Why I had my breasts reduced

I felt like a freak. I was only nine yet here I was standing in BHS getting my first bra I was already a 32B. I started puberty early, was already having periods. Over the next few years my confidence hit rock bottom. While all my friends were wearing tight little vest tops I was covering my hideously large breasts under baggy T-shirts. By the time I was 14 I was a 36K couldn`t even get a bra to fit me.

At night I had to sleep on my side and my back ached constantly. I had to be excused from games which I was always good at and enjoyed, all I could do was sit and watch as all my friends carried on as normal healthy teenagers running around. One day when I was walking home from school a gang of teenagers my age began shouting abuse at me and taunting me. One girl ran up to me and shouted slag in my face a lad asked if he could suck on my big t...s. I ran home crying my parents couldn`t console me. I wanted this pain to go away, I didn`t want to be an outcast, a freak, I wanted to be a normal teenager.

Just before my 16th birthday I tried to commit suicide I took 50 aspirins closed my eyes and hoped the pain would go away. I woke later that night in hospital with my family beside my bed. My mam broke down in tears, she thought she`d lost me, promised we would get through this. I had to see a councilor it helped to talk to someone other than my family but it didn`t take away the fact that my breasts were destroying my life.

My doctor referred me to a surgeon specialising in breast reduction. I was really embarrassed and cried when I had to show him my breasts. He was brilliant very sympathetic to my needs. He told me that my breasts were far to big for my size 10 frame and that if I didn`t have them done I would end up with serious back problems through time. The operation was very dangerous and he was worried about my age but I didn`t care all I wanted was small breasts.

The operation was scheduled for 2 days after my 17th birthday. I was frightened but also very excited I was going to have normal breasts. My surgeon explained the procedure to me. He would make a cut below each breast, take it up round the nipples and down the other side, remove the tissue and stitch me up.

After 4 hours of surgery, I woke up. I ran my hands across my new breasts and cried with joy, they were small a size 36DD 11 cup sizes smaller. "I`ve got new boobs I yelled to my family, my mam cried with me. After 5 days I was allowed home. When the bandages came off I was horrified my breasts were all swollen and bruised but they were small and pert like they should look at my age.

I now have the body of a teenager and can now wear clothes that fit properly. I can walk down the street now without being stared at or taunted. I now live my life in full. I am at college have lots of new friends and I`ve been dating my boyfriend now for 4 months my life couldn`t be better.

Jamie`s Story

Submitted by Jamie Brodie of Edinburgh