RRB's Op Diary

[RRB]

They only cover the front of your chest and along your side a bit.  You can still wash all around the area and your armpits etc, its no problem. Would be kinda like having a stooky on

[Merv_UK]

You can wash but under my arms around the puncture wounds are still pretty "angry" so I don't want to do too much scrubbing or lots of shower gel. Also you can't have a full on shower with the bandages on: you'll not honk but untill the bandages come off you'll not FEEL really clean.

[RRB]

Well its now 10 days post op.

Im feeling pretty good especially psychologically.  Everything seems to coming together fine, been out doing a fair bit of walking and energy levels are getting there.  Im still a bit stiff and still have lumps under my armpits where the egde of the bandages were.  They dont seem to be reducing at the moment and its bigger on my left side.  They are actually a little sore but not much, more of a discomfort

As i said earlier my nipples and surrounding areas were well indented, this is filling out now and looking much better, the vest is doing its job well and is not too intrusive at all.

Im going back to the gym tomorrow to start doing light cardio again and see how i get on.  Hopefully a week tomorrow i can start some very light weights.

Overall im very happy with my progress so far

[AJP]

Sounds good RRB. I wish I was 10 days post op!

Don't overdo the weights mate, make sure you give your body the best chance of healing properly.

Let us know how you get on.

All the best.

[Chorlton]

Glad to hear all is well.  

do you think it is ok to start doing exercise now.  I am 4 weeks in and only planning to start running on Monday.  My gut is screaming out for exercise!!


chorlton

[RRB]

The gym I use is a monthly payment, so if dont go im still paying, on the other hand if i do go im not paying directly on the day so when i go tomorrow if i feel i cant do the cardio ill just leave and its not money wasted in a way.

Im going to try just doing light cardio on the sit down stationary bike and see how i get on, even if i can do 20 minutes at a time its better than nothing.

[AJP]

It's probably good if you can get a bit of light CV in. All this sitting around makes me feel like I want to get out of the house and run around for hours!

It may even be beneficial to the healing process. If you're pumping more blood around then maybe you'll be getting more oxygen to the damaged tissue, and therefore help it to heal. I'm probably wrong, but it was just a thought!

Cheers.

[RRB]

Well went to the gym today and done some light cardio on the stationary bike, 30 mins i did and i didnt feel bad at all.  I could have kept going but didnt want to do too much in one sitting.  I may go back later this afternoon and do another 30 minutes.  The beauty of a pay monthly gym is you can go in at anytime and as much times as you want for the same fee.

[RRB]

Almost 2 weeks post op

Feeling pretty good now, got a lot of movement back.  Training is working out fine too, been to the gym everyday this week so far doing cardio.  I feel as if I could do some light weights but im not going to risk it just now.

Chest seems to be a bit more swollen just now and a bit tender, not sore as such but like ive done a weights work out on it.  Still got lumps under my armpits, the right side isnt too bad but the left side is quite big still and a little tender.  Nipple area is still sunk in a bit but im hoping that will fill out more once i get the vest off for good and start weight workouts on my chest.

On a high note about the gym, its been great going with just a t-shirt on top, before id have a t-shirt and then tracksuit type top on to hide the gyne.

My chest isnt perfectly flat just now but it is nowhere near what it was.  Its tempting to think that the gyne is coming back or the op wasnt a perfect success.  With reading other peoples diaries though you realise that this is just par for the course and it will sort itself out in time.

[Merv_UK]

Keep in there RRB. I'm 2 weeks post op today. I've seen quite a big improvement in the last 24hs alone. I thought my chest (particularly my nips) wouldn't flesh out again until the vest came off but since yesterday my left nipple now points the correct way- Hoorah! Right side taking longer, seems to be a lot more leathery/lumpy. Imbalance might also be down to slightly bigger right pec, don't know. I blame that Nell McAndrew 'Excercise" video I bought last year: it didn't deliver the "all over body definition" it promised but now i have a right arm like Arnold Schwarzeneggar

I've also realised that my posture isn't helping the 'concave' effect. I've spent 20yrs perfecting it to minimise my gyne, so now I've gotta make a conscious effort to stand up straight and stick my chest out. Looks a hell of a lot better.

[RRB]

Minor update

My chest felt a bit sore last night for some reason, felt like it was on fire, well not on fire but really hot under the skin.  Got up today and the swelling round the centre of my chest, cleavage area if you like, seems to have gone down a fair bit.  Really getting better by the day now.

Off topic I secured a new contract today to start work on monday (im an IT contractor), im glad because work up here has been slow of late, but everything seems to be coming together nicely for me now.

[AJP]

RRB,

That's probably just your nerves starting to work again - which is a good thing.

Good luck with the job.

[RRB]

Almost 3 weeks post op

Nothing really to report, just got lumps under my armpits but getting better slowly, nipples not filled out yet but i think thats due to the vest.  I dont find wearing the vest a problem at all, no real discomfort with it.

Fitness levels seem back to normal now although i havent tried lifting weights yet and wont for at least another week to 10 days.

I still seem to have a bit of a chest above the nipple line but i do have a reasonable bit of muscle so i reckon its a bit of swelling making it stand out more and also when your looking down as opposed to the front or the side it seems to look bigger (why doesnt that happen with your penis tho ?   )

[RRB]

1 month post op

Chest is pretty lumpy now and quite tender at bits, seems to be healing fine though, lumps under the armpits going down gradually.  Chest is still totally numb below the nipple line but its not uncomfortable or anything.  Seems a bit swollen above the nipples sometimes it looks like my chest is the exact same as it was before the op above the nipples when your looking down at it.  Once you look in a mirror though its a different story, it looks quite normal apart from the lumpiness etc.

Going to stat doing weights again on monday as ive felt fine for the past week.  Been able to start sleeping on my side again since last week which is a god send.  Basically, physically i feel about 90% back to fitness as i was pre op.  Feels great though to go to work with a shirt on and not worrry about boobs poking through, and to go out with just normal clothes and not feel worried.  

[Chorlton]

RRB,

Tell me about thinking they have grown back lark when you look down.  Its so weird.  The mirror definately tells a different story though.  flat as a pancake and looking good.  I am still reasuring myself to make show there is no growth.  I do realise that there is still scar tissue there and once it goes it should be even flatter (as It100's).

I was riding in a car the other day and guess what I noticed.  No boob wobble.  i had to concentrate just to make sure.

And I was wearing a jacket the other day and the wind caused it to come apart and previously I would have rushed to fastern it to hide the boobs but it was so liberating to let the wind brush against my chest with out crying "Noooooooooo" in my head.

for me the Gyne op rules!!

Chorlton