Reduction surgery in December

[Pamtryingagain]

Long story how this ended up December 30 but I am having a long awaited and postponed breast reduction on December 30. I just got into skiing again last winter and want to go as much as I can this winter.

Just wanted to know if any other skiiers have had this surgery and would March be too soon to ski? (8 weeks of healing).

In the long run will hopefully it will be worth it but looks like spring skiing will be the earliest I can consider.

If anyone knows of a good place in the US or Canada to ski in December I could book something then also. After that I assume April if all goes well.

Looking for early December and spring skiing options. TIA!

 

[Emms]

I had mine done late spring and I think it was about 2 months till I felt comfortable getting on the bike so might be doable. Probably depends on if you can bail without losing a ton if you are getting close timing wise and don’t feel quite ready yet.

No regrets but the recovery was rough (I had lipo done in the armpits and that hurt way way more than the incisions fwiw)

 

[Pamtryingagain]

Thanks for the reply. I don't think I'll have lipo but we have a pre-op on Dec 18 and I'll liky discuss it. It always sounds so painful on the Reddit forum also. I think I'll try to ski before the surgery so I at least have that. I can try to make plans I can drop if hring is rough. So far looks like snow is going to be good and last year wasn't so I am already starting to wonder if I should wait till late spring. But when you're ready you're ready I think.

 

[HuntersEmma57]

Long story how this ended up December 30 but I am having a long awaited and postponed breast reduction on December 30. I just got into skiing again last winter and want to go as much as I can this winter.

Just wanted to know if any other skiiers have had this surgery and would March be too soon to ski? (8 weeks of healing).

In the long run will hopefully it will be worth it but looks like spring skiing will be the earliest I can consider.

If anyone knows of a good place in the US or Canada to ski in December I could book something then also. After that I assume April if all goes well.

Looking for early December and spring skiing options. TIA!

Depends on type of reduction. If it's an implant removal, there's muscle involved. If you have any infection afterwards, that could delay recovery. I had a regular reduction and 2 months was fine, but I wore a really high quality, high support sports bra.

Note of caution: My surgeon did not remove nearly enough breast tissue and I went from a DDD to a DD! That's it. I was swollen for several months, so I was actually the same size post surgery -- but very noticeably and nicely lifted. I had requested a C cup. So make sure you're very double dog sure and explicit what size you want.

I just canceled a second reduction surgery because the risk of complications is too high so I'm still, at age 68, dealing with men staring at my chest and never got my tennis backswing back.

Good luck!!

 

[BlizzardBabe]

Eff those male types.

 

[Emms]

Depends on type of reduction. If it's an implant removal, there's muscle involved. If you have any infection afterwards, that could delay recovery. I had a regular reduction and 2 months was fine, but I wore a really high quality, high support sports bra.

Note of caution: My surgeon did not remove nearly enough breast tissue and I went from a DDD to a DD! That's it. I was swollen for several months, so I was actually the same size post surgery -- but very noticeably and nicely lifted. I had requested a C cup. So make sure you're very double dog sure and explicit what size you want.

I just canceled a second reduction surgery because the risk of complications is too high so I'm still, at age 68, dealing with men staring at my chest and never got my tennis backswing back.

Good luck!!

OH MY GOD, SAME and I heard this advice and didn't believe it

My surgeon told me I was a small C/large B (which is what I asked for)

I am an E and he didn't believe me when I told him

Their cup estimation is 100% vibes and they don't understand how it scales to body proportions

I just don't have the energy to do the recovery again and weightlifting has strengthened my back enough that I can live with it (I was like a G post children so this is miles better, they did take about 800gm of breast tissue, but it's not what I asked for)

 

[HuntersEmma57]

Depends on type of reduction. If it's an implant removal, there's muscle involved. If you have any infection afterwards, that could delay recovery. I had a regular reduction and 2 months was fine, but I wore a really high quality, high support sports bra.

Note of caution: My surgeon did not remove nearly enough breast tissue and I went from a DDD to a DD! That's it. I was swollen for several months, so I was actually the same size post surgery -- but very noticeably and nicely lifted. I had requested a C cup. So make sure you're very double dog sure and explicit what size you want.

I just canceled a second reduction surgery because the risk of complications is too high so I'm still, at age 68, dealing with men staring at my chest and never got my tennis backswing back.

Good luck!!

Uhh, that'd be backhand. That's how long since I played tennis!

 

[HuntersEmma57]

OH MY GOD, SAME and I heard this advice and didn't believe it

My surgeon told me I was a small C/large B (which is what I asked for)

I am an E and he didn't believe me when I told him

Their cup estimation is 100% vibes and they don't understand how it scales to body proportions

I just don't have the energy to do the recovery again and weightlifting has strengthened my back enough that I can live with it (I was like a G post children so this is miles better, they did take about 800gm of breast tissue, but it's not what I asked for)

I am so sorry to hear that. Good lord, any decent bra fitter can estimate accurate size within seconds. WTH!! You're so right they don't seem to understand scaling to body proportions. I have broad (beautiful shoulders) and my old breasts didn't look terribly big from the front, but from the side was a different matter altogether. Size 8 bottom, size 16 top.

The 2008 surgeon offered to re-do the surgery, but I'd would have to pay the facility and anesthesia charges - back then was $5k - and miss more work and recovery time. Now 14 years later, I'm so tired of carrying this excess around, I was willing to pony up the $12k, but the chance of nipple loss is high (both sensation and worse, necrosis). I'm already reconsidering getting it anyway. Please let me know how it goes for you!

 

[Pamtryingagain]

Depends on type of reduction. If it's an implant removal, there's muscle involved. If you have any infection afterwards, that could delay recovery. I had a regular reduction and 2 months was fine, but I wore a really high quality, high support sports bra.

Note of caution: My surgeon did not remove nearly enough breast tissue and I went from a DDD to a DD! That's it. I was swollen for several months, so I was actually the same size post surgery -- but very noticeably and nicely lifted. I had requested a C cup. So make sure you're very double dog sure and explicit what size you want.

I just canceled a second reduction surgery because the risk of complications is too high so I'm still, at age 68, dealing with men staring at my chest and never got my tennis backswing back.

Good luck!!

Thanks for the info. I would be totally depressed if I only went down one cup size and f them starting at my chest. I've worn baggie and layered clothing all my life. I can't imagine being a normal or small size and dressing without stress. My winter gear is always a problem because to fit the chest, I end up with it way too big everywhere else so I want to go down 3 or 4 sizes. No implant removals or anything. I keep looking at the date of this thing and realizing it's either then or wait a few more months until Mid february and that just sounds undoable right now since I finally have a window of opportunity with help to do this.

I don't know if I could change the date at this point anyway but originally i was supposed to do this in early October but then had a pretty upsetting financial setback which has been resolved. My surgeon gave me assurance I would be a small/medium but nothing about cup sizes.

I want to plan a trip before the surgery; (early snow areas?) and one or two after surgery. I think I need to be cautious about booking anything that cannot be refunded though in case of complications. thanks

 

[Jenny]

Maybe go in there with a bra of the correct post-surgery size? And tell him if you don’t fit in it then he’s in trouble?

(This Is all a very theoretical discussion for me - I'm the other extreme.)

 

[HuntersEmma57]

Maybe go in there with a bra of the correct post-surgery size? And tell him if you don’t fit in it then he’s in trouble?

(This Is all a very theoretical discussion for me - I'm the other extreme.)

Not a bad idea. I had a female surgeon and she totally blew it. "Here, take this with you into the OR."

 

[Jenny]

Not a bad idea. I had a female surgeon and she totally blew it. "Here, take this with you into the OR."

LOL, I was just assuming they were men and couldn’t bear to make the breasts smaller! Like it's against everything they, as men, stand for.

 

[HuntersEmma57]

LOL, I was just assuming they were men and couldn’t bear to make the breasts smaller! Like it's against everything they, as men, stand for.

Yeah, too true. Having been ogled and groped since I was 12, it does seem fairly universal.

This surgeon is tops in her field of breast reconstruction post-mastectomy. I guess she didn't work that much with the "luxury" of excess breast tissue.

 

[SnowHot]

I know it's not quite the same but...
When I had breast cancer 5 years ago my surgery was October 16th and I was skiing in 4 weeks.
I was cautioned to wear a really good sports bra and if I did anything challenging to consider wearing two bras.
The crazy thing is that my biopsy felt more invasive than the actual breast cancer surgery.

 

[HuntersEmma57]

I know it's not quite the same but...
When I had breast cancer 5 years ago my surgery was October 16th and I was skiing in 4 weeks.
I was cautioned to wear a really good sports bra and if I did anything challenging to consider wearing two bras.
The crazy thing is that my biopsy felt more invasive than the actual breast cancer surgery.

Great info and thanks for sharing your experience. I'm hope and trust you are on the other side and thriving.

 

[SnowHot]

Great info and thanks for sharing your experience. I'm hope and trust you are on the other side and thriving.

Yes. Cancer free for 4+ years.

 

[Pamtryingagain]

Not a bad idea. I had a female surgeon and she totally blew it. "Here, take this with you into the OR."

Yikes, all that trouble and have the results be worthless would really ruin my winter! I am not doing this for appearance sake. I will take that little bra in to my preop in december!

 

[Bookworm]

Yeah, too true. Having been ogled and groped since I was 12, it does seem fairly universal.

This surgeon is tops in her field of breast reconstruction post-mastectomy. I guess she didn't work that much with the "luxury" of excess breast tissue.

just stare back at their tiny dicks

 

[Pamtryingagain]

I know it's not quite the same but...
When I had breast cancer 5 years ago my surgery was October 16th and I was skiing in 4 weeks.
I was cautioned to wear a really good sports bra and if I did anything challenging to consider wearing two bras.
The crazy thing is that my biopsy felt more invasive than the actual breast cancer surgery.

Good to know! The new research is showing a 30% reduced risk of breast cancer after a reduction depending on amount if tissue removed so with a sister with cancer I am also wanting to reduce risk. I will buy two good sports bras!

 

[Pamtryingagain]

I am so sorry to hear that. Good lord, any decent bra fitter can estimate accurate size within seconds. WTH!! You're so right they don't seem to understand scaling to body proportions. I have broad (beautiful shoulders) and my old breasts didn't look terribly big from the front, but from the side was a different matter altogether. Size 8 bottom, size 16 top.

The 2008 surgeon offered to re-do the surgery, but I'd would have to pay the facility and anesthesia charges - back then was $5k - and miss more work and recovery time. Now 14 years later, I'm so tired of carrying this excess around, I was willing to pony up the $12k, but the chance of nipple loss is high (both sensation and worse, necrosis). I'm already reconsidering getting it anyway. Please let me know how it goes for you!

I will let you know. You should check out the r/reduction; a reduction thread on Reddit where you can ask about reconstruction, nipple loss etc. I read it regularly but I came here to ask about reduction because I was wondering if I can ski afterwards and how long it would be. I can definately take it easy also in the first months afterwards but this winter is shaping up already to look better than last for snow.

By the way, I don't know how to buy sports bras that aren't basically just tight harnesses; like metal and painful compression. I hope to find something that works; I just hope I end up small enough to toss all the old contraptions out. I have a box of failed attempts at sport and regular bras.