Given up on NHS in Northern Ireland ... headed for Poland... *post-op update*

[CAP]

Thought I'd start a new thread, as things are moving in a new direction now.

The NHS in NI can't be bothered to deal with patients any more, so have passed us on to private firms to do the work for them.  Unfortunately this has proved to be just as much of a shambles; as you'll see from my old thread... http://www.gynecomastia.org/smf/index.php/topic,8709.0.html

I've had two different firms after me, like a piece of meat.  The one I insisted on (Medinet), with the consultant I liked, has proved to be useless.

I first saw the consultant in February this year! (after waiting 20 months since seeing my GP)

In June I was told I'd be having my op with him in July!

I saw him in July - he wanted to see me because it was so long since he last saw me and he wanted to check things again... fair enough... he told me I'd be having the op in 4 weeks time!

After 8 weeks of waiting I called Medinet, who told me that the consultant didn't have any dates free for the next couple of months!

I called again two weeks later (i.e. last week) to see if any dates for Nov or Dec were available (so that's 4 or 5 months now, not weeks)... and what's the answer. NO! 
The consultant is on "long term sick leave".  Of course the last time Medinet told me the consultant was sick, in February, he wasn't sick (read the other thread, it'll make sense)... so do I believe them?

Anyway... enough is enough.  I've borrowed money... and I'm booked in with Dr Baranski in Poland.  My op is on the 30th October.  I'm nervous as hell.  I keep looking at the old moobs and wondering if I'll feel more self-conscious without them than with them.  It's hard to get your head around the fact they'll be gone (hopefully gone).

Thanks to all the guys who have contributed to the Poland threads before... fingers crossed I've made the right choice.

'Before'... (I'm now about 1 and a half stone lighter than in this pic... though the moobs are about the same size still.)
http://www.imagebucket.net/bucket/19786/DSC00577.JPG

I'll hopefully post some 'After' pics in 4 weeks or so.

[Bob1981]

Good luck mate!  I'm sure everything will be fine.  Dr Baranski hasn't produce bad results, that I've seen.  Many on here are very happy with his work.  I was considering Poland but am now think of going with Dr Benito, who I have a consultation with on Friday.  We'll see!

[GynO_DuDe]

I also gave up on the NHS when I wanted surgery ...

And regarding the self consciousness about not having your moobs ... trust me, I had that feeling as well!! Its well weird!

But I feel great now.

As time pass's, your mind adjusts to the new you!

[darrend]

bob let me know how the consultation with benito goes?

[CAP]

Well, I've just arrived home (Thursday)... had surgery surgery on Tuesday.

As others have said, the clinic in Slubice is very clean and the nursing staff are lovely.

As for the surgery, I guess I'll just have to wait and see what the results look like.  I had a quick look down yesterday evening when they removed the drains and changed the dressing.  Looked kind of swollen (in a donut shape) which Antoni said would go down.  So far not too much in the way of pain, having the drains removed was not pleasant but not really sore.  I'm getting a bit more tender now as I guess the bruising is probably starting to develop.  Guess I should start popping the arnica pills!

Ok... that's the good stuff... now the worry:
I wasn't very happy on Tuesday, the day of the op.  When Antoni looked at my chest for the first time, without even touching, the first thing he said was... "you will not be happy with the result of this operation, and will need another operation in 4 to 6 months"... my heart dropped at that.  He said my skin would probably not retract and that I'd need to come back and have skin removed and my nipples relocated.  Something I cannot really afford, and something I really don't like the idea of having done.  It was really difficult to communicate with him and to ask further questions as there was no proper interpreter.

As my other threads mention, I've already seen two consultants (private ones clearing up the NHS backlog in NI) and neither mentioned that I'd need this extra work.  In fact the one I wanted to go with did talk about making sure skin retracted properly, but seemed to talk about it in general terms, saying that I'd have a good result and he advised wearing a compression garment for up to 7 months.  The other consultant didn't mention it as a problem and only advised wearing compression for 2 weeks!  Nothing like consistency then.  The reason I decided to not wait for the NHS is that I've spent the last 2 and a bit years waiting for them to perform promised surgery and there was no sign of it happening soon.  Mentally I couldn't put my live on hold any longer.

Anyway... I hope I've done the right thing.  It's done now.  If the skin not retracting properly is going to be a problem, then it's a problem I'll have to face no matter who did the surgery.  I'm hoping that it is only Antoni being overly cautious.  I've seen pics on here of guys with chests as big or bigger than mine, and they don't seem to have had a problem.  I'm hoping that a combination of the skin naturally retracting and going to the gym and working out to improve my chest and surrounding muscles will help me get some kind of decent result.

Any of you guys any experience of how well skin retracts?

[Paddy]

Hey CAP,

well done on seeing it through and I hope your recovery is swift....

I was tod my dr benito that it could be a problem for me with skin retraction and that a similar operation to the one you describe might be necessary.
I was tolod that swimming and excercise would help out with this and anything that would use my upper arms and chest. also to wear the compression vest day and night for 4 weeks.

So far its not been a problem and when i went to see him after a month, he didn't think it would be a problem.

[outertrial]

Im sorry to read that another person has gone to this clinic and is now worried about the outcome. You should stay positive for the timebeing CAP and concentrate on recovering.

Surgeons rate the chances of loose skin during the consultation. They look at variables like your age, size, skin elasticity, and the amount of tissue they intend to be remove. They arent always right and the only way to really know is to see what happens post op.

Best of luck, hope you get the results you need.

[CAP]

Thanks for the positive thoughts guys... they are appreciated.

I was told to wear the compression vest for 2 months day and night... from then on using a sports compression t-shirt during the day only, for a month or two. 

Advice on using compression seems to be rather random.  The two previous consultants have said to me to use compression for 2 weeks and 7 months respectively.  Threads I've read on here have said about using it night time only in the second stage, but I was advised to use it in the daytime.

I think it's probably a case of just working out what works for me.

I fully intend to start back to some decent exercise in two or three weeks time... some arm, shoulder and chest work; as you say, should help firm up muscles which I would have thought would help tighten everything up. 

I'm taking arnica tablets at the moment and have been rubbing a little arnica cream on my chest after showering... hopefully it'll keep the bruising down, though I noticed this morning that the bruising is starting to develop a bit more.  Only to be expected I suppose.

I've also bought some Palmer's cream for Stretch Marks... saw it in Boots and thought it worth using when it comes to massage time in a few weeks.  Says on the box that it has Vit E, Collagen & Elastin.  Worth a try I suppose.

[CAP]

Well, I'm now 15 Days post-op.

I went to the nurse at my doctor's surgery yesterday to have the stitches removed.
Well, that was FUN!  It took three of them staring at my nipples and saying things like "I've never stitches like that before", "I have, but it was a knee-cap", "How do we get these out?", "Shall we just yank them from one end?"... it was very embarrassing... but in the end quite funny, and the nurses were all lovely.
Baranski used one continuous thread from side of the nipple to the other; and the nurses only seemed familiar with lots of individual stitches. When they finally worked out how to remove them it ended up being very easy, very quick, and painless.  It was a case of snipping at one end and yanking the thread out.
One thing to note... the nurses all commented on how neat and good they thought the stitching to be, and how minimal the scaring round the nipple is.

Anyway, I thought I'd share some pics so you can see how things are healing...
I will say that the LHS is still larger than the right handside and that my nipples still aren't level with each other... but I think that those are pretty minor complaints compared to the difference I see between my chest before the op and what it's like now.  Let me know what you think.

LHS Before

LHS After

RHS Before

LHS After

[another_case]

Your results look very good CAP, I think my chest is a similar shape as yours was, although I think yours was slightly worse that mine is. Looks like the skin has retracted well which is reassuring and a very neat job, how much did it cost overall and have you anymore information on the surgeon please?

[CAP]

Thanks very much... only 16 days post op now, but quite happy with the result so far...  but will of course take months more for the final result to show itself.  I'll be so glad to get out of this compression vest!

The op was with Dr Baranski in Poland http://www.esculap-service.de/english/plasticsurgery/index.htm

Overall cost of the op (including one night at a hotel in Dublin airport, car parking, return flights from Dublin Berlin, taxi transfer, hotel in Poland and spending money for my mate who went with me)... £1600 approx.

It sounds very tempting but keep in mind the hassle of travel, and the language barrier... I was told I would have the services of an interpreter... there was no proper interpreter... and trying to understand what they were talking about and trying to make myself understood was at times quite stressful.  Perhaps without the language barrier I could have made myself better understood and perhaps have ended up with an even better result.

On the whole though, I am quite happy with how things have turned / are turning out.

If you do decide to do it, take a friend.  You'll be 'out of it' most of the time, and they will be bored stiff most of the time... but mentally it's great to know someone is there for you.  Best of luck mate.

[outertrial]

Results look good. Keep updating us!

[NotFedup]

well that looks great and with some working out and good diet it will all flatten out lovely
remember that the full healing process can take upto the full 12 months
im 14 months post op and my chest is still improving
Remember surgery is about improvement and not perfection
but going by your pics i believe perfection is possible with some good working out

i bet that wearing t shirts is alot better now