Chronic Pain Support Group
Physicians and professionalsdefine pain as chronic if it lasts longer than three to six months and is persistent. It's distinct from acute pain that is a direct result of injury or trauma. This support group is dedicated to those suffering from chronic pain. Discuss treatments that have worked for you, find advice for your specific experience, and find support. You're not...
Watching the Oscars makes me look at the clothes and WISH I could dress that way. I cannot, b/c I'm way too top heavy. Seriously, it is just wrong that something that could be fixed, pain that could be alleviated, isn't b/c of insurance and doctors who like to play God. I've met 3 plastic surgeons in my life- all 3 thought that large breasts were a "plus" in life. I wish I could strap mine on their backs like those pregnancy bellies and make them carry them around night and day. Make THEM wear a sports bra when not wearing a regular one b/c I could never go braless w/o getting stares from my hubby, and I'm sure my son would be mortified if he were old enough.
If I could have one plastic surgery, it would be another breast reduction. I had one much too young- at like 19, but I was teeny tiny. It was 13-14 years before I gave birth to my 1st son, before I went through tons of IVF treatments to get pregnant after he died, and all the weight I put on from that. Before I had my 1st reduction I was 105 pounds with a size E chest! Good thing I had big feet (8.5) or I might really have toppled forward. ;)
I BEGGED the surgeon to take me down to an A cup b/c people told me I'd gain weight in the chest. He refused, as if it was HIS choice! So we agreed on a B and he didn't even stick to THAT. He gave me size C and a large C, and it was still too big for me. I could wear SOME clothes but I was still so embarrassed and it just looked wrong on my 5'4 body. Before long, I was a D- it didn't take more than a year and I wasn't even gaining weight at that point- I just gained in my chest. At last check, I was a 42E. I don't know if that is correct or not- I'd guess bigger. But I'm bigger now than I was before the 1st reduction.
Now I am so hunched forward that my upper back is a mess. My shoulders ache and the muscles spasm like crazy. My rhomboid muscles are such a mess that every month when I have a massage, the therapist does her best but there's not much they can do. I'm always told that a reduction would help (if not eliminate) the pain in my back and shoulders, and shoulder blades.
Seriously, the BEST feeling in the world to me is when the massage therapist is able to get into the tiny knots that make up my rhomboids. They are lined up around my scapulas and a REALLY good therapist can get in there and relieve some of the stress. But massages are expensive, and it's rare to find a therapist who can get in there and really work on those knots.
I'm about ready to go in for an insurance physical in a month and think it is time to mention this once again to my doctor. I think, as the 2nd idiot plastic surgeon said, they believe that the meds I take for RSD should also kill ALL the pain I have in my upper back. Umm, no. The only think that works for that is massage or a reduction. No meds are going to help THAT.
I went to a doctor here when we moved here to see if they'd okay another breast reduction. The plastic surgeon was SOOO annoying and so condescending. He acted as if I should be happy to have a messed up back and said that I just needed a "lift". He said the only time he tried a 2nd reduction the umm, let's just say part of the breasts (the middle parts) died. (I don't know how specific I can get considering some people freaked out when someone talked about constipation last year.)
In any case, I am SOOOO tired of this. I'm 43 years old and have a young face and complexion. But all people look at is my chest. It's offset my body so that I can't help but hunch forward. I guess being a writer doesn't help that, either.
I'm just wondering, since I rarely complain about ANYTHING to my Family Doc, and usually go no more than twice a year if even that, if he might actually HEAR me this time? Maybe I need a female doc?
How bad does it have to be? How many nights must it keep me awake, and that's after taking MSContin and a muscle relaxant? If I didn't have RSD I KNOW I would need something for my shoulders and back- it's just getting worse with age. Not that it would ever work and KILL all the pain, b/c as mentioned I don't think there's a med out there that would relieve the constant stress and pain. RSD took my mind off the pain b/c THAT pain is so "in your face" that one cannot ignore it. But as I get older, this back/shoulder pain is starting to truly make me feel like I belong in a nursing home.
And I'll be honest- just once I'd love to dress like other women! There was a few weeks after the surgery when I did get to wear a sleeveless sundress, and I felt like a kid again!
Whom do I seek out to help me in this? Doctors hate to redo reductions. I don't live anywhere near the doctor who 1st did my surgery but I would never trust him. I don't even know if I could afford it, but so many women get breast implants that I wonder how THEY afford it?
On top of all this I have breast cancer on both sides of my family. It's nearly impossible for me to tell if I have lumps and that scares me. I just am so angry, and that's not something I'm used to. This is ruining my health, has already ruined my posture, and killed my sense of self. I dress in baggy clothes when I go out, and sweats and pjs at home (with a strong sports bra beneath them) so I look heavier than I am.
I have this feeling that I'm going to require surgery on my back and/or shoulders before these docs realize that my breasts are ruining my health. They've already ruined my posture. My self-esteem. How much more do I take?
Sorry- all this from the Oscars and my severe shoulder pain!
If I could have one plastic surgery, it would be another breast reduction. I had one much too young- at like 19, but I was teeny tiny. It was 13-14 years before I gave birth to my 1st son, before I went through tons of IVF treatments to get pregnant after he died, and all the weight I put on from that. Before I had my 1st reduction I was 105 pounds with a size E chest! Good thing I had big feet (8.5) or I might really have toppled forward. ;)
I BEGGED the surgeon to take me down to an A cup b/c people told me I'd gain weight in the chest. He refused, as if it was HIS choice! So we agreed on a B and he didn't even stick to THAT. He gave me size C and a large C, and it was still too big for me. I could wear SOME clothes but I was still so embarrassed and it just looked wrong on my 5'4 body. Before long, I was a D- it didn't take more than a year and I wasn't even gaining weight at that point- I just gained in my chest. At last check, I was a 42E. I don't know if that is correct or not- I'd guess bigger. But I'm bigger now than I was before the 1st reduction.
Now I am so hunched forward that my upper back is a mess. My shoulders ache and the muscles spasm like crazy. My rhomboid muscles are such a mess that every month when I have a massage, the therapist does her best but there's not much they can do. I'm always told that a reduction would help (if not eliminate) the pain in my back and shoulders, and shoulder blades.
Seriously, the BEST feeling in the world to me is when the massage therapist is able to get into the tiny knots that make up my rhomboids. They are lined up around my scapulas and a REALLY good therapist can get in there and relieve some of the stress. But massages are expensive, and it's rare to find a therapist who can get in there and really work on those knots.
I'm about ready to go in for an insurance physical in a month and think it is time to mention this once again to my doctor. I think, as the 2nd idiot plastic surgeon said, they believe that the meds I take for RSD should also kill ALL the pain I have in my upper back. Umm, no. The only think that works for that is massage or a reduction. No meds are going to help THAT.
I went to a doctor here when we moved here to see if they'd okay another breast reduction. The plastic surgeon was SOOO annoying and so condescending. He acted as if I should be happy to have a messed up back and said that I just needed a "lift". He said the only time he tried a 2nd reduction the umm, let's just say part of the breasts (the middle parts) died. (I don't know how specific I can get considering some people freaked out when someone talked about constipation last year.)
In any case, I am SOOOO tired of this. I'm 43 years old and have a young face and complexion. But all people look at is my chest. It's offset my body so that I can't help but hunch forward. I guess being a writer doesn't help that, either.
I'm just wondering, since I rarely complain about ANYTHING to my Family Doc, and usually go no more than twice a year if even that, if he might actually HEAR me this time? Maybe I need a female doc?
How bad does it have to be? How many nights must it keep me awake, and that's after taking MSContin and a muscle relaxant? If I didn't have RSD I KNOW I would need something for my shoulders and back- it's just getting worse with age. Not that it would ever work and KILL all the pain, b/c as mentioned I don't think there's a med out there that would relieve the constant stress and pain. RSD took my mind off the pain b/c THAT pain is so "in your face" that one cannot ignore it. But as I get older, this back/shoulder pain is starting to truly make me feel like I belong in a nursing home.
And I'll be honest- just once I'd love to dress like other women! There was a few weeks after the surgery when I did get to wear a sleeveless sundress, and I felt like a kid again!
Whom do I seek out to help me in this? Doctors hate to redo reductions. I don't live anywhere near the doctor who 1st did my surgery but I would never trust him. I don't even know if I could afford it, but so many women get breast implants that I wonder how THEY afford it?
On top of all this I have breast cancer on both sides of my family. It's nearly impossible for me to tell if I have lumps and that scares me. I just am so angry, and that's not something I'm used to. This is ruining my health, has already ruined my posture, and killed my sense of self. I dress in baggy clothes when I go out, and sweats and pjs at home (with a strong sports bra beneath them) so I look heavier than I am.
I have this feeling that I'm going to require surgery on my back and/or shoulders before these docs realize that my breasts are ruining my health. They've already ruined my posture. My self-esteem. How much more do I take?
Sorry- all this from the Oscars and my severe shoulder pain!
Every bra I've ever worn is uncomfortable so I don't wear one unless I'm going somewhere. Gravity is definitely taking over. I wish I could get a reduction with a lift. You should be able to get some kind of help. I think in your case I'd do some serious searching for a plastic surgeon or an ortho that will recommend it so insurance will pay for it.
Which is more expensive a breast reduction or back surgery?
Having large breast is a problem and can be very painful and my heart goes out to you as my MIL is in her sixties and suffers from the same thing and I see how the straps dig into her shoulders and how her posture is effected from it.
It is a shame insurance does not cover it when it effects someones health. I would save up for the reduction and find a good surgeon who is not vain enough to do the surgery.
Also another friend was extremely large and miserable for yrs. I kept nagging at her to get a mammogram done and when she did it, she found out she had several cysts. This qualified her for a program that paid for a breast reduction. Might be something you want to look into. She feels much better about herself in many ways.
I hope this helps some. : )
I was very small all round in high school and then once I got to college it was like I hit puberty all over again. Plus it hasn't helped that I have gained alot of weight over the years due to different medications that i am on. I remember I spoke to a doctor once about how my breasts were so large and causing me such bad back pain, and they actually had the nerve to tell me that if I wasn't so "fat" my breats wouldn't be as large. Therefore I would not be a candidtate for a reduction. After that I gave up. Since then, docs always tell me that if I lose the weight I would feel better and all of my health problems would go away. I know I need to lose some weight, but I know my problems will never go away.
Even though docs may have the degree on the wall, we know our own bodies the best and what causes which pain. It them that are the ignorant idiots who don't listen to us. I say keep pushing until you find a doc that is willingto do it. And yes, you may need to go see a female doc to get a little more understanding.
Its a shame this culture has associated beauty with large breasts thanks to the like of women like Pamela Anderson and others like her. The american society has associated "bigger is better" when it comes to certain things. And you're right, if someone wants larger breasts, they should be made to carry around the weight of them for a certain period of time to understand what they are getting themselves into. I think the male cosmetic surgeons should also have to do this.
Bigger is not always better!!
I wish you much luck in your search to find a doctor who is understanding and willing to do the procedure!
Gentle hugs,
Jenna
I agree that a female doctor might be the answer or at least a doctor who is willing to listen. If I ever manage to get my weight back down I might consider a reduction. I've always been large but as I get older the sagging and extra weight from all these years of meds is getting uncomfortable.
So yea, talk to your dr. about it. If he says your having back problems because of your breast sized he can ok it I think.
Goodluck I'm not real big, but big enough. I would love to be an A!....then you could get away with going braless altogether with a coat or shawl on! LOL
I watched the awards last night too, pretty disappointed but I think Angelina looked terrible! And the way she got up there and stuck that leg out of her dress ......I just had to roll my eyes!
Doc last year saw something when he did nuclear stress test, maybe I'll go for a mammo and be qualified for the surgery.
I would have them chopped off if I could, but I don't say that often b/c I realize that SO many people have breast cancer, including my BFF and she had to go through double mastectomy AND chemo/radiation. She's fine now but it was so scary. And my Grandma had a double mastectomy, too. So I try not to say that but it IS what I'm thinking. I don't want cancer, I just want a flat chest. But to doctors, that's not even understandable. They get it if women want huge chests, but we say we can't handle what we've been given and they will reduce, but only to what THEY think is acceptable.
I have a huge insurance medical exam next month and b/c they are MAKING us all take these (the insurance company) I'm going to be sure to complain extra about the shoulders and back. If I hadn't been so easy on them, they might've covered it by now. I don't know- maybe not. But I try to never complain, which is one of the reasons I like to come here, I can VENT! I mean, I've had RSD almost 15 years (I got it in March of 1997) and most of my friends and family have no idea. Most of them know I have a "bad foot" but don't have any idea what is wrong.
So maybe I've just been too nice about it. I should just go in every month and complain about it- maybe THEN the doctor and the insurance company would take it seriously?
And I was measured in Chicago at the place Oprah had her audience measured. I can't think of the name but it's near Bloomies and Water Tower Place if I'm recalling correctly. No offense to Walmart- I just wouldn't get my bras there. Every young woman should be measured properly, and there are department stores at most malls that have departments for that. I think my mistake was not being measured properly after the 1st reduction. The right size makes ALL the difference, not that it keeps the straps from eating your flesh if you're over-endowed.
I have my CP doc today, maybe I'll ask the NP about exercises I could do to keep my shoulders back more. Of course that just puts the chest out more which is annoying, but at least I'd have less pain in my rhomboids. Till then, I'm going to sit with my back massager on shiatzu for awhile.
Thanks for all the advice- I will be doing some research and hopefully get some news either way in the next few months!
MEN!!!!!
I would go for the second reduction. The RA on my floor in college had one and she suddenly stopped walking stooped and slept thru the night.
Should be medical reasons for it by now.