Surgery With Karadis Complete (27/09/12) - Pre+Post Pics

[adamj]

So after years of living with gynecomastia the time has finally come, I have surgery with Karidis tomorrow (27/09). I have been lurking these forums for about 3-4 years now, but have only really become an active poster in more recent times. Before I begin I'd like to say a huge thanks to everyone on the forum, you have all been a total inspiration and a great help to me over the years.

My Story

I was a pretty fat kid at school. In my early teens I weighed a whopping 16stone (my heaviest), which is pretty shocking for my short height at that age. I first noticed my moobs (eurgh, hate the word) at the age of 12 or so.

At that young age I just put it down to being fat, all through school I became more and more self conscious about them. These things just don't leave you ha. My Dad once took me to the docs about it, the doctor said it was puberty and they would go down with age... liar.
I was yoyo dieting at the time, didn't really shift much weight. College was the same story until the last year when I became determined to sort it  out.

I began hitting the gym HARD (hours on the treadmill, bench pressing repeatedly) and eating well to try and rid myself of my belly and boobs. The belly started to go down but the boobs didn't. This meant that I had a disproportionate body, which made it look worse. I got to uni at about 14 stone, no change up top.

At Uni I knew there was something abnormal going on as my weight continued to drop (I was still working out very hard). It became more and more of a problem. I hated any situation involving  having your shirt off. I never swam. i never changed at the gym. i walked to the shower in my clothes and left in different clothes rather than in a towel like everyone else. I disliked sunny weather where everyone else had their tops off and I couldn't because of what I had underneath. The list goes on. It's worth mentioning that my nipples were (and still are) like 50p pieces compared to all the other guy's 5p's.

I was using the bodybulding forum at the time (sure some of you will have seen it), and was searching on how to flatten my chest, that's when I heard about gynecomastia. I began looking into it more and thought that I was perhaps a sufferer.

Between first and second year (I was about 19 at this time) I weighed in at approx 12 stone. The more I looked into the possibility, the more I though that I might have it. There is that test you can do where you grab your moobs and feel if there is something that doesn't feel like normal fat under your nips. I did this, it didn't feel normal but I was still unsure.

Rolling on a few years of working at uni I gradated, maintaing the 12stone or so. At the end of 2011, I made the new years resolution to get a job and sort it out. I was determined to at least get a consultation to see if my suspicions were true. Shortly after new year I managed to get a place and moved to London. It was hard financially since it was only an internship so all of my money was going on rent and living (hardly enough even for that in London!). Doing my calculations I knew it would be years before I could get close to affording surgery. I at least booked a consultation for early Sept and Karidis confirmed that I do in fact have gland under my nips.

I began looking for payment options, got rejected for a loan or two. I knew that it was either wait a few years living with this self esteem draining condition whilst saving up, or ask for help. I turned to my mum. I haven't told anyone else in real life. She was so understanding and let me have the money to get it done. I will repay one day. FOR ANYONE ELSE IN THIS SITUATION, DON'T HESITATE TO TELL SOMEONE, it makes it so much easier I promise you, I wish I'd asked earlier if I'm honest, or at least saved my student loan.

That leads me to now. Less than 12 hours before surgery. Apologies if that story was boring, it was good to reminisce. There are so many hurtful and awkward situations that I could have written about but it was sort of satisfying remembering them whilst writing.

Before pics:
(the pics don't do them justice if I'm honest, it was kind of cold in my bathroom ha):

I'll hopefully check in tomorrow. We'll see how it goes.

Thanks again to all of you.

[adamj]

It's not letting me attach multiple images so am going to have to do a few posts...

[adamj]

It's not letting me attach multiple images so am going to have to do a few posts...

[adamj]

It's not letting me attach multiple images so am going to have to do a few posts...

[Nipper]

You should get a top result mate!  Looking forward to seeing it   And after today, all that gyne bullshit will be long gone and you can just get on with things, like a normal person...sounds trivial to others, but not to us...

[adamj]

Update - The Day After 10am

It's done. It all went very well. I walked down to a room where they gave me the anaesthetic at about 12ish, next I woke up and I was like 'u done it?', the guy said yes and i looked at the clock and it was 4ish!

Crazy how quickly it all happens. The anaesthetic is actually pretty enjoyable to anyone that's scared!

I was freaking out a bit last night, had to wear those big bandages where the incisions were made as well as my vest, was scared my housemates would notice but they didn't mention anything. Also I was under some pretty intense pain but the co-drynadol fixed that.

I was a total fool to think I could work today. When I took off my bandages at about 8:15 (work at 9) I completely whited out and had to sit on the floor. Was nauseous and almost vomitted. When that passed I stood up, looked in the mirror and just smiled, I have a flat chest (albeit blue and yellow for now)! I haven't yet taken the nip covers of because I don't know if I should yet.

I defintely think that Karidis and the nurses should provide you with more of a 'timetable' sheet rather than tell you after a heavy dose of drugs and giving you some unstructured documents.

Anyway, going to take the nip pads off and shower now. Hope I don't bloody white-out again when I take the garment off.

[Nipper]

I took my initial dressings off after 24 hrs and immediately replaced with the provided waterproof ones, then had a shower.  Grats mate, welcome to the other side   definitely agree with you on the lack of immediate after care advice, we should be clicking from them for this forum!

[adamj]

Update

Not got much time so I'm going to make bullets:

* Not even close to being as panful as it was on day 1/2.
* The compression vest is more irritating that anything else.
* I'm a little concerned my nipples are still big? Are they meant to shrink right away? I can't see properly yet because there's a plaster on but still.
* Left side swelled up more than right, it's elevated but think that's swelling rather than gland/whatever
* Still not been to the toilet!
* I seem to be quite active compared to some stories? I have been out and about, went out for a few drinks last night, had my haircut, walked around town etc. Is this a bad thing?
* I stupidly had a couple of cigarettes last night (i smoked occasionally before the op) - really mad with myself now. Does smoking badly hurt your recovery?

Pic here (only have time to upload 1)

[wingman]

I think not going to the toilet is very normal.

It's good that you're active but don't overdo it, be patient with your recovery.

[kniveshurt]

Looks like your recovery is going pretty well, mate. You don't look all that bruised/swollen at all.

You do seem to have been quite active - I'm sure it's fine as long you're not in any pain or straining yourself unnecessarily. I've not been out much, just to the shops a few times. Have been really paranoid that someone's going to barge into me or something.

With regards to the cigs, they do tell you to give up at least a week before and a week after if you can. Besides the usual health risks, one of the major reasons is because nicotine deprives your blood of oxygen, which obviously isn't good if your body is trying to heal from an op. I'm sure the odd one isn't going to affect you massively, but it's certainly not going to help you, so probably best to knock them on the head if you can.

I gave up about 2 weeks ago and it's been an absolute killer. Was using patches before the op, but have had to come off then because they still supply you with nicotine, so you still get the negative effects even though you're not actually smoking. It's been tough, but I've managed it so far - I just keep thinking I've spent £4.5k on an op, why would I want to jeopardise that with a few pulls on a ciggy? To be fair though, I haven't been out drinking yet and I know everything changes once I've got a pint in my hand. Going to try to avoid it for as long as I can and hopefully I'll have kicked the habit for good by then.

[adamj]

Cheers knives. That pic makes it look slightly better than it really is but it's still pretty decent for day 4 I think  !

Yeah the only pain I get is when I try and lift my arm above my shoulder (unless I do something fairly tough, like opening a pull door!). Other than that I feel ok wandering around. There's no way I could run or anything though (not like I would for a few more weeks anyway).

Yeh good advice with the cigs, when I was on the bus last night I was annoyed with myself and I left my full packet on the bus seat on purpose. You are so right, would be so stupid to blow the £4.5k spent on something so silly. I'm not touching one again, going to try avoid alc till Nov too so don't get the temptation. Not even considered a smoke today which is good. Congrats on stopping by the way.

In other news - the toilet thing is over, thank god. Happened all of a sudden. Not sure it had anything to do with Duphalac or not.

Wednesday should be a good one, a few less pills to take and that.

[adamj]

Day 6 Post Op

Points again:

* I thought my left chest was elevated but it seems to have gone down a lot so I'm delighted about that, must have been swelling! It's still slightly bigger.

* I took the pit bandages off last night and one of the incisions hadn't healed and there was actually raw flesh sticking out of the hole. The other one had healed totally. I actually just pulled it out the flesh with my fingers, it was very disgusting and quite painful, and then just stuck a plaster straight over the top. This morning I woke up to chnage the plaster and it had healed over. The human body is remarkable ha. But a word of warning to anyone else getting surgery - check the incision sites and do this earlier if it is a problem. Can't believe I only noticed it after a week. I probably should have changed them more regularly.

* I'm more yellow than anything now, no pain really. Stopped taking co-dydramol.

* I can feel some sections of my chest

* I'm not constipated or bloated anymore.

* The nipple plasters come off tomorrow morning.

* I have arnica cream for tomorrow too.

* The vest is itchy, tight and an all round pain in the flippin arse.

* Generally loving life at the moment, feels flippin awesome wearing tees and just generally not having the curse that is gyne with you all of the time. Just can't wait to start exercising and get the vest off me!

Pics, before and 6 pays post (happy with the way it's healing and going so far):

[Nipper]

Lookin Schweet there Dude!   Albeit a bit bruised, that's only because you are so lean.  I had that same severe mosaic bruising, totally gone now, the arnica cream is really good imo.  As for the pit flesh?  Eeew, one of mine was/is still a bit raised, but nothing like what you have described, doesn't sound right at all but glad you rectified it

[adamj]

Thanks Nipper! Yeh, the pit incision healing was definitely not right at all, not sure what happened there but it all seems to be good now. Nipple plasters are off and all looks good underneath. They have reduced in size from like 50p to 2p, which is great. One's looks very natural and responds to the cold, but the other is flat (if not concave) and hasn't come alive yet. Arnica cream seems to have reduced the bruising significantly already.

One thing that has come up is an annoying intense prickly itch, and after further inspection, what looks like a rash coming through. It's driving me f'ing crazy. Any cream anyone can recommend? Think i've read of others experiencing this.

[sjwsjw]

Read a few people who got a rash around the rib area where the compression vest sits, few have said that sudocrem is good (im pre op so i can't say i have experience of that cream for that use but makes sense)

Hows your mobility?

Got my consultation with him a week tomorrow