Top Surgery Recovery Updates (a place for all members to update after surgery)

[Alexthecat]

The nurse said they used skin glue on the incision but didn't mention anything on the nipples. I'd have to take a closer look but I doubt it really is anything there because I'm done with visiting them. Maybe it looks like that because I had just got out of a shower. Dr. Medalie did me and I was a A/B probably more a B and left was bigger than the right by a bit. My incision lines go way under my arms the same on both sides.

[SaerJoe]

The nurse said they used skin glue on the incision but didn't mention anything on the nipples. I'd have to take a closer look but I doubt it really is anything there because I'm done with visiting them. Maybe it looks like that because I had just got out of a shower. Dr. Medalie did me and I was a A/B probably more a B and left was bigger than the right by a bit. My incision lines go way under my arms the same on both sides.

Looks great, Alex!  I too was an A, and the incisions go all the way under my arms, one a little longer than the other.  Incisions 7.5 and 8.5" each.  You know, we guys are always fascinated by measurements, aren't we??!!  LOL

Medalie did a great job!  Happy Healing!

Joe

[aleon515]

That is a fantastic job, Alex!  Who was your surgeon?  My nipples looked like a train wreck at one week.  By the third week they looked ok.  Sensation back for the most part, right more than left.  Surgeon told me that one breast was slightly heavier than the other and that was the reason for the longer incision on the left.  I never noticed though. 

Thanks all, for sharing your stories and photos---I look forward to following progress and sharing more experiences.

The trick for any other unlucky Dropbox user:  drop the [img] gizmos that bracket the link before hitting save or post.  That's all it took.

Jaetyn, Alex, Brett and Jay---nice to know ya!  Be cool!

I agree. Mine didn't look like a train wreck, more like pepperonis. I don't think Dr G likes that one. LOL.
Cool to meet you buddy!

--Jay

[SaerJoe]

I agree. Mine didn't look like a train wreck, more like pepperonis. I don't think Dr G likes that one. LOL.
Cool to meet you buddy!

--Jay

@Jay:  I'm with ya on the pepperoni's!  LOL  True that!

Joe

[Jeatyn]

Eugh, I feel like crap. I assume it's side effects from the antibiotics. The infection itself seems to be getting much better but there is a war waging on my insides xD I'm also exhausted regardless of how much sleep I get and my limbs feel like they're made of lead.

I came home at lunch time from uni yesterday and I've not made it in today. I was supposed to be attending a board meeting this afternoon - I am the rep for my year - I've asked them to reschedule it, if they can't I'm gonna have to drag my ass in for it.

I dread to think how much of a nightmare situation I'd be in if my surgery went ahead on the 8th of January like it was originally. Thank god I had the Christmas break as a buffer zone for the majority of my recovery time or my grades would be completely trashed.

Stupid infection, does it not know how inconvenient it's being? 

[SaerJoe]

Eugh, I feel like crap. I assume it's side effects from the antibiotics. The infection itself seems to be getting much better but there is a war waging on my insides xD I'm also exhausted regardless of how much sleep I get and my limbs feel like they're made of lead.

I came home at lunch time from uni yesterday and I've not made it in today. I was supposed to be attending a board meeting this afternoon - I am the rep for my year - I've asked them to reschedule it, if they can't I'm gonna have to drag my ass in for it.

I dread to think how much of a nightmare situation I'd be in if my surgery went ahead on the 8th of January like it was originally. Thank god I had the Christmas break as a buffer zone for the majority of my recovery time or my grades would be completely trashed.

Stupid infection, does it not know how inconvenient it's being? 

I hear you on the surgery date.  Mine was 12/12/13 and I am so glad I had the holidays to kind of muddle through to get the first couple weeks out of the way.  We need to be able to function!

Not sure what your doc has recommended, but experience has told me that whenever I go on antibiotics, I've needed to dose up big-time on pro-biotics.  I have quite a history of GI trouble, and I take probiotics as a normal daily course.  But on antibiotics....I double them. 

The other thing you might ask doc about is Vitamin B6.  Vitamin B6 the way I understand helps with muscle and nerve repair so perhaps .... might help with the feeling like crap? 

Just thoughts.  Hope you get feeling better!!!!!

-Joe

[elliott]

Congrats to everyone here on finally getting surgery! I had my surgery 6 weeks ago, was unfortunate enough to loose my left nipple graft but strangely it's still healed really well and looks a lot like a nipple so I'm not too bothered. My scars are still pretty red as it's so recent, but in terms of the general shape and appearance I'm really pleased.

[Jeatyn]

Looks great Elliot! The fact that you lost a graft isn't even noticeable.

[Darrin Scott]

Looks great Elliott!!

[aleon515]

You really look great Elliot, can't tell re: the nipples. I'm guessing perhaps you didn't lose as much as you thought. BTW, you have amazing pecs!! Who was the surgeon?

--Jay

[elliott]

Thanks guys!

You really look great Elliot, can't tell re: the nipples. I'm guessing perhaps you didn't lose as much as you thought. BTW, you have amazing pecs!! Who was the surgeon?

--Jay

Thanks! I was really surprised by them too, I was only 5 months on T when I had my surgery so wasn't expecting to have any! Finally allowed back in the gym today so looking forward to getting back in shape properly. I'm from England so had my surgery with a Dr in London called Miles Berry, he and all his staff were absolutely fantastic.

[Bimmer Guy]

As I said on the other thread, Elliot, your chest looks great!  The surgeon did a great job making his incision line exactly under your pec.  And like you said on the other thread, the indent in your chest really does highlight your pecs!  I bet you never thought that indent would come in handy one day!  ha!

[Kreuzfidel]

Well, here's my update.

Had surgery on Thursday, was released from hospital today (Sunday) - so I stayed in hospital a lot longer than folks in the US seem to.

My surgery went well.  Dr. Hassall said that she had to perform a graft on the right nipple only as it had an odd blood supply - so here's hoping that it takes well and heals up.   

My drainage was minimal, so I had the drains removed today (thank goodness, wow they were painful).  After about 3 nights of no sleep, I'm hoping to sleep a bit more comfortably tonight at least.

I've not had a complete reveal yet, but will do so on Tuesday or Wednesday when I see Dr. Hassall again to change the dressings.  But so far, I took a photo when I was allowed to take my binder off for a wash-up:



Pain-wise, I'm pretty sore still.  The whole time in hospital I was only given Panadol (Tylenol) for pain unless I asked for something stronger at which point they gave me Oxycodone.  I've only needed the strong stuff a few times - usually when I wake up from sleeping overnight in the mornings and am writhing in pain.

Other than that, everything seems to be going well (fingers crossed).  I'll keep updating as I learn more.

[Bimmer Guy]

Hey, Kreuzfidel!  I was wondering how you were getting along.  I'm glad you came to the thread to update.  You look great!  So, you got the pedicle technique?  Your chest surrounding the area of the incisions really does look great.  The more I see/learn about the pedicle, I really might have chosen this, if possible.  I would have liked those scars, better.

That is interesting about the right nipple.  I guess with it being a free graft there is a good possibility that you will only have erotic feeling in the left one, huh?  I wonder how that would be (like if it would feel strange for it to be that way)?

Sorry to hear about the pain.  It is interesting how some of us have a lot while some of us have little.

How much time did you take off from work?  Do you have a physical job or a desk job?

Don't forget to put up pics after the reveal!

Happy healing!

[Jeatyn]

Sounds like we had a similar experience Kreuzfidel - I was surprised when when I was told I'd be kept in hospital for a few days because all the american guys seem to come home the same day! The pedicle technique seems to be quite uncommon too. Interesting that you've ended up getting one graft and one pedicle, pretty sure I haven't heard of that happening before - though I'm guessing it probably has at some point, not all guys document the process. I guess at least you'll be able to write a first hand "review" of both types! xD

There's only one con I can think of regarding the pedicle technique, if you consider it that, I can feel the blood supply...coil...thing...in my chest. It still feels pretty tender. I'm wondering if it will be visible once my bodyfat% is down and I've built up some pecs.

[Bimmer Guy]

Sounds like we had a similar experience Kreuzfidel - I was surprised when when I was told I'd be kept in hospital for a few days because all the american guys seem to come home the same day! The pedicle technique seems to be quite uncommon too. Interesting that you've ended up getting one graft and one pedicle, pretty sure I haven't heard of that happening before - though I'm guessing it probably has at some point, not all guys document the process. I guess at least you'll be able to write a first hand "review" of both types! xD

There's only one con I can think of regarding the pedicle technique, if you consider it that, I can feel the blood supply...coil...thing...in my chest. It still feels pretty tender. I'm wondering if it will be visible once my bodyfat% is down and I've built up some pecs.

What's the coil thing?  I'm lost here.

Yes, it looks like all surgeons outside the U.S. have you all stay over a few nights.  I don't know any surgeons here in the U.S. that keep people overnight.

[aleon515]

What's the coil thing?  I'm lost here.

Yes, it looks like all surgeons outside the U.S. have you all stay over a few nights.  I don't know any surgeons here in the U.S. that keep people overnight.

I don't think the same day surgery center concept really exists in Europe. I tried to google this and got a same day surgery center named something like Europe Same Day Surgery Center. LOL. I think it was a cost savings thing for the US having a sort of unique "system" of private pay for profit insurance.

--Jay

[Kreuzfidel]

Thanks for the comments, guys.

You look great!  So, you got the pedicle technique?  Your chest surrounding the area of the incisions really does look great.  The more I see/learn about the pedicle, I really might have chosen this, if possible.  I would have liked those scars, better.

Thanks, Brett!  It's odd because when I initially spoke to Dr. Hassall, she indicated that she would be doing grafts on both nipples - we didn't even discuss the pedicle technique at all, so I was pretty much more surprised that she had done a pedicle on the left.  Anyway, I suppose it's a unique situation, so I'll keep posting on how each one is going. 

That is interesting about the right nipple.  I guess with it being a free graft there is a good possibility that you will only have erotic feeling in the left one, huh?  I wonder how that would be (like if it would feel strange for it to be that way)?

Yeah it's a bit weird!  I don't know - I told her that I didn't care about sensation which I don't - so having one nipple with potential sensation and the other completely numb will be very different lol

How much time did you take off from work?  Do you have a physical job or a desk job?

I took 6 weeks off from work - which is more than most guys tend to take, but at the same time my job is probably 90% desk-based, but when I'm working on the floor, I'm lifting heavy boxes - so I didn't want to take any chances.

Sounds like we had a similar experience Kreuzfidel - I was surprised when when I was told I'd be kept in hospital for a few days because all the american guys seem to come home the same day! The pedicle technique seems to be quite uncommon too. Interesting that you've ended up getting one graft and one pedicle, pretty sure I haven't heard of that happening before - though I'm guessing it probably has at some point, not all guys document the process. I guess at least you'll be able to write a first hand "review" of both types! xD

There's only one con I can think of regarding the pedicle technique, if you consider it that, I can feel the blood supply...coil...thing...in my chest. It still feels pretty tender. I'm wondering if it will be visible once my bodyfat% is down and I've built up some pecs.

Yeah, defo - I'll be writing a review one my odd half-n-half chest lol 

I'm not sure why she didn't just do them both as grafts which was what I initially wanted, but oh well.  I will have a feel for the coil thing when I'm a bit less tender - I think that would feel pretty weird, but I guess as long as it looks okay I won't be too bothered. 

Thanks again for the well wishes, y'all

[Jeatyn]

What's the coil thing?  I'm lost here.

The nipples are kept on a stalk of blood vessels and the surgeon coils them round on themselves to fit them in snugly behind the skin. My stalks ended up really long, someone with a smaller/less saggy chest I would imagine won't have such a prominent coil.

I'm not too sure how the body works when it comes to blood vessels, maybe eventually it'll all be "rewired" and the coil will blend in better.

[Bimmer Guy]

The nipples are kept on a stalk of blood vessels and the surgeon coils them round on themselves to fit them in snugly behind the skin. My stalks ended up really long, someone with a smaller/less saggy chest I would imagine won't have such a prominent coil.

I'm not too sure how the body works when it comes to blood vessels, maybe eventually it'll all be "rewired" and the coil will blend in better.

That is SO cool.  So if I picture it in my head does it make sense to picture it as tubular shaped pushed straight into the chest.  Or tubular shapes laying flat against the chest or something?

--------------------------

Kreuzfidel, if you don't mind sharing, is your lack of interest in sensation about not having any before, so you don't care, not wanting them touched before so you don't care, or feeling uncomfortable with having sensation before?

For me, I didn't care about sensation because I didn't like my breasts touched due to both my dysphoria and the sensation was really disturbing to me.

Interesting thing is that I have heard that guys that were uncomfortable with having their areolas/nipples touched when they were breasts became more comfortable and actually started to enjoy the sensation (or maybe "let" themselves enjoy the sensation), afterwards.

Last question.  For some reason I read your post as saying that she used pedicle and on the other she made a DI incision?  For some reason I picture the same incision on both sides, but your one nipple free grafted.

I think it is great that you took 6 weeks.  I went after 2.5 and even with a desk job, I believe that is what widened my scars a bit.  With travel it was 3 weeks from my job.  Although I had the vacation time, my job includes meeting with clients and I didn't want to not be available to them any longer than that.  I should have worried less about them and more about me.  I didn't want anyone to know at work that I was getting any kind of surgery either, so I said I was just taking vacation.  I haven't even taken a full week from this job in the entire time that I have been there (almost 8 years), and I knew it looked weird.  It was hard to work around people's questions as to what I "did" on my vacation because it was understandably weird to think that someone took off that much time to "go to a few places, but mainly hang out at home".

Anyway, I wish I had done at minimum 3 weeks after surgery, maybe more.  Oh well, next time!  lol