the surgical bras the doctor recommended, to arrive. Just checked on that and they are supposed to arrive tomorrow - they'd better, because I'll be gone before the mail comes on Friday, and I payed the rush fee to get 2-3 day delivery. I would have ordered them sooner but I didn't think I was going to surgery this soon! Well I'm off to finish the rest of my shopping. I've already stocked up on water, stool softener, milk of magnesia, tylenol, cleansing wipes, and easy food I can eat next week while my husband is at work (cottage cheese, yogurt cups, fruit, baby carrots, bread, coffee, protein bars, etc.) I also stopped by the library and checked out a few books in case I feel like reading (nothing too challenging, just some summer-novel type books). I just need to buy some antibacterial soap, and finish stocking up on household stuff (TP, kitty litter, laundry soap!) so we can just chill at home this weekend. Also have to do a few odds and ends like trim my cat's nails, that I don't expect to be able to do for a while(my cats are huge so I won't be picking them up, and hubby doesn't do kitty grooming!) and make sure my garden is thoroughly watered. OK I will try not to spend all my time at the store drooling over tiny bras and tops I want to buy. I decided I'm not buying anything ahead of time because I really have no idea what size I'll be wearing. Yesterday I went to TJ Maxx to look for some kind of button or zip up jammy top and spent an hour in the bathing suits and tank tops. I haven't worn a dress or top without thick straps and a support bra underneath since I was 12! Updated on 3 Aug 2017: It still hasn't quite sunk in that this is REALLY GOING TO HAPPEN!!!! I'm so busy making lists in my head and rehearsing how everything is going to come together! This morning I'm washing sheets, towels, clothes. Did kitty nail trims and brushings. Still have a few things to attend to around the house but getting there. Went shopping yesterday and stocked up on supplies. Found this really cute pajama top and shorts (in my fave color!)...on sale + extra 15% off coupon at Fred Meyers-that's my kind of deal! I'll wear a pair of stretchy cotton capri pants and the pajama top tomorrow. The pajamas are a lightweight stretchy cotton knit so they can get the top on me afterwards without me having to raise my arms. (Yes I tried it in the store, what a weirdo!) It seems like a silly thing, but I almost exclusively wear things that have to go on over my head. The only button or zip tops I own are winter weight with long sleeves and it has been super hot and muggy so I didn't want to wear a fleece home! I AM going to take a fleece with me though just in case because I have never had a general anesthesia before and I know it can do funny things to your body temperature when you're coming out of it. So I have that on my list of stuff to take for after-barf bag, pillow, fleece, cough drops, sunglasses, frozen bottle of something to drink. I've been walking through the whole day in my head and trying to think of anything I will need along the way! My thought about the clothes was to be able to come home and go straight to the couch without having to change anything. We have an electric recliner couch so I plan to stay parked there unless I have to go to the bathroom! I also cleaned my bathrooms yesterday and the shower and the tub have been scrubbed. I inherited a bath bench from a relative that passed away so I scrubbed it down the other day and it is waiting in the tub for my first shower. I will be coming home with drains and the doctor said she will take them out early next week and then I can shower. In the meantime I have a large stack of baby wipes! We have a detachable hand shower in the tub so I can have my husband help me with that once I get the OK. I used to work as a home care assistant so I know how to do an assisted shower with bath bench! The biggest thing I'm struggling with right now is whether to tell my Mom about this. I'm going out to her house for a little bit this afternoon and I so far I have not mentioned anything about trying to get this done. Even though she has suffered because of her large breasts(she's had terrible problems with her neck and back almost as long as I can remember), she seems to have an emotional attachment to them. She has said things in the past about how, because she had 3 children and breastfed all of us and how special that was (remember this was in the early 60's when bottle feeding was the gold standard, before breast feeding came back in style), that she feels a lot of women don't have the right attitude towards their breasts and that might even account for why women's breasts turn against them and get cancer! Or something to that effect...anyway I just remember thinking after that, that if she knew how much I have always hated my breasts she would be horrified! Granted, one of the contributing factors to me not trying to get this done when I was a lot younger was that I DID think if I ended up having babies I would want to be able to breast feed, but I never ended up having any so it's a moot point! And at 51 and post menopausal, as my wonderful PCP said "who needs em?!" But I'm vacillating between telling her (and my stepdad), because I have that thought of, what if something terrible happened and they didn't even know I was going in for surgery?! And then on the other hand, I think well if she's going to just say something crappy about it and question my decision, then I don't want to talk to her about it the day before I'm going in! It's not like anything anyone says is going to change my mind at this point, cause I'm all in. I just don't want to have a negative exchange with her today. She has a way of saying things sometimes that really gets to me. My other option is to take my stepdad aside and tell him, and not tell her til after the fact. I'm quite certain given the problems he's watched her go through (they've been married over 30 years), that he will support my decision, knowing that it will help me avoid having the same kinds of issues as I age. Updated on 3 Aug 2017: I'm tired from all I've been doing the past few days, but I'm wired with excitement at the same time! My post-surgical bras showed up today (yay!), I went for one final swim, and I went to see my Mom. I decided NOT to tell her about the surgery. I just felt like I would end up having to explain myself and justify my decision, and I've been feeling really awesome about this and I didn't want to spoil it. I can't eat after 4 am (lol...I'm not a big middle of the night eater or anything!) but I ate dinner late and I'm going to have a little ice cream before I take my antibacterial shower and head to bed. I will probably be STARVING by the time I get to eat tomorrow, but oh well, whatcha gonna do? Hubby is picking up a Papa Murphy's on the way home tomorrow, whether I'll want that I don't know but the option is there. Most of my stuff is packed, I have my outfit set out, and things pretty well set up around the house. I have a few tasks I still need to do in the morning-I'll be up around 7 so I have plenty of time. DID I MENTION I CAN'T WAIT?????????!!!!!!!!! Updated on 4 Aug 2017: I didn't get home until about 8 o'clock tonight. Everything went great and everyone was super nice. I am just chilling on the couch now and I have alarms set on my phone for my meds. They gave me percoset and an anti nausea prescription. I don't have experience with pain meds so she said we'd start with those and see how I do. I just have some soreness like muscle soreness feeling in my chest right now. She did some lipo under my arms, and removed over 600 grams on the right side and over 700 on the left (left has always been about 1/3-1/2 cup size bigger). I don't remember the exact numbers. She said she doesn't talk in cup sizes because they vary so much across brands, but that I would be"smallish". Sounds great to me! I feel pretty clear headed but starting to feel sleepy (meds, and close to my normal bedtime). I'm staying on the recliner couch tonight, have lots of pillows and blankets at the ready. I'll post more details tomorrow! Updated on 5 Aug 2017: I had a pretty good night, sleeping off and on, I got up a couple times to pee and get more ice water and snacks. I feel like I have drunk about 10 gallons of water! I am used to drinking a lot normally so it was really hard yesterday to not have any before the surgery. Especially as I was running around the house all morning doing last minute chores and working up a sweat! A couple times I almost reflexively grabbed a water bottle and had to stop and tell myself no! Of course they put me on an IV drip but I still felt so dry. So I feel like I'm still trying to get myself rehydrated. They told me to eat with the percoset and I haven't been too hungry so I've just been having snacks - toast, fruit, Greek yogurt etc. I really wouldn't say I'm in pain at this point-just some discomfort, mostly on the sides. She did tell me that was where she would take out the most, and she did do some lipo there so I was expecting that. I have ice packs on that area now because it seems like it's starting to swell a bit more now too. We've emptied my drains 2 times so far- there's been about 25 mls on each side both times. They aren't bothersome, they gave me a hanging belt thing in case I wanted to use it but leaving them tucked in the front of the bra is working fine. I haven't even tried to peek at them even though I'm dying to see what they look like, I promised myself I would be good and follow doctor's orders so I'm not going to mess with it. I'm going back in Monday morning to get rechecked and have the drains taken out so I will see them soon enough!! Updated on 6 Aug 2017: Thanks everyone for all the nice comments! I am doing really well so far, much better than I anticipated actually! I am still taking the percoset but I cut back the dosage. I don't seem to need the anti nausea one now. I was tired of sitting on the couch last night-the area on my ribs under the bra band was really sore and bruised feeling. I undid the 2 hooks at the bottom to get a little more room, and got creative and stuffed some thick fleece socks under the band for padding. I had to laugh...I'm stuffing my bra with socks!!! Lol I remember some stupid boys yelling "stuffer!" at me when I was in 6th or 7th grade and being mortified not to mention angry as hell because the last thing I needed or wanted to do was stuff my bra! So here's to you, you little cretins wherever you are now 40 years later, yes I am finally stuffing my bra! Anyway since being on the couch was getting old I decided to try sleeping in bed. So I took a percoset and made a little pillow fort to bolster up my arms and back and lift my head up a little, and I actually managed to sleep about 5 1/2 hours straight so that was nice! I had to pee and then I took another percoset hoping to get back to sleep but I was having trouble getting comfortable so now I am back on the couch. I'm really feeling the incision under my right breast and the ribs there this morning. I doubled up my padding but it still hurts so maybe I'll try icing it a little. Yesterday the main spots I was noticing were on the sides towards the underarm , more on the left than the right. I just put a cold gel pack on it off and on and that definitely helped. I didn't really have tons of sideboob before but she did lipo some under there and I know a lot of the reviews on here have said the lipo caused the most pain! But I have to say it's really not that bad, it reminds me of when I used to get really bad PMS and they would swell and ache something terrible. With pain meds this is like a very minor case of that. So really not bad at all! Mostly I can see already that it's going to be hard for me to take it easy. I don't realize how much I normally do until I can't do it! My husband kept telling me to sit down yesterday and let him do stuff for me! I guess I'd better take advantage while I can, as he has to go back to work tomorrow! My friend will collect me in the morning and take me to my 945 recheck. If everything is good I'll be getting my drains taken out. I'll be on my own during the day for the rest of the week, so I'm glad I'm feeling as good as I am. Hubby will take care of any heavy stuff in the evening, as long as I can manage in between. Updated on 6 Aug 2017: I mentioned the fleece socks under the bra band, and I also put some under the shoulder straps. But my best idea was that I had my drain bulbs stuck in the front of my bra, which was ok except they kept sticking to my skin (yes my skin is very sensitive even normally, and especially now). So I was looking for something I could put in there and what I ended up doing was taking a pair of cotton panties and putting them under the front of the bra-with the crotch part going down the cleavage area, and the rest spread out across my chest- and tucking the drains into the opening! So it does double duty by adding padding and absorbing sweat (I've noticed I've been sweating off and on, I assume from the meds), and also providing a little pocket to tuck the drains in! Updated on 6 Aug 2017: Updated on 6 Aug 2017: I only got one shot of my markings but here they are- this angle really shows how awful they were! They were flopping out of the doctor's hand when she was trying to hold them out of the way to mark underneath... good grief what a disaster. Good riddance I say! Updated on 7 Aug 2017: I managed to sleep all night in my bed last night! Much better than the night before. I tried to watch Rogue One with my husband last night but was fading in and out (it's ok, we've already seen it). Around 1015 I took a percoset and we headed to bed. I got my pillows arranged better this time so I was really comfortable most of the night. Other than getting up 3 times to pee, I slept all night, got up about 710. I feel a little groggy but pretty good overall -not much pain. I can feel the incisions more but it's been 9 1/2 hours since the last percoset. I'm having my coffee then I'm going to have a bite to eat and take a pill around 830 -845 so it has a chance to kick in before I go in to get the drains removed this morning. Yesterday afternoon my hubby helped me with a sponge bath and I put on some fresh clothes and washed my purple top so I can wear it to my appointment today. Then he brushed my hair out for me before it turned into a rats nest! It's not like I'm doing anything strenuous but with the weather being warm and humid, plus taking meds, I just was feeling sweaty and sticky so it felt good to freshen up! He had to go back to work today so I'll do a quicky version this morning. I've been surprised (pleasantly) that I can move my arms without pain. I have read other reviews here where they had trouble reaching up to fix their own hair etc. I actually have good range of motion already but I'm just trying to err on the side of caution. I don't want to strain anything and create a problem for myself! I have discovered a few motions that feel weird, like trying to get soap out of a pump bottle at my kitchen sink- just that little downward motion creates a tiny twinge. But when I set the bottle IN the sink so it was down lower, then it didn't bother me! Mostly I'm just realizing how easily I get bored...it was so pretty yesterday evening and I would have loved to go out for a walk! But I did go sit outside for a little bit and enjoy the sunshine, and took a look at my plants (cherry tomatoes are ripening, and dahlias are getting ready to bloom!) I didn't do much garden this year, because I was anticipating hopefully being able to have this done. But I want to enjoy the things I did plant! Anyway that's my ramblings for this morning...I'll update later after my appointment. Updated on 8 Aug 2017: Sorry I didn't manage to update yesterday after my appointment...I was feeling good and energetic in the morning, but I was pretty tired by the time I got back home! Not to mention I had been bragging about not having to take any of the anti-nausea meds but then I ended up needing to take it twice yesterday-my stomach just wasn't feeling very happy most of the day. The appointment went fine, I got ready to go by myself and my friend drove me there and I had taken a percoset with breakfast so I would be prepared for the drain removal (seems like quite a few reviewers have said it really hurt!). The nurse took me back and checked me out, asked me about how much I'd been draining and said it was quite a bit so she double checked with the doctor but the doctor said to go ahead so she did-I didn't really feel anything so I guess the percoset did its job! The doctor came in and asked me a few questions, looked me over and said everything looked good and I could shower tomorrow (which is now today) -wash hair if I wanted and let the water run down my back, avoid the front. The nurse put some fresh dressings over the incision part and they did me back up and said to come back on Friday and she'll take a few stitches out. So that was all good but by the time I left it was getting hotter out and we had decided to stop at the store so I could grab a few things, so we did that, it was really busy in there and I got my stuff but I was feeling a little bit queasy. By the time we got out and got back in the car I was hot and not feeling too good. It's amazing how a little exertion catches up quick, especially in the hot muggy weather! Anyway I was happy to get home, it was cooler at my house and nice and quiet, so I had some soda and crackers and mostly relaxed on the couch for the afternoon, other than watching a few episodes of Frankie & Grace on Netflix. Then I got sleepy and turned off the TV and put my earbuds on with a hypnosis app for pain control which I've been listening to every day. I was passed the **** out when my husband got home from work! I did get up long enough to go in the bathroom and open my bra so I could see what was underneath there (and take pictures lol). I didn't mess with anything but I wanted to see! All I had done up to then was peek down the front- and boy was it weird to see nipples right below the top edge of the bra! They definitely look different! I don't think my breasts have looked like this since I was about 13 years old-before they started going through massive growth spurts and getting stretched beyond repair! Last night my husband was really tired from work and since I wasn't feeling great I took my percoset at about 915 and we headed towards the bed. I slept a good 9+ hours! I had thought I would be more comfortable sleeping on the recliner but the bed is softer and cooler. I do get up a few times to pee (still drinking gallons of liquids!) but other than that I'm sleeping pretty well. This morning I felt pretty good and I have been able to do some light tasks around the house today. My stomach is doing better -hate to say I've been consuming a lot of diet soda and crackers which is not my normal healthy diet but it settles better. I did get a craving for some carrot sticks this afternoon so that was an interesting development because I have had NO interest in vegetables the last few days (I normally eat lots of salad and veggies!). I only took 1/2 a percoset today so I'm less tired. I do think the sides of my boobs look kind of squishy/puffy today- I have been icing under there off and on (they told me I could-15 minutes at a time, and NOT on the nipples). It doesn't really hurt-I have some little areas of soreness, and the incisions feel a little twinge-y, but it's not bad at all. Anyway I'm feeling very good about everything right now and I just hope the rest of my healing process will continue smoothly. And I'm excited to get a shower tonight-my husband is going to help me after he gets home. I've been sponging off with a cool washcloth a few times a day but there's nothing like a real shower :) I'll change out my bra too- doctor's orders were to get two so one can get washed while the other one's on. I'm supposed to wear these night and day for four weeks so right now all I can do is window shop (online!) for fun stuff to wear later. The pics I posted are from yesterday. I'll post some more later in the week-I really am trying to be good and not mess with them. Updated on 16 Aug 2017: I've been terribly remiss on updating! For a few days I was energetic in the morning, so I would do busy work and house chores, and then by the time I thought about updating, I was ready for a nap. Then, I turned a corner and now I am just busy- busy trying to get caught up on everything I couldn't do the first few days. So! Here I am Day 12 and starting to really feel great. Like, having-to-remind-myself-that-I-can't-go-running-yet great!! Quick recap of days since I updated: Last update was Tuesday and I took 1/2 percoset that day and then took one before I went to bed that night. >Wednesday 8/9 I was feeling better so decided to try switching to Tylenol-I took 2 in the afternoon, 2 before bed, and 2 again about 330 a.m. I was able to do more around the house and also slept in the bed with fewer pillows bolstering me up. >Thursday 8/10 I was able to go without any pain killers at all. The biggest problem that started on Wednesday and was getting worse was the terrible constipation. I had been taking stool softeners but obviously not enough. I was totally unprepared for how bad it actually was, (having never had a general or taken percoset before), even after reading all the reviews from everyone who said the same thing, I had NO CLUE how bad it could be. So dealing with that issue took up a large portion of my day for a couple of days. I did not have suppositories or anything in the house as I have never had to use anything like that before! I had gotten some Milk of Magnesia before the surgery, so I started taking that, but I was still suffering. So that was all very exhausting. If I ever have a surgery again I will be MUCH MORE PREPARED!!! >Friday 8/11 I went for my one week follow up appointment. I probably could have driven myself fine by then but I had already made plans to have my friend drive me, and then take her out to lunch afterward, seeing as she wouldn't accept any gas money or anything for all her help! All went well, the nice nurse very gently peeled my tapes off and removed the few external stitches I had on each side, which I couldn't really even feel because most of the area still felt pretty numb. So no pain or discomfort with that! Chatted with her and the doctor and was told I could start gradually increasing my activity level just no heavy lifting etc. Nurse applied new waterproof tapes and I was told to come back on Friday 8/25 for next recheck. Yay! Went out for a nice lunch and went to the store and bought Fleet suppositories. Spent a couple few hours getting that sorted out after I got home-a busy and tiring day (but successful on all accounts, finally!) >Saturday 8/12 felt much better having rid myself of the horrible blockage, got up early and decided to venture out for my first solo shopping adventure. Got some groceries, but more importantly (!!) tried on some bras (carefully!!) and bought a fun colorful sports bra that I NEVER would have been able to wear before. THEN. to Target to try on swimwear, because I decided that with little bit of summer yet I really needed a bathing suit even if I can't go inthe water-I can at least sit in the sun. Selection was a bit picked over, being late in the season, mostly XS,S and XL's left when I needed a M or L (wasn't sure which). But lo and behold I actually managed to find TWO tops that fit in size L, no underwires, and then further narrowed down by the fact I didn't like th bottom that matched one of them, so went with the other option. So I am now the proud owner of an off-the -rack bathing suit for the first time in DECADES (not counting an E-F cup one piece I bought a few years ago that had a halter neck and gave me a headache every time I wore it from my boobs hanging around my neck!!) >>>INSERT PICTURE HERE OF ME DOING HAPPY DANCE<<< >Sunday 8/13 Got to wear my new suit to the pool! Hubby wanted to go for a swim while he was off work, so I we walked (my first actual walking other than around a store) to the pool (it's only a couple of blocks) and I sat and chatted with pool friends while he swam. Confided in a couple of the regulars why I wasn't swimming and they were amazed! Took it pretty easy the rest of the day as I was a bit tired from my adventures Saturday. Tookthe estra pillows out of my bed and started sleeping on my sides more-a little uncomfortable if I rollover too far on the incisions but otherwise OK. >Monday 8/14 I decided to try going for a regular exercise walk. I wore the sports bra I bought on Saturday, as it seemed like it would hold me in place better than my post-surgery bra. Iwanted something that would prevent ANY bouncing! I focused on walking smoothly because I was afraid of the jarring (ouch!) and also tried not to swing my arms too much. But at the same time trying not to look ridiculous lol!! I walked about 45 minutes around the neighborhood and felt fine. A little sore afterward, so applied my ice packs. Drank lots of water. Getting back to more of my normal healthy diet too, and my stomach was tolerating "normal" food better. >Tuesday 8/15 Decided I was good to go for another walk. I remembered I had a Champion high impact sports bra I had saved from thinner days (34DD)-I used to wear it on the tightest hook, have to wear it on the loosest now but my boobs fit in there just fine, if anything with a little extra room. I walked for over an hour! Less soreness and feelings of jarring this time. Doing all my normal stuff around the house now with the exception of anything involving heavy lifting. >TODAY finally!! Did another hour+ of walking this morning. Sleeping a normal 8 hours and waking refreshed, no longer need extra pillows and can sleep on my sides with minimal discomfort. I still have some swelling on the sides, and underneath the right one (that one has hurt more underneath and on my ribs the whole time-not sure why). I'll continue to ice as needed (Doctor said that was the best thing to do).I have surface sensation around the outer parts of my breasts but still pretty numb when you get closer to the nipple. My nipples do stand up though, the color is good, and they don't hurt. They weren't very sensitive BEFORE the surgery, so I don't care if they ever are or not, although I'm sure the numbness will decrease as things heal. The first few days I had a feeling of having to really round my shoulders and protect myself, and it felt really weird to take my bra off even for a few minutes, but now they are starting to feel less vulnerable and odd, and a little bit more normal. They are softening a bit too, they feel a little bit jiggly without a bra, like normal breasts. But normal breast that are jiggly on my chest instead of flapping around like dead fish on my ribcage!! A totally different feeling. I'm still supposed to wear a bra 24/7 until the first month is over, and for the most part I have been, except for a short time after showering, etc. Sorry for the SUPERLONG update but wanted to get thoughts down before any more time elapses! Updated on 18 Aug 2017: I promised myself I wouldn't get behind on my updates again! I felt like I wrote a novel last time, and then afterwards I just kept thinking of more things I forgot to say! I feel like I'm doing better every day. I have walked every day this week, and have gradually been able to increase my speed and get back into more of a normal gait and arm swing. I don't feel like I have to move so carefully now. I do have to get the armband I carry my phone in positioned right so it doesn't brush against the end of my incision! The feeling of tightness underneath the breasts has gotten a little less. When I went to my one-week check I told the nurse it felt like I had PMS and was wearing a tight underwire bra. Now I still am tender to the touch, and with certain movements around the incisions underneath but it doesn't have that tight underwire cutting in feeling that I had for several days. Also that area where I felt bruised on my right ribs under my breast is going away. I don't have any ACTUAL bruising anywhere, unless it's so slight that I can't see it under the tape. I do normally take 1000-2000 mgs of Vitamin C every day, so generally I don't bruise much. I hadn't taken any though for a bout 3 weeks before the surgery, because it was on my list of things to avoid, that can thin the blood and cause bleeding, along with garlic, ginger, ginkgo, feverfew, aspirin, and ibuprofen. When I went to my 1-week check she said I didn't have to worry about that any more so I started taking my Emergen-C packets again. A big difference between last week and this week is that my energy stays good all day now, whereas up until a few days ago I was definitely needing a nap in the afternoon. Now I'm going to bed and getting up at a normal time and not napping in between, although I'm definitely tired and ready to go to bed at night! Sensation is slowly increasing, although there is still quite a bit of numbness especially int he nipple area. Not as much pain with mild pressure though, like I can hug my husband gently now without worrying that I'm going to really hurt myself. I'm still using my ice packs about once a day-mostly on the underneath incision area. It gets sore by the end of the day. Also changing up the bras I'm wearing around the house so I don't have a tight band underneath all the time. I've also been doing better with driving-it doesn't hurt now unless I forget and run over a bump or RR tracks without slowing down enough. I feel just good enough that there are moments when I forget I had surgery! My next recheck is a week from today. Updated on 24 Aug 2017: I promised to update more regularly, but I haven't had much to report. I've been gradually increasing my exercise, and doing a bit heavier lifting (still having my husband load the water jugs on the dispenser-I'm not ready for that yet!!). I am itching to start running, but any up and down movement still feels jarring, so I am just doing kind of a jog/walk where one foot doesn't totally leave the ground til after the other one lands. It probably looks ridiculous but I'm able to get a better cardio workout without the jarring. Do I care what my neighbors think? Yesterday I decided to go try on some bras at my local Hanes/Leggs/Bali Outlet store. It has been my go-to bra store for a few years because I could usually find something in a minimizer on clearance or whatever so I didn't have to pay a fortune. I had realized the past few days that the Champion 34DD sportsbra really wasn't very comfortable-I was MAKING DO with it as I've always MADE DO with bras that were UNCOMFORTABLE because it's what I've always had to do! But the 34 band was just a little too tight around my ribs, and the cup getting roomier by the day as my swelling is going down, therefore just not great. Also, the "medical comfort" bras I had been wearing since the surgery had really been bugging me because they have velcro closures on the straps, which unfortunately having very sensitive skin, had been bugging me almost from the get-go. I just have major problems with anything scratchy against my skin! Anyway I decided to go to the outlet store and see if I could find anything COMFORTABLE, but with some support to keep things from being jarred around when I'm moving more. I tried on a bunch of different stuff, and found out (horrors) that having a breast reduction doesn't automatically mean that everything will fit me (I'm being facetious to an extent here, but I guess I did have a LITTLE bit of a fantasy going in that regard)! There were still things that gave me weird boob shapes, or didn't sit right, or smashed me down into uniboob with side boob (I'm looking at you, sportsbras!) I ended up with 3 styles of Playtex "Play" bras which are kind of semi-sport bras, not glamorous but fit well and are VERY comfortable. They were on clearance plus an extra discount for buying 3, so I came in just under $40 for three bras, which I thought was very reasonable. I've never been a fan of Playtex pre-surgery because they always gave me torpedo [RS bleep], and I remember trying on the Play styles when they first came out but they didn't hold up the low-hanging boobs. I tried the most sport-like of them for my walk/jog today and it was very comfortable. I think once I get past the feeling that my boobs are going to fall off with any impact, it might work fine for running. We shall see. At the least I can use them for lower-impact "active" stuff-hiking, biking etc. Overall a success! Tomorrow morning is my three-week recheck. Not sure if I'm getting retaped or what. I had to throw another layer of tape over the lower incisions as the tape was really lifting (too much sweating in the heat, I'm guessing) so right now I have quite a bit of tape on there. I'm nervous about having it off, it's kind of like a security blanket :-) I'll post a quick update after the visit. Overall I feel great and would do it again in a heartbeat. My neck and back are doing great except for one stubborn spot in my upper neck, but my chiropractor is on vacation right now. Hopefully by the time she gets back I'll be recovered enough to get adjusted without hurting my boobs. Updated on 28 Aug 2017: Last Friday I went for my 3-week recheck. I was feeling all upbeat, having been getting back to exercising and being active. The lovely nurse took me back and undid my tapes and put new ones on, all the while telling me how good my scars were looking. But then the doctor came in and looked me over and pushed on my right breast and announced that I had fluid!! So out came the big needle! First she injected some numbing agent, and then did the actual draining. It didn't hurt, but I had to focus to not get creeped out by what she was doing. She extracted 2 1/2 ounces of fluid from the right side, and not nearly as much from the left, and told me to come back in a week to 10 days. I asked if I was doing too much and she said, "probably!" So I have been back to trying to take it easy the past few days. The threat of the needle will make me behave-eek! I'll be going back on Friday morning to see if she has to do it again. The only other things I've noticed is that Ithe incisions seem more sensitive when I turn to sleep on my sides the past few nights. I'm mostly a side sleeper, and they had been pretty good for a while, but now I feel them more. Also yesterday I had a weird itch in and around my right nipple for most of the day. My nipples are numb to touch, but it's like it was itching on the inside. A weird feeling! Then it finally went away. So I guess it's just in the normal course of healing-the weird sensations. What will be next? I probably shouldn't ask!! Updated on 28 Aug 2017: Just FYI, if you have to buy your own soap for your pre-surgery showers, I thought this one was really nice. I was dreading it because I have super-sensitive skin and I was worried I would be dry and itchy. Plus some of the ones I've smelled have a nasty chemical odor. This one left my skin really soft and moisturized (since you can't put any lotion on), and the scent was pleasant. And it was only $1.99! Updated on 8 Sep 2017: I meant to update last week after I went in for another recheck to see if I needed more fluid drained or not. But life has been busy! Trying to enjoy the last bit of summer and catch up on projects that didn't get done because I was recuperating...! So I went in for the recheck last Friday and I did have SOME fluid in the right breast, but not as much as before. The doctor went ahead and drained it with the needle, which actually hurt a little this time, but I think it just had something to do with the way she angled the needle to try to get to where the fluid was. It was only for a second though, so no big drama. I was a little sore afterward and I had a busy day so I was really wiped out by the time I got home that evening! Everything else looked good so I don't have to go back until the 3-month mark so I made and appointment for late October. If I am having any problems or concerns before then I can call and come in if I need to. The week vefore that when I had the fluid the first time, I had my tapes changed and the nurse gave me a roll of paper tape and said when the current tapes started to fall off I could just replace them myself. She said I didn't need to do in in the pattern they were for the first few weeks (which she explained is designed to reduce the tension on the incisions)- to just put small pieces over the incisions. She said it helps to keep the skin a bit moist which acts as kind of a scar treatment. Anyway the past couple of days I had noticed the tapes on the underneath incisions were starting to come loose, and I was just going to take those off today and replace them, but then I realized the others were coming up at the ends, so I decided to take them all off before I showered today and put new ones on afterward. So I took some pictures of what they look like now without the tape on(which is the first time I've seen them without the tape-other than really briefly at my 3-week appointment when the nurse was changing them and I asked for a hand mirror so I could see what the incisions looked like). I think they look pretty good at this point-it's weird to see my areolas so small as I'm used to them being so stretched out, and I'm not thrilled about all the poodginess at the sides, but I'm hoping that will resolve with time &/or fat loss?? I didn't think I had a lot of "side-boob" before-but maybe I just couldn't see it or it was being pulled down by the weight of my breasts. I know that when I have been thinner/leaner than I am now that it definitely goes down. I had to keep my weight up a little higher through this than what I'd prefer to be at, because I was worried if I got any leaner I wouldn't have enough to work with to get the insurance approval. Once I can get back to exercising more intensely (I'm still going easy on it at this point, because I don't want the fluid to keep being a problem), I know I will lean out more around my ribcage. But it does look puffy in a bra which I don't like. So I'm just trying to determine what kinds of bras and shirts de-emphasize it. I DID find a couple of cute sweaters and a shirtdress on a clearance rack a couple days ago, that were styles I never would have worn before because they would have made my boobs look even bigger. I'm having fun trying on different cuts and colors to see what I like. I've been so accustomed to calculating what dark colors, patterns, necklines, etc. would work over a minimizer bra and not make me look bigger. That has been my main criteria for so long that I don't even know what I like. Now I'm just going to have to get another income source going so I can afford more new clothes! So all in all I feel like I'm coming along really well, and I extremely happy I was able to have this surgery. I just have to remember to be patient with the healing process as I know there is a lot of internal healing still going on and they do get sore if I overdo it. Updated on 12 Sep 2017: No new pics today, just a few things about getting used to new boobs... *I still find myself trying to reach into my bra and rearrange my boobs if it feels like something isn't sitting right. Haha. There isn't any "slack" to rearrange-I have to move the bra, not the boobs. *When drying off after a shower, I try to pick them up from underneath so that I can dry there. Again, nothing to pick up. I've done it for so many years that it's ingrained in my brain!! *Nipples. I can't feel them yet, they're still numb. Where the hell are they? I have to look to find them. *I keep having to look in the mirror and adjust the backs of my bras so that they're in line with the fronts-and then they feel like they're too high on my back. I'm so accustomed to having to yank those tight bra bands DOWN so they sit in line with the front, which sat a lot lower than it does now. Now they feel like they're half way up my shoulder blades. *People keep telling me I look radiant, young, beautiful, glowing, etc. I don't know if it's just obvious that I feel better, or if having that heavy matronly chest lightened and lifted actually has made me look younger. But people definitely notice, even if they don't know what they're noticing. Which is awesome! Updated on 13 Sep 2017: I wasn't going to update again this soon, but when I looked in the mirror after taking a shower today, I felt I had made some progress so I took a few pictures. I think the shape is relaxing and the puffiness on the sides is going down some. It will be 6 weeks on Friday since surgery. I have gone jogging VERY SLOWLY twice this week. I wore the black "Play" sportsbra I showed before, but with a compression cami over it. Packed in tight. I have kind of resisted having to do that because it reminds me of pre-surgery, always having to wear the corset like bras for working out. But I realize it's semi-temporary and if it will allow me to exercise more without discomfort &/or other ill effects, then so be it. I've been really missing being able to run and work out-I'm very dependent on it for my mental and physical well-being (I have had life long issues with depression, S.A.D., and addiction, so exercise is an essential part of my wellness plan!). At this point I have very little discomfort, just an occasional weird sensation, and a little bit of soreness that seems to move around-sometimes it's more on one side, then the next day more on the other, sometimes tender in the middle near my sternum. The one spot that continues to bug me is at the end of the incision under the right breast-it feels kind of stuck or like it pulls sometimes. When I try to sleep on that side I can't quite get into the right position without it bothering me, so I mostly sleep on my left side. The ribs on that side have been more sore all along so something about the stitches maybe? I don't know, I just know it feels kind of hitched up underneath compared to the left side. My left breast was always bigger before and seemed to get more sore and swollen with PMS, etc. so I guess the right one is taking its turn being the troublemaker now! The tapes I put on the other day were already coming loose so I redid some of the tape today. I decided three strips with more overlap might stay on better. Besides I decided I liked the "A" shape-A is for Awesome! Updated on 13 Sep 2017: Afterthought and word to the wise for anyone wondering what kind of bras to get for after surgery: GET A LOT OF DIFFERENT BRAS!!!!!! What I have found over the past few weeks is that sometimes I have to change my bra a few times a day! Since the tenderness and swelling move and shift all the time, different bands, shapes, straps, and tightnesses feel better or worse at different times. I'm in danger of having to clean out a dresser drawer to devote to all my bras (of course the old ones took up a lot more room, but I hated shopping for them and had such trouble finding any that worked for me that I usually only had 2-3 bras at a time)! But seriously, try to get a variety so that is you are feeling particularly sensitive in one area, you have something to put on that doesn't aggravate it. Instead of having the same style pressing/rubbing on the same places all the time. There are so many sportbras and leisure tops out there now, you can have one in every style and color! Updated on 27 Sep 2017: I haven't been updating as the changes are rather minor at this point. I've been able to return to running more, increasing my speed and distance very gradually. Just today I tried going with just the black Playtex Play sports bra (without a compression top over it) and I could feel things a little bit more but it seemed OK. I still have tender areas and numb areas, and the incisions underneath my breasts still feel tender if pressed on or if something rubs against them. I'm sometimes going without a bra now but only around the house when I'm being sedentary-otherwise I at least wear a little stretchy thing for a bit of support. I'm still wearing one to bed too as it just feels better to have them a little bit protected at this point. Other than that I am doing everything I would normally do including lifting the 5 gallon water jugs onto our water dispenser at home. The only thing I haven't started yet is any kind of upper body weight lifting or body weight exercises like push ups. Although I am thinking I will probably start that soon too-I feel like I've lost some muscle tone since the surgery! I went bra shopping at the Hanes-Leggs-Bali Outlet store again last week-I specifically wanted to find something I could wear under a dress or sweater that has some shaping, especially for the pouffy area on the sides (which is slowly going down, but is still noticeable to me). I found a Maidenform style that has some foam shaping around the underside, like an underwire but not a wire, and a vertical stay on the sides. They only had black in my size but I was able to order a beige one off the website too. It's a discontinued style so I got them really cheap-all this bra buying is expensive! I'm not ready to buy anything that's more costly anyway since things are still shifting and changing I'm figuring that any bras I buy now may not work for me long term. But since I have already gotten quite a few more casual type bras and sport tops, I figured I needed a couple of "real" bras for when I want to dress a little bit nicer and want a bra that isn't going to look weird underneath, or poke out in the wrong place, or show through a top. I love that they shape like an underwire but are totally comfortable-I can actually forget about them. Never in my life have I been able to forget about the bra I was wearing! I don't go back to the doctor for another month yet, unless I have a problem. I continue to put fresh tape over the incisions every few days when they start to peel off. Updated on 29 Sep 2017: I've had comments and questions about size, shape, and a few other things I thought I'd address instead of writing a million replies. I am again actively trying to get in shape and lose the last few pounds that I had been keeping on for the surgery. Unlike some who want to lose weight before the surgery, I wanted to keep enough weight on that I would get approved by insurance. I knew from experience that if I lost too much weight (fat) that the insides of my breasts would shrink but all the excess skin would remain. Even at 165-170 pounds (I'm only 5'5", I consider my best weight to be around 145) my doctor thought I was borderline for getting approved based on size alone simply because I had lots of skin but not a whole lot of tissue to take off. But with the long standing neck and back issues and the huge degree of sagging I got approved. If I had been any thinner I might not have. So although I am fitting in a 36C now, I expect that to go down as I lose weight. At 145 I normally wear a 34 band, but I don't know if the cup size will remain or go down. My breasts have softened quite a bit already, and the weight has shifted a bit more to the bottom. While I loved the look of "high and tight", realistically with my very thin skin and the fact that I'm postmenopausal so my breast tissue is not as dense as it once was, this is to be expected. My doctor had warned me that I may sag again, given my skin characteristics. It just doesn't spring back the way some people's does. So they may end up flatter against my chest than what I would desire in a perfect world, but I am not in the least interested in getting implants or anything like that so I suppose if I want to look like I have a high bustline I will have to avail myself of a fancy balconette or push up bra the likes of which I have never worn in my life! Other than that I am perfectly happy to go braless or wear a stretchy bra and I don't care if they look flat. I did the surgery for my comfort and my health and well being for the long term! And just a note about the FREEDOM I am experiencing now that I am getting healed up- yesterday it was forecast to be HOT here (pacific NW) and on a whim I threw running clothes and a swimsuit in my car as I had some free time after an appointment. I went to one of our local lakes where I normally swim in the summer, but had not been able to this year (hadn't gone prior to surgery because of lack of time, and then couldn't after the surgery!) First I took a short trail run (in ONE sportsbra now)and then a short swim (YES it was COLD!! But I didn't care!!) ALl of that was awesome but the BEST part was that after the swim, I thought oh I don't really want to get back into my dressy clothes from the morning, and I hadn't planned for what to wear to the grocery store on my way home, but, I had a loose shirt in my car and I just threw it on with NO BRA!! And went to the grocery store! Which is something I would NEVER have been able to do before! I felt a little bit self conscious just because that is NOT something I'm used to, so it felt a littel bit funny, especially after 8 weeks of wearing a bra almost all the time. But how liberating! I can go IN PUBLIC BRALESS and not feel like I look like a freak and have boobs down to my belly button flooping and swinging to and fro. So it might be easy to nit pick about a little bit of imperfection, or asymmetry here and there, but THE OVERALL GOAL HAS BEEN ACHIEVED!! To feel "normal", to be able to be athletic and active with minimal discomfort, to be able to BREATHE DEEPLY, and to be able to move on with my life and enjoy whatever years (hopefully lots!) that I have left without my BREASTS literally and figuratively DRAGGING ME DOWN!! There is so much to be happy about! Updated on 16 Oct 2017: Hi Everyone, I haven't been on here as much lately, lots going on. Took some new pics this morning as my tape was peeling so I took it off before showering. There was a little bit of flakiness around the scars so while I was in the shower I used my exfoliating gloves VERY gently over breasts and nipples. I normally use them all over but this is the first time I have gone over the actual scar areas. On looking closely at the scars I can see the new blood vessels around the scar joinings. The surface areas are still pretty dull in terms of feeling sensation, although my nipples do stand up. I still have some tender areas inside the breasts but they are slowly getting better. The scars still feel tight so I know the shape will continue to relax as they heal. Overall I feel really good- life is pretty much back to normal, except better than before because I have less pain and more freedom! And I just feel like "ME" after all these years of struggling with this issue. It's funny my sister was visiting from out of state, and we got together three different times while she was in town. The first time she said "it's going to take me a little while to get used to your new look!"-not in a mean way or anything, but just because she's known me with big boobs most of our lives! But the third time we got together she said "it's funny I know I said it was going to take me a while to get used to the change, but now it just seems like you're the way you should have been made in the first place!" And I said "I know!! That's what I feel like!" I haven't really told anyone outside of my close family, and a couple friends who knew I was having it done, so I don't really get comments from anyone else. People I have known for years have seen my weight fluctuate up and down, and I ALWAYS wore minimizer bras, so I don't think most people really had a clear idea of what my body looked like so they probably just think I've lost some weight or I've been working out lol. I'm not averse to telling people, but the opportunity has to feel right-I'm not the type to just go advertising it all over town. I finally went and had a chiropractic adjustment, and I'm hoping to get a massage soon, now that I can lay on my breast without it hurting. I still have to be careful about hugging though, if I get pressure in the wrong place it still hurts! Also, after going for a couple of runs in only ONE sportsbra, I went back to putting another compression top over it because I could feel it too much, I was getting sore in a particular area (not just uncomfortable, but concerned about delaying the healing process). It seems like a lot of this healing process has been two steps forward and then a step, or at least maybe a half step back. It's definitely a learning process! I haven't really gone shopping for any more bras, I keep looking at stuff (cause it's pretty!) but in all honesty, I think after so many years of my shoulder and neck muscles being traumatized with tight straps and weight pulling on them, I need to just NOT WEAR a bra as much as I can. SOmetimes when I put something on it just feels like it irritates my upper trapezius muscles and I have to take it off. Racerbacks in particular- especially the ones that sit up high by the neck, they just don't work for me. I don't know if that will eventually change if I get some good deep tissue therapy now or not ( I used to work as a massage therapist and I've had hundreds of hours of therapy, but the boob weight always undid any benefits I got). I still want to get back to yoga and swimming but I'm trying not to overstretch, I can feel it when I do. Hopefully over time the areas in my back and neck that have suffered so much will slowly heal. Funny things still happen too, like the other night sitting eating dinner at the table with my husband, focused on what I'm eating, when seemingly out of the blue he says, "it's so weird looking at you and your breasts are like six inches above the table!" To which I just laugh and say, THANK GOD!! Updated on 27 Oct 2017: I had to take a few pics yesterday because it's just a reminder of how stubborn our brains are about how we see ourselves. So I had thrown this T shirt on because I was doing laundry and it was on of the only things left in my clean clothes. I don't like this shirt very much but I bought it when I was a bit heavier, pre-reduction, and I haven't gotten rid of it yet. So I was walking by a mirror and I looked and for a second I thought I saw the bottom of my boobs down where they would have been before in this shirt (without a bra). I had to STOP and do a double take and pull the shirt in closer to my body to see where my boobs are in it now! Ha! A couple days ago I took my tape off and I was pretty much out of tape so I didn't put any more on. The doctor said to tape them til three months and I go for my recheck on Monday. I put a little bit of jojoba oil on the scars and massaged the whole chest and ribcage area the last couple of days. I can tell already some of the residual sore areas in my chest (on and near the sternum) are starting to lessen so I think the extra circulation is good. Other than that I've been taking it pretty easy the past couple of weeks because I got this stupid cold that has been lingering around, so I haven't really exercised other than going for a walk a couple of times to get some fresh air. The scars underneath my breasts feel kind of weird now that my breasts are kind of folding over there. I've been going without a bra when I'm at home though and just wearing one when I have to go out. Updated on 1 Nov 2017: Hi All, I visited my surgeon on Monday for my 3 month follow up. She said everything is looking good and I don't have to come back unless I have any issues or if I decide later on that something needs revision. She said she doesn't do any revisions until at least 6 months to give scarring a chance to go down on its own. I asked her about the few knots and lumps I have and she said they were just scar tissue and should continue to get smaller. I have only the teeniest little "dog ears" at the ends of my incisions, she said most likely will smoothe out (they don't bother me). I did ask about the unevenness between my areolas and she reassured me that they were cut the same size during surgery lol...they just don't always heal the same. She said my circulation is a little "slow" there (I think she was looking at how pale they are). I have been trying to figure out if it's normal for them to be so pale but I had decided after looking back through my "before" pictures that 1) they were pretty pale before but I just couldn't see them very well; and 2) the redness of the scars on the circumference makes the inside look rather sickly by comparison. But I guess it's a combination of those things and slow circulation? Well apparently there was enough circulation that my nipples didn't die and fall off-that's good enough for me! (considering the alternative is not pretty-and no offense meant to anyone who's lost a nupple with surgery-I'm sure it is horrifying!) Anyway she was pleased with how I'm doing, and I did ask if there was any type of scar treatment she recommends, and she said that she thought that for me at this point it would be a waste of money, since my scars go thin and white after a while, that after a year I'd hardly be able to see them anyway. Which is kind of what I figured, and frankly I don't really care about the scars anyway, I just wanted to make sure I asked all the questions I could think of while I had her ear! I also double checked to make sure I can start lifting weights, swimming etc. and she assured me it is fine to do anything at this point. The hilarious part was towards the end of the appointment after we had gone over everything and she said "well we probably could have left you a little bit BIGGER, but I guess we were kind of "scraping" to get enough for the insurance" and I'm sure my face must have gone white and I said "NOOOOOOO!!!!! I like the size they are! I don't WANT to be any bigger!!!!!!!" I texted my sister after the appt and told her that and we both had a good laugh. I'm sure a few of you can relate!! So to celebrate, I decided to go look for a one piece swimsuit! I have been debating about joining the YMCA so I can go swimming during the winter, and work out indoors. I like to run but I know I need to do other forms of exercise and our weather here in the PNW is so sketchy in the fall winter and early spring, and with the days being short I need some alternatives. I had looked online and saw that Big 5 carries some suits year round so I went and tried on a bunch. I ended up buying the TYR "Samurai"...I love it, now I can't wait to try it out. And it was on clearance for $30!! Score! This suit has NO BUILT IN BRA OF ANY KIND. I haven't worn anything like that since I was probably 12 years old. I also threw in a couple pictures of me braless in just a regular tank top, because to me one of the most AWESOME benefits of this surgery is that I can frump around at home in a tank top and no bra and baggy pants and I don't feel like a freak with my big giant saggy boobs flopping around down at my waistline. I just loveit that I can throw on literally almost ANYTHING and feel fine in it. I don't really spend a lot of time getting dressed up most days, I don't have a full-time job right now that I have to dress for and we have a pretty low-key
Ever since I could remember I have had large breasts. I finally decided to see a doctor and within 7 weeks I was approved by insurance and my surgery was planned. It's one day post op so I will post more but this site helped me a lot so I wanted to give back! Doing well today. Feel free to contact me anytime you want! Updated on 14 Feb 2015: Yesterday was a bad day. I got very sick from the pain killers I was taking and was puking all day. We called the surgeon and I got anti nausea pills and they helped. I have decided to switch to Tylenol because the pain hasn't been too bad. I also had my drains removed yesterday and that was not a painful experience but it felt really uncomfortable and weird! Today I showered and that felt amazing! First time seeing the girls out of the bra while standing up. It was very emotional and I cried happy tears. I was very careful showering, I felt as though if I bummped them they could fall right off! The first few days I had no sensation in them but today I've had some numbness and tingling in my right nipple. It hasn't been uncomfortable and if I put my hand on it, the tingling stops. The worst part of recovering has been side affects from Vicodin not the incisions. Constipation, upset stomach, nausea, and headaches. I hope by switching to Tylenol I'll start to feel better. I immediately felt relief from neck, back, and shoulder pain which has been wonderful!
Like many of you, I contemplated having this procedure off and on, and particularly since I became "aware" that I was no longer a size 34B. Over a period of years, since going into menopause, my breasts have been increasing in size. I kept thinking, "just lose some weight and they will slim down". Yeah, right. I am 67 years old, 5 feet tall and small in figure, but grew in breast size to a 38D. Yikes! Sideways, I looked like a blimp. I would wear very loose-fitting tops just to hide my "dis-figure". Most days, I couldn't wait to get the boulder holder off to get relief from the tightness and strangulation feeling that I had with it on. Dolly Pardon, I don't know how you do it! What pushed me over the edge was the day I couldn't get my favorite blouse buttoned! That was an "UGH" day. My decision to finally jump in with both boobies was the day a friend of mine said she had it done and that she should have done it a long time ago. She had mentioned she had the procedure to my husband, who was doing some carpentry work for her. The first words out of his mouth were "Don't tell Leslie!!". A lot of good that did. When I found out she went through it, I called her, went to see the results and then I took off like a runaway train! Four weeks later, I was in the operating suite with my sweet lady doctor marking my chest. I was nervous and apprehensive, but the train was moving and it was too late to jump off - and, man, am I glad I didn't chicken out. I now look more "normal", according to my doctor, and feel 100 pounds lighter - yay! 13 oz of breast tissue was removed from the left and 16 oz from the right. I am now 6 days post surgery and feel a little bit better each day. I have done nothing but rest. I had the drains in for two days and was relieved when they were taken out. They were more of a nuisance than anything else. Ice was my friend. It lessened the pain and lessened the swelling. I'm still using ice packs and warm showers, both helping greatly. I must have a high pain tolerance, as I didn't need to take any medication until the third day, and have only taken 3 OxyCodone at the most. I took one pill before bed to help me sleep. I don't need them anymore. The only weird sensation, and sometimes startling sensation, comes from my left nipple area, sharp, quick, sparks, like the nerves firing, which I am assuming is the healing affect of the nerves. They seem to have settled down a bit. It is a bit unnerving to feel them though. I don't know if I will get nipple "function" and sensation back, but we'll in time. My friend said she started getting feeling back at about 5 weeks. The most irritating thing is the tape, irritating to my skin. I get the stitches out tomorrow and hopefully some of the tape off. Overall, I am glad I went through with it. The pain in my arms and neck have settled down and almost gone away. If you are hesitating, don't - just jump in and git r done. Unless you have an incompetent doctor, you won't be sorry. Because I am on Medicare and a supplement, the cost to me is $0. The estimated cost if I had to pay for it would have been around $6,000. Oh, my doc also did a little bit of lipo on each side and took out about 100 grams of fat. Glad it's over, glad I did not wait and contemplate for the next several months, and glad to share with you all. Just remember, the first week is the hardest, but if you can rest, take it easy, and get through the "discomfort", you will be glad as I am that you finally took that first step to "heaven"! By the way, I think I got in very quickly because it's summer and most ladies probably want to wait for the sun to disappear behind the clouds. Updated on 5 Aug 2012: Hi ladies! I am now 11 days post surgery and I am surely experiencing the healing process. I am still very sore and a little uncomfortable, but I am now able to wear the bra WITHOUT padding. The areas that are the worst are where the lipo was done, on the sides, underneath the armpits. My skin color has come back to normal, with the yellowing pretty much gone around the breasts. The tape still feels a little uncomfortable, a little irritating to the skin. Will be glad to get it off for good. I've been experiencing some "itching" deep within the tissue - very unusual feeling. I haven't had need for daily medication still. Pills don't seem to do much for the pain, just put me to sleep, and that's not bad either. The bra has been feeling extremely tight because of the swelling still present, so I used "extenders" on the bra clasp to relieve some of the pressure - and they work great. I had a three-prong one and a two-prong one, so I used them in tandem with one another. Overall, I am very pleased and would do it again if needed (????). Hope to be dead and buried before that happens :) In any case, I am still very pleased. I am now able to wear blouses that would not fit before, and that makes me a happy camper. And when I look at myself sideways in the mirror, I don't look like a "blimp" anymore!!! So, if any of you who are reading this blog are still hesitating, take the jump and you will be just as euphoric as me and others who have taken the plunge. Happy [RS bleep] to you all! Updated on 17 Aug 2012: This is now day 23 and I am doing great. I had the original tape(s) removed two days ago and what a relief. The tape was causing "irritation", but no redness showed, so my doc said it was just part of the healing process. She reapplied the tape, but using shorter strips. Much more comfortable. I no longer need the tape once these start "peeling" off. I still have a bit of swelling and one nipple is a little higher than the other. It may even out once the swelling is down, but it doesn't really bother me. I won't be walking around naked on some beach, so why stress out about it. I feel that I am slightly larger than I was just 3 days after surgery (when I had the drains taken out); that may be due to a little fluid accumulation after the drains were taken out. It will probably be another month or two before things really settle into what will be "normal". I am just happy that I am smaller than before, a perfect size really, and that blouses that did not fit before, now do. Even my sports bras are more comfortable. How cool is that! The soreness is about half of what it was, some of the stiffness of the tissues is waning a little into a softer feel and overall it feels much better. I still have no feeling in the areolar area or the nipple, but that may be a later comer. I do, however, have feelings in the breasts where I didn't before, so I am progressing. My doc told me that it could take from 6 months to a year to completely heal. I'm okay with that. So, you ladies out there that are still on the fence, just do it. You won't be sorry --- as long as you have a really good doctor. Don't just settle for the first one you "interview" with. Get one that has been recommended to you, preferably by someone who has been under the knife with that doctor, if at all possible. I will post more pictures once the tape is off and the swelling is down more. That's it for now. Be back again soon. Updated on 30 Oct 2012: I thought you might like to see the bra I spoke about in my last posting. Updated on 31 Oct 2012: Hi Everyone, I just got back from a 7-week trip around the U.S., visiting friends, make new friends and seeing more of this beautiful country of ours. That's why you haven't heard from me. So, how am I doing? Fantastic! I am so glad that I had the surgery before I left (6 weeks before I left), as I was so much more comfortable during my trip. For the first time in my life I was able to go without wearing a bra, wearing spaghetti strap blouses without feeling "conspicuous"! Those perky little things just held their own! It made those long drives so much more bearable. I've posted more pictures to show you how well I am healing. On the trip, I used a liquid Vitamin E to help with the scarring; now I'm using cold-pressed Castor Oil, rubbing it in while messaging the entire breast areas. This helps to break up the scar tissue and minimize severe scarring. As much as messaging is uncomfortable, it is important so you can get the scar tissue broken down and it also circulates the blood better. The left breast is still a little swollen. I have minimal nipple sensation, and loss of some sensation in the areas where the tissue was extracted, . I do however feel something in the incision lines now, which means I am healing good. My doctor told me that it will take from 6 months to a year to fully recover. I've been asked if I would go through this again - and I say, in a heartbeat! Not only has it made a difference in my physical being, it has made a difference psychologically. I don't feel like a "freak" anymore. I have my follow-up with my doctor in a few weeks and I can't wait to see her reaction at how well I am doing. I've had no infections, no discomfort, except for the first two weeks or so, and it has solicited quite a few comments from my friends - "Have you lost weight?" Amazing. I hope you all have had my success. Updated on 31 Oct 2012: I meant to tell you all more about my experience with bras. I tried wearing the front-snap bra, but without padding it was very uncomfortable. The padding kept moving around, so it was a pain to deal with. I finally found the sports bra that is pictured above. It is a "Balance " Camibra with removable cup inserts. It is one of the most comfortable bras I've ever worn. However, I've notice lately that when I'm sitting for long periods, it gets to feeling "tight" and seems to rub a little on the incisions. It's a relief when I remove it. I expect that that will improve as time goes on. Underwire bras are the worst. I was told to stay away from them. Thus, I am giving all mine away. Hopes this helps. Updated on 8 Nov 2013: Hi ladies, Been awhile. I am still very happy for having undergone the surgery. The scars are subsiding somewhat and are still kind of numb, but I have noticed that sensation is started to slowly ease its way back around the breast where surgery took place and in the areolar area. My doc said it could take up to five years to completely get sensation back, if it is going to come back. It's only been 15 months since the surgery. I now go 99% of the time without a bra! Talk about wonderful. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Updated on 18 Feb 2014: I am 19 months post surgery now. My breasts are soft and pliable once again and they don't hurt when I squeeze them, and some of the sensation is coming back. The scars are no longer tender and I feel very little scar tissue when I rub the scars. The scars also have been very slowly fading with use of wheat germ oil (not soy) and a mixture of Frankincense oil drops mixed with Castor Oil, applied twice daily. The nipples are still numb and tender around the stitching line. Now that the swelling has subsided, I noticed that the left breast is a little larger and fuller than the right one, but, hey, what does it matter at this point. What matters is that I am COMFORTABLE for the first time in many years; and I don't even think about putting on a bra unless I am wearing something that a bra would enhance. Again, would I do it again if I had to - YOU BETCHA. I have posted two new pictures. Hope you ladies are all doing well too.
I could have written so many of the statements on this great site. Pain coward that I am, waited until the pain overcame all other emotions because surgery pain spooked me so much. Until I found this site, never allowed myself to think of how things "might" have been had I not been blessed with "being stacked" "having a great rack" "big 'uns"... any other crack that passed as a compliment. Didn't help matters I chose a very non-traditional, all male profession of heavy civil construction engineering. back when girls became teachers or nurses. The only bikini that ever fit me had been "re-arranged" by a previous shopper, and I didn't realize until weeks later it was a 16 top and an 8 bottom. Wore it until it was tattered. (Was always grateful I didn't have the other shape tho...) In any event, that's all in the rear view mirror and my BR is June 6, 2 days after my 62nd birthday. I'm pretty fit, eat healthy and actually had a new doctor say I look about 10 years younger than my actual age, so I'm hoping that bends recovery in my favor. A previous brain surgery taught me you have ONE chance to do your recovery right, so I'm focused on avoiding setbacks. I'm now a 38DD, still 5'2" tall. A dear friend recently sent me this photo taken of all of us when we were 18, summer of '68. What I was wearing pretty much tells the whole story. Probably 95 degrees, in the high dessert, and my shirt was high necked, and baggy. I was the same size as my girlfriend on the bottom....it was the top I hid. By that age I had already had more than enough unwanted attention from older guys. It's a candid shot, and my expression truly tells the story. I was shocked at how sad I looked in repose, because I always put on a happy face when I thought anyone was looking. Like so many others, I was the first to bring up The Girls and joke about them, just to clear the air. As I advanced in my career and became a project manager, part of my pre-construction meeting introduction was them. I would point to my chest and say "They're mine, they're real, and they don't do the thinking. Talk to the face." Inevitably some guy would jump...when that happened, I'd finish with "And...I read minds, too." :-) I know many times guys on my team took on others who made off-color remarks about "their" project manager! Once they sort of understood not all women want implants, many were very supportive (no pun intended). My hope is more young women will consider having this surgery before pain is the driving criteria. These days I have no nerves or doubts about the surgery, but do admit to being consumed with "What if"s. "What if I'd done this 35 years ago?" How much different would things have been? Happily, not the type to dwell on the bad stuff for very long... but there are so few people who actually KNOW the horrible costs of big boobs. Haven't been able to get a decent pic of my Front Porch...perhaps my surgeon will e-mail her pics, as I'd love to have a record. Kind of like the pics of my sweet little car after she was broadsided two weeks ago. Want to have a record of the wreck! Updated on 7 Jun 2012: Well, surgery was yesterday, and the only bad feeling I am experiencing is profound regret I didn't do this 30 years ago. No pains, no drains. 800mg was mentioned, and suspecting that's 2x but don't know for certain. Surgery was scheduled at 12:30, with an 11:30 am check in. Was put little cubicle in a gown and robe, and then wrapped in an inflatable warm blanket which was pretty cool. Nurse insertved the IV, which turned out to be the most pain I've experienced. Yes, you read that right. Surgery was yesterday, June 6. Doctor James came in to visit and draw her lines a few minutes later, and about 5 minutes after that I was walked (not chaired) down the hall to surgery. Got up on the bed, and bam...sleep. He didn't even do the count backwards deal most of them do. I woke up some 3 hours later feeling great. Zero pain. No drains, just a couple teensy (but thickish) pieces of gauze. Rested a bit, they gave me a pain pill, and I headed for home. Friend cooked a Thai soup we love, and that was the end of it. Slept in the recliner (Rocket Boy) with two pillows. No problem. Friend slept on the couch (her choice...said bedrooms were too far away) and did have to battle with a dog and cat for space. This morning I feel absolutely normal. Better than normal, actually, as my shoulders are having "memory" pain, but nothing compared to the real stuff. I actually put my arms through one of hubby's old XXL fleece pullovers to sleep in. Everything that buttons up the front is layers for over t-shirts and not comfortable. It's easy to see how I could overdue it, because Vicodan masks pain, and the relief and happiness have finally doing this are amazing. Sooooooo....I'm going to take a pill and go back to sleep before I decide I'm "just fine" and wreck myself! Didn't have any major surgery until I was 45, but when I did have one, I broke every rule in the book and paid a huge price. Older and smarter rules this time! Woke up this morning, clear headed and no pain. I feel no discomfort at all, but I'm moving slow so as not to cause any! Next appointment is 10:45 Friday. I'm not to do anything before. Happily, we are in a cold snap (low 60's and light rain) which is perfect for healing. Not too hot, not too cold. Not tempted to go outside with the rain. To all those who were so free and open with their advice, thanks so much. I had such wrong wrong wrong ideas about pain and recovery. To those who have surgeries coming up....it is WORTH IT to at least the 100x. cheers, s Updated on 8 Jun 2012: Forgot to say she removed 703 grams (1.55 lbs) from the right breasts and 787 grams (1.74#). Updated on 9 Jul 2012: Oh my...time flies. Coming up 5 weeks on Wednesday and by and large back to most physical activities, totally pain free. If I overdo a little, perhaps a bit achy by evening, but that's it! This compared to starting every morning by eating 3 325 mg. aspirin just to get my shoulders moving. I truly did believe I needed a double rotor cuff surgery and perhaps double carpal tunnel surgery. The day to day pain had gotten that bad. It was gone instantly, and has stayed gone. I switched to aspirin from pain pills for a few days, and don't even take aspirin for the first time in many years. The pain of big boobs sneaks up on you. Truly, the sweet relief from shoulder, neck, and hand pain was worth a couple weeks of discomfort, but never any pain that couldn't be controlled by the minimum dose prescribed. I posted most of my updates on the June Bust Reduction page, but suffice to say had I not pushed lifting and driving (live alone on acreage...so it was unavoidable a couple times), this surgery would have been flawless. My PS is a genuine rock star. My neighbor has already gotten a referral and had her first consult! My incisions are healing fairly well, except one opening likely caused by over doing. That required a touch of antibiotic cream. My size preference was small enough to be able to buy a bra in Asia (I live in Thailand half the year and it is a tremendous hassle not being able to buy bras or tops). She had spent a year as a surgeon during the Viet Nam war (taking care of civilian casualties as a New Zealander), so I think she hit it perfectly! It makes me probably smaller than she might have "normally" gone, but I love it. They are small enough I will have to be vigilant about weight gain, which is also fine by me. In my month long caper of staring at the boobs of other older women, that did stand out to somebody who's been able to hide a belly under a massive front porch for too long! Still taped and superglued, so not sure how long that part lasts. The best part for me is how much easier moving around has become! Sleeping without re-arranging, and holy wow...not having huge lumps of sweaty flesh in this heat has been a treat. Hope everyone from the June thread is doing well! Ladies waiting for your turn...it is so worth every single inconvenience and twinge. I would definitely take at least 3 weeks off work, 4 would be perfect if you didn't overdue along the way. All the best to you! Updated on 10 Jul 2012: Wow...two updates in two days. As a compete non-shopper, I finally ventured out to a mall today, looking to expand on my Clear Point Medical Comfort Bra wardrobe. They are very cushy and comfortable, but I wanted to see what "size" I was these days. The little Macy's in our farm town didn't carry the Bali Comfort Revolution Bra, so I just tried on another Bali Comfort bra to check for size (they had white and beige...been there, done that FOREVER). Turns out I'm a perfect C! So, from a DD to a C, just what I wished for. From there I went to Eddie Bauer looking for cute sport tops, as I officially have nothing to wear that doesn't hang off my shoulders now that my front porch isn't taking up so much room. I'm a large, but that's most due to my aversion to skin tight tank tops than necessity. The medium fit like a lot of people wear them these days. I still think of myself as having that [RS bleep] queen chest to hide. So, given that 1X was often my choice, 2X if I could find it, and never anything less than XL, I have gone down between 1 and 3 sizes and haven't started to seriously exercise! Even as someone who hates to shop, must admit it was pretty sweet to have 4-5 times as many tops to choose from! Pretty sure I won't ever be a fashionista (have you ever seen an engineer that was??? male or female! :-), but it was more fun than it's been in 20 years. cheers, s Updated on 19 Jul 2012: Hi ladies! Hope everyone in Recliner Land is taking things slow and easy. At the 2 week "false summit" moment, don't get sucked in to thinking you're back to normal! Feel like I've been a poster girl for how not to do it. Granted, living alone acreage has caused much, but gotta cop to also being too stubborn to ask for much help. Had brain surgery nearly 7 years ago, and with about a 3 year recovery, feel I've imposed enough. Of course, my friends don't see it that way, but... There's also those spur of a moment, "3 second rule" lifts. If I do one thing quickly, it doesn't count. Don't go there, either. After flunking two check-ups for an opening caused by overdoing, at my THIRD check-up today (most folks are 2), needed a little fluid drained. It was totally painless, but pretty sure it was self inflicted. Opening tough jar lids, dragging heavy hoses, you know... "normal" stuff. Ask someone to open your water bottle, olive jar (for dirty martinis, Iowa :-), etc. That lateral twist motion is a killer. Funny enough, I put a lot of energy into making sure I didn't have to open or shut my main irrigation valve, and never dreamed a water bottle top would hurt. For me, the smaller the cap, the more the pain. With the new fluid gig, I have to go back again next week to be checked, but she didn't say no when I said I was going to start walking in the dive tank of the city aquatic facility. Used solely for diving and water walking and I'll stay out of the hot tub! Aside from self inflicted time extension of recovery, it's all great! When I was in E.WA, it was wicked hot, and I could wear a tank top and not feel self conscious. I will NEVER again were a sleeved V-neck t-shirt. :-) And, no rearranging slippery, sweating boobs. Saw a gal in a store with her purse strap dividing two mountains. That was sooooo me. Indeed, found an old photo of my mom and I in Hong Kong in 1987. I'd frame and display it in a heartbeat, if I wasn't in the same situation. (quick candid shot, just time to smile) No pain is such a gift. Clothes fitting again has reignited an interest in clothes, which hit the ditch when I hit a D cup and was sentenced to the "women's department". Cute clothes are within my grasp again! That fuels my want to get back to swimming. Easiest way I've ever found to lose inches and thickness fast. And, swimming in the summer....not exactly tough duty. Even indoors, it's brisk in January, so need to have it be a habit again long before then. It's hot and guess what? I'm typing this bra and shirtless and it's really sweet. The perks of living where I can't see the smoke from my neighbor's chimney! Am loving the new irrigation system I put in pre-op, though! Hope everyone is on schedule with your individual journeys, and all is well! It's so worth every rock in the road!:-) cheers, PNW Updated on 21 Jul 2012: I might have figured out how to add more pics. 6 weeks with and without bra, and a toast to the first day I have gardened in a tank top in perhaps 20 years. This journey is yielding far more than pain relief. The mobility makes moving a joy. And with movement comes weight loss and endorphins! Pretty demented about losing the belly that lurked, looking small by comparison, but every day is so much easier and brighter without dragging around that damn front porch! I had been so self-conscious for decades I wouldn't wear a tank top, even when working outdoors. Big smile to be doing it again. Guess it's a construction thing, but love the freedom of movement a tank provides. Some get their off-work exercise by "playing golf", I've always preferred physical exercise. Now rock climbing and riding colts are back on the table! Kids are raised, boobs are back to their prime, and I'm not past mine! It's all good. Updated on 28 Jul 2012: Well, at 7 weeks, still messing around a bit with fluid collecting in my left breast. That was the side she took 787 grams from, so don't know if that's what caused it, or my over-activity. In any event, it's painless, and I honestly enjoy going back to see the doc and her nurse. They are such great people! Life with normal sized boobs continues to be amazing. As Piggles commented, so THIS is how most of the world lives! BUT, quite sure most just take it for granted, and don't have the same appreciation we do after all the years of pain and hassle. I don't know if I'll ever come to a point where I take the new mobility and pain free neck and shoulders for granted. Hope not! The kitten I hauled off the road is doing really well, considering he was at death's door when I scooped him up. He ate a bit of real food with the kitten milk replacer today, so hopefully will lose his status as my most expensive pet to feed shortly. Put up a picture my daughter took a few days ago when he discovered the computer screen. He ended up being named Intrepid, Kitty D for short. :-) I have sat for much longer periods since he came into my life than I could manage during my recovery. So....for those still in the Waiting Room, consider borrowing a kitten for a few weeks post-op! (...and I'm only half kidding...) Updated on 9 Aug 2012: Well, 9 weeks yesterday and today they drained another 2+ ounces of fluid off each breast. :-/ The day of surgery, PS said my tissue was "like butter", and the engineer thinks I have the equivalent of "unsuitable soils" that won't perk! She is sending me for an ultrasound to make sure there aren't isolated pockets of fluid, and we'll just continue the march until my body quits producing excess fluid. ( Doc has been doing some reading, and (genetics being a big part), perhaps a Vitamin C deficiency. Could easily happen, as I quit taking Vit. C as a supplement about 10 years ago when I found a Chinese mushroom that has kept me cold-free siince 2003. Always took C for cold resistance and clearly there's much more it does. Doc says scurvy victims had no collagen, and that Vit C is essential for collagen production. So....great cosmetic tip! Going to resume my habit of little candy jars of chewable Vit C throughout the house. My fondness for gin lime sodas and Thai food has probably kept me from scurvy.... Booblets are aching tonight, but once again the procedure was absolutely painless. Like visiting with a couple old friends. Feel so blessed to have lucked into this situation. Great women, who have worked together 33 years. Once again, it was a treat to watch them work. Feel bad to be the practice delinquent! Even the semi-brusque woman at the desk now smiles and says hello without asking my name. Battery low! End of post time....it's a good, just an interesting ride! I did a similar thing with iodine a couple years ago.
