Breast Reduction

MonkeyGirl

lolly5648 wrote:

.......
Different areas have different criteria - in some you have to have a BMI of 25 or less and they wont consider you unless you lose weight. When you see your gp, preferably a woman, you should stress that you suffer from a bad back, have neck and shoulder pains, that it is painful to run and that psychologically it is affecting your life as you hate seeing yourself in the mirror and when you go out you imagine that everyone is looking at your breasts....

My BMI was 23 this is why I'm worried about the advice I was given. The other thing was it was a female dr and she didnt want to seem to listen. I did keep saying I was in pain with them although she didnt even examine them and still just keep saying it was due to my weight etc and I wouldnt qualify.

I still haven't plucked up the courage to go and seek a 2nd opinion but I will do as I cant keep gonig on like this.

Thank you to everyone who has replied you have restored my confidence a little and I will go for another opinon and let you know how that one goes.

MonkeyGirl

rchddap1 wrote:

I would also advise you to seek a second opinion. When you were told to loose weight, what did they say when you said that your BMI was in the healthy range, and by losing more weight you would then be unhealthy. If you want this then fight for it. If they say, no sorry, say why....when they give you the reason (ie, don't qualify), ask why

She didnt really say anything as it was her who told me my weight and BMI as I wasn't certain how much I weighed. When I asked her a bit later about the loosing weight thing she just turned round and said yes you must loose weight thats what other people will tell you so you may as well do it now.

blondie21

Go back to your doctor.I had a breast reduction 8 years ago on the NHS.I was told there was a 5 year waiting list but i went on it as i couldn't afford go go privately...but within 3 months i was sent a date for just a few months away.i had sores under my breasts in the summer with the heat and my back was always sore.and very depressed, i have never looked back.so go on the waiting list and start saving you wont regret it.u only get one life girl....live it. :j

Cat72

Good luck with your doctor please just pluck up the courage to go back to another doctor. Maybe take some advice what to say ie it is depressing you, effect your functions and way of life. As for losing weight that is rubbish I put on four stone last year ( due to medicine the doctor gave me ) I have lost most of the weight but my breasts have hardly reduced! I was a 36 b before I put on the weight and am now a 38 dd. Which depresses me, so I can only imagine how you feel. I am going to save up to get them reduced to their " original " size, so this thread has helped me to( i can afford this either so they might wither up before then ) .
PLEASE let us know how you get on remember doctors are there to work for us, not to dedictate to us. If you were not happy with the service in a shop you say, well docotrs are just the same but it is our health they are dealing with. Because we see doctors as intimidating we sometimes dont speak up, but we should thay are employed by us, but they are not superhuman and have bosses to answer too !
Let us know how you get on.

divadee

I have been to my Gp about getting a breast reduction and he was very helpful and honest.


If you say it is for psychological reasons then they may refer you to a psychologist for further evaluation and see what comes back from that. If like me it was for back and shoulder pain, they will do further tests to rule out a shoulder/back injury and probably send you for physiotherapy first as well. (this is what my doctor did and told me they do anyway). I saw a shoulder specialist who ruled out any underlying injury and said it was probably to do with breast size/weight. Then i saw the physio who did lots of treatments and exercises to try and build up the muscle in my shoulders to combat the pain, but that didnt work either, so now waiting to see the plastic surgeon and see what he/she says.

It is a long process, as the gp said to me if they refer you straight to the plastic surgeon he will just send you for physio etc.... so best to get that all over and done with and then go and see the plastic surgeon as a last resort.

Also it is a major operation, my gp let me a video of the operation and it has made me seriously think about it. Another thing, if you havent finished your family and want to breast feed that may be a problem in the future, as they have to detach the nipple and then reattach to the breast in the new position for it, which can damage some of the nerves and stuff. Also sensation they say can be seriously reduced.

Sory if this post sounds negative, but i was made aware of all the cons and if you can cope with them then you should'nt have any problems going through the operation.

HTH

Savvy_Sue

divadee wrote:

Also it is a major operation, my gp let me a video of the operation and it has made me seriously think about it. Another thing, if you havent finished your family and want to breast feed that may be a problem in the future, as they have to detach the nipple and then reattach to the breast in the new position for it, which can damage some of the nerves and stuff. Also sensation they say can be seriously reduced.

Sory if this post sounds negative, but i was made aware of all the cons and if you can cope with them then you should'nt have any problems going through the operation.

Oh DEFINITELY find out what you'll go through afterwards and DON'T BREEZE IT OFF thinking you will be OK! No experience of breast reduction, but very recent experience of being sliced about and stitched up afterwards - it Will Hurt Like Hell.

(Do not be deceived by the patient information leaflet. There's one on heart bypass surgery which basically says, we will cut your chest open for a considerable length of your torso, break a few ribs, grab some veins from your legs, poke around inside to install the veins from your leg inside your chest cavity, sew you back together internally, staple your ribs back and stitch you up again externally. "You may feel some discomfort afterwards." You may WHAT? Who writes this stuff???)

Mind you, if you're currently in pain and suffering then that goes in the other scale to balance it out. There will be an end to post-op pain. But don't underestimate how debilated you'll feel after a few hours under anaesthetic.

And get your blood pressure checked and under control before they offer you a date 10 days ahead.

lolly5648

I had a breast reduction six months ago and can honestly say it has never 'hurt like hell' and I have a very low pain tolerance. When I came round I had pain relief and although I felt tight and uncomfortable it didnt hurt.

I was given a weeks painkillers when I left hospital but stopped taking them after two days as I didnt need them. The only discomfort I had was where my bra chafed my skin as you have to wear a bra 24/7 for the first few weeks but there are lots of tricks to help with that.

If you really want it, go for it and dont let anyone put you off. I originally had a date last year but wasnt ready mentally but then regretted cancelling it so when I got my new date I was all prepared.

Good luck

soon2bjobless

I had a breast reduction done 9 years ago - my boobs were so big I was told the weight was pulling the top of my spine over and would end up in a wheelchair!!!

They took 5lbs away and I went down from a 46H (didnt make bigger cups in those days) to a 38c/d

I had a bad recovery - nearly lost a nipple and it took nearly 9 months to heal - and I would still go through it again if I had to!

It has made such a difference - no more back/neck ache, I can run without giving myself a black eye, no more sweat rashes or paying extortinate amounts for bras my granny wouldnt be seen dead in!

Savvy_Sue

lolly5648 wrote:

I had a breast reduction six months ago and can honestly say it has never 'hurt like hell' and I have a very low pain tolerance. When I came round I had pain relief and although I felt tight and uncomfortable it didnt hurt.

I was given a weeks painkillers when I left hospital but stopped taking them after two days as I didnt need them. The only discomfort I had was where my bra chafed my skin as you have to wear a bra 24/7 for the first few weeks but there are lots of tricks to help with that.

If you really want it, go for it and dont let anyone put you off. I originally had a date last year but wasnt ready mentally but then regretted cancelling it so when I got my new date I was all prepared.

Good luck

Yes, sorry I didn't mean to put people off especially as my recent experience is quite different, and in the past I've had much better pain relief after surgery. But someone did say it was major surgery, so you are in a better position if you are prepared, both mentally and physically, for recovery afterwards! Get your girlfriends lined up to offer practical support afterwards! (Pun not intended ...)

maggiesoup

Sorry beg to differ, as someone who has had the operation I was amazed at how little pain there really was and, believe me, I don't have a high pain threshold. Obviously the few days after the op is the worst but I can honestly say that it was discomfort rather than pain. For me the worse part was a couple of weeks later, getting the tiny wee stitches out from around the nipple because there's no pain relief and it's a little tender! But again, I wouldn't say it was so bad that its left a profound effect. Of course, everyone is different but I hope my experience helps .