5 weeks post op...

[uk_bloke]

Hi guys ,

Firstly just want say congratulations to all the levick guys who had surgery recently for getting through reasonably unscathed .

Havent posted much on here lately so I thought I d let you know how things were going .

Im 5 weeks post op exactly today ,  I ve got to say the chest is looking a hundred times better than it ever has ,all of the bruising has now gone apart from some dark areas under my arms where the bandage was stuck. Stopped wearing the vest last week , which was just great to get rid of the bleeding thing ,though I am still sleeping in it. The blackness on my nipples has gone ,I thought this was blood inside the areola actually was blood on the outside and all peeled of in the shower a couple of weeks ago.

Ok ,so here comes the but!

I must admit to have been a bit down the last few weeks about things as ive pretty much convinced myself  that im gonna need a bit of extra lipo ,and whilst this probably aint the end of the world it’s a bit of a bummer as after paying so much money I really hoped it would be a one shot fix.
I think my right side is gonna be perfect ,but it shows the right side up a bit as I seem to have a tiny bit of remaing fat(I hope its just fat) on and above the nipple , it kind of looks like a microtit !
The main reason im convinced is that my right side has been tight and fatless from day1 (bandage off day) its still slightly concave now  but this is mainly due to the scar tissue. Where as the left side has always been slightly fleshier from about 2 weeks post op. I cant really see how one side will shrink and the other side will fill out to get the symmetry when its all healed .
Obviously im no expert and im not seeing mr L until  the 22nd of march and maybe things will have changed by then.

So guys remind me , I seem to remember paul saying that any remaining fat can be removed under local anaesthetic in his office, is this the case or would I have to go onto the ward? And how soon after first surgery would revision be possible.

Hope this all doesn’t sound too pessimistic as im prepared to give it as long as it needs to sort itself out .

Ive posted some new pics  , I had to take them from strange angles to get across what im talking about. the latest ones are on page 2.

Opinions much appreciated .

cheers ,

paul.

[Yorkshireman]

Surely you wont have to pay for the touch up.....is it not free within the first 12 months provided you have complied with all Doc's requirements, which Im sure you will have done...

[uk_bloke]

yorkshireman ,

no ,i certainly wouldnt have to pay for any revision work.

[AJP]

UK Bloke,

I see what you mean after looking at the pics, but it probably seems alot worse to you as it's your body. First thing, don't get hung up about it. If you look at your pre-op photos, and the difference between then and now, it shows that Levick has the skill to change things. Yes, maybe you will have to go in again for revision - I know exactly what you mean about the money by the way - but ultimately, if he can make that much difference with one 'sitting' of surgery, I'd be very surprised if he couldn't put it right with a bit of touch-up work.

Just try to be positive. If you do have to go in again don't dismiss the prospect of revision, or be scared of it. Come to terms with this, like you came to terms with going in originally, and things will be alot easier. Mate, I had surgery on the NHS a couple of years ago, and still had to find a pro like Levick to put things right. That's a big operation, then two years of "It really hasn't worked" before another big operation. You learn to take things in your stride. I came to accept my body after the NHS op as 'me' so when I came to surgery with Levick things before the NHS op became insignificant. There's a whole lot of psychology involved with every aspect of living with gynecomastia. We all know that. The trick is, turning it to your advantage. If you see things this way, and take things as they are, you're in an even better situation than before the op. Forget what you looked like pre-op. What you look like now is important - history is just that. If Levick could make that much difference after surgery the first time, then surely any further work will be comparitively easy.

Stay strong buddy.

[uk_bloke]

ajp ,

thanks for that mate , im feeling a bit more positive about things now , i just wanted it to be over and done with and i'd not even thought about possibly needing extra work done .
i'll probably feel much better when ive had my follow up appointment and levick has seen (and recognised ) the problem , ive just been having thoughts of him not seeing what i can see and therefore telling me i dont need any revision (hope that makes sense!)

im working in cyprus next week which should be good , i might even take my shirt off!!

thanks again

paul.

[John1984]

Hi UK_bloke

I sympathise with your problem - and i haven't even had my surgery yet!  It's being done on the 29th, but me being me, i know i'm going to be umming and aahing when it's done.
My surgeon doesn't charge for touch-up work, but the hospital does.  (They're charging £1,000 for this op, don't know what they'd charge for touch-up as it may not involve an overnight stay)
Is this the case for you as well?
Anyways mate, good to hear you're getting through it.  Stand proud buddy!

[AJP]

No worries mate. Just enjoy yourself in Cyprus and think of us poor b*stards stuck with this weather!

To be honest every day I think to myself "hmmm, does that look right; are my nipples puffing up again; is that just swelling etc", but I know for sure that in time things will be much better. It's natural to be ultra-critical over the results, as it's something that has been such a big issue for many of us most of our lives. Like I said earlier, as things stand now my chest looks a world better than pre-op, and yes there may be room for improvement, but I think that time itself will provide the vast majority of that improvement.

Patience is a good thing to have right now.

All the best.

[uk_bloke]

hi,

7 weeks post op today.

well i had my follow up appointment with mr L yesterday and i told him of my concerns about my left side , and after having a bit of a prod around he thinks theres nothing to worry about ,no fat and no gland left in there and he assures me that give it 6 months things will look spot on.
probably me just being paranoid and impatient.

he also told me of his theory that if your right handed your right side will settle down quicker and vice versa
this is true for me ,so perhaps his theory is good .

also got my pre op pictures off of him ,jesus christ, they  really were huge !

cheers

[serg]

Ah. I was thinkin why my right side looks better than my left,. It's nice to know I wasn't just being dramatic and that Mr Levick would back me!  

[Chorlton]

UK_bloke,

I seen your pics and note your concerns.  Whilst I am happy with the overall flatness I still have scar tissue that sticks out a bit when I arch my back forward.  It looks gynish.  But at my consultation he said the same that it would sort itself out.  If you read IT 100 diary he had concerns for months but now look at his chest.  It is a 6month to 12 month healing process.  

So that in mind I am not to worried.

i hope to post some pics soon so people can see the progress.

Chorlton