It's finally done!! - Manchester, UK

Hey ladies, I thought I would start out by telling you all a little bit about myself...
I'm 20 years old and I am 5ft 5' tall weighing 9st 11 (last time I checked). I have a disability known as Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (Very bendy, joints dislocate easily and I suffer from severe joint pain). My breasts are currently a 30K and VERY heavy! Quite surprising considering I never really had breasts when I was younger. It took ages for them to grow and when they finally did....they didn't stop!...This has resulted in me being in constant pain with my back and neck due to the weight and also strap marks on my shoulders and the side of my chest, multiple rashes underneath my breasts and complete discomfort at night when trying to sleep. I also have asthma which isn't helped by the weight of my breasts on my chest.

This whole breast reduction journey began when my Mum one day jokingly said "If they continue to grow you will have to have a reduction"......well me being me took this thought away and done some research and came to the conclusion that a reduction was for me. I spoke to my Mum about it over the next few weeks then plucked up the courage to go to my GP and ask for her help. My GPs first reaction when I told her what I had made the appointment for was "You don't need a reduction you aren't that big".....that was until I took the large jacket off and she actually realised I had just learnt to hide them well (Don't we all?!). She told me that she would apply for funding from the NHS to pay for my reduction and see if they would help me as I have no funding to pay for it myself. The long 6 month wait that followed was awful....not knowing whether they would help me or not....then finally the letter arrived in the post on 16th November 2013. I don't think I could have opened it any quicker! Apparently it was a unanimous (not sure if that's how you spell it) decision in a meeting that I should be given funding for my reduction. So the next step was for my GP to find me a surgeon that was willing to perform the operation. This again seemed to take ages but I received a phone call in January with an appointment date and time for the 26th of February at 2pm. Although I did have to travel 30-40 minutes away from my home to Wythenshawe hospital.

Today was the day I met my surgeon, Mr Chakrabarty and his registrar (not sure on her name as she was French). I was called into the room and was greeted by a nurse who asked me to take off my clothing from the top half of me and put on a gown. After putting on the gown the registrar entered the room and introduced herself and began asking me some questions about why I wanted the reduction and what size my breasts are at the moment. Before even looking at them she had already decided to put me on to the waiting list (which I was told is around 16-18 weeks long) and she then went on to look at my breasts and take down some measurements. When she had finished she went back out of the room to ask the surgeon to come in and have a chat with me. He came in looking rather embarrassed and could not believe I am 20 years old haha the amount of times he repeated my age was quite funny. He asked me to go over some of the things I had told the registrar so that he could get a better understanding and then asked if he could also see my breasts before discussing some of the risks to the procedure and which method he was going to choose to do. The consultation ended with the surgeon explaining that due to my medical condition he would have to do some research on the healing process and how different it would be for me before he could really tell me full details on my surgery. I then went to the medical illustrations studio for photos taken to add to my medical records.

I guess only time will tell when my surgery is so for now I will cross my fingers and hope that it happens sooner rather than later as I had plans to go abroad for my 21st Birthday in July!

To all you ladies waiting for surgery...Good luck and to all those ladies who have already been through their surgery and are now in the healing stages....congratulations and I hope you feel so much better for having had the procedure! I cannot wait! xxxx Love to you all ladies xxxx

P.s. I will add some photos to this review....I'm not sure if they are any good but they are the best I could do today Lol [RS bleep]

Hey! No news so far on a date for my surgery :( but my mind has been taken off waiting by the birth of my first Niece Alexia Jade! Born on the 1st of March weighing 8lb 1oz.....she's absolutely amazing!!!

All the luck in the world to having or who have had their surgery! Xxxx

Good news today :) I got a phone call today to give me my surgery date......it's on the 15th of April!!! That was fast considering the NHS waiting list is currently 16-18 weeks long. This date was given to me after only a couple of weeks waiting. My pre op is on the 27th March!! Exciting but nervous times!!! [RS bleep]