Surgery with Levick - 24/1/13 - Hematoma

[sjwsjw]

I wore the vest for 5 weeks. Karidis says 4-5 week. I started getting a lot more sensation all over my chest once the vest was removed. It's not anywhere near where it was before but it is coming back.

[Ricardo7]

I wore my vest 2 weeks full time and another few weeks for 12 hours each day.

I've gone back to wearing it full time during the week and at night at the weekends!

[about2change]

why have you gone back to wearing it ? :S

[Ricardo7]

Because I've got a bit of swelling and feel that wearing the vest might be good for it. They do say that those who wear the vest longer get better results.

[about2change]

oh darn, you made me feel bad lol..personally I wore the vest for 5 weeks full time and then just stopped completely.. I don't know how that'll effect my results now

[sjwsjw]

Swelling is a normal part of healing. The vest doesn't stop it but it reduces it a good deal. 5 weeks is enough time to get the major benefits from the vest. There's no harm in wearing it further but by then it's effect is much smaller. I found I started to get feeling return much quicker once I had stopped wearing the vest.

Personally I'd always say for people to follow what their surgeon tells them. Especially if it is karidis or Levick they aren't guessing these numbers. I asked about wearing it for longer and he said I could if I wanted but it wasn't necessary, once I heard that I was comfortable with taking it off.

[Ricardo7]

Levick doesn't give you a time period for wearing the vest. The hospital booklet might say 4-6 weeks I can't remember but he himself says it's entirely up to you and if you feel there's any benifit in wearing it longer, do so.

I think I'm seeing an improvement since I've started wearing it full time but that might not be down to the vest, I can't be sure

[McGilli]

I wore my vest for 6 weeks. Only removing to shower.

After I took mine off everything looked great! I thought that was it - totally done!

Then over the next two weeks without the vest, gravity happened and things started to sag a little so I was then taken back for a revision.

Still wearing my vest 2 weeks now after revision. Personally I don't mind wearing it.

[3rdTimeLucky (Dave)]

6 weeks

[3rdTimeLucky (Dave)]

6 weeks

[3rdTimeLucky (Dave)]

6 weeks

[3rdTimeLucky (Dave)]

6 weeks

[3rdTimeLucky (Dave)]

6 weeks

[3rdTimeLucky (Dave)]

6 weeks out:
Things are slowing, the left side is still sore to the touch and massage its daily with cocoa butter/bio oil, applying bio oil to the axilla scars on the armpits in the hope they will improve.

VEST: If I don't wear the vest for a few hours the left side will bulge out and feel like a stiff lump. More compression is better, as mentioned before using an elasticated strap that came with a hot/cold pack from MyProtein.

Going to contact Paul today to see what he thinks.

I'm still taking arnica at 2 tabs a day, but got some Bromelain which I take 3x a day as carving up a fresh pineapple isn't always practical when you haven't got time.
RE: Bromelain, it is the anti-inflammatory compound in pineapple.


Going to contact Paul today to see what he thinks.

[3rdTimeLucky (Dave)]

I've been in touch with Levick and there's not much I can do but wait and keep applying pressure, the hematoma isn't fluid like and hasn't been for nearly a month so I'll have to see it out.

Was going to post pics but will be doing so every 2 weeks now.

But generally since last week the progress has slowed and my left pec is possibly bigger (maybe due to massaging) and still feels odd, no normality in the areola yet either. Seems to feel a bit tighter over the ribcage too when I stretch overhead on that side, in any case I'm probably looking at a around another 3-4 months till it sorts itself out.
The right side is pretty much there now.

If I've got time I'll post pics next week.