Karidis, my story (new pics added!) and advice please

[thom86]

Hi guys,

I went under the knife last week and as this forum has been a huge help both in the initial research stage to the prep and now the recovery I thought it's only right that I add my experiences to the forum to try to help others.

I'd also like to say thanks to all the contributors on this forum, without which I would probably still be suffering with it now!

My story

Background

I've always had gyne for as long as I remember, probably from about 13/14 though for years I thought it was just fat and I needed to just work that bit harder, even when I got to my BMI I still thought it was fat, it wasn't until I read an article stating that some times it couldn't be got rid of through weight loss alone that I started wondering, even then it took some time before I was sure I had gyne and even longer until I got into a financial situation which enabled me to do something about it at the age of 24.

Why did I choose to have it done? It would be something to do with the careful choosing of clothes which happen to look normal, or hide it quite well, the building up of the upper pecs to try to get the clothes to hang ok, or the clothes in the wardrobe I didn't dare wear. Not wearing jumpers and trying not to take of my suit jacket at work, these were every day occurrences. The missing out on certain activities on holiday, the confidence shrinking for days after someone made a catty comment on a night out and so the list goes on.


The op:

This took place last week with Karidis, very efficient at St Johns, impressed with the nurses who kept me comfortable, though to be honest I spent most of the day drifting in and out of sleep! Before being picked up and driven home.

Glands were 24ml and 22ml and fat 150ml each side, so considerable gland according to the nurse.

I'm now 5 days post op, so far it's been fairly straightforward, took the painkillers for first 2/3 days and now on paracetomol only. Finding sleep difficult due to having to sleep upright.

So my feelings/ thoughts at the moment. Well Karidis has done a great job, the incisions are subtle and to be honest it hasnt really sunk in yet. Personally for me I will also say that after all these years of having gyne and looking a certain way and then not having it, it's a HUGE change and you get used to looking a certain way, I think it will take me time to get used to not having a chest whereas before I had one, which did make me look muscular as well as also obviously suffering from gyne. It's changed my shape and how clothes fit completely and I need to get used to that!

I do however have a worry, which I'll detail below in the pics, though I realise I have a very long way to go in terms of recovery and then hitting the gym so I'm staying positive at the moment, it does play on my mind that most of you guys seem happy in the early days and then less so when the scar tissue kicks in whereas I'm not 100% sure how I feel already! Realistically though, it is far too early to start worrying about final finish's 4/5 days post op! Apart from this worry though I will say I am most definitely flat! Karidis did a great job in that sense and I can see why he is considered the best!

My issue is that there seems to be some saggyness under the 'pec' or it feels like there is still an area under neath, which looks like a moob still. This may be because the compression vest hasn't yet done it's job as it's so early, I've just not seen it in anyone elses pics yet. The only pic I have to hand is terrible, I will try take some more tomorrow. Im worried though as if this stays then I still won't be able to wear jumpers, most tshirts etc as it looks very obvious.


Thoughts guys?

Any questions please ask, I'd like to help others as much as I've been helped by this forum!

[Choda]

Great forum, just a shame I couldn't find this place a few years back. I'm 22 and glad I have a way out which I didn't think was possible a few years ago. Just a case of getting the funds togeather.

I'm not experience on this matter, I just hope in time it looks great which does seem very common in most people's posts. Try not to think about it and wait till you see Karidis in a few weeks time.

I'm sure its nothing.

[chopper]

I can't see the pics matey, so difficult to really comment, but i would expect saggy skin for a good month but that will go back, it always does even if you are a super fatty and shed loads of weight, a large chunk of the skin always sorts itself out and tightens back up and as your surgery wasnt like drastic weight loss i would be surprised if in 4 - 6 weeks time the baggy skin is no longer a thought, but instead you'll replace it for being worried about something else, probably scar tissue building up, but it seems that calms down too  in time....

I'm under the knife next week so i'll probably be posting all these same things, please come by into my thread and help me keep calm when i start flapping lol

[thom86]

Thanks for the replies so far guys! I will say as you're both having the op done soon that I am positive about the experience and the more I get used to seeing myself without gyne the more it sinks in that I no longer have anything to hide! And that the whole process is smooth, I've not been in much pain - I'd describe it as discomfort really and the quality of the work done is impressive, the cuts are small and not noticeable at all. Hope this helps

I don't seem to have uploaded the pics properly! I'll take some more shortly and upload afresh and hopefully get some more opinions or hopefully a virtual slap for noticing something that isn't there 

Thom

[thom86]

Pic of the issue:


I've tried taking pics with my top off but it doesn't seem to capture the skin very well so I took one from the side with a top on(without vest) which shows the 'saggy' skin or moob underneath the pec. It's obviously very noticeable through a tshirt and jumper.

Will this go do you think? I'd hate to have spent £4k and still have moobs . Or is it likely to be excess skin and swelling, which should reduce over time?

Thanks guys, quite worried about it having seen how noticeable it is through the tshirt.

[thetodd]

your one week post op ... youl be swelled up to its full degree at this point! Youve had a lot of gland removed let your body recover

Definatley not loose skin, i mean you had 150ml of fat removed thats really a small amount! Id like to see some before and after pics with your top off though

[ShakerMaker]

5 days is way too soon to give you any idea of a final result mate. I had 150ml of fat removed from each side as well and had swelling in the exact same spot that's now almost gone 3 weeks after the surgery.

You gotta understand that when they're doing lipo they really go to town on you with that stick so the swelling is completely normal.

Just take it easy, follow the post-op instructions and it'll all settle down in good time.

[PecDec]

Yeah very hard to tell from that pic. As thetodd says would help to see pic without top before and after. Have something to compare against. I've had the same mixed emotions about it all since I had the op 15 days ago. Still early days of recovery yet so I've stopped worrying and just letting body heal. Will worry about the results 2-3 months post op. By then everything would have settled.

I had 300g fat taken from each side and 10g of gland from left and 11g gland from the right.

[thom86]

Hi guys, apologies it's taken me a day or two to respond! I've gone and taken a few pics, not very well I must admit but hopefully they show what you need them to!

Also Thanks guys, I know I should just let it heal and that I deserve a virtual slap for panicing! When I pulled on the top without the vest and saw how noticeable it was I did worry as it looks so saggy/ like a moob!

Shaker, it's good to know that you had similar swelling, which has gone down - do you have any pics/ a thread?

PecDec, I've been following your thread with interest so will follow your lead and try not to worry.

TheTodd - helpful as always

I will also say I tried on a ton of clothes yesterday and the amount of t-shirts and shirts I bought that I couldn't wear and that I now can made me feel amazing! I'm going to shift this final 3/4 stone and can't wait for my first gyne free summer.

Right then pictures by popular request! (Ive circled the 'sag' as the camera doesn't seem to pick it up well!

Pre Op



Day 6 Pics

It is the sagging offset under the nipple that I am worried about.



This one ^^ makes it look really bad though I'm obviously on the wonk.









Thoughts please guys?

[ShakerMaker]

I don't have a thread but you can see the reduced swelling on my left side in this photo I posted the other day 3 weeks post-op. (Sorry don't have any photos of it completely inflamed):



My swelling wasn't as bad as yours and it was only on the left side but I guess everyone reacts differently to surgery. My case wasn't as bad as yours either so it might be proportional to that.

[kingboob]

You had quite a significant case of gyne with a fair bit of sagging already visible pre-op.

You are now less than one month post-op and your chest is basically flat.   The areas around the side of the pec look like they have a bit of swelling and / or loose skin going on, and directly under the nipple you have a few creases of skin.  

I think at this stage your expectations are way too high.    You have to give it a few months for the swelling to go down, healing to take place and for the skin to snap back a bit.  

Until that happens you wont know the final result and you need to just wait and see really...... but to me it looks more like the underarm area which is swollen rather than the pec.


It seems like there are a few worried Karidis patients on here at the moment....... maybe he needs to spend a bit more time giving an idea of realistic expectations and also preparing patients for the healing process and informing them of what to expect immediately after the operation.  

I mean this is way to early too be getting stressed out and you should know that already because he should have told you so.

[thom86]

Shaker thanks for that, good to hear you've had an improvement in just 3 weeks post op.

Kingboob, you are completely and utterly correct it is way too early to be worrying about the final result, deep down I know this and am clinging to this, I just had a bit of a wobble when I saw it with my top on!
Thanks for your post, I'm not expecting a perfect chest and it is already a vast improvement on what was there before and I realise that a week post op is too soon, heck a month post op is too soon to start making judgement.

What do people think in general though? Huge improvement hey?

[thetodd]

Kingboob spot on! The aftercare the clinic provide is woefull

Karidis is a great surgeon and a nice bloke, but i think his attitude in the consultation is way to cavalier if you were to walk in with no knowledge about the op you would presume after a week you'd be back to work and job done.

It also concerns me that people are starting to massage before the 21 day period, i remember being told strictly not to do this by karidis but that line seems to have been dropped now. And i find this strange since i done more damage than good with over zealous massaging

Yeah tom dont worry at this stage, what kingboob has said is correct im presuming your 25 from your name you should have decent elasticity in your skin it should even out! The result looks good to me eitherway especially when comparing the before/afters!

[somedude999]

Mate you've had a great result there !!
You had a bad case and your chest now looks fine !!
Completely agree with KingBoob.

[thom86]

Thank guys 

Appreciate the feedback and the compliments on the job. I  do actually feel quite sore today, the most for a few days actually, guessing that is the swelling coming up and everything starting to heal.

I'm sure you can appreciate how great it feels for it to be gone! I bought a V neck, tightish fitting jumper today - I've never been able to wear one! Especially when you look at my before picture. It's really starting to sink in that this is how I look now! Just need to lose 3/4 of a stone when I'n back on the clean eating next week and get back to exercising when healed a bit more to finish off the look!

Thetodd, I'm interested in your no massaging until 21 days comment, I was told 2 weeks, I think I'll speak to the clinic next week and clarify which is best.