top surgery

[cathexis]

Originally Posted by DapperButch

The majority of surgeons still use nickel size. 2.5cm. Garramone uses dime size. I believe that dime size looks more masculine and this is what I have. I have noticed that the surgeons who have less experience with top surgery (are used to doing cis women's breast reductions), tend to go even larger than 2.5cm. Honestly, it was because I know your surgeon is not a trans surgeon per se, that I mentioned this to you.

Your areolas will be the same color as they are now. Your surgeon should remove your areola/nipple complex. He should cut down the size of each. He should stich the areola on first and then stitch the nipple into the center. Some surgeons make oval shaped areolas because they can stretch diagnoally over time. Did your surgeon not go over how he does his areola/nipples?

I don't know of any who do inpatient. What does your surgeon do?

Pain varies between people. I used pain meds for only a handful of days (2-3?) and then used extra strength Tylenol like twice. The bulk of the pain for me was the drains. If you have drains, they are tubes pressed roughly against your sides by either a vest or a wrap. It sucks. Will you be getting a vest or a wrap?

Will start off with a question my surgeon is not likely to know.
What size should I ask them to make the areola/nipple if intending to get good sized nipple piercings (12g) once healed. Do you recommend that I share those plans with him. Will the prospect of me getting re pierced (had piercings before that had grown out) effect his remolding of the areola or nipple. One of the nipples is split and the other has a
very shallow old piercing. Do I need to tell him about this, or
can it wait for him to discover in the OR?

No, he tells me that it will be outpatient surgery. My Partner (also a RN) is really leery of that due to my health problems. She wants me to stay overnight, if possible.

We both appreciate having someone around that I feel comfortable asking the questions that I am unable to ask him.
Thank you.

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by cathexis

Will start off with a question my surgeon is not likely to know.
What size should I ask them to make the areola/nipple if intending to get good sized nipple piercings (12g) once healed. Do you recommend that I share those plans with him. Will the prospect of me getting re pierced (had piercings before that had grown out) effect his remolding of the areola or nipple. One of the nipples is split and the other has a
very shallow old piercing. Do I need to tell him about this, or
can it wait for him to discover in the OR?

I think it is always best to talk with our surgeons openly. You need to be transparent. Definitely tell him your plans. He probably does breast augmentations and reductions all the time. He must be used to having discussions about piercings. I would think that he would be a good source for knowing how tall you would need the nipples to be to be able to handle thick piercings. I don't think it is inappropiate for you to draw what size areola you are looking for. You have to remove all body piercings prior to surgery, so remove the shallow one.

No, he tells me that it will be outpatient surgery. My Partner (also a RN) is really leery of that due to my health problems. She wants me to stay overnight, if possible.

I don't know what to say about this since I am not a medical professional, but I really haven't ever heard of a person getting top surgery staying in the hospital overnight.

We both appreciate having someone around that I feel comfortable asking the questions that I am unable to ask him.
Thank you.

10 characters.

[SleepyButch]

Finally had my top surgery on Wednesday.. I'm sore as hell but nothing I can't live with and a little pain medicine to help a long the way lol. I'm in a compression garment so can't really see my chest but it is weird to look down and see my stomach lol.

life is good..

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by SleepyButch

Finally had my top surgery on Wednesday.. I'm sore as hell but nothing I can't live with and a little pain medicine to help a long the way lol. I'm in a compression garment so can't really see my chest but it is weird to look down and see my stomach lol.

life is good..

Congrats! And yes, you will realize you have "a stomach" (my way of saying belly fat) immediately upon getting top surgery!

Do you have someone helping you out? Drains or no drains?

[SleepyButch]

Originally Posted by DapperButch

Congrats! And yes, you will realize you have "a stomach" (my way of saying belly fat) immediately upon getting top surgery!

Do you have someone helping you out? Drains or no drains?

Yes, I have a bunch of people taking care of me.. almost too many lol. No drains used.

[Femminator]

My Partner is going in July for theirs. It's been a long trip and I am glad that we are finally doing this. Just to see them finally be their self will be awesome.

I would like to ask what do you need most from a partner after our top surgery? I guess I would love to know how to make this easier for my partner.

[SleepyButch]

Originally Posted by Femminator

My Partner is going in July for theirs. It's been a long trip and I am glad that we are finally doing this. Just to see them finally be their self will be awesome.

I would like to ask what do you need most from a partner after our top surgery? I guess I would love to know how to make this easier for my partner.

I'm sure others will chime in here and give their opinion but since I just went through it, I'll tell you from my own perspective. This compression garment has made me pretty irritable lol so be patient with them if that happens. I didn't bind before this surgery so that's probably made it worse for me but try to keep them from wanting to rip the damn thing off. lol

Make sure they stay hydrated and also eat something with their pain meds, even if it's just crackers. Taking that stuff on an empty stomach can cause nausea and no one wants to feel like that after surgery. Make a schedule for their meds because it's hard to keep track of what to take when if you have several.

It's really hard to use your arms so they won't be able to reach for things so just be mindful of that. Lastly, just be loving and supportive, probably what you do on a daily basis anyway.

Hope that helps some.