Anyone had a breast reduction?

[Tinks]

Cookiemonster, just wondering - Do you have to have private health insurance to get a breast reduction privately? (is that a dumb question?)

Do you know how much it costs and how much is covered by Medicare?

I couldn't BF my kids at all, I didn't get ANY milk with all 3 of them. I've always thought that was due to the size of my breasts. I'd love a reduction.

[Kazbah]

Yes, private health cover will help with the costs. Tinks - i think it was around $5g but I was out of pocket $3g. You don't *have* to have private health to go private - you just don't get any rebate so it costs heaps more.

Ash - who's your doc? I saw Simon Ceber (cedar?) and he was very good.

The cut type is dependent on your breast shape, but its in your info pack.

He called it a "w" cut with the aereola at the top of the middle point ... and then the middle lines of the "w" are joined to make a \|/ scar.

I also had lipo under my arms and around my back - that was the most painful part to recover!

[The[cookie]Doctor]

Urgh sorry my internet keeps crashing I write a post and lose it.

No, I do not have PHI. We weighed up the pros and cons, of a) going publically - most places have 3-5+ year waits, or so the grapevine tells me, or b) waiting out the 12 months on PHI. My major issue is my depression and it is all taking away from my quality of life, so for us the option is to pay as a private patient, if that is what it takes.

I know Medicare will cover 75% of the 'schedule' fee for a medically necessary procedure... So basically the backpain covers that. BUT they only cover surgeon and anaesthetist etc. So you still pay in full for theatre fees and hospital accomodation.

A PHI fund wll cover the further 25% and then they will also generally cover partial theatre/accom fees, and any pain meds etc.

Ideally i would like to avoid the accomodation fees but with an active and cuddly lovable toddler at home i think I will need the 2-3 nights in hospital!!

If you do some googling there are some websites that give you pretty basic info on what medicare will cover. I think it 'almost' halves the entire cost, but I could be way off here because as I said above, cost is not an issue for us now.

Well, no, it is an issue... just not IYKWIM

ETA: Kaz I have been referred to a Dr. Alan Ferguson at National Capital Private.

[Ilithyia]

Hi all!

I am in the process of thinking about a breast reduction. However after reading a few posts about it all I'm not sure if I could wait for 3-5 years! Thats a damn long time!

I've always had "big" boobs but since having the girls I've got up to a 22DD. Lately I've noticed quite a lot of upper back and neck pain. I've also been to a chiro where they have taken xrays of my spine. It showed deterioration of my spine in the area of my breasts. Now he didn't say that my breast size had contributed to it but he did say that he was shocked to see such deterioration in someone of my age. I think its ironic that the deteoriation is in the area where my breasts are.

I'm also a bit up in the air about getting it done when I haven't "finished" having babies. I definately want to breastfeed next time and am worried I won't be able to. I'm also worried that if I get a reduction now I'll sag back down once I have more baby's. Whats everyone's thoughts on this?

It suprises me how many women go through life with this problem!

[The[cookie]Doctor]

Sara it's not definite that you won't be able to breastfeed, depends on how large the reduction is and if they need to reposition the nipple etc. My knowledge is that repositioning the nipple is basically a no-no but there are women who have success.
Loss of breastfeeding is the only reservation I have but I cannot live like this, so choice I had to make basically!

I'd be really interested in getting my spine x-rayed to see just how bad the damage is. And I here ya on the age thing, being young with spinal deterioration (including shrinking!) sucks!

I'm really nervous about my appointment tomorrow. I have no idea what to expect and worry that I am going to go in there and just burst into tears.

[Ilithyia]

Sara it's not definite that you won't be able to breastfeed, depends on how large the reduction is and if they need to reposition the nipple etc. My knowledge is that repositioning the nipple is basically a no-no but there are women who have success.
Loss of breastfeeding is the only reservation I have but I cannot live like this, so choice I had to make basically!

I'd be really interested in getting my spine x-rayed to see just how bad the damage is. And I here ya on the age thing, being young with spinal deterioration (including shrinking!) sucks!

I'm really nervous about my appointment tomorrow. I have no idea what to expect and worry that I am going to go in there and just burst into tears.

I'm sure you'll be fine hun!

Don't worry if you burst into tears. This is obviously making you very unhappy and for them to see that will show how much its affecting your life.

Good luck hun! Let us know how it goes!

[DoubleK]

Ash dont worry if you burst into tears hun, its obviously something that makes you very emotional.

is dp going with you??

[The[cookie]Doctor]

Yes I told him I was not going alone, he has to come hold my hand!
Thanks for the support.

[Inertia]

Oh, I have considered this. I hate mine. Its impossible to get bras in my size seeing how there is actually an entire cup size difference in the two. One is a C and the other is a D. I Felt the better option for me was to get the D reduced to a C. I have never actually looked into it - longed for it but always figured it was a cost I couldn't justify. Seeing how the sizes don't cause me any pain and its just personal problems with them I figure I am pretty much out of luck on medical reasons too.

I hope everything turns out just how you want it cookie! Maybe one day I can get mine to match, but for now I'll be happy to hear that it is worth the wait.

[Kazbah]

Thing is, the reduction may or may not have impacted on my ability to b/f. I was able to squirt a few times, much to my delight, but I never actually had the sensation of my milk "coming in". Interestingly, my mum didn't b/f me either and from what she's alluded, it wasn't from want of trying. Some people are able to b/f after, some aren't. Some people are able to b/f without a br, some aren't. I think the most important thing is to go into the whole b/f journey with a "i'll try and if I can't, I haven't failed" approach.

FWIW, my boobs haven't sagged after Pip.

[The[cookie]Doctor]

Kaz all I know is that I am scared of getting pregnant again ever as I grew two cup sizes before I was even 5 1/2 weeks. Then I had colostrum at 16 weeks... which I guess wont be as evident this time... I dont know that I even want to breastfeed knowing how much they grew this time around. I am at a war within me and soooooo thankful I have at least a couple of years to deal with it!

And yes totally with you on looking skinny everywhere else. I don't care about my belly, I can wear my chubba bubba belly with pride, but the boobs just make me look RIDICULOUS!!!

[The[cookie]Doctor]

Well I guess things went as expected, great candidate blah blah.
Told me if I want to go ahead to make another appointment with his suite receptionist and come back with questions.
But i don't have questions. I just don't have questions
He also gave me a number for a doctor that works through the same hospital but in the public side and told me to give him a call.

I was happy to pay out of pocket no PHI but now DF is freaking out if something goes wrong and i have to stay in hospital that is what we can't afford. The private accomodation fees.

Now I just don't know what to do. I literally have no quality of life like this. It's a struggle just to sit down on the floor and play with DS but I have no idea what else i can do.
I either get PHI and wait it out 12 months or i go public... neither is what i wanted

and questions... ergh, what questions? other than ok so what are the stats like really for people dying, but i have no questions. i just want it over

[atomicmolli]

I am also trying to find info on breast reduction. Has anyone in Adelaide had it done and went the public system? How long did u wait? Im trying to work it out if its worth getting private health insurance or not.

[SiarasMummy]

I found this old thread on a search in google for breast reductions but I thought I would share my story with you anyway as you might still be only thinking about it...

I am currently a size 14H, my Daughter is 2 now and when I was pregnant I went from a 14G to a 16L in 3 months!!! It was a NIGHTMARE!!! The only place that sold maternity bras was the australian breastfeeding association and the bras were $90 each. I was told if they got any bigger I would have to get my bras custom made which would've cost a fortune.
I couldn't breastfeed my Daughter as my breasts were far too big to manage it and I had to express milk every 3-4 hours for 4 months before I gave up and put her on formula. It was not a nice experience those first few months after the birth.
I was a little overweight before I got pregnant (I have PCOS which makes it difficult to maintain my weight) but I lost some before I went through fertility treatment to get pregnant.
I put on lots of weight during the pregnancy - partly because I stopped all exercise as I was very protective of the pregnancy, and partly because I had high blood pressure so I had a lot of fluid retention.
Anyway, I managed to lose around 30kg's in the 12 months after the birth and decided it was a good time to really look in to a breast reduction. I had been to the doctor MANY times in regards to back pain, hip pain & neck pain. I had suffered with this since I was 15. Even up until I turned 19 I was only a size 10-12 but my breasts never went below a size DD-E.
I got a referral to a plastic surgeon straight away as the doctor knows I have ridiculously large breasts that have caused me many problems.
I had to pay for the consultation at the surgeons, I think it was around $120 but he agreed my case was more urgent than most and that my life would be greatly improved by having the reduction - he put me on the public waiting list and I was told I won't have to pay a cent!!! The surgeon was very understanding and even said that he would write a letter to the wait list office explaining my PCOS and that I would be able to lose weight & be much healthier with a reduction.
He also gave me a quote to have it done privately which would be $11,000.

I am classed as a category 2 on the wait list (1 being an emergency such as cancer etc, 2 being very urgent, and 3 being not urgent)
I've been calling the wait list office regularly to keep reminding them how much I need this done - sometimes I was told 'oh you could be waiting years', other times I was told 'you will be operated on within 12 months' so I found that frustrating and considered signing up to private health insurance which has a 12 month waiting period.
Just before I signed up I contacted the wait list office again and was told I can be done within 6-12 months. I think the fact that I had told them I have lost a further 11kg's has helped my case (I signed up to Weight Watchers in July last year)...I was told I could be bumped up the wait list as my BMI was now below 30 which is what it had to be to be accepted for surgery (I wish they had told me this earlier, I would've joined Weight Watchers months earlier!!!)
I have called every few weeks since then and yesterday I got the awesome news that I have been booked in for surgery for May 25th. I am so excited and a little nervous but I know this is going to change my life. I hate my saggy, large breasts and to be honest, even if I have another child and I can't breasfeed, it doesn't matter to me. Yes, breastfeeding is the most healthy and natural way to feed your baby but I am not willing to make myself miserable for the next few years before we have that next baby. I couldn't go through another uncomfortable pregnancy with big breasts anyway.

I cannot wait to be able to go in to a normal shop and buy a nice bra and not have to fork out up to $100 everytime I need a new bra. I cannot wait to be able to do more exercise than walking and sit ups. I cannot wait to be able to wear halterneck and strapless tops and to actually fit in to bathers again!
I can only get down to a DD-E cup as my breasts are too large to be able to make them any smaller than that but that will still make me happy. When I was 18 (I'm 25 now) I was a size 10 with size DD breasts and despite having some back trouble, I generally felt very sexy at that size!
I have only 8kg left to lose until I get to my ideal weight so that should be relatively easy once I can actually wear a sports bra and exercise more!!!
I think this is going to be the best thing ever, if you are still considering a breast reduction I would advise you to go for it! I have heard from so many people that it has really improves their lives and the scars don't even bother them!

The main advice I would offer you is:
1) Try your very best to lose some weight, I know it is hard without a sports bra but walking can work wonders, and anybody can walk! Weight Watchers is a fantastic program with a lot of support and has a very sensible approach to losing weight. If you are very overweight there is a slim chance you will be operated on through Public Elective Surgery as I found out you have to be below a certain BMI to be operated on. PLUS significant weight loss OR gain post surgery can make your breasts large and saggy again. Your other alternative is to join Private Health Insurance or fork out all the money yourself, but why would you if you can do some hard work and lose some weight and then not pay ANYTHING for it?
2) If you do get put on the Public Waiting List, contact the Wait List Office regularly - this is what I have done and I think it really helped. You could wait forever by not contacting them but if you show them how much you want it, and prove how much you can annoy them (LOL) they will put you further up the list faster.

Good luck and I would love to know if you are still considering it, or if you are going ahead with it!

[The[cookie]Doctor]

Hi, thanks for your detailed post, very nice of you.

I was on a waiting lis tbut despite my size I was a CAT-3, because I had never afforded the assistance of other treatment (chiropractic or physio analysis) - and then was knocked off the waiting list in ACT because they have too many CAT-1 surgeries therefore I am essentially 'wasting' their time and despite the surgeon agreeing it was medically necessary the hospital have the right to call it an elective procedure.

I am now in Melb and will be looking into it further once things have settled for us financially. I will be enlisting in the work of a chiropractor to help manage pain so I can not be taking painkillers just to live and to a point where I will be able to walk comfortably again in order to eventually lose weight, and also for regular analysis on my spinal damage.

If you are very overweight there is a slim chance you will be operated on through Public Elective Surgery as I found out you have to be below a certain BMI to be operated on.

I have been told differently but I guess it depends where you go - they will advise you it may be unpreferable as blood circulation is worse (therefore chance of death is higher) in heavier patients.

as for expensive bras, i get mine for roughly $60 (inc post) from the UK for when they RRP here for $100.

[SiarasMummy]

I am also in Melbourne - have you been to see a surgeon down here yet? If not I could give you the details of mine.
I was also told by the surgeon that my weight wouldn't be an issue but when I spoke directly to the people at the Wait List Office I was told by all of them that hospitals won't do Public Elective Surgery on anyone with a BMI above 30.
Don't know how true it is or if it is all hospitals or only some but it really gave me the incentive to lose the extra kg's!
If you ever need a chat or a walking buddy when you are more comfortable to exercise, let me know!
I found the exercise thing really hard but once I lost just a few kilo's I started feeling better about it and already have less back pain even though i haven't had the surgery yet.

[The[cookie]Doctor]

Sorry had to cut my post short before - screaming toddler.

Whereabouts in Melbourne are you? I would love the details of your surgeon - thanks so much.

I am feeling in a much better place psychologically now that we are back here so i need to get into a mindset to get healthy again. It is not motivation i am lacking it is commitment and then when i lost commitment i lose motivation. If that makes sense. I find it really hard to push through pain barriers (whether than be back/breast pain or indeadequate fitness pain) and then it gets too much. Or for instance, hubby and i had been eating well and getting into good routines and now i have been sick for a month since starting my new job (back to childcare work) and will take time for my immunity to build. Sensible me knows sweating it out is great to kick the bugs but sick me is like - uh... yeah right.

Anyway sorry for that long winded chatter-blab Point is, i am keen to make changes to myself to make it a better 'opportunity' i jsut have a lot to work on. Life has been a bit stalled with how incapcitated i feel by my breasts (clothing is the worst thing) but i leapt a hurdle and got married instead of putting off the big day for when everything would be perfect - know what i mean?

Anyway - you should hang around BellyBelly - its a great community!!

introduce yourself here - https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...ome-say-hello/

you said your DD (dear daughter) is 2 - you can find your baby 'buddy' group here - Baby & Toddler General Discussion - Pregnancy, Birth & Baby Forums ~ BellyBelly

and id say you migth find this forum useful - General Health, Fitness & Well Being - Pregnancy, Birth & Baby Forums ~ BellyBelly

thanks again

[SiarasMummy]

I can't seem to find his phone number online (I would have to find the original letter I got from him last year)
But his name is David Hunter Smith and he works out of Coastal Plastic Surgery Centre in Mornington. I live in the Bayside area, whereabouts are you?

I know what you mean about all the interruptions to getting on with weight loss etc, even after I have lost so much weight I still have bad weeks but that is why I love weight watchers so much. You never feel judged and it just feels so easy to ask for advice and get back on track again. I have probably 'fallen off the wagon' at least 4 or 5 times in the 8 months I have been going but have still managed to almost get to my goal weight cause i didn't want to ruin my hard work and the whole time I had this surgery in my head, thinking how good I would feel when I have a smaller body as well as smaller boobs
Thanks for the links to the other forums, I'll check them out!