Haematoma?

[Robin_G]

How do you know if you've got it as opposed to just a bit of residual blood and post-op bruisng, and what is the procedure that they use for getting rid of it if you have got it?

Anyone on here had experience of this?

How soon after did you have to get it dealt with?

Is its removal similar to an op, or is it a more straightforward procedure?

[phantom]

Hello Robin

First off, if you have any concerns about bleeding, call the hospital for advice.  If you want someone to look at it sooner, see your GP, they will be able to advise you.

As helpful as all the guys on here are, we can't tell you what you may or may not have and I for certain would not want to suggest anything that may be to the contrary.

Call the Priory, speak to Gail Levick and she will either get Mr L to call you or you will be called back by another duty doctor or nurse.

Hope you are OK.

[Robin_G]

Hey phantom, yeah I spoke to Mr L last night and touch wood it is just hopefully an extreme case of post-op bruising and blistering etc

Not a pretty sight

The bandages come off later today so I'll have a clearer idea then of if there's anything to worry about

Apparently the version of haematoma that needs dealing with mainly manifests itself near the nipple

Fingers crossed

How are you healing?

Still happy with your results?

Are you doing anything more than walking down the gym yet?

[phantom]

Pleased to hear everything is ok.

Bandages off eh?  The moment of truth!  Just remember to play down your expectations.  It sounds like you can expect quite a bit of bruising.  Your skin might be macerated, wrinkled, uneven and lumpy.  Expect some swelling, especially near the armpit and around the bottom of the pectoral.  The area in and around the nipple and areola might be sunken or concave.

In other words, it probably won't be a pretty sight!  However, at this early stage you will more than likely be able to fling on just about any top you like and be amazed by the difference!  Just remember that with the compression garment, it's a bit of an illusion as it gives you much better shaped body  I think I might be reluctant to ever stop wearing mine!

My healing is going well.  I think I am lucky that my bruising (which was not too severe) cleared up after around a week.  No bruising now.  Still slight inflammation under the arm and the bottom of the pec area, but getting better every day.  In and around the nipple and areola is still very numb.

Am I happy?  I am quite happy with the progress so far.  I won't be able to give a full evaluation until I am around the 3 month mark.  The slight swelling at the bottom of each pec is giving me a little concern but we will have to see.  I'll be posting pics at week four, we will all be able to pass comments.

As for fitness, I'm still power-walking every day.  I have been stretching the upper half quite a lot this week.  I am detecting what I think is scare tissue - a line from where the cannula was inserted to the breast area.  It feels quite tight when I lift my arm.  Again, I think this will resolves over the coming weeks.

I'll post a fuller update tomorrow on my 'surgery with levick' thread when I will at the two week mark.

PS  You'll keep wanting to glace at yourself in every mirror and dark window you pass

[Robin_G]

Yep, cautiously happy so far then after the grand unveiling

Lots of bruisng and much swelling and blistering round the armpits, but while the main pec area is very bruised,  more importantly it is flat, which means I've got away with it

There's a very minor layer of fat which I think has been deliberately left in, and to be honest as soon as I'm able to get back down the gym, I'd be able to tone in no time with the gyne out of the way

Wow! Always been a pointless exercise that in the past. Could sort any area of body, but chest was a hopeless case and sometimes looked worse after doing a lot of weights

Am now wearing my compression vest, with a really cool tight v neck sweater an ex girlfriend once bought me, and I upset greatly by never wearing for obvious reasons. Looks pretty good now  

When you catch yourself side-on its like something's missing......although definitely won't be missed  

See how it goes from hereon in then I guess

Will be interested to see your full update on the other thread phantom

I'm sure as time progresses we'll both have concerns etc, and I've no idea just how much to expect in terms of the very final results, but this definitely feels like good progress right now

[phantom]

Just on the word on the layer of fat:

There has to be a layer of fat.  No matter how skinny the skinniest person is, they have an entire layer of fat underneath the skin.  Also,  Mr L has to 'sculpt' to what he thinks is in proportion to the rest of your body, so if you should loose fat through diet (or put it on!) the ratio of accumulation is in proportion throughout the body.

[Robin_G]

Yeah that all makes sense then

Just had a seriously uncomfortable and itchy night in this compression vest

Did you say you wore something underneath the vest? Does it still work as well?

Also, you mentioned something about some cocoa butter stuff a while back I think. Is that for when you start massaging, or is that to soothe any irritation?

[phantom]

Other people find the vest itchy.  Personally I have been OK.  The only irritation comes from the shoulder straps where the velcro is.  But I just put a couple of folded bog roll sheets there to separate where the velcro join is from my shoulder.

I think stonecold has used a t-shirt for extra comfort - also gives a little more compression if you need it.  I found my vest had loosened a little by week 2, but I just adjusted the hooks to the next size down.  But I would certainly use a t-shirt if I needed any more compression.

I don't know about the cocoa- butter thing.  I have not used anything until now.  I think pregnant women use it to help keep their bellies supple, but it has no clinical benefit.

I won't be massaging until after the vest comes off.  I will be using a massage roller ball.  I bought the second one from this link (v.fast delivery).
http://www.play.com/play247.asp?pa=search&searchtype=GADG&searchstring=Omni&page=search

[Robin_G]

On reflection I think the itching is actually maybe my skin starting to heal as its still half covered in bruising

Anyone know of anything thats safe to use for soothing irritated skin?

I've now even managed to acquire brusised nipples FFS!!!!

That has only happened since I took the bandage off and was the one bit of me that wasn't affected, but I guess thats because the padding is gone and they're rubbing directly against the vest. Anyone else get this?

Think I'll give one of those rollers a try when the vest comes off though