N.H.S. success!

[thedomino]

Hey all,

I had my operation 3 days ago on wednesday at Russells Hall hospital in the West Midlands under the surgeon 'Mr Mohan'.
He was brilliant and the whole process was sublime.
Having read a lot of bad things about the NHS on here I was somewhat worried, but I was in the safest hands.
A lot of the negative things said about the NHS seem to be from lipo. Which may still be true, Mr Mohan decided however that lipo would be ineffective and instead removed the glandular tissue with no lipo at all. It was a huge success.
Im flat as a pancake and no puffy nipples anymore! couldnt be happier.

I was in hospital from tuesday night (to make sure i got a bed for wed) until friday morning. Operation happened on wednesday morning, I was first of the day. I was a bit apprehensive about the anaesthetic, being a bit of a wuss! But it was all fine. They put drains in both sides and put me back in my room. That was weirdd, having to walk around holding bottles filling with your own blood  (dont worry it doesnt just pour out) only a few drips came out. So i was told that on thurs morning I could have them out and go home!
On thursday morning I had the drains out at mr Mohans approval. Everything seemed to be going fine, however i strained myself being stupid lifting my arms quite high to stupidly try put a tshirt on. I think i pulled the scab on the drain hole and all hell let loose for a bit. my bed was covered in blood. The nurses were brilliant though and chilled me out and patched me up. pressure did the job. Unfortunately my stupidity meant that the right side started to swell. Mr mohan said though that it was just fluid that would subside under compression, buhttp://www.gynecomastia.org/smf/index.php?action=post;board=20.0t kept me in for observation another night. The swelling went down overnight. So i was discharged yday morning.
I was wearing the 'tube bandage' that the NHS provided, however I have now bought a proper post gyno compression vest which is phenominal! I got mine from 'MaCom' and paid the extra to have it delivered next day and ive put it on today. Its so comfortable and extremely supportive/compressed. at £45 it wasnt cheap, but SO worth it. I promise you.

http://www.macom-medical.com/products-84-male_compression_vest.html

(btw I know they cant spell gynocomastia which worried me lol, but its the same post op vest that you can find on most websites. Its really good)

I want to emphasise how good the NHS were for me. I would hugely recommend Mr Mohan who I believe does both NHS and private work. Him and his team were amazing as well as all the nurses who were brilliant. I was even lucky enough to have my own room with ensuite too as opposed to being in a shared ward. To quell another myth, hospital food is actually brilliant, I was proper impressed.

In a week im having the dressings off and i'll take some pics for you. Ive got some pre op pics that i'll put up with them too. Ive even got some pics of the drains in...lovely.

Any questions, please ask. Ive long sponged of the advice of people on this forum, so Im happy to give as much back as possible.

TD

[thetodd]

well done! You got any pre/post op pics?

Could give an insight about what your GP did to refer you, and what you consultants you saw leading up to the operation. The main reason why the NHS gets a bad press on here is the sheer amount of people that get turned away. But you giving info on gyne friendly clinics/surgeons will be a great help for people pursuing surgery.

and how long did it take from your inital doc apointment to your actual surgery date? eitherway cheers for posting your info here a lot dont bother once theyve had the op and its the information people wanting NHS surgery really need!

Nice one
TheTodd

[thedomino]

ive got pre op pics yeah and taken some pics with bandages on and drains in, but havnt got any post op pics yet. will take some when i change my dressings tomorrow.

I initially went to my local gp sometime near the end of 2008, shortly after I had watched a programme about male breast cancer, scared the **** out of me!
My local GP said he thought it definitely wasnt cancer, said he thought it was a hormonal tissue growth that was common but normally disappears during puberty (i was 20 at the time, so he reckoned it wouldnt go now). he decided to recommended me to a specialist in my local hospital to check.

I met the specialist within a month who said it definitely wasnt cancer and that it was potentially gynocomastia (the first time id heard this word, and also the first time i knew others had the same problem). She told me that I could have it sorted on the NHS and I said i wanted it done so was sent to see 'Mr Mohan' the leading plastic surgeon for gynecomastia in my area, coincidentally located in the same hospital.

My appointments were somewhat spread out from here, due to my being at university. I had to cancel and rearrange some appointments.

When i saw mr mohan, he told me he could definitely help me, which excited me, but I wasnt sure whether to take the plunge, and asked for some time to think. I soon after decided I wanted the op but couldnt arrange another appointment for a few months due to university. I was offered some appointments a lot sooner than i could do. when i met him again i was put on the waiting list around JUNE 09. I was then told the surgery was on for october, but i couldnt do that. I was then offered 13th january because of my own commitments, the whole process would've been a lot quicker had i not been at uni. Also if id decided on the spot that i wanted the op, i couldve been put straight on the waiting list a few months earlier!

The plastics team at Russells Hall Hospital in the West Midlands have been amazing. Its even better that ive not had to travel around to different places. straight from docs to the hospital where ive had all of my appointments.

Id say its taken about a year from start to finish, but thats because of my own circumstances. I think the process couldve been nearly halved had i not been away. I havnt looked for the old letters regarding appointment dates, so this is an approximation.

TD

[BullsEye]

Thedomino could u post some pics ?
I know some1 else that had gyne operation at russells hall and had great result. I had bad experience on the NHS. I was refused to be seen by the plastic surgeon at queen elizabeth hospital in birmingham despite the referral of my GP. When I went back to my GP he suddenly became negative about the whole issue, he must have received some kind of 'Don't send us gynecomastia patients' letter from the plastic surgeon. I'm going back to my GP this week for the final time.

[thedomino]

On wednesday im going into russells hall to be checked over and have dressings changed. While im there, i'll take some pics without dressings on and post them on here. Im pleased last time i checked though!

Thats weird, maybe its just the sheer amount of people who are trying to get the op in the area. They might not be able to cope with numbers. Ask your GP if you can be referred to Russels Hall, see if thats allowed.
I'll get the pics up on wednesday mate

TD

[thetodd]

Good insight mate, you had a bit of a result with the surgery near the end! When you take the pics on wednesday your probally going to have some significant swelling so expect a better final result.

[BullsEye]

On wednesday im going into russells hall to be checked over and have dressings changed. While im there, i'll take some pics without dressings on and post them on here. Im pleased last time i checked though!

Thats weird, maybe its just the sheer amount of people who are trying to get the op in the area. They might not be able to cope with numbers. Ask your GP if you can be referred to Russels Hall, see if thats allowed.
I'll get the pics up on wednesday mate

TD

do u know how much dr mohan charges privately?

yeah i had the option of choosing russels hall hospital since it is one of my local ones but i chose QE hospital as it had shorter waiting time. i've got appointment with my gp tomorrow for the last time and i hope for the best.

[thedomino]

hey,
I have no idea at all sorry. Ive only looked at the public side. I found out he does private because one of the anaethetists said he'd be busy on the day of my surgery because he'd be off later doing private work.

I'm seeing him a week today though and I could ask him for you.

Hope I can help

[BullsEye]

the domino which area do you live in, if u dont me asking?

[thedomino]

I live in Stourbridge. a town in the 'dudley metropolitan borough'.

[londonlad]

Hey thedomino.

Congrats on your surgery.  My vest from Macom Medical arrived today and it's brilliant.  SO much more comfortable than the makeshift abdominal bandage the hospital gave me!  Thanks for the tip.

[thedomino]

Glad to be of service londonlad!

Here are my pics, sorry for the delay, ive been having uni exams! back home again now to have a follow up appointment with my surgeon tomorrow to check how im doing.

Pre op

http://s80.photobucket.com/albums/j178/thedomino/Gynecomastia/?action=view&current=Photo0802.jpg

http://s80.photobucket.com/albums/j178/thedomino/Gynecomastia/?action=view&current=Photo0814.jpg

Drains

http://s80.photobucket.com/albums/j178/thedomino/Gynecomastia/?action=view&current=Photo0817.jpg

Post Op - about 1 week (nearly all the yellowish colour is iodine from these sterile pads i had to leave on)

http://s80.photobucket.com/albums/j178/thedomino/Gynecomastia/?action=view&current=Photo0836.jpg

Post Op - nearly 2 weeks (mark below right side is where ive scratched myself because ive got a bit itchy!)

http://s80.photobucket.com/albums/j178/thedomino/Gynecomastia/?action=view&current=Photo0857.jpg

http://s80.photobucket.com/albums/j178/thedomino/Gynecomastia/?action=view&current=Photo0859.jpg

http://s80.photobucket.com/albums/j178/thedomino/Gynecomastia/?action=view&current=Photo0858.jpg



Im proper pleased with the results. Although ive got a bit of swelling on my right side, not noticeable in the recent pics. Hopefully will go down. I was worried i'd have creased nipples too, but can already see thats sorting itself out!

TD

[markfj]

looking good, you must be please!

[thedomino]

yeah man, proper pleased. When i see the pre op pics i cant believe how much ive changed!

[thetodd]

Brilliant results mate!