For DU full figured women: Have you had a breast reduction?

[KitchenWitch]

If not, would you consider it?

(38 DD here - I get back and neck pain from the sheer weight of the girls).

[ScreamingMeemie]

1. My sister-in-law, a 42HH (her husband's head fits into one of her

cups) is having one done next week. I will let you know how it goes. Her back has literally become deformed from the weight. :hi:

[Allenberg]

6. Oh. My. God.

Those are...*mental shutdown*

[Redstone]

16. Those are what you'd call "much too much," is what

I think you're trying to say. That poor woman's back must hurt every waking moment.

Redstone

[KitchenWitch]

17. Yikes

now those are some large 'tracts of land'.

Too much of a good thing is often too much.

[ScreamingMeemie]

22. We don't get along all that well, but on this front (no pun intended) she

has always had my sympathies. When she had her children it was positively brutal on her. :hi:

[RockaFowler]

2. My Girlfriend Just Had a Reduction

She looks a lot better, but she is still bigger than me and I'm a 38D

[wtmusic]

18. Why do you think she looks better? nt

[Talismom]

3. I once considered it but would wait until I couldn't stand it anymore

because of what they actually do. Ewww,it freaks me out to even think of it.
(I'm the same size as you are.)

[Cobalt Violet]

4. If I had the cash I would do it.

Clothing is manufactured to fit the B cup. The hell with everyone else. Its just not going to look as good on you. And I hate the big boob = slutty attitude that a lot of men and women have.

[KitchenWitch]

5. I hear you

I hate the "Hey, I am up here" thing I have to do.

[mongo]

11. shhh.... I was talking to Betty and Veronica

:sarcasm:

[KitchenWitch]

15. smart ass

:D

What more can I expect from a purveyor of smut :evilgrin:

[ChoralScholar]

62. yeah.. on behalf of men everywhere, sorry about that.

I try really hard not to. I swear to God.

[KitchenWitch]

65. At least you are aware

it is the ignorant fucks out there that induce my hostility.

[tjdee]

43. You=preacher. Me=choir.

I am not as big as an F anymore (was when I was pregnant and nursing :crazy:), but I can still attest to that. Button down shirts are not my friend.

:grr:

[KitchenWitch]

44. Yeah

Twice pregnant...huge fucking knockers...and quadruple hook backs! :grr:

[Sannum]

7. My friend did.

She was just sick of the weight.

I can't speak from experience though...I am flat as a board and soooo glad after all of the horror stories I have heard.

[Redstone]

8. Is it OK for a guy to reply? I have a friend who was so tortured

by her outsized hooters that she had the reduction surgery when she was in her early twenties.

She's not sorry she did. And she actually looks better, too, because she's only about five-foot-four and they were WAY out of proportion for her phenotype.

There's no kind of surgery that's any fun, but if you're miserable, it might help.

Redstone

[KitchenWitch]

10. You are not out of line

I am a tall woman, but I still feel encumbered...I believe at my cup size, the insurance will kick part of it in, so I may opt for it.

[Justyce]

9. 38DD/40D here too, depending on the bra brand....

I've been thinking about this a lot lately -- I'm just worried about price, pain, outcomes, etc. Well, basically I'm just a poor chicken, but I would love to hear how this has turned out for people who have taken the plunge.

[asjr]

12. If I only had the money! I am so tired of lugging these

critters around. My daughter also has a large bosom and we at one time decided we would start our own singing act and call ourselves The Jugs. I am 42 DDD and it is no fun. And if they get much longer I can play my own private game of soccer.

[Heddi]

13. Oh my god if I had the cash I would get one TOMORROW

I started wearing a bra (not a trainer...a real one with cups and straps) in the second grade. SECOND FUCKING GRADE and I had B-cups!

By 5th grade, I was C-cup

I'm currently (at 29) a 42DD and I swear to god they're getting bigger (no, I've not had any children and are not pregnant)

I would LOVE to get a breast reduction, or augmentation. Just pull 'em up a bit.

As it stands, I cannot wear button up shirts unless they're Mens' XXXL. Even plus-sized women's button-ups don't fit me right because I'm bigger on top than on bottom---so I look like I'm wearing a tent (same with Men's shirts, but they tend to be more tapered at the bottom which makes for easier tucking in)

If I stand up straight and look down at my feet, I can't see my feet.

I can't lay on my stomach b/c of the boobies.

When I lay on my back, 1/2 of each boob slides into my armpit.

Forget about wearing ANYTHING remotely strapless or thin-strapped.

FORGET about running---I would love to be able to exercise more but I can't do anything that involves running, jumping, or anything that makes the girls go wild. I look like I've got a herd of fighting cats in my shirt when I run. Plus the pain...oh god the pain.

I spent $45 on a jogger's bra from a big-boob store and even THAT wasn't enough to keep them in place. I Swear, I thought I'd have to staple them to my chest to keep them steady.

Yes. I want a boob job. I told my husband just the other night that for our 10th anniversary (another 5 years) PLEASE get me a boob job (if not sooner). He said okay, as long as I kept them big. :)

[meow2u3]

14. 40 DDD here--no

I just don't have the money to relieve the strain on my back from excess boobage.

If you foot the bill, I'll go under the knife :evilgrin:

[Redstone]

20. I'm sorry, I just couldn't help it. I read your post, then looked

at your screen name, and I just had to laugh. I apologize again, but I couldn't help noticing.

Redstone

[mongo]

19. Related question: Where do you buy your bras?

We don't carry bras because 1. our lingerie dept is not our primary profit center and 2. We would lose money on them due to unpopular sizes never selling. In short, it would be a really bad use of the small space we have.

But I do get full figured women in here asking me advice on where they can find bras that fit. I know of a few companies, but they only deal in wholesale (which would be no problem) and have huge minimum orders (which is a big problem).

Any sources someone would like to share would be appreciated. I'd love to find a wholesaler that will deal with special orders. We always mark up lingerie/shoe catalogs that will let us do this kind of service without penalties.

But even an internet site that I can refer these ladies to would be helpful.

Thanks.

[KitchenWitch]

21. For mainstream type lingerie

The Just My Size catalog carries some nice things...I would imagine you would want somethign more "Frederick's of Hollywood" though...Let me research and get back to you.

[mongo]

31. Thanks

No need to research - I'm not going to start carrying bras - swimwear was enough of a drain on us.

I'll stick to Teddies, Chemises, Cami tops, Baby Dolls, the occasional gown, a select few corsets, costumes (a big seller), and hosiery.

Mostly, I just want to be able to give some advice. Even the department stores in town have a terrible selection - if they have anything at all.

I see they have an affiliate program - I'll get in touch with them tomorrow and see what kind of wholesale they do.

Thanks.

And I wish I had some good advice for you too. Everything I've ever heard about breast reduction has been positive. I think it will benefit you in the long run.

[Heddi]

23. Vic's Secret

Carries up to my size (42DD) and I think they only have one bra style in that size, and that's the biggest size they have (at least the last time I was there---which was long ago---because I do not see the value in spending $50 on a bra)

I also wonder if the full-sized ladies coming into your store have the typical Big-Boobed problem--- let me explain:

Alot of larger women are large in girth (which means large size, like 38, or 42, etc) but they have small cup sizes (like A or AA). Not every fat woman has big boobs. A friend of mine was about 300lbs but had a very small B-sized breast. It was IMPOSSIBLE for her to find bras that fit around her chest AND had a small cup size.

Fashion people seem to think that if you're above X weight (or X chest circumfrence) then you have DD, DDD, etc boob sizes. Not so.

She was unable to ever find bras that fit her properly. She could get some that were 50-inches around, but the cups were big enough to make into a swimming pool.

[KitchenWitch]

26. Problem with Vicki's Secret is that they carry large bras

but do not carry camies, teddies, and panties in large sizes.

[Heddi]

28. Oh I know. I tried to buy undies there once

and was so dismayed that they only had ONE size 7 underpants in stock, and they were SO ugly. I told the salewoman that If I wanted bloomers I would have gotten a pack of $10 at fucking Target for $5 instead of the INSANE $15 they wanted for one pair of fucking granny panties.

grr.

[KitchenWitch]

29. In the Vicki's Secret world

it is A-OK to be big busted, but you must have a 24 inch waist to wear anything else made by them.

[mongo]

32. Really. They have a terrible selection.

[LynneSin]

40. Victoria Secret, owned by the Limted and btw.....RED

:D

[mongo]

34. We try to stock about half our styles

up to 3X.

Unfortunately, the web store is not the same as our brick and mortar store, and they only stock really crappy boxed lingerie.

[Kathleen04]

30. They sell

"bra extenders" that allow you to add some inches to the chest band of a normal bra..they clip into the eye-hooks of the bra.

[Heddi]

33. My friend

that I referenced above--she was about 300 lbs and had a large A/Small B cup size, but she couldn't find a bra in the correct width for her...they don''t carry 53A's as far as I know.

At any rate, she tried bra extenders and once ended up using SIX EXTENDERS to make her bra 'fit'.

needless to say, she ditched that idea straight away!

[mongo]

37. Damn!

I really feel sorry for your friend, and ladies in a similar situation.

She could always go the other way and get cup inserts, but that has to be hot in the summer.

[Heddi]

46. SHe just went braless

which I don't know why she didn't do to begin with because she was so small chested that you couldn't tell if she was with or without bra unless her shirt was see-through----but I don't think I EVER saw her in a see-through top.

Me--oh god. I always ask my husband "Can you tell if I'm wearing a bra" and he's like "WHO CARES" but I don't want to be like Sue-Ellen on Seinfeld who didn't wear a bra and EVERYONE knew.

I think the key (for me) is to not wear thin shirts so that I don't get the "Gee it's cold in here and I didn't even realize it" reaction from the Ladies :)

[mongo]

36. Usually, it is the opposite

A size 20 woman with very large breasts.

But yeah, some of the teddies, or anything with an underwire doesn't work for plus-sized women with a B cup. Most of the chemises tend to fit OK.

[LynzM]

47. The reverse is true, as well.

Had a heck of a time when I was a 34DD... you can't possibly be that small around and have breasts that size, Noooooo. Despite what all the media wants you to believe, of course :eyes:

[WCGreen]

50. Is that why there are two d's in your name......

[Heddi]

53. Yes, It is

actually. Thanks for noticing.

by the way, my eyes are up here, thankyouverymuch :)

[KitchenWitch]

55. HAHA

I totally get that!

[WCGreen]

61. You have eyes???????

[KitchenWitch]

56. Hey WC

I liked your OpEd. Very well written.

[WCGreen]

60. Thank you dear....

[Heddi]

25. Try these as well

http://www.avenue.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?categoryId=17984&storeId=326&langId=-1&catalogId=40000000326

Looks like they carry most styles in sizes 40C-46C, 40D-46D, 40DD-48DD, 42DDD-48DDD.

HEre's a website that lists companies that sell larger sizes (E and up)

http://plussizebras.org/guides.html

http://www.biggerbras.com/

http://www.lingerieatlarge.com/

http://www.amplebosom.com/

I just came up with those by googling "Large size bra". Seems that there are TONS of companies that deal with our...encumbered friends :)

[mongo]

38. Thanks

I'll be checking out the links tomorrow. I'd love to keep a catalog at the register to special order - you would be surprised at how many people will not shop on the internet.

I used to deal a bunch with Shirley of Hollywood - they sell some really provocative stuff up to 5X. But they add on a $15.00 fee to any order under $200 wholesale, so I can't let customers special order from them.

We tried for a while, when we had a bunch of their stuff in the store and would just fill out an order whenever a customer would want something. But it made the store lopsided with their products, and there are other companies that make their stuff right here in America that I'd rather deal with - and let us special order by the piece without penalty for our customers.

[liontamer]

72. fredericks of hollywood is really good

i don't know about wholesale, but if you just want to refer people, they're awesome.

[Habibi]

24. Best friend had it done a few years ago

I don't know what size she was, but big enough to have worn semi-permanent grooves in her shoulders from bra straps. She's pretty satisfied with the results. Note I don't say "delighted"--she's glad for the lighter weight, but has a slight deformity now. Or, at least, she refers to it as a "third boob." I haven't seen it, but her description makes me wonder about her surgeon.

I would ask around *a lot* before going through with any surgery, if you can. There's probably a message board out there devoted to this very topic.

I did that when I was contemplating foot surgery. I didn't personally know anyone who had had it, so I hit the 'net and found messages out there that gave me a glimpse of what results people were getting from the surgery. It was very helpful.

[Heddi]

27. Oh yeah. Research is KEY!!

A few years ago I had to have back surgery and my Dr had told me that I had to have the surgery (discectomy) but that I'd have to consult with the neurosurgeon and he'd give me all the details and stuff.

Well, in the week between talking with my Doc and meeting the Neurosurgeon, I did SHITLOADS of information on the internet not only regarding the surgery I was getting, but any alternative or less invasive surgeries that could be replaced.

My doc was VERY impressed with the knowledge I came to him with. He said most pre-surg consultations last about 2 hours b/c of all the questions people had, but I was able to make the appt only an hour because I had done my research before hand and knew what I was getting into.

Especially with cosmetic surgery (which breast reduction is considered), there are SO many hack doctors out there who do shitty job after shitty job leaving men and women disfigured for life, or worse---

Definitely do research on the doc AND on the procedure. Most surgeries can be approached in a manner of ways. Find the one that you're more comfortable with and then talk to the doc about it to see if it fits your particular situation.

[Jamastiene]

35. Yes. I had it. My mother paid for it in an attempt to stop the

pain and the griping and bitching about the pain. I, too, was 38 as far as that part of the measurement goes. The difference was that I had to wear a DD because I couldn't find one larger that didn't cut into my shoulders, so my cups ranneth over literally. I always had these little bubbles that hung out over the top and sides of the DD and when I took the bra off, the weight would actually cause me to bend down in a fast jerky motion because I couldn't support the weight of the free falling monsters that I had.

My mom paid for the surgery, something to the tune of $6000 and I am now a much smaller size, like a B (The surgeon said under NC law he couldn't take it any smaller and yes, I asked to go smaller), only I don't really wear the bra any more than I have to simply because it was such torture for so many years.

I'm glad I did it. If faced with the same opportunity, I'd do it again. And I'm much happier now that the monsters have been trimmed to human sized proportions.

[brentspeak]

39. A question for the women here:

When you were teenagers, how quickly did you develop? Like, in one summer, or over a period of several years? Was it the kind of thing that you could almost "feel" was happening?

[KitchenWitch]

42. I was flat chested throughout my teen years

and all of a sudden when I was 19, it was like, BLAMMO, I was a C cup.

I remained a C cup until I was about 30, then I gradually went to a D cup, then a DD cup...

[Heddi]

45. I had a B-cup in 2nd grade

and it's odd because I didn't actually hit actual "puberty" until 6th grade--that's when I started my period, but I had developed sparse pubic hair in 3rd/4th grade, and leg/armpit hair in 5th.

As far as the boobs went, I don't know. I was given my first bra at 8years old, and didn't actually wear the thing for 3 years---my teacher had to call my mom and tell her that because of my 'early blooming' state, I was a distraction in class (I had no idea!) so my mom forced me into the bra.

By the time I started back in 5th grade after the teacher called, I was up into a large C, and just progressively grew in C-size throughout teenager-dom and into adulthood.

Right now I'm a 42DD, and they're getting bigger by the year.

It wasn't something you could necessarily 'feel' as much as notice from one week to the next. One week, I could wear X top, next week I couldn't. The tightness of clothing, or inability to button the buttons on button-up shirts was the key.

[REP]

52. Age 12, 36C

Overnight, it seemed.

[fortyfeetunder]

70. Slow developer as a teen

My cousin, several years younger, was outgrowing me fast. I had skeeter bites while she had jugs. The problem was, once I got legal, I couldn't go anywhere with her because she wasn't carded and I was!!!

[LynneSin]

41. I use to work with a girl we jokingly called the Black Dolly Parton

because she was built just like Dolly is - all petite with humongous breast. She was working a second job with us at night weight tables for the sole purpose of saving up for the reduction surgery because her insurance wouldn't pay for it even though the sheer size of the breasts were crushing he back & neck.

She quit as soon as she got the money she needed for surgery but stopped back in a few months later. She looked absolutely fabulous and she said she felt so much better with the reduced size breasts.

If you can get the surgery, do it. You shouldn't have to spend your lifetime deformed because of overweight breasts weighing you down

[soleft]

48. I saw a woman on the subway today

She was very petite - maybe 5 2, 5 3, and slender, and she had the largest breasts I've ever seen on a woman that small. Now, I'm all about body acceptance and aging gracefully (tho I confess I do dye my hair), but I had the definite thought at the moment that breast reduction surgery exists for people like her, and I would support someone in her situation exploring it.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

49. Be careful re: insurance. I'm aware of many instances where they

were tough on approving the surgery, or jerked the patient around approving then not approving after surgery done etc.

Usually a certain amount of breast tissue must be removed to 'qualify' so if you are trying to get insurance to pay make sure the surgeon is confident that there will be 'enough' to meet the criteria. The tissue is weighed and submitted to pathology so the weight can't be 'fudged'.

[REP]

51. 42DD and Hell NO

The back ache I could live without but I don't want my nipples stitched to my thigh while the boobs are whittled down, thanks.

[Heddi]

54. the nipple thing freaks me out too

i wish they could just suck out the extra fat, tidy up the skin, and leave the nee-nee's right where they are.

They are NOT to be messed with, excepting by my approval :)

[REP]

58. Just Had a Mammaogram

It had to be done in two sections, by the way, Anyway, there's very little fat in the average boob - mine was distressingly full of breast tissue, and nothing that could be removed easily! I'm nulliparous; women who've given birth boob tissue is less dense, but still unlikely to be anything but boob tissue.

[miss_kitty]

57. I am small

a B cup-but you have my total sympathy. I was joking with a large friend of mine and told her I'd trade her. She said "Really? Because if it were possible I'd never give you yours back." and told me how hard it is to be large busted-the stares, the comments and the physcal pain of the weight. And the clothes thing.

I had another friend who had the op done and she was quite pleased with the results. Her regret-they weren't made smaller. I think she ended up a C-D cup.

[Bullwinkle925]

59. Really research it. It's major sugery .

Your insurance may or may not cover it. Your doctor will most likely have to submit photos to them along with his chart notes to substantiate it but they may still reject you.
Good luck with your decision.

[In_The_Wind]

63. I can understand getting one if you're in pain.

why suffer if you don't need to

[NMMNG]

64. I haven't

But if mine haven't shrunk to B cups after I've gotten down to an acceptable weight I will seriously consider it. I'm at a D now, down from a DD at my ultimate weight. I hate the look of really large breasts, plus the pain from carrying them around. I also really despise the ogling I get from men (and would even if I liked dating them). One classic...I was leaving a takeout place and a guy held the door for me. I assumed it was normal chivalry until he said--while looking at my chest--"Are they taken?". I so wanted to slam my knee into his crotch. :grr: Instead I just acted like I hadn't heard a thing and kept walking.

[BikeWriter]

66. The ex was rather... large. She talked breast reduction all the time...

I encouraged her to throughly research it before making any decisions.

[liontamer]

67. 38 dd and no

i don't think my size is a medical condition to be altered.

[SarahB]

69. I feel the same way.

I'm about that size, a good weight for my height (size 8-10 depending on the clothes), and have dealt with all the bullshit that comes with the body I have since I was 13 years old. If I get achy, I do some exercises, stretches, etc. but breastfeeding was very important to me and I haven't come to a final decision as to whether I'm completely shutting the door on more children and I wouldn't want anything to interfere with that.

I empathize with those who have severe pain that cannot be worked through with weight loss or exercise and I can understand why surgery may be something to consider as a last resort. However, I refuse to let cultural factors make me want to cut off parts of me. My body isn't "perfect" (by some stupid, phony, media standard), but I'm content with it despite the repeated pre-judgments that come with both my body and my contentment with it.

[samplegirl]

68. i feel out numbered here

little ol me in my size A bra since puberty!

[applegrove]

71. I have other things to think of working on first. Though I wouldn't

mind being an A or a small B. Always wanted to be smaller. Don't like looking like something I'm not.

[Sgent]

73. My sister

had an extremely successful reduction at Vanderbilt U. about 5 years ago. She was 19 at the time, and had a 36DD.

They used an experimental technique using liposuction and ultrasound that my uncle (a surgeon) had referred her too. She had almost no scarring, and a full recovery in about 3 weeks, and was able to go back to college after 1 week. This was considered to be be a "difficult" surgery due to her age and the density of breast tissue, but the surgeon at Vandy (who developed the technique) thought it was very appropriate. The first plastic surgeon she saw in New Orleans wasn't comfortable enough to do it due to her size, and the fact he was newly trained in this procedure.

So... be sure to ask around, maybe go to the local university med school, etc. Also, my favorite link for anything to do with breast surgery -- EMedicine or anything else medical.