Surgery with Dr. Elliot Jacobs Sept 2010

[kwl04]

Hello all,
First of all, I'm glad we all have a place we can reference in regards to our situations. I've learned plenty here and this a great resource.

My surgery is in a month with Dr. Jacobs. I wanted to write down how I am feeling and thinking leading up to, during and after the whole process.  

A little background on me:
-I'm 5'9, 170lbs
-I've had gyne since around the 7th grade, best I can remember
-When I was in top physical shape, it wasn't very bad, but I still had puffy nipples
-I've been on Propecia since 23, I'm 33 now. I can't say for sure that the medication has made it worse, I think I've just gained some weight. Given my height, I should be around the 155 lbs range.
-I'm going to be an out of town patient
-Having gyno does bother me, but I have embarked on some fun times w/out a shirt. Needless to say I was self conscious about it so I couldn't totally enjoy myself. I'm also tired of having to carefully search for shirt to wear that will hide our condition.

I did my research primarily on here given other users info.  I wanted to stay local given the cost and convenience, but decided against it.  The Dr. I was considering uses Vaser and I felt it wasn't the best route given what I read from respected Dr.'s and just gut feeling. It seems too new to have been mastered already.  Although I do not like to part with large sums of money, I felt this was a one time shot and I needed to pay to go to the best.  My mom always told me, "If you buy quality, you buy once, if you buy the cheapest, you're going to end up buying it twice."  I think her advice applies to this situation, thanks mom!

I selected Dr. Jacobs based on other user's recommendations, reading his posts and his certifications.  He also had several pics on his site and seems to be dedicated to this procedure vs other Dr.'s that "can" do it.  He seems like he's straight business and no B.S. I liked his direct responses on the forum and he seems like a normal guy.    

I scheduled my surgery in July and made all of the flight and hotel reservations.  Again, a little pricey, but I get to visit New York.  And again, I'm going to the best, I need to stop thinking about the money.

I've sent Dr. Jacobs some pics and got his opinion. I've paid my down payment to lock in my surgery date. I still need to mail him back the info he needs from me and see a Dr. for pre operative testing.

I've been working out and really concentrating on my chest. I'm feeling good, but I still eat junk on the weekends. I need to lock down on that given that I have a month to go.  I need to start running more and eating better to knock a little fat off while I can.  I think it's important to be in the best physical shape you can be in to give your body the best chance to heal.

Right now the whole thing doesn't seem real.  I'm actually going to get this thing done!  I'm a little concerned b/c my mother had breast reduction surgery years ago and it went horrible.  She got an infection and she was sick for a while. She told me that she regrets not doing more to prepare her body w/exercise and preparing her mind in case something went wrong. She said it affected her emotionally more than anything.  I've got to stay positive.

I'm out for now. Let me know if you guys have any questions along the way.

Thanks for reading.

[whatever]

Dude, all evidence indicates that you picked an excellent surgeon. Keep hitting the gym and really focus on that extra motivation that comes from knowing that in 3 months when you're all healed up you're gonna be a stud. Stay positive bro.

[kwl04]

I did my pre operative testing yesterday.  Everyone was really nice to deal with. The Dr. asked what I needed the testing for and I told him. It was as bit uncomfortable, but he is a Dr. and I'm sure he sees all kinds of stuff. It really wasn't a big deal in the end.  He felt my chest for lumps and said I was in good shape and said my surgery should be fine.  The assistant sure took a lot of blood out my arm.  It's crazy how fast your blood pumps out of your veins.

I went to a convenience store shortly after and grabbed some ice from the beer tub and put some on my arm to thwart any potential bruising.  I didn't want anyone asking me why my arm was bruised. I was going to tell people who didn't know me well that I donated blood, which in a way is the truth. It was donated for testing right?  I was going to tell my friends I had a blood test for check up type stuff and hoped they wouldn't press me further. It hasn't bruised so all is good.

I called the hotel in NY and made sure my hotel was booked and it is.  I had also called the airline and confirmed our flights.  All is in order and so far so good.  I still need to get the medication prescription filled. I think I'll drop those off tomorrow.

I still eat some fast food on the weekends. It's tough to stop because it tastes good.  I've still been lifting weights and doing some cardio, although not as much running has been done as I imagined I would at this point. My chest is getting pretty rock hard and that at least makes me feel good.   I do have to watch it now though because the two week prior to surgery date is approaching and I have to follow doctor's orders.

I didn't really think about the surgery much up until the last 2 weeks.  It's starting to happen really fast. It feels like I'm just along for the ride at this point and what's going to happen is going to happen.  I tend to over think and worry too much about major events in my life. I suppose I do that because if I come to terms with the worst case scenario and am okay with it, moving forward shouldn't be a problem.

I'm excited, nervous, a bit afraid and overall just ready to do this and get it over with.

[kwl04]

I wanted to talk about a subject that weighs on all of us and that's telling people close to you about your surgery.

Only my parents know at this point. My mom was extremely supportive and made me feel at ease when I told her. I was so nervous just bringing it up to her for the first time. She told my dad after I told her it was okay and he is supportive as well. He told me it wasn't a big deal to have gyne as he said some of his friends have it.  I told him I'm moving forward w/the surgery and my mind is made up.

I told my girlfriend (now ex) a few months ago when I was thinking about pulling the trigger on this.  She's a nurse so she's seen her fair share of weirdness in her time. She's really laid back and said she hadn't even really noticed and it didn't bother her.  I told her it's bothered me for a long time and that I was going to get the surgery. She thought the whole thing was stupid given that my condition wasn't really noticeable for the most part behind clothes.  We got into a big fight about the whole thing. She said I was just into my body way too much and I was ridiculous for even thinking of having surgery. I told her she just didn't understand what it was like and I told her our conversation about this was over and to never talk to me about it again.  I think she'd have been more supportive a few years earlier compared to when I told her as the final months of our relationship had entered the picture.  Regardless though, I felt betrayed in a way because all I wanted was her support.  It was hard to even bring it up to her and I didn't appreciate her reaction to it.

That being said, I really feel alone in the whole process. I've wanted to tell my close guy friend's but haven't and don't think I will.  I'm taking 3 weeks off of work and given that I work in the field, no one will even know I'm gone.  I plan on leaving on a Sunday and getting back on a Thursday.  No one ever sees me those days with the exception of our normal meetings (with friends) on Thursday night, but missing one won't hurt.  I'm a little worried that the compression vest will be noticed under my t-shirts. I may have to just wear more of my short sleeved button up shirts since they're more forgiving. 

I still need to tell my older brothers and I'll let my brother know it's okay to tell his wife. I can't hide that fact that I'm leaving because my mom is coming with me.  Going to New York isn't normal for us so they'd know something is up.  I wanted to do this alone, but my mom insisted on going. I declined at first, but then realized I needed someone to look after me the days after surgery so I agreed to bring her along. It's better I think overall. She's really supportive and can help me. Plus I'll get really bored being over there alone. She also gets to see New York.  In the end, I'm glad she's going.

[amethyst tint]

kwl04, good luck with the surgery. I'm really glad you're writing about all this in such a courageous and open way. I'm also in my 30s and am considering surgery (possibly with Dr Jacobs, who has impressed me as well) in 2011 if my problem doesn't resolve on its own. I'll be really interested to hear how it goes.

[kwl04]

Thanks a lot amethyst, I really appreciate everyone taking the time to read this post and I hope I can shed some more light on the process. I think it's important for people going through the process to post their thoughts and how they feel throughout the process so others can compare their own emotions/experience to it and see how it's the same or different.  I got a lot of good info from other people's diaries on here and I want to contribute as well.  I'm so glad we have a place where we can talk about this and be totally honest.

[kwl04]

I had my surgery on September 28th and just got back from the trip yesterday.  I'll recap the day before, day of and days after the experience.  

Pre op visit with Dr. Jacobs

It was raining in New York the first two days I was there. I met with Dr. Jacobs on Monday, the day before my surgery.  He examined me and confirmed his opinion from the pics I emailed him in my initial consultation. I had excessive gland tissue mostly to the outside of my nipples.   He went through the whole surgery procedure from A-Z.  I was surprised to hear that he wouldn't know if he had to cut excess gland out until after he tried to lipo it out.  He took pre op pics as well. It was a bit cold in there so my nipples constricted. I wanted him to see them in their normal puffy state, but he's done so many of these surgeries, it didn't matter.  He was very pleasant and down to earth. I felt very comfortable with him.  It was during this time that I actually felt like I had power over my gyne and that I had the upper hand now.  I met with Jennifer and settled all of the payments at that time.  We are good to go at this point!

Day of Surgery

My surgery was scheduled for 11:30. I was instructed to take an antibiotic pill the night before and one the morning of surgery with very little water. I showered right before I went in, but couldn't apply any deodorant.  I could not eat/drink anything after midnight. Wasn't sure if they didn't want me to turn into a bad gremlin or what (some of you young kids might not get the joke).  

My mom came along as planned to assist me after the surgery.  We waited around in the lobby for my turn.  I could tell she was nervous and I was actually nervous too. I didn't know if I was doing the right thing or not. I kept thinking, "what if something goes wrong?"  I've never been under anesthesia and didn't know how I'd react. I also wondered how the surgery would go.  They called me and I went into a small room. I was given one of the gowns that are open in the back and a pair of extra socks. You strip down to your boxers and you put on the gown and put the socks on over your socks.  Dr. Jacobs comes in and explains the procedure again and answers any questions. He then makes his marks on you with the sharpie and we're ready for action.

The anesthesiologist then came in and asked me a few medical questions. He made sure I didn't have anything to eat/drink after midnight. He explained his part of the surgery. I can't remember if he or the nurse (I think his name was Ed, but regardless, he was very cool) took me to the operating room.  It happened so fast. I took a short walk to the surgery room and there was everything laid out. I laid down on the table. They pull the gown down and cover you up to your waist with a comfortable blanket to keep you warm.  I wasn't nervous at this time. I was doing it and there was no turning back.

You spread your arms out to the side while they continue to prep you.  The anesthesiologist checked my blood pressure and stuck my arm with the needle and shortly after I felt a slight buzz. They were playing some pretty good music in the background and we chatted about music as they continued to work. These guys were fast and knew exactly what they were doing.  Dr. Jacobs hadn't entered the room yet, but he told me he'd let them do their thing, then he'd take over, so I wasn't worried. Besides, that buzz was pretty good, a delay was fine by me.  I was still aware of everything at this point. Then things got weird fast. I think I do remember one of them telling me to lift my head so they could put that tube in my nose.  

The next thing I remember, one of them said something to me like, "okay, we're done." I looked up and saw the two big lights overhead. I then looked down at my chest and saw I was flat. I just remember thinking, "wow, I actually did this!"  I wasn't elated for some reason. I can't explain why this was. I just felt weird about myself.  I then asked if Dr. Jacobs had to cut some gland out or was able to lipo everything out. They told me that he had to cut some out.  I remember about 1 second of them putting the bandages on and them remember bits and pieces of them putting the spandex shirt on, the compression vest and the binder.  A few seconds later, I was a lot more coherent and they took me to a room to wait for about an hour while they made sure I was okay. My mom came back there and visited with me. At this point, I had head back on and knew everything that was going on.  Dr. Jacobs said everything went very well.  I was glad to hear that.  The binder and compression vest felt really tight. To explain the binder for those of you that need an explanation like I did, it's about a 10 in wide elastic strip that you wrap around your chest over the vest and closes with velcro. It provides the most compression.

We got back to the hotel and I took a nap. I remember my chest really starting to hurt and I took some extra strength pain pills (over the counter) and I felt fine in a few minutes. I didn't fill my codeine prescription b/c those tend to make me feel sick. I just hung out in the hotel that day and drank plenty of liquids as instructed. I ate 3 cans of chicken noodle soup, but wasn't really that hungry.

The day after, Wednesday, I laid around mostly, but did get out and go to the bookstore for a bit. I just didn't feel like being out but the sun was out and I felt it would be a waste to not get out. You're not allowed to take a shower for 48 hours so I didn't want to be around many people in case I started to smell.

2 Day Post Op Visit
The morning before the visit I took the bandages off for the first time and got to see what I looked like. I was a weird sensation taking the vest off for the first time. I looked in the mirror and I was completely flat. There was little bruising and some swelling.  It looked pretty good I thought. I took my shower and applied the ointment and band aids. I had trouble seeing the cuts on my nipples, which I thought is a good sign.

I met with Dr. Jacobs, luggage in tow and he examined me.  He was very pleased with the result. I had little bruising as mentioned and no excess fluid under the skin. I mentioned to him that my right nipple appeared slightly caved in. He stated that there was swelling above that area and that's why it appeared that way. The other side looked similar, just not as bad.  I was very relieved to hear him say everything looks great. I've seen post op pics on here and I looked like a lot of those.  I asked my mom what she thought and she said everything looked pretty good to her.  I mentioned to him that I felt really stiff in the binder and my shoulders were lifted up. He suggested I take the binder down a bit and that should help it look more natural.  I thanked him and told him it was nice to meet him.  He told me to come back if I was ever in the NY area or that I could email him anytime w/pics or questions.  I said goodbye to everyone and we left.

We took our flight home and made it back around 9pm yesterday.  The trip overall was a good one.

[kwl04]

3 Days after surgery

I haven't taken any pain pills since the day after surgery and feel comfortable for the most part. I still don't have a wide range of motion, but it's amazing how much better I feel each day.  The vest/binder isn't a big deal at this point. It kind of sucks at times, but when Dr. Jacobs says, "wearing it could make the difference between a good or great result", you listen and do what he says.  I'm going to wear it everyday for four weeks, no questions. I'll take it off then when I'm around friends, but still wear it often.

Only my family knows I had the procedure done. Two of my friends came over today and we went out to a football game.  I was so nervous they'd see my vest or notice I was a bit stiffer. I tried to be as relaxed as possible.  I already had my story together if they said something.  They never mentioned anything to me so I think it went well.  Something ironic happened tonight though that filled me with a bit of sadness.

A heavy kid around 15 was walking up the stairs and one of my friends said, "geez, that kid has boobs. He needs a sports bra or something."  They both laughed. The kid was obviously overweight and needed to control that but I didn't find that funny. All I could think of was how many times he's been made fun of either to his face or behind his back. I thought to myself, "why do people live with this condition when you can go somewhere to make it go away."  I just felt bad about the whole situation, not to mention that the situation was being dealt with a few feet away from them in the form of myself.  

I'm going to spend the next several days just taking it easy and trying to heal as fast as possible. I'm currently taking 3, 500mg vitamin C pills and one 50mg zinc pill everyday.

I'd like to thank Dr. Jacobs and his staff for their professionalism and attention to detail.  I had no doubt I was having my procedure done by the best Dr. in my opinion based on my research.  That brought me a lot of comfort.  I will post more on him at a later date as I'd like to give him his due to the best of my ability.

[kwl04]

Pre Op Pictures

[kwl04]

2 day post op pictures

[kwl04]

I'm one week post op now. So far everything feels good. No real pain other than minor shooting pain that comes/goes as Dr. Jacobs described would happen.

I went and bought a kids XL underarmour shirt since my size S men's weren't as tight as they were before.  This feels better and I'll probably buy another tomorrow.

There is minimal bruising at this point.  My skin is yellow in some parts as the bruising is almost gone.  I'm looking forward to exercising!

[123456789]

I had my done in dec of 2009 with dr j.  U look exactly as I did.  A little yellowing of the skin.  Wear the vest 24/7 for four weeks.  And remember, what you look like like right, will only improve as you body heals from this controlled injury.  You will love the results.  I lost 35 pounds afterwards and I looked like a man with contorted and defined pecs.  You picked one of the best and it will show.  Good luck!

[123456789]

iPhone spelling error contoured not contorted!!!

[kwl04]

I bought a second XL youth sized undershirt and although very tight, I noticed the yellow bruising looked much better after I switched to wearing these smaller shirts yesterday.  I had my dad really crank on that binder today and it was super tight. I had to loosen it up a bit midday as it was just too much.

I went out to dinner tonight with my friends for my birthday.  I wore a short sleeve button up w/lots of lines in it so it hid any sign of the under garment.  They didn't notice, but they keep asking why I took 3 weeks off of work since I'm very routine oriented and 3 weeks of doing nothing just isn't me.  I just told them the same thing I've told them before, I'm taking all my vacation at one time this year to see what it's like.  My friend made a joke, "did you have surgery to get your hemroids removed or what?"  If he only knew!!!

I really debated on whether or not to tell a friend, but I've made the decision that I'm keeping this a secret. I only have a few more times of seeing them while I have to wear the binder/compression vest since I've been keeping to myself and not going out.  In the end, I think this is best for me.  I don't want people making fun of me for getting this done so I'll just keep this going a little longer hopefully and move on with the rest of my new life without having to worry.

[Raider Fan]

Really great results.  Congratulations!