20, College Student. Dying from Back Pain - Miami, FL

I've always had big breasts. I don't know from where, my family doesn't. I started wearing bras in 3rd grade and was a c in 7th grade, D in 9th grade and dd//DDD in 12th grade depending on the bra. I sprained my back in 2010 due to the breast weight. I tried physical therapy,electro shock, stretching,training, nothing worked. It just made it feel worse. I researched for years what it would take to have my insurance "Cigna" see the need for me to have this surgery and pay for it ( I don't know the total cost. The amount I put was the rest of my deductible and max out of pocket.)
I searched for years for the perfect surgeon as well. I'm very specific on procedures especially when they will alter my life and way of living. I finally after years found dr marshall online. She is in Cigna network and also is the breast reduction and reconstruction specialist in miami. And her work is flawless. There are like no scars in her before and after pictures and she has many awards and recognitions for her work. I consulted with her jan 2014 and built my case for the insurance. I am only 109 and 5'5 so she was very surprised if they wouldn't cover the procedure,seeing howmy spine is severely impacted. My orthopedic sent a letter and X-rays to my insurance stating how it was starting to curve my Spine which would lead to scoliosis. Didn't want that. After a week my case was accepted by Cigna. I picked my date when I had some time to take off from school and have help from my mom. I really didn't care about pain or anything when thinking about this surgery. I only thought of the long term benefits. I did turn to this sight a lot for the honest reviews,which helped me feel less anxious.

July 21,my surgery was scheduled for 1 but due to delays from her other procedures i didn't go in until 5/5:30. i didn't mind i just stayed in pre-op with the IV and watched T.V with my mom. the gown was really cool, it had a place where you can insert a heating tube to keep warm. they made you put on these weird paper underwear and these traction socks, a head net, and compression socks on my legs that pumped air in and out to prevent clots.When the doctor came in, she marked me up. she already knew what i wanted to she just repeated "perky, smaller, and bigger b/smaller c. I really like my doctor, i really felt like she understood what I wanted. I was not anxious at all, due to that. the anesthesiologist came in and injected me with something as they prepped me to take me away. I don't even remember leaving pre-op. I woke up in post-op room with a lady just sitting there i guess waiting for me to wake up. I just told her please get me a room and went back to sleep. (i was given the option to wait until after to see if i wanted to be admitted or go home the same day) I did not get sick, i didn't feel ill or throw up. (i made sure to ask that the medication both pain and to prevent nausea were given to me before waking me up) when i woke up again i was in my room, luckily a private one. I was given apple juice and literally 3 crackers. when they saw i didn't react badly, i was given more crackers (saltine and graham) and just juice. It was about 10:30 and i was given sleep medication.
I woke up the next day happy to be able to eat real food! the hospital was just recently starting to be catered by the mariott hotel and for someone who hates breakfast the food was amazing! i had french toast and apple juice and chocolate milk. and i had a great lunch as well. I tolerated all food very well. i was taken to walk around the nurse station accompanied by my iv wheel cart carrying the pump. i felt pretty independent being able to go pee on my own. it was tedious because i had to unplug the finger monitor, unplug the leg socks that compress air to prevent clots and take the iv pump cart as well. and then plug it all back in when i was getting back in bed. i was mostly sleeping, and if not sleeping i was awake to eat a little something or being visited by the nurse or family members. by the end of the day i was discharged. the nurse asked me if i felt like i wanted to stay another night or to go home, but with the pain medication in my IV, i felt great, and said i'd go home. I really wished i stayed another night lol. after the iv was removed and the medications wore off, i felt pain(more like just being uncomfortable) for the first time and i was missing how good i felt with the fluids. and it was much better with all my medications being just injected via IV instead of pills. i was given a Percocet before i left and wheeled down in a wheel chair to my car where my mom drove me home.
I was really irritable because of the transition from comfortable hospital living to going home and being independent for the most part without the nurse.
if you are given the choice to stay another night or as long as they let you, do it! being home was really hard especially having a platform bed. And it was hard to prop up all these pillows and find the comfortable place for me. in the hospital i brought my own memory foam pillow but what made me comfortable was being able to adjust the angle. i kept telling my mom please take me back! haha i'm a side sleeper but with many pillows propped behind me, it didn't even matter. i was so drowsy from the antibiotics and pain meds i fell asleep sitting up just fine and was just in and out of sleep, i didn't notice the difference in sleep positions.

since i had ended up getting drains, they got removed early because they were blocked and painful. i also got my bandages removed, all except the tape around the nipples and dissolvable stitches. those are to be removed next visit. i got permission to be bra-less for the next week to allow the breasts to drop. they have already started to drop little by little. but it's the best feeling without the bra because the swelling makes wearing the bra painful. so now without the bra the swelling is going down and the discomfort is becoming less and less every day. the zingers started. but it's not painful. it feels like static shock. it's just your nerves reconnecting.

the swelling is still there, i'm only 2.5 weeks post, BUT it has gone down significantly after being able to take advil after my doctors approval. FINALLY last night the swelling was at a point where i could try on some of my clothes that i bought for after the surgery and i almost cried of joy! i have never been able to go bra-less and it's weird not feeling like i have to lift up my boobs or wear 1 or two super tight sports bras to try and hold them up so my back doesn't hurt as much but also because it's the only thing that will tie them down to fit into shirts! but i was able to wear these size small halter top, and i also tried on all my old bathing suits and they fit so perfectly in the breast area. instead of looking like i'm about to spill out my boobs look normal and they are so perky! i'm really happy that even at this early stage i am able to see the difference so far and know that all the clothes i bought for after my surgery will fit. (i was scared a small would be too small, and maybe a medium would be needed, but the small is perfect and i can even get away with XS when all the swelling goes down)
I cannot wait to be able to comfortably wear all my new clothes (the swelling makes it sore and uncomfortable for now if i wear tight things,so i've been but trying them on isn't a big deal, just great to know they fit)

Sorry I haven't been able to update much, i moved on the 8th of august for school. I will upload pictures since then. I had my 1 month appt with the nurse on the 18th. i got the bandages around my stitches completely removed and was told to purchase biocorneum +spf30 For the scars. if you buy it, its way cheaper online than from the doctor or a store so buy it online. i paid 99$ at the doctors office and online they have it for about 50$. you apply a thin later on the scars twice a day, it really works. over a period of a week the scars disappeared more than halfway. it also has been helping my nipple scars not only heal, but blend into my skin to appear normal like pre-op. i go back at the end of september to see the actual doctor so i will be 2 months post op by then. i also tried arnica 30c for the swelling, 5 pills 3x a day. it really worked and didn't taste like anything.. but i ran out of tablets and i can't find it in the stores. only online. once i stopped taking it, the swelling returned and it's been a bit painful and tight. but i'm really excited for the swelling to go away.

I'm very satisfied with my results so far. My right boob which was the biggest and had the most removed from it is still not fully into place but my doctor says I can wear real bras now and with the bras abd time it'll fall into place. I can wear sticky bras which I never could fit into and buy one size of bathing suits and not a large top and small bottom. I don't regret my surgery. It's the best decision I've never made and I'd do it again. No pain ever just the slight zingers occasionally and my breasts and nipple are sensitive to cold but nothing unbearable. With the biocorneum cream my scars decrease less and less. They are barely visible. My boyfriend doesn't even notice them. My doctor says the scars should be fully gone by a year and a half and that's fine by me. No one except myself notices the scars but probably because it's my own body. It has helped my self confidence SO MUCH. And im so happy. I can't wait to go bra shopping and find my real size and get a set of bras for daily use.