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

[Questionablmouse]

I have absolutely enormous, heavy boobs. Last time I was measured (which is a couple of years ago now) I was a 36M. I'm five foot tall and while I'm overweight I used to be very active.

Now I have constant back, neck and shoulder pain so bad I was prescribed strong codiene, have stopped wearing underwired bras because even the properly fitted ones from Bravissimo were leaving my ribs in agony, and have to be extremely careful to keep underneath perfectly dry or I get sores. I can't sleep on my front without pillows under my chest and I feel like I'm suffocating on my back.

I had an appointment this morning with my GP and she was pretty dismissive, told me to exercise more to lose weight (I'm trying, but it genuinely feels impossible because I'm in so much pain even in a sports bra). I bought a bathing suit and tried swimming- my boobs escaped by the end of one lap on front of a packed pool which was incredibly embarrassing. I've lost almost two stone recently and my boobs haven't changed size at all.

I just want them gone and feel like they're smothering me! I wish private was an option but it's out of my reach unfortunately.

have you considered weight loss injections to see if you can reduce the size that way first, then if that doesnt work, you have got more evidence to try and qualify for surgery

https://www.imperfecthomemaking.com/breast-weight-calculators
so you are armed
my aunt was 5'4 and a amercan 36g
found a doc that this ,no backache no headaches
but she had to lose some weight before surgery
good luck

I am a 38LL I have a couple of swimsuits from Flirtelle - they provide excellent bra support for swimming (I go 2 x a week and also do aqua zumba too). My boobs have never popped out!

All breasts are made of breast tissue and fat. Some are nearly all breast tissue, some are nearly all fat. But most people will lose size to their boobs if they get down to a healthy BMI weight (some won't! No way to know until you lose the weight).

Also, aside from boobs, if you're overweight the weight of fat on your back, joints etc will add to aches and pains, making back pain because of breast weight even worse.

I'm really sympathetic to OP and she clearly does need a reduction to reduce her pain. However, she needs to lose weight before she qualifies for NHS surgery - and if she's lucky and carries fat on her breasts she might actually find they reduce too and she doesn't need a really invasive surgery with long recovery/potential for complications etc.

If she wants to pay privately she can get the surgery straight away. But personally I'd lose the weight first anyway, because it might solve the issue without putting my body through an invasive surgery.

How very odd that you, a complete stranger, think you know my breast size without so much as seeing a silhouette of me, better than I do.

The right fitting bra accounts for more than a simple measurement, such as the hanging measurement to consider volume, hence why the fit of different styles of bra, from different manufacturers or within the same band, varies so much.

But by all means, you carry on giving ill informed advice nobody asked for.