Op with Benito on Tues - start of diary

[equium]

So, 2 days away from the op and cant wait, I'm heading to Barcelona tomorrow.

I've had so much good advice from this forum that I think it's only right I start a diary so people can see how everything pans out over the next 6-12 months. I'll be posting some pre-op pics soon and will fill you in on Thursday as to how the op goes when I'm back in sunny England.

Speak soon lads

Equium

[michaelmorey]

good luck dude!

[equium]

I'm back, nice and glandless :-)

I'm not going to write a massive report on everything that happened - there are pretty comprehensive reports by irish lad and others about the taxis to and from the hospital, communication with nurses etc. Although I should mention, I got an A at GCSE spanish and communication was still rather trickey, so if you're considering benito, make sure you get a decent phrase book.

Anyways, the op itself - right side is excellent, swollen yes, yello yes, flat - hell yes. Left side, unfortunately i developed a haemotoma which had to be drained in the evening of the same day I had the op. I'm a medical student and I told the nurse to get Benito asap because I had a haemotoma but she wouldnt listen. Fortunately, I rang Aida who sorted me out. The haemotoma means more scar tissue and a slightly longer recovery but with time and massaging etc it'll be fine i reckon. It has already improved since yesterday after the wearing this ultra tight compression vest.

Post op pics coming up this weekend I reckon, along with pre-ops of course. Here's to the long road ahead of skin dimpling, scar tissue, puffy nipples but eventually bliss :-)

Laters lads

Eq

[irish lad]

well done equium glad your happy bud.. ye post op will be long but well worth it..ye communication is the only downside i say you got very frustrated as i did over their trying to speak to nurses.. a haemotama you learn something new every day but you were on the ball ringing aida and getting it sorted..ye dat vest just sqeuses the life out of you lol

good luck again bud

[another_case]

I had surgery with Dr. Benito back in Feb and developed a haematoma 2 weeks after on my left side. I had it drained in London by him, it has taken slightly longer to heal but it has caught up with the other side now so don't worry. Congratulations on getting it done, I still look at my chest and smile at the difference as it just keeps getting better each day! Be patient, 6 months is a good indicator of your final result, it often gets worse before it gets better

[equium]

Is that quite strange for a haemotoma to develop after the surgery?

I know it's going to take a while for things to settle down - although I've had the op now, I'm probably not going to be able to flaunt my chest about until next summer I think. Things are already improving day-by-day. My mobility is improving at the amount of blue-coloured bruising from the h.toma is subsiding slightly.

Cheers for the replies guys, will be posting pics up soon.

[equium]

Sorry for lack of pics, I've taken them, just been a bit busy so haven't got them up here yet, will do it asap.

Irish lad - i had an armpit incision too, i've noticed a bit of yellow-ish looking discharge from it, worried it might have become infected! Keep your armpits bone dry is so hard, esp when you've got an comp vest on squeezing the life out of you. The only thing is, it's not painful, hot and it doesn't ooze when i squeeze around the incision, which makes me think it's not pus from an infection.

I've also noticed beneath the left armpit incision scar, is almost like a ball of swelling - it's not hard, in fact it's very soft and fluidy - again, i'm worried this could be infection (a collection of pus) or then again, could just be local swelling.

Your advice would be appreciated guys, cheers.

[PaulSW]

Sounds like an infection in the wound to me mate quick trip to the GP?

[equium]

Went to a walk-in-centre and the nurse gave me some antibiotics.

Annoying that I've had 2 complications of the surgery - haematoma and infection, pretty small odds of that happening but still, I'm chuffed with the results. Lots of scar tissue which I know is thwarting the results but I'm still happy with the way my chest is right now, so thing can only get better!!

[irish lad]

well mate are you posting your pictures??

[equium]

http://s203.photobucket.com/albums/aa305/equium_2007/

That's pre op and 3 days post op

Sorry it has taken so long!

[irish lad]

looks good mate as u said your happy with the result so thats all that matters, you had the same yelow brusing i had 3 days post op.. our results are similar in ways.. dont worry about that bruising it will go down in next few weeks.. id recommend a vitiman c supplyment i think it really speeded up my recovery iv taken it every day since im home from op.. my hair under the armpit is growing back the slowest are u exp this?

[equium]

I'm becoming less happy - the crease above my left nipple has been there since I woke up from the op. Quite worried that it is skin sticking to the muscle, in which case, I'm not sure what could be done in the future if it doesn't get better.

I'm also getting the standard things - creases in my nipples, particularly when flexing my pecs, a few hard lumps here and there. But I'm not as concerned about them as I know the chances are in 3-6 months, it should sort itself out.

I'll post some more recent pics soon once I have some taken.

Hows your creasing Irish lad?

[irish lad]

my right nipple has a crease when i flex my pecs other than that i havnt experienced that much creasing yet!!

[outertrial]

I had the creasing too. It went away, your body is healing, its had a traumatic experience, takes a year or more to see final results, etcetera etcetera etcetera.