Tomorrow I'm getting Breast Reduction Surgery (pain, armpits, implants, pregnant)
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Hoping to go from about a 36-38DDD to B-C cup. Other stats: first time with plastic surgery, over 50yrs old, just under 5'2", approx 160lbs, planning to lose about 30lbs in the future-- maybe will lose 5lbs from the surgery? Feeling surprisingly calm, what happens will happen, got a very highly qualified surgeon (happy to find a female surgeon) who requires procedure take place at hospital with overnight stay for observation.
I know there's another "big boobs are a pain" thread here but wanted to start my own. Anyone else go thru this procedure recently? Positive & negative outcomes? Any advise for me? what you wished you had known beforehand? I'm a little worried about scarring because I usually don't heal well but thrilled about getting "lifted" & firm for the first time since I was 12 yrs old!
Yes, you heard that right, after being the only girl in my 4th grade with C-cup boobs (probably equivalent to 34C bra size at that time), I kept growing & increasing to a D cup by 12yrs old!!! So by 7th grade, my boobs were already sagging with numerous stretch marks. From my adult perspective, it seems that the damage to my body by age 13 was similar to what adult women experience from numerous bouts of pregnancy/breast feeding, years of weight gain/loss, or from aging-- seems like my body was already "worn-out" by 13yrs old. Instead of looking like a cute young teenager, my body more resembled that of many women in their 40s or older: damaged & covered with stretch marks, often caused by being pregnant. Even now, in my early 50s, my body looks like it's been thru 10 pregnancies, but I've NEVER been pregnant & don't have any kids.
Very depressing when I remember that at the age when other girls were eagerly waiting for their breasts to develop, I was a 36D & already sagging & stretched out of shape. Couldn't wear cute summer tops or swimsuits with spaghetti straps because of how thick my bra straps were--had to wear ugly matronly bras (this was decades ago before better bra designs.)
In addition, my whole childhood I was always overweight, but probably not really that much from ages 10 - 12 because I had an early "growth spurt" from 4th - 5th grade. Was already 5ft tall in 4th grade-- taller than most of my classmates, considered to be one of the "tall" girls at that time. But then I reached my full adult height of only 5'2" after gaining 2 inches between 6th & 7th grade, so went back to being one of the short ones. (Talk about an "Alice in Wonderland" type of transformation!) And I've been short, top-heavy (busty, buxomy, etc) & out of proportion ever since then.
No matter how much weight I've lost in the past, from the 180s down to my all-time adult low of 115lbs (for about a week in November 2001!), my breasts were always saggy & too big & heavy for my frame. So now I'm looking forward to finally being smaller & firm on top for the first time in my adult life. Hey, guess I needed to vent about all this the day before my breat reduction surgery. I think I have realistic expectations & hoping for the best. Wish me luck!
I wish you the best of luck tomorrow. Sorry I have no experience since I am way way at the other end, lol. But I hope your surgery goes well and you love your new shape.
Have fun shopping for all the cute tops that you couldn't wear before.
I had reduction surgery about 6 years ago, and I've never regretted it. The one thing that surprised me was the recovery time. It took a solid 4 weeks for me to start feeling normal again. (I know everyone's recovery time is different though...) Not being able to lift my arms and having to keep the incisions dry for the first few weeks was tough too. My procedure was out-patient, so I had drainage tubes for the first 2 days after the surgery. That wasn't very pleasant since I had to empty the bags and keep track of the amount of drainage. Overall though, I'd do it again in a heartbeat. (For me it was like childbirth: I forgot about the negatives once I recovered.)
I Posted in the other thread you started. Here's what I said there:
Welcome to the breast reduction crowd!! I had mine December 1st and I'm SO happy I did it. I have not been without complications, though, and I will say that it was more painful (for me) than I expected. Both the people I knew who had had it done had no pain (other than expected surgical pain) and were back to normal in days. So that's what I was expecting. For some reason, probably because I was too active early on, I developed a hematoma in my left breast. The hematoma (basically a collection of blood below the surface of the skin) caused swelling which in turn caused lots of pain. About 10 days ago, it began draining, first with a flood and now twice a day with a little bit. That's not painful at all (where it's emerging is basically numb) and the real pain ended when the draining started. So while the draining is a pain in the butt, it has helped with the pain. I think somewhere between 5 and 10% of people get hematomas.
Please plan to be very inactive for at least a week or even two. No lifting your arms above shoulder height, no picking up things off the floor (ie bending over,) no lifting anything over 8-10 pounds. It helps if you can sleep with your head elevated with pillows on either side of your arm so you don't turn onto your sides when you sleep. I just began being able to sleep on my side two nights ago and I'm SOOOOOOOO happy!! Also expect certain areas to continue to oozing for quite a while. Even after 27 days, where the incisions meet in a T below each breast hasn't closed up yet. It's getting there. It's a long recovery period. But OH SO WORTH IT!!!!!
You sound a lot like me -- way too developed early in life, stopped growing taller at a young age, 50 years old, no kids but boobs look like I'd nursed at least 4 or 5, struggle with weight all my life starting in childhood.
Things to be prepared for: ribs and sides under your armpits hurting more than you would think, oozing for a long time, get some mini pads to protect bras from the oozing, wait until after surgery to buy new bras because you don't know what size you'll be, prepare to be swelled and to wear a larger band size than you normally wear (ie if you're a 38 now, you may temporarily be a 42,) you might want to get some maxi pads to pad your bra beneath the band (I no longer need that,) prepare to have your boobs look different everyday for several months, and prepare for very perky boobs!!
There's a great forum for those of us who have undergone reductions and for those like you who are about to. Please join us there! The website is Breast Reduction Message Boards, Forums, Plastic Surgery, Cosmetic, Chats. On there I'm "Baltimore Boobs."
Best of luck to you!! I only wish insurance had agreed to pay for my surgery when I first looked into it 30 years ago!!
You will love it!!!!!!!!!! I'm almost 60 and had breast reduction three years ago. The scars fade and really who cares! I went from about a 44 D/DD to a 38 B, when my weight was down I was between an A and a B~~ Heaven. I hated to bounce when I walked, I hated four hooks on my bra, and padded stapes. My neck and back hurt. I am 5'2" also and I just felt like a square. It's so hard to find clothes that fit.
After having several knee operations I thought this was a breeze to recover from. It was one of the best decisions I have made. I wish I would have done it years earlier.
Two ladies at work had the same surgery. They took a month or so off of work. When they returned they were practically beaming now that they no longer had pain in their back and shoulders. One said she was glad to finally see where she was planting her foot when walking. Both said they used it as an excuse to go shopping (new bras). Oh, wait for the swelling to go down before buying expensive bras. Once the swelling goes down, then go get fitted for a bra. Proper fit will improve your look and feel. Look for specialty stores that offer a professional fitting service.
I recently talked to a lady in a bra store that had breat reduction, she had been in the DDD cup or larger. She said now she has no trouble finding bra's that fit and can wear nice clothes and is thrilled with the results. She said "Now, I FEEL normal"..
My son's step daughter is only about 5 feet tall and has those super large breasts and I see how the other kids pick on her, telling her she has had breats implants or stuffing her bra and wanting to know why.. or just making fun of her, it is sad what she has had to go through since elementary school.
GOOD LUCK with your surgery and recovery!
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(probably equivalent to 34C bra size at that time), I kept growing & increasing to a D cup by 12yrs old!
!! So by 7th grade, my boobs were already sagging with numerous stretch marks. From my adult perspective, it seems that the damage to my body by age 13 was similar to what adult women experience from numerous bouts of pregnancy/breast feeding, years of weight gain/loss, or from aging-- seems like my body was already "worn-out" by 13yrs old. Instead of looking like a cute young teenager, my body more resembled that of many women in their 40s or older: damaged & covered with stretch marks, often caused by being pregnant. Even now, in my early 50s, my body looks like it's been thru 10 pregnancies, but I've NEVER been pregnant & don't have any kids.
Newbie09......
At least you want her to stay healthy.
