30 Years Old. 2 Kids. 5'4" 165lbs 36DDD Breasts - Baton Rouge, LA

I have wanted a breast reduction for as long as I can remember. I was the girl who went from no breasts to a 34D seemingly overnight. I have two children and breastfed each for 18 months. My son was born in November 2007, following breastfeeding him I never went below a 34DD, my daughter was born in October 2010 and after her I never went below a 36DDD. I'm sure I was an E cup or larger before surgery, I was just too bothered to go and buy that size, so I squeezed into a 36DDD for the past few years. Since about 2010, I have had back/neck problems, and I've suffered from migraines my whole life. In 2014 I started going to a chiropractor regularly and through X-ray we discovered that I have scoliosis. My ribs seem to twist with the weight of my breasts. My mother and grandmother have both had double mastectomies with reconstructions, and I had a golf ball sized lump removed in 2002, so I have seen a breast specialist for more than half my life. At my last appointment over the thanksgiving break, he asked me if I was finished having children and if I was ready for the reduction I has always wanted. Of course I said yes, but the money was going to be my largest issue. He explained that I was the "perfect candidate" for insurance to deem the procedure medically necessary and cover 80-100% of the surgery. Of course I asked where to sign up and we got the process started. They took photos, asked me a ton of questions about health, posture, back/neck problems, etc. The request was sent to insurance on December 7 and by December 14 I had an approval. The surgery time frame was very small, I was approved from December 16-December 31, but due to my doctors main surgeries being cancer related emergency mastectomies the earliest we could do it was December 30. I got to the hospital at 5am December 30, they took me to the back and got my height and weight, a urine sample to make sure I wasn't pregnant, got me into a gown and started my IV around the same time my husband came back. They let my husband and mom sit with me until they wheeled me off around 7am. The surgery took 2 hours and doc told my family he expected me to be very happy with the results. I brought before and after photos of reductions found online that I liked the after look and the before photos were similar to my current breasts. I am almost exactly 22 hours post op, and currently waiting to be discharged from my 23 hour observation. I don't feel as bad as expected, the worst part is that the incisions burn without ice or consistent pain medication. Thus far the worst part of recovery was in post op, I was given medicine containing hydrocodone which made me itch terribly. I'm hoping I continue to improve rapidly, and pending drainage, I should be coming to meet my doctor January 1 or 2 to get my drain tubes removed. Hopefully then I will get to see them!!!

Today was much better than anticipated, I was hoping to have my drainage tubes removed, but I had 60mL of drainage from each breast over the 24 hours since hospital discharge. I am finding myself unusually nervous and unable to sit still, so I am very grateful my Dr prescribed Ativan for me (an anti anxiety/anti insomnia medication.) Between the Ativan and my pain medicine I have been able to sleep and have very little discomfort. I am drinking lots and lots of water and eating foods high in protein before taking my medications, I hope this will help me recovery quickly. So far I have no complaints, the worst I have felt is really discomfort more than pain (aside from the first night when I slept through 2 doses of pain meds), my incisions will itch or burn sporadically, but the discomfort goes away with ice on my incision areas. I am hoping my draining subsides to >25mL per breast in 24 hours so that I can meet my Dr tomorrow afternoon to have the drains removed. The drains are slightly annoying, I have them held to me with a tight stretchy tank top to keep them from moving around or getting tangled on anything. I am most excited to have these removed so that I can clean myself and have my dressings changed so that I can sneak a peak at them! (I know they will look like frankenstein'd boobs right now, but I really want to see them anyways!)
Overall, the recovery from this procedure has been drastically less painful than I had expected. I am trying to keep myself still and relaxed because I feel so good I don't want to sit down, even though I know I should... :)

Ok, well I missed a bit of time, my drains were removed yesterday and I finally got to see my breasts unwrapped. Before you read ahead, know that I have done extensive research on this procedure (I have honestly wanted a breast reduction since I was 15) I was well aware that I would have "franken-boobs" and knew there would be stitches and staples and all kinds of wonderful stuff. What I did not expect was my reaction to them. I held it together while my drainage tubes were removed, that part was easy. I started to lose it when the ladies were fully unwrapped, but I held strong in front of the Dr and his nurse (who certainly saw me falling apart inside judging by her very very upbeat reaction and encouraging comments about time and how they will "fall" once the staples are out). I listened to instructions on bathing, dressing, etc. and made my way out of the office. My husband didn't speak a word (he saw me crumbling too) but held my hand and assured me that he thought I was healing quickly as we got into the truck. About 10 seconds after buckling my seatbelt, I lost it. I cried, actually I sobbed. I hated them. I hated them so much. My body no longer looked like my body, and it honestly freaked me out. As we drove home I was hysterical and told my husband a thousand reasons why I hated my breasts, not even just my breasts, my body. I planned to have implants because they were too small, a B I swore. I would have bet money they were half the size they actually are. I cried because the comparison was just SO much, I couldn't handle it. I swear I have a point, my point is to do your very best to know when you see yourself for the first time, this is not what your body will look like in 6 weeks, 6 months, a year. I cried and cried yesterday, I was nauseated and after I got home I slept for hours. I was miserable, but today was better. I have talked to everyone I know, I have held up my 34D bras and they look like they will fit perfectly whenever I can wear underwire, but yesterday they sucked. The change was just too much for me to process, over the past 24 hours it has sunk in and I am less psychotic about it, but yesterday was hard. (I will post about my day today and photos later, just needed to get that off my chest... no pun intended)