Pre-surgery jitters

[AnxietyDisord3r]

I'm going in for top surgery with Dr Garramone in a month. I'm pretty large + overweight so no fancy techniques for me. I'm getting ready for scar treatment and all that, and I'm trying to work my upper body ahead of time although I hurt my shoulder last week so I've had a setback there. (it was bodyweight, not free weight, ha ha I'm fat and out of shape)

I have been visualizing having a flat chest, planning what clothes I can now wear with pride, etc. However, just recently I've been having this fear of the knife thing, like this body part is part of me, it's sensate with nerves and blood vessels. I know they're not going to chop my skin off (I guess they remove some?), just remove fat and milk ducts (hopefully, right?) but I'm feeling uneasy. I've only ever had surgery once and it was in my mouth, so I'm a little scared. Mostly scared of being cut up. Where's the magic wand they can wave to just make my boobs shrink down flat? 

[Dena]

I have been under the knife far to many times and am still nervous about it. When I went in for my voice surgery last summer, the nerves were so bad that I had diarrhea in the hospital while getting ready for surgery.

If the nerves are really bad, tell the doctor this as they may give you a drug that will prevent you from remembering anything about the procedure. The first thing you will feel will be after it's all over and if you need it, ask for pain medication. The worst of the pain passes within a day or two.

I know my words won't do much to reduce the nerves, but for many of us, what you feel is normal. In about three weeks you will be happy it's all over with and we will be see pictures of your post surgical chest.

[FTMax]

You'll be asleep for all that. If it would make you feel better, ask Garramone if he would give you a prescription for a few anti-anxiety pills to take before the procedure. My surgeon does that for everyone, and I think it helped a lot. I wasn't scared, but it was my first real procedure so I was very anxious.

I walked into the OR, got on the table, spoke with the anesthesiologist and nurse, and then I was put under. I can't tell you what happened from then on. I woke up about 3 hours later in a chair, flat-chested, and in no pain. I got an extra anti-nausea pill, some ginger ale, and then I left. I was sore during recovery, but I would not say that I was ever in pain.

[AnxietyDisord3r]

These sound like good suggestions. I think as the day comes I'm going to be beside myself. On the one hand, I feel like EVERYTHINGWILLCHANGESPARKLEPONIES111!!!!!!! with top surgery, which is probably putting too much on it (I've been waiting literally 17 years, so), on the other hand the more I think about what it entails, the more grossed out I get. Yes, I am one of those people who can't stand surgery videos or stills.

[tjack77]

I walked into the OR, got on the table, spoke with the anesthesiologist and nurse, and then I was put under. I can't tell you what happened from then on. I woke up about 3 hours later in a chair, flat-chested, and in no pain. I got an extra anti-nausea pill, some ginger ale, and then I left. I was sore during recovery, but I would not say that I was ever in pain.

That pretty much sums up my experience today, got on the table at 8am, woke up flat-checked around 11ish in recovery on a bed tho, nurses helped me get dressed, walked around, and sat on a chair with some apple juice, water, and a digestive cracker! told them I am feeling the pain and got a couple of pain killers. little bit nauseated but i can tolerated so no med for that. Sent home around 12:30pm with prescriptions for pain and anti-inflammation drugs.

Although I wasn't big up there, I am a bit over weight with a gut, so now my flat chest just emphasizes my "coors light baby", another encouragement for me to hit the gym now! well, after my check heals up...