Woman who had size 34H breasts reveals she needed help showering and had to spend hundreds on special bras
Amy Hills, 24, first started developing a large chest at age 14 but things spiraled in her late teens.
At just four-foot-seven-inches, the weight of her breasts left her in constant agony and barely able to function.
She said the pain got so bad she struggled to eat, sleep, and even breathe.
'My back and neck pain became debilitating,' she told What's The Jam recently.
'I lived with constant neck, back and shoulder pain and my posture suffered. Exercise was painful and felt embarrassing.
'I couldn't eat because I was so nauseous from constant pain. I had to supplement my intake with protein powders.
'I couldn't get out of bed without help. I felt like I was losing my mind – I was so stuck and in so much pain.
At just four-foot-seven-inches, Amy Hills, 24, said the weight of her breasts left her in constant agony and barely able to function
'Even sleeping was difficult – I'd wake up sore and uncomfortable and it reached the point where I couldn't get a full breath in due to the weight on my chest.'
What was even worse than the physical pain was the 'emotional toll' that it had on her.
She recalled getting stares from strangers in public, and struggled to feel comfortable with her appearance.
'It was the emotional toll that hit hardest,' she continued. 'I felt hyper-visible in public, even when I was just wearing a hoodie.
'Strangers would make comments or stare. I dreaded photos and avoided certain clothes entirely – tight tops, swimsuits, anything with buttons.
'I often cried while getting dressed and found it hard to recognize myself in the mirror. It obliterated my confidence, my relationships, my mental health – everything.'
Unable to purchase normal bras, Amy would be forced to spend roughly $100 each on specially sized ones – even then being left with little to no support.
Buying clothes was often just as miserable as she had to size up and pay for tailoring or settle for oversized styles that didn't feel like her.
She said: 'I couldn't wear standard bras – they didn't make my size in most stores.
'I was spending $100 to $150 per bra and I'd still end up with red marks and shoulder grooves.
'Every time I tried on clothes, I felt ashamed and ended up crying in the change rooms.'
The business support officer, who lives in Australia, even stopped looking in mirrors and avoided going out – and she didn't even feel at ease in her own home.
She needed assistance with basic activities like getting dressed, putting on shoes, and showering.
'I couldn't get out of bed without help and I could hardly use my arms as every slight movement triggered instant pain,' she explained.
'Due to this, my partner Charlie helped me dress, put on shoes and at times even helped me to walk.
'He also supported me in the shower because I would get dizzy and couldn't bend or twist.
'It made me feel so vulnerable – like I wasn't in control of my own body. I felt like an empty shell of the person I once was and I couldn't find a way out.'
It got so bad that she contemplated ending her life.
Amy (seen left before and right after the surgery) gushed: 'I felt relieved, emotional, and weirdly light [after my surgery] – physically and emotionally'
'It reached the point where I struggled with suicidal ideation, I struggled in darkness trying to cling to anything that would take away the constant debilitating pain and the mental anguish and grief of the life I couldn't live,' Amy shared.
For years, the Australian native wanted to get breast reduction surgery but private clinics quoted her up to $13,500 for the procedure.
She applied to have it done through Australia's public healthcare system but was rejected four times.
But the young woman kept pushing, documenting her physical and emotional symptoms with her GP until she was finally referred to a surgeon who agreed it was medically necessary.
After a long wait, Amy's operation finally went ahead free of charge in April this year.
Surgeons removed around three pounds of breast tissue and performed a nipple lift to reshape her chest.
The breast reduction surgery took her chest size down to a 12D, and she couldn't be happier.
She has been documenting her journey on social media, where is has gone viral, and she has now created a free FAQ guide for anyone considering having breast reduction surgery.
Amy concluded: 'I felt relieved, emotional, and weirdly light [after my surgery] – physically and emotionally.
'I cried the first time I looked down. I felt like I could breathe again and I finally saw a version of myself that felt right.
'I can now sleep on my side, wear cute tops, exercise freely, go for walks without pain, run and hold my body with pride.
'I even went to a concert in a crop top recently – something I never thought I'd do. Even just relaxing at home, I feel so much more comfortable and at ease.
'I feel free. The weight is gone – literally and emotionally. My confidence has skyrocketed.
'I don't cry getting dressed anymore. I feel connected to my body for the first time in years. And I feel proud, not just of how I look, but of how far I've come.'
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