Nhs breast lift? Anyone had one?

[rosygirl14]

Hi everyone, the title says it all. Has anyone had a breast lift on the nhs?
I understand the NHS is completely stretched to capacity and underfunded, but I know in some cases people have been granted one.

For some context - I’m 21 years old. I had a baby a year ago and due to pregnancy, breast feeding and weight gain / loss I have been left with what I can only describe an elderly woman’s breasts.
They are so embarrassingly awful. My breasts hang well below my waist, I can pull them outwards and fold them. When sitting they hang below my belly button. My nipples hang directly at the floor, and in bras all you can see is all the excess wrinkly skin at the top. I was a D before, and now I can barely fill a B cup.
My mental health has been affected by this so much, it’s ruined my relationship, and whatever self esteem I had left after having my son. I’m so depressed by the state of these and ashamed my body is this way at 21 years old.

No Sussex absolutely will not.

@rosygirl14 I have very big breast, when I was not much older then you I was having back problems and asked my GP about breast reduction. I was recommended NOT to have any surgery until after I had completed my family as things do change a lot.

So the question being is your family complete? I doute you would actually get it on the NHS now anyway, so you wouldn't want to spend £1000's on surgery only to need more later if you have more children.

I would ignore those. My sister has had two different operations that would be classed as cosmetic once she explained the effect on her MH. She's still got MH issues tbf but at least the things that were really bothering her have been fixed.

She lives in Sussex.

I work in theatres in a trust that covers Surrey and Sussex. I don't think either county would fund a breast reduction and never heard of anyone having this procedure in all the years I worked there. Sussex don't even fund varicose veins. Sorry to say I don't think you will get far.

Thank you!

Ignore that! She's in Surrey. Not Sussex

I needed a hysterectomy recently as I had large fibroids and massive flooding which made my periods hell. Couldn't get it on the NHS. Went back to my home country, got it privately.

I think plastic surgeons are very unreliable. Some of the things you describe, such as stretch marks and a non-sleeping baby, are fairly normal.

@MigGirl

I had a breast reduction on the NHS when I was 18.

I'm now 37 and pregnant with my first child - those 19 years of smaller breasts really were worth the surgery!

Op paying tax from 16 -21

you understand that everyone pays more tax than just appears on a payslip yes?

My boobs were absolutely decimated after 3 pregnancies and 3 sets of breastfeeding. It’s baffling to me when people say after a while their volume came back, mine are like empty flaps that sit against my body! I tuck them into my bra, they don’t just sit in them like other boobs must do!
It bothered me for years but I’m nearly 40 now and am finally at peace with them. I suspect that if I’d had them ‘refilled’ then I would have fixated on something else. And then something else and so on. Glad I saved my money. My area don’t fund for this.
None of us know what your gp will say, all you can do is ask but it looks like you’ll have to fund it yourself if you want it doing.

@MigGirl

Also my mum had her breast reduction (again NHS) at 16, way before she had me. And her breasts really never changed much during pregnancy. They stayed smaller

If you want a breast reduction I really wouldn't wait, it's absolutely life altering

I really doubt you will get funding for this but your GP may be able to offer other help for your MH issues.

@Cornettoninja
Do you understand how much it actually costs the NHS for every birth? Even a high paying tax payer would pay anything like that amount...Certainly not a 16-21 year old.

Have a google on how much Americans pay in health insurance, and how that often doesn't even cover the cost of ongoing meds. If Op can't afford a 6 k operation, she's never going to fund private medical insurance.
If the NHS can't cope, and it can't, we will be forced to go private/semi private in the future..that will mean children not getting basic treatment..and it certainly will not fund any cosmetic improvements.
One of my children had conjunctivitis last year..do you know the NHS will not provide the medicine for free? I could pay for it, but I was very angry that it's not available to low income families. What If you can't afford the £6, do you just have to let them suffer?

But I totally get what the GP said to me at the time, it was only 4 years before I had kids. My boobs increased massively when I was pregnant I almost went off the size chart. All that good work would have been undone and due to the size/shape I would have needed the nipples moving which may have ment issues breafeeding which was really important to me.

Luckily good physio fixed the pain issues I was having.

Absolutely LOL at the posters who think breast surgery is impossible to get on the NHS yet mental health treatment and therapy is freely available - just ask your GP! I know more women who've had NHS cosmetic treatment than women with serious mental health issues get the right support.

Sorry you've got some horrible responses OP. People pretend like the NHS doesn't make completely random or political, geopraphical and ideological about what treatments are funded and what aren't - regardless of whether they're essential or not (my local trust does homeopathy). If you rocked up at your GP and told them you were really a man, they would be falling over themselves to get you to an NHS funded breast surgeon.

@MigGirl

Ah yeah if you wanted to breast feed then totally understand you.

My breasts haven't changed at all this pregnancy - maybe even gotten smaller? I wonder if, because the surgery cuts the milk ducts up that's the reason mine and my mums breasts didn't get affected by pregnancy

Whatever contribution is still a contribution. I suppose you’d have an issue too if I claimed benefits and didn’t pay towards the tax payer? (Not that there is anything wrong with claiming benefits whatsoever).

@dorry678 i don’t need a lecture thanks. I’m well versed in the NHS and its funding vs private models.

conjunctivitis doesn’t automatically require treatment, which is usually only symptomatic at the first stage and will clear with or without symptomatic medication with regular cleaning. Obviously if it didn’t improve with time and hygiene an impoverished parent would take their child back to the GP. I don’t think you need to fret about anyone.

Anyway, any ladies on here who have had a breast lift privately whether in the UK or abroad - can you recommend a surgeon? Thank you xx

Op, it won't fix how you feel, but have you gone for a good bra fitting. I think you see yourself worse than you are, as you can't be a B but your breasts be at your waist. I hate my breasts and never let my husband see them, so I always wear a bra.

I really feel for you Op and it sounds like you’ve been having a really tough time. My boobs were the same, horrific after pregnancy and then I lost weight to try and feel good and they were even worse. I could fold them up. I waited 5 years to see if they would improve, nope. So I know what you are experiencing. I saved up and took out a loan for the uplift and reduction and it was the best, nothing to suggest other than that but just wanted to say I know how much boobs can ruin you self esteem and confidence, I hope you get the treatment you need.

Patrick Malucci did mine, in London you can google him and info is all there

There are some truly awful people on this thread, I'm so sorry OP.
A breast reconstruction after a mastectomy is cosmetic. Do people feel that shouldn't be provided either? Or only to those who've paid an acceptable amount of tax?

OP, I hope this thread has given you the courage to make that GP apt. Good luck.

Yes I have and was measured at a 36B. I definitely am as I have C’s and D bras too and the gap on those are awful. I’ve got some new bras but because of the excess skin, it just pushes it all to the top so looks like I have very wrinkly cleavage from where my boob folds into it self when in a bra. Hence the need to wear tops that completely cover my chest and above! I’m so sorry to hear that, it’s an awful feeling and one I know too well!x

@Cornettoninja then why are you suggesting the 16-21year old has paid enough in? I doubt she even covered the midwife!

If you are so well versed in the horrors of private/free healthcare you would totally tell OP the realities of taking from the NHS. An NHS that can't provide for seriously sick people.

OP, a contribution is nice, but grow up! You can't afford private health care, you can't afford a private boob job. There's a very good reason your trust doesn't fund you..it needs the money for more important things. Unless you want to start paying thousands every year for private health care (which would not fund a boob job) accept you are very privileged to have free health care for you and your child.