Surgery is over! Bring on the Perc!

[newgyneguy]

I am a 24 year old male from the SF Bay area.  6'3, 205.

12 hours post op. - UAL (liposuction) and glandular removal.  Doc said he was going to make the call on the gland when he got a better look, and lo and behold, he determined it significant enough to remove.  

Here is how the day went:

Took a valium at 6:30, arrived at the Doctor's office at 7:00 a.m.  I met the scrub nurse who had me change out of my clothes and into my robe.  Next stop was a warm bed, where I met the anethesiologist, who asked me some questoins, and inserted the IV.  Then I was asleep.

I literally remember nothing until I woke up in my friend's car, driving home.  My chest was sore but the pain wasn't even that bad, and the anathesiology left me feeling more intoxicated than nauseated.  I got back, popped a perc, and quickly fell asleep (on my back, of course!)

Right now I am still in the compression vest, with a ton of gauze, and I have two drains in either side.  I have emptied them out and I had just a few drops of fluid.  My chest is sore, but not overly sore, and I will probably try to go to sleep before I take any more pain medications, and save them for if I wake up in the middle of the night.  I will attest to the accuracy of previous posters who stated it feels like I just did a killer chest workout with lactic acid buildup.

Post-op tomorrow at 10, where I will likely get the first short look at my new chest.  Also, I will start the antibiotics.

Altogether it was an incredibly easy experience and I am wondering why I waited six years to do this!  Hopefully the results look as good as I feel now.

[Grandpa Bambu]

Congrats!!!

John.

[newgyneguy]

Thanks, Grandpa.  Just saw your pics, I hope my surgery is half as successful!

If my results are decent, I will be sure to fully endorse the doctor who did this surgery (Palo Alto, CA).  Also if anyone is considering surgery feel free to PM me.

[newgyneguy]

No, I believe the surgeon's fee included either liposuction, or liposuction and glandular excision, depending on what the doctor deemed was in my best interest during surgery.  He said I was about 70/30 fat to gland, and that was definitely enough to warrant the glandular excision, so he went ahead and did it.

I have had four separate consultations, and I was most comfortable with this doctor because he has performed 100+ gyne operations, and he was the most thorough in explaining the procedure and costs.  

Total cost:

Facility Fee + Misc. Expenses:  1850
Anesthesiology: 780
Surgeon Fee: 3300

Total Cost:  $5930 (and worth every penny)

[newgyneguy]

24 hour update, if anyone is curious:

Took a perc and crashed out around midnight.  Woke up this morning at 7 with a similar level of chest pain as I had last night, nothing to be surprised about, though I did manage to sleep 7 hours straight.  The pain medication is causing a little bit of stomach illness, but nothing too bad.  I have my first follow up at 10, hopefully I will get a chance to look at my new chest.  Again, if anyone has questions about what undergoing this procedure is like, feel from to message me.

Also, the color in the fluid from my drains has oddly changed from deep-red with yellow chunks, to a very clearish pink color.

[newgyneguy]

Saw the results for the first time.  Wow, what a shock.  Doctor told me they pulled out 1200 ccs of fat and even more gland.  

I took off the compression vest for a quick glance in the mirror and my chest was FLAT.  I have a feeling I will need to hit the gym when this is all over to build up my pectoral muscles.  I can't wait to actually wear a T-shirt around, without underworks.

36 hours after surgery, and I don't feel any pain unless I get up and move around.  I am still taking Perc but will switch to Advil tomorrow.  I will put up the before and after pics later this week, when I get them from the doc.

[tonysoprano]

Congrats mate!

wow - 1200 ccs of fat alone ? sheesh..

Are you a pretty big/bulky guy to begin with ?

[jc71]

Good thread. Keep giving updates on your progress.

[newgyneguy]

Day 5!

I almost feel 100%.  The area around my nipple is still kind of numb, as is the area on the side of my chest where it touches my arm.  I have what appear to be large bruises both in the center of my chest and along both sides, but they are not painful.  The pain has subsided, and has been replaced by a fair amount of itching.

As for the chest, it looks good.  I am trying to keep constant compression with the vest provided by my surgeon, but I am taking about 1 hr a day to let my chest breathe.  What I found really bizarre is the fair amount of what seems to be loose tissue, possibly liquid, that covers my chest under the skin.  The skin feels a little loose, and there is still a very thin layer of what seems to be fat covering both pectoral muscles.  It looks completely normal, however, and I have experienced no swelling whatsoever.

On a psychological level, I realized I have been blaming my gyne for a long time while I have let my own physical fitness slide.  When the doctor clears me to work out, I hope to take care of the equally substantial layer of fat that covers my belly.

[tonysoprano]

Day 5!

I almost feel 100%.  The area around my nipple is still kind of numb, as is the area on the side of my chest where it touches my arm.  I have what appear to be large bruises both in the center of my chest and along both sides, but they are not painful.  The pain has subsided, and has been replaced by a fair amount of itching.

As for the chest, it looks good.  I am trying to keep constant compression with the vest provided by my surgeon, but I am taking about 1 hr a day to let my chest breathe.  What I found really bizarre is the fair amount of what seems to be loose tissue, possibly liquid, that covers my chest under the skin.  The skin feels a little loose, and there is still a very thin layer of what seems to be fat covering both pectoral muscles.  It looks completely normal, however, and I have experienced no swelling whatsoever.

On a psychological level, I realized I have been blaming my gyne for a long time while I have let my own physical fitness slide.  When the doctor clears me to work out, I hope to take care of the equally substantial layer of fat that covers my belly.

hey mate , congrats again...
just wondering - how overwight were you pre-op that you needed 1200 cc of fat removed ?

[newgyneguy]

Hey Tony,

I wasn't THAT overweight before surgery, so I will have to double check the amount of fat I had removed with my doctor.  I have been looking at exactly how much 1200 ccs is, and it doesn't seem like I had that much gyne to begin with.  This is what he told me during the follow-up, though.

If I did have 1200 ccs removed, a lot of it was from the side of my chest though, almost up to the armpits.  That is as big a difference as the breast tissue.  I was 6'3, 205, but I have a naturally thin frame and fairly sizable moobs.  I think when I get the pictures up you will get a better idea.