48 Yrs. Old, HH to C, Free Nipple Graft, Unimaginable Relief! - Barrie, ON

I'm thankful for all the reviews and advice offered here, and my reticence to provide my own review comes from having had such an emotional time coming to the decision to undergo breast reduction surgery, and the difficulty I have with getting enthusiastic about the outcomes in advance. I was just so fearful and withdrawn, but, having benefited immensely from this forum, I hope to contribute to the positive encouragement here.

History: large breasts run in the family and I was DD by age 15. I nursed two babies and went to an F. Losing weight didn't make a difference as my breasts are heavy and not fatty, yet I didn't understand this and was very ashamed by my inability to "lose" my top-heavy frame that caused me to look so large even when I was at a healthy weight. I was pretty active at the gym and with an extreme sport which required back strength! However, every year my back pain became more debilitating. In the last ten years, freelancing from home had allowed me to go bra-less and avoid the stinging shoulder pain for more hours. However, this practice had been unwise, as the breasts weighted down and elongated, and then that new tissue compounded the weight.

This was explained to me by Surgeon #2 who confirmed that surgery was the only option for relief. He was very sympathetic to my experience, but then encouraged me to commit to a 20-month further wait (and if you ask, they say the wait is "about a year"). He is highly rated in town (and on this forum) as a breast reduction specialist, but I had already waited three months to see him after being turned down by Surgeon #1 (out-of-town hospital rejected me due to an endocrine condition), so my choice was to go for a third consultation. And by this time my back pain was unbearable.

Dr. Ken Dickie was able to accommodate me within four months, and is an experienced "teaching" surgeon, perhaps also the head of Plastic Surgery. The photos will speak for his skill. He took photos and then fully outlined why a free nipple graft was recommended in my case. All was set up three months in advance, and after that there was no touch-base in the days before surgery, which made for some serious jitters. His office staff are attentive and calming. As he marked me up on the day, I asked for a larger C-cup in case I slimmed down later.

I was required to have a baseline mammogram in advance, and this is something I had avoided for fear of pain for breasts so thick. Report: Twice the number of scans were taken - and there were no re-takes, its just that the image plate is not large enough for the "subject matter". The "press" is partially automated, but then adjusted by hand, just enough to stabilize the breast. It is not a one-size-fits-all thickness! The squeeze experience was mildly achy. The next day I felt a bit tender on the sides and my skin was itchy. I didn't break the machine ;) The experience was positive!

Here is the "before" photo.

Bandaged up with pads and white "paper" skin tape on day 3. I have an elasticized compression wrap that covers this. I have drains and they will come out in another ten days. Sleeping elevated on my back but actually sleeping well. The swelling, all over, is distracting especially at the tops of my breasts where the tape sticks to the skin... its very sticky and when the swelling goes up and down (cold packs), the tape gets so taut its topically uncomfortable. Internally not much sensation except for surprising, non-painful "implosions".

My husband has been wonderful! Always positive, and a true advocate for my well-being.

I have been attending a public health clinic every three days for dressings inspections/change up until Day 13 when the stitches and drains were removed at surgeon's office. The nurses have remarked on the symmetry and health of the incision lines. I'm still on regular Tyelenol for swelling pain. The nurses gave me less-sticky white tape since they noticed I had removed skin taking the original off! They also gave me silicone tape for later.

The T incisions have the usual steri-strips. The free-graft nipple area (I hadn't photographed it) had been a round 'pouff' made of gauze, that pouf covering the newly formed nipples completely, and then stapled to the breast skin. We just left it alone with all these changes, trusting the healing was taking place underneath. The compression band I wear overtop, sometimes cinches down when I'm sleeping and the ridge then presses on those nipple-pouffs causing discomfort. Other than that, the only painful parts are the swelling under my armpits. I had not had liposuction on the sides. The right side is especially tender, and this is the side that had hematoma-bleed on the day of surgery. Perhaps there is still some drainage going in there and not hitting the drain.

Drain removal I tried to ignore and just talk through... that worked. It was noticeable but manageable and was accomplished quickly. Staple removal was okay too, since the nipple part has, of course, no sensation. That will be permanent. The nipples had black thick scabs and Dr. Dickie said just to cover them with that white tape and that the skin would be regenerating underneath.