I decided to join this forum now that I recovered, as it is really hard to find stories of infection out there. They are very rare, so that is partly why. They do happen, though. I chose the first Doctor I interviewed. She was wonderful and I knew within the first 2 minutes that she was the Doctor for me. I left feeling confident and liked! Super friendly Doctor, and her nurse is awesome, too. I quickly got insurance coverage through BCBSND and proceeded to April surgery with confidence. In the pre-op, I showed photos from this site of what I wanted and didn't want, and Dr. was responsive and realistic in her commentary. She was also honest - I wanted to become a B cup, but she honestly told me that with the amount of belly I had, that I would be unhappy with a B. She said she would make me a C/small D. I trusted her instincts 100%, and am now glad for my C cup size on the side that healed well, and think the B cup size on the bad side looks small. On the day of surgery, I first had a complication called Venous Congestion. Basically, when she tried to hook op the blood vessels to my nipple (which had been removed and moved up), the blood would pool. She tried several times during surgery and finally had to leave the nipple mostly unattached, except for one blood vessel. This required a second surgery two days later. After 4 days in the hospital, (normally would have been one), I was able to go home. By that night I had a good fever going, and the next AM was sent in for emergency surgery. I had developed a Surgical Site Infection of my right breast. It took a few days to culture and came back as a very, very, very rare bacteria - almost non-existent in soft tissue. It was not staph or anything normal. My opinion is that picked up the infection in the hospital in the first 2 days, when my wound was very open and the nurses were changing packing in it. Several times they didn't wear gloves. I complained and the Dr. wrote strict instructions for them to wear sterile gloves. I think the bacteria were already in there, though, and starting their war, but it didn't show up for a few days. After the emergency surgery, I ended up needing two more major surgeries, plus a minor one. I ended up with 5 in 10 days. When all was said and done, the best way for me to heal was with a wound vacuumn. I had the wound vac for 3 months. I had 3 appt.'s a week to get the packing changed. The whole experience included 15 nights in the hospital and PICC line antibiotics for 7 weeks total. Total recovery time was a good 6 months. I was off of work for 5 months, at my Doctor's request (she was pretty hesitant to let me go back, as I worked in a nursing home, and my immunity was down due to my body fighting to recover). Of that time, my wound was considered an very open wound for 3 months. After that, it was still ugly, but healing. At the worst, when wound vac was put on, my hole in my breast was 7 cm deep and 6.5 cm wide. She had cut infection out a few times. Right in the middle is some tissue that lived, some aureola. We didn't know for over 3 moths if any of that was actually nipple. Indeed, I have some aureola left, and some nipple, too! I am now 8 months out, and healed as well as I will be. My back feels much better, and I look better too! Insurance covers bras and a prosthesis for my smaller side. I am 100% glad I did it, and would recommend the Doctor and the reduction to anyone, despite my trials. I am choosing to not have reconstructive surgery at this time, despite insurance coverage of it, but if I did, it would be with her. 5 feet 1, size 38DDD breasts to begin with. 38C/40B after surgery (measured on good side, other is smaller for life). Updated on 2 Jan 2015: That is all - I took some photos today of 8 months out.
It has pretty much been a life-changing experience. I have wanted to be smaller on top for a LONG time, and I finally talked to my regular doctor about it at my annual visit in January (2013); between then & March 1, I went through the necessary steps to reduce my breasts. The first week was pretty rough on me, but by summer (June 5), I was biking and being active. I've lost thirty pounds, and I feel great.
