Gynecomastia Support Forum
International Forum => U.K. => Topic started by: Squidge on April 05, 2014, 12:36:25 PM
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Hi everyone, this is my first post on here but I’ve been reading through others’ experiences to help me understand what I’m letting myself in for! I have my surgery with Mr Levick booked for next week (Wednesday); feeling really excited but slightly nervous about it at the same time (despite feeling in very safe hands!). My consultation was actually the first time I’ve ever openly talked about my gyno, but like others have said, my chest has caused me so much embarrassment & shame and has held me back in so many ways over the years, that it hardly feels real that I’m finally doing something about it! I’m 30 in July (hence the timing!) and my 2 goals are to wear a t-shirt on my birthday (without a compression vest) and to go on a beach holiday this year without covering up. Being able to sit in a steam-room without being paranoid about people laughing will also be pretty good!
I’ve half-thought about getting surgery for a few years, but a few weeks ago I went to go swimming (part of a pre-summer health-kick) and after about 10mins of freaking out in the changing cubicle, I couldn’t bring myself to walk through the locker area and to the pool without a top on, so I got dressed, went home and googled gynecomastia forums instead! After reading other people’s posts and realising how similar other people have felt about their body and that surgery has given them results they’re (on the whole) really pleased with, I booked a consultation the next day. So in a way it’s been something I’ve thought about constantly for about 15 years, but also a slight snap-decision as well! I’ve heeded Mr Levick’s advice and I’m taking arnica daily, stopped drinking alcohol, not eating tomatoes or garlic, and have ordered a binder; I’ve also booked 2 weeks off work to recover in (relative) peace afterwards. Like others have done, I will upload some before & after pics and will post updates as I go. Meanwhile, I’m trying to take it easy over the next few days and eat lots of fruit & veg, but if anyone else has any other advice for the build up to the op and directly after, it’d be really appreciated!
Will post about my consultation experience separately, just wanted to introduce myself and say hello to others on here first.
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Best advice I can give us don't worry about it at all, you really don't need to, and you definitely won't regret it
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Mr Levick is a genius.
I'd recommend lots of fresh pineapple / juice AFTER (NOT BEFORE) the op - it is supposed to help keep swelling down. I drank a litre of fresh juice a day which was same as 3.5 pineapples apparently, PLUS taking Bromelain tablets (the good bit in pineapple) which I got from Holland & Barrett.
Now, obviously I can't say how much swelling I might have got had I not done that, but I didn't get much at all I don't think, so I figure it was worth it. I did that for as long as 2 jars of Bromelain tablets lasted. Fortunately I love pineapple, so wasn't too much of a chore!!
As daft as it sounds, I almost wish I'd have taken more "before" pics now - I've only got a few. That sounds really stupid as I never want to see those moobs again! - but the pics are great to remind you how far along you've come when you're having a bit of an off day.
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Thanks guys.
Thanks for the pineapple juice tip, Donut, will stock up today (while I can carry the heavy bags!). Will also take plenty of before pics, and will try to get the worst angles!
1 more question - did you guys shave your chest before the op? I don't have that much hair, just wondering if it's better to shave beforehand but then I don't want to be itching under the bandages either...
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Yeah I used hair removal cream before all over chest and armpits and back of your shoulders as the tape for the dressings go round and it killed when they had to be taken off
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Ah great advice, cheers!
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Good luck mate, I'm feeling nervous now and mine is in 2 weeks!
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Good luck squidge, I agree with gj, don't worry about it. Your goals seem realistic and you have the best surgeon. Before you know it, you'll be returning to work. I shaved my chest and armpits before the op but caught my nipple with the razor; that made my eyes water!
Look forward to seeing your photos and following your progress.
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Yeh, shave everything!!
Looking forward to progress reports!
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Thanks for all the advice guys! I'm now in my room post-op - was seriously woozy for a few hours after! But feeling much better now, just slightly uncomfortable in the binder. The staff here at the Priory have all been amazing, really warm and attentive. Mr Levick has come to check on me a couple of times and given me plenty of reassurance that everything went well, so fingers crossed for a good result!
Have managed a few hours sleep so far, just needed a break from my bed for a bit, will try for a bit more now. Any tips on how to sleep in binder will be v welcome! The food here is great by the way, would highly recommend the fish cakes!
I will be uploading some before and after pics (obvs will take the 'afters' be on/around 16th, when can take binder off). Just feeling quite elated to now be on the in other side and (hopefully!) in the gyne-free club!
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Congrats and welcome to the other side! I tell you now its a pretty exciting and weird experience when you get to take the bandages or binder off. I look forward to seeing your progress and if you need any advice and reassurance feel free to ask :)
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Ta Da! - another one done!
Congrats and look forward to following progress... I didn't sleep at all in the hospital - I just wasn't that tired!
When you're tired and really need sleep, you'll sleep... it's nature... so don't worry about it too much.
Take it easy a few days, get chomping / drinking pineapple like it is going out of fashion, and keep that compression tight!
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Cheers guys!
Myers - already looking forward to taking the binder off to see the results! Seeing my 'burgers' in the surgery pic is very surreal as it is!
Donut - I slept off and on at the hospital, woke myself up a few times by automatically trying to turn onto my side! So I put my bed up to almost upright, which isn't a v comfortable position...looking forward to a night in my own bed tonight! I have a glass of pineapple juice in front of me now while I try to upload some pics..
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Some before pics...(which I hope will be good encouragement along the way!)
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...and the obligatory Burger Shot! I was (and still am) really shocked at how much came out. I knew my gyne was pretty bad, but I think I'd become so good at hiding it over the years with compression vests/dark T Shirts/shirts with pockets etc, that I don't think I realised how big my moobs really were! Taking the before shots at deliberately unflattering angles was also a bit of a shocker, and a good reminder that I definitely am (and have now) done the right thing. So here they are in all their glory...:
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Well done matey. Welcome to the week long wait to get the binder off. I'm two weeks post now and have no regrets. Looking at you pre photos and what he's taken out your going to be amazed next week. The binder is a pain to sleep in but I still use it atnight out of choice rather than the macom vest because i find it more comfortable. I do have it looser than when Mr Levick applied it but still with plenty of pressure. You may find the sticky tape from the dressings is causing some uncomfort; don't be afraid to change these or leave them off.
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You'll have to ask Mr Levick for the weights of your burgers... mine totalled 109 grams - same as a 1/4 pounder! - unsurprisingly I haven't had a McD's since...
::)
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Recovery is going well so far...but does anyone have any good tips for getting in/out of bed comfortably?! I dread waking up in the night to go to the loo because of the really awkward (and v undignified!) fold-and-collapse into bed afterwards. Getting up is harder, I can't figure out how to get up without straining but guess I might just have to be patient with that.
Will ask for the weight of the burgers...can already tell my profile is really different, which is promising!
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Just have to persevere with the awkward movement for a little while longer - things are a lot better once you get in vest instead you'll be pleased to hear!
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Hi guys, now on Day 4 and today's been the best so far in terms of pain/discomfort/mobility. However, the binder is really pinching under my arms and the bruising/swelling just above the binder seems to be getting worse and is now 'spilling' over the binder slightly! There bruising is also getting a lot darker on both sides, slightly worse on the right...hopefully nothing to worry about and all part of the recovery, but is this more or less what others experienced? Here's how it looks today:
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Hi squidge, that looks similar to my experiences. It was the most uncomfortable stage for me. It was around this stage that the bruising and swelling started improving noticeably daily. Chin up, three more sleeps til you can take it off.
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Yes, that was same for me - lots of "spill over" swelling... it just goes to show how much that binder does to stop swelling on the rest of your chest! - so keep it on, and keep it tight as possible... worth it in the end. My bruising got a lot darker too at about the one week stage - then slowly went away over next couple of weeks I think - check back on my thread for loads of pics of the bruising I had
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So tomorrow the day when I can take the binder off and replace it with the vest...can't wait! I called Mr Levick's office yesterday to ask if it was ok to tighten it up as the swelling had gone down a lot and the binder seemed a bit loose; Julie was really helpful, she called me back within 5mins to say it would be fine to tighten as the binder should stay as tight as it was after surgery. Despite telling myself I wouldn't have a peek until Wednesday, I couldn't help myself! I had a 10-15second look and was slightly overwhelmed by how good it looked!! My chest is completely flat, and although I know this is only the beginning and I probably have creased nipples and swelling to look forward to, if the final result is close to how it was when I looked I'll be really happy!! The only thing, just as I was getting excited, the colour of my skin literally started changing in front of me..quickly developed into a dark purple & red colour...I freaked out a bit and just put the binder back as tightly as I could, and just assume (hope!) that is completely normal, that as soon as the pressure is eased the swelling will come up. Did others have that experience too, an instant change of colour to the skin? It was like an ink cartridge had be dropped on tissue paper, the colour just spread over my chest. I'm sure it's normal..but I'm seeing my GP for a check up in the morning so will be looking for some reassurance then! Will post some pics tomorrow of Day 7 when I take the binder off. Can't wait for a long hot shower!!!
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Some people get a lot more bruising that others. Mine was about average I'd say from what I've seen - you can look back at my daily photos and see how the pretty colours changed from reds and purples to yellows before finally disappearing for good. It is all part of the normal process. Important thing is to keep that compression up as much as possible. You'll probably find the 'arm holes' of the vest will really dig in and aggrevate the bulgey bits that were out the top of the binder. I would advise getting a compression t-shirt to wear underneath the vest - that helps keep pressure on that underarm area much better and keeps it all contained as it were. Worked for me, and recommended it to a couple of others who also found it much more comfortable. Plus 2 layers of compression even better than one!
Look forward to seeing some pics of progress
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Hi guys, so I took the binder off this morning, was really nervous about it...but I'm really chuffed with the results! I know this is likely to be the best my chest will look for a while...probably have lots of swelling/bruising/lumpiness/creased nipples etc to look forward to now until it settles down to something (hopefully) that looks like this eventually! But if/when that happens, I'll be really pleased. I had my first shower in a week this morning, felt SO good, then I was able to walk from the bathroom to the bedroom with a towel around my waist, probably for the first time in about 15 years! The bruising is actually no where near as bad as I was expecting, although the worst may yet be to come. I went to see my GP for the first time about it this morning, just to see if he's happy with the healing etc and get some advice on how best to recover from this point...he was useless! I think I've been spoilt with the staff at The Priory and with Mr Levick...my GP was completely uninterested - I couldn't work out whether he was disapproving of a 'cosmetic' procedure or whether he had no idea about the procedure, either way you guys on here have been far more use than he was! Twice he said to me "well I'm not a gynecomastia surgeon so I wouldn't know" then said that the compression vest wouldn't be necessary from now on?! Obviously I'm ignoring that part. But anyway, more positively, I really am thrilled with the results so far - like other guys have said, how Mr Levick is able to get so much gland and fat out from those tiny nicks in the arm pit is a complete mystery...but so far I think it was the best £4k I've ever spent and am likely to spend! Just ordered a few new t-shirts and some decent running shoes...am motivated to now feel as confident about the rest of my body now, so hopefully the photos I upload from now on should hopefully track some decent weight loss.. So here are some photos I took this morning, 7 days after the surgery:
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I've also done some quick Before & After shots, just because when I was looking through other people's posts it was a bit annoying having to scroll back through the previous pages to find the Before photos to compare the post-op pics! Also, for me to see the huge comparative difference is a really good motivator and completely validates (not that I really needed it) that it was absolutely the right decision to have the surgery. If I was a bit more organised/forward thinking, I would've thought about the angle of the photo while taking the Before pics so that I could line up the After pics alongside them...but I'm just not that organised!! So here's Before & After, 7 days after the surgery:
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One word: WOW!
Pretty thrilling isn't it! ;D
The pancake-flat look doesn't last though, which is just as well as after the initial elation you realise it looks a bit weird anyway!! - so yeh, brace yourself for the roller-coaster ride ahead.
I'm 3 months post-op today - took some pics to make up comparison shots with, which hopefully I might get around to doing late tonight.
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Excellent results. You have a right to now feel smug ;D
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Blimey, you've got some bruising there! Life changing; congratulations.
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one word. FLAT.
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Looks amazing! Can't wait for mine on Friday. Looking forward to see the progress bud!
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Cheers guys, still getting my head around having a flat chest! It's so weird that there's been such a huge change in such a short space of time...obviously that's what surgery does, it's just weird when the chest you've known for years has changed literally over night! My nipple and central chest area is completely numb today, and the lumps from the 'over hang' swelling have gone quite hard. Otherwise my mobility is much better now and haven't taken any pain killers for a few days. Although I think I might've slept with my binder a bit tight last night as my lower back area is a bit painful, feels almost like my kidneys are being squashed or something!
For guys further ahead than me, when did you start massaging the area? When the vest is off, or before?
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I'm just starting now at 3.5 weeks. Couple of minutes, twice daily.
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Can't remember when I started, but I found a few minutes did nothing at all, whereas 30-60 mins had an effect. I do in watching telly, time goes and it's not a chore then!
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I've also done some quick Before & After shots, just because when I was looking through other people's posts it was a bit annoying having to scroll back through the previous pages to find the Before photos to compare the post-op pics! Also, for me to see the huge comparative difference is a really good motivator and completely validates (not that I really needed it) that it was absolutely the right decision to have the surgery. If I was a bit more organised/forward thinking, I would've thought about the angle of the photo while taking the Before pics so that I could line up the After pics alongside them...but I'm just not that organised!! So here's Before & After, 7 days after the surgery:
This must be one of the best before-to-after transformations.
Congratulations, you must be thrilled!
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Cheers Northern! To be honest I'm still adjusting to the fact it's my chest, but yea, I'm really chuffed with the results (so far!). I think I've had realistic-low expectations throughout, and am still reminding myself not to get complacent as things might get worse before they get better. I took my compression vest off at 4 weeks (on Wednesday) during the day and it felt really strange to wear a shirt to work, with nothing underneath! As others have said, the vest has also given me a much better posture, but also I know I don't need to hunch over any more so am able to stand up with my shoulders straight for first time in years! I'll upload a few pics now, also with a before&after in a t shirt. I'm planning to wear a t shirt this weekend (without a compression vest) for the first time in about 15 years!
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Pics at 3 weeks (last week):
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Pics at 5 weeks (this Wednesday):
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T-Shirt before & after (just showing off!!)
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ah, the simple joys of being able to wear a t-shirt... great isn't it? ;D
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Yea, wearing a t-shirt is great! I've been wearing a lot more casual clothes since the surgery - I used to 'over dress' for everything, mainly because formal shirts are better structured at hiding gyno than polos (my old enemy) and casual shirts. I'd also sometimes wear blazers just because I could get away with not taking them off in doors! But now I mainly wear smart polos to work and t shirts at any opportunity - It's so much more relaxing. Just booked a holiday for next month (cleared with Mr Levick first), so am really looking forward to going to the beach and lounging by the pool and not constantly worrying about my chest..or having to tweak my nipples before getting up! I'm also planning to go swimming this week, will take it really easy as am only 8 weeks post-op though
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Hi guys, been a while since I've posted on here - been busy with seemingly a completely new life! Since my op I've started a totally new job and been socialising a lot more, and generally not thinking too much about recovery etc. I've also been on 2 beach holidays and had my top off at any opportunity!! It's been 5 months since my op now, mobility is probably 90% back to what it was (still careful when stretching up to get something from a high shelf though), and I've been swimming (fairly) regularly. I've been massaging in the shower every day and things seem to be evening out now - I went on holiday last week with people who didn't know I had an op and I don't think they were able to tell which was a relief. Generally really pleased with the results, and would definitely recommend Mr Levick to anyone looking at surgeons for this procedure.
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Your chest looks perfect now, hopefully mine will turn out similar :P
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congratulation! very nice results!
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Fantastic results!
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Levick does it again, great results in a short space of time.
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Fantastic results..
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Superb results. Congrats!