Surgery this coming Monday

[Bris_Tits]

I'm set to have my excision only surgery this monday 25/8/08, and I'm fairly well prepared with 2 weeks booked off work following the surgery. In the surgery preparation documentation they sent out it says I should avoid eating anything 6 hours or less before the surgery. What is the rationale for this?
If I could eat a bit closer to the surgery I think it would surely help aid in the recovery process so that my body is not in 'starvation' mode for such an extended time...

Other than that Im also looking ahead. I understand that I'll need to wear a compression vest for a number of days or weeks post surgery. How obtrusive are these vests.  I'd be looking to book an extra week off work, for example, if it means I can avoid going into work with an obvious bulge under my work shirt....

Another key question - whats the swelling progress like. I understand that theres going to be a big variation in healing rates / swelling amounts between different people, but how long does it take to get the swelling down to a point where you dont look like you've got anything weird going on under your work shirt (office worker)

Finally - and this is probably most important;  What can I do to maximise healing and minimise any scarring.  Any oils / skin products or dietary measures?  At the moment I'm just planning to minimise my physical activity, eat regular small meals so that my body has a regular supply of repairing proteins, and get plenty of bed rest.


Cheers

[helloHELLO]

DONT eat or drink anything before surgery. if u do and have genera anesthesia it can possibly kill u. not eating or drinking before the surgery is the most important rule to follow before the surgery. the doctors and nurses are probably goin to ask u like 10 times if u have eaten anythin.

2 weeks is a good amount time for noticeable swelling to go down.  i dont kno what kind of vest/binder u will be given but most of them are not noticeable under thicker shirts.

theres nothing u can do to speed up the healing process, but ask ur doc about what u can use for scarring. he might mention vitamin e ointment.

[george1977]

helloHELLO, does Dr. Jacobs use local or just General anesthesia?

[helloHELLO]

he uses a twilight anesthesia where u are in a very comfortable sleep and feel no pain. even when u wake up

[ellington7]

Listen to me and listen to me well...I just had my second gyne surgery because I was duped into getting only lypo when I should have gotten excession of the gland as well.  Now you may just have a bad gland problem which needs excession, but if you couple that with the lypo, then you'll have any excess fat taken out that could possibly leave you with puffy nipples.  I made sure my doc performed both because for one I had a gland problem, but also because it seems as if every successful gyne patient on this site had both done at the same time.  This may cost you a little more, but in the long run it will be much more valuable to you.  It gives you better odds against having a revisionary which will cost you more, and it will also keep you safer since you'd only have one.  I know your pretty much set and ready to go, but it's not a big deal to tell your doc to add the other as well, he'll just probably ask why, and you'd just explain that you'd want to get rid of any excess fat that could remain after the contour changes from the gland removal.

let me know what you think...

[Bris_Tits]

Listen to me and listen to me well...I just had my second gyne surgery because I was duped into getting only lypo when I should have gotten excession of the gland as well.  Now you may just have a bad gland problem which needs excession, but if you couple that with the lypo, then you'll have any excess fat taken out that could possibly leave you with puffy nipples.  I made sure my doc performed both because for one I had a gland problem, but also because it seems as if every successful gyne patient on this site had both done at the same time.  This may cost you a little more, but in the long run it will be much more valuable to you.  It gives you better odds against having a revisionary which will cost you more, and it will also keep you safer since you'd only have one.  I know your pretty much set and ready to go, but it's not a big deal to tell your doc to add the other as well, he'll just probably ask why, and you'd just explain that you'd want to get rid of any excess fat that could remain after the contour changes from the gland removal.

let me know what you think...

I'm quite slim at about 12% body fat,  and from what I can see its just the gland thats the real problem.  This in turn is supported by the surgeon who looked at it and said excision was all that was necessary. I queried him as to why no Lipo as the previous surgeon I got a quote from said it would be a case of definitely lipo, and almost probably excision. He explained that its mostly gland, and that leaving a bit of fat there will be good for getting a better overall result post surgery... (hiding defects)  I'll find out how much extra lipo would be and whether he'd be willing to do it.  I suspect the first guy I saw is a little right. He said there was definitely some fat there,  but you know it also cost $2000 more,  and frankly my gyne isnt that bad, will 90% be rectified by the excision, hence my choice to go with this guy.

Good point you raise though. I plan to ask if he can do a bit of lipo too, and if so how the bill changes.