I'm 29 years old. Size 10 US. I am 5'5" and I fluctuate between 160 and 170 lbs. Last time I was measured I was a 28G or H. My waist size probably isn't as small anymore. I get tension headaches, neck and shoulder pain, lower back knots up. I haven't run since I was about 16 because I can't do it comfortably. Dress and bathing suit shopping is nearly impossible for me and it almost always nearly ends in tears. Scheduled BR for January 26th with Dr. Vidya Shankaran. She was very sweet and reassuring. She's going to use the anchor method. I'm so scared and excited. Is anyone post op from her that can give me feedback about the results? Updated on 25 Jan 2018: So my surgery is tomorrow morning. I took my first shower with the special stuff from the hospital. My hand is super red and dry from it. Just read an experience one poor woman had last fall with hematoma and skin infections. I'm feeling really anxious now. Doesn't help that I've had no responses on here yet. I'm one of those people that the worst usually happens too. Someone please respond and tell me how you handled sleeping if, like me, you prefer to sleep on your side. Updated on 27 Jan 2018: Yesterday was interesting. The staff that prepped me and worked for doctor Shankaran were amazing. I was scared and they gave me a Xanax and joked with me to make me feel comfortable. My husband was super supportive. The IV in my hand hurt. The staff was extremely attentive and knew that the cocktail stuff would have me out of it. So they would help me in and out of bed when I had to pee and stuff. I remember being rolled away into the operating room and all the bright lights and machines and I remember them scooting me onto the table and putting my arms out. Then a mask over my face and nothing after that. Woke up feeling really disoriented. I couldn't remember why I was there. Thought I had passed out on my trainees at work lol. I was going in and out of sleep and I remember just really wanting my husband or someone to hold my hand. One of the RNs outside the surgery room was named Tom and I remember making a Tom-tom joke. I vaguely remember being rolled into my hospital room and them bringing in my husband. After that my staff must have switched out because they sucked. I still kept going in and out of sleep and my breasts and throat were hurting. Plus I hadn't peed yet and one of the nurses kept pressuring me to go home. To the point where I actually got irritated with her even in my doped up condition. When I finally did have to go pee, they helped me up and had my husband take me then unceremoniously dumped me back on the bed without fixing my blankets or pillows around me. I had to ask for medicine for the pain in my chest before this and the one pushy nurse said that I would have to stay longer if i took one. I understand that a lot of people are probably eager to go home. But I made it clear that I didn't want to leave until I was comfortable. Surgery was at 9:00 a.m. and they finished around 1:00 p.m. It didn't take them as long as they thought and they said it went really well. We left the hospital around 5:00 p.m. I was fairly sore. But after laying down for a bit and getting food, the most pain I felt was in my throat for my throat from the breathing tube. I am taking ibuprofen regularly and I took more Vicodin last night. But I'm holding off this morning until I feel pain. Right now my breasts only hurt a little when I get up. Updated on 27 Jan 2018: Took yesterday morning. Updated on 28 Jan 2018: Not had hardly any pain at all. I'm actually a little concerned about that. I've been taking ibuprofen since after the surgery and I'm eating things that reduce inflammation and avoiding foods that increase it. This might be helping. I also haven't showered yet. I'm terrified to honestly. Biggest complaint I have is that I'm tired all the time and my throat is still scratchy from the respirator. And I'm bored. It's beautiful outside and all I want to do is go for a walk. Been sleeping on a bed wedge with pillows stacked on it and pillows under my knees. Seems to be working. For those of you who have gone through this, can you share your shower and rebandaging experience? When did you wash? How? And did it make things hurt more? Updated on 29 Jan 2018: Planned on taking a shower yesterday. But I chickened out at the last second and took a sponge bath instead. My incisions did not look as bad as I feared, but they do look odd. Managed to graduate to the couch yesterday! Played some video games. My period started and the cramps were actually far more painful than my breasts. Vicodin cleared that up though. Woke up this morning with a burning gut. I'm sending the hubs out for stool softener. Hopefully that works. Updated on 3 Feb 2018: Not too much to report. I've been steadily getting my energy back. Went to the doctor 2 days ago. She switched out the tape on the incisions and said it looks pretty good. My breasts currently look like they were hit by a small car. But they don't look as bad as I was afraid they would. She also approved me to start wearing sports bras. I was so excited and happy to shop for sports bras and to be able to wear them comfortably. Yesterday was a first more painful day. It wasn't excruciating. But it hurt. I went off my anti-inflammatory diet because of that evil temptress, cheese. I definitely notice and felt an increase in swelling. Today I got some sharp stinging pains. I think from moving around do much today. I equate the pain to that of getting and healing from a tattoo. The goop and burning and itching are very similar. Best advice I can think of to give right now is to go on an anti-inflammatory diet. No dairy, sugar, processed meat or trans fat. Stick with fish, fish oil, olive oil, nuts, blueberries, pineapples and green Tea. You can look up a chart online of appropriate food. I plan on switching to a diet that promotes mending and healing once the swelling is down. Updated on 8 Feb 2018: Well, the tape hasn't fallen off yet. So I can't put anything on the incisions to make them stop itching. They mostly itch at night. I woke myself up pa couple times by reaching my own hands up my shirt to scratch. Ha! Fortunately I woke up before I could do any scratching. I've gone to the gym the past couple of days and used the seated back at a nice gentle pace. I just read my book and spin my legs for an hour. Thinking about going for a walk today too if it finally warns up enough. Pain hasn't been bad. My nips just get pissed off if they brush against anything like a loose bra or shirt. And my breasts feel a bit stiff. But they look better. Fewer colors of the rainbow. And no more swelling. Which means I can eat cheese again. (Dairy causes inflammation). Updated on 24 Feb 2018: Sorry to not have posted in so long. I've been battling a strong case of depression and cabin fever. The incisions started draining really heavily under the tape and it wasn't a very pleasant smell issuing from it. So I scheduled an earlier follow up with the doc. The tape was trapping the fluid and keeping the incisions from drying. The incisions were very irritated and close to infection. When she removed the tape, it smelled like raw chicken gone bad. It was fairly awful. Because of this, she extended my leave another week. I was treating the incisions with aloe and Neosporin and most of the irritation went away. But the incisions split where they meet on my right breast. So there is an open wound about the size of a silver dollar since last Friday (as in a little over a week now). The doc says that's common. I keep putting gauze and Neosporin on it. But when the wound scabs up even the best gauze sticks to it and pulls the scab off. This morning it started bleeding heavily because of this and touching it to stop the bleeding and apply Neosporin gives my this sick shaky feeling. And it's not from getting grossed out. The doc gave me a prescription for a burn cream if the Neosporin doesn't work. I'm getting it filled today. Lesson to learn- if your tape stays on longer than a couple days, keep hassling your doctor until they take it off for you. I called a few days after it was applied, but I didn't follow up after until it was gross. Updated on 14 Apr 2018: I know I disappeared. Sorry about that. It's been about two and a half months since my surgery. After those hiccups with the irritation and the opening wound things steadily got better and better. She had me use burn cream and that helped a lot. I've been back at work since February 26. My breasts hurt a little when I started. But they're doing fine now. I've started running for the first time in my life. I'm training for a 5k. They feeling of being able to run with out my breasts, shoulders, neck, and back hurting is amazing. I've also started strength training again. This has proven much easier too. My incisions are almost completely closed. I have a couple really small scabs here and there. But that's it. They do occasional itch like mad. But it's not often. Maybe once or twice a day. I've been using bio oil which will hopefully take care of the scarring. I scare really easy. I still have the one from my knee surgery 12 years ago. So far absolutely no regrets! My life has changed in so many positive ways. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
I have always had large breasts. Rashes under my breasts, shoulder indentations, lots of neck and head pain, and currently take 3-5 muscle relaxers a day to feel...okay. I tried therapy for a month. When I went in the first time, they said the top rib had been pulled out of place from tension...therapy didn't exactly hurt...but it didn't really help either. I spoke with any and every one about a possible br. And finally got a consult. June 21 is my consult date and I am beyond nervous and excited. I'm so scared the insurance will say no. However j have decided if that is the case...I I'll still do it..and pay as I can. Currently I am 5'4. 185...and yes. I tried losing weight.. the ladies stayed the same. And wear a 38 DDD, or 40 DD. I want SMALL. A 36 B would be perfect. But we shall see what they do says. I had a man ask...if I thought having smaller breasts would make me feel less feminine or less attractive. After restraining from ripping his head off...I explained...to the opposite.. I would probably never feel sexier than I do after the surgery. If anyone has advice or comments...I would appreciate it. You ladies are a blessing! Updated on 18 Jun 2016: So my consult is Tuesday. I'm beyond anxious to get there!!! But. To keep my mind occupied. I would love some input. What questions, comments, and topics should I bring up in the consult? Also...anyone know here have bcbs IL? Any good review on this insurance? Updated on 18 Jun 2016: Updated on 22 Jun 2016: Hello again!! So I had my consult with the PS today. Prior to my appointment I had gotten a letter from my doc, physical therapist, and an x-ray record of my neck, so that...combined with what the doc felt was pretty typical symptoms made for an open and shut case. She said I as a good candidate and she felt I would have no issues getting approved. Here is the down part. I have to have 6 weeks of recovery. Having only been at my job 6 months...I fear I will have a hard time getting off, my mom will have a hard time getting off to help me...and they said I could be approved in as little as 2 weeks. Ladies, I'm scared. I was so focused on this portion of it all..I didn't even realize there was all of the background difficulties to worry about. Short term disability was not on my radar before. Any words of advice? Updated on 18 Jul 2016: I'm approved for my surgery!! Now just to pick a date! I'm beyond ecstatic! Updated on 31 Jul 2016: So my day has set! I'm nervous!! Super nervous actually. After seeing all of these stories I'm afraid of all the things that can go wrong. I do have some questions though...my PS says that due to the different manufacturers..it's hard to give me an estimated size...but that she doesn't want me to go too small..naturally I was sad to hear that...as my fear will be that I end up too big and went through this all for nothing. She said she goes by grams removed. So how do I know what to buy ahead of time? And what questions should I all ask at my preop appt? Thanks for all the support! Updated on 5 Aug 2016: Hey ladies...since I am getting antsy.. and still have about 2 months...I was wondering...what all things do you suggest buying for the surgery day and recovery time?? Updated on 5 Sep 2016: It's getting close. We are 4 weeks until the big day. Getting nervous. Maybe I'm more conscious but seems like every night when I take off my bra...my boobs hurt for a while. I hope that stops! Anyways. Any advice or things I need to buy before surgery?? Needing some reassuring advice/love from my inspirations on here!! Thanks!<3 Updated on 5 Oct 2016: So it's over and done with. Had it on Monday. I was home by 2-3. I am having pretty much pain. Definitely been constipated from the pills...and of course...can't stand to see them yet. I was going to attempt the shower today..as it's been since Sunday...but hyperventilated and almost fell over. Seems the feeling of not having compression on my scars is too much for my mind to handle. Anyways...any advice would be great. Feeling like each day is a lifetime long!
