How long post-surgery til one feels relatively normal?

[moobydo]

I'm scheduled for surgery this coming Monday morning (let's hope the doctor doesn't go out partying on Sunday night!). My question is this: realistically, how long does it take following surgery for you to feel okay to walk around in a t-shirt?  I know that it takes some 4-6 weeks with the compression garment. After that, is the swelling generally mild enough that nothing looks abnormal when you're just in a tshirt?  Or is it just too hard to say, given variation in healing for different patients? 

Also, does the compression garment show through a standard button down?

I'm just trying to get a sense of how long it will be til I feel relatively normal again. Not necessarily at the beach, but at least out in public. 

[tpatdd]

I'm coming up on 7 weeks post op and I just started wearing clothes without the vest during the day.  I still have daily minor reminders that I had surgery, but they become fewer and fewer each day.  I'd say at this point, I'm 90+% back to my old self.  You probably won't be able to wear a t-shirt over the stage 1 vest without anyone noticing, but it's very well hidden under a button down.  I have an office job and went back to work three days post op.  Nobody ever knew a thing.

The stage 1 is a real pain for the first few days, but you'll get used to it.  Life starts getting back to normal once you go to stage 2.  I first put mine on at week 5.

[don_joe]

I am 11 weeks post-op. My left nipple sticks out a little bit but it barely shows under a shirt. My right side is fine though. But as you said, it's a different story without a shirt. Lumps of scar tissue are visible, especially when I stretch my arms above my head. There is also some swelling around the armpits.

Settle in dude. It will take months before you reach the final result. As I read here before, having the surgery is the easy part. The recovery process with the deformities sucks hard. Btw, 7 weeks is very early to claim 90% recovery IMHO.

Did your PS advise to massage your chest ?

[yet-another]

With the Stage 1 vest, you can definitely see through a t-shirt, especially around the shoulders where the straps are.  Several people have asked me what that was.  I tell them that I have a pulled muscle in my back and that I am wearing a brace to assist in healing. 

I'm 3 weeks post op and the compression vests are starting to really annoy me.  Can't wait to get them off for good. 

[lookinup]

I just still wear 2 shirts and you can't see anything. My vest hides very nice.

[tpatdd]

Btw, 7 weeks is very early to claim 90% recovery IMHO.

That all depends on the severity of the case, the person's ability to heal and the skill of the doctor involved.  My chest has a natural male contour, I have minimal scar tissue, no visible scars and full range of motion.  I said 90% yesterday.  Today, I'm a little better.

[don_joe]

That all depends on the severity of the case, the person's ability to heal and the skill of the doctor involved.  My chest has a natural male contour, I have minimal scar tissue, no visible scars and full range of motion.  I said 90% yesterday.  Today, I'm a little better.

I'm glad if it is your case. 2 things however:

• The poster asked how long it took to recover (or something similar). According to my PS (one of Canada's most experienced) and what I read, the vast majority of patients -including me- go through a months long recovery process. The poster should be aware of this.
• As I said, I am 11 weeks post-op. Most of the scar tissue I'm experiencing now appeared 2 weeks ago. I too had very little scar tissue and swelling at first. It seems to come and go.
  

[tpatdd]

That all depends on the severity of the case, the person's ability to heal and the skill of the doctor involved.  My chest has a natural male contour, I have minimal scar tissue, no visible scars and full range of motion.  I said 90% yesterday.  Today, I'm a little better.

I'm glad if it is your case. 2 things however:

• The poster asked how long it took to recover (or something similar). According to my PS (one of Canada's most experienced) and what I read, the vast majority of patients -including me- go through a months long recovery process. The poster should be aware of this.
• As I said, I am 11 weeks post-op. Most of the scar tissue I'm experiencing now appeared 2 weeks ago. I too had very little scar tissue and swelling at first. It seems to come and go.
  

Don't want to argue, but...go back and read the question.  He wanted to know how long it took to feel relatively normal again and how long it would take to wear a t-shirt.  If you're saying that the Canada doctor can do no better than several months, I'd stay away from your surgeon. 

Again, each case is different, but there are many people on this site who have had the operation and been back to their normal routines in 4-6 weeks.  If you're not there after 11 weeks, maybe you should give your surgeon a call. 

[don_joe]

If you're not there after 11 weeks, maybe you should give your surgeon a call. 

Of course after 11 weeks, I feel 100% normal physically. I can do everything I used to do before surgery. I was allowed to resume workout after 4 weeks and to remove the vest after 6.

I was talking about full recovery: scar tissue and swelling completely gone. I am pretty sure that this can take many months, whatever the surgeon. So to answer the poster's question, it all depends on what was meant by "feeling normal". To me, it is full recovery.

[moobydo]

Thanks, guys. This is all helpful.  I guess by "relatively normal," I meant being pain-free and able to move about in public, interact with others, etc.  Basically, able to function in public (and without people noticing your compression vest under normal clothing).  Triangulating between all the different stories in this discussion board, it seems that after a few weeks I'll probably be able to do that, but the overall healing process will be many months at least.  I'm okay with that.

[don_joe]

My PS told me to stay off work for a week, to start working out after 4 weeks and to stop wearing the vest after 6. Nobody ever noticed I was wearing the vest. So I guess the only real impact is the 1st week where you have to take things rather slowly.