So I'm scheduled to get a breast reduction in ~2 months. I'm definitely nowhere near my goal weight, but I've convinced myself that it doesn't matter. Is that stupid?
I've wanted a breast reduction forever, partially due to back pain/general discomfort and partially due to a desire to actually fit into shirts.
I know the general advice is to wait until reaching goal weight, but I really think I'd be able to exercise better after a reduction, plus I would instantly *feel* better and even breathe better.
My breasts don't seem to change too much in size with weight loss. When I was around 30 pounds lighter 2 years ago, I wore 36I bra. I currently wear a 38H bra (although admittedly, it isn't the best fit).
Am I deluding myself? I've accepted that I may not be entirely happy with the results once I reach my goal weight, and I am open to entertaining the possibility of further surgery if necessary. Complicating matters is the fact that I have a large block of uninterrupted time coming up during which I can have the surgery and time to recover. Such time is unlikely to be a possibility for at least another few years.
What do you think?
Thanks in advance for any advice--I may not have posted here before, but I've definitely lurked, and you all have already helped me more than you know.
I'd wait. You will lose from your breasts as well as from the rest of you, and you can't predict where the weight will come from--in other words, you might lose the breasts as you get closer to goal weight.
My cup size is always around an F, but a 32F is a lot smaller than a 38F.
I myself have never had big boobs (except when pregnant) but I have a friend who had HUUUGGGEEEE guns and did get a reduction.
I agree that it would make exercising easier BUT here's the big problem. She was always slightly overweight with massive boobs. She got a reduction (which was def needed for her back). But now her boobs are probably a B and she is starting to lose her weight. Honestly, her boobs look really small in proportion to her body now and if she gets down to a normal BMI weight I think she will actually be flat chested for real.
So basically...if you do it now, you need to be okay with the idea that if you achieve your goal weight you may be flat chested. If that doesn't bother you; by all means. And in truth, I don't think my friend is bothered by her small chest because she struggled with her large breasts for sooo long I think she is just relieved to have them gone. Since I have never had the discomfort of big boobs to me I secretly wish they would have left her with more because they look so small on her curvy frame.
Did she get a reduction down to a B before starting to lose weight? Because my surgeon doesn't think he's going to go much smaller than a D. I don't know if that will make a difference in whether they end up too small if I get to my goal weight.
Either way, I'm pretty sure I'm okay with whatever size they may end up, as long as it's smaller than now
I also have very large breasts and my weight loss has not affected their size so far. It could be that I will lose from that area in the last 30 pounds or so. The last time I was at 130 pounds, I wore a 34C (although I was never professionally measured, so I probably was more like a D cup and wore too big a band size). Right now I am wearing a 34F. I would like to have a breast lift and reduction. Two factors have prevented me from getting this done - #1 is finances, because this is a cosmetic surgery cost that wouldn't be covered by insurance, and #2 is waiting until I am at my goal weight to see what I am left with. I personally would wait until you have reached your goal weight, or are within 10-20 pounds of your goal weight to have that kind of surgery. However, if you have extenuating circumstances that could be remedied now (e.g. back pain, extreme embarrassment/discomfort) and your doctor agrees that surgery would be helpful now, then go for it!
I actually seriously considered reduction surgery. When I was in college, my parents said they would pay for the surgery if I lost weight. Not really as an incentive for me to lose weight but because I'd never not been overweight/obese, so we didn't know what I'd be left with if I lost weight. I've always been big-chested. I was already a DD at age 12. At my highest weight, I was a 44J, now I'm a 34E, most of that skin. I'd never have believed I could be this small-chested.
All that being said, you know your body best and though it can be hard to predict, maybe you can make an informed decision about what size you think you might end up. It's possible that you just want smaller breasts most of all and are willing to live with or revise how your breasts look at goal.
But my opinion is that if you're going to go under the knife and pay all that money for it, you deserve to be satisfied at goal. Even in the last 20 or so pounds, I've lost volume in my chest and I'm saggier. I wouldn't want to have the surgery and then just months later be unhappy with my results after working hard to get my goal body. But ultimately only you and your doctor can weigh the convenience of having the surgery now against the potential of not being entirely happy with your result at goal. What does your surgeon think?
Last edited by toastedsmoke; 04-29-2012 at 09:29 PM.
Thought I'd update you all. After carefully considering all of your advice, I did decide to go ahead and have the breast reduction surgery even though I wasn't at my goal weight. I had the surgery at the end of June. My PS removed more than 4 lb of breast tissue, and I went from a 36I to around a 36D-DD (final size remains to be determined).
I've also continued to lose weight since having the surgery. I've lost more than 20 lb since the surgery, yet my breasts haven't noticeably changed in size or shape.
Having the breast reduction surgery was probably the best decision I have ever made for myself. My back pain is gone, I can breathe more easily, and I'm so much more confident.
Just wanted to let you know how it turned out in case anyone reading this is trying to decide whether to have breast reduction surgery. For some people, it probably makes sense to wait until reaching your goal weight, but I'm proof that having the surgery while still losing can work too.
I would say you should wait until you are very close to your goal weight so you can see what size will fit your new leaner frame. And also, if you have the reduction now rather than after you have lost more weight, they may sag more when you finally reach goal weight.
Kelly, it was around $10,000, but you might be able to get your insurance to cover it. You usually need a documented history of problems related to breast size (e.g., back pain, rashes). Some insurance companies also have a requirement for minimum amount of breast tissue to be removed. There also could be BMI or other requirements, so it's best to check with your specific insurance company.
FYI, a great discussion board for more information about breast reduction surgery is Breast Health Online. They have all kinds of info about insurance coverage, questions to ask your plastic surgeon, the surgery itself, and recovery.
Breast reduction?!
