My day under the knife...

[Hustler]

Well, as seems to be the done thing on this forum, i have decided to post an account of my experience to correct my Gynecomastia.......

Things didnt start well. I got within 2 miles of the Priory in Birmingham and then sat in traffic for 3 hours!!! Although i did keep the hospital informed of my slow progress, i was very late for my check-in appointment. As luck would have it, i actually bumped into Mr Levick in the corridor soon after arriving at the hospital. We decided to reschedule my procedure for the following day, and despite being offered a room for me & my girlfriend overnight free of charge, we decided to take a room in a local hotel (At least that meant i could try to relax.... and of course a trip to TGI-Fridays for dinner. - No alcohol obviously!)

Well, we arrived at the hospital again around 7.30am and was in my room by 8am. The rooms are extremely comfortable with en-suite shower/toilet, satellite tv etc, and very quite & relaxed.

Well, despite desperately wanting this surgery for soooooo long, i was starting to have my "last minute" doubts but Mr Levick and his nursing staff went out of their way to make sure i was comfortable with every aspect of what was being done and yet gave me EVERY oportunity to back out, ensuring i was under absolutely NO pressure at all.

So... at 9:15am i went down for my procedure (My partner was advised i would be back in my room around 11am). I was extremely nervous at this stage but i went ahead with it. The next thing i knew i was waking up in the recovery room but a few minutes later i started to bleed (Yes, i AM one of mr levicks 1%...typical, but this was almost certainly due to my stressed state of mind). I was taken back to theatre.
I awoke again in recovery feeling like a road accident but was reassured by all staff that everything was now fine. I eventually returned to me room at 3:30. As you can imagine my partner was extremely worried but she has been kept informed of everthing along the way.

I didnt get out of bed for the rest of the day, and i managed some soup later that evening but i i really did not feel too good. No unbearable pain.... just really really rough, but that is to be expected.

I had a pretty bad night, again due to my own state of mind. Surgery is a new thing to me so i really struggled to convince myself that i was in the best place, and that everything was going to be ok. My partner, i might add, was fantastic, and kept my spirits up.

Next morning, Mr Levick came to see me and we decided that i should stay for another night, and this would be free of charge (It is such a load off your mind to know that the ONLY thing of concern is to get you back on your feet.)

I managed some food today, and i walked around a while too. Although very sore i started to feel human again. The pn;y thing left is for the drains to be removed next morning.

Woke next morning, had a better night, managed to devour a fry-up in bed before the nurse arrived to remove my drains. This is the part that i had been dreading way before ihad my surgery, and so i was again very anxious. Well, to be honest i did hurt on the side i had my bleed but it really is nothing compared to what had been don up to now, its just a really unpleasant feeling which is over in seconds. So for anyone worrying about it, dont give it anymore thought.

I am back home now, actually im being nursed at my pertners house and she is atending to my every need.... also nice to know that i have her 100% backing and support (Even though she insists that i am milking the "nursing" side of things! lol. especially when i had to ask her to shave me because i couldnt raise my arms high enough! lol)... im sure i will make it up to her soon.

Anyway, to recap..... Mr levick and his staff are amazing. they are ALWAYS friendly, ALWAYS chatty. during my stay, i was never in doubt about anything that was happening and consulted every step of the way.

Hope i havent bored you guys by now, but i needed to share that with anyone who is interested.

[Albion71]

Hi Hustler, what did you look like pre-op? Any pics?

[Time_to_fix_it]

Hi Hustler,

It’s been a little while since I visited this forum but it was good to read your post.  Well done and good luck with your healing from now onwards.  It sounds like you had a traumatic time but yes it is very reassuring to know that we pay one price and it covers everything, no matter how many days we need to stay in hospital or even if we need a touch up afterwards.  I never ever got the feeling that they had taken my money and wanted me gone; quite the opposite in fact.

Reading your account of convalescing with your girlfriend made me smile and took me back to mine about a year ago.  I also convalesced with mine and it was exactly what I needed.  My girlfriend is a nurse and there was no way I would be allowed to “milk it” but it was very useful having her around in that first week to help me get back to normal.  If you haven’t already done so it might be worth reading the post op accounts of a few of us who made them in diaries etc.  I read loads before mine and it helped explain all the weird things that happen to you during the next couple of weeks.

As I say .. all the very best to you and keep us informed as to how you get on.

[GynO_DuDe]

Another Levick client! Excellent post, and sounds like you had one of the 'worser' moments at the hospital. Just take it easy now mate and you'll be back to normal feeling a million times better in no time.

Im looking forward to seeing Levick in February next year for my 6 month checkup just to see what he thinks of the results himself.

[Hustler]

Well, day 4...  i have just woken up (5 am) with the chronic backache. Really is difficult to sleep feeling like i have a small elephant strapped to my chest!

The bandages are driving me INSANE!!!! 3 more days until they come off then i need to phone Mr Levick. If there is no liquid retention i am good to o, otherwise i will need to go back immediately and he will drain it. To be honest this is the least of my worries right now....  these dam things just need to come off!!!!!

Sorry for the rant.

[GynO_DuDe]

lol mate ... I was told to keep them on for 2 weeks right but I removed them after 3 days (nothing to be proud off) but I simply couldn't hack the bandages being their plus I had a compression vest etc ... anyway. Took them off, peeled HALF my skin off with it ... Reason why they were such a pain was because my skin reacted to the surgical glue on the bandages and because ive got a history of eczema from birth you should of basically seen the rash it was CRAZY. Blisters n everything! Took a month of care to get rid of it ... even now I still have the odd scar here n their were a lot of skin came off n this is 3 months post op.

[manic91m9]

thanks for sharing your experience, i would like to know how big ur case was and did u have lipo and excision?

[Hustler]

Yeah, lipo & excision. to be honest i cant remember how much he took out but he described it as a good handfull.

Getting some really weird sensations in my chest area today, bandages come off on thursday (3 more days) but i am so nervous about it. I just SO hope this is all worth it

[GynO_DuDe]

Expect to be shocked ... your going to think what a waste of money.

BUT REMEMBER, AS EVERY DAY PASS'S IT WILL ONLY HEAL AND GET BETTER <--- ALWAYS TELL YOURSELF THIS, BECAUSE ITS TRUE.

[Hustler]

Thanks Gyno_Dude. I am trying to prepare myself for taking the bandages off but i guess really really does bite.... i will see in 2 days time.

Getting sharp pain in right side of my chest today but i guess this is only natural.  Man, i am SO not patient!

[GynO_DuDe]

3 months on and I still get weird sensations randomly on my pecs ... I would say it's going to take atleast 6 months before your chest feels normal and when you reach 1 year is when you will either have to be happy with your chest or go for revision if needs must.

[Hustler]

DAY 6

Well i guess the time is going quickly but the itching is unbearable at times. Bandages off tomorrow then hopefully i can sleep!. Dont feel right going out as i look like an american footballer, thank heavens for DVD boxed sets! lol

no chest pain today. I am putting yesterdays incidents down to posture due to the bandages, hopefully i will be proved right tomorrow. Chronic backache but again that is down to posture and sleep position i guess.

Oh well.... i guess i will keep posting a day-by-day diary for a while, seems to be the dobe thing, even though i dont have much to say (which HAS to be a good thing). everything is happening tomorrow night (Bandages off)

[Hustler]

Day 7

Well despite being impatient, the first week seems to have gone really quick. Bacndages are coming off this evening.. will post my finding later or tomorrow morning. Looking forward to getting in the shower!

Did anyone get BETTER results than expectsed when the bandages came off?   i am so anxious about this. 

Im going for a beer afterwards too... 9 days alcohol free.... think i deserve one lol.

[manic91m9]

how are u feeling now? i'm having surgery tomorrow and hoping i will be ok to drink moderately by next Saturday.

[Hustler]

I was advised not to drink alcohol for 1 week so i have done that (More than 1 week even). I am waiting until my partner gets home from work before i cut these bandages off, gonna need her help as my mobility i very limited at moment (Due to the bandages). Im very anxious obviously because this is the first glimpse i will get of something i have wanted for SO long.

Where are you having the surgery done?

Good luck to you for tomorrow matey, post your experiences etc.