Got a Breast Reduction at 27 Year Old in NYC

The smallest size I remember being was 32DDD at 109 lbs. I now weight 135 lbs at 5'7 and wear a busting 34G. For those of us ladies with big boobies you know it is very hard to carry heavy breasts. Shoulder, lower back pain, bra wire poking and digging, burn under boobs, schaffing, and sweaty underboobs are just part of the issues I dealt with, but also psychologically I did not want to get the attention that big breast tend to have so about a year ago I talk to my doctor about options to relive pain.
Among those options I tried phisycal therapy, pain killers, lost up to 17lbs and tried a back brace, all this gave me temporary relief and ultimately resulted in the same. The last straw was when I started crouching forward, my posture due to the breast weight was dragging me forward and further ruining my back and shoulders.
After this I decide to talk to my PCP about a breast reduction and she recommended me to a breast reconstruction specialist in Montefiore hospital in the Bronx New York.
To say I was terrified was an understatement.
I always wonder about insurance doctors vs private plastic surgeons, the fact that they don't tend to have before and after pics on their profile made me feel like I didn't know what I was getting into.
So what did I do? A buttload of research.
What does a breast reduction imply?
Can I choose the size?
How small will I end up?
Recovery time?
Scars?
Nipple loss/necrosis?
Lost of sensation?
Pain level?
Can I stay the night?
Will they use tape or glue?
Asking so many questions until I was satisfied with it all. And thankfully I got a great breast reconstruction doctor that was really amazingly nice and answer all my questions( I'll review and talk more about him below)
The process was quite long to be honest.
first I had to get a referral from my PCP, then see the surgeon to see if I qualified which I did. Then my doctor (PCP)had to prove that we tried other options to treat my pain to no avail. She wrote a letter to my insurance with the dates and procedures we tried. The insurance reviewed and approved ( took 3+ months) and finally send the info to the surgeon's office and I was schedule for the next available opening which was in 4 months.
After that 2 weeks before my surgery I did a bunch of exams with my PCP for surgery clearance, one week I did more exams for the surgeon during my pre op.
During my pre-op I asked the last minute questions I could think of I never stopped doing research.
You get asked a millions questions, if you smoke, drink, family history etc. Then they draw blood and urine if needed and they sent me home with a folder of how to prepare for surgery what to eat and not to eat etc.
Surgery day:
I arrive and the office with my fiancee and 15 mins later they called my name put on my arm bands and told me to strip!
I was very nervous, you take everything off every single piercing everything and put the hospital gowns. They ( the nurse) proceeds to ask you another whole bunch of questions: when did you last ate, who dis you bring, what did you wear? Etc.
The surgeon the comes to talk to you and do the markings for the surgery this is the last time you can ask him question before is all done! I told him I wanted a C cup and ask told him how important it was for me to keep my nipples and avoid necrosis,( after you do research you realize that the worst thing that could happen is not a size too small but the chances of losing feeling in one or more nipple, complete loss of nipple, infection and necrosis) he was amazing and also told me how he would use a technique to reduce scarring, blood loss and nipples loss. Am telling he was so great.
The anesthesiologist introduced himself ask me about allergies etc and proceeded to put the IV on me and walk me to the OR!!!
Omg the OR is a scary feeling lots of lights there were two trainees another lady the anesthesiologist and the doctor, the were very nice I thank them all and then they put me under.
Woke up in a second!
Very dizzy in an alarming amount of pain so I developed a hematoma on my right breast and had to be wheeled back to the OR it felt like 5 mins but I was so out from the anesthesia I can't really tell.
Woke up in another second although the whole thing was 5+ hours!
When I woke up I was sore but not in a lot of pain, dizzy from the anesthesia but the worst was my throat from the tubbing.
*I'll finish my review soon! And keep it updated for anyone who needs help and is going thru this! Am here to help!
Happy international women's day!

So today is day 6 since I had my breast reduction and I am just going to finish my review and give some updates of how I've been feeling once I left the clinic.
following my OR exit a very nice nurse was checking me and making sure my vitals were stable and everything was ok and making sure I had everything I needed. Another nurse came in with my prescription and explained to me everything I had to do once I went home and answer any and all questions I had. After I was wheeled out of the OR for the second time I was really dizzy from the anesthesia but it lasted about 1 to 1.5 hours in that time I remember the feeling that I needed to pee so bad, I had difficulty peeing for 24+ hours after my surgery
Another thing I experience to the day (although NY was 30-40 degrees this whole week) was that I would get cold really really fast so I had to bundle up. Ultimately I waited for about 2.5 hours before they sent me home with 7 days worth of antibiotics and oxycodone for the pain.
At home the thing that bothered my the most surprisingly was not my stitches but my throat. It was really raw since I was tubed twice. Talking, swallowing and eating were very hard for the first 3 days I could only have mushy cold food. As long as I took pain meds it calmed both my throat and my wounds. Sleeping was HARD beacause I am not used to sleeping on my back at all and you kind of have to sleep elevated or you get the feeling of stiches pulling and because I also had drains (two little balls that hang from each breast and collects liquids) so I couldn't move to either side i had very uncomfortable sleep. The drains were remove on my post op appointment 5 days later and it does hurt a bit but it last less than 30 secs. During those 5 days I had to empty and record the amount of liquid that came out which should decrease by day.
The first days I was getting tired really easily, it was hard to use the bathroom for 1 and 2, and was hunchback because of a feeling of stiches being pulled. But as the days progressed I have recover my strength to 65% and more often than not I have to remind myself that my stiches are still fresh and I still have to take it easy. Although I still can't completely lift my arms or reach for things above my head.
So that's it for now. I'll continue to review in a few more days and have a happy hump day!

Hey you guys!
A quick update, I am 3.5 months post op I went from a 34G to a 34C I weight 129lbs at 5'6.
I had loss of sensation right under the nipple where the insicions meet, my scars are still dark but now that they are healed I am applying creams to lighten them as reccomended, although, as they are they don't bother me. What else can I say I am incredibly happy with my results as the indents in my shoulders have almost dissapear, the back pain and the intimidation to do many activities has just vanished, I am here to help whomever has questions can send me a message.
I will post one more before and after with everyday clothes as a final update and then I'll be done with my experience.
Hope I have help at least one person make the decision to improve their life I am telling you it is absolutely worth it.