Breast reduction surgery: How one woman's life improved dramatically

Before breast reduction surgery, Sheila Graham endured years of physical and emotional pain.

Sheila Graham, pictured here in 2003, six weeks after breast reduction surgery.

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In public, people stared and pointed at her chest. Her back ached, her bra straps dug into her shoulders and she couldn't find clothing that fit.

But Sheila didn't seek breast reduction surgery until her sister died of breast cancer and her mother was diagnosed with the same disease. She knew that having two close relatives with breast cancer meant her own risk was above average. Did her large breasts also make her more vulnerable?

Her doctor assured her that her breast size wasn't a risk factor. But Sheila continued to feel troubled, her unhappiness with her own breasts exacerbated by grief for her sister and worry about her mother. When she talked with her doctor about breast cancer, the discussion soon spilled over into breast reduction surgery.

Decades of discomfort

For many women with unusually large breasts, breast reduction surgery (reduction mammaplasty) can help resolve a number of issues, from constant back pain to crippling self-consciousness. But Sheila didn't recognize how deeply her breast size had affected her until she started exploring her feelings with her doctor.

By age 12, Sheila was already developing large breasts. She measured 36E by the time she reached adulthood.

As she started developing, Sheila began concealing her breast size with large, loosefitting tops to avoid her classmates' teasing. "Over time, I lost confidence in the way I looked. My body wasn't proportioned for my breast size," she muses.

Sheila felt isolated growing up because she couldn't be as physically active as other kids her age. Because running caused her breasts to bounce painfully, she shied away from school sports. "I used every excuse in the book — except my breast size — to avoid sports participation," she admits.

At 5 feet 3 inches, Sheila's small frame didn't support her breast size well. Pain and discomfort were commonplace. Her sore back, neck and shoulders prompted her to pay regular visits to a chiropractor and a massage therapist. Her shoulders were deeply grooved from bra straps strained by the excess weight of her breasts.

"There's no such thing as a comfortable bra that's a size E," Sheila laments. And they aren't cheap, either. Because of her body proportions, Sheila had difficulty finding a bra that fit well and provided the support she needed. Instead she opted to have bras custom-made at a premium price — up to $200 each.

Bras weren't her only problem, though. Sheila wanted shirts and blouses that fit properly and disguised her breast size. That meant wearing dark colors and loose, baggy, two-piece outfits. She could never wear a dress because if it fit up top, it was too large down below.

Pregnancy adds to woes

During her three pregnancies, Sheila's breasts became even larger and more troublesome. To change sleeping positions, Sheila had to lift and move her breasts one at a time to roll over. She always slept with her bra on — she needed that extra support, even while sleeping.

After the birth of her first child, Sheila considered having surgery to reduce her breast size. But two things held her back: her husband and her doctor.

"My husband at the time was against my having surgery," Sheila explains. "And I was warned that it might impact my ability to breast-feed if I decided to have more children. My doctor thought I was too young."

It took another 20 years, but Sheila finally reconsidered her decision. This time she wouldn't back down.

Sorting out the reasons

As her discussion with her doctor moved from breast cancer risk to breast reduction surgery, Sheila learned more about the difference between breast reduction surgery and preventive mastectomy — a surgical procedure that does reduce breast cancer risk.

With preventive mastectomy, almost all the breast tissue is removed. The breast is then reconstructed using tissue from other parts of the body or breast implants. With breast reduction surgery, excess breast tissue and skin are surgically removed to resize and reshape a woman's breast. The goal is to alleviate painful symptoms associated with large breasts.

To evaluate her options, Sheila met with a plastic surgeon to learn more about breast reduction surgery. She also met with a genetic counselor to assess her risk of developing breast cancer, given her family history. Because she was found not to be at high risk of breast cancer, Sheila elected to have breast reduction surgery rather than preventive mastectomy.

Surgery scheduled and completed

In the weeks before her surgery, Sheila made a point of eating a healthy diet and getting plenty of exercise, to be in the best condition possible for recovery. She also prepared mentally, becoming more confident in her decision every day. The procedure went well, and she was released from the hospital the morning after her surgery. Her new breast size measured 36C.

"My surgery was nothing like I imagined. I expected to be black and blue and in a lot of pain," Sheila says. "I was able to take medication to manage the pain. But after the first week, I didn't need anything more than a couple of Tylenol at bedtime."

Sheila's discomfort derived in part from the drainage tubes she had in place — one in each breast — after the surgery. It was awkward sleeping with the tubes and difficult for her to get used to sleeping on her back. She also had to drain the tubes each day. But the tubes were removed after four days, and over the next few weeks her condition gradually returned to normal.

"After the first week, the most difficult thing was to restrict my activities," Sheila relates. Participating in strenuous physical activity — such as aerobics or tennis — would put a strain on her stitches and breast tissue, which could cause complications such as increased scarring. On the advice of her doctors, she took it easy for six weeks.

One of her concerns before surgery was that she might lose sensation in her nipples. But so far, she still has the same sensitivity she had before the procedure. Another concern was how effective breast cancer screening would be in the future. But her doctor assured her that it wouldn't really be any different from screening women who haven't had surgery.

Enjoying a new look

Six weeks after surgery, Sheila is healing well. For the first time since her teen years, she can see her feet when she looks down. She's been able to work exercise back into her daily regimen. And her scars are fading fast — only a thin white line remains where the surgeon made the incisions.

What's more, the back, shoulder and neck pain Sheila lived with for so long are gone. "I feel as if I've been given a new back," she says. And her confidence has returned. Since the surgery, she's noticed that people look at her face, not her breasts.

Sheila is excited to try playing tennis and golf, two sports she enjoyed but could never play very well due to her breast size. And she's busy shopping for new clothes. Gone are the dark colors she felt she had to wear. Topping her list of things to shop for is a swimsuit.

"It will be wonderful to wear a swimsuit and feel comfortable," Sheila says. "This is the best thing I've ever done. The only regret I have is that I didn't do it sooner."

Editor's note: Since sharing her story in 2003, Sheila reports that she's doing well and still very happy with her decision to reduce her breast size. In 2005, she trained for and successfully completed a half-marathon. The following year, however, estrogen therapy after a hysterectomy caused her breasts to grow again. Sheila plans a repeat breast reduction surgery.

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