To think I *do* need a breast reduction for medical reasons?

@Questionablmouse this was me in my 20s. Also 5’ 0. Mine were pretty much as you’ve described yours. At that age though they weren’t yet a health issue it was more the fact that they made me extremely self conscious and the final straw was when I lost a considerable amount of weight and they were still there. To my dismay they didn’t really alter at all. To have lost any more would have made me underweight so didn’t let people gaslight you into thinking you’re eating more than you are or weight loss is the answer as it’s not!

I had my surgery done privately at 28 and fortunately was in FTW so could pay for it. Changed my life as could finally wear just normal tops like my peers.

Im sorry you’re going through this and that your doctor was so dismissive. I used ChatGPT for what your next steps could be and have pasted the below for you:

1. Request a Second Opinion within the NHS
She has the right to ask for a second opinion under the NHS.

• She can either ask her current GP to refer her to another GP or specialist for a second opinion.
• If that feels uncomfortable, she can register temporarily or permanently with another GP practice and discuss her symptoms there.
• You can do this by contacting a different GP surgery directly — they’ll usually take on new patients or provide temporary registration if she’s in the same area.

2. See a Different GP in the Same Practice
If her current GP is dismissive, she can ask to book an appointment with a different doctor in the same surgery.

• Most practices have multiple GPs, and some may be more experienced or understanding about issues like macromastia (very large breasts) and its impact on back pain, posture, or skin problems.

3. Document Symptoms Clearly
It helps to go in with:

• A list of symptoms (e.g., back, neck, shoulder pain, rashes under the breasts, restricted exercise, mental health impact, etc.).
• Notes on how long it’s been happening and how it affects daily life.

4. Ask for an NHS Referral for Breast Reduction Assessment
If the symptoms are clearly health-related (not just cosmetic), she may be eligible for an NHS-funded breast reduction.

• Criteria vary by Integrated Care Board (ICB) (previously called CCGs).
• Usually, she’ll need to demonstrate physical symptoms and attempts at managing pain (e.g., physiotherapy, weight management if relevant, supportive bras, etc.).
• The GP can refer her to a specialist or breast clinic for evaluation.

5. Patient Advocacy and Support
If she feels dismissed or unheard:

• She can contact PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service) at her local NHS trust for help resolving concerns and ensuring her health issues are taken seriously.
• NHS England and Healthwatch can also advise on how to get fair treatment and access to care.

6. Charity and Support Options
While not replacements for NHS care, organisations like:

• Breast Cancer Now (they have a helpline and resources for all breast health issues)
• Macmillan (if relevant for general support navigating healthcare)
• can help her find information and advocacy resources.

Have you tried weights rather than cardio for exercise? Might be easier as you can sit on weights machines to do legs and do seated weights for arms. Building muscle means you increase your metabolism which is important if you suspect you have PCOS as that can bring insulin resistance. I also like a low GI/higher protein diet - makes me feel full for longer. So I skip breakfast to help with intermittent fasting and then have a lateish brunch at say 11.15 - it is high protein so a portion of baked beans on a slice of gammon or a couple of eggs on a slice of smoked salmon or a couple of rashers of bacon. Or just a couple of hard boiled eggs. As I've had brunch I don't need lunch. Then I'll have a high protein dinner so a chicken breast or salmon steak with 2 green veg and some greek yoghurt and berries or pomegranate seeds.

You need to account for drinks (milk in tea etc), butter, condiments any little “snacks”, weigh out your food don’t guess.

Fucks sake. Clearly not OP or you wouldn’t be 16 stone. I was feeing sorry for you but actually you need to take accountability for your health and get down to the right BMI to have safe surgery.

Bloody hell, OP. I feel for you. I’ve got absolutely beestings for breasts and your scenario sounds absolute agony.

Could you afford a private ultrasound of your breasts to find out how much is breast tissue versus fat. If a high percentage of the former, then you can prove that losing XYZ weight isn’t going to make ABC difference.

Are you actually measuring what you eat? Often it's the detail that's the issue. Generally, there has to be a calorie deficit and that means either reducing carbs (low carb), reducing fat (low fat) or reducing portion size (low calorie). It's the only way. When I had got a bit over my ideal weight, I was happy to do a MN low carb bootcamp. My personality is that I'm quite all or nothing, so I'm happy to completely cut out a food group but hate partially restricting how much I eat of it. DD2 needed to lose a significant amount of weight and she feels genuinely miserable if she can't eat pasta. So she chose Slimming World. Pasta and potatoes are unlimited because it concentrates on fat reduction. She lost 10kg in 4 months and now she's maintaining with a fairly normal diet. In a month or two she'll go back to fairly good compliance with SW to target the other 10kg.

If you have possible PCOS, have you noticed if losing weight has helped? My friend found that limiting carbs helped her symptoms. It’s great that you’ve lost 2 stone and I agree that your diet is more important than exercise at this stage.

If you really are in a calorie deficit then you need to see the gp as there’s something else clearly going on. Track EVERYTHING you eat for a few weeks and then revisit him. Unless you’re VERY sedentary you should be losing weight on around 1800 calories a day.

if you’re still losing weight, you don’t need to change anything, just keep going. It’s great that you’ve managed to lose 2 stone.

I was a 34K. I was a stone and a half overweight. Crippled with back and neck pain.

I had one in 2016 on the NHS. Lost 1/2 a stone immediately.

I rarely get any pain now. It was transformative. It took about 18 months to fully subside. Now I’m a 34 D

I’m sure, but said you were 5 foot tall in your OP.

Even at 5’6, at 16 stone, it’s likely that you can reduce your breast size getting down to a healthier weight.

Exercise has a very minimal affect on weight loss. It’s 90% down to diet. I can put weight on (and did) marathon training. Exercise might play a part if you were exercising at high intensity for 16 hours a week but most of us do barely 5 or 6. And if we were exercising at that level we’d almost certainly be keeping to a particular eating plan to sustain that.

respectfully op, weight loss seems the be the way forward, at least initially. If you get down to a healthy weight and still in significant pain then a reduction (and the anaesthesia required) would be much safer.

Either 5ft or 5ft 6in doesn't make much difference. A BMI of 36 or 43 is still going to make surgery high risk.

Weightloss is to do with the calories you eat. You can't exercise off many calories (exercise is good for other reasons) unless you're a big man or an athlete where your whole job is intense activity.

You can lose weight with diet alone, which it seems you are doing. I suppose your doctor just wants you to wait it out and see if the boobs shrink enough to not need to spend NHS money on surgery.

If they don't and you continue having such problems, yes you do have a medical need. But they're not going to readily agree whilst there's still stuff you can do yourself - i.e lose more weight

You have grown a whole 6 inches since your OP.

My back size is 30 and my BMI is 26, so I wouldn’t think 36 is incompatible with obesity.
I’m a 30K. I have found that weight training helps a lot with the back pain, in case that’s something that might help someone.

Keep insisting OP. they can do it and I know a few people that have had it done. Just don’t let up.

regarding your weight, 5ft and 16 stone is really big so if you did lose weight your boobs would likely go down eventually. 2 stone isn’t significant right now. Have you tried the jabs?