to want a breast reduction?

[Badabingy]

hello all

I have always had big boobs- when I was at uni I had them measured and they were 34F- before I got married i went to Selfridges and they measured them as a 30K!!!

The only nice things I can get to fit are from Bravissimo. Smock tops make me look pregnant and fitted tops make me feel self conscious. I am embarrassed to get undressed in changing rooms. I hate swimming and can't go running. I know that people think of me as the 'big boobed one': a colleague once told me that he had described me as nice and clever, with big boobs to my new boss (mortified) and in the pub people were describing another girl and said she had big boobs then looked at me and said but 'nowhere near as big as yours'. I didn't breastfeed as I was too self conscious about getting my boobs out- did it in private as long as I could but in the end just had to give up. Oh and in summer it's an nightmare- I am really itchy underneath my boobs and my straps dig in. I am round shoulder-ed as I have always hunched over to hide them.

Has anyone else had a breast reduction and how did you find it? What was the recovery time? I really wouldn't want to tell anyone that I am having it/have had it done as I feel to embarrassed- is this possible to get way with? This has beeen going on for years and years. i would love to have normal sized boobs and not be a freak show, being paranoid that people are looking at me.

Any thoughts and shared expereinces would be so welcome.

Thank you girls.

I was very, very lucky in that my parents paid for me to have it done. Could not get it on NHS. (Had lots of back pain and was weeping about it constantly!)

I must warn you ladies not to watch next weeks ep of 'The Hospital', which is set to feature doctors performing 'boob jobs' on the NHS 'at the expense of cancer treatment'.

Have people ever been told to just lose weight? I know about 5 years ago I managed to get down to a dd after I lost some weight. I'm probably about ten pounds heavier than that now but still a size 10. I've never broached it with doctors because I'm scared they'll just tell me to stop eating biscuits

YANBU to want one, at all. Please go discuss it with your GP, as far as I know different PCTs have different (stupid and arbitrary) criteria. It's very unfair to use cup size as a qualifier, since most "fitters" don't know their boob from their elbow, and I am currently about a J but IMO wouldn't deserve an NHS op as no back pain etc, whereas someone else could be an E or F and really suffering.

Recovery time varies for this type of surgery, but it is very major surgery and requires lots of rest and care. The results, though, are usually fantastic if you have a good surgeon. I used to work in breast care and reconstructions/reductions are amazing these days.

Morris have you a branch of Leia anywhere near you? I got a 34JJ and a 36J (diff sizes for diff styles as per usual) for about £16 apiece from there, staff were great and took the time to make sure I got a good fit.

You could say anything on the NHS is "at the expense of cancer treatment" couldn't you? Apart from cancer treatment itself of course. Just because the surgery is on the breast (boob job - yuk) doesn't mean it isn't a valid procedure.

tyler80 if you're a size 10 then I doubt weight would be a reason for you not to have the op

sadly I'm an 18 and definitely need to stop eating so many biscuits

I was still a E/F when I was a size 8/10 so not a weight thing. they go down a bit but nothing major

Hi All,

I have shared your (physical & mental)pain and can tell you all about the op in as much or as little detail as you want.

I was "endowed" with 34J bazookas and I hated them. I felt defined by them, in SO many ways. Like you, Badabingy, people would say "Oh, you're just like X described" (whilst staring at my norks.) I did play sport - with two bras - but felt SO self conscious that it ceased to be pleasurable many years ago.

Holidays? No thanks or yes if it's somewhere cold. I once missed a dear friends summer wedding because the only thing that I found to wear was a size 24 top from Evans... Slightly ridiculous over my size 12 bottoms. I even recall one night out where I used gaffer tape (the real stuff) to 'secure' my boobs.

I have had summers of under boob thrush and my ex-DH only saw my boobs in the (generous) flesh three times... I was drunk each time! I created a larger-than-life (gobby?) persona to be the only part of me that could be bigger.

Concerned about the length of my post now so I'll give the op details in another post...

Friend had to have a fairly healthy BMI - I think hers was around 26ish (i went to appointments with her) and our NHS (Lothian) had their cut off at either F or FF. She was never asked to lose weight though, although I think they asked her if losing weight had helped in the past (which it didn't!)

can I ask what PCT is? I'm a 32HH and my ginormous boobs really get me down, I hate them. I'd love a reduction but I'm so scared of any surgery. Also I'd be too embarrassed to get them out in front of my doctor ., When I breastfed my first baby my lovely HV said "christ you could feed the whole street with those". charming. comments like those you don't forget (and there's plenty aren't there)

hello everyone- thank you so much for all your comments. So nice to know i'm not alone (not that I ever was but you know what I mean) and also to hear about your expereinces those that have had the op.

I am going to take the plunge and make an appointment to see my lovely doctor... will report back!

I've had a breast reduction. Due to a congenital defect and something I put off for 18 years and saw 4 different consultants about it -each offering their own version - silicon implant, saline implant and reduction. The surgeon that I went with eventually, I'd actually resigned myself to an implant but he gave me the pros and cons of each op and then sent me away for 3 months to decide. I changed to a reduction.

When I came round after the op, I couldnt believe I'd been so scared all these years (I'd to do alot of 'hiding') and wondered why I hadnt done it sooner.

I was in hospital 2 nights and off work for 2.5 weeks. There is alot of arm restriction and cant wear wired bras for 6 months to let scars heal.

It was done on the NHS as it was a defect being corrected (one substantially bigger than the other) But at the end of the day - if it aint broke, dont fix it.

Primary care trust - the people who run the health service in your area

I did lose weight once (was trying to reduce myself generally. Went from a 36DD to a 30FF!!! Now I'm veering into 30G

They have stopped growing since I stopped the pill - but now I'm TTC. Can't win... I am definitely up for a reduction later on. Oh, to be a C!

ssd, those kind of comments piss me off; on a ra-ra-ra weekend my t-shirt had "TIGBITS" on the back. "Fuck off" said I, "I am not wearing that, unless you all have TWUNT empblazoned on yours."

Badabingy, I'll regale you with the pre- and post-op details later. I'm on the train and can no longer plonk me melons on the table to hide the screen and the ARSEHOLE NEXT TO ME IS READING THIS.
Toodle-pip

Shineoncrazydiamond - I also had a baby after the op. And they did droop a bit but I'm still v happy.
I've heard of other women who've docs said only to have op after you've had all your dc but mine didn't.

Benign - I felt like you did, ie 'oh to be a C'. It feels as good as you imagine. I'm wary to encourage anyone to have surgery, but nowawdays it's fairly routine and has an amazing success rate (emotionally as well).

Just wanted to say, anyone considering paying for a reduction privately - ask your GP for the names of NHS PLASTIC SURGEONS in your area, particularly ones that specialise in breast reconstruction, and find out where they do their private practice, rather than going to a cosmetic surgery clinic on spec, where the surgeons may not be as experienced or talented at doing reductions (there's an art to it, and they're a bit trickier to do than enlargements, which tend to be the bread and butter of commercial clinics).

tell him to eff off Quiz!

At my first GP when I asked to be referred he didn't even ask to see them. Just asked some questions - asked my weight and height (but didn't check them), asked cup size - I showed him the deep grooves in my shoulders and he already and records of the physio referral I'd had.

Next I heard was 8 months later when the consultants secretary phoned to say my surgery was scheduled for 3 weeks time (assuming my consultation confirmed everything I'd told the GP). So only had to get breasts out once before surgery and that was for the surgeon. Oh, and so they could be photographed for their records (slightly embarrassing!).

Well I'm a 34 K and have been suffering for years. It's so bad sometimes I can't even breathe in bed at night time and I get unbarable stitches even when sitting still. I have massive gouges in my shoulders where bras dig in which will never go away.

I've been refused by the our NHS PCT because my BMI was over their required 26 (I couldn't get below 26.5 when I lost as much weight as I could.) they wouldn't even see me for a consultation. The sad thing is at that time if I hadn't had the extra stone of tit I would have had the required BMI.

Sexist much? I was going to be taking action against them for being sexist wankers with the backing of my GP but then got pregnant again and the whole thing has started again!

Blimey and I thought I had problems, Im a 38DD, a size 18 top.
Im a size 12-14 depending where I buy my jeans/skirts from So top heavy as well.
Mine 'suddenly' grew when I got pregnant!

I too dislike fitted tops, & also tend to wear a lot of smockish type tops, but as someone else said that can make it look worse,
I do like those sort of A line-ish type of tops, it hides my 'mummy tummy' and I feel comfortable.

Hello, I had a boob reduction 10 years ago - and I am so, so glad I did. I can't remember how big they were, but I did keep one of my old bras and each cup fits nicely on my head .

I had rashes inbetween and under my boobs, sore back, I couldn't exercise, people seemed to think that because they were over "standard" boob size they were public property and could be pointed at and commented on at all times. I wore boring black tops and often went home early from nights out because someone had said something to make me feel self-conscious and miserable.

I could have got the op on the NHS because I have a small frame and my boobs were really out of proportion - they did say that had I been overweight I'd have had to lose weight first before becoming eligible for NHS treatment. However I was super-impatient, and very very lucky that my lovely dad paid for me to go private (what he actually said was "I'll give you half the money, get one done and if you like it I'll give you the other half ). It cost £3k 10 years ago.

As I said, best thing I ever did. I told people about it afterwards if I didn't think it would embarrass them - otherwise I just didn't mention it. I was able to start exercising properly, and felt much better, healthier and happier. I asked for a C cup, and they turned out to be a DD, but it was such a huge improvement I couldn't have cared less. During my pregnancy they got massive again, and I'm still an F now, but I'm hoping they'll magically shrink down again - the same way my belly is going to disappear any day now, with minimal effort on my part .

Sorry - such a long post. In summary - it's not an understatement to say it changed my life, and made it much much better!

Oh, and the scars - yes I have scars. But you choose who sees the scars - everyone can see your massive knockers!

I wrote a reply for this but it's been deleted! I don't think it was offensive but it's definitely not here now