I started to develop early like most women talk about in their stories. First girl in my class to wear a bra, a D by high school, DD college, and then went to Nordstrom about 5 years ago and 20 pound weight gain to find out that I am a 34G not a 38DD, whoops. Tried everything from pain relievers, yoga, pilates, acupuncture, chiropractor, and nothing led to any permanent pain relief. I have the shoulder indents and rashes. I like to be active but sports bras feel like they are strangling me. My husband is supportive and I am ready. I'm 5'6" 143lbs and my surgeon says he can get me to a small D or maybe large C. Updated on 8 Mar 2013: 44 days to go and I am not feeling nervous about surgery but about the amount the surgery will cost. I have insurance with a 4K deductible and then I have to pay 20%, boo. Is it worth it when I have to pay so much? I am still waiting for the insurance to approve me and if they don't I am going to have to put it off again. Still confused why my PS says I will be a large C or small D when I want to be a small C. He said something about me having a large rib cage where my breasts attach. Anyone heard of that? Updated on 11 Mar 2013: I just called my PS and I have been approved for surgery! I have 42 days to prepare myself emotionally and physically. I already bought a button front pajama top and it is weird thinking that I will be able to wear anything button up that doesn't pull at the chest. Any input or advice is welcomed (e.g. must haves, what you wish you knew before surgery, etc.). My husband is a little freaked out but knows that when I decide on something there is no stopping me. Updated on 17 Mar 2013: Five weeks until surgery I wish it was tomorrow! I am ready to get this done. I ordered two Hanes front closure sports bras from Walmart and hoping they work out okay. I'm scared by psychologically ready. I've waited a long time for this and I am glad my insurance will at least pay part as my previous insurance said it was a cosmetic procedure?!! Biggest worries: I won't heal well (non-healing wound, separation, infection) I will pay a ton of money I don't have and my boobs will still be droopy I am going to get depressed not being stuck in bed so long Complications related to surgery (I've only had oral surgery and that didn't go well). I am not concerned about pain as I expect it and will have pain killers. Even with all my worries, I still feel strongly that the positive far outweighs the negative. Reading all your reviews helps a lot! Updated on 20 Mar 2013: After reading so many reviews and researching online I am alarmed that my PS only wants to remove about 450-500mg for both breasts. I thought it would be that much per breast. I am a full 34G and I am concerned that I am going to end up with only slightly smaller breasts that will now have scars and be out at least 5K that I don't have. If I am going to go through with major surgery I want major results. Hoping y'all could share your good wisdom. Thanks! Updated on 22 Mar 2013: I am finally calming down and trying to figure out how to advocate for myself which is something I have never excelled at but need to make sure of now. I went into my consultation gung ho about getting the surgery but not prepared with questions. I have a pre op appointment in a couple weeks and can explain more to my PS what I am hoping for with the surgery. Finding it hard to trust a surgeon because I had a bad oral surgery experience 5 months ago that should have healed in two weeks and is still healing. I've wanted this surgery for a long time but I have a lot of nervousness about complications and healing. I have 30 days to get in a good frame of mind about it as the women who have been really positive before surgery come out the other side the same way. Glad there is a community like this because only women with this problem can truly understand. Updated on 27 Mar 2013: I think having so much time between consultation and surgery is making me crazy. Here I am up at the wee hours of the morning with a nervous stomach and I still have 27 days to go!! Breathe in, breathe out. I am still not sure about my PS only removing 500 grams as my size is currently a 34G. I haven't read anyone on here having that little removed and even though I have insurance I will have to pay so much. I know he wants to keep me from looking flat but just bummed is all. I was hoping to be a C and have at least 3 pounds taken off around my neck. Damn my linebacker shoulders and wide breasts. I have no idea what the surgery is going to cost in the end. 4K deductible and then I pay 20%. I can only afford one shot at this so I am extremely freaked out and thinking is this really worth it? I hate my current breast situation but I just don't want to have surgery (I know, no one WANTS surgery) and still have big droopers with scars. Trying to lose some weight before surgery eating 1350 calories a day and lots of walking/pilates. So far the scale isn't moving but it has been a good exercise regardless. Keeping a food and health journal making sure I stay in the best health possible. Compiling pictures for my PS so I can show what I want and what I am concerned I might get. I see him in 13 days for my pre-op and will be prepared with a host of questions as I felt like the consult went too quick and he didn't say much just marked up my boobs and wrote down my symptoms on the paperwork for insurance. I haven't seen any of his work, new to the area and don't know much about his reputation, and not sure if I can ever trust someone I only saw once to make such a life changing decision with. Had to go to the chiro because I was crooked again. She thinks the surgery will help lots. I've had lots of support from the people I have told. Funny that I have shared the info with my Pilates instructor and not my family but know who will be in your corner :) Phew, good to get that all out. Thinking about renting a hospital bed for recovery. Anyone do that? Anything you wish you would have done or did knowing what you know post op? Even with nerves, doubt, and money woes, I still want to go through with it just wish I felt more comfortable with the PS and with advocating for myself. Okay, rambling panic over. Updated on 2 Apr 2013: Less than 3 weeks to go and I am ready for surgery the only remaining issue is whether I want my current PS to be my surgeon :P Decided to listen to the nagging voice in my head telling me to get a second opinion just in case. I just don't understand why he is saying he will only remove 450grams from BOTH girls when every other woman on this site with similar sized breasts had at least 800+ removed. Just want to make sure I am taking care of myself the best I can. It would stink if I had to change my surgery date but not nearly as much is if I chose the wrong surgeon. My back went out a couple weeks ago and I am standing crooked. Hoping surgery will help with my posture. So excited can't wait for smaller boobies!!! Updated on 4 Apr 2013: Hi Ladies! I have a 2nd opinion scheduled the day after my pre-op appointment. Hoping my surgeon and I can be on the same page and if not I have a back up plan. I feel ready for this, I wish it was tomorrow. I have been blabbing about it to anyone who will listen. Way too many people know about my boobs :) In good spirits and good health let's do this! I have an appointment with a masseuse who has been called a "miracle worker" by many. Poor back is all messed up because of these girls. Dreaming of small bras and jogging without giving myself two black eyes. 18 more days! Updated on 13 Apr 2013: Just filled my script for painkillers and getting life organized before I have surgery. I had a 2nd opinion with another surgeon last week (there are only two choices on my insurance) and I decided that the first PS is more experienced but completely lacking in any sort of bedside manner. I even confirmed with my friend who knows a nurse that knows all the PS's and she said he's an excellent surgeon but terrible people person. I had my pre-op last week and asking if he could show me some pictures of his work. He finally looked up from his paperwork and said, "Those are 2D so you don't really see what it will be like but you can ask the front desk person if you want." Seriously?! Ugh, I must really want this surgery bad. Got a mammogram just in case since I'm 40 and don't want to go into surgery and find out there is a lump by my PS. I will get results on Monday but I'm not sweating it. I am excited to be a new woman but still a little leery about my doctor. I have faith that it will all turn out fine. It helps to share everything here because only you ladies will understand. It will be fun to come back months from now and read all of this once the surgery and healing are behind me. I am already dreaming about cute bras and button up shirts. Updated on 18 Apr 2013: 3 days 10 hours and 41 minutes but who's counting ;) I am ready to go. I made a big pot of lentil stew, got all my post-op goodies, and feel emotionally ready for this. I had a mammogram last week and almost passed out when they called me on Monday to say they found an opacity and I would need to come back in for more imaging. NOOO!!! Turned out okay but I guess there needed to be one last bit of drama before the big day. Had my pre-admit appt. at the hospital where they explained to wear a loose fitting button up top, had a urinalysis, gave me Hibiclens solution and disposable sponges for the last 3 showers before surgery, and how much I owe them (the number is probably more painful than the surgery. ouch). I'm going to sleep in my own bed with lots of pillows but we also have a manual recliner in the living room if needed. My husband is going to stay home with me for the first week and hoping he doesn't pass out when he sees my incisions and drains. Finally feeling good about my doctor as many women have told me he is an excellent surgeon. He told me not to buy anything to help me heal but I bought Arnica, rose hip seed oil, Smooth Move tea, and fresh pineapple. Even if they work like a placebo I figure it can only help. I want to be an active participant in the healing process. Goodbye \ O / \ O / and hello (o)(o) Updated on 21 Apr 2013: 13 hours to go!!!! I am sooo ready and a little bit of nerves but mostly just excited. Spent the day with friends and house cleaning because those are the two things that will drive me crazy to go without while recovering. Got on the scale yesterday and I lost about 4 pounds, yay! See you all on the other side and thank you to all who have helped me thus far! Updated on 22 Apr 2013: I made it. My surgery was at 7am but I had to stay at the hospital until 5:30pm because I woke up really nauseous and in a lot of pain. After a couple hours and a few dry heaves later, the nurse gave me some medicine in my IV to help with the nausea and it worked like a charm. I was able to eat some greek yogurt and a plain bagel when I got home. No more flu feeling. I have four small drains that just drip into my sterile dressings and I will go back to my PS and have them removed tomorrow. No pics yet because you can only see lumpy bandages. I am scared to see them but I might get a peek tomorrow. Taking Percocet every 5 hours and my pain is down to a one. The bandages itch and I am still woozy but napping. So far doing great, let the healing begin! Updated on 23 Apr 2013: Phew, drains out but itching like a mother. I took some Benadryl and it is helping. I saw my girls during the bandage change very briefly and I feel like I still look like me but smaller. He took about 500 grams from each side. He said I could take a shower tomorrow so hoping to get a better look then. So far recovery going better than I expected it. Getting lots of rest and a wonderful husband helps. Updated on 25 Apr 2013: today has been hard. I am trying to stop using the Percocet because it is giving me bad headaches, constipation, and nightmares. The pain has now increased so not sure about the trade off. I had to go to Sears and get another post-op bra because the one I bought dug into my incision lines. Wishing my PS would have just fitted me with a surgical bra right after surgery. Very little BM even with fruit, water, Colace, and Smooth Move tea. Feeling a weird vibrating sensation and they told my husband at the Dr's office that it is just nerves regenerating. I thought maybe my PS left his cell phone inside my boob :) Whoops, there it goes again straight to voicemail. Swelling has increased since removal of the drains and feeling like I have huge boobs again. I look droopy in my post op but optimistic that it is just swelling and part of the healing process. Still tired and needing lots of rest and knowing the healing is different for every woman. Still no regrets but maybe a little cabin fever setting in. I have my husband/caretaker for 4 more days, thank goodness! Updated on 26 Apr 2013: eating lots of fresh fruit, whole grains, yogurt, and drinking a ton of water. I am still not having a BM. Taking Colace again and a double dose of Senna tea. I have a history of IBS but it hasn't been this bad in a looong time. Pray for a poop 4 me ;) I am taking Arnica and ate almost 2 whole fresh pineapples and not too bad with bruising but definitely some swelling. What can I say ladies? I am not happy with the size. I went back and forth with my PS and told him to make me small as possible but I still feel and look like I have huge boobs. I am glad to not have any serious complications (knock on wood) trying to count the blessings that I made it out of surgery and they are smaller but my PS didn't listen to what I wanted. I will eventually be happy because there is nothing I can do about it but make sure you and your PS are on the same page. Updated on 29 Apr 2013: One week and I saw my PS today to have my stitches out. It kind of hurt so I am glad they are out and now I just have steri strips. I have one spot that is a little infected but my PS says I should just keep the area clean. I am using tea tree oil as I have found it amazing for small infections. I have minimal swelling and bruising and happy with my healing thus far. I really like my Hanes front zip sports bra and bought a 2nd one at Sears today for only $13.20. I put on a shirt I haven't worn in a year because the buttons stretch too much and now it fits perfectly. Updated on 6 May 2013: I can't believe it has been two weeks. I had a small bad spot where there was a little bit of wound separation but I'm proud of my body and its amazing ability to heal. I just kept it clean and dry with a little tea tree oil after my shower and it has closed up. I haven't taken any painkillers in the last week and just Tylenol as needed which is mostly for my PMS right now. I still have the Steri Strips on and they are like a binky to me keeping everything together. My PS said I could take them off in another week if they don't come off on their own. I'm still getting used to the new me but no regrets about having the surgery. I still wish I was a little smaller as my shoulders and neck still ache a bit but I'm still happy. Had my first outing with friends yesterday and they all greeted me by looking at my chest. I am still getting tired if I do too much and a little hard to sleep still but amazed that is all I have after having a pretty big surgery. Updated on 11 May 2013: I bought my first non-underwire, non-front closure bras today. I spent $57 and got 6 bras not $70 for just one. Mind is blown. I did too much today and my boobs have told me to lie down so I am. Phew. I still have all my underarm boobage so it is somewhat difficult to find good fitting bras. Warner and Olga are both great. Taking arnica again hoping to help with all my swelling. Incisions look good, still have steri strips on but I took one off yesterday and I think I will keep the rest on and just trim them down as they start peeling off because I peeled a little skin off (whoops). Otherwise sore, tired, but feeling good Updated on 12 May 2013: Three weeks, no more tape. Wondering if I can start massage and scar treatment. What have you used? Updated on 16 May 2013: I hear all these amazing women who say that their neck and shoulder pain vanished once they woke up from surgery. Mine feels worse. I finally got some pain relief spray and that helps but I don't understand why it is still so bad after having about half of my breast tissue removed. Anyone else have this issue? Updated on 19 May 2013: Do y'all have a favorite post-op boob? My right is shaping out nicely and my left is still a little wonky but I'm not concerned. I laid down last and wasn't even thinking about it and I was on my side! I think I can be done with back sleeping with 7 pillows. Everything is a little sore, red, puffy, and itchy but I am taking all that as signs of healing. Slowly doing more but still getting tired. I am bloated again and that might be my IBS and have nothing to do with surgery. I somehow managed to interview and accept a job position since surgery and I start in 2 weeks. Perfect timing as the bills are starting to roll in. I see my PS on Wednesday and hoping he gives the okay to head back to the gym. Oh Pilates how I miss you. I obsessively did Pilates 8 months prior to surgery and it made life and my waistline a lot better post-op. I highly recommend it opposed to sit ups and it's fun (well I think it is). Love reading all of you stories ladies, keep up the good healing! Updated on 19 May 2013: My English teachers would cringe. Updated on 23 May 2013: I saw my PS yesterday and he is amazed how well I am healing. I have made it my full time job to get well. He said I can resume most activities and then in 2 weeks I am free to skydive if I want. LOL, no thanks doc. I tried on some bras yesterday and was frustrated nothing fits. I am still really wide and have side boobage. I'm happy to have healed but wishing I had smaller boobies. I paid so much for this surgery that I am hoping a miracle happens and they shrink. I went back to Pilates today and got on the scale and it said 136 and I haven't been that slim since my 20's. Lots of good stuff just a little whining going on. :) Updated on 29 May 2013: I made it to the threshold ladies. I took my first bath since surgery and it was lovely. I massaged my girls and everything feels soft inside so I think I am ready to get back to living with the new set. They're still not perky and flop into my arm pits when I lie back but a vast improvement. Hoping they stay where they are and don't drop anymore. The incision areas are still a little sore and my PS said to not waste my $ on scar creams. The scars are flat, thin and red so they should just lighten up but if they don't they look fine to me now. Got rid of all my old bras this past weekend. Hope to never see them again. Good healing to all of you! Updated on 23 Jun 2013: Well it is has been 2 months and not too much to say. My scars have puffed up and turned red and I am thinking about scar sheets even though my PS said they are a waste of money. What do you ladies think? Have you noticed that using them made a difference? I have just started putting some salve that I got from my new job called All Good Goop. It is like an all natural Neosporin and so far the girls are responding well to it. I went clothes shopping today and bought two summer dresses off the rack that I don't spill out of and a bikini top for $13. A bikini top??!! I'm 40 and can't believe I can get into one again. I have been bad about my diet and put on a couple pounds but getting back into a workout routine with a new job is tough. No one has noticed I had surgery but I was so good at hiding it. I know I am more confident now. Hope all you ladies are healing well and enjoy your new and improved bodies. I have no regrets!!! Updated on 22 Jul 2013: I just went to see my PS for the 3 month post-op visit. He said my scars are better than average and will start to lighten up soon. I expressed concerns that he said small D even possible large C and I am probably a DD. He said there was nothing he could do to make me smaller. Still 100 times better than before, just wanted itty bitty [RS bleep] committee membership. No real changes from two to three months in shape but the scars are starting to flatten out. I'm just using rose hip seed oil on the incisions, nothing fancy. Still having neck and shoulder pain but less than before surgery. With my 2K deductible and 20% coinsurance, surgery came out to about 3.5K. A small price to pay for a huge boost in confidence. Hope all you brave ladies are doing well! Updated on 18 Aug 2014: So I decided to have breast reduction because my breasts were weighing me down. Although my doctor couldn't give my 40 year old frame 20 year old boobies, I was glad to go through surgery. No regrets. I had very wide breasts so there was only so much he could do. My smaller breasts helped me get into shape and I lost 10 pounds while watching my food intake and doing a mix of belly dancing and P90X. I was looking so good my husband and I couldn't keep our hands off each other. Just as my 41st birthday rolled around, I found out I was pregnant with my first child!!! I didn't think I could get pregnant which is why I finally decided to have the surgery. I am still thankful for the surgery and glad that I don't have to carry large breasts and a growing baby in my belly. Just hoping i can breast feed and my midwife thinks I will be fine. My scars are very dark right now due to hormones but I expecting my little baby girl in just 2 weeks. Let's hope she inherits my husband's side of the family to avoid my family curse and won't have to have surgery like I did.
I'm 53 years old and have wanted to have this surgery for decades. My insurance finally covers it and I' m here to document my journey. I am currently a saggy 38 F hoping to go down to a C- or B+ I met with Dr. Tsao for the initial consultation as he was highly recommended by my GP. I was very impressed with his demeanor and the professionalism of his staff. After we met, I was told that I did qualify for insurance coverage. I have scheduled my surgery for June 2016. I've begun buying post surgery bras, and trying to get off the last 10 lbs. of tummy flab before my procedure. Pre-op appointment is next week...woo hoo!!! Updated on 8 Jun 2016: Holy Crap! So, I go in for pre-op tomorrow and followed the directions for proper bra-fitting on http://www.brasizecalculator.tk Feeling quite vindicated to find out that I am a US size 36HH. No wonder my neck and back have been killing me. I need to bring up with the surgeon the issue of migrating breast tissue. I have been shoving all this volume under my arms and spilling out all over for years. I'll report back when I know more. Updated on 26 Jun 2016: I'm not nervous, just excited! Feels like the night before Christmas when I was 7 years old. Wish me luck...Ill check in when I can. Updated on 28 Jun 2016: Yesterday was surgery day, and I’m finally with it enough to post a bit. I checked into the surgery center at about 7:00 am and was taken back to my “bay” after only about a 10-15 minute wait. Yusan, my awesome pre- op nurse got me into my gown and all comfy in my bed. She then went over all my medical history, etc. and started my IV. My husband was then brought back where we waited to see the Dr. before surgery. The Anesthesiologist and OR Nurse met with us first and answered all of our questions. The surgeon then came in and marked me all up and told me we were ahead of schedule and I would be going in about 20 minutes early…yay! I reminded him again, “There is no such thing as too small.” I was then rolled out to the “Hugs and Kisses” corner to say see you later to my husband and that’s all she wrote….. Fast forward 6 hours and the next thing I know, I’m waking up in recovery. Apparently, I was really out and took a while to wake up. I was pretty nauseous and super woozy. No pain at all, which was great. I was given ice chips and juice while they got my nausea under control via I.V. Dr. Tsao came back to check on me at around 5:00 and wrote a prescription for Zofran for nausea and did a dressing change before sending us on our way. He took 530+ g from each breast and an additional 100g total migrated tissue under arm. The rest of the evening is a bit of a blur. There was no pain at all, just discomfort from bandaging and having to stay on my back. The absolute worst post op symptom was my sore throat and DRY mouth. My mouth was so dry that the Zofran wouldn’t even dissolve on my tongue. About 2 in the morning I seemed to recall someone saying to take deep breaths each hour to clear the anesthesia out of my system. Once I started doing this, things improved dramatically. So, for the first night, I took the lowest dose of Percocet every 5 hours and was cutting them in half by this morning. My first post-op appointment was this morning and the drains were removed—yuck! Not painful, but gross. I took a pain pill before the appointment, so I don’t know if that helped or not. I was given a refill on the Zofran as I was still throwing up. The ride home was definitely more painful in the morning. I was glad of the advice to bring a pillow for added support. Things I would do differently: 1. Buy a much bigger post op bra. My Dr. does not provide one, and I was told to get the same band size, but it was WAY TOO tight with all the bandaging, etc. We unhooked the bottom clasps, but I felt like my lower breast was being strangled by the time I got home. I took a bigger one to my post op appt. and it was still too small. I finally ended up with a fruit of the loom band size 44 for comfort. My normal band size is 36 (US) Updated on 6 Jul 2016: I made it through the first week after surgery! The worst is definitely behind me now. Pain and discomfort has been better than I expected. I only needed 1/2 dose of percocet for the first day or so. Now I just alternate Advil and Tylenol. Got stitches out today and it really wasn't painful at all. I did have one internal stitch popping at the inverted t-zone. So, the Dr. removed that and it left a bit of an open spot. I got nauseous and almost fainted when he pulled that one out. It wasn't really painful, just gross and I think I psyched myself out. I am taped up again, and still wearing kotex pads in my bra for drainage. Dr. says the wound will close up on it's own. I won't lie, it kind of freaks me out. But, I'm trusting my Dr. and not worrying about it. So far the most annoying thing is just trying to get comfortable. I sleep in a pillow nest that helps me to doze off even though I hate sleeping on my back. My husband was home for the first two days, but I've been fine on my own since then. Showering is getting easier, and I can wash my hair with no trouble. I do have quite a bit of swelling and some really hard, tender spots on the outer portion of my breasts and under my arms. My scars don't hurt really. It just feels raw, kind of like a scraped knee where the incisions are. I really have had to stay down to prevent swelling. Best part of all...NO NECK OR SHOULDER PAIN !!!! None. At. All. It's wonderful! Updated on 11 Jul 2016: Two weeks out and thing are improving each day. Saw the doctor today and all tape is off. I still have quite a bit of bruising and tenderness (especially on the left side.) I'm having a very hard time finding a comfortable bra as the anchor scars continue to be very sensitive. I have been advised to use no ointments or scar treatments and to continue to let the open wound drain. Wearing panty liners over incisions for now. Updated on 30 Jul 2016: Well, I finally made it to the one month mark and healing is progressing nicely. It took a full four weeks to not be uncomfortable most of the time. I am now able to wear any sports bra with my correct band size and have no problems throughout the day. The open spot at the T-zone incision has completely closed up and feels great. I was pretty shocked at how quickly it healed. Best of all, my neck, shoulders and back are completely pain free. I haven't had a headache since surgery--Hooray! Most of the bruising is gone, and now I'm left with the, "I hope this resolves with time" issues: First worry is that my left breast is a full cup size larger than the right. I've seen many people with this concern; just no one updating to say that things evened out. I can't wear anything but a sports bra because my left breast fills a D cup and my right side is a B/C cup at present. (anyone out there have this problem resolve itself?) Second concern is the dimpling on the right side of my right breast. I don't know if it's internal stitches pulling, or if too much tissue was removed. It's been like this since day one. I wasn't too worried about it early on, but it is persisting and looks really strange. Third worry, are my "dog ears" on both sides. These are really ugly, gross, and show when I am wearing clothes as bulges under my arms. I know that this is the most easily corrected, so I'm less worried about this issue than the others. My doctor did say that he had to go past the incision line to dig out all the migrated tissue under my arms. I figure that there is probably still some swelling there. Life lesson: don't shove your boobs under your arms to try to hide their girth, as the tissue will actually migrate and stick there...ewww! Overall, I am happy with the physical benefits of the surgery. The jury is still out on aesthetics. They look pretty saggy, wide, and flat...but that may just be my age.
