2 Weeks Post Op Questions

[ArtVandelay]

First off I just want to say this site really helped prepare me for surgery in addition to finding a surgeon.  I went with Dr. Fielding in Toronto ON.  Anyway I'm 2 weeks post surgery and I have a few questions/concerns.

1. When I was finally able to take off my vest for the first time and look (a week and a couple days later) I was really pleased with the results.  However a few days after my first check (& removing of foam pads)Ive noticed the result doesn't look nearly as good as it did when I took the vest off the first time.  My breasts are a fair bit larger than they were (Still much better than before surgery) and my left breast is bigger than my right by a decent amount which concerns me bc that was the case prior to surgery.  I'm wondering is this all due to swelling?  As well I have a bunch of hard spots (more so on the left)most significantly by the nipple and on the side of the breasts.  Could it be a hematoma?  It isn't extremely painful to touch but I'm not sure what else it could be.

2.  I still cant sleep on my side because the pain is too much, is this normal 2 weeks post?

3.  A week and a half after my surgery I had to travel by train and ended up having to carry a duffel luggage bag in each hand about 5 minutes around the terminal and again 5 minutes walking home at the end.  Overall Id say I carried the 2 heavy bags for a total of 20 minutes that day.  I didn't want to bc I knew I shouldn't be lifting but I had no choice.  Will this affect my longterm result?  Will it slow my recovery?

4.  Should I be stretching and massaging?  Ive noticed that with the vest off showering its hard for me to raise my arms over my head, should I be doing that to stretch or not even testing it?  Also what is the technique for a massage?

5.  Finally Ive noticed that when I had my foam pads in the vest the overall compression was better.  even though I'm using the compression vest Fielding gave me I don't feel like its compressing enough.  Is this normal?  (When the foam pads were in it was air tight). 

6. I never heard about stage 1 vest and stage 2 vest, I planned on wearing the one given to me by Fielding for my 4 week duration.  However after reading around it seems that midway through people switch to a stage 2 vest, Ive heard people talk about Underworks.  Should I switch?  The switch entices me because the one I have now straps in the front and on the shoulders, it doesn't look normal in a t-shirt.  It looks like these underworks have a more normal look which with the warm weather now is good.  Would you recommend Underworks or another brand?  How does UnderArmour fair?

I know these are longwinded but I really appreciate your answers, thank you.

[ArtVandelay]

I would really appreciate some replies, it would help me out a ton.

[Litlriki]

Many of the things you're asking are things that you should address with your surgeon, but some general observations apply.  With regard to appearance, you will have swelling with hard and soft spots and sometimes contour issues, which normally resolve over time.  Asymmetry is common--it may be related to swelling or to your underlying anatomy.  Time will tell if it's something related to the procedure.  As for sleeping, everyone is different, and over time, it should improve enough for you to sleep on your side.  Regarding the lifting of the duffel bag, if you didn't notice any significant change (swelling, hematoma, fluid collection), you probably didn't do anything damaging to the area.  As for stretching and massage, you should speak with your surgeon about that.  I have my patients start stretching and massaging a week post-op.  Compression should be snug and form-fitting.  It doesn't need to crush you.  Likewise, whether you spend money on "Stage 2" garments or just wear the vest you got at surgery is more a preference thing, as long as you're wearing compression. I recommend compression to my patients for 4 weeks.  Under Armor and Spanx can also be used.

I hope that helps.

Rick Silverman

[ArtVandelay]

Thank you Dr. Silverman, I very much appreciate it.  Im a Canadian student going to school in the States so my access to my surgeon is limited.  Thank you.  Ive read alot of your post and see that you workout, I cant wait to get back to that.

1. As far as working out goes, can I start on my supplements right away?  I use a multi-vit, protein powder, fish oil (heard it thins the blood), L-Glutamine (other BCAAs) and a pre-w/o like Jack3d, SuperPump.

2. I wont be able to see my surgeon again until the start of May.  I dont think I have a hematoma but Im not entirely sure.  It seems to me my breasts are bigger than they should be, however for the most part its all really hard (especially the left side) which I dont believe is a sign of a hematom/seromaa however when I try to sleep on my side it feels like I have an implant or big blister in there, which makes me think I have fluid.

3. The lower part of my breasts looks flatter but the top I still have alot of fat coming down from the high chest.  To me it looks like he took care of the fat on the lower part of the breats but not up top or by the armpit, is this normal?

[Litlriki]

I allow my patients to resume supplements whenever they wish, but you should be careful to check any of the various "designer" supplements to be sure they don't contain any hormonally active ingredients.  Unfortunately, this is not always clear, since they can list "proprietary blend" on the label and include agents that might lead to recurrence of your gynecomastia.  Just be careful.

As for your other two questions, these are things that can only be addressed by examining you.

RS