tzone

smithscowboy · Joined: 04 May 2007 Posts: 90

Hi guys,

I mentioned it before but if you don't already know - I'll be undergoing my chest reconstruction on the 31st of March, which is around three weeks away, so I'm starting to feel pretty nervous. Not because I'm not 100% certain I want to go ahead, just with anaesthetic and the general outcome. I haven't ever been for an operation before so I'm a little concerned about the administering of anaesthetic part. What does it feel like to 'go under' and what should I expect to feel like before and after, and so on...

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**Flameboy** · Posted: Fri Mar 07, 2008 10:38 pm Post subject:

I've only had a general anaesthetic once, but it was fine really. Beforehand, you can expect the anaesthetist to explain what he or she's doing, and stick a needle in your hand. If you're anything like me, you'll lie there thinking "this'll never work on me, it'll probably take ages for me to go off" and stuff like that. They might well ask you to count backwards or something like that - you'll start off, and the next thing you'll know is when you wake up feeling a bit groggy and disorientated back in your bed!

Although I'd only had a minor operation, it took me about a week to feel normal again - not from the op itself, more from the after-effects of the anaesthetic. Don't worry about that, it's perfectly normal. Your body will want plenty of sleep to help it heal and to get over the anaesthetic - you'll probably feel a bit odd but that's about it!

Good luck with the surgery mate - I can't wait to hear how you get on, and hopefully see pics as well!

Dave

CheekyCat · Joined: 20 Aug 2007 Posts: 458 Location: UK

Quote:

I haven't ever been for an operation before so I'm a little concerned about the administering of anaesthetic part. What does it feel like to 'go under' and what should I expect to feel like before and after, and so on...

General Anaesthetics are great........I've had them a couple of times and it's a very surreal experience indeed!

They will sometimes offer you a mild sedative before you go to theatre if you are feeling particularly anxious or stressed, but its not always the case that they will do so. The Anaesthetist will also also have a quick that with you to explain what will happen, either in the ward/room beforehand (more likely if you go private!) or in the theatre itself before the op (more likely if you go NHS!).

But the process itself is fairly straighforward and very surreal! They will insert a canulla into the back of your hand for administering the drugs. They will then ask you to start counting backwards from a hundred.......and hey presto you are almost instantly under.....I think my record is to get to about 97 on the count back!

But it's not at all like dropping off to sleep.......more like somebody flicks the off switch at the back of your head! But the strangest thing is that when you wake up there is no concept of the time that has passed. It's not like when you wake after sleep and you are more or less aware if you have slept for half an hour or a full eight hours. You will feel like you have closed your eyes and opened them again a moment later..........a very strange feeling indeed!

And afterwards, you'll probably just feel very drowsy and want to sleep for a few hours. And as Dave said, many people can feel rundown and tired for a few weeks afterwards. Personally I felt tired for a day or so and then was fine.

But I'm sure you'll be ok and they'll look after you well. Good luck![/quote]

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smithscowboy · Joined: 04 May 2007 Posts: 90

Thanks for your replies guys.

It's funny how much easier you made me feel about anaesthesia.

I'll definitely post some after photos for you to see, and you can draw your own conclusions.

The surgeon said the operation will only take an hour and a half or so which surprised me a little. I thought it'd be much longer. And yeah I have gone private so I'll have my own room and things. I'm admitted at 7.30am and I leave the following morning. Then I have to stay the week so I can go back and the surgeon can see how I'm doing.

I still can't believe I'm saying "I'm going for my surgery now". It's crazy.

_________________
"We burn the fat off our souls... Hemingway said that..."

**Alan314159** · Advisor Joined: 08 Feb 2007 Posts: 389

I've only had a general once before, but it was a walk in the park. Before I even got into the theatre a guy said "This'll probably feel a bit cold", stuck a needle in the back of my hand and then I just about had time to think "Oh yeah, that is a bit co-" and the next thing I knew I was in the recovery room. Very Happy

**thefishkeeper** · Advisor Joined: 09 Feb 2007 Posts: 1487 Location: Reading

I have had many an op, but when you wake up from the top surgery, you see your toes with out any hinderance. Very Happy

My advice is NOT to take any pre med, this can make you sick after and for some unknown reason you take longer to recover.

When you go down [ as they call it], apart from what the others have said, you have a strange taste in the mouth, by the time you realise what is happen8ing, some one is calling your name, asking you to open your eyes. I do each time smile at whom ever then drop back off. Till I realealise what's been done then I like to check things out.

So nothing to worry about, just remember your going to get to see your toes whilst lying down.

Wink

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**Flameboy** · Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2008 6:04 pm Post subject:

thefishkeeper wrote:

So nothing to worry about, just remember your going to get to see your toes whilst lying down.

Wink

In my case, I think I'll need to lose more of my stomach before that'll happen! Smile

Dave

**thefishkeeper** · Advisor Joined: 09 Feb 2007 Posts: 1487 Location: Reading

This topic has been moved to it's rightfull place.

Dave....You may just get one of those bends that bend in the middle, then I would not worry about the beer belly.

Cool

_________________
" Too many years fighting the tears, Why can't the past just die. Try to for give, teach me to live, give me the strength to try. No more memories, no more silent tears, no more gazing across the wasted years, help me to say. Goodbye"
From Phantom Of The Opera

Fishkeeper is Admin staff for FTM's.
My Bio. http://www.transgenderzone.com/bio.htm
we have a library
http://www.transgenderzone.com/library

feel free to browse

nicholas · Joined: 08 Feb 2007 Posts: 117

yeah, just to echo what everyone else said - i had chest surgery last year and the anesthetic part was fine. i was pretty much as worried as you are, as i hadn't ever been under anesthetic before and it was a bit daunting. but it was literally just, one minute i was lying in the operating theatre and they were talking to me and i was responding, and the next minute i was feeling a bit pathetic and confused and waking up in the recovery room! it was fine, really.

anyway, congrats!!! hope it all goes well.

smithscowboy · Joined: 04 May 2007 Posts: 90

Ok guys, a little post-surgery update, like I promised.

I'm not 100% sure about how I feel. I think the nipple size and position is good but the chest for my personally doesn't feel flat enough, like I feel the hump near the incision is slightly unnatural.

The first pic is taken one week after surgery getting dressings changed. The second is just over a week, by like a day with new dressings.

Maybe it's swelling. I don't know. But I'd really appreciate your opinion because I'm not feeling great about it all.

I've posted URLs because I can't re-size them right now.

http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/9241/cimg0392lw5.jpg

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/3268/cimg0385tk0.jpg

_________________
"We burn the fat off our souls... Hemingway said that..."

Skyler · Tzoner Joined: 08 Feb 2007 Posts: 934 Location: Canada

It could very well be swelling. I don't know. Give it some time before you start thinking otherwise though.

Looks awesome otherwise

Mike · Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 7:35 pm Post subject:

I think it looks great mate. Like Skyler said, I would give it some time for the swelling and bruising to go down to see what you personally think.
If that was my chest tho, id be well pleased with it. Give yourself some time to heal.