Had my dressings changed again today and have been reassured by the nurse that my right "zombie" nipple is fine. It turns out that what I am looking at isn't the actual nipple but a scar over the nipple, it's not that big but very dark. This may have been because that was the side I had the haematoma in but she told me she has seen nipples like this after 2-3 weeks even when there has not been a haematoma and it's perfectly normal.

Mike, with not working I have lost track of how long it was since I had the op now but I think it 2-3 weeks ago? If so, I am now finding I can do most things for myself. I still can't reach up higher than my head without discomfort. One thing I did find which got me upwardly mobile as far as going to the toilet on my own and getting around from sitting down to walking was teaching myself to stand up using only my legs and not my upper body. You don't realise until after the op that even when you go from sitting to standing, even from an upright chair, that you use your upper body to help propel you up. I thank God for all me cycling years when i was in my youth as it helps having strong legs to do this the day after the op without causing a lot of pain. One really good point that me and my girlfriend have noticed about me using just my legs to get up is that my calf and particularly my thigh muscles seem to have got much bigger in the last few weeks. This also aplies to picking things up, I'm fine if I use my legs to get down and pull myself back up only using me legs. This is only in the early days though and now I can bend over fine to pick things up. Heavy objects are another matter and I have not even attempted to try it as of yet.

One thing I can tell you which will be of some benefit (hopefully) is the pain was never as bad as I thought it was going to be at any stage after the op (other than before the second op when I got the haematoma, that did hurt a lot even with the morphine). The biggest pain in the neck was having to sleep on my back. I have terrible trouble sleeping anyway and have real triuble getting to sleep on my back and then when you wake up at night and want to roll over to a more comfy position you can't. That is a pain but it shouldn't be for long.

I'm back to wearing muscle shirts on an evening and in bed now rather than my button up (old men's) pyjamas which is cool. I haven't attempted a T-shirt with sleeves yet as I think I would still struggle to put one on whereas with muscle shirts only having straps at the top they are easier to manoevre to where you want rather than trying to move your arms where the garment needs you to.

One good thing about the precedure I have had, I think you said you are having the same type of surgery too, is because there are no incisions under each side of the chest the dressings are minimal, just a small plaster type stretchy bandage over each nipple and steri-strips over the scars. after the initial (after op) dressing so everything is quite free in the chest area quite quickly, if you know what I mean.

Have been to work everyday this week but not done full days. I come home if it starts to get too painful and my bosses are happy about this as it saves them doing my job and they have enough on their plate as it is.

I think I may wait before posting the photos until I have the dressings removed fully and "zombie" nipple has sorted itself out. I have taken some photos as it is now and will hang onto them in case it may help to show the overall healing process later. Although the ones I have taken so far I have the plaster and steri-strips on.

Hey mate,

Thanks for all the info. Its good to read how your findin things and how the healing goin with me havin mine soon.
I know exactly what you mean about having to sleep on your back, I had a hysto 5 weeks ago and for the first 3 weeks I couldnt sleep on my side cus it hurt and felt like my insides were jigglin about inside lol I used to take ages to get to sleep on my back n then wake up after a few hours and be dyin to roll over.

I never actually thought about the scars like you mentioned. With them bein placed either side of the nipple I guess they wont be as big as the ones that go str8 across the underneath of the pec. My surgeon said when she was doin the drawings on my chest that she wouldnt have to go as far round the side of my chest because the muscle there is big (I think theyre called lateral muscles are they? sort of side of the back below the arm pits.) She sed this was a good thing. She asked if I worked out I said no, she sed from the size of them lateral? muscles you'd think I did lol Thats the one good thing about my body is im quite defined around the upper body.

Anyway im glad you're doin well. Thanks again for the info, I appreciate it.

Hey Mike,

That's exactly what my surgeon said to me when he was drawing it all out on me before my op. He said because I had a good defined upper body shape and no excess fat under and around the armpits so my scars didn't need to go under the armpit as there was no fat there. He said what happens is if there is fat in that area and they don't remove it you get a flap effect at each side of your chest. My right scar does go a bit further than the left but I think this is because they had to open me back up on the right side in the second operation for the haematoma.

Luckily when I was in my teens I did use a bullworker for a few years so he also said he only had to move my nipples about up 1cm as I had no droop in that area because my pec muscles had stopped it all slipping.

I forgot to mention in my post yesterday that when I was having my dressings changed the nurse noticed that all my nipple stiches have not been removed (on the right and left side) when I had gone back to Leicester so I rang Leicester Royal today to see if it was now ok to have them removed by a local nurse as they had originally told me they didn't want the nipple stiches being removed by any nurse outside of their hospital. They said as it is now over 3 weeks since the op it should be ok so I am going to have to go back in tomorrow to have the remaining stitches taken out which I am looking forward to like a hole in the head. Hopefully they haven't started to heal into the wound as my boss, who is an ex nurse told me if they have they may to dig them out

Hi all,

I've managed to find the wire to get the pics of my chest surgery off my stepson's camera. These were taken at 4 weeks post surgery:-

http://i524.photobucket.com/albums/cc330/johnatkin69/Chest1.jpg

http://i524.photobucket.com/albums/cc330/johnatkin69/Chest2.jpg

http://i524.photobucket.com/albums/cc330/johnatkin69/Chest3.jpg

http://i524.photobucket.com/albums/cc330/johnatkin69/Chest4.jpg


These show what I meant about the "zombie" nipple (right one). Although both nipples have scabs on them I have been assured that both nipples should be ok when they fall off. Photo "chest 3" also shows what was left of my haematoma at 4 weeks, on my right side just above my hip, it originally went up to my chest and has just about vanished now.

I will only leave these pics on for a short while for the same reason as Sean said on his post but will post some new updated pics in the future.

Pic 1 has a fluffy cat on the left that appears to be trying to suckle me, it was actually behind me and I am not a pervert... honest!!!

Hey John

Thanks for posting the pics - your chest looks great, it really does mate! I'll definitely look forward to seeing more pics as you heal more

Dave

Hey mate,

Thanks for putting the pics on. Its deffo put my mind at ease. I was worried how the scars would look being placed either side of the nipples, but now I can see yours and how it looks I have no worries about it. It looks great.

Cheers

hiya
what can i say except "looking good"
i bet your really pleased
the pictures are great
hope your healing well
take care jaketspudd

Nice job and good healing so far.

Well done bro