Surgery with Karidis: Completed (Updated 4th August 2019)

[yamahatrophy]

Great to see you again dk1000! I had no idea he trained with Dr. Levick, that's good to hear. When are you looking to get the surgery done? What type of gynecomastia do you have?

I've actually become less nervous and more excited to get the surgery the closer I get to the date. Any time I feel nervous I just look at my chest and remind myself in a few days this problem that has bothered me for years will finally be a thing of the past. In terms of preparations, I've made sure to avoid ibuprofen for the last 2 weeks and have stopped drinking alcohol from now. I've also stopped taking my preworkout as it contains a compound that thins the blood (good thing I checked this). In the gym I've made sure to go as hard as I can in the workouts as I'll be off for a month with a particular focus on chest. My week at work is busy so I imagine I'll get to Wednesday evening and it'll hit me that the surgery is the next day.

The one thing worrying me is the recommendation to sleep on an incline to reduce swelling. Not entirely sure how to do that as I'm a picky sleeper and can't sleep upright. I might use some additional bedding near my upper body to put me on a slight slope. 6 days to go now!

[bb0082]

Great updates! All the best for the surgery sounds like you’re in the best hands. 
Hoping to be gyne-free this summer! 

[yamahatrophy]

Great updates! All the best for the surgery sounds like you’re in the best hands.
Hoping to be gyne-free this summer!

Thanks, will post another in a week documenting the surgery and my recovery  Good luck with the surgery! Which surgeon did you decide on?

[yamahatrophy]

Update 4 - Pre-Op Tests Passed And Fees Paid 8th March 2019

I've made various posts with small updates since the pre-op tests so decided to put them together into a single update here for easier reading in the future. All pre-op tests are clear and the results came back within 2 - 3 days so very quick turnaround. They're sent directly to Karidis and Stephen confirmed the results to me via email. The Karidis fee has now been fully paid (via WorldPay with card) and also the hospital fee (called the finance department and they took my card number over the phone). So everything is clear and I'm ready for surgery on 14th March! I'll post another update detailing the day of surgery and initial recovery.

[dk1000]

Great to see you again dk1000! I had no idea he trained with Dr. Levick, that's good to hear. When are you looking to get the surgery done? What type of gynecomastia do you have?

I've actually become less nervous and more excited to get the surgery the closer I get to the date. Any time I feel nervous I just look at my chest and remind myself in a few days this problem that has bothered me for years will finally be a thing of the past. In terms of preparations, I've made sure to avoid ibuprofen for the last 2 weeks and have stopped drinking alcohol from now. I've also stopped taking my preworkout as it contains a compound that thins the blood (good thing I checked this). In the gym I've made sure to go as hard as I can in the workouts as I'll be off for a month with a particular focus on chest. My week at work is busy so I imagine I'll get to Wednesday evening and it'll hit me that the surgery is the next day.

The one thing worrying me is the recommendation to sleep on an incline to reduce swelling. Not entirely sure how to do that as I'm a picky sleeper and can't sleep upright. I might use some additional bedding near my upper body to put me on a slight slope. 6 days to go now!

Glad to be here I'm looking to get the surgery done on Tuesday 16th April, which would give me time to recover over the Easter break. I had originally hoped to have it done on the 18th but as it was fully booked, 16th was the best alternative. I would say my gyno is mild to moderate, similar to yours in size although I am not as lean as you. Having gained a bit of weight in the last few months, it is definitely more prominent through clothing as it's been pushed forward, which has meant that it's played on my mind more than ever. I'll hopefully be able to post some before/after pictures next month.

You should definitely be very excited, I know I am already. Having had gyno for 10+ years (I'm 22 now), being able to wear fitted shirts/t-shirts/jumpers and being topless on holiday would be a dream! ...That's also very useful to know regarding the ibuprofen + pre-workout, I'll make sure to look into foods/supplements to avoid before surgery as well as other do's and don'ts. I've heard consuming pineapple is good for reducing swelling and bruising as it contains bromelain. Similarly to you, I'm hoping to build up my chest in the next 6 weeks and reduce my body fat as much as possible, hence I opted to wait for surgery even though there were dates available in March and Karidis said I'm ready to go ahead with it as I am.

I too am worried about how I'll sleep at night as I tend to sleep on my stomach, but hopefully the discomfort of sleeping upright won't be that bad after a few nights and the results worth the sacrifice. I think I'll also consider adding additional bedding and find a way to stop myself rolling over.

It's good to hear your tests came back fine and you've paid off all the fees. Looking forward to hearing about your results and recovery!

[yamahatrophy]

Update 5 - Preparation For Surgery 13th March 2019
Well, the day is almost upon me - my surgery is scheduled for tomorrow morning. This is a short update to explain how I've been preparing based on information from Karidis and other diaries:

• Purchased throat soothers: apparently the intubation from general anaesthesia can be quite rough on the throat
• Shaved chest: Another patient recommended this in their diary as removing the sticky dressing turned out to be quite painful
• Put together a comfortable, easy outfit for tomorrow. Grey hoodie, tracksuit bottoms and trainers. My gym outfit basically! Your top shouldn't require to be pulled over your head as this will be difficult / painful after surgery
• Stopped all supplements / vitamins etc.
• No eating or drinking after midnight
• Worked out travel. Will get trains to the hospital and then an Uber back home.

The clinic nurse gave me a call earlier and explained the procedures for tomorrow and answered any questions I had. I need to be there at 7am and should be going in around 8am. Will post another update tomorrow evening assuming I'm not too tired. This will hopefully be the last 15 hours I spend on this Earth with my puffy nipples!

[dk1000]

Update 5 - Preparation For Surgery 13th March 2019
Well, the day is almost upon me - my surgery is scheduled for tomorrow morning. This is a short update to explain how I've been preparing based on information from Karidis and other diaries:

• Purchased throat soothers: apparently the intubation from general anaesthesia can be quite rough on the throat
• Shaved chest: Another patient recommended this in their diary as removing the sticky dressing turned out to be quite painful
• Put together a comfortable, easy outfit for tomorrow. Grey hoodie, tracksuit bottoms and trainers. My gym outfit basically! Your top shouldn't require to be pulled over your head as this will be difficult / painful after surgery
• Stopped all supplements / vitamins etc.
• No eating or drinking after midnight
• Worked out travel. Will get trains to the hospital and then an Uber back home.

The clinic nurse gave me a call earlier and explained the procedures for tomorrow and answered any questions I had. I need to be there at 7am and should be going in around 8am. Will post another update tomorrow evening assuming I'm not too tired. This will hopefully be the last 15 hours I spend on this Earth with my puffy nipples!

Thanks for the update Yamahatrophy, I have the same plan as you to a tee. Had my blood tests today so hopefully will get the all clear for surgery in a few days time.

Best of luck, hopefully an incredible result

[yamahatrophy]

Update 6 - Surgery Completed 14th March 2019
And that's that, folks. I had a bright and early start at 5am and made it to the hospital just before 7am where I was taken to the admissions lounge. After about 15 minutes of waiting and filling out a form I was taken to my room. Nice window views with a few chairs, a TV and good sized bathroom. No complaints there  I met the nurses who would be looking after me and had my blood pressure, oxygen saturation and temperature checked. After another short wait I met the anaesthetist and we had a short chat about what he would be doing and what to expect. This was then followed by Dr. Karidis himself who took some photos of the chest from different angles and marked me up with a pen. I then changed into the surgery outfit. One thing to note, you'll be provided with this half transparent diaper type thing. I asked Dr. Karidis if I could just stay in my underwear instead and he said it's not a problem, so it was good to maintain some shred of dignity! A nurse then came in with the food menu and I selected my choices for the starter, main and dessert. If you're reading this on the first post, I've attached photos to the separate post on page 2 of the room, food menu, and chest markings. Being first on the list, a nurse then guided me to theatre.

Given that this was my first time under general anaesthetic and was a concern of mine, I focused as much as possible on the process and feelings experienced so I'd be able to describe it to you all. Entering the anaesthetist's room, I was asked to lie down on the bed and asked to confirm my personal details. They then attached a few monitoring tools to me (ECG etc.). The anaesthetist then inserted the cannula - I won't lie, this was a bit painful. I'd say about 3 times the pain of a blood draw. But it was short lived and overall not too bad. He then injected a sedative, followed by the medicine to actually make me "sleep". The effects were quick and I was out within 30 - 45 seconds. Here's the exact notes I made in my head as it took affect:
1. Bitter taste appears in mouth (within 10 seconds)
2. Face starts to tingle. Like having pins and needles.
3. Start to feel really good. This part was great  If you've ever had a "party" balloon, it feels almost exactly like that
4. For each second that passes after this, it's like an additional tequila shot hits your system. Feeling ready to hit the clubs at this point.
5. Gone

Before I knew it, I was waking up in the recovery room. I've heard horror stories of some people waking up and panicking, vomiting etc. I had none of this - it was like waking up from a peaceful sleep. My throat wasn't even sore so I didn't need the throat soothers in the end. Absolutely no chest pain. The anaesthetic was very much still in effect at this point helped by the cooling garment placed across the chest. The nurse then blasted some heat under the sheets. This whole bit in the recovery room was fantastic. Like having a good lie in. I was then taken back to my room and got into bed. The first hour back in the room wasn't great. I started to shiver and shake quite a bit which was the only side effect I had, but it passed fairly quickly. For the remaining few hours I watched some of my favourite reality TV shows (possibly without guilt for the first time in my life!) and had lunch. The food was absolutely fantastic - on par with places like Pret. Not your typical hospital food! They'll take your blood pressure, oxygen saturation and temperature every 30 minutes, and then every hour. The most painful part of the whole day was actually when the nurse removed the cannula. The needle coming out I didn't feel at all, however pulling off the sticky tape attached to all the hairs was even more painful than the cannula going in. I highly, highly recommend shaving your arms from the hands to above the elbow before going to the hospital (the anaesthetist may put it in your hand or forearm depending on vein availability). I was discharged shortly after 3pm so managed to dodge the London traffic and get back home just after 5pm.

So all in all - a fantastic experience from start to finish and very little pain. It's 10 hours after surgery as I write this and I'd rank the pain as a 2/10. I'm taking the painkillers provided every 4 hours to stay proactive with pain management and will reduce the intake over 3 days. Obviously I have no idea of the aesthetic outcome yet (haven't even seen my new chest yet) however if you've been putting the procedure for fear of the surgery itself, you really have nothing to worry about. Very little pain, comfortable accommodation, nice nurses and good food. Tonight will be a struggle as I've been ordered to sleep on my back with extra pillows under me and I normally sleep on my side so I think that'll be my first real challenge. I'll be returning to the hospital at 2.30pm tomorrow for removal of the stitches so will post another update then.

[yamahatrophy]

Photo of lunch added here due to max 4 attachment limit.

[dk1000]

Update 6 - Surgery Completed 14th March 2019
And that's that, folks. I had a bright and early start at 5am and made it to the hospital just before 7am where I was taken to the admissions lounge. After about 15 minutes of waiting and filling out a form I was taken to my room. Nice window views with a few chairs, a TV and good sized bathroom. No complaints there I met the nurses who would be looking after me and had my blood pressure, oxygen saturation and temperature checked. After another short wait I met the anaesthetist and we had a short chat about what he would be doing and what to expect. This was then followed by <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url] himself who took some photos of the chest from different angles and marked me up with a pen. I then changed into the surgery outfit. One thing to note, you'll be provided with this half transparent diaper type thing. I asked <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url] if I could just stay in my underwear instead and he said it's not a problem, so it was good to maintain some shred of dignity! A nurse then came in with the food menu and I selected my choices for the starter, main and dessert. If you're reading this on the first post, I've attached photos to the separate post on page 2 of the room, food menu, and chest markings. Being first on the list, a nurse then guided me to theatre.[/size][/color]

Given that this was my first time under general anaesthetic and was a concern of mine, I focused as much as possible on the process and feelings experienced so I'd be able to describe it to you all. Entering the anaesthetist's room, I was asked to lie down on the bed and asked to confirm my personal details. They then attached a few monitoring tools to me (ECG etc.). The anaesthetist then inserted the cannula - I won't lie, this was a bit painful. I'd say about 3 times the pain of a blood draw. But it was short lived and overall not too bad. He then injected a sedative, followed by the medicine to actually make me "sleep". The effects were quick and I was out within 30 - 45 seconds. Here's the exact notes I made in my head as it took affect:
1. Bitter taste appears in mouth (within 10 seconds)
2. Face starts to tingle. Like having pins and needles.
3. Start to feel really good. This part was great If you've ever had a "party" balloon, it feels almost exactly like that
4. For each second that passes after this, it's like an additional tequila shot hits your system. Feeling ready to hit the clubs at this point.
5. Gone

Before I knew it, I was waking up in the recovery room. I've heard horror stories of some people waking up and panicking, vomiting etc. I had none of this - it was like waking up from a peaceful sleep. My throat wasn't even sore so I didn't need the throat soothers in the end. Absolutely no chest pain. The anaesthetic was very much still in effect at this point helped by the cooling garment placed across the chest. The nurse then blasted some heat under the sheets. This whole bit in the recovery room was fantastic. Like having a good lie in. I was then taken back to my room and got into bed. The first hour back in the room wasn't great. I started to shiver and shake quite a bit which was the only side effect I had, but it passed fairly quickly. For the remaining few hours I watched some of my favourite reality TV shows (possibly without guilt for the first time in my life!) and had lunch. The food was absolutely fantastic - on par with places like Pret. Not your typical hospital food! They'll take your blood pressure, oxygen saturation and temperature every 30 minutes, and then every hour. The most painful part of the whole day was actually when the nurse removed the cannula. The needle coming out I didn't feel at all, however pulling off the sticky tape attached to all the hairs was even more painful than the cannula going in. I highly, highly recommend shaving your arms from the hands to above the elbow before going to the hospital (the anaesthetist may put it in your hand or forearm depending on vein availability). I was discharged shortly after 3pm so managed to dodge the London traffic and get back home just after 5pm.

So all in all - a fantastic experience from start to finish and very little pain. It's 10 hours after surgery as I write this and I'd rank the pain as a 2/10. I'm taking the painkillers provided every 4 hours to stay proactive with pain management and will reduce the intake over 3 days. Obviously I have no idea of the aesthetic outcome yet (haven't even seen my new chest yet) however if you've been putting the procedure for fear of the surgery itself, you really have nothing to worry about. Very little pain, comfortable accommodation, nice nurses and good food. Tonight will be a struggle as I've been ordered to sleep on my back with extra pillows under me and I normally sleep on my side so I think that'll be my first real challenge. I'll be returning to the hospital at 2.30pm tomorrow for removal of the stitches so will post another update then.

Congratulations! Glad everything went smoothly and you're not in much pain

Thanks for also posting the menu, would you recommend to bring any food/drink or was the lunch plenty? Should I also take a laptop or book to keep occupied?

[yamahatrophy]

Congratulations! Glad everything went smoothly and you're not in much pain

Thanks for also posting the menu, would you recommend to bring any food/drink or was the lunch plenty? Should I also take a laptop or book to keep occupied?

Thanks brother. Do you know when your surgery date is yet? Can't be too far ahead of mine! 

I'm a pretty big eater and the portions were enough to keep me satisfied. Had a slice of carrot cake when I got home but that's all I ate for the day. In terms of laptop and book - if TV and your phone aren't enough to keep you occupied then I'd recommend it as you'll be sitting in bed for a good 5 - 6 hours.

[yamahatrophy]

Update 7 - Day 1 Post Op 15th March 2019

As expected, last night was a struggle. Managed to stay on my back throughout however never really fell into a deep sleep, and woke up 8 or so times. My back was in a bit of pain around 5am so decided to get up and have a short walk around my room, and then I felt quite nauseous. The pain when I woke up was a constant 3.5 / 10, so a definite step up from yesterday. Probably due to all the painkillers wearing off overnight. I decided to get a train to Paddington then an Uber to the clinic as this was the best compromise between cost and safety. At this stage going on the Underground is too risky. The stitch removal occurs in the Karidis clinic itself and is performed by a lovely nurse (Lou) who I met yesterday. The dressings are removed, followed by the stitches. This was definitely uncomfortable, but not too painful. An iodine solution is then used on the area to disinfect it which stings for a few minutes. The nurse then put on clean dressings and got me back into the compression garment. What a world of difference it has made getting the stitches out - the pain is now a 0.5 - 1 / 10 and I have much more mobility. It's still a struggle to put on shoes etc. but that will get better over the next few days. Before leaving I also booked in my checkup with Dr. Karidis for April 15th. So this brings an end to the medical side of things. Now I just need time and patience to heal. The hospital experience and the surgery these past two days has been fantastic and I felt very safe and cared for throughout. The most important part of any elective surgery is choosing the right surgeon backed by the right hosptial, and Karidis has definitely ticked all the boxes. My only small complaint is that Dr. Karidis didn't come to see me after the operation. I asked, but was told he was in theatre all day and wouldn't have time. It's a shame as it would have been really reassuring just to have a 2 minute chat to get feedback on the surgery. So overall, a 9.5 / 10. I'll upload some post-op photos at 1 week and 4 weeks.

[dk1000]

Update 7 - Day 1 Post Op 15th March 2019

As expected, last night was a struggle. Managed to stay on my back throughout however never really fell into a deep sleep, and woke up 8 or so times. My back was in a bit of pain around 5am so decided to get up and have a short walk around my room, and then I felt quite nauseous. The pain when I woke up was a constant 3.5 / 10, so a definite step up from yesterday. Probably due to all the painkillers wearing off overnight. I decided to get a train to Paddington then an Uber to the clinic as this was the best compromise between cost and safety. At this stage going on the Underground is too risky. The stitch removal occurs in the Karidis clinic itself and is performed by a lovely nurse (Lou) who I met yesterday. The dressings are removed, followed by the stitches. This was definitely uncomfortable, but not too painful. An iodine solution is then used on the area to disinfect it which stings for a few minutes. The nurse then put on clean dressings and got me back into the compression garment. What a world of difference it has made getting the stitches out - the pain is now a 0.5 - 1 / 10 and I have much more mobility. It's still a struggle to put on shoes etc. but that will get better over the next few days. Before leaving I also booked in my checkup with <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url] for April 15th. So this brings an end to the medical side of things. Now I just need time and patience to heal. The hospital experience and the surgery these past two days has been fantastic and I felt very safe and cared for throughout. The most important part of any elective surgery is choosing the right surgeon backed by the right hosptial, and Karidis has definitely ticked all the boxes. My only small complaint is that <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url] didn't come to see me after the operation. I asked, but was told he was in theatre all day and wouldn't have time. It's a shame as it would have been really reassuring just to have a 2 minute chat to get feedback on the surgery. So overall, a 9.5 / 10. I'll upload some post-op photos at 1 week and 4 weeks.

Thanks for the update. What were your thoughts on seeing your new chest for the first time?

& Cheers, I'll make sure to take some entertainment to keep myself busy ...my own surgery date is 16th April, so exactly one month to go  

[yamahatrophy]

Update 7 - Day 1 Post Op 15th March 2019

As expected, last night was a struggle. Managed to stay on my back throughout however never really fell into a deep sleep, and woke up 8 or so times. My back was in a bit of pain around 5am so decided to get up and have a short walk around my room, and then I felt quite nauseous. The pain when I woke up was a constant 3.5 / 10, so a definite step up from yesterday. Probably due to all the painkillers wearing off overnight. I decided to get a train to Paddington then an Uber to the clinic as this was the best compromise between cost and safety. At this stage going on the Underground is too risky. The stitch removal occurs in the Karidis clinic itself and is performed by a lovely nurse (Lou) who I met yesterday. The dressings are removed, followed by the stitches. This was definitely uncomfortable, but not too painful. An iodine solution is then used on the area to disinfect it which stings for a few minutes. The nurse then put on clean dressings and got me back into the compression garment. What a world of difference it has made getting the stitches out - the pain is now a 0.5 - 1 / 10 and I have much more mobility. It's still a struggle to put on shoes etc. but that will get better over the next few days. Before leaving I also booked in my checkup with <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url][/url] for April 15th. So this brings an end to the medical side of things. Now I just need time and patience to heal. The hospital experience and the surgery these past two days has been fantastic and I felt very safe and cared for throughout. The most important part of any elective surgery is choosing the right surgeon backed by the right hosptial, and Karidis has definitely ticked all the boxes. My only small complaint is that <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url][/url] didn't come to see me after the operation. I asked, but was told he was in theatre all day and wouldn't have time. It's a shame as it would have been really reassuring just to have a 2 minute chat to get feedback on the surgery. So overall, a 9.5 / 10. I'll upload some post-op photos at 1 week and 4 weeks.

Thanks for the update. What were your thoughts on seeing your new chest for the first time?

& Cheers, I'll make sure to take some entertainment to keep myself busy ...my own surgery date is 16th April, so exactly one month to go

Congrats on getting it booked in! That's a day after my checkup with Dr. Karidis so should hopefully have some inspiring post-op photos for you before you go in  I'll be honest - the cosmetic result isn't even a consideration for me right now for two reasons. Firstly, my primary focus is on resting and recovering - this is surgery after all and shouldn't be underestimated. Secondly, the cosmetic result will change so much over the next 6 weeks that I don't want my expectations to be set too high or too low at any point. In 3 months time when things have stabilised I'm sure I will fully appreciate the final result. But until then I'm taking it easy and having no expectations. Keep us updated on your progress! 

[dk1000]

Update 7 - Day 1 Post Op 15th March 2019

As expected, last night was a struggle. Managed to stay on my back throughout however never really fell into a deep sleep, and woke up 8 or so times. My back was in a bit of pain around 5am so decided to get up and have a short walk around my room, and then I felt quite nauseous. The pain when I woke up was a constant 3.5 / 10, so a definite step up from yesterday. Probably due to all the painkillers wearing off overnight. I decided to get a train to Paddington then an Uber to the clinic as this was the best compromise between cost and safety. At this stage going on the Underground is too risky. The stitch removal occurs in the Karidis clinic itself and is performed by a lovely nurse (Lou) who I met yesterday. The dressings are removed, followed by the stitches. This was definitely uncomfortable, but not too painful. An iodine solution is then used on the area to disinfect it which stings for a few minutes. The nurse then put on clean dressings and got me back into the compression garment. What a world of difference it has made getting the stitches out - the pain is now a 0.5 - 1 / 10 and I have much more mobility. It's still a struggle to put on shoes etc. but that will get better over the next few days. Before leaving I also booked in my checkup with <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url][/url][/url] for April 15th. So this brings an end to the medical side of things. Now I just need time and patience to heal. The hospital experience and the surgery these past two days has been fantastic and I felt very safe and cared for throughout. The most important part of any elective surgery is choosing the right surgeon backed by the right hosptial, and Karidis has definitely ticked all the boxes. My only small complaint is that <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile"><a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url][/url][/url] didn't come to see me after the operation. I asked, but was told he was in theatre all day and wouldn't have time. It's a shame as it would have been really reassuring just to have a 2 minute chat to get feedback on the surgery. So overall, a 9.5 / 10. I'll upload some post-op photos at 1 week and 4 weeks.

Thanks for the update. What were your thoughts on seeing your new chest for the first time?

& Cheers, I'll make sure to take some entertainment to keep myself busy ...my own surgery date is 16th April, so exactly one month to go

Congrats on getting it booked in! That's a day after my checkup with <a class="underlinelink" href="https://www.gynecomastia.org/doctors/alexkaridis/profile">Dr. Karidis[/url] so should hopefully have some inspiring post-op photos for you before you go in I'll be honest - the cosmetic result isn't even a consideration for me right now for two reasons. Firstly, my primary focus is on resting and recovering - this is surgery after all and shouldn't be underestimated. Secondly, the cosmetic result will change so much over the next 6 weeks that I don't want my expectations to be set too high or too low at any point. In 3 months time when things have stabilised I'm sure I will fully appreciate the final result. But until then I'm taking it easy and having no expectations. Keep us updated on your progress!

Cheers! Post-op pics would be great and hopefully calm my nerves.

I agree with you there, I've heard it's an emotional rollercoaster with cycles of flattening/swelling, lumps, bruising etc. However, hopefully won't be too long before you can show off a flat chest and wear whatever you want 

Will keep you posted. Let me know how your recovery goes and get plenty of rest.