pre/post-op pics and surgery experience (5 weeks this friday)

[rvpersie]

hey everyone,

i've been following this site since i was 16 when i discovered i wasn't just another chubby kid, now i'm 25 this is my first ever post... i don't think i'd be where i am with overcoming gynecomastia without this site and the posters. thanks everyone.

here are my pre-op and post-op pics. for week 5 what do you guys think?
http://picasaweb.google.com/104816444821977216623/GSurgeryPics?authkey=Gv1sRgCMzovu_8tIbKwgE#

for those who want to read on:

i'm a pretty big guy 6'2" 240lbs, and have a bit of a belly and my gyne was pretty bad as there was a lot of fat around it as well, had it since i was 9 or 10 yrs old. i finally got my surgery done early march, 2010 with dr. brian heil outside pittsburgh, pa. he used his UAL technique on me. i was hesitant after reading some other surgeons posting about it, but i went with it, and i think/pray/hope i will be okay with my decision and hopefully won't need a second operation. i paid about $4,500 or so, including anesthesia and everything. the doc was great, though have had very limited interaction with him (one really long session during first meet) but other than that mostly interacted with nursing staff (had several visits so far since operation). the nursing staff at his facilities are pretty good, very friendly and attentive. if anyone wants more info on my experience with dr. heil, don't hesitate to contact me. (fyi i did not check out/consult any other surgeons in the pa area or otherwise)

the healing i think has gone as predicted and i'm trying to be patient. its been nearly 5 weeks, been wearing compression pretty much 24/7. the heavy duty binder was off about 10-12 days ago i think, and have been wearing just compression vest since. i'm hoping to come off of that as well. been asked to massage, but haven't done a whole lot honestly. still some random soreness (lifting/stretching arms), some swelling, and hardness. but staying positive.

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

Kudos to your surgeon -- he did a fine job on a difficult case.

Dr Jacobs

[kaka]

 I did not see any large scar suggesting that he cut out any extra skin??? I asked because  I 'm 16 days post op and i hope my skin contract the way your's did. Also, i get the occasional swelling and soreness and it goes away and then come back. Hope this is normal??

Good luck with healing.

[rvpersie]

thanks dr. jacobs, i've read through many of your comments/advice to other people over the years.

as for the skin contracting, yeah i think its gone pretty well i don't think he cut any extra skin - don't honestly know what happened with that... the incisions were pretty small just the two horizontal slits 2-4 inches below the areolae. i'm not too worried about the scarring from those. but the nipples are a little mental right now, they always stay kind of wrinkled i guess, and there was little bit of extra puffiness/lumpiness around the nipples when i took those post-op photos. also there's definitely numbness in the area that i think will last until the sensory nerves recover from all the heat from the UAL i guess. its very strange when you feel an itch but can't seem to shake it off cause applying an external stimulus can't seem to get the itch to go away.

but to answer your concern kaka it really comes and goes, the swelling and soreness is very temperamental. i was told that after 4 weeks i can do some light cardio, and should definitely be active to keep circulation up, but at the same time was told that there will be a bit of swelling and soreness if i go jogging or something and that i might need to wear the compression binder following that for a day to keep it down. but yeah random things like running to catch the bus, or lifting your hand to answer a question in class causes pain some days (but not always).