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Oh you poor thing! Men honestly don't understand what it's like to have a large chest. Sometimes I have awful pain, but yours seems to be on a very regular basis. First of all, I think you need to switch bras. It won't cure anything, but sometimes if I wear a bra that isn't so great, I can't hardly move the next day. Try getting a Le Mystiere Dream Tisha bra, and be sure to get properly fitted for it. If you don't like them, try the Wacoal Awareness bra. Both of them have done really great things for me.
Secondly, get the surgery if that doesn't make things better. I don't know if you'll be able to breastfeed or not, but you can't go on like this for five years. I have a great aunt who wears a DD, and she always tells me that one of her biggest regrets is not getting a reduction while she was young :(.
And I know that breast feeding is really great for your kids, but so is your ability to move about comfortably! If this gets any worse, you're not going to be able to tote them around. Plenty of kids don't breast feed and come out completely normal (I did, anyway!).
I had a reduction about 10 years ago and have full sensation and will be able to breastfeed. I was younger so admittedly I prob didn't worry enough about the possibility of not being able to breastfeed, I was more concerned with my own looks and discomfort. But it was THE BEST decision I ever made.
@jo.lee: Thanks for the reply. I usually buy Maidenform bras, if I can find my size in the store. I also have a Victoria's Secret Angels Demi bra I tried, with not so good results. I have owned the Le Mystiere Dream Tisha bra in the past, about a year ago, and it was a pretty good bra. I got by, but it never relieves the pain completely. I have thought of that... if I can't pick the kid up, what's the point?
I'm going on almost 3 years of having a breast reduction- I had it done when I was 20. The breast feeding was one of my concerns, but my dr told me that with the new techniques of them doing the surgeries, they keep the mammary glands intact so the chances of you being able to breastfeed are great.
It was honestly in my 23 years of life one of the best decisions I've ever made! Since my surgery, I've been able to run- something that killed my back prior to surgery- and the neck pain which my dr thought was the beginning of arthiritis have improved to where I have no pain there.I know I sound like an infomercial, but I was just telling my friend who is looking into having a reduction and she said she could tell how happy I was with the decision.
Hope that helps with your decision some. If you have any more questions, feel free to msg me.
I had a breast reduction in 2007! And like you I would I be in tears from back pain, I would have to go to the chiropractor 2 times a week just to get my back realined. I was about a 34E but I ususally wore a 34DD just because finding a 34E was a pain in the butt I was a size 2 at the time so I wasn't overweight.
While the surgery was tough, I mean I literally couldn't move for like 2 day, and then it was still extremely painful for the following weeks, it was 100% worth it! There are a lot of risks though, because they cut around your nipple there is a chance you won't be able to breast feed, the scars are also pretty bad, (straight across your under your boob, and then a straight line up the middle and around your nipple) and recovery really does take a full year. It helped my back tremendously! However my boobs have grown back =( I'm back into a 34DD however it fits me perfectly now, so I'm still a little smaller than I was before surgery. They took just over 3lbs off in my surgery and I got down to a full C/ a little more on the D side.
Talk to your doctor, and bring your bf with you! My now husband was my bf at the time, and he has never complained about me getting the surgery. He now jokes that my boobs were outta control before! My doctor also told me that usually women who get a breast reduction end up wanting to get another one after they have kids. But that in noway should stop you from getting one now. My insurance covered mine 100%. If you want any more info feel free to pm me!
@Bedouin: You're so right about that. I had a friend I worked with who was about 40, and she got a reduction right after kids. She used to tell me to get it young, too, and I quote "so you can enjoy your youth."
It sucks talking about it to some people, because they assume that if you just lose weight, the girls will shrink. It seems like I'm cursed, because everytime I lose weight, I gain a cup size or two.
Have you tried buying a few of the Dream Tisha bras and only wearing those? Sometimes the pain from wearing a bad bra will linger into the next day or so, so that your shoulders would still hurt even when you're wearing the better one. I still think you should get a reduction if you have pain, but I think you should have a good short-term solution, too!
@g8rgirl1020: This is great to hear, it gives me hope!
@sizzle: The growing back of the boobs is a concern. I'm not afraid of the pain from the surgery. I would like to be on the B/C side so that if they do grow back, I will hopefully end up with C/D's.. which I would be able to live with.
@jo.lee: I haven't owned anymore than 1 Dream Tisha bra. It was a nice bra to wear and it definitely cut back the strap marks in my skin because of the straps being so wide. I guess I never really noticed a miraculous difference with it, or else I probably would be swimming in them right now. =)
I had a breast reduction surgery two years ago and it was the BEST decision I have ever made for myself. I went from an E cup to a large C. I feel so much healthier, back pain is gone and I no longer have chronic migraines.
In terms of kids, my original plan was to wait until after I had kids to have the breat reduction surgery, but I was having horrible back/neck pain and chronic migraines. I talked to my MIL about the surgery and my concerns because she had a breat reduction when my husband was little. She told me that the one regret that she had with her surgery is that she did not have it done 10 years earlier than she did, before kids.
With the breast feeding, my doctor told me that it really depends how an individual person heals. Some women can fully breastfeed, others have difficulties. I realized after my surgery that I would have never been able to breastfeed at the size I was before because I was so uncomfortable and in pain from my breast size alone.
The drs. removed 4 pounds off my chest and I am so happy that I decided to have the surgery. It has drastically improved my life, allows me to be more active and feel healthier. I would not want to go through pregnancies with the pain I was experiencing.
Good luck with your decision. One book I read in the months prior to surgery is "When less is more". You may find it a helpful read as well!
@jaylii9: I also have tons of headaches all the time too. I wondered if that was tied to my back problems, but I see it now might be. I need to check with the doctor to be sure. Yikes... 4 pounds removed from your chest alone? That's amazing. Even having 3 pounds is amazing.
Yeah, my doctors basically thought that the reason I was having so many headaches was because of how much pressure was on my back and neck. My neck/back was always extremely stiff and hurt! Now after the surgery, if I start to get a little bit of a sinus headache I can use my netti pot and my headache is gone!
I also wanted to mention that I saw a chiropractor once a week for about 4-5 months before my surgery. That really helped manage my pain although it was always a temporary fix.
Have you tried any treatment for your back pain? I am a fan of trying everything before surgery. Have you considered seeing a chiropractor?
On a side note- I think something like 80% of support from a bra should come from the band, so you should definitely not have straps digging into your shoulders.
@Jacqi: Women who have large pendulous breasts have a very tough time finding bras that fit properly and support. Bands digging into your shoulders happens because of the weight of large breasts and supportive band won't do that much to help the problem.
@jaylii9: I am actually the same band size, larger cup than the OP. I know it is hard and more expensive and it takes a long time to find one and you have to try on every bra is the store and possibly go to a specialty store, but its definitely worth it to find a bra that does its job without causing pain.
I'm a 36F (was a 34 DD for a while too) so I can very much understand how you feel but I would wait until you are done having kids to have the surgery. And this has zero to do with the ability to breast feed and way more to do with the fact that if you have surgery now you'll likely have to do it all over again in 5 years after having kids and that is such a waste of your money and the really long recovery times. I'm already planning to get a reduction when I'm done having kids and that is probably 8+ years down the road for me. I'd NEVER consider doing it before kids and I don't even intend to breastfeed so that isn't a concern.
Go to Nordstroms and get properly fitted for a bra. I used to have terrible back pain (even as a DD, but even more when they grew to an F) and the bras I got at Nordstrom have helped A TON! My back is still stiff sometimes but not nearly as bad. I'll second Jacqi too in that the support should be coming from the band, not the straps. So the fact that you straps are digging into your shoulders is a BIG sign that you aren't wearing a proper bra.
And honestly, I'd talk to a doctor about you back becuse I feel like there is something else going on besides having a large chest. My mom went from large Cs to an I cup (yeah - her bras were practically impossible to find then!) after having her three kids and despite terrible back pain, she never would have rated it a 10 or been brought to tears. I'm not saying that you aren't experiencing that terrible of pain, but I think there is something else causing the bulk of it besides your boobs. Defintiely something to look into because if there is another underlying problem, a breast reduction isn't going to fix it.
I know exactly how you are feeling, I had a breast reduction August '09, I went from a 34FF to a 34 DD. (I am also around 150lbs) And no matter what your hesitations are I seriously encourage you to get the surgery. I myself had trouble even breathing just sitting on the couch. When it comes to breast feeding, it something that worried me, but the releif I have now is too life changing. It is the highest rated post plastic surgery from patients. My thoughts are with you, It's a difficult recovery, but the best thing I ever did for myself.
@Mrs.KMM: Is this absolutely the case for everybody that gets it done? Do they grow back no matter what, or is that just with kids?
@Miss Joker: I don't have trouble breathing, but I'm not a 34FF. Wow. I can't imagine how that would feel... smothered by the weight of your boobs on your lungs??
@Jacqi: I have been to the chiropractor in the past quite a few times. I always ended up with a nice massage from him - he never really did anything to give me relief that lasted beyond a few hours after the session. I also have bras with really wide straps, because thin straps feel like barbed wire digging into my skin. The wider straps help, but they still give me marks when the bra comes off.
@Bedouin: Having your breasts grow back doesn't happen to everyone but after having kids there is a pretty high chance of having them grow back and needing to get another surgery.
However insurance will cover your surgery. Mine was covered 100% and my doctor also said that if need be my insurance would most likely cover it again after having kids if I needed another one. In the end the cost of the surgery was less than what I had spent on chiropractor visits! And my insurance approved my surgery the day they sent in the paper work!
@sizzle: 100%? That's awesome, good for you. =) Glad it worked out. I'm not sure what insurance would do for me, exactly, at this stage. It's a question?
I would try going to a physical therapist who can help you realign your back, but also strengthen the muscles to keep your back in the correct position. It's not enough to just go to the chiropractor because as even you have said, the relief only lasts a couple of hours or days and you end up having to go back again and again. A physical therapist will help you increase the strength of your back and neck muscles, help you improve your posture and also have ways of managing pain that a doctor does not know how to do. Try them out before having surgery!
I haven't had kids yet, but I had a reduction when I was 18. SUCH a good decision. Made me more comfortable, feel better about my body, easier time finding clothes, etc. Eased but didn't erase back pain.
I think the biggest thing is to talk to the docs about your concerns. I agree with a PP that there is likely more going on with your back than JUST your breasts, so get that checked out for sure. Also get fitted properly at Nordstrom's for a good bra - don't be afraid to invest in a pricey one; it makes a HUGE difference. (I'm a grad student who scrimps on everything, but not that.)
Good luck!
p.s. I'm 30 now, and they've only gone up about half a cup size since the surgery. But again, I haven't had kids, who knows what will happen then!
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Hi everyone,
I am posting this question just to get your thoughts.. if you have ever had a reduction or breastfed after a reduction, please chime in.
Here's my situation:
My boyfriend and I are planning on getting married late next year. After that we plan to be married for a year, and then think about having kids.
That's all well and good, but here comes the problem. I'm a 34DD. I have moderate pain from sitting in my chair at work in my back. My chair is an ergonomic back chair to boot. I have tried many other chairs in the past, but sitting in them for more than 3 hours in an upright position (proper posture) begins to tire my shoulders. If I relax and slouch/recline, my back hurts really, really bad.
Just yesterday I was doing housework for 2 hours... washing dishes, vaccuming, cleaning litterboxes, etc. I literally ended up laying flat in bed after that in tears because my back pain was up to nearly a 10 on the pain scale. I have permanent grooves in my shoulders and strap marks from my bras. My back always hurts everyday to the point where I take asprin to rid myself of it. I have even stopped working at work to take a few breaks and lay down on the sofa before getting back to my desk, but that doesn't help. I also used to weigh about 10 pounds more than I do now, but I lost the weight and my boobs didn't get smaller at all. I'm five foot seven inches and I weigh 152 pounds right now, so I am not overweight.
My boyfriend is really reluctant about getting me getting a breast reduction before having kids. The soonest I would be able to have a reduction would be after our 2nd child is weaned, which would be about 5 years from now. I am really frightened by the idea of going through this back pain for 5 more years. My back has an S curve to it already that I see in the mirror. I am tired of crying over the size of my boobs and dealing with the pain. He wants me to stick it out so that I can breastfeed our future children since he is afraid that a breast reduction would make me unable to do so or I wouldn't be able to breastfeed fully. He says I should sacrifice my comfort to breastfeed our kids unless a doctor says it is severely comprimising my back. I will see a doctor about this in a few months.
So, what do you think? Were you able to breastfeed after a reduction? Should I get the surgery before kids? I can't imagine bearing the pain for another 5 years.