My breast reduction experience

I am 59 years old and as long as I can remember I have had size 32 FF breasts. This, over the years has caused many problems as, as you can imagine, they are heavy so cause neck ache, grooves in shoulders from straps etc. The rest of my body is small( I wear size 10 trousers) but because of my bust size I had to buy size 14+ tops. Anyhow after going to the doctor for something completely different I mentioned my neck was aching etc because of these large breasts and he said I would qualify for a bust reduction on the NHS because I wasn't overweight and I was not in proportion to the rest of my body. To cut a long story short, he arranged for me to attend a seminar where they checked my BMI (which has to be below 25) as some people lose weight off their bust if they go on a diet.They also have to weigh your breasts as they will not perform the operation unless they can take at least 1 lb in weight off each breast. I watched a slide show of what they would do and which explained all the problems also. There were about 60 women in the room - all with enormous busts. I was accessed by the consultant and he agreed I needed the operation. After about 4 months I had an appointment for the operation. I checked into the hospital on the Wednesday afternoon and had the operation the next day. In the morning I saw the anaethetist and also the surgeon. They marked my breasts with a black felt tip pen and I was told that on no account was I to rub out the markings or alter them. I would be about a B/C cup after the operation. The operation took about 2.5 hours with two surgeons (one working on each breast). They cut round the nipple and I had a cut going straight down from the nipple and also one round the underneath part of the breast rather like an anchor shape. They took 1.5 lbs from each breast. When I came round I felt fine but it was rather sore where they put a drain in each breast. I got up and had dinner that night and felt brilliant. I had dressings on my breasts but already I could see that they were much smaller and 'perkier'. I joked with other women there that I had a 59 year old body with 16 year old boobs!! On the Friday I had visitors and felt on a real high. Apart from where the drains went in there wasn't much pain at all. I was measured and had to wear a sports bra (32 C). I was to wear a sports bra day and night for 6 weeks and then a normal bra during the day and the sports bra at night for another 6 weeks.Then after that whatever type of bra I liked. On the Saturday the drains came out (not a nice experience) and all the dressing come off and obviously the scars are pretty horrific. I went home Saturday afternoon and was told not to over do things for a week or two. The stitches healed really quickly and when I went back to see the surgeon he was very pleased. I had the surgery in January 2007 and now 6 months later the scars hardly show at all as the cut under the bust lies in the natural curve and the verical cut and the cut around the nipples is just a tiny white line.

The difference this has made to my life is incredible. I can now jog, dance, move about without having to support my bust to stop it bouncing about and feeling really uncomfortable. I can also sleep on my stomach in comfort - something I hadn't done for a long time - and I can also wear small pretty bra's and I feel wonderful. I no longer have shoulder and neck pain and I would definitely recommend having it done if you are elligible for the operation.

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