Questions regarding post op healing with KARDIS (booked for op early aug)

[Stevew87]

I went to see Dr Kardis today for a consultation and I'm very glad I did i now understand why people recommend him so much on the UK forum. I'm booked into to have the operation early August. I will be sure to make a separate post with pictures and hopefully.. providing i do stick to the gym I will upload images 6 months prior or something along those lines. Mind you im off to university and i plan to do various sports maybe including MMA or Boxing so I may go to that instead of the gym.
A few questions i have for those who have had the operation or know a lot about the operation from reading the threads.
Dr Kardis said i can go back to excercise from 2-3 weeks (but also depending on how my body reacts to it). The other 2 places i inquired seemed to suggest 4-6 weeks and perhaps maybe even 6-8 weeks for chest exercises. I asked Dr Kardis and he said through experience and using his own method 2-3 weeks is sufficient and also wearing the vest only requires 2 weeks all day and night and then 2 weeks at night. I would like the opinion of those who have gone through the surgery as to when I can start doing cardio and when i can start doing the gym (properly/full out). On the INFO sheet i saw it says that you should wait 5-7 days before going back to work which i found interesting (this is of no worry or concern for me as im on a gap year studying at home) because many places seems to suggest you can go back within a few days... but have to wait 2 months before going to the gym.

[BobGreggary123]

Nice one dude on having your consultation with Dr. Karidis! I have mine tomorrow afternoon Do you mind sharing how early in August you managed to get your operation booked? I am hoping to get mine booked for around the first/second week of August if he has anything available.
Also, what was the final quotation he had given you if you don't mind me asking? I remember reading from late last year it was around 5600ish, and am hoping to find tomorrow it hasn't changed too much since then.
As for the gym this is something I was also going to ask him about tomorrow. I've been training for the last few years, and am really anxious about having too long off. From what I can tell from reading a lot of threads on this site, people seem to be able to hit the gym again *with significantly lighter weights* after about 2-3 weeks (not focusing on chest movements at this point, just your back/bis/tris/legs/shoulders etc.). Then just gradually increase the weight to normal about a week or two later (so week 4-5 post surgery), at which point you can start focusing on chest exercises at a light weight and slowly increase the resistance over a period of couple of weeks. That's my plan at the moment, but will obviously have to see how my body copes :-)
By the way, I understand that you need to have a blood test taken before the surgery. Do you know what exactly they are testing for, and more importantly whether you can book surgery without having the test? I'm working away from home for the next month and am thinking I won't be able to get the test done via the NHS, but at the same time don't want to fork out chunks of cash to the clinic to have it done there and then tomorrow if I could have had it for free haha!

Sorry for the wall of text, and good luck with your surgery

[Life's too short]

I’m just under 2 weeks post op with him and I’m feeling much better. Going to go back to the gym next week to start some light cardio but just on the legs so exercise bike, just see how it goes to be honest. Definitely not ready to go back to muay thai, bag work, weights. Too high impact and don’t want to risk anything so probably will give it a minimum of 6 weeks or something. He says 2-3 weeks but we all want to be as cautious as possible to minimize scar tissue growth. I’ve also started brisk walking to get the HR up a bit and burn some calories. Surprised by how well I’ve been eating and maintaining weight. Thought I’d get a bit depressed but I’m actually loving having f all to do after work for a while because I know it truly is a one off. 

[Stevew87]

Nice one dude on having your consultation with Dr. Karidis! I have mine tomorrow afternoon Do you mind sharing how early in August you managed to get your operation booked? I am hoping to get mine booked for around the first/second week of August if he has anything available.
Also, what was the final quotation he had given you if you don't mind me asking? I remember reading from late last year it was around 5600ish, and am hoping to find tomorrow it hasn't changed too much since then.
As for the gym this is something I was also going to ask him about tomorrow. I've been training for the last few years, and am really anxious about having too long off. From what I can tell from reading a lot of threads on this site, people seem to be able to hit the gym again *with significantly lighter weights* after about 2-3 weeks (not focusing on chest movements at this point, just your back/bis/tris/legs/shoulders etc.). Then just gradually increase the weight to normal about a week or two later (so week 4-5 post surgery), at which point you can start focusing on chest exercises at a light weight and slowly increase the resistance over a period of couple of weeks. That's my plan at the moment, but will obviously have to see how my body copes :-)
By the way, I understand that you need to have a blood test taken before the surgery. Do you know what exactly they are testing for, and more importantly whether you can book surgery without having the test? I'm working away from home for the next month and am thinking I won't be able to get the test done via the NHS, but at the same time don't want to fork out chunks of cash to the clinic to have it done there and then tomorrow if I could have had it for free haha!

Sorry for the wall of text, and good luck with your surgery

- With the blood tests i 100% recommend getting them and I'm quite certain it is compulsory... it is for the general anesthetic and for the post healing. At the hospital i believe it is about £150 so if you can go see a GP then go get it done at a local hospital DO!
- My quote was £5500 I got the impression that was the set price for everyone when asking the financial adviser.
- The next available slots i believe are around the 15th of august.
- I'm hoping to start the gym up at university of which will be 6 weeks post op so I'm hoping i can hit the weights and not have to worry!

[Stevew87]

I’m just under 2 weeks post op with him and I’m feeling much better. Going to go back to the gym next week to start some light cardio but just on the legs so exercise bike, just see how it goes to be honest. Definitely not ready to go back to muay thai, bag work, weights. Too high impact and don’t want to risk anything so probably will give it a minimum of 6 weeks or something. He says 2-3 weeks but we all want to be as cautious as possible to minimize scar tissue growth. I’ve also started brisk walking to get the HR up a bit and burn some calories. Surprised by how well I’ve been eating and maintaining weight. Thought I’d get a bit depressed but I’m actually loving having f all to do after work for a while because I know it truly is a one off.

I was thinking of doing MMA or Boxing (they don't do kickboxing unfortunately) at the uni I'm going to...  i will be roughly 6 weeks post op when starting... most likely 7 weeks because of the welcome week etc.. not sure if that is too soon for combat sports? I'm too used to being a sit at home bum being someone that plays video games etc so for me it will be the norm. Best of luck with the healing!

[Life's too short]

Sounds like the surgery is at the right time, 6 weeks before starting Uni, and your chest will be looking much better when you start! 
There won't be much contact in boxing for a while (unless you have experience) MMA there will be more grappling and stuff so bit more physical so be aware and just see how you feel.
Make sure you enjoy freshers week and try to meet as many people as you can trust me it won't always be that easy to mingle, make friends and meet girls!  And make sure you sign up to a few clubs and go along to their initial socials! Then when the sessions begin you can start training and cracking on. I was VP of my uni boxing club and loved being involved with a sports club particularly for the social side, but I was never fully able to enjoy because of the gyno!

[Stevew87]

Your advice is spot on. I actually went to uni for a month and a half to do business but i ended up quiting due to realizing i would hate being in the industry/and just the work was... (silly of me to wait that long but i really didn't think i had another option). Now I'm doing something completely different... anyways... i had bad luck with flat mates who seem to all have mates at the uni before they went... we didn't eat together or hang out. I started up clubs and slowly made some friends. Unless you get a decent amount of luck with flat mates it can be very isolating when you aren't someone that isn't very outgoing and used to making new friends in new places. 
And yeah MMA is probably too physical i can see them doing BJJ early on and of course you can't do that without 'sparring' other people. I may do boxing or just the gym when i start.