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Breast reduction surgery: How one woman's life improved dramatically
Before breast reduction surgery, Sheila Graham endured years of physical and emotional pain.
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.
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