Nope1's Diary - Scar Tissue

[Grandpa Bambu]

Don't even worry, you shoulda seen my nipples at 7 weeks post op - they looked mutilated.  They retake their shape eventually.  I saw your pics, you got nothing to worry about

Thanks for the reassurance Dude!

Yeah, I'm gonna wait for a year to fully heal as Dr. Fielding suggested. If after a year, the areola is still puffed out, I'm gonna ask for a revision.

John.

[nope1]

3 weeks post lipo


Not happy.  There is almost no improvement on either breast at this point.  The only bright side is that the left breast is still hard and must be swelled.  I know Fielding took a lot of fat outta that one so I think it will flatten.  But the right breast needs more lipo.

Now, I dunno if I have leftover gland behind my nipples or if its scar tissue, but ever since I had this lipo, it looks like the nipples are sticking out more.

Here is my plan:

1) tomorrow I am going to see my original PS, Dr. Assad to get more coritsone shots in each nipple.  I will see if that flattens the nipples at all, if it does, I know its scar tissue.

2)  If the shots don't flatten the nipples enough, I have a follow up with Fielding on April 25 - I am going to tell him I want more lipo done and I want him to cut out whatever the hell is behind my nipples - even if its scar tissue, I don't care, I want this out NOW!  He should be able to get me another surgery in Mid May I'm thinkin, so at least I can still have 2 months till my summer vacation.  If he cuts out the crap behind my nipples, the incisions will be tiny so I'm not worried about the scars.  I will still be ready for summer.  And this time I'm telling him to lipo my chest and get rid of EVERYTHING.

3) I still have an issue with the outer scars from my original surgery - I will ask both PS's about scar revision options, ie. dermabrasion, laser, etc.

I'm extremely frustrated right now but somehow I still feel I have a good chance to be able to go shirtless this summer.

[nope1]

It's been 2.5 days since the 3rd round of cortisone shots.  Haven't seen much improvement, but I don't expect to until 1.5 weeks.  Anyway Dr. Assad was very mean this time.  He told me I should be paying for these shots (which I did, $25) and that it's almost been a year post op and I shouldn't be expecting him to do all this.  He said he's been very generous with me and there is little scar tissue left, anything else is leftover gland that he did not take out because he had to leave a bit in.  This is all fine, but first of all, he told me the shots were free, so why would I think any different?  And originally he told me not go get the shots until 1 year post op...now he's sayin it's almost 1 year post op, so why I am I still bothering with it?  Also, all along he told me it was scar tissue, not gland, now he makes me feel stupid for coming in for more shots...Anyway I felt like such crap when I left.  After the shots he closed to door and let me get my shirt back on, but by the time I had my shirt back on he knocked on the door as if I was taking long or something cuz he needed the room for the next patient.  Anyway, I don't plan to ever go back to him for any more visits.  I will deal with Fielding.

I have an appt. with Fielding on April 25, 2005.  This time I am going to ask him to:

1) cut out the excess gland/scar tissue

2) do more lipo on both breasts

3) ask about a nipple reduction (the outer scars make my nipples very pointy now)

I am very nervous about this appt. because I am worried that since at that time it will only be 5 weeks post op lipo, that he will say he doesn't wanna do anything else until the 3 month mark or something.  I think I can get away with #1 and #2 on my list because once the gland is gone, my nipples won't be sticking out anyway, so it should look normal.

The incisions to cut out the gland should be very small, so the scars will heal quickly, and the lipo I would need is very minor, so that would heal quickly too.

I'm terrified that he's going to say he won't do the op cuz it's too soon.  I need it done now so I can heal for summer.  I have 3 vacations booked this summer, all at beaches or waterparks cuz I was certain this would be gone in time...I'm terrified, thats all I can say.    

[Grandpa Bambu]

Nope1....

You were right Dude!  

The hard lump below my right areola is starting to get smaller!

Thanks for helping me through this. I was really worried about it at one point.

John.

[Grandpa Bambu]

I have an appt. with Fielding on April 25, 2005.  This time I am going to ask him to:

1) cut out the excess gland/scar tissue

2) do more lipo on both breasts

3) ask about a nipple reduction (the outer scars make my nipples very pointy now)

Nope1....

Did you hook up with JCF on the 25th? What did he say?

John.

[nope1]

9 month + 2 weeks post op

Yes, I did see Dr. Fielding on the 25th of April.  He said he will not do any excision or lipo for 6 months past the lipo date, which was March 21, 2005...so I'm lookin at September 21, 2005 if I want to do that.  He said there is really no gland to take out, and no lipo left to do.  I disagree, but I'm starting to agree now actually.

He did say that the outer scars need some work, and I'm actually having ANOTHER op this Tuesday, May 10.  He is going to do z-plasty on my excision scars...basically its a procedure that makes them less noticeable, because the outer scars are pretty noticable...but they're not horrible or anything.  He is also doing a nipple reduction, because since my original PS did excision right through the nipple, the scars over the nipples have just made it look like I have really pointy nipples...so Fielding is going to just cut away the nipple...he said its a simple procedure, and should only be 2 weeks healing time...Dr. Bermant has a good example of a nipple reduction if anyone wants to see it...it looks pretty simple and the healing looks super quick too, for a cosmetically good appearance.

So basically I'm feeling like this nipple reduction will actually make my chest look normal like Fielding said.  The reason it looks like I have extra gland is just cuz the nipples are too big...by reducing them I think it will look good

I still have some swelling from the lipo in my left breast (about 7 weeks post op lipo)...so once that goes down and the nipples heal I think I may finally be free

***and Bambu, if that scar tissue doesn't completely go away, Fielding will do cortisone shots for free when he feels you need them...and that will get rid of ALL the scar tissue...no worries

[tonysoprano]

Hey nope1,

can I ask how many cc's per side you had lipo';d on mARCH 21 ?

THANKS MAte

ps. good luck for your op tuesday!

[nope1]

Hey nope1,

can I ask how many cc's per side you had lipo';d on mARCH 21 ?

THANKS MAte

ps. good luck for your op tuesday!

I think it was like 200 cc from the left, and 50cc from the right

[nope1]

Okay, I had the nipple reduction and scar revision today with Dr. Fielding.

I have bandages on still, but I slowy lifted them off for a minute and put them back on.  There is still quite a bit of blood, but from what I can see, the left one looks really good already, and it's the left one that was the worse of the 2.  The right one looks good already too, but there's a little swollen part on the nipple so it's hard to tell...but basically, I think this worked.  Fielding said no lifting weights for 1 week, get stiches out in 10 days with family doc, healing should only be a few weeks before I can take off my shirt.  There will be swelling because of the anesthetic injection, but thats it.

The scar revision was a z-plasty, which is a procedure where the PS makes incisions in a Z shape on either end of the scar...it relaxes the scar...and somehow, I can't even see the incisions at all, and I just had it done 4 hours ago...pretty amazing...I will continue to update

Fielding said "I will be ready for beach weather!"  

[jonQ]

right on man!how much did this exyra surgery cost you??

[nope1]

right on man!how much did this exyra surgery cost you??

Free!  Fielding rules...he even paid the hospital fee!

He said he's billing it as a scar revision which is covered under OHIP...as long as the scar was there from a surgery that was covered under OHIP.

This scar wasn't even from a surgery that he performed, and also he did the nipple reduction for free, which he definately could have charged me for...he's the best

I just looked at the nipples again, still bleeding, but the reduction is great...they look normal, minus the blood and stiches  

[jonQ]

awesome!!so you think that you're finally there??

[nope1]

awesome!!so you think that you're finally there??

Ya I think I am this time...I can't be sure until the stiches are out tho, and the healing is complete

I looked at the nipples again, now the right one looks like its coming along great too

[tonysoprano]

congrats mate.

z-plasty.... thats the word I gotta remeber to mention to my ps next time. my scars (incisions more than anything) are lookin pretty bad right now.

how invasive is a z-plasty ?
is it a gen. anaesthetic ? recovery quicker than or same as the gyne excision surgery ?
any prerequisites for performing this \?

[nope1]

congrats mate.

z-plasty.... thats the word I gotta remeber to mention to my ps next time. my scars (incisions more than anything) are lookin pretty bad right now.

how invasive is a z-plasty ?
is it a gen. anaesthetic ? recovery quicker than or same as the gyne excision surgery ?
any prerequisites for performing this \?

local anesthetic...each nipple scar took about 5 min...it was extremely quick...recovery is 1 week, when the stiches come out...I missed only 1 day from work, which was my surgery day, I went to work the very next day...you can resume lifting weights in 1 week...very minor sugery