Gynecomastia Support Forum

International Forum => U.K. => Topic started by: yamahatrophy on November 23, 2018, 02:54:27 PM

Title: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 4th August 2019)
Post by: yamahatrophy on November 23, 2018, 02:54:27 PM

Title: Re: My Gynecomastia Diary with <a class=\
Post by: hillary2005 on November 28, 2018, 11:46:09 AM

Good man for making the appointment!

You won’t look back!

Title: Re: My Gynecomastia Diary with <a class=\
Post by: yamahatrophy on November 28, 2018, 12:49:11 PM

Quote from: hillary2005 on November 28, 2018, 11:46:09 AM

Good man for making the appointment!

You won’t look back!

Thanks hilary2005! I read your diary a few days ago, great to hear you had such positive results. I hope mine goes as well as yours :)

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis - Consultation Complete (Updated)
Post by: yamahatrophy on November 30, 2018, 05:02:38 PM

Update 1 - Consultation (30th November 2018)
Today I went to the Karidis clinic for the consultation. For those travelling to the clinic via the Undergound, it's a short 200m walk down a straight road to get there from St. John's Wood - easy :) The consultation was composed of two parts: the first with Alex Karidis, the second with their patient co-ordinator.

The consultation with Alex lasted 20 minutes. It began with me briefly going over my history with gynecomastia, when I first noticed it etc. followed by a physical examination. He asked me to tense the chest which makes the excess fat and gland very noticeable and gave things a squeeze. He then explained the procedure, expectations for recovery, possible complications etc. The whole thing felt quite scripted in a way, but I see that as a good thing - Alex has done so many of these consultations and surgeries (averaging around 120 per year) that they're second nature to him. I asked him a few questions and then we finished. Here are main points of interest:

If revision surgery is required (unlikely), Alex does not charge any fees. Only hospital fees need to be paid.
His new stitching method has reduced risk of haematoma from 7% to below 1%. This method has recently received an award and is expected to become the gold standard adopted by other surgeons soon
Unfortunately no pre-surgery anxiety medication can be given as it may interfere with anaesthetic

I then had the consultation with Stephen, the patient co-ordinator. Stephen is a lovely guy and made me feel at ease, great customer service :) He ran me through all the other logistics such as pricing, timeframes etc. and this also lasted about 20 minutes. Here are the main points of interest:

Karidis fee is £4,461, hospital fee £1,483 bringing the total to £5,944. Note: The fee they provide for Karidis already has the £200 consultation fee redeemed against it.
A deposit of £1,500 is required to secure dates for surgery
The full balance for Karidis must be paid at least 15 days prior to surgery and the hospital fee paid at least 7 days before surgery
A blood test is required before surgery and is valid for 1 year. This will test clotting screen, full blood count, urea and electrolytes. This can be done at the same clinic for £169
An MRSA test is also required before surgery with swabs from the nose, groin and armpit. This can also be done at the same clinic for £97 and is valid for 6 months
Karidis will have a second consultation free of charge if required before surgery
Wait time before surgery is typically around 6 weeks

I was then given a print out of all the necessary info, Stephen's business card with contact information, a small card with a photo of the compression vest worn post surgery, and another card explaining the Karidis app (photo attached). I downloaded the app earlier and it's fantastic - it walks you through exactly what needs to be done pre and post surgery, i.e. it sends you a reminder not to eat 8 hours before surgery so I'd highly recommend downloading it after the consultation.

On the back of all this, I've decided to go for the surgery and I believe Alex will do a great job. I'm going to be booking in for April due to work constraints. Unfortunately April is too far ahead to book in yet so I'll be proceeding things further around January / February time. Once booked in, I'll look to get the blood and MRSA tests done so I'll provide an update when that happens. In the meantime, if anyone has any questions or comments then shoot away, otherwise - see you in 2019!

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis (Updated)
Post by: Cristalis on January 07, 2019, 04:03:04 AM

Good, keep us posted please!

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis (Updated)
Post by: yamahatrophy on January 17, 2019, 07:00:38 AM

Good to see you Cristalis :) Happy new year to everyone. Just a small update. I'm currently in talks with the patient coordinator to secure a date for surgery (looking at mid April). I should have something confirmed by Friday next week so I'll post another update then.

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis (Updated)
Post by: yamahatrophy on February 04, 2019, 12:32:47 PM

Update 2 - Surgery Booked (4th February 2019)
I've just paid the deposit (£1,500) to secure a date for surgery. I was originally going to get the surgery done mid-April but decided to do it sooner so I'm booked in for March 14th at 7am. Not going to lie, it's quite easy to talk about it and make decisions at the consultation stage but when you go to pay the deposit it really hits you that this is real and is going to happen. I've never been under general anaesthetic before and am not looking forward to the recovery. I'm sure these worries will go away and are a result of the reality of this hitting me. My biggest worry is that I won't get the cosmetic result I'm after, which would suck after spending £6k and going through surgery. But Alex is a skilled surgeon so I feel like I'm in good hands.

I'll be going in for the blood and MRSA tests on February the 18th. Stephen, the patient co-ordinator will meet me and take me to the right place. I'll provide another update once this has happened. As always, if you guys have any questions shoot below otherwise you'll hear from me again in 2 weeks!

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis (Updated)
Post by: Cristalis on February 06, 2019, 02:49:03 AM

Scared about the outcome im too, one of the reason why i postponed the surgery so much. Seen so many cases that i dont like, adhesions and wavy looking areas, big scar tissue that resembles glandular tissue and so on.

Im 41 now and i need to do the surgery, i need to take this chance, i want to enjoy time at the beach without being self conscious and pinching on my niples so that they shrunk, or staying in cold water all day, suck to worry so much and not to feel uncomfortable in your own skin. God damn, i was not fortunate this life, i have so many rare conditions, not life threatening but untreatable ones that make your life shit.

I wish you best of luck and keep us posted, march is nigh.

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis (Updated)
Post by: yamahatrophy on February 06, 2019, 04:49:25 AM

Quote from: Cristalis on February 06, 2019, 02:49:03 AM

Scared about the outcome im too, one of the reason why i postponed the surgery so much. Seen so many cases that i dont like, adhesions and wavy looking areas, big scar tissue that resembles glandular tissue and so on.

Im 41 now and i need to do the surgery, i need to take this chance, i want to enjoy time at the beach without being self conscious and pinching on my niples so that they shrunk, or staying in cold water all day, suck to worry so much and not to feel uncomfortable in your own skin. God damn, i was not fortunate this life, i have so many rare conditions, not life threatening but untreatable ones that make your life shit.

I wish you best of luck and keep us posted, march is nigh.

Yes, unfortunately no matter how skilled the surgeon there can be no guarantees for cosmetic result. If it was guaranteed, I'd have no hesitation at all getting the procedure done. But a different way to look at it - not doing the surgery means a 0% chance of having the chest you want, at least surgery gives a good chance. That is what is keeping me going. All you can do is choose an experienced surgeon to maximise those chances.

12 days until the pre-op tests!

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis (Updated)
Post by: yamahatrophy on February 18, 2019, 01:02:14 PM

Update 3 - Pre-Op Tests Complete 18th February 2019

I had the pre-op tests this morning at the Hospital of St. John and St. Elizabeth from where Karidis operates. I met Stephen who kindly took me to the right location in the hospital and handed over the necessary form. From there I had blood drawn to test full blood count, urea & electrolytes and coagulation profile. The nurse also swabbed each of my nostrils, both armpits and both sides of my groin. The results should be available in a day or two and are sent directly to Karidis. Total cost: £265. I've attached a photo of the breakdown on the invoice. Only 24 days till surgery now! Feeling a mixture of excitement and anxiety.

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis (Updated 18th February)
Post by: yamahatrophy on February 20, 2019, 01:10:46 PM

Just a quick update. All pre-op tests passed and have just paid the final fee to Karidis. 22 days to go!

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis (Updated 18th February)
Post by: dk1000 on February 25, 2019, 08:18:00 PM

Hi Yamahatrophy, thank you for detailing your journey so far! This has been extremely useful as I'm booked in for a consultation with Dr. Karidis next month and am very excited to finally be sorting out my gyno

Would I be right in thinking that the total cost of the consultation, bloods and surgery is around £6409 (£ 200 + 265 + 4461 + 1483)? Are there also additional costs for post-op medications and compression vests?

Wishing you the best, not long to go now!

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis (Updated 18th February)
Post by: yamahatrophy on February 26, 2019, 03:50:16 AM

Quote from: dk1000 on February 25, 2019, 08:18:00 PM

Hi Yamahatrophy, thank you for detailing your journey so far! This has been extremely useful as I'm booked in for a consultation with <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url] next month and am very excited to finally be sorting out my gyno

Would I be right in thinking that the total cost of the consultation, bloods and surgery is around £6409 (£ 200 + 265 + 4461 + 1483)? Are there also additional costs for post-op medications and compression vests?

Wishing you the best, not long to go now!

No problem, glad I've been able to help. This forum provided me with so much information and support it's only right to pay it forward. Yeah, that £6409 figure is accurate. Extremely expensive all things considered, however that's the price for a top surgeon - it's more or less the same cost in the US if you want the best. Cosmetic surgery is definitely not something to cheap out on, I'd rather get it right the first time than get some horrific result and have to go through revision surgery which may end up costing more. And the way I see it, £6.5k is a small price to pay to never have to worry about gyno ever again. I'm not too sure about additional costs for post-op stuff but I'll let you know when I get there. Only 16 more days to go!

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis (Updated 18th February)
Post by: dk1000 on February 26, 2019, 11:31:07 AM

Thanks for confirming & I agree, there are cheaper surgeons out there but I believe Karidis is the best and his experience and success rate justifies his fee.

Keep us posted :)

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis (Updated 18th February)
Post by: dk1000 on March 08, 2019, 12:51:49 PM

Had my consultation on Wednesday, both Dr. Karidis and Stephen were great and answered all my questions. It was also interesting to find out that Dr. Karidis trained with Paul Levick, who was the other big name in gyno surgery before he retired.

My quoted fees were the exact same as yours and the fees do include the compression vests and antibiotics. I'm happy to say that I'll be paying the deposit when I get home tonight and am very excited about it ;D

...How have you been feeling with just a few days to go? Have you had to prepare in any way e.g. make changes to your diet/exercise?

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis (Updated 18th February)
Post by: yamahatrophy on March 08, 2019, 02:28:19 PM

Great to see you again dk1000! I had no idea he trained with Dr. Levick, that's good to hear. When are you looking to get the surgery done? What type of gynecomastia do you have?

I've actually become less nervous and more excited to get the surgery the closer I get to the date. Any time I feel nervous I just look at my chest and remind myself in a few days this problem that has bothered me for years will finally be a thing of the past. In terms of preparations, I've made sure to avoid ibuprofen for the last 2 weeks and have stopped drinking alcohol from now. I've also stopped taking my preworkout as it contains a compound that thins the blood (good thing I checked this). In the gym I've made sure to go as hard as I can in the workouts as I'll be off for a month with a particular focus on chest. My week at work is busy so I imagine I'll get to Wednesday evening and it'll hit me that the surgery is the next day.

The one thing worrying me is the recommendation to sleep on an incline to reduce swelling. Not entirely sure how to do that as I'm a picky sleeper and can't sleep upright. I might use some additional bedding near my upper body to put me on a slight slope. 6 days to go now!

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis (Updated 18th February)
Post by: bb0082 on March 08, 2019, 03:23:32 PM

Great updates! All the best for the surgery sounds like you’re in the best hands.
Hoping to be gyne-free this summer!

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis (Updated 18th February)
Post by: yamahatrophy on March 08, 2019, 03:45:35 PM

Quote from: bb0082 on March 08, 2019, 03:23:32 PM

Great updates! All the best for the surgery sounds like you’re in the best hands.
Hoping to be gyne-free this summer!

Thanks, will post another in a week documenting the surgery and my recovery :) Good luck with the surgery! Which surgeon did you decide on?

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis (Updated 18th February)
Post by: yamahatrophy on March 08, 2019, 03:51:29 PM

Update 4 - Pre-Op Tests Passed And Fees Paid 8th March 2019

I've made various posts with small updates since the pre-op tests so decided to put them together into a single update here for easier reading in the future. All pre-op tests are clear and the results came back within 2 - 3 days so very quick turnaround. They're sent directly to Karidis and Stephen confirmed the results to me via email. The Karidis fee has now been fully paid (via WorldPay with card) and also the hospital fee (called the finance department and they took my card number over the phone). So everything is clear and I'm ready for surgery on 14th March! I'll post another update detailing the day of surgery and initial recovery.

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis (Updated 18th February)
Post by: dk1000 on March 08, 2019, 07:51:32 PM

Quote from: yamahatrophy on March 08, 2019, 02:28:19 PM

Great to see you again dk1000! I had no idea he trained with Dr. Levick, that's good to hear. When are you looking to get the surgery done? What type of gynecomastia do you have?

I've actually become less nervous and more excited to get the surgery the closer I get to the date. Any time I feel nervous I just look at my chest and remind myself in a few days this problem that has bothered me for years will finally be a thing of the past. In terms of preparations, I've made sure to avoid ibuprofen for the last 2 weeks and have stopped drinking alcohol from now. I've also stopped taking my preworkout as it contains a compound that thins the blood (good thing I checked this). In the gym I've made sure to go as hard as I can in the workouts as I'll be off for a month with a particular focus on chest. My week at work is busy so I imagine I'll get to Wednesday evening and it'll hit me that the surgery is the next day.

The one thing worrying me is the recommendation to sleep on an incline to reduce swelling. Not entirely sure how to do that as I'm a picky sleeper and can't sleep upright. I might use some additional bedding near my upper body to put me on a slight slope. 6 days to go now!

Glad to be here :) I'm looking to get the surgery done on Tuesday 16th April, which would give me time to recover over the Easter break. I had originally hoped to have it done on the 18th but as it was fully booked, 16th was the best alternative. I would say my gyno is mild to moderate, similar to yours in size although I am not as lean as you. Having gained a bit of weight in the last few months, it is definitely more prominent through clothing as it's been pushed forward, which has meant that it's played on my mind more than ever. I'll hopefully be able to post some before/after pictures next month.

You should definitely be very excited, I know I am already. Having had gyno for 10+ years (I'm 22 now), being able to wear fitted shirts/t-shirts/jumpers and being topless on holiday would be a dream! ...That's also very useful to know regarding the ibuprofen + pre-workout, I'll make sure to look into foods/supplements to avoid before surgery as well as other do's and don'ts. I've heard consuming pineapple is good for reducing swelling and bruising as it contains bromelain. Similarly to you, I'm hoping to build up my chest in the next 6 weeks and reduce my body fat as much as possible, hence I opted to wait for surgery even though there were dates available in March and Karidis said I'm ready to go ahead with it as I am.

I too am worried about how I'll sleep at night as I tend to sleep on my stomach, but hopefully the discomfort of sleeping upright won't be that bad after a few nights and the results worth the sacrifice. I think I'll also consider adding additional bedding and find a way to stop myself rolling over.

It's good to hear your tests came back fine and you've paid off all the fees. Looking forward to hearing about your results and recovery!

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis (Updated 13th March)
Post by: yamahatrophy on March 13, 2019, 01:13:32 PM

Update 5 - Preparation For Surgery 13th March 2019
Well, the day is almost upon me - my surgery is scheduled for tomorrow morning. This is a short update to explain how I've been preparing based on information from Karidis and other diaries:

Purchased throat soothers: apparently the intubation from general anaesthesia can be quite rough on the throat
Shaved chest: Another patient recommended this in their diary as removing the sticky dressing turned out to be quite painful
Put together a comfortable, easy outfit for tomorrow. Grey hoodie, tracksuit bottoms and trainers. My gym outfit basically! Your top shouldn't require to be pulled over your head as this will be difficult / painful after surgery
Stopped all supplements / vitamins etc.
No eating or drinking after midnight
Worked out travel. Will get trains to the hospital and then an Uber back home.

The clinic nurse gave me a call earlier and explained the procedures for tomorrow and answered any questions I had. I need to be there at 7am and should be going in around 8am. Will post another update tomorrow evening assuming I'm not too tired. This will hopefully be the last 15 hours I spend on this Earth with my puffy nipples!

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis (Updated 13th March)
Post by: dk1000 on March 13, 2019, 02:20:59 PM

Quote from: yamahatrophy on March 13, 2019, 01:13:32 PM

Update 5 - Preparation For Surgery 13th March 2019
Well, the day is almost upon me - my surgery is scheduled for tomorrow morning. This is a short update to explain how I've been preparing based on information from Karidis and other diaries:
Purchased throat soothers: apparently the intubation from general anaesthesia can be quite rough on the throat
Shaved chest: Another patient recommended this in their diary as removing the sticky dressing turned out to be quite painful
Put together a comfortable, easy outfit for tomorrow. Grey hoodie, tracksuit bottoms and trainers. My gym outfit basically! Your top shouldn't require to be pulled over your head as this will be difficult / painful after surgery
Stopped all supplements / vitamins etc.
No eating or drinking after midnight
Worked out travel. Will get trains to the hospital and then an Uber back home.

The clinic nurse gave me a call earlier and explained the procedures for tomorrow and answered any questions I had. I need to be there at 7am and should be going in around 8am. Will post another update tomorrow evening assuming I'm not too tired. This will hopefully be the last 15 hours I spend on this Earth with my puffy nipples!

Thanks for the update Yamahatrophy, I have the same plan as you to a tee. Had my blood tests today so hopefully will get the all clear for surgery in a few days time.

Best of luck, hopefully an incredible result

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 14th March)
Post by: yamahatrophy on March 14, 2019, 02:20:37 PM

Update 6 - Surgery Completed 14th March 2019
And that's that, folks. I had a bright and early start at 5am and made it to the hospital just before 7am where I was taken to the admissions lounge. After about 15 minutes of waiting and filling out a form I was taken to my room. Nice window views with a few chairs, a TV and good sized bathroom. No complaints there :) I met the nurses who would be looking after me and had my blood pressure, oxygen saturation and temperature checked. After another short wait I met the anaesthetist and we had a short chat about what he would be doing and what to expect. This was then followed by Dr. Karidis himself who took some photos of the chest from different angles and marked me up with a pen. I then changed into the surgery outfit. One thing to note, you'll be provided with this half transparent diaper type thing. I asked Dr. Karidis if I could just stay in my underwear instead and he said it's not a problem, so it was good to maintain some shred of dignity! A nurse then came in with the food menu and I selected my choices for the starter, main and dessert. If you're reading this on the first post, I've attached photos to the separate post on page 2 of the room, food menu, and chest markings. Being first on the list, a nurse then guided me to theatre.

Given that this was my first time under general anaesthetic and was a concern of mine, I focused as much as possible on the process and feelings experienced so I'd be able to describe it to you all. Entering the anaesthetist's room, I was asked to lie down on the bed and asked to confirm my personal details. They then attached a few monitoring tools to me (ECG etc.). The anaesthetist then inserted the cannula - I won't lie, this was a bit painful. I'd say about 3 times the pain of a blood draw. But it was short lived and overall not too bad. He then injected a sedative, followed by the medicine to actually make me "sleep". The effects were quick and I was out within 30 - 45 seconds. Here's the exact notes I made in my head as it took affect:
1. Bitter taste appears in mouth (within 10 seconds)
2. Face starts to tingle. Like having pins and needles.
3. Start to feel really good. This part was great :D If you've ever had a "party" balloon, it feels almost exactly like that
4. For each second that passes after this, it's like an additional tequila shot hits your system. Feeling ready to hit the clubs at this point.
5. Gone

Before I knew it, I was waking up in the recovery room. I've heard horror stories of some people waking up and panicking, vomiting etc. I had none of this - it was like waking up from a peaceful sleep. My throat wasn't even sore so I didn't need the throat soothers in the end. Absolutely no chest pain. The anaesthetic was very much still in effect at this point helped by the cooling garment placed across the chest. The nurse then blasted some heat under the sheets. This whole bit in the recovery room was fantastic. Like having a good lie in. I was then taken back to my room and got into bed. The first hour back in the room wasn't great. I started to shiver and shake quite a bit which was the only side effect I had, but it passed fairly quickly. For the remaining few hours I watched some of my favourite reality TV shows (possibly without guilt for the first time in my life!) and had lunch. The food was absolutely fantastic - on par with places like Pret. Not your typical hospital food! They'll take your blood pressure, oxygen saturation and temperature every 30 minutes, and then every hour. The most painful part of the whole day was actually when the nurse removed the cannula. The needle coming out I didn't feel at all, however pulling off the sticky tape attached to all the hairs was even more painful than the cannula going in. I highly, highly recommend shaving your arms from the hands to above the elbow before going to the hospital (the anaesthetist may put it in your hand or forearm depending on vein availability). I was discharged shortly after 3pm so managed to dodge the London traffic and get back home just after 5pm.

So all in all - a fantastic experience from start to finish and very little pain. It's 10 hours after surgery as I write this and I'd rank the pain as a 2/10. I'm taking the painkillers provided every 4 hours to stay proactive with pain management and will reduce the intake over 3 days. Obviously I have no idea of the aesthetic outcome yet (haven't even seen my new chest yet) however if you've been putting the procedure for fear of the surgery itself, you really have nothing to worry about. Very little pain, comfortable accommodation, nice nurses and good food. Tonight will be a struggle as I've been ordered to sleep on my back with extra pillows under me and I normally sleep on my side so I think that'll be my first real challenge. I'll be returning to the hospital at 2.30pm tomorrow for removal of the stitches so will post another update then.

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 14th March)
Post by: yamahatrophy on March 14, 2019, 02:27:37 PM

Photo of lunch added here due to max 4 attachment limit.

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 14th March)
Post by: dk1000 on March 14, 2019, 05:23:07 PM

Quote from: yamahatrophy on March 14, 2019, 02:20:37 PM

Update 6 - Surgery Completed 14th March 2019
And that's that, folks. I had a bright and early start at 5am and made it to the hospital just before 7am where I was taken to the admissions lounge. After about 15 minutes of waiting and filling out a form I was taken to my room. Nice window views with a few chairs, a TV and good sized bathroom. No complaints there :) I met the nurses who would be looking after me and had my blood pressure, oxygen saturation and temperature checked. After another short wait I met the anaesthetist and we had a short chat about what he would be doing and what to expect. This was then followed by <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url] himself who took some photos of the chest from different angles and marked me up with a pen. I then changed into the surgery outfit. One thing to note, you'll be provided with this half transparent diaper type thing. I asked <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url] if I could just stay in my underwear instead and he said it's not a problem, so it was good to maintain some shred of dignity! A nurse then came in with the food menu and I selected my choices for the starter, main and dessert. If you're reading this on the first post, I've attached photos to the separate post on page 2 of the room, food menu, and chest markings. Being first on the list, a nurse then guided me to theatre.[/size][/color]

Given that this was my first time under general anaesthetic and was a concern of mine, I focused as much as possible on the process and feelings experienced so I'd be able to describe it to you all. Entering the anaesthetist's room, I was asked to lie down on the bed and asked to confirm my personal details. They then attached a few monitoring tools to me (ECG etc.). The anaesthetist then inserted the cannula - I won't lie, this was a bit painful. I'd say about 3 times the pain of a blood draw. But it was short lived and overall not too bad. He then injected a sedative, followed by the medicine to actually make me "sleep". The effects were quick and I was out within 30 - 45 seconds. Here's the exact notes I made in my head as it took affect:
1. Bitter taste appears in mouth (within 10 seconds)
2. Face starts to tingle. Like having pins and needles.
3. Start to feel really good. This part was great :D If you've ever had a "party" balloon, it feels almost exactly like that
4. For each second that passes after this, it's like an additional tequila shot hits your system. Feeling ready to hit the clubs at this point.
5. Gone

Before I knew it, I was waking up in the recovery room. I've heard horror stories of some people waking up and panicking, vomiting etc. I had none of this - it was like waking up from a peaceful sleep. My throat wasn't even sore so I didn't need the throat soothers in the end. Absolutely no chest pain. The anaesthetic was very much still in effect at this point helped by the cooling garment placed across the chest. The nurse then blasted some heat under the sheets. This whole bit in the recovery room was fantastic. Like having a good lie in. I was then taken back to my room and got into bed. The first hour back in the room wasn't great. I started to shiver and shake quite a bit which was the only side effect I had, but it passed fairly quickly. For the remaining few hours I watched some of my favourite reality TV shows (possibly without guilt for the first time in my life!) and had lunch. The food was absolutely fantastic - on par with places like Pret. Not your typical hospital food! They'll take your blood pressure, oxygen saturation and temperature every 30 minutes, and then every hour. The most painful part of the whole day was actually when the nurse removed the cannula. The needle coming out I didn't feel at all, however pulling off the sticky tape attached to all the hairs was even more painful than the cannula going in. I highly, highly recommend shaving your arms from the hands to above the elbow before going to the hospital (the anaesthetist may put it in your hand or forearm depending on vein availability). I was discharged shortly after 3pm so managed to dodge the London traffic and get back home just after 5pm.

So all in all - a fantastic experience from start to finish and very little pain. It's 10 hours after surgery as I write this and I'd rank the pain as a 2/10. I'm taking the painkillers provided every 4 hours to stay proactive with pain management and will reduce the intake over 3 days. Obviously I have no idea of the aesthetic outcome yet (haven't even seen my new chest yet) however if you've been putting the procedure for fear of the surgery itself, you really have nothing to worry about. Very little pain, comfortable accommodation, nice nurses and good food. Tonight will be a struggle as I've been ordered to sleep on my back with extra pillows under me and I normally sleep on my side so I think that'll be my first real challenge. I'll be returning to the hospital at 2.30pm tomorrow for removal of the stitches so will post another update then.

Congratulations! Glad everything went smoothly and you're not in much pain :)

Thanks for also posting the menu, would you recommend to bring any food/drink or was the lunch plenty? Should I also take a laptop or book to keep occupied?

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 14th March)
Post by: yamahatrophy on March 15, 2019, 06:47:19 AM

Quote from: dk1000 on March 14, 2019, 05:23:07 PM

Congratulations! Glad everything went smoothly and you're not in much pain :)

Thanks for also posting the menu, would you recommend to bring any food/drink or was the lunch plenty? Should I also take a laptop or book to keep occupied?

Thanks brother. Do you know when your surgery date is yet? Can't be too far ahead of mine!

I'm a pretty big eater and the portions were enough to keep me satisfied. Had a slice of carrot cake when I got home but that's all I ate for the day. In terms of laptop and book - if TV and your phone aren't enough to keep you occupied then I'd recommend it as you'll be sitting in bed for a good 5 - 6 hours.

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 14th March)
Post by: yamahatrophy on March 15, 2019, 12:53:29 PM

Update 7 - Day 1 Post Op 15th March 2019

As expected, last night was a struggle. Managed to stay on my back throughout however never really fell into a deep sleep, and woke up 8 or so times. My back was in a bit of pain around 5am so decided to get up and have a short walk around my room, and then I felt quite nauseous. The pain when I woke up was a constant 3.5 / 10, so a definite step up from yesterday. Probably due to all the painkillers wearing off overnight. I decided to get a train to Paddington then an Uber to the clinic as this was the best compromise between cost and safety. At this stage going on the Underground is too risky. The stitch removal occurs in the Karidis clinic itself and is performed by a lovely nurse (Lou) who I met yesterday. The dressings are removed, followed by the stitches. This was definitely uncomfortable, but not too painful. An iodine solution is then used on the area to disinfect it which stings for a few minutes. The nurse then put on clean dressings and got me back into the compression garment. What a world of difference it has made getting the stitches out - the pain is now a 0.5 - 1 / 10 and I have much more mobility. It's still a struggle to put on shoes etc. but that will get better over the next few days. Before leaving I also booked in my checkup with Dr. Karidis for April 15th. So this brings an end to the medical side of things. Now I just need time and patience to heal. The hospital experience and the surgery these past two days has been fantastic and I felt very safe and cared for throughout. The most important part of any elective surgery is choosing the right surgeon backed by the right hosptial, and Karidis has definitely ticked all the boxes. My only small complaint is that Dr. Karidis didn't come to see me after the operation. I asked, but was told he was in theatre all day and wouldn't have time. It's a shame as it would have been really reassuring just to have a 2 minute chat to get feedback on the surgery. So overall, a 9.5 / 10. I'll upload some post-op photos at 1 week and 4 weeks.

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 14th March)
Post by: dk1000 on March 16, 2019, 08:08:44 AM

Quote from: yamahatrophy on March 15, 2019, 12:53:29 PM

Update 7 - Day 1 Post Op 15th March 2019

As expected, last night was a struggle. Managed to stay on my back throughout however never really fell into a deep sleep, and woke up 8 or so times. My back was in a bit of pain around 5am so decided to get up and have a short walk around my room, and then I felt quite nauseous. The pain when I woke up was a constant 3.5 / 10, so a definite step up from yesterday. Probably due to all the painkillers wearing off overnight. I decided to get a train to Paddington then an Uber to the clinic as this was the best compromise between cost and safety. At this stage going on the Underground is too risky. The stitch removal occurs in the Karidis clinic itself and is performed by a lovely nurse (Lou) who I met yesterday. The dressings are removed, followed by the stitches. This was definitely uncomfortable, but not too painful. An iodine solution is then used on the area to disinfect it which stings for a few minutes. The nurse then put on clean dressings and got me back into the compression garment. What a world of difference it has made getting the stitches out - the pain is now a 0.5 - 1 / 10 and I have much more mobility. It's still a struggle to put on shoes etc. but that will get better over the next few days. Before leaving I also booked in my checkup with <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url] for April 15th. So this brings an end to the medical side of things. Now I just need time and patience to heal. The hospital experience and the surgery these past two days has been fantastic and I felt very safe and cared for throughout. The most important part of any elective surgery is choosing the right surgeon backed by the right hosptial, and Karidis has definitely ticked all the boxes. My only small complaint is that <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url] didn't come to see me after the operation. I asked, but was told he was in theatre all day and wouldn't have time. It's a shame as it would have been really reassuring just to have a 2 minute chat to get feedback on the surgery. So overall, a 9.5 / 10. I'll upload some post-op photos at 1 week and 4 weeks.

Thanks for the update. What were your thoughts on seeing your new chest for the first time?

& Cheers, I'll make sure to take some entertainment to keep myself busy ...my own surgery date is 16th April, so exactly one month to go :)

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 14th March)
Post by: yamahatrophy on March 16, 2019, 08:37:27 AM

Quote from: dk1000 on March 16, 2019, 08:08:44 AM

Quote from: yamahatrophy on March 15, 2019, 12:53:29 PM
Update 7 - Day 1 Post Op 15th March 2019

As expected, last night was a struggle. Managed to stay on my back throughout however never really fell into a deep sleep, and woke up 8 or so times. My back was in a bit of pain around 5am so decided to get up and have a short walk around my room, and then I felt quite nauseous. The pain when I woke up was a constant 3.5 / 10, so a definite step up from yesterday. Probably due to all the painkillers wearing off overnight. I decided to get a train to Paddington then an Uber to the clinic as this was the best compromise between cost and safety. At this stage going on the Underground is too risky. The stitch removal occurs in the Karidis clinic itself and is performed by a lovely nurse (Lou) who I met yesterday. The dressings are removed, followed by the stitches. This was definitely uncomfortable, but not too painful. An iodine solution is then used on the area to disinfect it which stings for a few minutes. The nurse then put on clean dressings and got me back into the compression garment. What a world of difference it has made getting the stitches out - the pain is now a 0.5 - 1 / 10 and I have much more mobility. It's still a struggle to put on shoes etc. but that will get better over the next few days. Before leaving I also booked in my checkup with <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url][/url] for April 15th. So this brings an end to the medical side of things. Now I just need time and patience to heal. The hospital experience and the surgery these past two days has been fantastic and I felt very safe and cared for throughout. The most important part of any elective surgery is choosing the right surgeon backed by the right hosptial, and Karidis has definitely ticked all the boxes. My only small complaint is that <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url][/url] didn't come to see me after the operation. I asked, but was told he was in theatre all day and wouldn't have time. It's a shame as it would have been really reassuring just to have a 2 minute chat to get feedback on the surgery. So overall, a 9.5 / 10. I'll upload some post-op photos at 1 week and 4 weeks.

Thanks for the update. What were your thoughts on seeing your new chest for the first time?

& Cheers, I'll make sure to take some entertainment to keep myself busy ...my own surgery date is 16th April, so exactly one month to go :)

Congrats on getting it booked in! That's a day after my checkup with Dr. Karidis so should hopefully have some inspiring post-op photos for you before you go in :) I'll be honest - the cosmetic result isn't even a consideration for me right now for two reasons. Firstly, my primary focus is on resting and recovering - this is surgery after all and shouldn't be underestimated. Secondly, the cosmetic result will change so much over the next 6 weeks that I don't want my expectations to be set too high or too low at any point. In 3 months time when things have stabilised I'm sure I will fully appreciate the final result. But until then I'm taking it easy and having no expectations. Keep us updated on your progress!

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 14th March)
Post by: dk1000 on March 16, 2019, 03:22:22 PM

Quote from: yamahatrophy on March 16, 2019, 08:37:27 AM

Quote from: dk1000 on March 16, 2019, 08:08:44 AM
Quote from: yamahatrophy on March 15, 2019, 12:53:29 PM
Update 7 - Day 1 Post Op 15th March 2019

As expected, last night was a struggle. Managed to stay on my back throughout however never really fell into a deep sleep, and woke up 8 or so times. My back was in a bit of pain around 5am so decided to get up and have a short walk around my room, and then I felt quite nauseous. The pain when I woke up was a constant 3.5 / 10, so a definite step up from yesterday. Probably due to all the painkillers wearing off overnight. I decided to get a train to Paddington then an Uber to the clinic as this was the best compromise between cost and safety. At this stage going on the Underground is too risky. The stitch removal occurs in the Karidis clinic itself and is performed by a lovely nurse (Lou) who I met yesterday. The dressings are removed, followed by the stitches. This was definitely uncomfortable, but not too painful. An iodine solution is then used on the area to disinfect it which stings for a few minutes. The nurse then put on clean dressings and got me back into the compression garment. What a world of difference it has made getting the stitches out - the pain is now a 0.5 - 1 / 10 and I have much more mobility. It's still a struggle to put on shoes etc. but that will get better over the next few days. Before leaving I also booked in my checkup with <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url][/url][/url] for April 15th. So this brings an end to the medical side of things. Now I just need time and patience to heal. The hospital experience and the surgery these past two days has been fantastic and I felt very safe and cared for throughout. The most important part of any elective surgery is choosing the right surgeon backed by the right hosptial, and Karidis has definitely ticked all the boxes. My only small complaint is that <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url][/url][/url] didn't come to see me after the operation. I asked, but was told he was in theatre all day and wouldn't have time. It's a shame as it would have been really reassuring just to have a 2 minute chat to get feedback on the surgery. So overall, a 9.5 / 10. I'll upload some post-op photos at 1 week and 4 weeks.

Thanks for the update. What were your thoughts on seeing your new chest for the first time?

& Cheers, I'll make sure to take some entertainment to keep myself busy ...my own surgery date is 16th April, so exactly one month to go :)

Congrats on getting it booked in! That's a day after my checkup with <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url] so should hopefully have some inspiring post-op photos for you before you go in :) I'll be honest - the cosmetic result isn't even a consideration for me right now for two reasons. Firstly, my primary focus is on resting and recovering - this is surgery after all and shouldn't be underestimated. Secondly, the cosmetic result will change so much over the next 6 weeks that I don't want my expectations to be set too high or too low at any point. In 3 months time when things have stabilised I'm sure I will fully appreciate the final result. But until then I'm taking it easy and having no expectations. Keep us updated on your progress!

Cheers! Post-op pics would be great and hopefully calm my nerves.

I agree with you there, I've heard it's an emotional rollercoaster with cycles of flattening/swelling, lumps, bruising etc. However, hopefully won't be too long before you can show off a flat chest and wear whatever you want :)

Will keep you posted. Let me know how your recovery goes and get plenty of rest.

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 15th March)
Post by: yamahatrophy on March 18, 2019, 04:57:42 PM

Update 8 - Day 4 Post Op 18th March 2019

The first 3 days were pretty challenging, however I'm now over the most difficult part of the recovery and things are now much smoother. Pain is 0/10 unless I do something that stretches or challenges the chest muscles i..e lifting arms overhead or reaching behind me in which case it rises to a 1 or 2. After 72 hours, I finally took off my surgical dressings and got my first proper look at my chest. Wow! What a difference. The whole area is completely flat and the areolas have shrunk and darkened. The area is still a bit messy as expected and will change over time but things are looking promising so far. I've attached a photo I took yesterday just after taking the dressings off. The two most difficult parts of the journey so far have been as follows:

1. Sleep disruption due to awkward sleeping positions. The first night was terrible as I was lying flat on my back and didn't move the whole night. I've found a good compromise position now where I balance my pillow against my dressing table which allows me to rotate my legs and head while keeping my back flat on the bed which is much comfier. I still wake up a few times in the night but it's much better than night 1. I'm still too tender to sleep normally and that will probably be the case until at least Thursday, if not longer.
2. Not being able to shower until the surgical dressings are removed. It feels so disgusting not being able to wash for 48 hours and then having to go out in public in that state. I've never appreciated being able to keep myself clean so much!

I'll post another update when there is some meaningful progress.

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 15th March)
Post by: dk1000 on March 19, 2019, 02:40:58 PM

Quote from: yamahatrophy on March 18, 2019, 04:57:42 PM

Update 8 - Day 4 Post Op 18th March 2019

The first 3 days were pretty challenging, however I'm now over the most difficult part of the recovery and things are now much smoother. Pain is 0/10 unless I do something that stretches or challenges the chest muscles i..e lifting arms overhead or reaching behind me in which case it rises to a 1 or 2. After 72 hours, I finally took off my surgical dressings and got my first proper look at my chest. Wow! What a difference. The whole area is completely flat and the areolas have shrunk and darkened. The area is still a bit messy as expected and will change over time but things are looking promising so far. I've attached a photo I took yesterday just after taking the dressings off. The two most difficult parts of the journey so far have been as follows:

1. Sleep disruption due to awkward sleeping positions. The first night was terrible as I was lying flat on my back and didn't move the whole night. I've found a good compromise position now where I balance my pillow against my dressing table which allows me to rotate my legs and head while keeping my back flat on the bed which is much comfier. I still wake up a few times in the night but it's much better than night 1. I'm still too tender to sleep normally and that will probably be the case until at least Thursday, if not longer.
2. Not being able to shower until the surgical dressings are removed. It feels so disgusting not being able to wash for 48 hours and then having to go out in public in that state. I've never appreciated being able to keep myself clean so much!

I'll post another update when there is some meaningful progress.

Looking really good mate! Very symmetrical and not as bruised as others I've seen on here. I hope my results are as good as yours.

I received the consent forms and post-op instructions yesterday, seems that there's a lot to be conscious and mindful of, how are you finding it all? Also, have you been sleeping completely upright for the last few nights?

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 15th March)
Post by: yamahatrophy on March 19, 2019, 03:00:44 PM

Quote from: dk1000 on March 19, 2019, 02:40:58 PM

Quote from: yamahatrophy on March 18, 2019, 04:57:42 PM
Update 8 - Day 4 Post Op 18th March 2019

The first 3 days were pretty challenging, however I'm now over the most difficult part of the recovery and things are now much smoother. Pain is 0/10 unless I do something that stretches or challenges the chest muscles i..e lifting arms overhead or reaching behind me in which case it rises to a 1 or 2. After 72 hours, I finally took off my surgical dressings and got my first proper look at my chest. Wow! What a difference. The whole area is completely flat and the areolas have shrunk and darkened. The area is still a bit messy as expected and will change over time but things are looking promising so far. I've attached a photo I took yesterday just after taking the dressings off. The two most difficult parts of the journey so far have been as follows:

1. Sleep disruption due to awkward sleeping positions. The first night was terrible as I was lying flat on my back and didn't move the whole night. I've found a good compromise position now where I balance my pillow against my dressing table which allows me to rotate my legs and head while keeping my back flat on the bed which is much comfier. I still wake up a few times in the night but it's much better than night 1. I'm still too tender to sleep normally and that will probably be the case until at least Thursday, if not longer.
2. Not being able to shower until the surgical dressings are removed. It feels so disgusting not being able to wash for 48 hours and then having to go out in public in that state. I've never appreciated being able to keep myself clean so much!

I'll post another update when there is some meaningful progress.

Looking really good mate! Very symmetrical and not as bruised as others I've seen on here. I hope my results are as good as yours.

I received the consent forms and post-op instructions yesterday, seems that there's a lot to be conscious and mindful of, how are you finding it all? Also, have you been sleeping completely upright for the last few nights?

Awesome - you're one step closer! :) I'm not gonna lie - the first 72 hours really sucked. But I'm past the hump now and am at a point where I'm able to do most things again with relative ease (open doors, put on a hoodie etc.) and no longer have any stitches or surgical dressings on me. The compression vest isn't as bad as some of the stories I've heard in other diaries - either they got a size too small or need to man up :D Still looking forward to not having to wear it again, though.

I haven't slept completely upright at all. The first night I slept at about 45 degrees but my sleep was so bad I decided I wouldn't do that again. The second and third nights I just slept on my back. I'm at a point now where it's just about bearable to sleep on my side (thank god!) and that's making the nights much easier. I think it's over-rated to be honest as you sleep for approx. 8 hours and then have the remaining 16 hours stood up or sat at an incline.

One other thing - I was provided Arnica tablets and instructed to take these 5 times a day to reduce swelling and bruising. This is a homeopathic treatment and I could find no clinical studies to support its effectiveness beyond a placebo so I haven't been taking these at all. Do with that information what you will.

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 15th March)
Post by: yamahatrophy on March 21, 2019, 09:57:55 AM

Update 9 - One Week Post-Op
Nothing much to report these past few days. I'm more or less back to normal mobility now save for reaching up too high or behind my back. Did a shopping trip earlier and carried two fairly heavy shopping bags home without issue. Sleeping on my side is fine now, I still have to avoid putting too much pressure directly on the nipple area but this isn't too much of an issue. I'm sure by next week it won't be a problem at all. Photo attached that I took this morning.

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 21st March)
Post by: dk1000 on March 23, 2019, 02:42:05 PM

Your recovery looks like it's going very well. Will be hardly noticeable in just a few weeks! :)

I also doubt that I'll fall asleep upright, but will try my best for the first 1/2 nights and then sleep on my side aswell. Been given the all clear with regards to my blood tests and so the reality that I'll be having surgery in less than a month is really beginning to kick in now. Kind of exciting and a bit scary at the same time!

...How has everything been over the last few days? Have you felt any scar tissue beginning to form or experienced your chest flattening and then swelling again?

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 21st March)
Post by: yamahatrophy on March 24, 2019, 05:10:07 PM

Quote from: dk1000 on March 23, 2019, 02:42:05 PM

Your recovery looks like it's going very well. Will be hardly noticeable in just a few weeks! :)

I also doubt that I'll fall asleep upright, but will try my best for the first 1/2 nights and then sleep on my side aswell. Been given the all clear with regards to my blood tests and so the reality that I'll be having surgery in less than a month is really beginning to kick in now. Kind of exciting and a bit scary at the same time!

...How has everything been over the last few days? Have you felt any scar tissue beginning to form or experienced your chest flattening and then swelling again?

I'm more or less back to normal now in terms of mobility. No issues at all sleeping on my side and I was fine lifting my suitcase to the overhead luggage on the train today. I haven't been paying too much attention to the overall shape just yet because I know it'll change a lot. The chest area is overly flat at the moment but that should spring out over the next month. The bruising has gone down quite a bit, should be completely gone in another week or so. Both nipples have creases in at the moment but that's one of the expected side effects, will hopefully resolve itself in the coming weeks. I'll post another photo on Thursday which is the 2 week mark when I only have to wear the compression vest at night.

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 21st March)
Post by: dk1000 on March 27, 2019, 09:11:03 PM

Quote from: yamahatrophy on March 24, 2019, 05:10:07 PM

Quote from: dk1000 on March 23, 2019, 02:42:05 PM
Your recovery looks like it's going very well. Will be hardly noticeable in just a few weeks! :)

I also doubt that I'll fall asleep upright, but will try my best for the first 1/2 nights and then sleep on my side aswell. Been given the all clear with regards to my blood tests and so the reality that I'll be having surgery in less than a month is really beginning to kick in now. Kind of exciting and a bit scary at the same time!

...How has everything been over the last few days? Have you felt any scar tissue beginning to form or experienced your chest flattening and then swelling again?
I'm more or less back to normal now in terms of mobility. No issues at all sleeping on my side and I was fine lifting my suitcase to the overhead luggage on the train today. I haven't been paying too much attention to the overall shape just yet because I know it'll change a lot. The chest area is overly flat at the moment but that should spring out over the next month. The bruising has gone down quite a bit, should be completely gone in another week or so. Both nipples have creases in at the moment but that's one of the expected side effects, will hopefully resolve itself in the coming weeks. I'll post another photo on Thursday which is the 2 week mark when I only have to wear the compression vest at night.

Wow, can't believe it's already been two weeks, it's good to hear you're back to normal again :) ..It does seem like creasing is quite common, I'm expecting that my own nipples will be creased, but to me it seems a small price to pay to get rid of the puffiness. However, as you said, it does tend to resolve within a few weeks. ..Would you also say that you've noticed any changes in the actual size of your nipples?

Additionally, I wanted to ask, when was the last time you worked out before surgery and how many days before did you stop drinking alcohol and stop taking supps/vitamins/protein powders etc.?

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 21st March)
Post by: yamahatrophy on March 28, 2019, 11:00:29 AM

Quote from: dk1000 on March 27, 2019, 09:11:03 PM

Quote from: yamahatrophy on March 24, 2019, 05:10:07 PM
Quote from: dk1000 on March 23, 2019, 02:42:05 PM
Your recovery looks like it's going very well. Will be hardly noticeable in just a few weeks! :)

I also doubt that I'll fall asleep upright, but will try my best for the first 1/2 nights and then sleep on my side aswell. Been given the all clear with regards to my blood tests and so the reality that I'll be having surgery in less than a month is really beginning to kick in now. Kind of exciting and a bit scary at the same time!

...How has everything been over the last few days? Have you felt any scar tissue beginning to form or experienced your chest flattening and then swelling again?
I'm more or less back to normal now in terms of mobility. No issues at all sleeping on my side and I was fine lifting my suitcase to the overhead luggage on the train today. I haven't been paying too much attention to the overall shape just yet because I know it'll change a lot. The chest area is overly flat at the moment but that should spring out over the next month. The bruising has gone down quite a bit, should be completely gone in another week or so. Both nipples have creases in at the moment but that's one of the expected side effects, will hopefully resolve itself in the coming weeks. I'll post another photo on Thursday which is the 2 week mark when I only have to wear the compression vest at night.

Wow, can't believe it's already been two weeks, it's good to hear you're back to normal again :) ..It does seem like creasing is quite common, I'm expecting that my own nipples will be creased, but to me it seems a small price to pay to get rid of the puffiness. However, as you said, it does tend to resolve within a few weeks. ..Would you also say that you've noticed any changes in the actual size of your nipples?

Additionally, I wanted to ask, when was the last time you worked out before surgery and how many days before did you stop drinking alcohol and stop taking supps/vitamins/protein powders etc.?

I know, it's gone by so quick! I asked Dr. Karidis before the operation whether I could expect a reduction in the areola diameter and darkening of colour and he said it would stay the same. However, due to the fact the areola is no longer "pointing out", they definitely seem smaller and have darkened slightly as well. I didn't take measurements so can't confirm if they have actually gotten smaller, but this study suggests an average diameter reduction of 17%: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28252545

I worked out all the way till the night before the surgery, working the chest extra hard. Multiple doctors have confirmed this isn't an issue. I stopped drinking alcohol 5 days before surgery (1 week recommended). I'm not much of a drinker, however I happened to be in Italy for work and I'll be damned if I'm not enjoying a fine glass of Italian wine while I'm there! I stopped my fish oil, creatine, vitamins and preworkout 2 weeks before surgery as recommended. Mostly it's precautionary but the fish oil, vitamin E and ginger extract (in my preworkout) can cause excessive bleeding which increases surgery risk and risk of hematoma. So better safe than sorry. I'm starting to take all these again now 2 weeks after surgery. Will post another update shortly with progress pics.

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 21st March)
Post by: yamahatrophy on March 28, 2019, 11:15:24 AM

Update 10 - Two Weeks Post-Op 28th March 2019

I'm now at the 2 week mark which means no more compression vest during the day :) I'm also going to start my supplements again (creatine, fish oil). The healing is going well. Most bruising is gone along with most marks from the stitches. The liposuction incisions are pretty difficult to notice already. The area still looks a little odd from the 45 degree angle as seen in the photo (overly flat) but this should spring out over the next 4 weeks and also reduce the nipple creasing. Aside from that, not much else to report. I'll post another update and more photos after my checkup with <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url][/url] on April 15th.

Edit: I also received the surgical report today sent via post. 300mls of fat was aspirated and 29g of gland excised (16g left, 13g right).

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 21st March)
Post by: dk1000 on April 04, 2019, 10:19:52 PM

Quote from: yamahatrophy on March 28, 2019, 11:15:24 AM

Update 10 - Two Weeks Post-Op 28th March 2019

I'm now at the 2 week mark which means no more compression vest during the day :) I'm also going to start my supplements again (creatine, fish oil). The healing is going well. Most bruising is gone along with most marks from the stitches. The liposuction incisions are pretty difficult to notice already. The area still looks a little odd from the 45 degree angle as seen in the photo (overly flat) but this should spring out over the next 4 weeks and also reduce the nipple creasing. Aside from that, not much else to report. I'll post another update and more photos after my checkup with <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url][/url][/url] on April 15th.

Edit: I also received the surgical report today sent via post. 300mls of fat was aspirated and 29g of gland excised (16g left, 13g right).

Thanks for the update, your chest looks great and definitely healing very well :) ..Were you surprised at all by your surgical report? I haven't looked into the usual amounts of fat/gland removed during surgery, though I expect mine might be significantly higher than yours.

Also, thanks for confirming regarding supps + working out. Did you continue to drink protein shakes or any caffeine in the two weeks leading up to surgery (if you drank them before)?

I've now stopped all supps + alcohol since Tuesday (2 weeks before my surgery date) and been going to the gym as much as possible over the last few weeks to work out my chest. Paid off the remainder of Karidis' fee over the weekend, so only the hospital fee remains ;D

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 21st March)
Post by: yamahatrophy on April 05, 2019, 12:02:06 PM

Quote from: dk1000 on April 04, 2019, 10:19:52 PM

Quote from: yamahatrophy on March 28, 2019, 11:15:24 AM
Update 10 - Two Weeks Post-Op 28th March 2019

I'm now at the 2 week mark which means no more compression vest during the day :) I'm also going to start my supplements again (creatine, fish oil). The healing is going well. Most bruising is gone along with most marks from the stitches. The liposuction incisions are pretty difficult to notice already. The area still looks a little odd from the 45 degree angle as seen in the photo (overly flat) but this should spring out over the next 4 weeks and also reduce the nipple creasing. Aside from that, not much else to report. I'll post another update and more photos after my checkup with <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url][/url][/url][/url] on April 15th.

Edit: I also received the surgical report today sent via post. 300mls of fat was aspirated and 29g of gland excised (16g left, 13g right).

Thanks for the update, your chest looks great and definitely healing very well :) ..Were you surprised at all by your surgical report? I haven't looked into the usual amounts of fat/gland removed during surgery, though I expect mine might be significantly higher than yours.

Also, thanks for confirming regarding supps + working out. Did you continue to drink protein shakes or any caffeine in the two weeks leading up to surgery (if you drank them before)?

I've now stopped all supps + alcohol since Tuesday (2 weeks before my surgery date) and been going to the gym as much as possible over the last few weeks to work out my chest. Paid off the remainder of Karidis' fee over the weekend, so only the hospital fee remains ;D

I always assumed the right side had more gland due to generally being more puffy so when it turned out more gland was excised from the left side I was a bit surprised! I completely dropped everything 2 weeks before surgery - caffeine, fish oil, all vitamins. I don't drink protein shakes anyway but they shouldn't be a problem assuming there are no added vitamins or substances which thin the blood.

Not long now bro! I'll post an update after my checkup with Dr. Karidis and upload new photos.

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 21st March)
Post by: yamahatrophy on April 10, 2019, 01:19:28 PM

Quote from: dk1000 on April 04, 2019, 10:19:52 PM

Quote from: yamahatrophy on March 28, 2019, 11:15:24 AM
Update 10 - Two Weeks Post-Op 28th March 2019

I'm now at the 2 week mark which means no more compression vest during the day :) I'm also going to start my supplements again (creatine, fish oil). The healing is going well. Most bruising is gone along with most marks from the stitches. The liposuction incisions are pretty difficult to notice already. The area still looks a little odd from the 45 degree angle as seen in the photo (overly flat) but this should spring out over the next 4 weeks and also reduce the nipple creasing. Aside from that, not much else to report. I'll post another update and more photos after my checkup with <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url][/url][/url][/url] on April 15th.

Edit: I also received the surgical report today sent via post. 300mls of fat was aspirated and 29g of gland excised (16g left, 13g right).

Thanks for the update, your chest looks great and definitely healing very well :) ..Were you surprised at all by your surgical report? I haven't looked into the usual amounts of fat/gland removed during surgery, though I expect mine might be significantly higher than yours.

Also, thanks for confirming regarding supps + working out. Did you continue to drink protein shakes or any caffeine in the two weeks leading up to surgery (if you drank them before)?

I've now stopped all supps + alcohol since Tuesday (2 weeks before my surgery date) and been going to the gym as much as possible over the last few weeks to work out my chest. Paid off the remainder of Karidis' fee over the weekend, so only the hospital fee remains ;D

Less than a week to go! How are you feeling about the surgery?

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 21st March)
Post by: dk1000 on April 11, 2019, 08:14:14 PM

Quote from: yamahatrophy on April 10, 2019, 01:19:28 PM

Quote from: dk1000 on April 04, 2019, 10:19:52 PM
Quote from: yamahatrophy on March 28, 2019, 11:15:24 AM
Update 10 - Two Weeks Post-Op 28th March 2019

I'm now at the 2 week mark which means no more compression vest during the day :) I'm also going to start my supplements again (creatine, fish oil). The healing is going well. Most bruising is gone along with most marks from the stitches. The liposuction incisions are pretty difficult to notice already. The area still looks a little odd from the 45 degree angle as seen in the photo (overly flat) but this should spring out over the next 4 weeks and also reduce the nipple creasing. Aside from that, not much else to report. I'll post another update and more photos after my checkup with <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url][/url][/url][/url][/url] on April 15th.

Edit: I also received the surgical report today sent via post. 300mls of fat was aspirated and 29g of gland excised (16g left, 13g right).

Thanks for the update, your chest looks great and definitely healing very well :) ..Were you surprised at all by your surgical report? I haven't looked into the usual amounts of fat/gland removed during surgery, though I expect mine might be significantly higher than yours.

Also, thanks for confirming regarding supps + working out. Did you continue to drink protein shakes or any caffeine in the two weeks leading up to surgery (if you drank them before)?

I've now stopped all supps + alcohol since Tuesday (2 weeks before my surgery date) and been going to the gym as much as possible over the last few weeks to work out my chest. Paid off the remainder of Karidis' fee over the weekend, so only the hospital fee remains ;D

Less than a week to go! How are you feeling about the surgery?

Counting the days tbh! Cannot believe my op is only 4 days away ;D ..With the sun out today, I was imagining being able to wear t-shirts without feeling self-conscious, as well as not having to wear jumpers/hoodies/jackets all the time in the baking heat. Recently, I've also been talking to friends about going on holiday in August, so feeling very positive overall.

That being said, I'm a bit disappointed in myself for not losing as much weight as I would have liked. I'm not technically overweight but am at the higher end of an ideal BMI. I'm hoping that excess chest fat doesn't lead to compromised results i.e. gland being left in, asymmetry, or an odd chest compared with my abdomen.

How has your recovery been going in the last few days? Have you had any concerns regarding your surgery/results that you plan to bring up with Karidis next week?

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 21st March)
Post by: yamahatrophy on April 12, 2019, 05:49:37 PM

Quote from: dk1000 on April 11, 2019, 08:14:14 PM

Quote from: yamahatrophy on April 10, 2019, 01:19:28 PM
Quote from: dk1000 on April 04, 2019, 10:19:52 PM
Quote from: yamahatrophy on March 28, 2019, 11:15:24 AM
Update 10 - Two Weeks Post-Op 28th March 2019

I'm now at the 2 week mark which means no more compression vest during the day :) I'm also going to start my supplements again (creatine, fish oil). The healing is going well. Most bruising is gone along with most marks from the stitches. The liposuction incisions are pretty difficult to notice already. The area still looks a little odd from the 45 degree angle as seen in the photo (overly flat) but this should spring out over the next 4 weeks and also reduce the nipple creasing. Aside from that, not much else to report. I'll post another update and more photos after my checkup with <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url][/url][/url][/url][/url][/url] on April 15th.

Edit: I also received the surgical report today sent via post. 300mls of fat was aspirated and 29g of gland excised (16g left, 13g right).

Thanks for the update, your chest looks great and definitely healing very well :) ..Were you surprised at all by your surgical report? I haven't looked into the usual amounts of fat/gland removed during surgery, though I expect mine might be significantly higher than yours.

Also, thanks for confirming regarding supps + working out. Did you continue to drink protein shakes or any caffeine in the two weeks leading up to surgery (if you drank them before)?

I've now stopped all supps + alcohol since Tuesday (2 weeks before my surgery date) and been going to the gym as much as possible over the last few weeks to work out my chest. Paid off the remainder of Karidis' fee over the weekend, so only the hospital fee remains ;D

Less than a week to go! How are you feeling about the surgery?

Counting the days tbh! Cannot believe my op is only 4 days away ;D ..With the sun out today, I was imagining being able to wear t-shirts without feeling self-conscious, as well as not having to wear jumpers/hoodies/jackets all the time in the baking heat. Recently, I've also been talking to friends about going on holiday in August, so feeling very positive overall.

That being said, I'm a bit disappointed in myself for not losing as much weight as I would have liked. I'm not technically overweight but am at the higher end of an ideal BMI. I'm hoping that excess chest fat doesn't lead to compromised results i.e. gland being left in, asymmetry, or an odd chest compared with my abdomen.

How has your recovery been going in the last few days? Have you had any concerns regarding your surgery/results that you plan to bring up with Karidis next week?

Glad you're excited for it! The contour difference when wearing a T-Shirt is almost immediate, so as soon as you get the compression vest off after 2 weeks you'll be good to go in that regard, even if the healing isn't at a point where you can go shirtless yet. I doubt the excess fat will prevent gland excision, however due to the lipo I'd expect the chest to look overly flat when compared with the rest of your body as there's not really any way to avoid that. On the plus side, to get the perfect result you then just need to lose body fat by cleaning up the diet and hitting the gym.

The recovery has been going well and almost to a tee as described in the post-op documents. The only point I'll bring up with Dr. Karidis is the slightly weird "dip" shape when viewed from 45 degrees however I'm pretty sure it's just standard healing and am expecting him to confirm it as such. I'll post a full update after the follow-up on Monday with new photos.

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 28th March)
Post by: JR7 on April 15, 2019, 07:58:15 AM

Great recovery Yamaha, definitely puts me more at ease for my surgery in 8 days time reading logs like these.

DK, good luck with your op tomorrow, I will be 1 week behind you exactly as I’m having mine done on tue 23rd April. Would be great if you could keep us updated on your recovery as we’re so close together, and would be experiencing the post op ‘rollercoaster’ at the same time more or less.

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 15th April)
Post by: yamahatrophy on April 15, 2019, 08:18:43 AM

Update 11 - Four (and a half) Weeks Post-Op 15th April 2019
Since my last update I've hit a number of milestones. First of all - not having to wear the compression garment anymore! Kind of...there's been swelling and fluid buildup behind the areolas (standard healing process) and wearing the garment seems to remedy this and flatten the area out again so I've been wearing it on and off as needed. Today I had my 6 week checkup with Dr. Karidis (actually at 4.5 weeks due to work availability). It was very quick, done and dusted in 5 minutes. He had a look at my chest and gave it a poke and said he was happy with how things are going so far. I mentioned the sunken areas to him which are still present. He said it was due to the swelling at the areolas...I'm not sure how that's possible because even after wearing the garment and the swelling flattens out the area is still sunk in. I really hope it springs out in the next couple of months because if it stays as it is right now I'd be as uncomfortable taking my shirt off as I was before. I've booked in a 4 month checkup with him mid-August so hopefully it'll all be resolved by then. Still early days yet.

Updated photos are attached. Really minor bruising is still present (can persist for up to 2 months). No marks left from the stitches and the lipo incisions are very difficult to notice. The last photo demonstrates the weird sunken shape that I talked about.

@dk1000 Good luck with your surgery tomorrow! I hope my diary has been useful, your experience should be identical to mine so no surprises on the day. Hopefully that will alleviate some anxiety.

@jr7 Good luck with your surgery too! Keep us posted.

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 15th April)
Post by: dk1000 on April 16, 2019, 06:11:48 AM

Quote from: yamahatrophy on April 15, 2019, 08:18:43 AM

Update 11 - Four (and a half) Weeks Post-Op 15th April 2019
Since my last update I've hit a number of milestones. First of all - not having to wear the compression garment anymore! Kind of...there's been swelling and fluid buildup behind the areolas (standard healing process) and wearing the garment seems to remedy this and flatten the area out again so I've been wearing it on and off as needed. Today I had my 6 week checkup with <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url] (actually at 4.5 weeks due to work availability). It was very quick, done and dusted in 5 minutes. He had a look at my chest and gave it a poke and said he was happy with how things are going so far. I mentioned the sunken areas to him which are still present. He said it was due to the swelling at the areolas...I'm not sure how that's possible because even after wearing the garment and the swelling flattens out the area is still sunk in. I really hope it springs out in the next couple of months because if it stays as it is right now I'd be as uncomfortable taking my shirt off as I was before. I've booked in a 4 month checkup with him mid-August so hopefully it'll all be resolved by then. Still early days yet.

Updated photos are attached. Really minor bruising is still present (can persist for up to 2 months). No marks left from the stitches and the lipo incisions are very difficult to notice. The last photo demonstrates the weird sunken shape that I talked about.

@dk1000 Good luck with your surgery tomorrow! I hope my diary has been useful, your experience should be identical to mine so no surprises on the day. Hopefully that will alleviate some anxiety.

@jr7 Good luck with your surgery too! Keep us posted.

Glad to hear that everything has generally been okay. Hopefully once the swelling subsides your chest will appear as it should. I've heard of the explanation that Karidis gave to you before on another thread and I think that the person that was experiencing a similar swelling pattern to you did find their chest flattened out as they had hoped after a few weeks/months. Also, I think your chest is looking great -very flat and I highly doubt anyone would look twice if you were in public in my opinion, however, I can empathise with feeling conscious about it, I'd be very much the same.

Thanks for keeping this thread updated, it has definitely relieved my nerves and answered a lot of questions for me. I'm currently gowned and in my hospital room, the nurse, patient coordinator and Karidis have been down to see me and now I am just waiting to be taking down (hopefully within half an hour). Will keep you updated ;D

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 28th March)
Post by: dk1000 on April 16, 2019, 06:13:03 AM

Quote from: JR7 on April 15, 2019, 07:58:15 AM

Great recovery Yamaha, definitely puts me more at ease for my surgery in 8 days time reading logs like these.

DK, good luck with your op tomorrow, I will be 1 week behind you exactly as I’m having mine done on tue 23rd April. Would be great if you could keep us updated on your recovery as we’re so close together, and would be experiencing the post op ‘rollercoaster’ at the same time more or less.

Thanks mate! Currently waiting to be taken to theatre, will keep you posted :)

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 28th March)
Post by: yamahatrophy on April 16, 2019, 09:42:39 AM

Quote from: dk1000 on April 16, 2019, 06:13:03 AM

Quote from: JR7 on April 15, 2019, 07:58:15 AM
Great recovery Yamaha, definitely puts me more at ease for my surgery in 8 days time reading logs like these.

DK, good luck with your op tomorrow, I will be 1 week behind you exactly as I’m having mine done on tue 23rd April. Would be great if you could keep us updated on your recovery as we’re so close together, and would be experiencing the post op ‘rollercoaster’ at the same time more or less.

Thanks mate! Currently waiting to be taken to theatre, will keep you posted :)

How did it go?

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 28th March)
Post by: dk1000 on April 17, 2019, 03:02:29 PM

Quote from: yamahatrophy on April 16, 2019, 09:42:39 AM

Quote from: dk1000 on April 16, 2019, 06:13:03 AM
Quote from: JR7 on April 15, 2019, 07:58:15 AM
Great recovery Yamaha, definitely puts me more at ease for my surgery in 8 days time reading logs like these.

DK, good luck with your op tomorrow, I will be 1 week behind you exactly as I’m having mine done on tue 23rd April. Would be great if you could keep us updated on your recovery as we’re so close together, and would be experiencing the post op ‘rollercoaster’ at the same time more or less.

Thanks mate! Currently waiting to be taken to theatre, will keep you posted :)

How did it go?

Yesterday generally went quite well. I arrived at the admissions lounge at around 8am and was taken to my room after filling out some forms. I was shortly seen by one of the nurses who took my initial observations and I also chose my lunch options which I gave to the ward staff. I then got comfortable and one of Dr. Karidis' patient coordinators came to see me about the arnica tablets, followed by Dr. Karidis himself at around 10am to mark me up and sign another consent form. I changed into my gown and waited until I was taken down at around 11.30am (I was the third case of the day). The anaesthetists were very friendly and I chatted with them before being given the anaesthetic and some oxygen.

Before I knew it, I woke up in the recovery room with the cooling vest around my chest and a nurse by my side. Admittedly, I did feel quite groggy and slightly out of it. The nurse asked me how I was feeling before giving me some morphine. After half an hour or so I was taken back to my room and wore the cooling vest for a further 4 hours whilst watching TV and falling in and out of sleep. During this time, I had my observations taken several times and my lunch arrived. The lunch was very good but towards the end of it, I felt a bit sick (likely due to being given morphine without an anti-emetic), which caused me to vomit into my toilet. I felt completely fine after and went back to sleep until around 5pm, when a nurse came to see me about being discharged and told me I would be able to go if I could pass urine. I tried for a while but struggled for half an hour until I had plenty more to drink. During this time, the pressure I was putting on my lower abdomen caused me to vomit a further two times. At around 5.30pm the nurse came back and offered me an anti-sickness tablet, I then had another nap and was discharged at around 6.15pm and felt much better. Once I got home, I was pretty tired and fell asleep on my sofa until around 11pm, I then had something to eat and went to sleep again in my bed with 4 pillows behind my back.

This morning I woke up with some slight pain but nothing too intolerable and took a co-dydramol and an arnica tablet. I then had lunch and took a taxi to the hospital where I had my stitches removed by Dr. Karidis' surgical nurse. I also had a glimpse of my chest, and aside from some swelling below the areolas and some bruising, it looked flat and I was quite pleased. Dr. Karidis also passed me by in the waiting room and came over to greet me and ask how I was feeling, which was a nice touch.

Overall, a great experience and it feels surreal to be on the other side. I'm very happy about having gone through with surgery and can't wait to have a shower tomorrow and get a proper look at everything :)

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 28th March)
Post by: yamahatrophy on April 17, 2019, 05:53:20 PM

Quote from: dk1000 on April 17, 2019, 03:02:29 PM

Quote from: yamahatrophy on April 16, 2019, 09:42:39 AM
Quote from: dk1000 on April 16, 2019, 06:13:03 AM
Quote from: JR7 on April 15, 2019, 07:58:15 AM
Great recovery Yamaha, definitely puts me more at ease for my surgery in 8 days time reading logs like these.

DK, good luck with your op tomorrow, I will be 1 week behind you exactly as I’m having mine done on tue 23rd April. Would be great if you could keep us updated on your recovery as we’re so close together, and would be experiencing the post op ‘rollercoaster’ at the same time more or less.

Thanks mate! Currently waiting to be taken to theatre, will keep you posted :)

How did it go?

Yesterday generally went quite well. I arrived at the admissions lounge at around 8am and was taken to my room after filling out some forms. I was shortly seen by one of the nurses who took my initial observations and I also chose my lunch options which I gave to the ward staff. I then got comfortable and one of <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url]' patient coordinators came to see me about the arnica tablets, followed by <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url] himself at around 10am to mark me up and sign another consent form. I changed into my gown and waited until I was taken down at around 11.30am (I was the third case of the day). The anaesthetists were very friendly and I chatted with them before being given the anaesthetic and some oxygen.

Before I knew it, I woke up in the recovery room with the cooling vest around my chest and a nurse by my side. Admittedly, I did feel quite groggy and slightly out of it. The nurse asked me how I was feeling before giving me some morphine. After half an hour or so I was taken back to my room and wore the cooling vest for a further 4 hours whilst watching TV and falling in and out of sleep. During this time, I had my observations taken several times and my lunch arrived. The lunch was very good but towards the end of it, I felt a bit sick (likely due to being given morphine without an anti-emetic), which caused me to vomit into my toilet. I felt completely fine after and went back to sleep until around 5pm, when a nurse came to see me about being discharged and told me I would be able to go if I could pass urine. I tried for a while but struggled for half an hour until I had plenty more to drink. During this time, the pressure I was putting on my lower abdomen caused me to vomit a further two times. At around 5.30pm the nurse came back and offered me an anti-sickness tablet, I then had another nap and was discharged at around 6.15pm and felt much better. Once I got home, I was pretty tired and fell asleep on my sofa until around 11pm, I then had something to eat and went to sleep again in my bed with 4 pillows behind my back.

This morning I woke up with some slight pain but nothing too intolerable and took a co-dydramol and an arnica tablet. I then had lunch and took a taxi to the hospital where I had my stitches removed by <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url]' surgical nurse. I also had a glimpse of my chest, and aside from some swelling below the areolas and some bruising, it looked flat and I was quite pleased. <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url] also passed me by in the waiting room and came over to greet me and ask how I was feeling, which was a nice touch.

Overall, a great experience and it feels surreal to be on the other side. I'm very happy about having gone through with surgery and can't wait to have a shower tomorrow and get a proper look at everything :)

Sounds a bit more dramatic than my visit, but glad you're through it! Did you have to ask for morphine or did they just give it to you? The nurses didn't mention morphine to me...maybe that's why I felt so good when I woke up :D The first 3 days are rough but it gets much easier after that, especially once you can shower.

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 28th March)
Post by: dk1000 on April 22, 2019, 08:34:16 PM

Quote from: yamahatrophy on April 17, 2019, 05:53:20 PM

Quote from: dk1000 on April 17, 2019, 03:02:29 PM
Quote from: yamahatrophy on April 16, 2019, 09:42:39 AM
Quote from: dk1000 on April 16, 2019, 06:13:03 AM
Quote from: JR7 on April 15, 2019, 07:58:15 AM
Great recovery Yamaha, definitely puts me more at ease for my surgery in 8 days time reading logs like these.

DK, good luck with your op tomorrow, I will be 1 week behind you exactly as I’m having mine done on tue 23rd April. Would be great if you could keep us updated on your recovery as we’re so close together, and would be experiencing the post op ‘rollercoaster’ at the same time more or less.

Thanks mate! Currently waiting to be taken to theatre, will keep you posted :)

How did it go?

Yesterday generally went quite well. I arrived at the admissions lounge at around 8am and was taken to my room after filling out some forms. I was shortly seen by one of the nurses who took my initial observations and I also chose my lunch options which I gave to the ward staff. I then got comfortable and one of <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url][/url]' patient coordinators came to see me about the arnica tablets, followed by <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url][/url] himself at around 10am to mark me up and sign another consent form. I changed into my gown and waited until I was taken down at around 11.30am (I was the third case of the day). The anaesthetists were very friendly and I chatted with them before being given the anaesthetic and some oxygen.

Before I knew it, I woke up in the recovery room with the cooling vest around my chest and a nurse by my side. Admittedly, I did feel quite groggy and slightly out of it. The nurse asked me how I was feeling before giving me some morphine. After half an hour or so I was taken back to my room and wore the cooling vest for a further 4 hours whilst watching TV and falling in and out of sleep. During this time, I had my observations taken several times and my lunch arrived. The lunch was very good but towards the end of it, I felt a bit sick (likely due to being given morphine without an anti-emetic), which caused me to vomit into my toilet. I felt completely fine after and went back to sleep until around 5pm, when a nurse came to see me about being discharged and told me I would be able to go if I could pass urine. I tried for a while but struggled for half an hour until I had plenty more to drink. During this time, the pressure I was putting on my lower abdomen caused me to vomit a further two times. At around 5.30pm the nurse came back and offered me an anti-sickness tablet, I then had another nap and was discharged at around 6.15pm and felt much better. Once I got home, I was pretty tired and fell asleep on my sofa until around 11pm, I then had something to eat and went to sleep again in my bed with 4 pillows behind my back.

This morning I woke up with some slight pain but nothing too intolerable and took a co-dydramol and an arnica tablet. I then had lunch and took a taxi to the hospital where I had my stitches removed by <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url][/url]' surgical nurse. I also had a glimpse of my chest, and aside from some swelling below the areolas and some bruising, it looked flat and I was quite pleased. <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url][/url] also passed me by in the waiting room and came over to greet me and ask how I was feeling, which was a nice touch.

Overall, a great experience and it feels surreal to be on the other side. I'm very happy about having gone through with surgery and can't wait to have a shower tomorrow and get a proper look at everything :)

Sounds a bit more dramatic than my visit, but glad you're through it! Did you have to ask for morphine or did they just give it to you? The nurses didn't mention morphine to me...maybe that's why I felt so good when I woke up :D The first 3 days are rough but it gets much easier after that, especially once you can shower.

Haha yes, definitely more dramatic than I expected. When I woke up, the nurse asked me to rate my pain out of 10, which I said was around a 5-6/10 (probably a slight exaggeration). He then told me he would give me some morphine and slowly administered it over the following 30 minutes.

Despite having some substantial bruising, swelling and loss of sensation in both nipples, this week has been amazing. I've been able to wear t-shirts that I haven't worn in years and I've been able leave the house without wearing a hoodie or jacket, which I would've always worn regardless of the heat ...My only concern so far is that the incision under my right nipple hasn't closed yet. I reckon this is due to excessively stretching my right arm to reach high-up items, which has caused the opposing nipple and skin surfaces to be pulled apart. When did you find that your incisions had fully healed?

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 28th March)
Post by: dk1000 on April 22, 2019, 08:40:00 PM

Quote from: JR7 on April 15, 2019, 07:58:15 AM

Great recovery Yamaha, definitely puts me more at ease for my surgery in 8 days time reading logs like these.

DK, good luck with your op tomorrow, I will be 1 week behind you exactly as I’m having mine done on tue 23rd April. Would be great if you could keep us updated on your recovery as we’re so close together, and would be experiencing the post op ‘rollercoaster’ at the same time more or less.

Good luck with your op JR7, you're in excellent hands and it will be one of the greatest decisions you've ever made.

All the best, DK

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 28th March)
Post by: yamahatrophy on April 23, 2019, 03:45:50 PM

Quote from: dk1000 on April 22, 2019, 08:34:16 PM

Quote from: yamahatrophy on April 17, 2019, 05:53:20 PM
Quote from: dk1000 on April 17, 2019, 03:02:29 PM
Quote from: yamahatrophy on April 16, 2019, 09:42:39 AM
Quote from: dk1000 on April 16, 2019, 06:13:03 AM
Quote from: JR7 on April 15, 2019, 07:58:15 AM
Great recovery Yamaha, definitely puts me more at ease for my surgery in 8 days time reading logs like these.

DK, good luck with your op tomorrow, I will be 1 week behind you exactly as I’m having mine done on tue 23rd April. Would be great if you could keep us updated on your recovery as we’re so close together, and would be experiencing the post op ‘rollercoaster’ at the same time more or less.

Thanks mate! Currently waiting to be taken to theatre, will keep you posted :)

How did it go?

Yesterday generally went quite well. I arrived at the admissions lounge at around 8am and was taken to my room after filling out some forms. I was shortly seen by one of the nurses who took my initial observations and I also chose my lunch options which I gave to the ward staff. I then got comfortable and one of <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url][/url][/url]' patient coordinators came to see me about the arnica tablets, followed by <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url][/url][/url] himself at around 10am to mark me up and sign another consent form. I changed into my gown and waited until I was taken down at around 11.30am (I was the third case of the day). The anaesthetists were very friendly and I chatted with them before being given the anaesthetic and some oxygen.

Before I knew it, I woke up in the recovery room with the cooling vest around my chest and a nurse by my side. Admittedly, I did feel quite groggy and slightly out of it. The nurse asked me how I was feeling before giving me some morphine. After half an hour or so I was taken back to my room and wore the cooling vest for a further 4 hours whilst watching TV and falling in and out of sleep. During this time, I had my observations taken several times and my lunch arrived. The lunch was very good but towards the end of it, I felt a bit sick (likely due to being given morphine without an anti-emetic), which caused me to vomit into my toilet. I felt completely fine after and went back to sleep until around 5pm, when a nurse came to see me about being discharged and told me I would be able to go if I could pass urine. I tried for a while but struggled for half an hour until I had plenty more to drink. During this time, the pressure I was putting on my lower abdomen caused me to vomit a further two times. At around 5.30pm the nurse came back and offered me an anti-sickness tablet, I then had another nap and was discharged at around 6.15pm and felt much better. Once I got home, I was pretty tired and fell asleep on my sofa until around 11pm, I then had something to eat and went to sleep again in my bed with 4 pillows behind my back.

This morning I woke up with some slight pain but nothing too intolerable and took a co-dydramol and an arnica tablet. I then had lunch and took a taxi to the hospital where I had my stitches removed by <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url][/url][/url]' surgical nurse. I also had a glimpse of my chest, and aside from some swelling below the areolas and some bruising, it looked flat and I was quite pleased. <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url][/url][/url] also passed me by in the waiting room and came over to greet me and ask how I was feeling, which was a nice touch.

Overall, a great experience and it feels surreal to be on the other side. I'm very happy about having gone through with surgery and can't wait to have a shower tomorrow and get a proper look at everything :)

Sounds a bit more dramatic than my visit, but glad you're through it! Did you have to ask for morphine or did they just give it to you? The nurses didn't mention morphine to me...maybe that's why I felt so good when I woke up :D The first 3 days are rough but it gets much easier after that, especially once you can shower.

Haha yes, definitely more dramatic than I expected. When I woke up, the nurse asked me to rate my pain out of 10, which I said was around a 5-6/10 (probably a slight exaggeration). He then told me he would give me some morphine and slowly administered it over the following 30 minutes.

Despite having some substantial bruising, swelling and loss of sensation in both nipples, this week has been amazing. I've been able to wear t-shirts that I haven't worn in years and I've been able leave the house without wearing a hoodie or jacket, which I would've always worn regardless of the heat ...My only concern so far is that the incision under my right nipple hasn't closed yet. I reckon this is due to excessively stretching my right arm to reach high-up items, which has caused the opposing nipple and skin surfaces to be pulled apart. When did you find that your incisions had fully healed?

DK if you're 100% sure the incision hasn't closed, you need to be extremely careful. It should be sealed with a scab after 24 - 48 hours. The reason you aren't supposed to shower for 24 - 48 hours after surgery is to avoid disturbing the incision scabs and potentially cause infection. I'd call the nurse for advice given it's been a week, that's way too long for a surgery incision to be open. Mine were fully sealed when I had the stitches removed the day after surgery.

I've got loss of sensation in the nipples as well. Almost 6 weeks later and can't feel a thing when pressing a cold water bottle against them. Nerves can take months to fully heal, it's just part of the recovery process. But day by day, things will improve. Just gotta trust the process!

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 28th March)
Post by: dk1000 on April 24, 2019, 08:40:40 PM

Quote from: yamahatrophy on April 23, 2019, 03:45:50 PM

Quote from: dk1000 on April 22, 2019, 08:34:16 PM
Quote from: yamahatrophy on April 17, 2019, 05:53:20 PM
Quote from: dk1000 on April 17, 2019, 03:02:29 PM
Quote from: yamahatrophy on April 16, 2019, 09:42:39 AM
Quote from: dk1000 on April 16, 2019, 06:13:03 AM
Quote from: JR7 on April 15, 2019, 07:58:15 AM
Great recovery Yamaha, definitely puts me more at ease for my surgery in 8 days time reading logs like these.

DK, good luck with your op tomorrow, I will be 1 week behind you exactly as I’m having mine done on tue 23rd April. Would be great if you could keep us updated on your recovery as we’re so close together, and would be experiencing the post op ‘rollercoaster’ at the same time more or less.

Thanks mate! Currently waiting to be taken to theatre, will keep you posted :)

How did it go?

Yesterday generally went quite well. I arrived at the admissions lounge at around 8am and was taken to my room after filling out some forms. I was shortly seen by one of the nurses who took my initial observations and I also chose my lunch options which I gave to the ward staff. I then got comfortable and one of <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url][/url][/url][/url]' patient coordinators came to see me about the arnica tablets, followed by <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url][/url][/url][/url] himself at around 10am to mark me up and sign another consent form. I changed into my gown and waited until I was taken down at around 11.30am (I was the third case of the day). The anaesthetists were very friendly and I chatted with them before being given the anaesthetic and some oxygen.

Before I knew it, I woke up in the recovery room with the cooling vest around my chest and a nurse by my side. Admittedly, I did feel quite groggy and slightly out of it. The nurse asked me how I was feeling before giving me some morphine. After half an hour or so I was taken back to my room and wore the cooling vest for a further 4 hours whilst watching TV and falling in and out of sleep. During this time, I had my observations taken several times and my lunch arrived. The lunch was very good but towards the end of it, I felt a bit sick (likely due to being given morphine without an anti-emetic), which caused me to vomit into my toilet. I felt completely fine after and went back to sleep until around 5pm, when a nurse came to see me about being discharged and told me I would be able to go if I could pass urine. I tried for a while but struggled for half an hour until I had plenty more to drink. During this time, the pressure I was putting on my lower abdomen caused me to vomit a further two times. At around 5.30pm the nurse came back and offered me an anti-sickness tablet, I then had another nap and was discharged at around 6.15pm and felt much better. Once I got home, I was pretty tired and fell asleep on my sofa until around 11pm, I then had something to eat and went to sleep again in my bed with 4 pillows behind my back.

This morning I woke up with some slight pain but nothing too intolerable and took a co-dydramol and an arnica tablet. I then had lunch and took a taxi to the hospital where I had my stitches removed by <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url][/url][/url][/url]' surgical nurse. I also had a glimpse of my chest, and aside from some swelling below the areolas and some bruising, it looked flat and I was quite pleased. <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url][/url][/url][/url] also passed me by in the waiting room and came over to greet me and ask how I was feeling, which was a nice touch.

Overall, a great experience and it feels surreal to be on the other side. I'm very happy about having gone through with surgery and can't wait to have a shower tomorrow and get a proper look at everything :)

Sounds a bit more dramatic than my visit, but glad you're through it! Did you have to ask for morphine or did they just give it to you? The nurses didn't mention morphine to me...maybe that's why I felt so good when I woke up :D The first 3 days are rough but it gets much easier after that, especially once you can shower.

Haha yes, definitely more dramatic than I expected. When I woke up, the nurse asked me to rate my pain out of 10, which I said was around a 5-6/10 (probably a slight exaggeration). He then told me he would give me some morphine and slowly administered it over the following 30 minutes.

Despite having some substantial bruising, swelling and loss of sensation in both nipples, this week has been amazing. I've been able to wear t-shirts that I haven't worn in years and I've been able leave the house without wearing a hoodie or jacket, which I would've always worn regardless of the heat ...My only concern so far is that the incision under my right nipple hasn't closed yet. I reckon this is due to excessively stretching my right arm to reach high-up items, which has caused the opposing nipple and skin surfaces to be pulled apart. When did you find that your incisions had fully healed?

DK if you're 100% sure the incision hasn't closed, you need to be extremely careful. It should be sealed with a scab after 24 - 48 hours. The reason you aren't supposed to shower for 24 - 48 hours after surgery is to avoid disturbing the incision scabs and potentially cause infection. I'd call the nurse for advice given it's been a week, that's way too long for a surgery incision to be open. Mine were fully sealed when I had the stitches removed the day after surgery.

I've got loss of sensation in the nipples as well. Almost 6 weeks later and can't feel a thing when pressing a cold water bottle against them. Nerves can take months to fully heal, it's just part of the recovery process. But day by day, things will improve. Just gotta trust the process!

It is slightly worrying as the left seemed to have closed and scabbed quite quickly. Around 4-5mm on the right is still open if I gently pull the skin down to reveal the incision. I've been removing my dressings before I shower and putting on new ones after, however, it's probably best that I leave them on and try not to get the incisions wet anymore. I gave Karidis' reception a call this morning and selected the option for the surgical nurse, but there was no answer unfortunately. I'll give the emergency number a try tomorrow.

I don't think I'll regain any sensation for a long time either. It's odd being able to touch my chest and see it with my own eyes but not feel a thing. I guess we'll be immune to nipple irritation at least ;D

Do you still have any soreness at the moment? I'm finding that I get some noticeable aches and soreness in different parts of my chest each day.

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 15th April 2019)
Post by: yamahatrophy on May 26, 2019, 04:47:37 PM

Update 12 - 10 Weeks Post-Op 26th May 2019

The last few weeks have been quite a rollercoaster and right now I am most definitely in a trough. I didn't realise how difficult the recovery period would be. Right now I would be even more insecure taking my shirt off than I would have been before the surgery. Why?

The right side is "80% there". The nipple is quite creased and has puffed out slightly. The contour has a slight indent. Karidis said at the first consultation not to expect perfection, so with that in mind I find the right side acceptable. Hopefully the creasing, puffiness and contour will improve over the next few months.

The left side is where I really have concerns. The nipple has puffed out a noticeable amount. The contour has also not improved in the slightest since day 1 of surgery. Clearly this is the lipo contour and quite frankly - it looks so bad and unnatural I'd called it botched. This isn't visible from the front, only angled views where the contour is visible. I brought up my concerns with Karidis during the first checkup but he said it was just an illusion because of the nipple swelling but that is clearly BS - morphing the nipple flat in Photoshop and the contour looks just as bad.

I'm going to bring up these concerns with him at the next checkup scheduled for August 12th. Who knows, maybe over the next 3 months some of these issues will subside. But right now, I am extremely unhappy. Especially given the (almost ridiculous) £6.5k this surgery cost and with a premium surgeon. I'll update after the next checkup.

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 26th May 2019)
Post by: yamahatrophy on May 27, 2019, 03:59:26 PM

So I've calmed down a bit since my rant yesterday. I've been looking up posts from other members who have faced a similar issue and the bad news, from what I can gather, is time will provide little to no improvement of this contour issue. However, I've now accepted the fact that I will likely need a revision to get a result that I'm happy with. I guess I'm just frustrated because I was looking forward to getting the surgery done and then never thinking about my chest again (except admiring it in the mirror!). And instead it's going to likely be a 2 year journey from the operation due to waiting sufficient time to get a revision and then waiting for that to heal up.

The plan remains the same - wait till the consultation with Karidis in August, see if there's any improvement. If not, convey my unhappiness to him. He was quite dismissive of my problem previously and other posters who have had issues with him reported the same attitude, so if there is no improvement I'll make sure he understands how displeased I am.

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 26th May 2019)
Post by: hauser99 on May 27, 2019, 05:00:10 PM

Quote from: yamahatrophy on May 27, 2019, 03:59:26 PM

So I've calmed down a bit since my rant yesterday. I've been looking up posts from other members who have faced a similar issue and the bad news, from what I can gather, is time will provide little to no improvement of this contour issue. However, I've now accepted the fact that I will likely need a revision to get a result that I'm happy with. I guess I'm just frustrated because I was looking forward to getting the surgery done and then never thinking about my chest again (except admiring it in the mirror!). And instead it's going to likely be a 2 year journey from the operation due to waiting sufficient time to get a revision and then waiting for that to heal up.

The plan remains the same - wait till the consultation with Karidis in August, see if there's any improvement. If not, convey my unhappiness to him. He was quite dismissive of my problem previously and other posters who have had issues with him reported the same attitude, so if there is no improvement I'll make sure he understands how displeased I am.

Sorry to hear of the issues mate. I had surgery about 9 months ago and one side is indented and as much as I would like a revision Karidis is quite dismissive as I also told him of my concerns at my 4 month consultation. Did you read about anyone else who did get a revision with Karidis?

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 26th May 2019)
Post by: yamahatrophy on May 27, 2019, 05:26:33 PM

Quote from: hauser99 on May 27, 2019, 05:00:10 PM

Quote from: yamahatrophy on May 27, 2019, 03:59:26 PM
So I've calmed down a bit since my rant yesterday. I've been looking up posts from other members who have faced a similar issue and the bad news, from what I can gather, is time will provide little to no improvement of this contour issue. However, I've now accepted the fact that I will likely need a revision to get a result that I'm happy with. I guess I'm just frustrated because I was looking forward to getting the surgery done and then never thinking about my chest again (except admiring it in the mirror!). And instead it's going to likely be a 2 year journey from the operation due to waiting sufficient time to get a revision and then waiting for that to heal up.

The plan remains the same - wait till the consultation with Karidis in August, see if there's any improvement. If not, convey my unhappiness to him. He was quite dismissive of my problem previously and other posters who have had issues with him reported the same attitude, so if there is no improvement I'll make sure he understands how displeased I am.
Sorry to hear of the issues mate. I had surgery about 9 months ago and one side is indented and as much as I would like a revision Karidis is quite dismissive as I also told him of my concerns at my 4 month consultation. Did you read about anyone else who did get a revision with Karidis?

Hey hauser, sorry to hear you faced the same issue. I do remember seeing one thread where Karidis said he would do a revision, however the OP disappeared...

Does your indent look similar to mine? A photo would be much appreciated for comparison. Are you scheduled to see him again at any point? Are you planning on pushing for a revision with Karidis or going to another surgeon?

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 26th May 2019)
Post by: yamahatrophy on May 27, 2019, 05:55:19 PM

I've been looking up some before and afters of other well respected surgeons (including one who frequents these forums). Surgeons tend to put their best results in the before and after photos. And the scary thing is, around a third of the afters have this same contour issue. So is having a deformed chest just an expected, acceptable outcome of the surgery? This certainly wouldn't be considered acceptable in any other form of cosmetic surgery such as rhinoplasty, yet surgeons are parading the results around like they're good? :o

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 26th May 2019)
Post by: yamahatrophy on June 21, 2019, 10:13:03 AM

One month on, no improvement aside from regaining more or less full sensitivity.

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 4th August 2019)
Post by: yamahatrophy on August 04, 2019, 03:53:39 PM

Update 13 - 5 Months Post-Op 4th August 2019
Hey guys, it's been a while since my last proper update so thought I'd share how things are going so far. My 5 month checkup with Karidis is coming up on the 12th so I'll post another short update after that and some progress pictures.

My last couple of updates have been quite negative about the results, however - this is going to be a positive one! There have been a few developments since my last update.

So, the good points first: The puffiness that developed bilaterally has now decreased on both sides and the areolae are now almost perfectly flat. The scars have continued to improve and are turning pale, they're very hard to notice unless closely scrutinising my chest. The wrinkling on the right areola hasn't really improved, however it's not the worst thing in the world and certainly many, many times better than how it looked pre-op. I'll ask Karidis what causes this in my checkup, I'm guessing it's excess skin that hasn't contracted. Another post had a similar issue and it resolved about 12 months post-op so I'm hoping I'll have a similar improvement.

My biggest issue throughout has been the contour on the left side of the chest. This has improved over the last couple of months and the areola flattening has made a huge difference. I'm also dropping body fat at the moment from 16% to hopefully around 10%. My theory is that by losing body fat it will help even out the contours due to the fat cells getting smaller and blending in better with the areas where fat cells have been removed.

So the results are by no means perfect, but given the improvements over the last few months I'm satisfied with the results and I won't be pursuing revision surgery.

I also noticed something purely by chance which I think can explain the psychological rollercoaster guys go through when recovering from this surgery and a few of the common physical recovery symptoms. I had a full panel blood test done 1 month after surgery for something unrelated and it involved a full hormone profile. My prolactin levels were twice the upper male limit and estradiol 32% above the male upper limit. Prolactin is released when the nipple-areola complex is stimulated. My theory is that a combination of the surgical trauma, compression vest and massage causes a huge burst of prolactin to be released which causes the mood disturbances. This would also explain the common symptom that occurs a few weeks after surgery where pea-sized hard lumps develop under the areolas. Surgeons and posters say this is scar tissue forming or post surgical tissue swelling, but I think it's actually the remaining gland left over responding to the massive hormone surge. I had another blood test done 3.5 months after surgery and the prolactin levels had dropped 30% to the upper end of the normal range with estradiol decreasing by 26%. This is just a theory, and I have no idea if there are any studies backing this but this might indicate an anti-prolactin drug should be considered for prescription post-op. I'm having another test in 2 weeks so I can post the results here if anyone is interested. Unfortunately I didn't get my hormones checked pre-op which is something I'd highly recommend anyone considering this surgery should do.

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 4th August 2019)
Post by: Hidden_Hand on September 04, 2020, 11:32:02 AM

Did you ever get a resolve on this?

Title: Re: Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 4th August 2019)
Post by: yamahatrophy on August 03, 2021, 03:24:55 PM

Closure - 2.5 Years Post-Op

Hello, everyone! It has been a while so thought I would give my closing thoughts on the surgery experience 2.5 years later. As mentioned previously, I cannot fault Karidis as a surgeon nor the hospital experience, those were all fantastic. I am also incredibly happy with the final aesthetic result. I still have a fold on my right areola and a slight contour depression on the left but looking back at old photos, it is a night and day difference with a 95% improvement. If you are considering this surgery I cannot recommend it enough. I haven't even thought about gynecomastia for 2 years because it just stopped being a part of my life and my identity. If you're on the fence - pick a qualified surgeon and go for it.

Yamahatrophy - out.