Oh Bugger!!!!!

[irish_dude]

I have found the best thing is to put the vest on, then peel the bottom half back up over the chest up to just under my armpits. This in effect gives double compression over your chest but leaves your stomach and diaphram free. Which I feel is more comfy and gives easier breathing.

Genius!

I tried the vest a few times pre-op, while the compression was good on my chest, it was a killer on my stomach. I'll give the 'webster' technique a try when I take the bandages off this Friday.

[London_boy]

Me too, I'll be trying "The Webster" on Thursday !

I also tried mine on pre op and whilst there's no denying that my stomach could benefit from some mild compression (!?!), the thought of wearing that for 6 weeks was a slightly daunting prospect................

[Tintin]

Much appreciated Webster,
That is very useful. I was about to order a Large Design Veronique type 640 - I measured my chest and I am 44. Might have a look at underworks 977 and 980 too. Thanks a lot for that... no doubt I will also be using  the 'Webster' technique after my op.

[irish_dude]

My diary and pics are up, finally.

[ms1972]

AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

You bugger!!! You shaved didn't you? Well done!!!

I can't wait to see the bandages off irish, Should be an all round much more pleasant experience than it was for us who know better, or don't have time....ahem.

Thanks for sharing the pics dude.

[irish_dude]

You bugger!!! You shaved didn't you? Well done!!!

Assume nothing. I shaved alright, I shaved the front of my chest *not* the sides of my torso to which the compression bandage is currently spot-welded.

Tomorrow will be very interesting AND painful!!!

[Tintin]

I asked my sister about shaving..she suggested I go for a wax! I think the look on my face said it all as she immediatley suggested to shave it rather than immac or any of the creams.
Wax!

[ms1972]

Assume nothing. I shaved alright, I shaved the front of my chest *not* the sides of my torso to which the compression bandage is currently spot-welded.

Tomorrow will be very interesting AND painful!!!

[London_boy]

Right, well the bandages came off today and it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be as everything was itching like mad yesterday ! I'm really glad that I'd taken everyone's advice and shaved everything as that just left the adhesive to contend with........

Having manhandled the bandages off, I'm really pleasantly surprised at what I've found underneath. The bruising is fairly minimal and the left hand side is very flat and a little concave, the right hand side is lumpier and slightly more bruised due to the haematoma, but all in all, pretty flat ! I do however keep looking down and thinking "this isn't my chest".....
With the compression vest and a t-shirt on, I look for the first time in 15 years, "NORMAL" !!!!!

One word of advice (irish_dude this is one for you), I went to a larger Boots store the other day and asked if they had anything for bandage adhesive removal and they gave me some "Zoff" wipes, which were about £4. It's behind the counter, so you'll have to ask, but this stuff is amazing, just a light rub and the sticky stuff goes !!

[irish_dude]

One word of advice (irish_dude this is one for you)

Are you saying I'm hairy?!?!

One of the nurses at the Priory advised me that there's a product called Hydrex (looks like Windowlene and comes in a similar spray type bottle) which is very good for bandage removal.

Anyway, just listen carefully for the screams tomorrow at exactly 11am as I 'de-mummify' myself.

I'm exactly the same as you London, flat on the left and a little lumpy on the right, or at least that's how it looks over the bandages. Hopefully all will settle in a few months.

[London_boy]

Good luck tomorrow Irish !!! It's a wierd sensation for the first 10 minutes after the bandages come off, you feel really naked without all that protection, but it's all worth it, I keep looking at my side profile every time I pass a mirror and think "that can't be me".........  

[ms1972]

Yay! Nice one London!!!!

I'm two weeks post Op now, I was going to get the missus to take a picture this morning before she went off to work but I forgot. D'oh, now I've remembered I'm back at work me bloomin self next week.

Anyway, don't worry about the lumpines, concavity or anything like that. I had a massive lump over the left side which hung over the bandages, it was quite hard, bruised and unsightly when I lifted my arms, but it's amazing what a week does. Every day I go in the shower, and every day my chest looks more normal. The lumps almost now gone, but the scar tissues developing now which is evening everything out in a strange sort of way.

The past couple of days have been the biggets change.

Good luck mate. It only gets better!!!

[irish_dude]

Anyway, don't worry about the lumpines, concavity or anything like that. I had a massive lump over the left side which hung over the bandages, it was quite hard, bruised and unsightly when I lifted my arms, but it's amazing what a week does.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

That was a cry of pain, by the way, as I've just taken the bandages off.

Holy crap, I'm flat! I'm in hair-removal pain, but I'm flat!

MS - I seem to have the same lumpiness as you under and over the bandages, but I'm sure this will all go with time and a little daily massage and frequent gentle pec-tensing.

I've got the compression vest on now in 'webster style'. Pure genius, as it was very uncomfortable on my tum when sitting, but it's hugging my chest doubly and quite snugly now.

Good ol' Mr.Levick has also appeared to have done some lypo about three inches under my armpits as there are distinct puncture/entry wounds there as well as the usual entry scars high up on my armpits.

A couple of days before the op I was examining my areas of fat and noticed a lot spreading around from my breasts to under my armpits, nearly enough to take a handfull of. I was going to tell him about this on the day, but I totally forgot. Thankfully he zapped this area too.

These secondary scars are really red and raw at the moment as the adhesive bandage was applied directly over them without a plaster/gauze in between, but it's nothing a little disinfectant and some exposure to air won't fix up in a few days.

Bruising is *very* minimal, there's hardly any! Maybe the whole Arnica-thing isn't bullsh*t after all, as I took it relgiously before and after the op.

My left nipple is very dark, both nipples are completely numb. I'm sure sensation will return in a week or three, but it feels totally freaky!

Phew.

[RRB]

My left nipple is very dark, both nipples are completely numb. I'm sure sensation will return in a week or three, but it feels totally freaky!

Phew.

Nipple sensations takes months to come back usually :/

[London_boy]

Well done Irish - how nice is it not to have to wear those bandages ??

I'm getting quite used to the compression vest now although I'm wearing it the conventional way as opposed to "the webster".

Things underneath seem to be getting better, the hardish lumps by the armpits that were trapped above the bandages are starting to disperse slowly and although the left side is nice and flat, I have an area of swelling around the right nipple, which will hopefully start to go down over the next few weeks......................