A woman whose breasts were so big she needed help to shower and spent hundreds on special bras has gone viral after having life-changing surgery.
Amy Hills, 24, says her boobs grew so large they left her in constant agony and barely able to function.
At just 4ft 7in, the weight of her 34H cup chest took over her life – making it painful to walk and impossible to exercise.
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But all that changed when breast reduction surgery took her down to a 12D.
And now her journey has gone viral with one video attracting 25 million views.
“My back and neck pain became debilitating,” she told Need To Know.
“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.
“My breasts made almost everything harder – physically, emotionally, socially.
“I lived with constant neck, back and shoulder pain and my posture suffered.
“Exercise was painful and felt embarrassing.
“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.
“But it was the emotional toll that hit hardest.
“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 recognise myself in the mirror.
“It obliterated my confidence, my relationships, my mental health – everything.”
The business support officer first started developing a large chest aged 14 but things spiralled in her late teens.
Unable to buy normal bras on the high street, Amy would be forced to spend £80 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 00 to 50 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.”
Amy, from Brisbane, Australia, even stopped looking in mirrors and avoided going out.
She missed out on beach days, nights out and gym classes – and didn’t even feel at ease in her own home.
She said: “I couldn’t get out of bed without help and I could hardly use my arms as every slight movement triggered instant pain.
“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 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 looked into breast reduction surgery aged 18 but private clinics quoted her up to £10,000.
She applied to have it done through Australia’s public healthcare system but was rejected four times, with one referral being denied just for being sent to the wrong catchment.
Some others came back with no explanation.
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.
Amy, who has created a free FAQ guide for anyone considering having breast reduction surgery, added: “I felt relieved, emotional, and weirdly light – 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.”
