I have searched high and low for a site like this for months and wouldn't you know it a mere 2 days before surgery I find it! I have considered it all my adult life. I woke when I was 12-13 and had c cup's one morning. By 18 they were d cups, since I have had 2 kids they have changed shape and sag a lot plus the left breast has always been pretty much a cup size bigger than the right. Fast forward to being 33 and being in a near fatal motorcycle wreck and breaking my neck & back as well as numerous other fractures plus a 100lb weight gain and they are now over flowing F's. I am hopeful that by having them reduced, lifted and evened up that I can help alleviate some of the neck & back pain. I have been contemplating it for these reasons since last summer. I spoke with a friend last summer who had it done and HIGHLY recommended her surgeon. That is what spurred me on. I started researching and decided that it was for me. Then I would decide nah let's wait. Then this Spring I decided I should really look into it as maybe I would not even be eligible to get it covered. I emailed said Dr and he told me to book a consult. That was in June and he could not do consult till Oct 4th. I asked if there was any cancellation list etc he said no but he had a new female surgeon coming to join him in September and she is highly skilled with extra training at Harvard, he also told me that after the consult with him the surgery would still be 6-9 month wait. I opted to go see her on Sept 27 and she wanted to book me for surgery on Oct 19!!! I had to say no as I had accident related appointments to attend, so she said Oct 26th again I had to decline for the same reasons and hence I go Nov 2 @0800!! My husband is LESS than thrilled, he thinks they are beautiful and I should leave my body alone. I try to get him to look at the pictures but he is dead set against me having it. I know he will be helpful and understand once it is done and I am healed I have not gone into details about the potential loss of nipple etc, cause he would blow a gasket!! I am very excited for it to happen, scared about the amount if pain but at the same time it cannot rival what I went through in the accident. Being a RN I am crazy worried about the risk of infection and or potential nipple loss. I am slightly concerned about scarring but ultimately the benefit of them being smaller, less heavy is way worth it. Furthermore being able to buy a button up shirt that fits ALL parts of me not one that is huge to fit the girls so I don't pop a button!! Updated on 31 Oct 2012: A bit about me: I am 36, mother of a 15yo daughter and 7yo son. I am Regisitered Nurse by profession and when working worked in the local ER and then in a city Hospital in their Cardiac Surgical Unit. I was in a motorcycle wreck in Sept 2010 and am not back to work as yet. I broke my neck at C1, tore the ligaments from C2-C6, broke my back at L5, shattered my pelvis, broke both hips and my left acetabulum. I tore my mesenteric artery and had a mesh repair of my left flank (scar on my belly in the pic) I have a small brain injury as well. I have gained weight which I have been told is due to the injuries, brain injury and of course immobility. I am hoping that I get some pain relief as well as some increased excercise tolerance. My breasts are so heavy!! Updated on 1 Nov 2012: Well here it is a few hourse before I am NPO and we have to leave to get to the hospital. I should be trying to sleep but I know that i won't and I needed to get caught up on here before I could sleep! I got my supplies today..dressing stuff, 2prs button up pj's, new toiletries as a treat for my overnight in the hospital. I am so excited I am feeling slightly anxious! I have always loved my girls till the last 1.5yrs when they just became TOO big! They also use to be perky and well now I could use them as brooms! I tell myself being able to go braless without worrying about pinching a nipple I will be thrilled. I am nervous my husband will not like the results but then again this is for ME not him! I just can't wait to be on the other side! Updated on 3 Nov 2012: Well I am thrilled with my decision and can only say what took me so long. I am hoping to get discharged hoe this morning. I will have Homecare coming in to do dressings and drains. I am starting to get a lot of swelling and am sore but man it is so worth it. Updated on 4 Nov 2012: Feeling really good. Still have too much drainage from the Jackson Pratt's for them to be removed. Forgot to take a picture when Homecare was here on Sunday morning but I will Monday morning. The swelling seems to be easing off some today. I have very minimal drainage from any of the incisions. I am so sick of wearing a bra...I just want to be free! I would LOVE a shower too! I see the surgeon on Thursday so I hope to get the go ahead for showering then. I cheated and had a waist and below shower today, but dang I would like to wash my hair! I had the Robbin's Procedure as she felt we were taking too much not to do the vertical cut under the breast. I don't care how or what she did as long as I got SMALL boobs at the end! Good luck to all the ladies that are having it in the next couple days! Updated on 5 Nov 2012: Alrighty...I will give a good over view of my surgery... I arrived at 6:20 finally was taken in to see pre op nurse at 7:40 and from there it was a rush of getting ready. We did the pre-op checklist etc., she attempted to start an IV and was unsuccessful. I then walked back to the OR the PS marked me up and I told her make sure you are going SMALL! She fixed a couple of her marks and next thing the Anaesthetist was looking for a vein. He told me I was a hard stick, They got the line, they got me breathing and then I remember waking and screaming in pain from my neck. It was horrific pain and I had immediate flash backs to my accident. My chest was not hurting me but I was writhing from my neck being in extension for so long during the intubation and not moving during the surgery. My surgery took a bit longer than the PS had initially thought it would. So I was in the OR for 3.5hrs. I had worried about that but figured it would not be that big of a deal. WRONG! They were pushing all sorts of meds trying to get me confortable, it took quite a while for me to settle. My PS came in and told me they took 5 pounds of boob, I am not sure if she meant per boob or 5 pounds in total! Either way that is a lot of boob! They then wheeled me to my room for my stay over night. I wanted private but got a semi and was so upset but decided to just deal with it. I am so glad I did as the lady I roomed with was such a lovely person! I was so blessed! My pain was there but tolerable, actually my chest has never been horrific pain. My neck has been the painful part. My traps are feeling some much better each day. I slept Friday away until about 4am Sat when both my roomie and I were up for the rest fo the day! She got d/c'd about 9:30 and I at 11:00. The ride home was bumpy and sore. But tolerable and I had a 1.5hr drive. I am taking Tyl#3's for the pain about every 6 hours or so. Homecare is coming in each day to do my dressing change. I go for my follow up on Thursday. Things are looking good. Still have my drains in as I am still over 30cc in 24hrs. There is minimal drainage from both breast! Some suggestions: Make sure you take a front do up bra to the surgery with you, that does not have wire or wear one you are ok if they cut or gets blood on it. Wear easy on/off clothes...comfy pants etc. For the front do up bra I would get it in your pre op size as then there is room for the dressings to fit otherwise the bra fits a little tight and I have found it uncomfortable. I would get yourself some dressing supplies just incase you need to fix something. Some 4x4 and a few abdominal pads are good. A little hint I was given today is: If you are having a lot of drainage you can use a maxi pad instead of a dressing. It is more absorbent and it can be stuck right to your bra! I think it is genius! I have 2 of the front closure bras so that one can be washed while the other worn and I can get it changed with my dressing changes. Meals we have been eating easy over baked stuff my husband and daughter can manage. We got sandwich supplies to. The way I can explain the pain/discomfort best is...for anyone that has had a child can relate...It feels like your milk coming in! Like you are full and going to pop! I am so happy with my decision and can't believe I never did it sooner! (I have added this same write up on my profile and added another picture!) Updated on 7 Nov 2012: Well I tried calling the PS today to ask about a shower...no answer x3. Then when home care came they removed the drains and I decided to hell with it I WAS taking a shower! OMG do I ever feel good now that I have had a real whole body, not just the below waist shower! I scrubbed the heck out of my hair. I am feeling AMAZING. I fatigue easily but I do anyways just even a little quicker. My mom came today to help around the house and is making Prime Rib for dinner. I am spoiled I might add! Off to the PS tomorrow and hopefully we will be able to discharge home care. Yeah! The Nurse today said I am healing really well! Thanks for all the support from everybody! Updated on 8 Nov 2012: So here is the real update from today's visit with the PS. She was thrilled with my healing. She was very surprised at how far along my healing is. She doesn't want me showering till next week and allowing the tape to naturally fall off with the showering. I asked her about the surgery and she said she had a bigger job than expected and she said "I got my workout that's for sure" She measured me today and I am measuring EXACTLY the same size! she said a nice C cup! I am thrilled. When I asked about amounts she took off she was like "oh girl you are not going to believe it" Right breast: 1149g Left Breast: 1469g I kinda chuckled as she said it when I have read others have had a total of 1000g!! I knew I had a lot boob but come on!! I had always said my left breast was a good FULL cup size bigger! Guess I knew what I was talking about. I got to discontinue Homecare today so I will do my own dressings (Bactigras). I am set to go see her on Dec 11 just for a re-check. I am so happy. It is really neat to wear a non supportive bra and the girls aren't dragging behind me when I am walking or not hitting me in the face cause they are not tied done going the stairs. Updated on 11 Nov 2012: Well I am now 9 days post op and to be honest the pain the last 2 days has been more apparent that through the whole surgery. The swelling is what is so bothersome. They just become so tight and even my arm brushing by them hurts. I am thinking I may need to get a refill on the pain meds, cause I know that for my body to keep healing so well I have to get the pain under control. I went to my first social last night and it is neat to see the reactions of people. Most of the ladies I know are smaller chested and wanted all my left overs. The old adage you want what you do not have, rings oh so true!!!!! Updated on 12 Nov 2012: Well things are progressing nicely. All the steri strips have fallen off and the incisions look AMAZING! Have a slight issue with lefty...I think I have a HUGE hematoma!!! My PS is closed on Monday as is my GP so I am trying to wait it out and HOPING my incisions do not go POP!!! Hopefully someone can aspirate it tomorrow and give me some relief! The pressure is unbelieveable!! I have been heating it to help with the liquidification of it for reabsorption and or aspiration. Otherwise I still love the girls! There is so So SO much to be said to getting out of the shower and NOT having to lift the girls to dry under them! FRIGGIN AMAZING!!! The ladies as so perky! Updated on 15 Nov 2012: Well I finally got to see my PS yesterday and she prescribed another 7 days of antibiotics so that if there was/is a hematoma it will not become infected. I am now continuing with the warm compresses and compression bras. She is surprised how quickly I am healing. I think they look fabulous! I am so happy, just sad I didn't think to do it sooner! Updated on 25 Nov 2012: So here I am at day 23 and all I can say is wow! I never dreamed things would heal this fast not look as good as they do! (I know a little conceited) Things have been going great! I have been able to sleep on my stomach for the past 5 or so days although I am keeping my adjustable bed head and feet up to help prevent the belly sleeping. I find I am going and sleeping across the center crease to get on my stomach in the night! LOL Everything is dropping into place and it is funny at times I look at them and think damn it she hardly took anything off, they are still so BIG!! I honestly would have been ok if I was a small B. I am a bang on true C. I bought some Scar Zone for firther on in the recovery, right now I still just polysporin them 2 times a day. a few of the stitch ends have fallen off, there are many still to go and in the pictures that is the scabby looking areas. I am completely healed, never sprang any holes or leaks. I am so VERY happy with the job Dr Ayeni did that I will NEVER be able to Thank her enough! New pictures from Day 22 posted! Updated on 26 Nov 2012: I never seem to remember to say anything about the pain! As for the pre existing back/neck pain it has changed. I have very minimal pain in my traps now. Before it was debilitating. My neck pain is centered in spine now. My back is better but most importantly the tension headaches from my traps are pretty much gone. I still have headaches but they are totally different. As for surgical pain the worst was first 3 days, then it was more of just a discomfort for about the next 6-7 days. Now there really is only slight discomfort when it is bed time, they just feel full. I would do this surgery over in a heartbeat! The benefits supersede the risks 10 fold! I see my PS a week tomorrow and am hoping for the all clear to start my pool Physio again and all my active Physio as well as the gym for me!! I need to lose some pounds now that I am not having to worry that I will knock myself out with my double bra'd boobs then only to go flying off the back end of the treadmill! All of this in a full gym...talk about embarrassment! LOL! No I can run and appreciate a little bounce...not a damn earthquake as the hit back down!
