Operation: Take Control of my LIFE BACK! - Stratford, ON

i'm so sorry, it is so disappointing but you can still get the surgery done in the future so have home. It just sucks that it's going to take some work but your surgeon sounds like he has your best interests in mind. I'm about 40lbs overweight but my doctor and my surgeon both agreed it would be good for me to have the surgery as i was already active and following a decent vegetarian diet and my 36H breasts were hindering my exercise and causing a lot of neck and shoulder pain. The healthier you are before the surgery the better and easier recovery is as well. Start small. Baby steps. Start with one evening walk that's easy and slowly add more as you feel fit. My surgeon's office helped me with insurance. I gathered letters from my doctor, my chiropractor and a massage therapist i had been seeing to help with the neck and shoulder pain. Get your doc to put together as much information as possible about your back pain, how your breasts prevent you from exercise, if you've had any rashes underneath the breast, etc. The surgeon's office submitted these letters along with photos taken to my insurance and 2 weeks later i got a response noting they'd cover 1/2 the surgery. From what I've read on this website the amount insurance will cover varies but a lot of us ladies above the DD realm do get coverage. Hang in there! It's still within your grasp and we're pulling for you!

Hey love I went to see the same surgeon yesterday and he told me the same thing, after having 2 kids I weigh 188lbs and my bra size is 38HH I balled my eyes out and trying to loose weight as we speak. It's very hard!! I have to go back in 2 months u wish you luck as I know the pain you are going through!

I found that it was helpful to know what my insurance required in order to classify the surgery as reconstructive and not cosmetic, that way I knew a little bit about what the surgeon and insurance company would be looking for. My doc asked questions about what pain I was having, where it was, how intense, what relieved it if anything. She asked what size bra I wore and what size I thought I'd like to go to, if I'd tried losing weight and if that helped with my breast size. Photos were taken of the indentations on my shoulders from my bra straps and of my breasts from different angles. Also, according my my doc, some insurance company's want to know if you've experienced any rashes or skin changes as a result of your breasts touching your skin due to sagging. If you have, you will want to have photos taken of that as well. I didn't exactly know what to ask about so I Googled some questions and made a list to take with me so that I was sure not to forget anything. I asked about the technique the doc thought that she would use for me, free nipple grafts, her rate of infection, potential complications to be aware of, if she requires an overnight stay or does outpatient surgery, if I'd have to have a catheter during surgery, how long I'd need off work, what kind of restrictions I'd have afterward and for how long, if I would need to purchase a surgical bra of if her office could provide one, what meds she prescribes for pain control following surgery, and a few other questions that I can't remember at this time. I'd suggest starting your list now and writing your questions down as they come to you. Hopefully all this info helps and will give you a good starting point.

Be prepared to have to leap thru some hoops first to satisfy the insurance company that your condition can only be resolved through surgery. I had to do 12 weeks of physical therapy before my surgeon would even see me. Its frustrating and disappointing to live with this kind of pain and be made to defend yourself like you're trying to commit fraud when you are CLEARLY hanging bowling balls on your chest. It sucks and it's unfair, but you know what? Just do it, and be prepared for the therapists to try to trick you into admitting that you really just want the surgery for cosmetic reasons, so they can report you to the insurance company. They suck, and they don't understand that you can't treat a problem like yours with the sports bras and support garments they recommend as THEY DON'T MAKE THEM IN OUR SIZE!!! Building your back and shoulders and turning you into a linebacker won't help with the pain you feel in your chest when you sit up after lying down for awhile and your breasts painfully settle into place. Mine made me feel like I was having a coronary. The pictures and measurements are really all they need to prove the legitimacy of your claim. But play the game...grit your teeth and just do the therapy. Remember, your claim is legitimate because you're living in pain. They're not, so expect no sympathy. Do the work and don't let them trick you into settling for a support garment as a crutch when surgery would make that crutch completely unnecessary. Try the garment if they insist, but if it's not helping, SAY SO!!! But by all means, complete the therapy. Schedule two or three sessions a week if you can to shorten the time. Besides, you'll improve your posture and that'll help immensely when you get your reduction, as you've probably have had crappy posture for years to accommodate your huge breasts.

good luck! it definately is a journey and no walk in the walk but its so worth it and the walk in the park comes sooner than we think when all is said and done! and no more lugging extra baggage around! **hugs**

Good luck, and I can totally relate to your story. :-)

If you haven't already done so I'd recommend that you write down a detailed list of all the pains, aches and numbness you experience, and go see a manual therapist or physical therapist, just to start the treatment as soon as possible, and to have your problems documented. One would think that the insurance company would just have to look at you to see you need the surgery, but from what I've read from others on the forum they can be difficult. Also don't give up if they reject you at first. Many here were, submitted an appeal and then was approved. I wonder if the insurance companies do that more or less on reflex. But I'm not from the US so this is solely based on what I've read here. There is a list here called Kimmers list where she details all the things you need pre and post op. If you do a search for it it should pop up.