Amount of Compression

[Miggsy]

I am sure others have asked this before, but if someone who has been through the Levick procedure could help me out I would be very grateful and sleep a bit better tonight.

I am out of the bandages tonight - and into my Euro Surgical vest - the one that hooks up the front and has velcro shoulders. However as I am completely numb on the chest and having gone from Mr Levick's bandages to the vest, it feels a lot less tight that the past week has.

Anyone out there looked into this, maybe spoken with Mr Levick about it? Any rules such as "you should be able to slide two fingers down the front" etc?

I have a t-shirt on underneath it, and the size is one that would be in the right range for my normal shirt size, but perhaps an inch smaller.

Any suggestions would be great to put my mind at rest that my front is not going to fall off 

[bfg2000]

Hi Miggsy
Worry not my friend, I'm sure your not going to fall apart!

I too noticed that the compression vest is not as tight as the bandage, but in saying that the bandage must have been VERY tight as after a few days of weariing the compression vest, you'll notice how tight that is. When I removed my bandage last week, I actually went light headed, must have been a massive blood rush!

I can get my hand down to my nips - I've had to to scratch the itching away.....ahhhh. Again, I too have been wearing a t-shirt underneath but purely to stop any chaffing. Gets a bit warm in the day though, so i'm glad to get a shower at night - blessed relief!

I've got to vests, the Euro Surgical one and one from Underworks in the US. The Underworks provides far more compression, to the point of being uncomfortable. I think the Euro Surgical one is better in my opinion. I have a size large and I have a 42" chest measurement.

BFG :-)

[Miggsy]

Thanks BFG.....once again!   

Just to check that measurement you have - was that before or after your op, and if before, was it nipple to nipple or below the moobs!

I think I'm OK, as I tried the next size down before my op, and could not get the bugger done up at all! So I don't think it's a problem

I remember Mr Levick saying if I was worried about lack of compression I should shove a couple of folded hankies down there - I guess like mini padding similar to that he put on after the op

Anyway - it's a lot more comfortable with this on than the bandages so I'm chuffed

Miggsy

[joe_mate2]

Hi Miggsy,

I contacted Mr Levick today to give him an update on the removal of my bandages.  I also asked him about the tightness of the compression vest, he said the tighter the better but currently I have my Euro Surpical set to the middle clips, my size is Large.  Obviously this may be different to you, if your size is different.

joe_mate.

[Time_to_fix_it]

I found that as the first week progressed my bandages, which immediately after surgery were very tight, became looser.  When the compression vest went on it pretty well matched the compression I got with the bandages straight after surgery.  The compression vest was tight without a doubt and yes I could get my hand down the front if I needed to but it was at the expense of breathing.  What I’m saying is that my compression vest gave me the same amount of compression as the bandages did straight after surgery .. i.e.tight.

I used the Underowrks vest which, like yours, has adjustable hook and eyes up the front.  That worked pretty well as some times (after eating) I could ease it out a little.   

[Miggsy]

Still on this same question....

Last night was the first night that I have found I am able to sleep on my right side. Thank goodness - as sleeping on my back was waking me up every morning at about 4.30, and required an hour of moving around before I could get back into bed again !

However, does lying on my side affect the compression side of things? If I still had my moobs I would say yes, rather like squeezing them together to get cleavage     but now I am moobless, I am wondering if sleeping on my side will be detrimental to my compression

Anyone else out there get to sleep on their sides early - I am 10 days post op - and did it affect compression?

Am speaking with Mr Levick tonight re: this and my feedback after the bandages came off Friday, so he will no doubt advise also, but I just HAVE to be sleeping on my side from a sanity point of view!

[tazz]

hi miggsy,

glad to hear its going well for you!
i too had trouble sleeping on my back so i eased myself just a little bit further on to my side (as much as i could without hurting) each night. use some pillows to prop your back up, worked for me.
im not completely on my side yet but at least i can get a good night sleep.
i did wonder about it affecting the results but i had to do something.

all the best, tazz.

[Miggsy]

Thanks Tazz, that sounds like a good way to go about it

How long out are you from your op?

I am now getting some bruising appearing in the areas around the nipples etc where the pads were put on by Mr Levick - I would think that this is an indication that I have not got enough compression.

Did anyone else have slight bruising appear in the areas originally covered by the Levick pads under the bandages?