appt with GP re breast reduction tomorrow. Have so much hope stored up. What should I emphasise? Physical or psychological issues?

[Piffle]

basically
size 8-10
30HH boobs
no more kids as have 3 supremely good specimens in situ
Good bmi etc
have shoulder neck pain constantly, dents in shoulders, fungal rashes. Plus v self conscious as on my frame (boyish) they look quite frankly, comedic.
So am falling on nhs to save me...
zero vanity involved in this tbh
am anxious and fear tears may flow as want this soooookooo badly

Message withdrawn

actually my sister has big thighs too whats that about?

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ive been focusing on my slender hips and thighs... Meanwhile suspending the hanging gardens of Babylon from my dainty neck and shoulders...
the slim thighs are not enough on their own and paired with these mahoosers well its not right your honour...

I'd love bigger boobs.

I have a 34a on atm and its gapping FGS.

not big like mahhhhhooooooosive though.

just enough to fill a bra would be good

Piffle, I hope your appt went ok.
Have skimmed thread.

I am sure you have thought of this, but when you get your reduction consultation, can you take with you the bra you'de like to fill neatly.

I've fitted women (am a bra fitter) whose expectations weren't managed by their surgeons and who thought they were a G cup, asked for a D cup then came to see me for a new bra wardrobe after the op and were distraught to find that they were a G cup now, and had been a J+ cup but hadn't been fitted correctly, and their surgeon didn't understand how bra sizes - back:cup ratio worked.

It sounds like at 30HH you are on the ball in that dept, but IME they need to be shown what you want to be. (does that make sense)

Best of luck x
(32H)

ve heard nhs don't always do by size but take off enough to make you comfy. If thats the case I may wait til I can
n afford private as being left with an E of F cup will still be horrendous. I know from the past that even at dd they looked v large on my frame
fingers xd

Did your Dr say how long the waiting list is?
I heard recently that no NHS waiting list should be longer than 5 months long. A mate of mine is nearly 18 and desperate to have a reduction, she is 8-10 and a 30J/JJ hates her shape. But the Dr will not put her on the waiting list until she is 18. She is devastated and is basing her whole life around this operation.

Lizzzombie, I was on the waiting list at 18 and waited 18 months but that was a long time ago. I am still a 30E but with my size 10 frame and fat arse, it looks fine. I was a 30C after my op, but have gained a bit of weight since I was 19 and had 2 kids.

Hi, all. May I add GP perspective: totally unscientific straw poll amongst (female) GP colleagues revealed a lot of sympathy for those burdened with overgenerous assets, the trouble they can cause and women seeking to do something about it.

Piffle, certainly a good idea to go in there with a reasonable BMI, otherwise GP will be forced to tell you to lose wt before referral. Referral guidelines vary from health board to health board; I am only familiar with Scottish/Lanarshire arrangements.

Be realistic what a breast reduction can do: bring your shape into proportion, stop horrible rash (Canesten HC v good unguent by the way), make you feel better about yourself, allow you to by "normal" tops like anybody else. It is, oddly, less likely to improve backpain, there are studies out about this, but preg brain and not being at work computer does not allow me to quote anything, sorry, .

I my experience is it only honest to also say how your boobs affect you psychologically/emotionally but do not overdo it: if the psychologist everybody up here has to see before they have procedures considered to be "cosmetic" under the NHS(breast reduction/enlargement/ tummy tuck mainly)gets the impression that the person has unrealistic ideas about what surgery can do for them ( DH/DP will be nicer/come back/want more sex/want less sex/job will be better/boss will be nicer/ life in general will be better if only I have this surgery etc etc), they will be declined.

From my professional experience, all ladies who have posted on this board today, seem to have a good case, but as I said, rules and protocols vary considerable depending on where you are - post code lottery.

Also be aware that reduction surgery is BIG surgery, much more involved that breast augmentation: mucho bruising, risks of infection/bleeding, risks to future BFing (although you have obviously considered this), may take several months/a year to feel "normal", if nipple has to be resited risk of loss of sensation etc etc. Any surgeon worth their salt will/must sound a bit scary when they counsel you; some will have before/after photos to show, which are v useful.

Good luck to you all, I may consider this at some point for myself but currently still need 38 FF boobies for DS3.. .

Useful web sites (I found some! Treat commercial advertisers with caution - stating the obvious):

www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/articles/article.aspx?articleId=286

www.baaps.org .uk/

That one called baaps makes me laugh every time! I am a success of breast reduction and found all the risks mentioned were less severe for me than Dr's had suggested. I had psychological issues rather than physical ones, but they were more severe than the ones suggested. Anyway, as I said to piffle in my email, it was the best thing I ever did, and the slight scarring (which is all I am left with) and minor discomfort are way, way, way better than the life I would have had, had I not undergone the procedure at my very young age.

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I appreciate your thorough and interesting post mummy.
nice to have differing perspective.
I am ok about the surgery. Have had some serious surgeries before - emergency laparotomy for ruptured ectopic and tube removal plus abdominal surgery at 20 wks pregnant for almost ruptured appendix.
I do not take it lightly though
I do think it will help my back as I stoop to disguise them and this aggravates other conditions.
psychologically is the biggest factor though
I never really realised until now having had the first gp appt how much I need this to be myself again. I ache to take my kids swimming, to be able to run... Sleep naked without trapping nipples when turning over.
dp is in love with me, he adores me as I am but supports me in this 101%...

If that was to me, cod, I was a 30HH same as Piffle and Jordan apparently . My surgeon did lots of measuring and took me down to what he felt was appropriate to my proportions. They measured collar bone to belly button for example. I went down to 30C, but have grown over the 14 years to a comfortable 30E, which fits my current size 10 fat arse frame.

that ( and unrelenting desire to breastfeed) is why I waited until having kids I guess. The thought of them growing back... Aaasrghhhhhh
but to be fair I weighed 7 stone at age 18 with ee cups. My nickname was TOASTY from Tits On A Stick
was nightmare back then 2 decades ago, no bras no clothes... I hated myself.
with each child they grew and never got smaller post birth
ok I'm 9 stone now but.... Still massive boobs. Bloody burdenous

You're smaller than me piffle, I was 9 stone then with the boobs, and now I'm 10 stone. I'm one of those weird big boned people that look slimmer, blind people think I look 8 stone . I was able to breastfeed I think, but didn't get past the 3 day mark as I was so scared nothing was coming out and I was starving my children to death. I was a 30DD at 14, and was a good B cup at age 10. I was groped on a daily basis by boys at school and once had my school shirt ripped off. I was also groped in the street by a stranger, which I didn't realise at the time was sexual assault . It was only when I went to the doctors about the excema that I had bizarrely on my nipples, that the thought of reduction entered my head. You could see the shock on the doctors face when I removed the voluminous black sweatshirt I was wearing. It was him that suggested it and put me down on the waiting list there and then. Thank you Dr Wynn Jones.

good grief I thought I was the only one...

Nope

I hated myself suwoo and I think its never left me tbh
grim
crikey this discussion is opening some chasms in me long buried

You see I was quite lucky in that until I was 17 I was completely flat chested, though I was stick insect. At 17, my boobs grew - I was still wearing the 32AA bras that my Mum had bought me just so I wouldn't feel left out, and in the space of a month I went from them hanging off me, to them perching on top of E cups. Around about the same time I discovered men - or maybe they discovered me! I was still only 7 stone then - I really did look like a (curly brunette) barbie doll.
I am still getting used to the fact that I can look in the mirror and my boobs aren't the first thing one focuses on. Though it does mean I now have to do something about the wine belly! (I'm 10 1/2 stone at the moment and I do need to redefine my waist)

Dh did say today that he was getting used to the new me. I'm going to a family party tomorrow and am planning to wear one of my new unsupportive frocks - I was given permission to be braless for a few hours!

ah pru how lovely, how have you changed would your dh say? I think dp fears the change a bit... Not just the physical changes either.
I think it is easier being large breasted nowadays than being stick thin in the 80's with huge baaps (sorry had to do that)

Enjoy your frock outing pru... Green eyed monster here

Yoyr comment about "wine belly" make me smile, Prufrock. Think I'll be the same - maybe I'll try to firm up my stomach a bit before the op! Is it right that you can't drink alcohol for a week before and 2 weeks after the op?

I hope not mittens - The only thing I couldn't do was take vitamins/aspirin (can thin the blood). My doctor recommended a glass of claret the evening after the operation as an alternative to the sleeping tablets I didn't really want to take.

I don't think I've changed piffle, more got back to how I used to be. I feel very young, and whilst I was never outwardly lacking in confidence I'm now walking out the door thinking that people will see me positively rather than imagining that people are looking at me and thinking I'm fat/saggy-boobed. And I've rediscovered my enjoyment of looking good - I'm trying on clothes and twirling around for dh with a silly grin on my face. He says it wonderful to see me truly happy and excited again, and it has been a long time since I had that bubbling up inside and erupting in a silly grin type of happiness - now I get it every time I look down -see!

And whilst the new boobs haven't been sprung from their prison whilst in bed yet, I do now see that the old ones were affecting my libido. It wasn't that I felt that dh didn't like them , just that saggy boobs which showed the obvious effects of breastfeeding were a constant reminder of my status as a mummy, which, lets face it, is not the most sexy of roles. Now I feel more like a sex kitten again, so dh is definitely benefiting from that