52 Year Old So Tired of Big Boobies! Plymouth UK

Hi ladies, I have been on here reading everyone's reviews for months now and been wanting a reduction for 30 years. I have had big boobs from the age of 14, I am 5' 3" and always been very petite (I am carrying an extra stone at the moment, too much cake and not enough exercise plus menopause!) I have always had a love/hate relationship with my boobs, hated the attention they brought, especially when young, the difficulty in finding clothes to fit and avoiding looking inappropriate in a lot of clothes!! Funnily the men I have had relationships with have always been very positive about my boobs but I Have never really felt comfortable being a very busty girl and have struggled with low self-esteem all of my life. Over the past few years I have experienced all the usual physical pains and discomforts and knew I needed to do something about it as things will not ever get better, only worse with age. So I have seen my GP who is happy to refer me on the NHS but it means applying for exceptional funding as breast reduction is not funded here anymore. My GP says apparently this is always turned down, you have to prove you have an exceptional clinical need above anyone else with this 'condition'. I don't feel my need is greater than anyone else's and I can't face having to jump through hoops only to be turned down, it could take several years and still be turned down. I'm not prepared to put myself through the emotional stress and so I am having to go private. I have just had my first consultation with James McDiarmid-Hall who has his own clinic here in Plymouth, he is lovely , a softly spoken and confidence-inspiring man. He says I am a perfect candidate for a successful reduction as I don't smoke, am not clinically overweight and have no health conditions, this has allayed a lot of my fears. Apparently I have a lot of breast tissue and very little fat in my breasts and he says this is a lot easier to work with and usually means a better post surgery breast shape. I am a 30 HH at the moment, if I lose weight I need a 28 J which is almost impossible to find and they seem to just be made with wider wires, and not more cup material, which end up half way around my back and are so uncomfortable . He says I will probably be about a DD after surgery (I was thinking a C cup so was rather alarmed) but he explained why smaller would not work for me and it did make sense. I have since looked at 30 DD bras and they seem so small compared to the 'air socks' I'm wearing at the moment haha and they are so pretty! I buy all my bras from Bravissimo and although I have lots of pretty ones they just don't look the same in such a big size. I avoid looking at normal sized underwear as it makes me feel sad. I came out of my consultation feeling really positive and excited. My partner is right behind me with this, he wasn't to begin with (he has always loved my boobs) but he has seen the discomfort I suffer daily and how it has affected my self-esteem over the years, so now he is as excited as me. I have to speak to my manager about time off, I work for the NHS and they don't pay sick for elected cosmetic surgery but James has said this is functional surgery not cosmetic so fingers crossed I can go on sick leave. I will then be able to book my surgery date! We are thinking end of March as we move house in March and I want time to get everything ready for after the surgery. I have chosen to go to Duchy hospital in Cornwall, as we are having to pay paying privately we have had the choice of three and this one looks the nicest and I get to stay for 2 nights which I find reassuring as was worried about going home after one night, especially as we will be living an hour away from a hospital. I do worry about dying and complications but I AM going to do this! I've been looking at bras, tape, creams etc and bought a second-hand electric recliner yesterday in preparation after reading so many of you have used them. I'd love to hear people's thoughts on best bras to buy, James recommends Macom. Sorry for long post but wanted to get started on my review as everyone else's have been so helpful in giving me the confidence to start this journey. Thank you so much for sharing ladies. Exciting times ahead????????

I've requested the 25th of April at the Duchy hospital in Cornwall and just waiting for contact from them. Will then have to pay a 10% deposit. Sooo excited after I put the phone down but seem to have come down with a bang from my high since yesterday. Guess this is going to be a roller coaster ride emotionally. Got really irrationally upset when my partner looked at a glamour model on the AOL news site!!!! I've been showing him boobs constantly for the past few months lol. Wish the surgery was sooner but we are moving house (from Plymouth to Cornwall so a big move) in March. Spoke to my boss and she says I just need a sick note from the GP and will be on fully paid sick leave. That's a big relief as I was worried I would have to use annual leave and go unpaid if necessary. Loving reading all the review updates. Thank you ladies!

As I am on day off work today thought I would take some photos. Find it really hard to look at the photos and actually feel really nervous and emotional to the point of tears posting them. I've been so unhappy with how I look for so long, other people have no idea of how difficult and emotional this journey is for us big-boobied ladies. Will take some better ones as these were with my iPad so not that clear.