POSTED UNDER Breast Reduction REVIEWS
Not Small Enough???
ORIGINAL POST
Back in 2005 I had a breast lift at the age of 45,...
lovinglife123January 16, 2017
$10,000
Back in 2005 I had a breast lift at the age of 45, after I'd lost about 20 lbs and was left with loose skin, sagging uncomfortable breasts. Even though I told the surgeon I wanted a reduction, she talked me into just a lift, saying she'd move the tissue up to have a "perfect C cup". I liked my boobs for a few months, then they started to sag, and grow over the years, exploding with menopause 5 years later even though I was exactly only 10 lbs heavier than when I had the lift. Fast forward to 2016, smooshing my boobs into 38DD, E or F cups, always too small, always uncomfortable, always hiking up the ill-fitting bras, always trying to camoflague these gigantic boobs on my 5'2" frame. I hated people telling me "I love your boobs!" "You have great boobs!" "You look like Dolly Parton!" and any and all comments that remotely related to my boobs. I always wanted to be flat chested, even to the point of sadly envying my formerly-big-breasted cousin who had a double mastectomy. Sad I know, but I know many of you can relate.
At the consult, the Dr said he'd take about a pound of each side, a bit more on my right, which was larger. I told him I wanted a B cup, a BBBBBBBBBBBBB!!!!!!! He said, "I can do a B+, C-, needs t be in proportion with your body, or other parts will look larger." At the pre-op, I said "B cup". Going into surgery, he said "I can make them as small as you want them" and I said "OK, B+ would be fine".
Now, it is exactly 3 weeks since these pictures were taken, before and after. The strange thing is that I have some breast tissue UNDER my incisions. This was not the case with my first lift. He said he'd use my old incisions, could there have been breast tissue growing under my old incisions?? Or is this swelling? I also got lipo on the sides, very happy about that.
But, do these even remotely look like a B+, let alone a C, let alone a D??????? I still fit into my DD bras, granted they fit "better", but they are STILL DD
Can someone talk me down off the cliff here?
I got for my next post-op this Thursday. Not sure what to say. y Dr. is very soft-spoken, very precise, but I want to signal now that I wanted them smaller so it would not be a surprise down the road.
Having read many dozens f reviews here, I know there is still swelling, but I am concerned that at this stage I look HUGER than most of the results I've seen.
I would go through it again in a heartbeat to get tiny [RS bleep]. Cannot stand being "all chest" and not feeling comfortable in my clothes.
Thank you for any insights and support you can offer...
At the consult, the Dr said he'd take about a pound of each side, a bit more on my right, which was larger. I told him I wanted a B cup, a BBBBBBBBBBBBB!!!!!!! He said, "I can do a B+, C-, needs t be in proportion with your body, or other parts will look larger." At the pre-op, I said "B cup". Going into surgery, he said "I can make them as small as you want them" and I said "OK, B+ would be fine".
Now, it is exactly 3 weeks since these pictures were taken, before and after. The strange thing is that I have some breast tissue UNDER my incisions. This was not the case with my first lift. He said he'd use my old incisions, could there have been breast tissue growing under my old incisions?? Or is this swelling? I also got lipo on the sides, very happy about that.
But, do these even remotely look like a B+, let alone a C, let alone a D??????? I still fit into my DD bras, granted they fit "better", but they are STILL DD
Can someone talk me down off the cliff here?
I got for my next post-op this Thursday. Not sure what to say. y Dr. is very soft-spoken, very precise, but I want to signal now that I wanted them smaller so it would not be a surprise down the road.
Having read many dozens f reviews here, I know there is still swelling, but I am concerned that at this stage I look HUGER than most of the results I've seen.
I would go through it again in a heartbeat to get tiny [RS bleep]. Cannot stand being "all chest" and not feeling comfortable in my clothes.
Thank you for any insights and support you can offer...
Replies (11)
January 18, 2017
I think your breasts look amazing! They are not to big at all. I just had my 3rd breast augmentation in June, first saline under the muscle implants broke at 6 years, second gummy bear gel under the muscle broke at 3 years. Than I noticed one implant was rising very high . After a MRI at my cost it was discovered that I had scar tissue built up and I looked bad. Not to sure what yours cost for a reduction but mine cost over 11,000 . I was very excited to have this third operation having looked horrible in anything I wore. My surgeon had many high ratings , it took me 7 months to get in . He completely blotched my surgery. They are not symmetrical one nipple points up almost to the side of my breasts the other points down. The only way I can explain it is that one looks like a hamburger and one a hotdog lol. When I went in to see my surgeon I showed him and all he said was we're going to have to fix the inverted nipple. I said that's it!! He than said I shouldn't have taken your case! I replyed but you did and you had no problem cashing my cheque. If your not happy ask that your surgeon redo what you asked in the first place. I don't think I will be having him redo them. Again I will be out 11,000 but this appointment I will be recording him because he's extremely rude and condescending .
January 18, 2017
Thank you Brandy for writing and your encouragement. I spent exactly $10,000 on the surgery, another $1,200 or so for all the mammograms, lab tests, medicines... all out of pocket because my health care does not cover reductions, period. The cost was a major investment, but something I thought about doing for at least the past 5 years (after my first lift seems like it was fertilizer to makes my breasts grow!!) Then I do remember that there are people who pay for augmentation, everyone has different preferences and lifestyles, I get that. I do hope you will get the result you are after. Honestly I had thought about doing the double mastectomy but I realized that lymph nodes would be taken and more health problems could occur. Just to give you an idea of how SMALL I would like to live from here on out. I suppose God is nudging me to lose more weight after all! Best wishes and let us know how it goes for you
January 18, 2017
Hopefully they are still swollen. Talk to your doctor and see what can be done. The body needs time to heal, so more surgery would probably be something for far down the line.
I really don't understand doctors telling us what the size will be. That is what my first (now fired) doctor did. He got my opinion and then actually told me he would be doing what he thought was right, even if I did not agree. I just don't get it.
I am dealing with complications and am hoping that in the "aftermath" I can end up with them being smaller. So, I hear you. Best of luck.
I really don't understand doctors telling us what the size will be. That is what my first (now fired) doctor did. He got my opinion and then actually told me he would be doing what he thought was right, even if I did not agree. I just don't get it.
I am dealing with complications and am hoping that in the "aftermath" I can end up with them being smaller. So, I hear you. Best of luck.
January 18, 2017
Thank you KwanYin! I just rad your story and I am so sorry for what you have been going through. How are things now? Looks like the shape we both got is similar -- very full on the sides, flatter near the cleavage. This was also the second surgery for me (like you) but I did not have a reduction the first time, only a "lift" -- felt like I was talked out of a reduction. My boobs grew a great deal in the following years and that is why when I saw my PS I said "small"!! I am no measuring every day to make sure my eyes are not playing tricks on me. I am down a tiny bit this morning from yesterday. I will certainly go for more tissue removed from the sides IF in several months they are not the size I had hoped for. I am also cleaning up my diet and want to lose a minimum of 10 lbs and hopefully the breasts will shrink a bit from that too. But I AM grateful that my recovery has been uneventful, just the normal stinging, burning, a few zingers, but not unbearable. All seems well from that standpoint, and I hope and pray you are on the road to complete recovery!!
January 18, 2017
Hello
Do you know what, It's a nice view from the top of the cliff where you can see almost forever. I had a look at the view from the bottom and it isn't so good. I think I'd stay at the top looking out.
Funny thing, when I was standing at the top of a cliff I saw a lady who'd had a breast reduction and they looked a lot smaller to me though she didn't think so. Well, we looked at a photo of how she was pre-surgery and compared it to one she took a few weeks post surgery. I asked her to look at where the bottom of her breasts were in both photos and compare it to where the crease in her elbow was. Well, post op her breasts were a lot higher, so a lot of tissue had been removed. There was also probably some swelling to go down from the main procedure and liposuction, so the breast size would reduce a little more. Then I said I thought the new shape and size looked brilliant, far more comfortable and manageable in terms of clothing and confidence. I think she may have started to agree that her breasts were quite a bit smaller now.
Then I said to her if she looked at the photos again she'd see her nipples were significantly higher post op, yet looked in just the right position, which means her breasts must be a lot smaller in length. Do you know, I think she could see that.
Then I said to her that the mind can play odd tricks and can take time to catch up with reality. As her mind had been used to her having large breasts, which she now doesn't have, the mind is left in a bit of a quandary thinking 'I've been going on about these bloomin large breasts for ages, now they're not large, what do I think about? I know, let's think they're still large because change can be a funny concept to deal with'.
We didn't have anything to eat or drink so we said goodbye and went our separate ways. I thought if she went to the top of the cliff again I may join her to enjoy the views.
I think your breasts look a lot smaller and are a very good shape and size for you. You could be best to express any concerns to the surgeon tomorrow, even just for reassurance.
Enjoy the view. I wish you well on your recovery.
Do you know what, It's a nice view from the top of the cliff where you can see almost forever. I had a look at the view from the bottom and it isn't so good. I think I'd stay at the top looking out.
Funny thing, when I was standing at the top of a cliff I saw a lady who'd had a breast reduction and they looked a lot smaller to me though she didn't think so. Well, we looked at a photo of how she was pre-surgery and compared it to one she took a few weeks post surgery. I asked her to look at where the bottom of her breasts were in both photos and compare it to where the crease in her elbow was. Well, post op her breasts were a lot higher, so a lot of tissue had been removed. There was also probably some swelling to go down from the main procedure and liposuction, so the breast size would reduce a little more. Then I said I thought the new shape and size looked brilliant, far more comfortable and manageable in terms of clothing and confidence. I think she may have started to agree that her breasts were quite a bit smaller now.
Then I said to her if she looked at the photos again she'd see her nipples were significantly higher post op, yet looked in just the right position, which means her breasts must be a lot smaller in length. Do you know, I think she could see that.
Then I said to her that the mind can play odd tricks and can take time to catch up with reality. As her mind had been used to her having large breasts, which she now doesn't have, the mind is left in a bit of a quandary thinking 'I've been going on about these bloomin large breasts for ages, now they're not large, what do I think about? I know, let's think they're still large because change can be a funny concept to deal with'.
We didn't have anything to eat or drink so we said goodbye and went our separate ways. I thought if she went to the top of the cliff again I may join her to enjoy the views.
I think your breasts look a lot smaller and are a very good shape and size for you. You could be best to express any concerns to the surgeon tomorrow, even just for reassurance.
Enjoy the view. I wish you well on your recovery.
January 18, 2017
Thank you Horseyone for you wisdom and sweet humor! Very caring of you to comment. It's funny because yes, I can definitely see that all the white (untanned) tissue was cut off, because my breasts are all tan skin now!! So I intellectually "know" that my nipples were moved up half way, but it just seems like so much breast tissue was pushed high on my chest and bulging out to the sides. Maybe that's just my body's anatomy. Maybe it's swelling? But that is how they looked after the first lift -- very squished up high and wide, which you can see in my before are not that wide, at least I didn't think so! I am going to post a couple of my "goal" boobs, and who knows, maybe I can diet myself down to that size. I don't like looking "broad" across the chest. I know they will drop and maybe that's why he bolted them on so high. I could care less about scars, just size and shape so if I need to get more tissue out of the sides later that is fine by me. He did do lipo under my arms. Tomorrow I'll simply say, "I was hoping they'd be smaller" and see what he says, rather that be accusatory or disappointed. I am normally a 100% positive optimistic person and want to stay on that path. Thank you again for your kindness and support!
January 18, 2017
Thank you Kimmers, I read your story the first of anything here on Real Self -- only wish I had read it BEFORE my surgery! I can see tat many many many women wish they had "gone smaller" -- you can always create the illusion of a bigger breasts with certain bras and clothing but it's much hard to create the illusion of SMALLER breasts, though Lord knows I've tried !! LOL Your results look fantastic, but I was concerned when you said your breasts were growing again. That is why I am going to measure constantly. But the measurement is only one part of the picture. Flat, wide and boxy can measure "small" and still look broad. I will take your advice and simply say, "I was hoping they'd be smaller" which is true, and that way I'm not confronting the surgeon or his skills, as I'm extremely pleased with everything else from the beginning: His staff is lovely, caring, conscientious; he is exactly on time for all appointments; the surgery was a breeze, the anesthesologist was delightful , no complications, scars look good, everything is meticulous and healthy, and for that I am 100% grateful! I appreciate the care and kindness and support from others here, and I just needed someone's outside opinion, which I am grateful for! Will keep you posted!!
UPDATED FROM lovinglife123
1 month post
Some photo of others for comparison
lovinglife123January 18, 2017
Not mine, but sample of photos of what I wanted and did not want
Replies (0)
UPDATED FROM lovinglife123
2 months post
New photos -- is there a double boob in the intramammary fold?
lovinglife123February 10, 2017
New photos -- is there a double boob in the intramammary fold?
Replies (5)
February 10, 2017
Seems like quite a bit of tissue was left below the incisions. Shouldn't the bottom of my breasts be closer against my ribcage?
February 12, 2017
What did your PS say about the extra fast underneath your breast?
February 13, 2017
I haven't asked yet because I wasn't sure if it was normal. It is my breast tissue, as if the incisions were placed too high. Most of the other photos I see the incisions are right up against the ribcage.
July 1, 2017
You do need them fixed. At least you want to go smaller anyway. Find someone who fixes boobs gone wrong.
Welcome to the community and thank you for joining us. I am sorry that you are not happy with the results. You were definitely very clear with what you wanted as a result. I did the same thing with my doctor pre op. I was in the DDD and pretty much demanded the B. I totally get how you are feeling.
When you go in for your next appointment stay calm and explain that you are not happy with the size, and really needing them to be smaller. Talk to your doctor and express your concerns. I am sorry you are frustrated.
That is a great approach to take with your doctor. You don't want to back him in a corner and put him on the defensive. I have been taking estrogen for years after having a hysterectomy at the age of 33. My doctor had me stop taking the Premarin and my breasts started growing. Along with several other nasty side effects. I went back on the med and she will allow me to stay on it until age 55. That gives me 2 more years before I try to taper off again. I am hoping that I won't experience the same side effects again but we will see. Please keep me up to date on how it goes with your appointment.