One Year post Op

[teatake2011]

This is the same topic that was posted under the "ask doctors". I just wanted other opinions as well.
Hi everyone, I had my surgery August 2013 and I just had a few questions. First I want to tell you what happened during the last 11 months. So right after I got my surgery, my chest was perfect. It was very flat. But this only lasted until my drains were pulled out. About 2-3 weeks after the surgery, I went to my surgeons office to get my drains taken out. She patched me up after taking them out and sent me home. When I got home and took off my shirt I noticed there was a lot of blood leaking through my compression vest from where the right drain was taken out. I guess I started bleeding after. So a week later I noticed my right side was a little swollen (where the drains were taken out and bled a lot). And my left side was different. The left side was red like as if there was bleeding on the inside. Since the right side had leaked out all of the blood it wasn't that bad. But I went back to my surgeons office and she said it looks like there was internal bleeding from taking out the drain and blood was piling up inside. She didn't do anything about it and said it would go away on its own. Went back 2 weeks later and it did look a little better. But One month after this, I noticed hard lumps forming where the drains were taken out on both sides. The lumps seem like they are shaped just like a drain (tube shaped). They go from my arm pit to under my nipple. The left side is alot worse because I guess the blood that was left in there turned into hard tissue. And it is making my chest protrude. My right side isn't bad but it is a little puffy. My surgeon then decided to give me steroid injections. She gave me probably 4 on the left side (1 month at a time) and one on the right. The tissue has softened but it still protrudes. I have been working out and it seems like it is improving the contour but I'm not completely sure. This has been driving me crazy. I also think she has not been using enough cortisone or not injecting it in the right spots. My question is what should I do about this. Should I keep working out? it is only noticeable through tight shirts and when I sit down. When i Stand up it looks a lot better. When I push down on them you can't feel the lumps. You can only feel the lumps if I pinch them. I have been massaging them but I guess I haven't been doing it enough. Please give me any suggestions, I am really not looking forward to going in for a revision after spending over $4K. I like the results but am hoping to improve the contour. I will continue working out and losing some weight, even though I am not overweight. I am also going to see my surgeon again in October. (By the way when I am cold my chest looks perfectly flat)

Thanks

Heres some extra info about myself:
148 lbs
5 ft 7in
20 years old

[teatake2011]

Pre-Op, Post op (9 days)

[teatake2011]

Recent pictures, took these yesterday and today. Relaxed in the first 2 and flexing in the last one.

[teatake2011]

When I'm cold

[teatake2011]

Another one of when i'm relaxed

[teatake2011]

BUMP

[teatake2011]

Anyone???

[usernamehere]

Hey, IMHO its barely noticeable. Its probably more in your head than on your body  However, you said working out seems to be helping with your problem, so i'd suggest keep working out. And as for the lumps you feel, that could just be scar tissue from what i've read on quite a few threads.

[teatake2011]

Hey thanks for the reply. When I sit down my chest sticks out alot more. And its been 5 weeks since my cortisone injection. Im actually able to squeeze some parts of the scar tissue into a smaller size but now I have a bunch of small pieces of scar tissue spread out in my chest that I can feel. I can move them around, and some chunks (like peas) are harder to squeeze than others. Do you think these will go away? I still have big golf ball sized scar tissue lumps on both sides that are ruining the contour of my chest.

Thanks