Holiday and recovery after op?

[bohemian]

First post.  Been reading all the messages (fantastic inspiration and thanks for everyone thats posted) for months but never got round to posting one of my own.

Suffering from gyne since I was a teenager (i'm 37 now) and after a few years of training discovered that i couldn't actually do anything to remove my boobies.  Discovered this forum and operation is booked for November 3rd with Levick, of course. Been saving like crazy since last year cos I don't earn much but thought it was life-changing enough to merit all the expense.

I work in a bar and Mrs Levick said that I should take two weeks off cos work involves a lot of stretching up for glasses.  Would it be ok to take a holiday at the same time? How many days should I wait after the operation?  When would I feel well enough to take a break?  Just asking all the guys who have had the operation.

Can't wait until next summer when I can finally go topless I live in Brighton and just wouldn't feel comfortable on the beach. After the operation things should be different!

[irish_dude]

I felt A1 the next day after the op. I spent about 4 hours walking around the Bullring in Birmingham.

HOWEVER! Stretching up and bending down were definately off the menu.

I couldn't tie my shoelaces for the first week (I'd recommend wearing slip-ons if you don't have an understanding partner). I couldn't reach up without discomfort for a week either.

But generally I was fine and got back to work within days, however I'd say that you'll really need to take those 2 weeks of because of your having to stretch up, etc.

I'm almost 3 weeks post op. I play drums ocassionally for a band and there's a couple of gigs next week. I was initially a bit doubtful about doing it, but I think all will be OK.

[bohemian]

Didn't realise that it was that bad.  Thanks for telling me.  The thing about shoe laces, wow.  Trying to hide it from work, collegues, etc. because you know the jokes I could possibly get from drunk customers.  My gyne isn't really really bad, I will post pics soon, I'm real slim so kind of lucky.

Off to buy some slip-ons now. Lucky they are in fashion.  

[irish_dude]

Didn't realise that it was that bad.  Thanks for telling me.

Well, I hope I didn't make it sound worse than it was. Stretching up and bending down were the only things I had problems with for the first week. I was fine in every other way.

Trying to hide it from work, collegues, etc. because you know the jokes I could possibly get from drunk customers.  My gyne isn't really really bad, I will post pics soon, I'm real slim so kind of lucky.

Guess what? They probably haven't noticed, and won't notice when you come back from surgery.

That's not to say that you won't notice, but it's amazing how clever we get in hiding gyne. If you want to be macho about it, just say that you ripped your pec ligaments during a particularly tough 3 hour work out at the gym and had to get the muscles 're-attached!'. Mr.Levick's typical small-scarring incision points are at the apex of torso and arm so you could get away with such a story!

Off to buy some slip-ons now. Lucky they are in fashion.  

Are they? Shows how much I know! I suppose that you'll be telling me next that gold medallions and excessive chest-hair are out of fashion.

Speaking of which, shave everything from adam's apple to navel pre-op, both front AND back. Yes, Mr. Levick does bandage you up with a gauze layer post op across your chest, but the actual bandages are attached to the skin under your arms.

I'm quite hursuite, and I almost lacerrated myself under my arms after the first week when the bandages came off. So much so that I thought that Mr. Levick had Liposuctioned under my arms too.

But we're all big 'n' tough. It's nothing to worry about.

You'll be in very capable hands. Everyone at the Priory is ultra-professional and curtious.

[bohemian]

Thanks for all that info Irish_Dude!  Putting my mind at rest.

But as for that bit about not noticing, they are a pretty discerning bunch that go into my pub.  I've had a few comments in the past and last night I heard someone say that I had the dreaded 'manboobs'.  I would so like to confront people like that and tell them that i've just spent the best part of a year saving up to get an operation done to save me from those comments.  Just so glad that I can think that I'm getting something done about it soon.

Really like the idea of say that I've ripped my pec muscle at the gym.  Might just come clean with it though to rid the world of prejudice and strike a blow for fellow-sufferers.  Another guy at work just got his eyes done!  

Another fashion tip, black is back.  And the 'Lost' look is in (see channel 4)  

[Mugambo]

Guys, just a note. I was thinking about shaving my hairy chest prior to the operation but I had a thought - when the hair grows back, it would be thicker and itchy as hell and theres no way you're gonna be able to scratch yourself without putting yourself in more pain  

I've decided that I'm gonna get a pair of clippers and trim without the guard so the hair is as small as possible... the free wax that I'll get after I attempt to take the bandages off should be relatively small to the itchiness from shaving or not doing anything at all. Just my theory.....

Has anyone already tried this approach??

[irish_dude]

Another fashion tip, black is back.

Damn, and just when I'm starting to throw out my gyne-era collection of black sack-like shirts.

Typical.

I guess there's another funny cultural difference. In Ireland, barmen are always usually very secretive about their personal lives and there's a 'chinese wall' like effect that the bar counter puts up. It would be a bit like ribbing your accountant, solicitor or priest. Barmen here banter, but they tend to keep a professional distance from their clients!

[Daytona_Dude]

Mugambo - I took some good advice from these boards and shaved my chest, arm pits and back before my op earlier this week, I think I'll be glad I did next week when the dressing comes off! I used some hair removal cream and finished by razor. I think any minor itchyness from shaving is better then the pain of sticky bandages wripping off armpit hair...?? :-)

Bohemian - I didn't tell my mates that I was having my man boobs removed, I told them that I had chest muscle problems, brought on from the gym, and that doc's had to remove some 'hardened tissue' from each side that could cause problems in the future. Luckily none of em are physio's, coz I can't think of an ailment that this excuse sounds similar too! It saved me any taunting, which I've received for god knows how many years from certain 'mates'.

[London_boy]

I felt A1 the next day after the op. I spent about 4 hours walking around the Bullring in Birmingham.

Bohemian, everyone reacts differently to surgery and whilst the majority of people who have had surgery are pretty much okay the next day, there are the odd exceptions.

irish_dude and I had our op's within 24hrs of each other and whilst he felt fine, I was the exact opposite having had a haematoma and an additional night in the Priory, when they did let me go, I felt pretty average for a good 3 days after and going anywhere other than home was the last thing on my mind.

So what I would say is you'll probably be fine but there is a chance that you might not ! So give it a few days just to be on the safe side before you take yourself off on holiday....

And as for stretching, either up or down, as irish says, definitely off the menu !

[irish_dude]

irish_dude and I had our op's within 24hrs of each other and whilst he felt fine, I was the exact opposite

I think I actually was about two rooms down from you that Friday on the Bournville wing. If you got that smell of smoke at 4am then it was probabally me, puffing away with my head stuck out the window!

To be honest bohemian, London is right, I don't want to paint too much of a rosy picture based on my own experience. Expect the worst and budget for lots of time off and you won't be disappointed either way.