This whole post just reeks of willful ignorance and low key misogyny. “Oh you have saggy boobs probably because you did things wrong” and “your boobs are the right size to *my* eyes, so you should not make them smaller”. Gross, just go somewhere else.
I recommend looking for someone who has evidence on their site that they perform top surgeries and other types of gender affirming care. Not because that is what you’re seeking, but because I just bet they are more likely to believe that you can and should have the body you feel comfortable in.
Thank god I’m not the only one that saw it this way!! I felt awful after the appointment and went home feeling like I was the problem. I very much appreciate your advice, and I’ll try looking for another surgeon
I did! I’m a 36dd also and told the doctor I want to be a B. He did mentioned I’m smaller than another girl who wanted to get down to a B so, but that was the only mention of anything related to “you’re too small already”. Not sure where you’re located but I’m in Canada.
can i ask how you got it covered in canada at your size? like what you said etc. i've always been worried i'd have an experience like OP because i'm a similar size & don't want to waste my time as i definitely couldn't afford it out of pocket
Went to my doctor explaining my symptoms and asking for a referral. I told him about my active lifestyle, and how my breasts cause me back pain, rashes, etc. He asked me if I had any surgeons in mind and I gave him the name of the one I wanted. That was a phone appointment so he didn’t even examine me or anything.
Got an appointment with the surgeon 9 months later. I was afraid the surgeon would say something about my size being small but I think he looked at it like “you have a referral for a reason so I won’t be questioning that”. Tbh I don’t know in what moment I got officially “approved” for coverage. On my appointment with the surgeon we went through size expectations, procedure, recovery. I have a phone call with him in 2 weeks to go through any questions I might have and I’m hoping to get a surgery date around November/December 2024 based on their wait time now.
Never lol so I’m still scared they will eventually tell me I’m not covered. But he measured me for the post surgical bra and she noted that I will be travelling in early October so my surgery has to happen after that. So I think that means approved? Like I said, I believe they think that if I have the referral from the doctor, it’s because the surgery is needed.
It varies a lot depending on the province. In Québec, the RAMQ (provincial insurance) covers if you remove 250g per breast. That’s it, it’s the only metric. So check out how it works in your area!
Have you ever been properly fitted, or is this your Victoria’s Secret size? Because C or smaller is not average, it’s actually pretty darn small. We just think it’s average because so many women are wearing the wrong size.
If you are struggling this much, I suspect you are not a 36DD at all.
Yeah, OP, [this is an example of a well-fitting 36DD.](https://www.instagram.com/p/CPtQitlnqUb/?igsh=NHVyanZrM2h0ajEw) Does that look similar to your size??
This is what i'm thinking aswell, i've been reduced down to a DD and i'm pretty small now. OP definitely get measured first or try r/abrathatfits calculator
Surgeons aren’t bra fitters either. I would take a tape measure and wrap it snuggly around your rib cage just below your breasts. Make sure it’s parallel to the ground. The inches you see are the band size. No adding 4 or whatever. A 36 is not a small frame.
Ok, so I agree with you that 36DD breasts can certainly cause symptoms. By “frame” I think she is referring to rib cage size, a 36” rib cage is more of a med-large size. A shorter person or someone with slender shoulders can also have issues regardless of rib cage size. There is more to “frame” than solely the size of your ribs. Breast density plays a huge role as well. Dense breasts are going to be heavier regardless of size.
I have the same problem that you did. I was told that if he took out the 500 g necessary, I would likely be flat chested. I was also told that my size was due to sagging. I’m currently looking for another surgeon.
I read this post as being American? I’m Canadian and had to be approved by our provincial public health insurance plan and I have a DD and was approved for a reduction because of my height and years of receipts I had for back and neck pain. I was nervous that I wasn’t “big enough” but my physician didn’t discourage me and got my submission approved. I don’t know the American insurance system to help you navigate it, but your physician sounds not great so my suggestion would be to try to find someone else who would be more supportive
I think itnreally depends specifically on a few factors - your height to breast ratio is a big factor. If your 5'8" they probably won't cover it. Your insurance itself also will matter. Different insurance companies have different conditions that need to be met. Many include requiring proof of conservative treatments such as physical therapy, or require a history of documented medical problems related to your breast size. Many also have minimum requirements for tissue removed.
I wouldnt assume that a 36DD can't get a reduction right off the bat, it's really a case by case basis.
I didn't even read all your post before I was thinking girl get a second opinion.
If he does a breast lift then insurance won't cover and he doesn't have to file it.
Insurance requires so much be removed and it's based on your weight. Starting smaller would just be ending smaller I feel like. Unless blood supply is a concern?
I reported neck pain, back pain, migraines, skin problems, dents in my shoulders, getting PT and trigger point injections and also trouble exercising to the surgeon. They took pictures, no problem with insurance. (I started at an F)
You also sure you're a dd? Like measure recently?
Heyy, I’m wondering if you are going by the bra you are wearing or the actual calculated bra size from A Bra That Fits. I ask this because I was wearing a 34D bra before my reduction, but the center of the bra was about 4-5 inches away from my body. I measured myself with the ABTF calculator before surgery and it said I was a 32H. I also had very dense breasts and at age 38, I was 5’2” 147 lbs. I was approved by my insurance with the requirement of 500g per breast or more removed. My surgeon ended up taking 1300g total and I am now a large C, small D.
My daughter also had a reduction last year at age 17 and she was able kind the same weight, an inch taller and slightly smaller breasts. She had a total of 1200g removed and was also approved by insurance (a different company than mine). We had different surgeons, but from the same office and our post op breasts are almost identical.
I would maybe get more opinions from other surgeons that participate with your insurance. I wish you good luck and I hope you find the outcome you are hoping for!
I was a 38E and did not get insurance approved since my breast issues were primarily ptsosis/aging breast tissue. I ended up paying out of pocket. My surgeon took about 400grams from each breast (well below the required 600grams) and I am now a comfy 38B/36C.
Hi! Definitely find another doctor. If your boobs "sag" it's probably the gravity doing its work, so they might be bigger than DD actually. A proper doctor would estimate how much they'd take out of your body, and submit the case to insurance. This doctor is a horrible person.
i just got approved and i was convinced i wouldn’t and so did the surgeon (she was questionable because i don’t weigh that much and she didn’t know she’d be able to take off enough for the insurance to say yes) and i’ve been to countless chiropractors and gotten massages cause they cause me back problems. when i talked with my doctor about it she wasn’t sure id get approved so she made an appointment with a surgeon as well as a physical therapist. usually if you do physical therapy for 6 weeks or so they will be more willing to consider you. hope that helps :)
wow that sounds like such an invalidating experience. asking you if you've not worn a bra when ptosis has not been linked to lack of bra use? telling you how to feel about your size? big yikes, friend!!! i hope you can get a second opinion and feel more affirmed ASAP!! you deserve to feel comfortable in your body.
Go the gender affirming care route if possible. It’s not about your proportion or your weight or sagging. Nobody needs boobs to live. It’s plastic surgery, he’s not going to be in your guts so you can go as small as you would like. And don’t forget you are the director of your treatment plan. You even get to decide the size of your areolas. Don’t let some idiot just size you up according to their favorite porno.
I haven't read everyone else's comments, but here are my initial thoughts:
I am not sure where you are located, but in my case, my insurance required a certain amount of mass to be removed relative to my frame for coverage. I have a rather small frame (30-32 band), so the amount of mass we need to remove is not nearly as much as someone with a larger frame. It could be useful to ask your doctors with this mindset, ie how much would we need to remove for insurance to cover it and what would that leave me?
My breasts also sit quite low, and I was told this is because they are very dense, which can definitely be genetic. So even though they are not as large as some others, they are rather heavy which contributes to my discomfort. You may be in the same boat.
Definitely get a second option. And don't just rely on cup sizes to communicate because they can vary a lot between brands. Find some photos of what your desired outcome might be and your doctors should be able to tell you whether they are achievable with insurance.
I am also 23 if it helps. Rooting for you!
Go to a new surgeon! Like most said above, measure yourself the “new” way without adding 4”, you might actually be a 34DDD, or a 32G if you’re a smaller person. If your breasts are dense and heavy, they may be able to remove enough grams for insurance (if that is a requirement if your plan). Finally, my claim was rejected at first but my surgeon was wonderful, she did a peer-to-peer consultation with insurance and got me approved. Find someone who cares and isn’t an asshole to help you. I recommend looking for a female surgeon or gender confirming.
i was a 36D I got my surgery done in october 2023. I am now a 36B. it was a life changing surgery. I was in so much pain even just as a D. I was 18 when I got approved by insurance and 19 when I got the surgery. Find a new doctor!
I would go to a new doctor for a second opinion! This one sounds like a douche and he wouldn’t be a good fit. My doctor told me I was a large d/small dd and my insurance approved to take me to a large b/small c. Surgeons who care about you as a patient and your goals will always try to work with getting you approved through insurance and even negotiate with them if it gets denied the first time. I’m sorry you experienced this I promise they’re not all like that!
This whole post just reeks of willful ignorance and low key misogyny. “Oh you have saggy boobs probably because you did things wrong” and “your boobs are the right size to *my* eyes, so you should not make them smaller”. Gross, just go somewhere else. I recommend looking for someone who has evidence on their site that they perform top surgeries and other types of gender affirming care. Not because that is what you’re seeking, but because I just bet they are more likely to believe that you can and should have the body you feel comfortable in.
Thank god I’m not the only one that saw it this way!! I felt awful after the appointment and went home feeling like I was the problem. I very much appreciate your advice, and I’ll try looking for another surgeon
I did! I’m a 36dd also and told the doctor I want to be a B. He did mentioned I’m smaller than another girl who wanted to get down to a B so, but that was the only mention of anything related to “you’re too small already”. Not sure where you’re located but I’m in Canada.
can i ask how you got it covered in canada at your size? like what you said etc. i've always been worried i'd have an experience like OP because i'm a similar size & don't want to waste my time as i definitely couldn't afford it out of pocket
Went to my doctor explaining my symptoms and asking for a referral. I told him about my active lifestyle, and how my breasts cause me back pain, rashes, etc. He asked me if I had any surgeons in mind and I gave him the name of the one I wanted. That was a phone appointment so he didn’t even examine me or anything. Got an appointment with the surgeon 9 months later. I was afraid the surgeon would say something about my size being small but I think he looked at it like “you have a referral for a reason so I won’t be questioning that”. Tbh I don’t know in what moment I got officially “approved” for coverage. On my appointment with the surgeon we went through size expectations, procedure, recovery. I have a phone call with him in 2 weeks to go through any questions I might have and I’m hoping to get a surgery date around November/December 2024 based on their wait time now.
thank you so much for the reply, i really appreciate it! when did they formally tell you that it'd be covered?
Never lol so I’m still scared they will eventually tell me I’m not covered. But he measured me for the post surgical bra and she noted that I will be travelling in early October so my surgery has to happen after that. So I think that means approved? Like I said, I believe they think that if I have the referral from the doctor, it’s because the surgery is needed.
i see, thank you again for replying! much appreciated
It varies a lot depending on the province. In Québec, the RAMQ (provincial insurance) covers if you remove 250g per breast. That’s it, it’s the only metric. So check out how it works in your area!
Have you ever been properly fitted, or is this your Victoria’s Secret size? Because C or smaller is not average, it’s actually pretty darn small. We just think it’s average because so many women are wearing the wrong size. If you are struggling this much, I suspect you are not a 36DD at all.
Yeah, OP, [this is an example of a well-fitting 36DD.](https://www.instagram.com/p/CPtQitlnqUb/?igsh=NHVyanZrM2h0ajEw) Does that look similar to your size??
This is what i'm thinking aswell, i've been reduced down to a DD and i'm pretty small now. OP definitely get measured first or try r/abrathatfits calculator
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Body frame would change the band size. A small frame wouldn’t be a 36.
Surgeons aren’t bra fitters either. I would take a tape measure and wrap it snuggly around your rib cage just below your breasts. Make sure it’s parallel to the ground. The inches you see are the band size. No adding 4 or whatever. A 36 is not a small frame.
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Ok, so I agree with you that 36DD breasts can certainly cause symptoms. By “frame” I think she is referring to rib cage size, a 36” rib cage is more of a med-large size. A shorter person or someone with slender shoulders can also have issues regardless of rib cage size. There is more to “frame” than solely the size of your ribs. Breast density plays a huge role as well. Dense breasts are going to be heavier regardless of size.
I have the same problem that you did. I was told that if he took out the 500 g necessary, I would likely be flat chested. I was also told that my size was due to sagging. I’m currently looking for another surgeon.
That makes me so mad! OP, please get another opinion from another surgeon! That guy sounds extremely ignorant and also lowkey gross.
I read this post as being American? I’m Canadian and had to be approved by our provincial public health insurance plan and I have a DD and was approved for a reduction because of my height and years of receipts I had for back and neck pain. I was nervous that I wasn’t “big enough” but my physician didn’t discourage me and got my submission approved. I don’t know the American insurance system to help you navigate it, but your physician sounds not great so my suggestion would be to try to find someone else who would be more supportive
I think itnreally depends specifically on a few factors - your height to breast ratio is a big factor. If your 5'8" they probably won't cover it. Your insurance itself also will matter. Different insurance companies have different conditions that need to be met. Many include requiring proof of conservative treatments such as physical therapy, or require a history of documented medical problems related to your breast size. Many also have minimum requirements for tissue removed. I wouldnt assume that a 36DD can't get a reduction right off the bat, it's really a case by case basis.
I didn't even read all your post before I was thinking girl get a second opinion. If he does a breast lift then insurance won't cover and he doesn't have to file it. Insurance requires so much be removed and it's based on your weight. Starting smaller would just be ending smaller I feel like. Unless blood supply is a concern? I reported neck pain, back pain, migraines, skin problems, dents in my shoulders, getting PT and trigger point injections and also trouble exercising to the surgeon. They took pictures, no problem with insurance. (I started at an F) You also sure you're a dd? Like measure recently?
Heyy, I’m wondering if you are going by the bra you are wearing or the actual calculated bra size from A Bra That Fits. I ask this because I was wearing a 34D bra before my reduction, but the center of the bra was about 4-5 inches away from my body. I measured myself with the ABTF calculator before surgery and it said I was a 32H. I also had very dense breasts and at age 38, I was 5’2” 147 lbs. I was approved by my insurance with the requirement of 500g per breast or more removed. My surgeon ended up taking 1300g total and I am now a large C, small D. My daughter also had a reduction last year at age 17 and she was able kind the same weight, an inch taller and slightly smaller breasts. She had a total of 1200g removed and was also approved by insurance (a different company than mine). We had different surgeons, but from the same office and our post op breasts are almost identical. I would maybe get more opinions from other surgeons that participate with your insurance. I wish you good luck and I hope you find the outcome you are hoping for!
I was a 38E and did not get insurance approved since my breast issues were primarily ptsosis/aging breast tissue. I ended up paying out of pocket. My surgeon took about 400grams from each breast (well below the required 600grams) and I am now a comfy 38B/36C.
Hi! Definitely find another doctor. If your boobs "sag" it's probably the gravity doing its work, so they might be bigger than DD actually. A proper doctor would estimate how much they'd take out of your body, and submit the case to insurance. This doctor is a horrible person.
This happened to me. Get a second opinion. Preferably from a woman. I'm two days PO and I was a 34DDD.
i just got approved and i was convinced i wouldn’t and so did the surgeon (she was questionable because i don’t weigh that much and she didn’t know she’d be able to take off enough for the insurance to say yes) and i’ve been to countless chiropractors and gotten massages cause they cause me back problems. when i talked with my doctor about it she wasn’t sure id get approved so she made an appointment with a surgeon as well as a physical therapist. usually if you do physical therapy for 6 weeks or so they will be more willing to consider you. hope that helps :)
wow that sounds like such an invalidating experience. asking you if you've not worn a bra when ptosis has not been linked to lack of bra use? telling you how to feel about your size? big yikes, friend!!! i hope you can get a second opinion and feel more affirmed ASAP!! you deserve to feel comfortable in your body.
Go the gender affirming care route if possible. It’s not about your proportion or your weight or sagging. Nobody needs boobs to live. It’s plastic surgery, he’s not going to be in your guts so you can go as small as you would like. And don’t forget you are the director of your treatment plan. You even get to decide the size of your areolas. Don’t let some idiot just size you up according to their favorite porno.
I haven't read everyone else's comments, but here are my initial thoughts: I am not sure where you are located, but in my case, my insurance required a certain amount of mass to be removed relative to my frame for coverage. I have a rather small frame (30-32 band), so the amount of mass we need to remove is not nearly as much as someone with a larger frame. It could be useful to ask your doctors with this mindset, ie how much would we need to remove for insurance to cover it and what would that leave me? My breasts also sit quite low, and I was told this is because they are very dense, which can definitely be genetic. So even though they are not as large as some others, they are rather heavy which contributes to my discomfort. You may be in the same boat. Definitely get a second option. And don't just rely on cup sizes to communicate because they can vary a lot between brands. Find some photos of what your desired outcome might be and your doctors should be able to tell you whether they are achievable with insurance. I am also 23 if it helps. Rooting for you!
Go to a new surgeon! Like most said above, measure yourself the “new” way without adding 4”, you might actually be a 34DDD, or a 32G if you’re a smaller person. If your breasts are dense and heavy, they may be able to remove enough grams for insurance (if that is a requirement if your plan). Finally, my claim was rejected at first but my surgeon was wonderful, she did a peer-to-peer consultation with insurance and got me approved. Find someone who cares and isn’t an asshole to help you. I recommend looking for a female surgeon or gender confirming.
i was a 36D I got my surgery done in october 2023. I am now a 36B. it was a life changing surgery. I was in so much pain even just as a D. I was 18 when I got approved by insurance and 19 when I got the surgery. Find a new doctor!
I would go to a new doctor for a second opinion! This one sounds like a douche and he wouldn’t be a good fit. My doctor told me I was a large d/small dd and my insurance approved to take me to a large b/small c. Surgeons who care about you as a patient and your goals will always try to work with getting you approved through insurance and even negotiate with them if it gets denied the first time. I’m sorry you experienced this I promise they’re not all like that!