Breast Reduction: Part 1 - New Jersey

Hi friends! I'm so glad I found this community! You all really give me the confidence to move forward with my quest to have "the girls" reduced to a manageable size! I've been through a great deal in my 59 years, but now its 'my time' to do something for myself! Last January 2011, my husband and I lost our 27 year old daughter and our home to a ferocious house fire. It was, naturally, life changing, as my husband and I are now retired, and happy to have our son and his family living with us in our new home on a beautiful 3 acre property in the 'country'.

I've dealt with very large breasts since I developed early at age 13, and I have finally made the decision to begin my journey for a breast reduction. I am 5' 5", weigh 165 lbs, and my bras range from a size 38DD to a 40DDD, depending on the bra. I have my consultation on April 5th, and I am SO looking forward to it, almost more so than the family cruise we are going on at the end of the month! That should take my mind off my latest obsession of reading everything I can get on BR surgery. We get home on April 1st, only four days before my consultation. I'm sure that last week in March will just fly by. Time flies when you’re having fun!

I don't see any roadblocks with my insurance, as I’ve had back surgery twice, the last time in 2002, and I have been seeing a pain management specialist for my neck and back pain since then. I went through BR surgery with my late daughter when she had the surgery in 2005, and I was so envious of her new shape. Thinking back to that time, I’ve realized that I should have had mine done at the same time, but better late than never!

Well, here it is, the Monday after Easter, and I've had a few days to think about my first consult, which was last Thursday. I have to say, my first impression of the PS I saw on that day was that he was pretty serious, maybe a bit reserved, but that feeling didn't last but a few minutes. The consult took an amazing hour and a half. He came into the exam room, I was fully clothed and had my girlfriend with me. She is also planning to have a BR done, and this was her first experience to find out what the surgery entails. First, he described the procedure in full detail as he looked over the medical history forms which I had completed. He covered just about every point I would have asked, including recovery, length of surgery, etc, and said that he uses drains and disposable sutures (glad to hear that!). I had a few questions for him that he didn't cover, and once all of that information was gone over, he left the room and I removed my top and bra, and put on a little hospital gown. His First Assistant, a very helpful RN, had told me prior to his arrival what the consult would consist of, so there were no surprises.

When the PS returned to the room, he looked at 'the girls', showed me exactly how he would perform the surgery, and also informed me that, due to the large amount of ptosis (droopage!), I will have to have the horizontal inframammary incisions in addition to the ones around the nipple area and the vertical incision. That really didn't surprise me, either! Then we sat down and went over any questions we still had, including what would happen if there were any complications and how they would be handled. When the PS finally left the room, his Assistant came back to go over what should happen next if I decide to go with this doctor. She also gave me her business card which included her cell phone number,where she could be reached practically anytime if a problem or question arises. That really impressed me. I happened to mention to her also how unimpressed with the doctor who had performed my daughter's BR in 2006, and assured me that their entire staff is very dedicated and compassionate, which I could see already. She told me that, if I decide to go with this doctor, they will begin the process of gathering info to submit to my insurance company for coverage. She did suggest that I do obtain letters from both my pain management and TP docs to submit. I didn't tell her, but I can tell you all that I am going to go ahead with this surgery whether or not my insurance pays for it!
I just hate this waiting, after finally making this decision!

All in all, I was very pleased with this consult, and the facility is nearly brand new, and is really beautiful. I have another consult scheduled for 4/17, which I will go to, and then I will decide whether or not I need any further consults, and, if not, which PS I will choose.

Well, I finally went to my second PS consult today, and now I'm a bit more nervous about the whole thing than I was before. This PS went about the consult in a different way. I was already in my hospital robe when he came into the room, and the first thing he did was start marking my boobs, and taking loads of measurements. He seemed really nice and closer to me in age, not that that matters, and listed all the concerns anyone would have with a BR, such as infection, scarring, etc, and he also told me that he generally has the patient stay overnight in the hospital, and that he puts drains in, but takes them out the next day before being discharged (I really like that part!) He also said to get me about a C cup, he would need to remove over 600 grams on the left, and over 900 grams on the right. After all of that, he left the room, told me to get dressed, and then he came back into the room.

When he returned, he started to discuss with me the fact that, since I was so saggy, and the distance from where the nipple is to where he needs to put it is overly long, the right breast, at least, would need a free nipple graft. He said he can probably get by with the simpler method (using the pedicle technique where the nipple remains attached to the blood supply). He also said that I may want to have the nipple graft on both sides so that the end result will be similar. That took me back a bit, but we continued with the consult, and then he showed me a bunch of pictures of other women's surgery, pointing out the scars, etc. He was very honest with me, I felt, and after we finished the consult and was told how to start the ball rolling with the insurance, and I left.

I kept thinking about what this PS said about the FNG, and wondered what the other doctor had thought about the reduction, and if the nipple graft would need to be done. I had gotten from the first PS, a business card which had the principle nurse's CELL phone, and she had said if we had any questions or problems to give her a call. So I called, and she remembered me, and told me that he only does the FNG as a last resort, but once he gets in there, he may find it is necessary to to do the nipple graft after all.

Now I am really conflicted. I really like the idea that the first PS has this wonderful nurse a phone call away, and had a brand new, modern facility. He uses dissolving stitches and drains. I kind of liked this second PS's way of doing things, but they were both very nice and thorough. I am not sure what I want to do, and I'd probably have a good result with either PS, as they both have five star ratings on the Healthgrades rating sites. I will upload the pictures that I had my husband take of the marked up breasts. Boy, they sure DO look so lopsided in these pictures. I guess I really am that lopsided.

Please, please, ladies, what do you think???