My diary...

[IT100]

Hi there, I haven't posted an awful lot since I first found this board 18 months ago or so but I am about to get surgery so I thought I would tell you all about it as it happens... first some background.

Normal pubescent gyno but on one side only which never went away. But it wasn't too bad and although it made both sides of my chest look slightly different it was no major problem. Then I lost about a stone in weight to get me down to about 11.5 stone... I was looking good and was quite proud to get my shirt off etc!  
About 3 or 4 months after that I felt another lump growing in the same place. Went to see my doctor who said that basically all I could do was wait and see what happened. It got a fair big bigger, enough to clearly show through T shirts etc but a shirt would normally hide it. Now this was a problem and I am constantly aware of it, especially though the summer. And it gives me some real confidence issues when taking my shirt off in front of anyone... especially girls. It makes me look quite lop sided because its on one side only, one side is very flat, apart from some small pecs that I have left over from being a bench press fanatic! And the other side is much bigger with a big fat pointy nipple etc. Not good. I saw my doctor again who put me onto a breast specialist who put me on Danazol for 2 months which stopped it acheing but that was it. Then I saw his collegue who "has a particular interest in your problem" He put me on another stronger course of Danazol which again did nothing. After that course finished went back again and they agreed to do surgery on the NHS but would be about 9 months and he warned me about scaring and sunken chests etc... none of which sounded too good to me so I have decided to go private and have a consultation with Paul Levick which is tomorrow (Tuesday 27th of Jan). I have told most of my close friends who have all been really supportive etc. Most of them have seen it because I still go swimming etc and I refuse to dress up in about 4 layers of clothing in the summer so they could see it poking out of my t shirts etc. But no one told me that till I mentioned it... I am glad that they had noticed though. Its much easier to justify spending £3000 plus when they say that they can see it rather than if they had all said, lump? what lump?! You know what its like when you spend an hour a day looking at it in the mirror, it becomes worse in your head than it really is. So anyway, thats where I am now. Wish me luck at the consultation tomorrow... although that should be fine i'm sure... I'll let you know how it went. I'll keep everyone updated on my progress over the coming weeks.
Thanks everyone who has done this sort of thing before me... its helped a lot and I want to 'pay it forward'!

IT

[sorted.now]

Good luck tomorrow, Levicks a top man you'll be fine
Ask loads of questions, make sure you're happy with everything.If you forget a question you can always ring him and he'll tell you. It's all very relaxed!

[IT100]

part 2.... !

Ok, I had the consultation yesterday, so step by step what happens!

I drove up to Birmingham from Surrey which took a couple of hours and was an easy drive. The map that they send you in the post is easy to follow and I found The Priory Hospital straight away. Lots of parking etc etc.
The appointment was in the consultation suites and when I arrived (about 15 mins before my 3.40pm appointment) I was showed into a waiting room on the ground floor. Not too many people around so lots of places to sit. It was about 4 o'clock before they called my name and I was showed upstairs to another waiting room! From there I had to go into an office where I filled out a form with Mr Levick's secretary (Who I think might be his wife?) Form was ok just personal details and details of your doctor if you want to give them plus lots of questions regarding your medical history. I was also given a information booklet about Gyne and surgery etc I was then showed back into the waiting room and was told that he was running 40 mins late. But no real problem as there is reading material etc. Cosmopolitan magazine is filthy! So 40 mins later Mr Levick comes and gets you. Really nice man that immediatley puts you at ease. He shows you to his office / examination room where he has a quick chat with you about Gyne and does the normal exmainations which i'm sure by now you would of had several times from other doctors! Although I always thought the problem was on one side he reckons he needs to do both as there is a tiny bit of 'gristle' there and that might grow at some point if not delt with.... (Get that out of me then!) He then goes on to explain in detail what he will do and draws pictures in your information book. He also shows you the tools he will use (some of which look harmless and some look a little scary... tendon retriever anyone?!) He drew me the size of the hole that he does everything through which is about the size of a stretched out pea, everything goes through there and he checks with a endoscope that he has got everything afterwards. And basically tells you all you want to know... I didn't really ask any questions but now have 1 which I should have asked... write them down!! He tells you at the end though that any questions give him a call. He also talked about him having it till he took it out at 40ish and everything he says rings true. Its strange talking to someone else who knows what its like...  I think he also reads this website and he said he wasn't sure what insominac had done to hurt himself so badly when removing the bandages. He assures me that this is not normally a problem. He also recommended bandages rather than the expensive compression vests. Apparently I was his 4th gyne consultation that day! So that all lasted about 15- 20 mins and then he takes you back to his secretary to pay the consultation fee (£80) Talk about the main fee (£3285 and £50 extra to have someone stay on a camp bed in your room including all food etc) and talk about possible dates for surgery. She was busy with another bloke... so I was showed back to the upstairs waiting room again which now had 2 very attractive (high maintanence looking!) young ladies in! Breast jobs?! Maybe I should have offered to compare scars afterwards?! But I didn't!
Only in there for another few mins before going back to the secretary. He is currently booking in for Wed 17th march so theres about a 7 -8 week wait. After that it was all finished and I could go home. The whole lot took about an hour and a half. Most of which was in waiting rooms. So all in all a very positive experience. I just have to call back now and book it! Wonder when I can get the time off work... I should be all healed up ready for the summer! Yeah!
Any questions?!
I'll post again when I have something to report!

[insomniac]

I think he also reads this website and he said he wasn't sure what insominac had done to hurt himself so badly when removing the bandages.

insomniac didn't do anything out of the ordinary when removing the bandages and he takes offence at the implication that he was careless.   hasn't it occurred to you or the good surgeon that some people have more sensitive skin types than others?

see what ur doing to insom... ur causing him to write in 3rd person!!

[IT100]

No offence was or is meant.. He knew that I had read though the posts on this website and he was just saying that he thought that was unusual and wondered what had happened to alay any fears that I had. Although its not only you that has raised that as a concern so I guess as you say it just depends on your skin type to how you react to it. Hey I wish my skin was a little like that... I can never get plasters to stay on!

[sorted.now]

IT100
Gail is Paul Levicks wife, she's also very friendly. The bandages are not alot of fun, I hated them and kept them on for 4 - 5 days.
You'll see, there a bugger to get of.
He never showed me the tools, not that I would have wanted to have seen them anyway.
A 7 to 8 week wait, that's a bit dull, when you want to get it done you just want to do it. I had mine at beginning of Dec and he was quieter. I had no waiting. Well done mate...good luck, ask any questions if you have them    

[IT100]

Quick update!

Surgery now booked for 17th of March... A few weeks off yet but at least its now done! I had best start looking after myself! 5 portions of fruit and veg every day....  lol

[Guy_J]

Hi,

Just booked my first consultation with Mr Levick for Monday 16th.... can't believe I'm actually doing this!

Im worried about the sideways incision though.... my puffy nipples are (unsurprisingly) quite wide, will the surgery force them shrink down to a smaller diameter, despite not being touched?

Jon

[sorted.now]

jon, it will make them shrink. don't worry...it will be over soon and you'll be recovering. i remember a short time ago being your position now i'm 9 weeks post levick op.

[insomniac]

guy, it's like in photoshop, when u hold down the shift key & drag to enlarge/reduce things, your body also has a way of keeping things in proportion (if that analogy makes any sense )

[headheldhigh01]

you take metaphors where you can find 'em.  

[IT100]

The NHS just called to see if I wanted to go in on the 8th of March! Thats a week and a half before the Private one is booked for. Already made up my mind to go with Levick now though as I feel so much more confident in his ability to get the job done! So have now cancelled myself off the waiting list with the NHS... someone in the Guildford area call them quick if you want a freebie!

IT

[IT100]

Week and two days to go now.... Its come round so quickly and I'm starting to feel a little nervous! In two days I start on the arnica according to the advice they have given me, that really will feel like starting the countdown! Wish me luck! Tell me all will be fine!

p.s Strangely the bit I am most looking foraward to is the week and a half I have booked off of work relaxing afterwards! lol

[sorted.now]

don't worry mate, soon it will be over, I know your feelings, it's tough. soon you will be like me...post op. Levicks good and you are in safe hands.  

[Guy_J]

Same feelings here, 100.

Ive stopped with the multivits, now taking vitC and Bromelain, have my compression vest waiting, and I guess I'll be starting with the arnica in a day or two......aarg!
I'm really excited, and definitely looking forward to the week's worth of lazing around afterwards - Im gonna stay at home and be pampered  


Ive got a couple of current probs tho:

1st is that I decided to give my body plenty of rest before the op, so Ive not been to the gym in over a week and Im getting very restless and irritable. Didnt know I was quite so 'addicted'!

2nd is that I work alongside another internship student at Philips, and also live with him and four others. The prob is that he's inviting a couple of his mates over for the weekend and they all want to get riotously pissed. Definitely something I CANT and dont want to do. What excuses can I conjure up to get me out of it?

(sorry for the hijack!)
J