Starting NHS for Asymmetric

Its horrible having this uncertainty with the NHS. I went to my GP
about 4 weeks ago. (after having gone to see a different GP, about 2
years ago. who told me i was totally normal without even having a
look!)

So i plucked up the courage and went back and asked a male GP (it took two years!!!) . Who said he
didnt know much about it, but would refer me for the initial
consultation anyway.

I was so nervous when i went. But there was a female nurse in the room too.
Was treated a little coldly, but professionally. It was so hard to show
my breasts. ( i have asymmetric boobs, one is about a DD and the other
about a C i recon) Got no idea, never been to a bra fitting.

So from the point of putting my clothes back on, he said he wanted me to speak
to another plastic/cosmetic surgeon in a weeks time and that he would
send a letter to my GP asking for some kind of circumstances letter. (i
was so terrified i didnt really listen to him).

At that point he asked me what i wanted to do, TO make the big one
smaller or the small one bigger. I had no idea.i have been reading some of the forums and am still unsure. I wear padding in my bra to even myself up, and know that its hard to find clothes for big boobs. But on the other hand, i think it will be more noticable to go smaller (friends and colleagues).

Does anyone have any advice? i'm trying to think about long term aswell. which may need more after care? which might interfere with breastfeeding later? I've spent so long trying not to think about them, now thats all i can do!!! [url=https://boobjobsupportforum.forumotion.co.uk/javascript:emoticonp(':mornincoffee:')

hiya! great that you have been to see your GP, after the awful time you had with the first one, it must have taken ALOT of courage to go back again! so well done you!
seems like you have alot of decisions to make about what you should do, im not in the same possition as you, so im not really gunna have a choice about the whole size thing. i think there are a few girlies on here that will be able to give you some good advice about it all though. good luck huni!
xx

Thank you.

Yeah would be good to chat to some others about this especially those who have been through the op.

I've got my second appointment tomorrow, so hurry up girlies!!!

xx

Hey OrchidSam
I have just had a BA on NHS for assymetry however I had tubular breast syndrome too so I had to have implants on both sides to correct this. They placed the implants differently to correct the assymetry - one under the muscle and one partially under the muscle. I can't say that I've noticed any difference in pain etc.

Since you have been padding your bra maybe making them both the bigger size would be good as you wouldn't have to tell anyone anything. Having said that - noone has said anything to me about having bigger boobs (maybe they're being polite!?!?) so I don't think people take that much notice. I always look at boobs but thats cos I was obsessed with them because I didn't really have them.

I know that normal breast implants do not affect breast feeding - I am not sure about reductions. Obviously implants need replacing though. Decisions decisions - I'd want to know from the surgeon what will give the best result - they're the experts!!
Good luck xxxx

Thanks Catherine,

Wow, hope you are happy with your new boobs. I bet you were over the moon to have the surgery.

Yeah, implant is kind of the way i was thinking of going. to make the small one bigger.

The thing is i'm a bit overweight at the moment, and i'm not sure how things would change if i had the implant and lost weight.

Yeah, i will have a more detailed chat with the ps tomorrow.

PS. i know what you mean about being obsessed!

x

Fabulous that you've got some help to get it sorted hun! If it were me I'd go bigger if you don't have any issues with your DD breast this makes the most sense. Going down a size will give you more scarring. Good luck with everything hun and let us know what you decide!! x

Hmmm. Went to the hosp today. Turns out the other surgeon just wanted a second opinion.

The second surgeon looked at me and just said "hmm, i doubt that the PCT will agree your case" He said it was "just pot luck, some people get the go ahead and some dont. We will put you forward and fill out the forms, which will take about 6-8 weeks for a decision" (!)

So judging from the smirk on his face, i will have to start looking privately.

So i walked out of there feeling really low. Its been a really hard month for me for other personal reasons and i felt like just - well like giving up on everything.

So might start looking around privately, anyone have any good suggestions for surgeons in london or south east?
x

dont give up just yet, the first surgeon i was said no way i would get it funding by the nhs, went to see a second one and he said yeah and im on the waiting list now but rung last wk and they said the 4th off june, i first went in feb its a long story but iv wrote it in the nhs bit. hope this helps x

dont give up just yet, things could go really well. xxxx

ok so recently i had to fill in a letter giving hospital permission to send my info to the PCT. Then a couple of weeks later i am CC'd into a letter from the PCT saying that the information the surgeon gave was incorrect.

The man had put down that one boob was 38DD and the other was 34C.

Now i'm sorry, but what the hell was he thinking? does this man know anything about boobs??! Not even how to measure them!

The letter lists the criteria of having the op, i met one (size difference, apart from the stupid measurments) and the other is to have a BMI of 25 or less. Which i dont. I'm about 28.

All i can say is that i do not have any confidence in this "surgeon" now and that i better get dieting as i cant excercise cos i cant get a sports bra to fit my weird shape (s).

Has anybody else gone NHS but had a near useless surgeon/consultant?

Oh ps Any tips for rapid weightloss?!

Hi, I have the same problem. Small A/B cup one side (at a guess, same as you have never been measured!) and a C (or more) on the other.
I went to see a nurse about it once, who responded by saying 'well that's weird isn't it?! I saw something like that on a TV programme once!' so after being treated as a complete novelty by that stupid cow, I finally plucked up the courage to see a female doctor who told me it wasn't as bad as I think and there is nothing 'medically' wrong with me and to get on with it basically, though she was very nice about it. It seems absurd to me that these so called 'medical professionals' can dismiss breast asymmetry like this and not realise how this affects a woman's day to day life. Just a few examples:
Feeling unattractive/ like a freak/ not wanting to show your boobs to your partner/ anyone for that matter
Swimming/ holidays in hot places - nope can't do that! can't get swimwear to fit!
Wearing a vest - nope can't do that, the neckline slopes to one side.
Wearing a tshirt with a picture or slogan on - nope, can't do that either, images/text slopes to one side
V-neck/ Round neck/ low neck - nope/ nope/ nope
I've become used to adapting my wardrobe around the problem, but quite frankly I shouldn't have to! I should be able to wear what I like!
And to offer padding as a solution is just completely patronising and insulting.
I thought at least by going to see women they would have some empathy towards me, but there are 3 other male doctors where I'm registered so I'm going to go see all 3 of them and see if I can get anywhere that way.
I also don't see why they think it is suitable to offer just one implant, when obviously by the laws of gravity you would end up with one perky breast and one naturally sagging breast, especially over time. Therefore you would still be asymmetric in that sense? I have been looking into going private for some time as well, though it will take me ages to save up the money or I just get in debt, but I'm getting impatient and seeing as I don't particularly want bigger boobs, I just want even ones, I'm feeling resentful that I will have to fork out alot of money to get bigger boobs when I don't even want them to be bigger!

Best of luck to you though, I completely understand your frustrations, I hope you get some positive progress out of the NHS!

After 4 years of being in the nhs system i have just had success and now waiting for my letter to come for my surgery. I would say dont give up just yet and stay positive. xxx

Wow thats great news Sarah, you must be checking your mail like mad!

I agree with you totally Malibu.

the whole intimacy thing. My boyfirend is lovely and says he doesnt care, but i really do. And every day i am feeling worse and worse about it. Its got to the stage where i try and avoid intimacy, even a snog on the couch is not fun for me as it might lead to furhter things which make me feel awkward.

Finding clothes is very hard as you say, i wont bother repeating it all cos i agree with you, but i love clothes and wish i could just pick up any dress/top and wear it. Summer is so much worse.

I havent been on holiday for 5 years, at least (only city weekend breaks) and i used to love swimming before the problem became apparent. I would so love to go swimming again.

i havent been offered padding, i have sorted that out myself.

I had a similar thing. i saw a woman GP first who was very dismissive, and the second GP was a man and seemed a bit more suprised. But obviously thought it was a worthy case.

Thanks for the advice Sarah, but its taken so long and the surgeons/consultants seem incompetant at their job, i dont know if i have confidence in them.
i have been miserable for soo long now, now i have started this i just want to get it done like, yesterday.

And to make it worse for me a girl at work is having a boob job (standard a to c cups) because she came into some money.

Dont get me wrong i understand how she feels, as boobs really are one of the most obvious feminine feature and if they are all wonky and weird it shatters your confidence and personal life.

At the top of the letter i recieved last, there was a compliments slip , that simply said "for your information". Do you think i should chase the hospital or wait for them to contact me?

Massive Sigh.

Chase the hospital. Well i did, i wrote several letters asking my hospital to explain things to me and they were very very helpful. It wont do any harm getting in touch asking how long you are expected to wait and asking for a bit more info on the process. I know am a scottish hospital patient so we dont need to wait for a pct its just down to the surgeon. So not got any helpful words in respect to your waiting time xx

Yeah, i'm not sure if we have the same limit of weeks from referral to op. Got a feeling it's something similar like 18 - 20 weeks. Dont know.

But i will chase the hospital, thanks.

Im your profile pic are you wearing a sort of petrol blue marks and sparks swing (type) jacket? If so i think i have that one too!

thanks for your advice
x

Yeh its a marks and sparks jacket. I love it. lol. We have great taste. :)

xxx

Super. Got a letter saying that my appointment had been moved (i wasnt aware i had another appointment!) to 5 minutes before the previous appt at the hosp.

So i went along today and saw another man. He asked ME why i had come along today! (good old NHS)

I said i came because you sent me a letter saying i had an appt. They did not know why i was there. So i asked them if they had recieved the letter i did stating about hte inconsistancies in breast size measurement, and that my weight had not been provided.

So he flicked through my files, and could not find the letter. He went out the room and tried to find the original surgeon i saw.

while i was waiting i struck up a converstation with the nurse who was in the room too. Just a chat, but she tole me that hte hosp had a several million pound debt. No wonder i thought, with an admin system like that! It turned out the guy i was seeing was an administrator type.

Anyway so the original surgeon came back in with the administrator guy. I was told ok, so i need to loose weight to get my BMI to 25. and then he just brushed his sizing error under the carpet. I was told to contact my doctor once i had got my BMI down.

And that was it. Off i went back to work. what a total, mega waste of everyones time. God i want to swear!!!!!

So some smileys will just have to do...

that is shocking. i would be furious with that hun, so i do hope your ok now? or at least not swearing.
Will you GP help you with your BMI?

xxx

OK Hi all

The story re-begins. So after the above experince on the NHS, I just couldnt leave it there. My problem is still there infront of my face every day.

So i booked an appointment at the Harley Medical Group. The nurse was very reassuring and explained my options to me. She suggested the 3 best ideas which would be up to me to decide. Either a reduction on one and up lift on both, or an implamt and uplift on the larger one. She told me the risks and potential problems of both.

It was great to talk to someone. However, the prices of the surgeries were both expensive, between £5500 and £6000. Which realistically, at the moment i cannot afford. (my work contract is only for 6 months).

So I plucked up the courage to go back to my GP and ask for a second opinion or at least to see a different specialist at the hospital who could give an accurate referral. (unlike the last one)

I saw a new, young, lady GP and she was very understanding. I took along all my previous papers including the letter stating the "breast sizes". She said she would write me a letter of referral. That was on thursday, and i think i missed a call from the hospital today, gotto call tomorrow am!

Getting a bit excited again, what a blinkin rolla'coaster!

Hi OrchidSam

Just want to wish you the best of luck. PCT didnt approve me so I went private for asym surgery. I think that was probably the right decision for me, because the think 2 implants has given more asymmetry than what the NHS would have done. So different sizes and placements, and a lift on the bigger side.
pm me if there is anything you want to ask. I don;t come on the forums as much these days!

xx