My Breast Reduction Journey

I always had large boobs, it seems once they started to grow they never knew how to stop! My first bra was a 28AA, I was 11, I suppose I didn't really need it but wanted to get one as I was growing up. I remember going to get it from Mackays (M&Co) was so excited, if I knew then that 12 years down the line I would be squeezing them into a 32J I would have never believed you.

At 16 my boobs were lovely and pert in a size 34DD/E and I loved them, spent all my wages on new tops, I then fell pregnant at 17 and they grew to s size 34GG which I thought was HUGE, I didn't know then a few years after that I would consider that small!!!

I first started on my journey to a breast reduction in 2006, it was then at a size 34F I had decided I had enough and asked my GP for a referral for a reduction, she took some measurements and sent my referral off for me. I didn't come to this decision lightly, it took me a long time after loads of research to decide that the only way I would ever feel better about my boobs (as well as reducing the back pain and constant embarassement of people learing at them & men trying to grab them when out), I dispised my boobs and would have been happy to have none.

After my referral I thought it wouldn't take long to been seen and get a yes or no on the surgery but I was so wrong, My referral was sent off in July 2006, it me until 21st August 2007 to finally get an appointment to see a Plastic Surgeon, a Mr Stephen Morley, on the NHS, he looked at my boobs, asked me why I wanted the surgery and took my measurement and said I could go on to the waiing list for surgery BUT I had to have a Clinical Psychology assessment first so would send me to see them then put me on the list as it was protocol for the PCT to have a psych assessment done for the surgery & that I should have had one done before seeing him. At that appointment I was wearing a 34G bra, was 164cm and 69Kg at this time. I was also suffering from Fibrocystic Breast Condition.

Fibrocystic Breast Condition is where your breast become painful and lumpy, they often have non-cancerous cyst growths and the condition can be exaspereated by hormones and caffine in you diet. In my case it made them incredibly painful to touch as well as lumpy, it also caused me to have 3 seperate breast cancer scares and I had to take painkillers on a daily basis to help cope with the pain.

I was advised of a 13 month waiting list to see the psychologist after this appointment, it felt like a kick in the guts, to be told I would have to wait that long to be seen, I thought it would be quicker, guidelines say no more than 18 weeks from referral to appointment but apparently clinical psychology does not fall in these guidelines. I finally got an appointment for my psych assessment sooner than this (think the fact I was constantly badgering them on the phone, email and letters helped) for the 20th June 2008 with Dr Clifford. Was so happy when my appointment came in I could have chased down the postman & kissed him. My appointment went well, we talked over my feelings towards my boob and why I wanted the surgery and 2 weeks after the consultation she called to tell me I was being recommended for surgery but had to go back to see the plastic surgeon, I knew he had already said yes so wasn't too worried was nearing the end of my journey I thought!

It took until the 11th November 2008 to see the plastic surgeon again, he went over the operation again with me and said I could be listed for surgery, was so happy that day. There was a maximum waiting list of 16 weeks so I was hoping to be rid of my boobs before I turned 24. I recieved a letter in January 2008 to say that as the surgeons I was seeing had long waiting list and Breast Reduction was not his speciallity they were transferring me to see another surgeon! I had to go and see my new surgeon, Miss Elizabeth Whallet on 22nd January 2009 before I could be listed for my surgery, was nervous again as now my BMI was over the limit of 28 and scared she would say no.

I need not have been worried Miss Whallet was lovely, made me feel really at ease, I liked her as soon as I met her, she was quirlky but so nice and made me feel so relaxed. At the appointment she took all me measurements, my bra size was a 32J, my N2N (notch to nipple) measurements were: Left:32cm and Right 35cm (normal measurements are: between 19-25cm) my under mammory fold measurements (from nipple to crease/fold underneath) was Left: 14cm Right:15cm and I weighed 78Kg. I had my pre-op photos taken at this appointment and as I was happy with her to continue with my surgery was told it would be done within 6-8 weeks. I left that appointment looking like a cheshire cat, I had the biggest grin on my face you could ever imagine.

On the 30th January 2009 I recieved a call from Miss Whallets secretary advising me of my surgery date, I was to be admitted to hospital on the 12th March 2009 and would have my sugery on the 13th March 2009, I was in work when I took the call and was on cloud 9 for the rest of the day, after so long I could not believe I finally had my surgery date. I had to go into the hospital on the 19th February for my pre-op assessment.

My pre-op went well, they took some blood tests, my bp, height, weight and a background medical history, I was now all set for my surgery.

I was admitted on 12th March at 1pm for my surgery the following day, later that afternoon my plastic surgeon came round to see me on the ward and marked me up for my surgery, my chest was covered in black marker! I barely slept that night due to the excitement. On the 13th March 2009 at 7am I was taken down to theatre, Miss Whallet came and done my final marking up and at 8.30am I was wheeled into theatre to have my longed for surgery. It took 5.5 hours and I had 975g removed from the left side and 1025g removed from the right side, I also lost 1.5 pints of blood during the surgery and became anaemic. I remember comming around from the surgery and asking if my boobs were small, I drifted in and out for a while then I noticed on the wall clock it was 3.10pm and was adament that I was going back upto the ward as I knew Chris would be there waiting & I wanted to see him, they wanted to keep me in recovery longer but I insisted they move me or I was walking, I would have loved to have seen me try still half asleep from the anaesthetic, on a drip and doped up on morphine. Was so pleased when they took me up to see him, even if it was only for 15 mins before visiting was over and he had to leave.

That evening Chris, my mum and David came to visit me where I puked all over the place thanks to the General Anaesthetic and morphine, I couldn't wait to show off my boobs. On the sunday I had my drains removed and was discharged home to recover. My boobs were in a 34D sports bra that was still a little too big for me even with all the swelling in my boobs, they were also black, blue and purple with major bruising all over. My healing was to begin, once the swelling had went down I was looking forward to wearing a 34C bra and lovely tops. I never got the chance to enjoy my new boobs as little did we all know at the time of the surgery there were cells dividing in me, these cells were Violet, on the 8th March we had sex and the condom had split but I was not on the pill due to my surgery and couldn't take the morning after pill either for the same reason, NEVER thought that it would end with me being pregnant but it did and I found out she was going to be coming on the 27th March, 6 days after my period was due. She was a little fighter to stay with us after the trauma my body suffered in the surgery and the mediacation and blood loss too, she is here for a reason & that reason is to love her. As much as having her so soon meant my boobs never got a change to heal properly and for me to enjoy them I would not change her arrival for anything.

My boobs healed with only one little open spot on the t-junction when healing an I even managed to breast feed Violet when she finally arrived even after the trauma they suffered and the 50:50 chance I had of being able to which was reduced again as it was so soon after the surgery. Unfortunately the pregnancy and breast feeding effected my boobs, they are no longer the 34C boobs I was expected but have yet again grown into a 34F! Back where I started from in 2006 but this time im no longer the slim 69Kg I was then Im struggling with ever increasing weight gain (it goes on no matter what & I dont know why!) and at 83Kg I am now heavier than what I was at 9 months pregnant with Violet! I suppose I should go to the doctors make sure everything okay with me & fingers crossed the bra size will go back down! But if it does not I would happily go through it all again, Im still not discharged from plastic and go back for my final appointment in September so if they done hopefully they will do it again & I wont need to wait as long this time around.

I had my surgery performed at Canniesburn Plastic Surgery Unit, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow but Miss Elizabeth Whallet.