We’ve all had breast reductions - happy to help

[Madagascary]

Setting up as thread 2 is now full here

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/AMA/4876452-weve-had-breast-reductions-ask-us-anything?reply=134967968

props to @bigtitsbettyforgotherpassword And all who contribute.

I worked nights to save up for my daughter to have hers. She’s only 22 and I hope to christ they don’t grow back. The first thing she said to me post op was that she could breath more easily, as she no longer had the weight on her chest. She now wears clothes that fit. The bras don’t cost me a fortune, and every day we are happy because she is. Best thing ever.

menopaise definitely doesn’t help. My mum
has similar shape and so regrets now at 86 she didn’t have it done

Thanks for sharing your experiences I too am early 50s and a lifetime of all those experiences mentioned by others it actually made me teary reading it and thinking yep.
How do you cope with the recovery as it sounds like it’s quite long? Can you take sick leave from work or do you need to use lots annual leave? What’s the wait time like if private and how oftern do you to go have post Op check ups? I’m in the SW & not sure there’s many local choices?
I do work from home most of the time so I could have an “easier” couple of weeks but I drive every day with the kids for various “mum taxi” duties.

sorry another question do you need to be under a certain BMI to get it done I bet I fail that one as im sooo short despite being really fit my bmi is 31 ..thanks menopause I just can’t shift it swear my metabolism is f**ked.

Two weeks off work, and hardly any wait privately, a few months I think for mine because I wanted to work around travel. I’m not sure about BMI but completely agree with @Madagascary that exercise is easier after - I’m now doing so much more than before.
I mainly wfh too but you need a couple of weeks, I had surgery on the Tuesday and went back two Mondays after (so 9 days off plus weekends) and was a bit tired but ok. You’re up and about pretty quickly afterwards. I’m mid 40s (surgical menopause a few years back) and this is nothing like my hysterectomy recovery, much easier.

@Madagascary Thanks for starting a new thread. It’s moved so quickly.

20 months since my surgery. 34E which is much better than GG/H. If I wasn’t over weight it be much better too! (For those that don’t want to read two whole other threads I was 48 and surgically post menopausal and I had to pay privately).

I didn’t have any pain at all. I was just so fed up of not getting clothes to fit and looking like I was just showing off my boobs. I felt that if someone was describing me it would be the first and probably only thing they could think of.

That’s such a shame he treats you like that. That would be the last time he got to touch or look at my boobs.

My husband loved my boobs but was really respectful of what I wanted. It took him a good few months to feel comfortable with them again afterwards. He was very scared of hurting them. I didn’t let him see them when they were scabby. I didn’t want to put him off them.

The breathing easier thing- totally agree with that, even tho chest is currently very tight. I would have to sit holding up my chest of an evening just to be able breathe freely for a bit. I am not bothered about possible scaring or potential lack of nipple sensation. I just feel so much more FREE! And being able to fold your arms under your boobs - fabulous 😉

Me too. Mine did offer to do a follow up, in room surgery to make them a bit smaller. But I really didn't want to do anymore surgery. And now they're very big again because I've gained weight in the intervening 20 years. I wish I'd taken him up on that offer.

@CatLadyLegal I don't think your Dh gets a say. It's your body, not his. Does he also choose your hair style or colour?

I get that he finds it uncomfortable - it's like DH doesn't like the idea of any sort of filler or botox. I haven't done any, but if I did, he doesn't get a say although I apprecaite if he doesn't like it.

The amount of partners who have no clue their partners have Botox …😁😁

@JellyCakeswim I’m SW fine to message me 👍

I asked my GP yesterday whether the NHS might give me a reduction. She said no chance. I’m 63, the consult was about blood pressure and breathlessness. Usual recommendation to lose weight and do more exercise. I am reasonably fit, but I exercise less because sometimes I just can’t be bothered with double bra-ing or it’s just awkward / uncomfortable. Swimsuits cost a fortune and are transparent within a few months.

I’m a 32JJ. Not particularly small anywhere else (size 12/14 in trousers) just small ribs I think.

Reading so many of you saying you are exercising more, is it worth another try do you think? Different doctor maybe?

i think only one person on these threads got one though the NHs

all the rest of us paid.

@Madagascary bugger. But thank you.

I had mine in 2005. Loved them afterwards.
They're pretty big again now as I'm a chubby old lady. I'm not bothered these days as they're aren't out of proportion now.
My scars aren't noticeable unless I really point them out.

For me reduction was 100% a quality of
life issue. I’m pretty sporty/ active & my boobs never stopped me but smaller ones that don’t hang off me make everything better! As I’ve said loads before the Uk breast reduction groups on Facebook have lots of people who have had/ are having NHS reductions. But the criteria are strict, it’s a bit of a postcode lottery & you cld be waiting a very long time …. Yes it’s expensive to go private but health is the one thing in life that it has to be worth finding the money for IMHO (lots of finance options & some people very successfully going to Prague/ other countries to have much cheaper surgery, although I wldn’t personally have wanted to do that).

Sorry I've not caught up, I'm back home, ended up collapsing and having emergency surgery and a couple of pints of blood. I'll fill in the blanks later but have a drain in one now. Just thought I'd let you know I'm OK.

I had a reduction earlier this year and was concerned about bmi which was the same as yours. The surgeon said it wasn’t a problem. I partly wish he had of told me to lose a stone first which would have given me a kick up the arse to lose some weight 😂

@RedWineIsFine phew … take it easy, glad you are home, rest up.
meant to say @Summerdew yes … all of those reasons, thanks for saying it … women with small/ no tits have literally no idea what a blight it is & how it dominates … in all senses … your life.

Here to ask questions please if that's ok?

45. In peri, and aware I am looking more am more matronly. Am size 12/14 so not huge but have 32H/34GG boobs. Been an F cup or greater since my teens even when I was 9 stone something.

Got the shoulder grooves, pain and sick of feeling frumpy and just hate them

I know NHS is never going to happen but wondered how much I should look at aiming to save? I would so love to get them smaller and uplifted back to where they were once upon a time pre-kids!!

For those that went private how much did it cost?

im desperate in the future to get this done, the back pain, the faff finding bras, skin issues with them.

Oh yes, the sweat rash/fungal infections in the summer. £39 a bra for ones I find comfortable and actually seem to fit

Looked for a decent swimming costume this week, £75!!!!

Hate it.

My procedure would have originally been £10k, no overnight stay, but I ended up having to go with an alternative surgeon, recommended by the first, as I had other issues that an anaesthesiologist would need to take into account, so needed larger hospital and more potential back up if, in the 0.2% chance something went wrong. I needed overnight stay, so ended up being £12k. I had been quoted £8ish to have it with one of the uk big national plastic surgery companies, and £4-6k to do it abroad but did not want to risk anything going wrong and being in a different country. It’s a LOT of money, but I don’t spend any money on make up, or clothes, never have, so for me, at 51, this was the time to spend saving's on me, for my future. And it has been worth every penny.