I have had large breasts since I was 12 years old. I was a C-cup then, and it only got worse. I was an F cup before pregnancy, now I'm somewhere in the neighborhood of an H cup. I couldn't breastfeed because of extreme Raynaud's syndrome in the breasts, causing so much pain down into my arms constantly that I could not even pick up my baby. I will not attempt to breast-feed again; two different doctors and a lactation consultant have said that would be a bad idea--whatever health and bonding benefits would have to be balanced by the fact that I could not even hold my baby, I was in such pain and yet couldn't take pain meds, and my mental health was shot to hell.
I was interested in breast reduction surgery pre-pregnancy but wanted to wait till I was done having kids so I could breastfeed them. Now that I know that's not happening, I want this done ASAP. I hate my body, and have hated my body since I was 12. Because I was the first to develop in my age-group, I just assumed I was fat and have loathed myself since then. I have some weight to lose still from the pregnancy but can't even do karate anymore because of my size--it hurts to move; most exercise is out of the question. I have shoulder divots about half an inch deep and have spent every day of my life for the past 16 years in pain. This despite chiropractic, massage, and karate 2-3 times per week. I can't enjoy sex anymore; I'm too upset about my breast size. Part of the problem is my ribs are tiny; I used to be a 36F and now it's more like a 40 but that's because of so much tissue even under the arms since the pregnancy. I just don't think my back can structurally handle much more. I am cursing myself for not trying to do this sooner; I wasted the best years of my life being so huge I could never fit into clothes. People routinely make fun of me for my size, and have since I was 12. I haven't seen a psychologist for this but I'm to the point where either I'm going to have to get surgery or drag myself to a therapist because I know I'm in a total state of depression about my size.
Does anyone with experience with this sort of thing think it would be relatively easy, or relatively difficult to get insurance to cover breast reduction surgery in my case? I know they want you to be able to take a certain amount of tissue off (I'd be happy just chopping 'em off at this point but that's of course reactionary). Will my recent pregnancy affect the insurance? Should I bring up the mental health issues or no? I don't know if I could talk to a doc without crying at this point. And does anyone with Raynaud's know if surgery exacerbates it?
Thanks for your help.
I was interested in breast reduction surgery pre-pregnancy but wanted to wait till I was done having kids so I could breastfeed them. Now that I know that's not happening, I want this done ASAP. I hate my body, and have hated my body since I was 12. Because I was the first to develop in my age-group, I just assumed I was fat and have loathed myself since then. I have some weight to lose still from the pregnancy but can't even do karate anymore because of my size--it hurts to move; most exercise is out of the question. I have shoulder divots about half an inch deep and have spent every day of my life for the past 16 years in pain. This despite chiropractic, massage, and karate 2-3 times per week. I can't enjoy sex anymore; I'm too upset about my breast size. Part of the problem is my ribs are tiny; I used to be a 36F and now it's more like a 40 but that's because of so much tissue even under the arms since the pregnancy. I just don't think my back can structurally handle much more. I am cursing myself for not trying to do this sooner; I wasted the best years of my life being so huge I could never fit into clothes. People routinely make fun of me for my size, and have since I was 12. I haven't seen a psychologist for this but I'm to the point where either I'm going to have to get surgery or drag myself to a therapist because I know I'm in a total state of depression about my size.
Does anyone with experience with this sort of thing think it would be relatively easy, or relatively difficult to get insurance to cover breast reduction surgery in my case? I know they want you to be able to take a certain amount of tissue off (I'd be happy just chopping 'em off at this point but that's of course reactionary). Will my recent pregnancy affect the insurance? Should I bring up the mental health issues or no? I don't know if I could talk to a doc without crying at this point. And does anyone with Raynaud's know if surgery exacerbates it?
Thanks for your help.