Operation with Karidis 12/7/11 + pics

[Choda]

The swelling will happen regardless but pineapple, arnica tablets and plenty of water will help. Just follow the step by step guide they give you but swelling will happen but its not as bad as we all first think.

After two weeks you should be fine, the first couple of days are the worse and slowly your chest starts to feel like your own.

Try not to worry about the swelling, thats 2 weeks away.

[fingerit]

All the best for the surgery tomorrow mate! Let us know how you get on :-)

[pharmerjoe]

ok, will need to be nil by mouth from midnight tonight onwards ( really need to try hard to remember not to eat anything in the morning!) , then have the operation tomorrow morning.
Heres some pre op pics, got a feeling I will still look weird afterwards, with the flabby belly, but one problem at a time lol

[fingerit]

Dude, remember no liquids either past 12 midnight! I woke up thirsty as hell and had to keep reminding myself not to drink anything. Made up for it post op though!

I'm sure it will be fine, you're in good hands! Looking forward to seeing the post op pics. Again mate, all the best!

[chopper]

Good luck bud.

I had a mouth like a carpet in the morning before my op so I picked up some fruity bubble gum and let my mouth create it's own goodness to sort out the dryness.

[pharmerjoe]

ok back at the hotel guys. Just went to my room there, usual stuff, changed into gown and dressing gown and socks, and could keep my boxers on. Saw anesthetist, then Dr. Karidis, who took pics and marked me up. Then was talking to the anaesthetist and a male nurse again downstairs, who put the mask on me and made me breathe it in. Did not even remember going to sleep and was apparently out for a while. I was quite sore after the op, so injected 100mg of Tramadol and that sorted it, but was struggling to keep awake. Also prescribed me tramadol caps, co-dydramol tabs and augmentin antibiotics. had everything else. Nurses were really friendly and I saw Jasmine who was really nice and caring, and she gave me a medium sized vest. I was really having trouble eating the chicken sandwiches though, didn't help that theyre really dry, and my mouth is dry. This band thing is bloody tight as well, but too scared to loosen it, cos anaesthetist said its used to prevent bleeding due to the wearing off of the adrenaline. But can't wait for tomorrow to get the band off (I think I can take it off?) and then clean up the area and have a proper look on the results. Staff seem concerned that I didn't have anyone with me and no-one was coming to visit, but just had to lie saying that someone is coming to the hotel room. Kinda crapping myself, cos that is kinda stupid, due to having had a general. Anyway, will be drinking plenty of water, eating small,etc.

[fingerit]

Glad to hear it went ok mate, sounds like you got given a bit more pain killers than me dude. I was a the sorest straight after waking up in the recovery room and when I had to shuffle back on my bed from what I can remember.

Yeah, the band is pretty tight but I would leave it until the morning dude, I left mine on all night and took it off in the morning.

Ha ha, I know what you mean about the sarnie, I got cheese and I nearly choked when eating it because I couldn't swallow it my throat was so dry.

Well, I think they advise you bring someone with you, i think I could have coped but glad I did in the end, I'm sure you'll be fine.

Congrats on the op, all the best for your recovery mate!

[pharmerjoe]

ok, it was a fairly difficult night, couldnt get much sleep, also considering the fact the couple in the hotel room next to me were having noisy sex  . Anyway, my incisions are still bleeding, so unsure of when exactly to take everything off. I did take the plaster under my armpit off last night and changed it, as it was packed full of blood. The tight band is really quite uncomfortable, and coupled with being a bit bloated and constipated, thats probably whats made it worse. Jasmine said she would phone today, so will maybe wait until then before I take anything off.

[pharmerjoe]

Day 1: (24 hours after surgery)

ok, after a 2 hour struggle (yes i kid you not), I managed to get the pads off and have a shower. At one point thought I was going to faint, so had to sit down for 5 mins. Put some loud music on , and tried not to look at myself taking the pads off, as it is not a pleasant experience and painful considering my body hair! Used the bodyshop shower gel they gave me, but didn't scrub at the area too much. Bruising as you can see from the pics will be due to the lipo, the right hand side incision under my armpit (left side of pic for you guys) is still bleeding a bit, so slightly concerned about that. Jasmine still hasn't phoned, but guessing she will later on to see how it went. I now have 4 dressings on the 4 incision sites, and the medium vest, but really hope swelling is not going to increase too much from here, as I will really struggle with it getting even tighter. Also, I expected some caving in of the nipples at this stage, but just concerned about just below the chest area, seems to protrude out a bit, which looks really weird to me. Or maybe it was just the way I was looking at it in the mirror. Have to get a train back tomorrow morning, so begging to God that it won't be busy and I can get a seat.

[fingerit]

If you really need to talk to Jasmine mate, I would call instead of waiting for her to call, especially if you are still bleeding although I think a bit is normal the first night after.

Dude, also forgot to mention that it might have been a good idea to get some clippers on the body hair, its a pain in the arse pulling all that crap off with hair on, I had very little on my chest anyway but was a killer.

I'm not 100% sure but I'd also be gentle with the scrubbing in the early days when showering.

Also not sure about the protrusion but it might be just a bit of swelling/fluid which will go down with time.

[pharmerjoe]

its ok, Jasmine did call, and said that it is normal for the incision to still be bleeding. Its definitely decreasing, but just the overall comfortability factor of wearing this vest is not very good, but I guess i'll just have to put up with it for now. How did the tightness of it feel for you guys as time went on?

[fingerit]

Good news mate. Honestly dude, you get used to the tightness, you've just got to ride through it unfortunately but it does get better, I promise.

[Choda]

Everything gets better with time Joe! Congrats and have fun healing!

[pharmerjoe]

Day 2

Still pretty much the same, but looks like bleeding has stopped. Still quite bruised, but guess the arnica still needs to kick in. Got some bruising under armpits, but dunno if this is due to the vest digging in, or from the op? Also, seems like a silly thing to complain about, but I honestly thought I would have had some muscle behind the gland tissue that Karidis removed, but from the looks of it, its completely flat! Anyway, the main thing is that my chest will heal up. will have just under 2 weeks, then need to go back to work, so hopefully it gets much better by then.

[pharmerjoe]

Day 3

Movement is improving slightly, but at one point before taking shower, I had been out of the vest maybe 5 mins and noticed the skin was getting a slight yellow tinge round my chest, and nipples were starting to cave in a bit. I am eating under calorie deficit now, just having high protein meals, and drinking ice-cold water, so trying to drop the weight as well during this time. Bruising is still there though, hard to see if its improving, but I may have been taking the arnica, as I think it works better if you have it under your tongue the whole time you are sucking it (sublingual), so will start doing that from now on. I've also ordered a medium vest from firm51 and will be arriving on Tuesday, so will be interesting to notice any difference.