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Thank you Jesus for blessing me with an ample chest but my back can’t take it anymore and I can’t afford a reduction right now.
Popping Tylenol 3 for the pain almost every day is bringing me closer and closer to a hard drug addiction. May have to try crack. —Too Heavy
This article appears in Jul 29 – Aug 4, 2010.
34 Comments
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We thank jebus too… for that AND warm weather.
🙂
are you sure you’re wearing the proper size?
you might want to get measured… they may be able to help, even if just a little in the short term.
Go to the doctor! Obviously if you have to take Tylenol 3 to ease the pain, you’ve been, but discuss options and see if they will refer you to a surgeon.
In some cases, if a large chest is causing you that much pain, it’s possible to get breast reduction surgery covered by MSI, because it’s not considered a surgery for “cosmetic” purposes so much as it is for pain relief etc.
another case of breastical gigantosis….
oh the humanity.
You had me at “Ample Chest”.
I hate halter bathing suits for that reason… but if you’re poppin T3’s you should really see a surgeon. That shit is covered!
Are you sure you can’t afford surgery? I paid a grand total of $25 for my surgery. Get a consult with a Plastic Surgeon and they will write to the gov. to ask them to cover the cost of your surgery.
Time for a change and abc123: NS is an asshole when it comes to paying for reductions. If your BMI isn’t exactly at 25 or under they won’t pay. No questions asked. And since the BMI scale is a piece of shit, many people who NEED the surgery can’t get it because they can’t afford to pay out of pocket.
On top of that, the wait times are atrocious.
Also, as for finding the right size: try finding anything above an H. I know someone who is bigger than an H but squeezes into that size because they have no other options. And their BMI is 27 so they can’t get the surgery covered.
You had me at “H”… omg omg omg…
What gets me is girls who get implants so they can sport humongous boobs. What about the health problems that come with supporting those over-the-shoulder-boulders? The same health problems that naturally large breasted women seek much-needed relief from. Large tatas, biggus dickus…it’s all a superficial joke really. It is that which lies between the ears that is the greatest of the sexual anatomies. Blow each other’s minds!
OP, like others have suggested, it is worth it to talk to your doctor. Being in absolute agony should be the best qualifier for this surgery. If you get refused, launch an appeal. Sometimes being the squeakiest wheel can produce positive results.
“In Nova Scotia, at least 500 grams per breast must be removed.”
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2008/05/15/…
Trust me, OL: unless your BMI is 25 or under MSI won’t pay for your surgery.
Meanwhile, other provinces don’t even take BMI into account at all.
NS is the shits when it comes to healthcare.
my father says you are welcome, and you should look for a guy with a huge wang, to offset your chest area. either that honey, or get a wheel barrow. just saying, you know.
Well, isn’t there some increased risk associated to operating on people who are obese/morbidly obese? In which case, they should be doing a cut-off at 30, not 25 (25 is considered overweight, not obese).
And PK, from what I’ve seen on news, NS is stingy when it comes to medical coverage, period.
What gets me is 26 is considered too fat to have the surgery paid for, but each breast has to weight 10 pounds each! Weigh the tits and subtract that weight from the body weight and THEN do the BMI calculation! I’ve seen people with a BMI of 25 who look emaciated! BMI is an awful awful way of calculating whether or not someone is fat!
And sometimes the medical community uses the whole obesity argument to exclude people from getting the care they need. My mom had her gall bladder out after she had lost a bunch of weight (she was within a healthy weight range for her height/age) and everyone told her (even the doctors) “you’re going to have it A LOT easier now that you lost all that weight!” She was flat on her back for a while. Meanwhile, I had the same surgery done and I’m considered over weight at the moment and I’m diabetic so I heal slower and I was out getting groceries and prescriptions filled the day i got out of the hospital (after a 2 hour car ride from Bridgewater). And I was back at work on the Monday after my previous Wednesday surgery (which was done as in-patient). On top of that I haven’t had ANY complications thus far (it’s been about 6 months since) and my mom had complications from the day it was done with intestinal issues and food restrictions which she still has — 10 years later. Mind you, I’m not morbidly obese and we can probably thank hydro-morphine injections for my spryness, but still, fact is, I’m overweight, my mom wasn’t and I had an easier time with the surgery. In fact, my mom had surgery last year (minor outpatient procedure) and they had to keep her in because her oxygen levels kept dropping.
So, sometimes the whole “you’re too fat for surgery” is just blatant discrimination from the medical community, because the medical community hates fatties. I was eating 1200 cals a day last year (the min amount of cals one needs each day — anything less is generally considered unhealthy) and my weight wasn’t budging (I had actually gained some weight) and my doctor seriously asked me if I could cut back even more on my food intake. Turns out I had a metabolic disorder that needed medication in order for my weight to even move downward.
Also, NTH: the reason he NS government restricts the coverage based on BMI is because it’s the easiest way not to have to pay for surgeries.
I got charged 20 bucks last year to have an MMR vaccine by my doctor: they told me that the vaccine was covered, but the administration of said vaccine wasn’t. But, maybe that’s my doc’s office being an asshole: I had also been in that day for an appointment, so it wasn’t like I was just there for the vaccine.
I agree with subtracting the boob mass from weight for BMI calculation. But who would do something that makes so much sense?
I think post-op recovery is influenced by many factors like age, fitness level pre-op, and even a strong will to survive. My grandma survived a thigh bone surgery and walked out of the hospital in record time at age 90. Her doctor was shocked she even survived the surgery, let alone be discharged after a month and a half. One thing she had was a very strong will to survive (and get the hell out of the hospital). 🙂
There are many reasons why they won’t cover certain medication or operation…just none that makes good sense to us common folks. We think that we shouldn’t have to pay an arm and a leg to live a healthy life, but we do, and if we get ill, it if all our fault.
geez, for 20 bucks…..
should have swiped the needle out of his hand and stabbed yourself….
i was gonna ask if this was ttfn…but i know she wouldn’t put up with this shite
she’d just fling em over her shoulders to give the ‘ol back a break…
I’m 32, a 34F, BMI well below 25 and I have been on the list for a year and a half…the only thing I’ve heard was from the Surgeon’s office who does reductions for the province to ask if I wanted to pay for it privately to get it done sooner.
BG,
is that for bondage… or the james bond variety?
just asking because with a 34F and BMI below 25…
could go both ways….
zZz…James Bond
BG: my doctor referred me to a few plastic surgeons for my carpel tunnel in both hands. Both are considered severe by my neurologist, and said it’s most likely a complication from my diabetes because I got it at such a young age in both hands at such a severe level. The only word my doc got back is from the surgeon it was referred to to tell her the wait was about 5 years long (for one hand). For such a minor procedure at that (they just go in and clip a band)! When my mom had her surgeries for her carpel tunnel in the late 90s, she waited 6 months for both hands.
But, considering the province doesn’t cover ear wax removal anymore, or won’t cover one of my insulins under the family pharmacare (but covers birth control pills), or foot care — things other provinces WILL cover, I’m not surprised, really that it’s taking you or me so long to have procedures.
It’s obvious that the province doesn’t want to pay for these surgeries and only gets a limited amount of surgeons to do certain surgeries (i.e. breast reduction), and they likely pay them less to do it than the private surgeons would charge.
Also zZz: I asked. They wouldn’t let me. Not like I’m incapable of giving myself a needle, ffs. Cash grab++ My doc’s office also charges $35/sheet to SIGN papers. In order to get the insulin they WILL cover, covered, I have to pay my doctor $70 to fill out the exemption form. Nice, eh?
And pharmaceutical companies are making tons of profit…. We need a collective W T F.
“Ample chest” and “reduction” in the same sentence always brings a tear to my eye.
Government controlled healthcare, don’t you love it.
Next time vote ReformTory, they don’t pretend to care about you and ignore you.
Harperoo looks more like a Liberal every day and that is why Ignatieff, Rae et al are going nuts at every little issue.
Where are the ‘troops in the street that’ Chretien & Martin promised some years ago ? I guess I’ll have to wait for the next hurricane before I see any.
Harper is a neo-con piece of shit; there’s no conservatives running anywhere federally
Just because NS is an asshole when it comes to covering the cost of surgeries, doesn’t mean that OP shouldn’t try. Get the ball rolling, document your pain with your doctor, get a referal to see a surgeon, and *IF* need be (because nothing says you have to be obese to have a large chest) start being more active and watching what you eat while you’re on the waiting list. It would be in her favor to try to do something about it now, even if it means waiting for a few years. Believe me, I know from experience.
The pharmaceutical companies make much much much more money selling you a truck load of drugs over your life span than giving you a cure or an effective treatment. I’m sure you have all seen the news about the MS case: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/story…
They brand it “controversial” and the only thing controversial I can see is rich bastards debating whether or not going ahead with this treatment which many would call “miracle” will make them lose profit. Ok my blood pressure is rising now lol But really…this health care system based on a business model must be stopped.
I worked with a chick in your condition. We nicknamed her F.H…..short for Front Heavy. Enjoy those melons.
There is nothing enjoyable about carrying around the weight of large breasts, whether on the front of your chest or TTFN-style with them flipped over your shoulders, they’re still supported by the back and shoulders…ouch!
There is nothing enjoyable about feeling like you are nothing more than a support system for a giant pair of boobs because everywhere you go the first place guy’s eyes go to is your chest. Besides the pain relief, this has to be one of the best post-surgical results, being greeted as a person first and not just a set of tits. Remember the old SNL skit where women’s eyes evolved to replace their nipples because that’s where men insist on making ‘eye’ contact with women first? Freaks!
Alas, the plight of the large-breasted woman. Of which I am one.
I’m suprised no one has mentioned the easiest way to relieve the back pain. Excersise. When I was younger, I was quite overweight, and coupled with the big boobs I had developed at such a early age, I had back pain, and knee pain. My doctor told me to start excersizing. Once I lost some weight, the knees felt better. Once my muscles started responding to some basic weight training, my back felt better, and I had better posture. Not only that, but my boobs lost weight too! If you build the muscles that support your boobs (pecs, lats, delts…all upper body basically), it takes the weight off your shoulders and the wrong part of your back.
As a side note, Silken Lingerie carries larger sized bras, and are really helpful. I wear an F or G cup, and I always find something there. I believe they carry up to K.
Good luck!
I had a breast reduction in 2001 and it was the best thing I ever did. I met with a doctor in November and was on the operating table in February so as far as wait times, it really depends. I am 4′ 11″ and weighed 124 lbs at the time which is a BMI of 25. They removed 2.5 lbs of tissue from each breast. I was a 36 DD and now am a comfortable 36 C. I had to explain that I had tension headaches, back pain, and permanent grooves in my shoulders caused by my bra straps.
It was worth the pain and is definitely something that you should consider as the back pain will take a toll on your body as the years go on. Don’t give up and get on that waiting list!
@bondgrrrl, with those stats your handle should be jessicarrrabbitt…what’s the wait time up to your front door?