Post by buckeyegirl on Mar 17, 2022 8:44:48 GMT -5
Has anyone had one? I started thinking about and doing a little research and it's not as expensive or as long of a recovery as I originally thought. I'm like a 32F. Not super huge but big enough that I can't walk into a store and typically find bras that fit. I would really like to buy clothes and not worry if my bust will fit. Has anyone here had this done? What was your all in cost? I don't think insurance will help. I have been going to a chiro for back pain for the last year but I doubt that's enough. How long was your recovery and would you do it again with your outcome?
Not me, but my sister had it done 2 years ago. She is very happy with the results. I wouldn’t write off the possibility of insurance not covering yet until you go get a consult from a plastic surgeon. She went to the consult and they pretty immediately said due to her back pain that insurance would cover a large portion. She was a 36DD I believe. I think she paid about $1500 all in? It has helped her back pain considerably, she is much more comfortable, and finding clothes is much easier. She had done a tummy tuck about 6 months prior, and said the recovery from the reduction was about a million times easier. She only needed pain meds for a couple of days.
I had a breast reduction in 2019 and it was the very best thing I have ever done for myself and I would do it again in a heartbeat.
I was able to get it completely covered by insurance, but it was kind of a pain. I had to submit documentation ahead of time and then had to submit an appeal after they denied it the first time. My insurance also required that a minimum amount of breast tissue be removed for it to be considered medically necessary along with the documentation of back pain, etc.
I went from a 36 G/H to a DD/DDD because that's all that my surgeon felt he could safely remove. I would have gone even a little smaller if it was possible, but I'm happy with how it ended up.
After surgery I was home from work for about a week and a half, if I recall correctly. Sleeping was the wort part for me because I'm a stomach/side sleeper, but I ended up using a ton of pillows to keep myself propped up and from rolling over. I slept best in a recliner for the first few days because I had drains that were uncomfortable, but they were the worst part and only really annoying and not painful.
My scarring around my nipples and on the underside (anchor shaped scars) have healed really really well and are barely noticeable. My surgeon did do an extended cut to get some of the "side boob" and I've had more trouble with those scars being red and raised, but that could just be my body's reaction.
All in all, best decision ever and would repeat even if I had to find a way to pay for it. I knew from the time I was 20 that I wanted a breast reduction once I was done with kids and breastfeeding. I just felt so out of proportion. I still feel like I'm kind of large at DD/DDD but it's way easier to find clothes now than it ever was before and I just FEEL better.
Post by liverandonions on Mar 17, 2022 9:37:55 GMT -5
Mine was in 2000, but i paid like $900 for anesthesia and maybe $1000 to the doc. He was about to get insurance to cover 80% and then he wrote off 80% of the remaining 20% (if that makes sense). The worst part of recovery was not being able to lift my arms so my shoulders got sore. Oh, and not showering 😁
I had a lollipop incision and they’re barely visible now.
I had one in 2019 and it was the best thing I’ve done for myself. I could have gotten it covered by my insurance but would have had a lot of hoops to jump through and didn’t want to do that. Due to breast size, pain, headaches, etc. I could have gotten it covered but that ended up not being our best option. My insurance required physical therapy and evaluations by at least two specialists before they would approve it and in the end they only had two doctors local to me that they would send me to. DH works in healthcare and wasn’t wowed by either doctor. DH consulted with his surgery director about who she liked from a professional/surgery perspective (best technique, takes their time, clean and smooth incisions and closures, fewest patients returning due to infections or complications) and she suggested the doc I used and one other.
I went from a 36I to a 34DD. Since I wasn’t using insurance they didn’t have a minimum weight of breast tissue that they had to remove so the surgeon was able to take his time and remove mostly the lighter, fattier tissue and leave more of the dense breast tissue. This made for a firmer breast that is less likely to break down over time.
My healing as rough the first few days because I can’t take Vicodin or Norco so I was left with prescription strength Tylenol which wasn’t nearly as helpful as the stronger stuff. Days 2 and 3 were pretty unpleasant but by day 4 I was feeling much better. I borrowed a recliner to sleep in and that was super helpful. My surgery was on a Thursday and dh was off for a week to stay home and help me. If we didn’t have kids he wouldn’t have needed to stay home that long but having four kids is a lot and I wasn’t ready for that until the week was up.
Our total cost was lower than most because DH was friends with the surgeon so we got a friends and family discount for the surgeons fee. The surgery center was still full price and I paid for pathology to check for cancer just in case. Since I was paying cash rather than using insurance I called the pathology lab’s billing company and they agreed to only charge me the Medicare rate which was a lot less. All told I paid a little over $6000.
I can buy any shirt I want, buy bras a regular stores, sleep on my stomach, exercise without wearing two sports bras at the same time, get through a whole day without a headache, wear a normal swimsuit, and I haven’t had to bother with and underwire in almost three years. It’s pretty awesome.
My insurance paid quite a lot with a doctor’s recommendation. It was not difficult to get it covered. I have high deductible so I paid about $3K. Recovery is rough, I won’t lie to you. The first few days I cried every night because it was painful. But after about a week, I was moving around pretty well and didn’t need pain meds. I was totally cleared for everything at 6 weeks. I could not wear a wired bra that entire time. I went to my coworkers wedding in a sports bra lol.
I wish so much I would’ve gone smaller. I was a 32H. They told me I’d be a C and even right after surgery, I was an F. 8 years later I’m back to 32H and I haven’t gained a lot of weight or anything. They just grew back 🤷🏼♀️. Granted, they are a very different shape. They don’t hang super low. My nipples regained sensation within a few months but it is deeply unpleasant to touch them now.
My biggest pieces of advice are 1. Go smaller than you think you should. These surgeons don’t know about actual bra sizes, so ask for smaller that what you actually want. 2. Wear the bra they send you home in as long as possible. I tried to put on a different bra too early and I bled some.
I’m glad I did it, but I do have some things I wish I could change.
I've always wanted a reduction but I'm not sure if mine are big enough to qualify. I'm a 32DD. I'd rather be a small/average C. I've never really looked in to it because I figured it was very expensive. The prices mentioned aren't bad though.
Post by buckeyegirl on Mar 17, 2022 11:29:49 GMT -5
Thank you everyone for sharing. A couple follow up questions? Did you lose sensation in your breasts? Is the scarring noticeable? How did you find a surgeon?
Thank you everyone for sharing. A couple follow up questions? Did you lose sensation in your breasts? Is the scarring noticeable? How did you find a surgeon?
See above for my nipple sensation. Actual lol.
The scarring faded to the color of my skin within a year. You can’t see them when I’m wearing a bra or bathing suit. The most noticeable ones are underneath my breasts so you really can’t see those.
I just googled surgeons in my area and saw a couple. I went with an older guy rather than the flashy young guy.
I had mine in 2009. Zero regrets. Bit of scarring is visible, but not while wearing a bathing suit. Zero loss of sensation in nipples. I mean after the surgery there was some sensitivity, but it went away.
"Why would you ruin perfectly good peanuts by adding candy corn? That's like saying hey, I have these awesome nachos, guess I better add some dryer lint." - Nonny
Were any of you asked to lose weight before your reduction? I'm a straight sized large/extra large, but I've always had big breasts even when much smaller. I'm currently a 34HH veering towards 34I. I have a history of an eating disorder and I wouldn't want to do it if losing weight was a requirement.
“With sorrow—for this Court, but more, for the many millions of American women who have today lost a fundamental constitutional protection—we dissent,”
Post by chilerellanos on Mar 17, 2022 14:12:31 GMT -5
I had mine done in 2002. I went from a 32J to about a 34 large C.
I was like, 22 then and they have grown to about a 32DD now, but have a nice shape, so even though they’re bigger I’m happy with them.
Insurance covered mine totally. It was actually super easy. I mentioned to the doctor about it, and he referred me to plastic surgery. I had a consult and they submitted it to insurance and it was approved SO FAST.
Like, they submitted it on say, a Friday and by Monday they were calling me to set up a date. It was overwhelmingly fast.
The surgery and recovery itself was a breeze. The first day or two I had a lot of swelling, it felt to me like when you’re really engorged.
I do have quite a bit of scarring around my nipples (the anchor scars) and they had to go back quite a ways to remove tissue, but Even so, still totally worth it.
I do have pretty good sensation. Actually I think the sensation is better post surgery, than pre.
Were any of you asked to lose weight before your reduction? I'm a straight sized large/extra large, but I've always had big breasts even when much smaller. I'm currently a 34HH veering towards 34I. I have a history of an eating disorder and I wouldn't want to do it if losing weight was a requirement.
Thank you all for your generosity in sharing.
I have been a size 16 since high school, so my surgeon never suggested weight loss because it had been steady. Insurance initially rejected it because of my "morbid obesity" but that was reversed immediately because I did not even qualify as obese based on BMI.
I had my surgery in 2005 and wore a 38DD (but only because that was all that was readily available at the time-I was larger). I was a C immediately after, but they settled into a D within a year and that's how I really learned I was never a DD. My only cost was for my prescriptions because I had met my OOP limits for the year. I stopped taking Rx pain killers after 3 days and that was a bad decision. The suture removal around the nipples was excruciating but my nipple sensation is about the same. I had a baby 3 years later, gaining and losing 80lbs and they stayed a D the entire time but the band went up and back down. They removed so much productive tissue, I never had any milk come in, but I had never planned on nursing.
If they grew back tomorrow, I would schedule a redo immediately. I would pay double out of pocket if I had too. I am an overweight mom in my 40s and I have better boobs than I did at 15.
I’m considering a reduction too, or at least a lift. I think I’m probably a 32H but haven’t really bothered to get fitted for a real bra for a few years since I’ve been pregnant or nursing for ~3 years. I’m currently waiting for my breasts to settle after weaning but am planning to start scheduling consults in a couple months. I saw my primary care doc about it a few months ago and the insurance approval process seems pretty straightforward.
“With sorrow—for this Court, but more, for the many millions of American women who have today lost a fundamental constitutional protection—we dissent,”
Since this thread is going so well, I hope buckeyegirl doesn't mind if I ask another question.
And I get this is sensitive so understand if there's crickets after this question ...
For those of you who have always been big breasted, what did your partner think about a reduction?
My husband is 100% supportive of anything I feel I need to do. I'm in no way worried about that ...
But in MY head, one of my features for the past 25+ years is my breasts - you couldn't miss em, and I don't necessarily minimize them. And yes, my DH has always enjoyed them. So... yeah, was that an adjustment? Or is it the case (that I think it might be) that for most people who don't have to carry them around every day, there isn't a huge difference between a C chest and an I chest...
“With sorrow—for this Court, but more, for the many millions of American women who have today lost a fundamental constitutional protection—we dissent,”
Post by underwaterrhymes on Mar 17, 2022 20:52:53 GMT -5
just I can’t speak on the other side of things just yet, but I’m scheduled for a mastectomy and reconstruction this upcoming Tuesday.
The very first question the breast surgeon asked me was “what is your relationship with your breasts?”.
Honestly, I was so glad she asked that because no one has ever asked me that before and it’s a lot to unpack. My breasts are going to be a lot smaller and although I’m doing nipple sparing, I’m going to lose all sensitivity. Her asking me that freed me up to talk about how much I love my breasts and to mourn them. I’ve talked a lot about it with my H, too, which was a huge part of the preparing I needed to do.
I feel about as ready as I can be for this, but I’m also trying to find a therapist because as much as I’ve thought about it, I’m sure there’s going to be a lot of feelings on the other side of this.
just I can’t speak on the other side of things just yet, but I’m scheduled for a mastectomy and reconstruction this upcoming Tuesday.
The very first question the breast surgeon asked me was “what is your relationship with your breasts?”.
Honestly, I was so glad she asked that because no one has ever asked me that before and it’s a lot to unpack. My breasts are going to be a lot smaller and although I’m doing nipple sparing, I’m going to lose all sensitivity. Her asking me that freed me up to talk about how much I love my breasts and to mourn them. I’ve talked a lot about it with my H, too, which was a huge part of the preparing I needed to do.
I feel about as ready as I can be for this, but I’m also trying to find a therapist because as much as I’ve thought about it, I’m sure there’s going to be a lot of feelings on the other side of this.
Thank you so much for your honest feedback, and I sorry that you're facing this issue in this way.
I do think the question is such an important one for women. I loved my big breasts when I was younger, it was absolutely part of my identity. But as I've become older, and put on weight elsewhere and especially since I moved to the US - they've become an esteem liability - even beyond a physical limitation.
Its interesting that you phrased your response from a 'you' perspective, even though I phrased it from a 'partner' perspective - because it is a 'me' issue.
Best of luck with the physical surgery, and then with the emotion 'other side' of the process. I'll be thinking of you on your journey - for what an internet stranger is worth.
“With sorrow—for this Court, but more, for the many millions of American women who have today lost a fundamental constitutional protection—we dissent,”
I generally find that people are a lot less observant than they think they are, but if you take time off, do you feel the need to address the change? How about friends - do you feel you need to mention it?
“With sorrow—for this Court, but more, for the many millions of American women who have today lost a fundamental constitutional protection—we dissent,”
It cost me $60 in 1999. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I wish the internet with so much information was around then. I used the same surgeon as a friend. I've never been happy with their shape (I had weirdly shaped breast before, too), but I'd still do it then. I went from a 40DD to a 40B and been there since. I have a huge rib cage for someone that is a size 12. 40 at lower weights, 40 at heavier weights.
just I can’t speak on the other side of things just yet, but I’m scheduled for a mastectomy and reconstruction this upcoming Tuesday.
The very first question the breast surgeon asked me was “what is your relationship with your breasts?”.
Honestly, I was so glad she asked that because no one has ever asked me that before and it’s a lot to unpack. My breasts are going to be a lot smaller and although I’m doing nipple sparing, I’m going to lose all sensitivity. Her asking me that freed me up to talk about how much I love my breasts and to mourn them. I’ve talked a lot about it with my H, too, which was a huge part of the preparing I needed to do.
I feel about as ready as I can be for this, but I’m also trying to find a therapist because as much as I’ve thought about it, I’m sure there’s going to be a lot of feelings on the other side of this.
Thank you so much for your honest feedback, and I sorry that you're facing this issue in this way.
I do think the question is such an important one for women. I loved my big breasts when I was younger, it was absolutely part of my identity. But as I've become older, and put on weight elsewhere and especially since I moved to the US - they've become an esteem liability - even beyond a physical limitation.
Its interesting that you phrased your response from a 'you' perspective, even though I phrased it from a 'partner' perspective - because it is a 'me' issue.
Best of luck with the physical surgery, and then with the emotion 'other side' of the process. I'll be thinking of you on your journey - for what an internet stranger is worth.
I think it’s natural to worry about our partner’s reaction. Something that has helped me is to sit with him and show him final results from my surgeon’s page as well as some of the varying ways I will look up until that point. He’s been incredibly supportive and loves me regardless of what my boobs look like, but I know this is a journey for both of us. We’ve had a lot of time to talk about it because I’ve been considering this for two and a half years now.
I definitely encourage plenty of open conversations. ❤️
And thanks! I’m in a really good place right now emotionally although I’m sure I’ll have my ups and downs.
Thank you all for sharing. I'd been thinking about it after my last kid in 2010, but I lost a bunch of weight and they went from 36DD to 34B. But I've gained some back and I swear it's all in my breasts, which are back up to 34DD. I hate how they look and how they make me feel.
But now we are living overseas and it makes me nervous to pursue. Your stories are giving me some courage.
I am thinking about doing it too. I am a 32G maybe probably more like a 30H, but I don't like my band as tight as they recommend plus I gained some weight and it all went into my boobs. I've already had kids and breastfed, so that isn't a concern anymore.
DH asked me if my breasts were part of my identity, and I was like no. They've always been large like a D when I was only 100 pounds as a 9th grader or something like that. But even if I go to a C/D they will still be big for my frame, they are just huge for my frame now since my ribcage is pretty small/ narrow and overall I am short and small boned even with my weight gain. It all went to my boob and my stomach for the most part, and that's part of the reason the boobs are such an issue now/ again. I'm not planning to lose weight because I don't think that will help because I will lose weight in my boobs last and my boobs were always big even when I didn't weigh that much.
Since this thread is going so well, I hope buckeyegirl doesn't mind if I ask another question.
And I get this is sensitive so understand if there's crickets after this question ...
For those of you who have always been big breasted, what did your partner think about a reduction?
My husband is 100% supportive of anything I feel I need to do. I'm in no way worried about that ...
But in MY head, one of my features for the past 25+ years is my breasts - you couldn't miss em, and I don't necessarily minimize them. And yes, my DH has always enjoyed them. So... yeah, was that an adjustment? Or is it the case (that I think it might be) that for most people who don't have to carry them around every day, there isn't a huge difference between a C chest and an I chest...
I know this is a weird question...
I listen to a podcast called Girls Gotta Eat and one of the co-hosts recently (I think in January?) had a reduction and talked about her decision making and her relationship with her breasts, how much they were part of her identity, etc. in a few episodes. Sometime last year they interviewed a friend of their who had a mastectomy and she spoke a lot about how her identity was tied to her breasts as well. Listening to those might be helpful, I can try and dig out episode numbers if you're interested.
As for your DH, hopefully he will support whatever decision you make, but I wouldn't let this influence your decision making too much. I have heard plenty of guys say they don't know why a woman would ever get a reduction, but they don't know what they're talking about. I'm in the middle of consultations for a tummy tuck and breast life and my H keeps telling me my boobs are fine, but for me it isn't as much about how they look naked but how I feel about them, how they look in clothes, and honestly I would like less underboob sweat.
Post by wanderlustmom on Mar 18, 2022 14:32:54 GMT -5
I had mine way back in 1995. Best decision I ever made. I needed drains and the recovery was hard for me for week or so, I was so tired also from the anesthesia. All these years later my breasts look great. I went from a 32DD to a 32C. My insurance only covered part of mine
Since this thread is going so well, I hope buckeyegirl doesn't mind if I ask another question.
And I get this is sensitive so understand if there's crickets after this question ...
For those of you who have always been big breasted, what did your partner think about a reduction?
My husband is 100% supportive of anything I feel I need to do. I'm in no way worried about that ...
But in MY head, one of my features for the past 25+ years is my breasts - you couldn't miss em, and I don't necessarily minimize them. And yes, my DH has always enjoyed them. So... yeah, was that an adjustment? Or is it the case (that I think it might be) that for most people who don't have to carry them around every day, there isn't a huge difference between a C chest and an I chest...
I know this is a weird question...
I listen to a podcast called Girls Gotta Eat and one of the co-hosts recently (I think in January?) had a reduction and talked about her decision making and her relationship with her breasts, how much they were part of her identity, etc. in a few episodes. Sometime last year they interviewed a friend of their who had a mastectomy and she spoke a lot about how her identity was tied to her breasts as well. Listening to those might be helpful, I can try and dig out episode numbers if you're interested.
As for your DH, hopefully he will support whatever decision you make, but I wouldn't let this influence your decision making too much. I have heard plenty of guys say they don't know why a woman would ever get a reduction, but they don't know what they're talking about. I'm in the middle of consultations for a tummy tuck and breast life and my H keeps telling me my boobs are fine, but for me it isn't as much about how they look naked but how I feel about them, how they look in clothes, and honestly I would like less underboob sweat.
If just isn’t, I am. Especially the episode where they interviewed the woman who had a mastectomy.
Post by SusanBAnthony on Mar 18, 2022 19:26:07 GMT -5
I'm a 32DD or DDD and I honestly didn't think that was big enough for a reduction. I thought I just needed a lift or something because they are like flipping tube socks. It is so uncomfortable and they shift around in sports bras and are just generally annoying.
However, vainly, I've gained weight in the stomach and if my boobs were smaller I'd look even more pregnant. So I'm hesitant to do it for that reason. Even though functionally I'd be totally happy being a B cup.
Also I don't really have any back pain. And I look pretty balanced because although my band size is 32, I'm just very narrow through the upper chest, my hips are big.