Asymmetry & NHS

Hi all,
Whilst saving away to go private for a BA, I'm still debating whether or not to give the NHS another try.
I've mentioned quite a while ago on this forum about my first attempt at discussing my breast asymmetry with a GP and how it just resulted in being patronised to within an inch of my life!
I like to read all the stories and advice from those of you who have tried the NHS route. I just wanted to ask, for those of you who have been successful in getting surgery on the NHS for asymmetry if is is strictly just one implant they give to even out the cup size? Or if they are willing to give an implant both sides?
Saving is slow going, but I am willing to wait and have surgery on my terms rather than go through a long drawn out upsetting process with the NHS only to be given one implant in the smaller side. As although it would be nice to just be even, I wouldn't want to then have the issue of having one impossibly perky breast and one naturally sagging one!
I'm worried it will be hard to get across the message that I don't actually want big boobs, just a fairly matching pair will do, but I worry that explaining this to a GP will come across as greedy and unnecessary.
Any experience with this would be much appreciated! x

Hi Malibu

It might be worth going back you see your GP. I wouldn't try to explain what surgery you want to the GP though. At the end of the day that isnt their area of expertise.
If they will refer you to a surgeon, they will give you an idea what they suggest. The surgeon I saw said he'd uplift my bigger side to make it perky, so it would match up with my smaller side once the implant was in that side.
I'm afraid he didnt mention implant in the bigger side to me. (So even though I'm still waiting to hear if I'll be funded, I may still go private. Like you, I suspect, the whole point for me is to make the two sides seem as much the same as possible. I imagine if only one side has an implant they will still feel odd to me).
I think Sars who posts on here got them to agree to implants on both sides, but had to really fight for it.

Have you decided on a private surgeon otherwise? If you have any tips on finding someone good at asymmetry surgery I'd love to know!

x

Hiya.

Not one GP asked me what i wanted from my surgery they just asked why is wanted it, what made me upset. I dont think a GP has any real need to know if you want one or two implants, or size etc. The GP's i spoke to (had to go through it all again when i moved house) just wanted to ensure i was emotionally affected by my difference to refer me.

First surgeon i seen after i stopped having kids said he would give me one implant in my smaller side and leave the left side. I was heartbroken beyound belief and spent months worrying about it. When i seen my surgeon he was shocked i was even told that. I went up to a 34E in all my pregnancies so my left breast was very empty and saggy while my right was pretty non existant. I was very lucky in that my surgeon listened to me and seen photos of me when i was pregnant and seen that my bump was small but my breasts were large. Even he said they suited my frame. He said he would get me as close to the 34E as possible. And i did get a large implant. However it has only taken me to a 32c (d in small made bras).

I would go back to another GP, explain that this is getting you down and do not mention your saving to go private. if the GP feels you meet the critia (usually 2 cups sizes or more different) they you should be referred.

I dont know how the PCT work in england but it seems to be a massive postcode lottery. I was lucky in that the surgeon just had to agree i needed this and a psychologist to say i could cope with surgery.

Good Luck xx

Thank you for the info!
I think I will give it another go with another GP, but I won't hold my breath!

As for private, I've been doing alot of research and I'd consider going with Dr. Kufa through [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] it would mean going abroad for the surgery, but Dr Kufa has experience with asymmetry and they seem to have a good after care plan. It's also slightly cheaper than the UK, but not suspiciously cheap. I'm more concerned with finding a surgeon that knows what he's doing more than money or anything else x

Hi Malibu

It is hard finding out who has experience of asymmetry, isn't it? I'd be a bit wary of going abroad tbh, because of follow up appointments, and also not being able to see the clinic in advance.

I am trying to decide whether to book an appointment with Nicholas James Williams from Spire because his profile says he has experience with asymmetry and hypoplasia. But its a long way from where I live.

Yes it is really bloody hard! I have looked at Spire, but to be honest I'm not keen on clinics that ask you to pay for a consultation before they'll tell you the price of the surgery. If they turn around and say it'll be 6 grand not only will I be disappointed (out of my price range!) I'll be annoyed that I've just chucked £150 of perfectly good operation money down the pan.
I have a free consultation with the Harley medical group in feb. I'm not expecting much to come of it but they will quote me a price in this consultation and I'll find out if there are surgeons experienced in asymmetry. It's also only a little walk from my work so If it is a waste of time at least it won't be much time wasted.
I would much prefer to find a good surgeon and have the operation in the UK, but I am impatient and have not had much luck so far, which was how I ended up looking at surgery abroad in the first place.
I'll share the news if I find any good surgeons with harley, fingers crossed!

if you were in scotland i would have suggested my surgeon (or his collegue who did someones i know). I really hope it all works out for you on the nhs and you dont need to worry xxx

Thanks Sars,

I have been reading your posts and you certainly went through alot to get to where you are now. I don't think I'm patient enough or confident enough to go through the NHS process. The more I research going private and having now been offered support from family I'm considering not even going back to the GP.
Even though I went to both a doctor and a nurse on separate occasions over a year ago, they were so patronising and rude that I don't think I could go back through it again. Though I might pluck up the courage next week, you never know!

Malibu

I didnt have to pay for my consultation with Spire. For info my consultation at Transform was also free but mybreast charged £25 and wouldn't even tell me who it would be with til I'd paid the £25.

Hope you find someone good. I just saw someone called James Murphy at Spire Manchester who seemed quite clued up about asymmetry but I'm going to try a few more first.

Do you need an uplift on your bigger side, or just implants?

Oh you're absolutely right, Spire do offer a free consultation, I must have got them mixed up with another one! I'm having trouble remembering all the companies I've looked at now!

I have no idea if I need an uplift!
I have a consultation with Transform Monday, then one with MYA the week after and another after that with Harley Medical Group.
I have been put off of Harley Medical Group by some posts that I have read on this site, but some free information won't hurt!
I suppose my tactic for now is to see if I can be recommended a suitable surgeon who knows what he's doing during one of these consultations and hopefully they'll have some before and after photos. But I'm going to continue searching online and doing research.

I hadn't given much thought to the fact I could need an uplift as well, do you know if this affects the overall recovery time and surgery cost by much? Are you having an uplift also? Do you know how they will judge if you need an uplift or not?

As far as I can tell both my boobs seem to sit where they should...just happen to be completely different to each other

Hi Malibu
Whether they need an uplift depends on how far your boob hangs down below the crease of your breast. Its called breast ptosis and if you google 'breast ptosis' the first image that comes up on google images sort of explains it.
If you think its saggy compared to the other, you may well find the surgeon recommends an uplift. This seems to have added about £1000 to my prices. How much it adds to your recovery will depend on how much it needs lifting! What sizes are you now?