Hey we have the same birth date!
I had it last October and I only regret waiting so long. My surgeon was a great guy. I was in an outpatient surger center and went home late that evening (my mom was there to care for me, in case).
It was merely irritatingly uncomfortable. The pain meds kept everything manageable. It is a little hard to get comfortable, so sleeping in a recliner really helped me. There is itching, and little sharp nerve zingers for a few weeks, but nothing, NOTHING as bad as carrying around all that extra 'stuff'.
I took 3 weeks off work, and when I went back I had no real problems.
I don't know what they will tell you, but get one or two very soft, inexpensive front closing sports bras. They will really make life grand until you are completely healed.
JoAnn
I am envious. I want to have it done but will wait for medicare to pay for it or a better insurance plan than I have now. My 70 year old neighbor had it done a few years back and it gave her a whole new outlook on life. She was so happy, was more active and felt so much better!
I had it done 5 years ago, I was a triple D and had all kinds of back problems that radiated down my legs 
Best surgery I ever had in my life besides my gastric bypass. Did it all in the wrong order though. Because NOW I need work done on my chest from the weight loss * shrugging shoulders * but oh well, we live we learn.
I was uncomfortable for awhile after, pain wise, I really never took that many pain pills BUT I was very sensitive for about 12 weeks.
Good luck and I will pray for you 
Hope all goes well Sue!!
I haven't had breast reduction surgery but I had breast surgery in 1985. I know treatments are way different than they were back then, but one thing that helped me out at night (even though it was a bit uncomfortable at first) was wearing a bra to bed. The sports bra idea sounds very good!
I also had a BR, 2 1/2 years ago. Like everyone else, it was absolutely the best decision I made. I nursed 2 children (one for 9 months and the other for 17 months) and I reduced from an 40 EE to a 38C.
I stopped my narcotic pain meds 48 hours after surgery, and took only tylenol/ibuprophen afterwards. I took 2 weeks off from work and was fine when I returned, with some lifting restrictions. I was told not to carry/lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk for 3 months. Hard when you have a 2 yo dd 
. But it was totally worth it.
I recommend having it done as an inpatient procedure, rather than at a surgi-center. It's pretty intensive for a surgery and you want to make sure that they catch any complication that might arise in the first 36 hours.
I also had no issue with reduced sensation - I've got 100% feeling in my breast and nips.
Good luck! You'll be a new woman 
.
last time i tried having a woman dr check me out fo that she said no insurance company would even consider me for this unless i losed some weight.. i wasn't that heavy back then so i was furious..back then i was thinking being same gender she'd be sympathetic and understanding.. no she acted more like she wanted the appt over with asap and on her way. course now i can't afford it but i'm still dreaming of it.
Our insurance is very good, they covered all the expenses. I guess they thought it would be cheaper to get a reduction then to have back surgery. If you go to a good Dr. they will do all the insurance run around, sometimes you have to pay a office fee but it is worth it !
last time i tried having a woman dr check me out fo that she said no insurance company would even consider me for this unless i losed some weight.. i wasn't that heavy back then so i was furious..back then i was thinking being same gender she'd be sympathetic and understanding.. no she acted more like she wanted the appt over with asap and on her way. course now i can't afford it but i'm still dreaming of it.
I was required by my insurance to lose weight to show that my overly-large breasts were not just a weight-related issue. I lost 25 lbs by my surgery, but my chest did not lose one inch. My insurance also asked that I provide documentation from my GP that I had a history of back/shoulder/neck problems. My GP gladly gave that to me.
My insurance paid 90% of the costs.
Good luck!!
I would love to have this done. Did everyone here have their insurance pay for it? Is it hard to get them (insurance) to pay?
Do you have a say as to what size you get reduced to?
Thanks for the info.
I would contact your insurance first and find out their policy on BR's. Most of them have provisions for that kind of plastic surgery, provided it is deemed "medically necessary". If you are having more than 1lb removed from each side, then it's medically necessary. I think it's something like 900 grams (?) or something. I forget the details.
After finding out what hoops my ins wanted me to jump through, I asked for a list of plastic surgeons approved by the ins. I called the surgeons, made a couple of appointments, and chose my surgeon based on the interviews.
It was important to me that I NOT have the surgery in a surgi-center or as a 1-day outpatient procedure. Mine was done in a hospital and an overnight stay. My surgeon also insisted on a baseline mamogram. That was so that "just in case" something appeared on the mamo, she could have a surgical oncologist there during the surgery to deal with that issue. I appreciated the thoroughness of my surgeon.
Boy, I have definitely thought about it... I hate my huge breasts. prebabies (and weight) I was forced msyefl into a DD because that's all the larger they make them, but I was probably one size larger. With breastfeeding, I've blossomed up to a G or H depending on the bra. I don't know how much I will "shrink" with breastfeeding over (he refuses to give up the "bra"), but I will still probably be an F...
But, no one ever guesses i'm that big because I'm also built big. I'm overweight now, but my bra size has NEVER changed because of weight, just bandwidth.... People thought I was a C when I wore the DDs in college (before I had much of a weight issue). I don't have back issues or anything, but I HATE just being this big... HATE IT...
Melissa
Melissa -
I too was able to hide my bust size in a large frame, being that I never lost weight between my pregnancies. I endured the large breasts because the bf'ing was so incredibly important to me. My dh and I agreed that surgery was the way to go when we were confident that our family was complete.
I had my surgery 9 months after my dd weaned. My surgeon told me afterwards that she found a "significant amount" of milk still in the ducts she removed. That amazed me, at what my body could do .
BTW - my boobs never shrank either after my bf'ing days were over. Some women are just built like that.
Don't they actually reposition your nipples with breast reduction? Although our love life is nil right now, we hope for it to get better and well, having nonreactive nipples would be a bummer for both of us (sorry if that's tmi!)
We're also done with baby making. Henry is 25 months and NO WAY is he ready to quit. I just got him to reduce nursing from 12 times a day to 5 times a day in the last three months and he would TOTALLY go back to nursing nonstop if given the chance - he's UNBELIEVABLE! He gets SOOOOO excited when he gets to nurse (just around wakng and sleeping times now).
Melissa
Best thing I ever did, it has been 1 year and I feel great. I was 28 when I had it done, went from a 40G to a 40C/D. One word of advice make sure you feel 100% comfortable with your surgeon, by the time all of my follow up visits were over I felt as if my surgeon and her staff were family. I was lucky I didn't have to lose weight prior for insurance to cover the cost and I have found it easier to lose more weight now then when I was bigger. Good luck, you will not regret it.
Hi everyone,
Thanks for all the info. I may be doing something wrong but I couldn't get my insurance co. to pay for ANY of it. The surgeon said sometimes afterward you still have a chance of them paying for some once they see how much I had to be reduced. I am currently squeezing myself into a DD but the surgeon said I was really more like a G or H. The only thing that confuses me after reading this is he says he can probably only get me down to a D which still sounds big but will be much better than what I am. I would not let him remove the nipples and loose sensation so he therefore said I can only get so small. Hope that isn't TMI
Nipple Sensation:
Unless you are reducing more than 3-4 cup sizes, they do not completely remove the nipple anymore during a BR. Your nipple is attached to a pedicle - think of it as the stem underneath a flower (lovely graphic ). This pedicle is more than 6-8 inches long. Years ago (like 15-20) they would remove the nipple from the pedicle, shorten the pedicle, then stitch the nipple/areola back onto the shortened pedicle.
They no longer do that. Nowadays the standard procedure is to leave the pedicle and just wind it back inside the smaller cup size. This greatly reduces your chance of having no nipple sensation after surgery.
As for my own personal experience, I've actually found in the past 2 1/2 years since my surgery that I actually have hyper-sensitivity in my nipples. Dh likes that .
Here is a great overview of what happens with a BR: http://www.plasticsurgery.org/patients_consumers/procedures/ReductionMammaplasty.cfm?CFID=80031202&CFTOKEN=17193096
Here is also a sample letter you can customize and send to your insurance company if they have turned down your initial request for a BR: http://www.plasticsurgery4u.com/pt_qna_folder/pt_qa_breast_reduction4.html
If your surgeon believes he/she can remove at least 450 gms of tissue from each breast (that's about a pound) then the chances are good that insurance will pay for it.
Do your homework. If you don't like what one agent said at your insurance company, talk to someone else. Talk to their supervisor. Find out what hoops you need to jump through. Explain that this is not cosmetic surgery, but a desire to be pain-free and emotionally-free.
:hug: I've been there. I did not give up on my desire to be comfortable. It's appalling that some insurance companies SILL do not believe this is a medically necessary surgery.
Best surgery I ever had in my life besides my gastric bypass. Did it all in the wrong order though. Because NOW I need work done on my chest from the weight loss * shrugging shoulders * but oh well, we live we learn.
I did the same thing - breast reduction and 2 years later, gastric bypass. Now I think I need implants. LOL I need to file a missing persons report on my 'girls' because they're nowhere to be found now!
The brest reduction was the best thing I could have done at the time! The back and neck pain...oy!!! You'll be sore and tender for 2-3 weeks, but it's worth it in the end!
But is is medically necessary for a person if they don't have back pain? I just don't LIKE having huge tatas... but if my frame can handle them, then why is it necessary?
With that said, they cover epidurals and the over inflated c-section rate, which are TOTALLY not necessary, so why not this?
Melissa
Melissa - I *technically* did not have any back pain. I had moderate shoulder/neck pain, and my bra straps had left permanent indents in my shoulders. I was thankful that my GP had no issues writing a letter stating that I did have back/shoulder/neck pain because she could see that I was oversized for my frame.
It all depends on what your insurance requires.
In my case my breasts were large in the beginning when they first developed. At age 11 I was a c cup. They looked like granny boobs then (not saying all grannies have ugly boobies, but I think mine probably did because I thought once i seen a nipple come out the bottom of her moo moo LOL j/k). Yep at 11 when you are developing my were pendelous (is this the word I am looking for), very droopy and big. At 16 I was so depressed and hated my body, at 20 when I had my first child I was miserable. And NEVER let ANYBODY see me naked.
I had my surgery a few years ago and they did remove my nipples and I do have A LOT of sensation in them. I love that I had the surgery. I function like a normal wife and mother now.
I also stayed overnight, and had a rather large amount of "seapage" so make sure you try to get a overnight stay.
Thanks for all your stories everyone it is really helping me to know I am not alone in my choice to get this done. My insurance Co. refused to pay because they said I didn't prove it was necessary by seeing 100 other doctors first. I haven't been to a chiropractor or complained to my OBGYN etc. I guess I went right to the source to get it fixed.
missmeg, thanks for the wonderful letter format and website showing what will happen it is very helpful. You are full of great knowledge 
I am going to sick my DH on the ins. co. and have him fight with them, I know that is a terrible attitude but he is much better with that kind of stuff than I am.
I am having it done in a little over a week and really starting to get nervous but yet I was so uncomfortable today that in a way I am very excited to have it done. I am going to a surgery center and they send you home the same day 
I am a little nervous about that but since I am paying out of pocket there is no way I want to pay to stay over night.
Did you hear that ? Thanks so much! the surgical center will be fine. the doctor should give you pain meds that easily control the discomfort. As long as you have someone there 'just in case' you will be fine.
I bought new bras in about 8 weeks. So did my mom. She still has some minor swelling, but nothing that gets in the way.
I waited a full six months after surgery before going bra shopping. I wanted to make sure that the post-surgery perkiness had settled first.
Of course, two years later and I haven't replaced those bras :doh:.
SueW - you're welcome . I recommend you ask your GP for an Rx for (1) valium to take before heading to the surgi-center. My dr. gave me that and it really helped my nerves. The valium won't interfere with the ansethesia (sp) but it will help with the nervousness you'll undoubtly be feeling. I was even though I was COMPLETELY prepared for the surgery.
Good look sweetie!!
Thanks so much for this post. I am currently going to resubmit my claim for a breast reduction. I have Aetna Insurance and was denied last October because they wanted medical documentation. I found a Chiropractor and went thru 3 months of Physical Therapy with little relief.
Thanks for the link for the Denial Letter. I am going to send a similar document along with my photos and Dr.'s recommendation.
Like to see them deny me this time.
Thanks again.
Hi everyone,
Just wanted to give you an update, I am 10 days past my surgery and I think I am doing OK. I went back and read this whole post now that the surgery is over and you all were so right. It was not painful as much as just uncomfortable, I took the pain meds for 2 days but didn't really even need them. Today I started to have what I am now guessing were the "nerve zingers" someone mentioned earlier. I am uncomfortable sleeping in this sports bra but what choice to I am 
When the surgery was over the surgeon went and talked to my DH and said I was full of milk like he had never seen before. He couldn't believe my DS is 2 now and I never even breast fed him. Isn't that weird? He also said he is going to talk to my insurance Co. because of the milk thing he thinks he can get them to pay at least for some of it He was appalled that they wouldn't and said he couldn't imagine how uncomfortable I have been.
My DH has been wonderful and took off two weeks to care for our 2 and 4 year old. I am getting a little nervous though because he goes back to work next week and I still feel really sore.
My doctor says I will still get 25 % smaller in the next year and in the next few months I will feel so much better. I still feel kind of big so I am looking forward to the swelling going down.
Sorry this is so long
This is so funny to me. I would kill to have large breast again and you would kill to have small breast again. I used to have full beautiful breast not to big and not to small. Then I got preg. and breastfed my DS and now they look like deflated balloons. I was a full C and now I'm a small B. It is very depressing so maybe you guys could give me some of yours.
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