i'm having top surgery in 5 days (holy crap holy crap holy crap) and i was hoping for any advice anyone could give me on literally any topic of top surgery (DI w nip graft). i've heard things like take a laxative right after surgery but since there are so many of you guys that have gone through this already i'm sure you know tons. even if it's dumb post anyway because i probably didn't know.

Congrats! Bring bendy straws.

Congrats man! I always hear guys mention needing to bring button ups since you can't raise your arms too much.

Congrats, man!  Sharky is definitely right about the bendy straws.  Those were really helpful during the first week.  And in no particular order:

A neck pillow, recliner, or several pillows stacked on top of each other can make sleeping easier. 

Constipation was definitely an issue for me.  I took an over-the-counter stool softener.  I probably needed a laxative as well, but I didn't take one.  Ginger ale or bland toast can help with nausea (a possible side-effect from the anesthesia or antibiotics).  Also, with the antibiotic, it's recommended that it be taken with food to prevent nausea.  I ate sugarless jello (about 10 calories) each time I had to take one.  Besides the horrible taste that I can still recall, I never got sick from it.

Button-down shirts, scrub bottoms (or any pants/shorts that are easy to put on), and slip-on shoes are great to have for the first few weeks.  Bring socks to the surgery center/hospital (it's usually really cold there).

Books, dvds, tv, laptop, hand-held games all help with the boredom while you're actually awake. 

It will probably be a week before you can shower again.  I used a regular wash cloth with soap and had my mom rinse my hair in the sink.  But I know other guys have used baby wipes and no-rinse shampoo.  My surgeon (Garramone) recommended that I shave my armpits prior to surgery.  That way the tape wouldn't catch and be utterly painful to remove.  Glad I did it too, even though it was incredibly difficult (haven't had to shave there in years).

I'm sure there's other stuff, but I was pretty much out of it the first week.  Mostly just slept, ate, and watched tv in the hotel room.  Once again, congrats.  Let us know how everything goes.

Bring a book! Or something like that which can help you kill time!
There's nothing more boring than laying in bed all day with literally NOTHING to do!

Also, don't worry so much.
It'll go fine.

Oh, and take a pre-op photo if you want to have comparison for later.

hmm.. what else...
Protein! Eat much of it and it'll speed up healing afterward!
I had protein powder in smoothies.. it was delicious.
(And don't be afraid to ask friends/family for help as needed, your pride is not as important as "not pulling bloody stitches".)

I recall my son not being able, or allowed, to raise his arms for quite a while.

As to antibiotics, laxatives etc, I'd ask the Doc, and not be afraid to call the nurses whenever neccessary either.  Don't be embarrassed, they have seen it all.  You will probably be one of their more pleasant patients anyway, you want to be there, and are getting something off your chest, so to speak! 

Heal well and quickly.

Karen

Quote from: justmeinoz on July 18, 2011, 09:20:44 AM
I recall my son not being able, or allowed, to raise his arms for quite a while.

As to antibiotics, laxatives etc, I'd ask the Doc, and not be afraid to call the nurses whenever neccessary either.  Don't be embarrassed, they have seen it all.  You will probably be one of their more pleasant patients anyway, you want to be there, and are getting something off your chest, so to speak! 

Heal well and quickly.

Karen

No advice, but congratulations dude!

i havent had top surgery yet but my neighbor had breast cancer and last night she was talking to me about what she did to get rid of the scars, she said after her scars heeled up and were dry she used organic honey and wrapped it up for sleeping and than she also got scar guard from walmart for during the day. she also said dont move your arms much at all if possible dont wear a shirt or go out in the sun for like a week have someone feed you and wash your hair and basically be a baby about it for a little over a week. her scars are barely there it isnt the EXACT same thing but she has no chest so that was her advice to me

That reminds me, scars. My girlfriend has made me use Calendula cream for the past year on scars I have on my abdomen and thigh. At the start they were bright red and very noticeable, but after a year-ish of nightly application, they've faded to almost nothing. I would advertise this cream to Hell and back, it's done such a surprisingly good job, I can actually wear shorts again without feeing self-concious. So, if you can find it, get some of it. I don't know how well honey works, but I know for definite that this works.

Ah, scars.  I'm currently using mederma on mine.  There isn't much difference color wise (I'm only 5 weeks post-op), but they are much softer already.  I remember the first time I put the gel on, and the scars and skin underneath were incredibly hard.  It still doesn't feel "normal" but there is a noticeable difference.  After 8 weeks of using the mederma (10 weeks post-op), I'll compare photos and see if I think it's worth going for another 8 weeks.  It's fairly expensive, but I bought it off of amazon.com and it costs less than the scar guard.

To be honest, I'm not sure if it's the product itself or just the fact that I'm massaging the scars and keeping them relatively moist throughout the day.  Scar massage is very helpful, IMO, in reducing the appearance and hardness of scar tissue.  I've seen a few patients use it (mostly abdominal scars) and it seems to work well.

button downs and hoodies because i doubt you can or should put a t shirt on post surgery

I saw something on tumblr about using honey on scars. That's supposed to work well. If I find the post I'll post it.

Quote from: Sharky on July 17, 2011, 09:55:53 PM
Congrats! Bring bendy straws.

This. Noone explained to me before hand that I wouldn't be able to drink from a glass comfortably for a few days.
Also, laxatives are a great idea.
Loose fitting button ups to cover drains when you are out and about.
Sweat pants that are comfortable to wear.

thanks for everything guys! here goes nothing...

I agree with all of the above. Also take a pillow with you so you can put it between yourself and the seat belt on the drive home.

Absolutely massage the scars. I've had a very noticeable difference since I started massaging them. I think you are supposed to wait 2 weeks to make sure they are healed, but then don't be after to really deeply massage them. There's lots of research on athletes about intense painful massage on scar tissue and how quickly it gets them back in shape.

Laxatives, straws, protein?

Hahah, I went in for surgery, went under, woke up, had bandages, went home, watched tv, slept. Then the rest of my recovering weeks I spent playing video games and going online. I wasn't even that drowsy from the anesthetic.

I ate, drank, and slept a bit awkwardly didn't have any big issues, horrible pain, or constipation(). I was wearing regular t-shirts after 5 days.

Honestly, it was the easiest, least scary and quickest surgery I've ever had in my life. You'll be in and out no problem and congrats!!!