** Surgery completed 12/05/2011** PICS 32 days post op**

[lightweightbaby]

I would say the 2 days after the op I was pretty stiff and wanted to sleep alot, on the second day I did go out for a meal but just had to sleep straight away after, I think in the first 2 days I just slept and played the Playstation, I could have driven but I had no need to and I think that could of increased swelling. After 3 days I felt alot better and my movement had came back alot more.

I can't believe a week ago today I was booking into a hotel room in London with puffy nips and a week ago tomo I left st Johns a changed person! It takes alot of balls guys especially on your own but the quality of your life afterwards makes 4k sound like a bargain!

When I had surgery karidis apparently used a new wrap around the wounds to minimize the swelling and bleeding, did anyone else have this as the nurse told me it's a new think karidis is using as she hadn't seen it before?

Also who do some surgeons use chest drains and some dont? I take it with chest drains you reduce the risk of fluid buildup?

[somedude999]

How u getting on my fellow pancaker lol

I think its down to surgeons preference/technique with regards to drains, I believe they help excess fluids come out and reduce the risk of hematomas etc. but I think you also run a risk of getting an infection in the drain site etc etc so there are pro's and con's as far as I understand.

I've read accounts of guys who've had to have drains in for 7 days and got infections 

[lightweightbaby]

7 days ago i was on the operating table getting the lumps removed and a week later i feel great and i know already that its one of the best decisions i have ever made.

I have attached the 7 days photo and i can say im pretty dam pleased with the results even though i have got scar tissue setting in near the ribs to the left and right of the nipples however this isnt too bad. I have been back at work for the full week and the only bad problem is the vest as this week has been absolutly baking and even working in an office its been too hot, fingers crossed the weather isnt too good next week. The actuall swelling on the chest has greatly improved and i am able to lift my arms above my head without any discomfort, i can also flex my pecks without any pain just feels as though ive had a heavy chest workout. The last few days the bruising has really started to come out and mostly turned yellow apart from the centre of my chest where it looks like a plum

On saturday i am planning to hit the gym to do a leg session and a bit of bicep and triceps just a light workout and nothing on the chest.

[somedude999]

Fvck bro, u're stacked. Traps and delts are huge !!
Can't notice any swelling or scar tissue in ur pics. sounds like u're doing great from a mobility point of view, had my surgery day before you and I'm nowhere near that mobile.
But then levick does the whole op through armpit incisions so there will be more damage in that area for me I guess.

Let us know how the gym goes mate. Might try and do a fast walk on Sunday for 30 mins, see how that goes.

[chopper]

What Somedude said, you are a big old lump and your chest is no longer going to spoil your shape anymore....You should get some pre-op pics up on page 1 if you have any as I would bet a ton of folks who bodybuild visit this forum for a nosey on their gyne and would probably love stumbling across your thread to get an idea of what they will look like in the future.
I think you are going to have a really good result mate as your range of movement and ability to flex chest muscles so soon makes me think you are going to heal really well.

[lightweightbaby]

haha cheers guys, i have been training for around 5 years properly without missing a session so i guess i havent been able to really see my results or get the compliments. But this also means i havent got any photos of before only ones that made me look better in the correct lighting, i guess i didnt want to take photos of something that i wasnt proud of. I can honestly say that 8 days on it feels like i havent had an operation and the only reminder i have is the compression vest and in this heat it isnt good

In the karidis post op list of do's and dont it said something like remove the garment after 14 days and only wear at night or in the day (or it could of been 10 days) do you think if i take the garement off it will make my swelling increase really quickly after say 14 days? I dont want to suddenly puff up full of scar tissue :-/ as the only scar tissue i have at the minute is around by my nipples near my ribs.

My workout plan for tomo is going to be legs (squats, leg extensions, calf raises for legs) then just have a light bicep and tricep session and maybe some shrugs for my shoulders and then just go for a incline walk on the treadmill.

This week ive been driving around loads and i dont know if this has kept me mobile but ive definatly improved over the last 3 days.

I honestly cant say how much one small procedure is going to change my life. And a big thanks to all the guys on here.

[chopper]

Going on what I've seen on here, it's pretty common for folks taking the compression vest off after 2 weeks to go back to wearing it 24/7 again as the swelling seems to usually come on once the vest is off.(Maybe it's due more to over exerting than the vest? I dunno) I would expect some swelling if you the gym and get the blood pumping hard around your body, but keep us posted on the vest and the gym session and if it effects swelling or not...the more people that write about it the more help for someone else in the future

[lightweightbaby]

Just finished my gym session, to be fair it wasn't that bad considering, I could curl the 20kg dumbells with no pain and legs felt fine, I did one set on triceps but this didn't feel that comfortable so I stopped. I think I'm going to see how I feel on a weekly basis before I go back to a 4 day week.

Checked the chest this morning and the bruising is clearing up very quickly, still a bit tender on my ribs but other than that it's coming along nicely. When I got out the shower this morning I noticed my right nipple went hard as I was cold, I take it this is pretty good???

The compression vest gets more and more comfortable as the days progress, just very uncomfortable when it's as hot as it has been recently.

[pharmerjoe]

what kinda general difference did you see in your nipples? Has the puffiness gone away completely now? I suppose there's no harm in wearing the vest, so if you feel its getting more red and inflamed, it might mean the swelling is coming back on again, so would be best to get the vest back on then.

[lightweightbaby]

Even now ive got scar tissue forming underneath near my ribcage, my nipples look completely flat how they used to when they were cold. Massive improvement.

The scar tissue is 2 hard lumps near my ribcage feels like it's my ribs as it's pretty hard although it hasnt affected the shape of my chest. The tissue is only slightly painful to touch but nothing too bad and I don't notice it when I'm walking around.

Sleeping has improved and I find myself rolling over in the night with no discomfort.

When is scar tissue at it's worst?

[somedude999]

When is scar tissue at it's worst?

Would like to know this as well. Glad ur doing good mate.

[lightweightbaby]

New 14 days post op pictures........

Thoughts please

[lightweightbaby]

Well 14 days ago i went under the knife.

14 days on i feel great, the chest has got some scar tissue under the nipples near the rib cage which is pretty lumpy but other than that the chest hasnt really got any other scar tissue, i have taken the compression off this evening for a couple of hours too see how it feels without and it feels quite strange when the t shirt rubs up against the skin. My movement is 99.9% back to normal now i just wouldnt want to lift anything to heavy above the head.

As for the gym i havent been since day 9 and i will go this saturday and just train legs and arms, i will continue this until i feel ready to step it up so i am hoping to be back after 4 weeks.

[Choda]

Chuffed for ya mate.

[SDJ]

your results are amazing mate! if mine are like yours I will be the happiest guy on earth!!!