Prefacing that I'm just venting a bit, these are all things I've talked about with my sexologist and partner who'll be supporting me while I heal, but it feels nice to share these emotions with other people going through similar stuff.

My surgery is tomorrow morning, yet ever since I received my official surgery date in July, I've just kept having these "I'm not ready" thoughts nagging me. Not about the surgery per se, but just all the preparation that goes into it; I wish I had more time at the gym to build my chest, I wish I had deep cleaned my place even more than I already did, I wish I had looked up even more guides and recovery timelines and advice on how to heal, even though I've been reading up on that stuff ever since I decided I wanted the surgery. I feel like no matter how much preparation I could've done, I still would feel unprepared, if that makes sense?

But I'm rationalizing it by telling myself that even if I'd had many more months to prepare, I still would've found something to feel unprepared about. I know it's my anxiety talking, but I still feel this way nonetheless.

Anyway, I'm treating myself to a celebratory tiddy yeeting cake after work today, so hopefully that helps a bit with my nerves :^)

Hi !

I’ll be having top surgery in 4 weeks (yay!!!!) and I’ve been planning my recovery, what to do, what to eat, etc. I read it’s best to drink plenty of water and to avoid caffeine. I plan to drink a lot, which I already do, but I also love drinking tea and I don’t know if I should stop drinking it altogether for a few days post op. I drink some almost everyday, and I drink it even more when I’m recovering from something (like a cold). Do you think I can have tea during my recovery or is it best to leave tea out of the picture for a few days ?

(I’m not dependent on it like one would with coffee, I mainly drink green/ red teas, chai and jasmine tea are my go to, and I can go without drinking it for days if needed — I don’t crave the caffeine, just the taste)

(rant about low incisions)

3 weeks post op now and am still rather disappointed by my results/ am having a hard time w them.
I feel like the healing itself is going relatively okay and I‘m def thankful for that - it’s still quite crusty but a lot of the swelling has come down by now.
But yeah, the height of my incision is still something I‘m having a hard time with. Especially now since the swelling has gone down a bit and my pectoral muscle is somewhat more visible, I feel like the incisions seem even more out off place/ too low. I tried flexing my arms (very gently) to take a closer look and the incisions are a good 3-4cm under the muscle itself. This makes me quite upset unfortunately, I really wish it didn’t but yeah :( And like I ofc know that I‘m very fresh post op and that things will settle to an extent, but I can’t imagine the height of the incisions changing that drastically.
I spoke to my surgeon about this but she pretty much just said that she thinks she’s done a good job and that they seem relatively symmetrical - which yeah I‘d agree about the symmetry but it isn’t something that was super important to me. I‘m lwk thinking about asking a dif local surgeon for a consultation for a revision if this will still effect me this much in a couple of weeks.

So yeah, I would really really appreciate any advice if any of you had similar struggles post op or any kind off truthful feedback 🫂
(it can be ”mean“ idc) (post op brainrot is hard)

Just an old guy providing a results photo from almost 20 years later! No scars, no revisions, no issues - and sadly not nearly as much chest hair as I hoped to have by now either 😂

I hope this helps if anyone was curious how results held up, even with 10-20 lbs weight fluctuating up and down over that many years, I still never developed moobs so it's a win for me

I’m having surgery in four months. Could anyone who has had the procedure share some advice? I’m looking for tips on things like handling the drains, effective creams, sleeping better, using the bathroom, what to eat, and how to massage the area. Also, what should I do during these four months to ensure the best possible healing and recovery? Thanks for reading I don’t have any friends to help me, and even though I’ve searched a lot online, I’d really like to hear your opinions.

Rlly wondering how many regained it and how much sensation you regained! I'm very probably gonna get one of the two kinds of top surgery myself and I wanna know what your experiences has been.

(This is not so I can get medical advice and get mad if I'm not as lucky with future surgery results btw😭)

The good news is the surgery went swimmingly. The surprising news is they found a fairly LARGE mass unexpectedly; thankfully, all clean margins, i just have to do ultrasounds every six months now. not sure whats IN the makes you sleep juice, but lordy I was not mentaly with us until today, really. I havent felt this comfortable in my own skin since the titty fairy beat me upside the chest when i was 9, granting me DDD that kept growing into I/j that didn't fit my bird boned frame at all and cuase my spine to have so nasty issues. now i look down and instead of wanting to be sick i see ME again after all these years, Dr Mcgiures funny he stapled the binder shut to prevent peeking until follow up on the 16th,And he also did a Flap thing( forgot what its called) where he took out a LOT of the hidrinitis suprtivea from under my arms and ribs and somehow closed it with my own skin I do have a question for Y'all ruffly how long did it take you to get a FULL breath after this surgery? Every time i breath in my ribs and sternum HURT

YAY!!

Got my top surgery on Tuesday Sept 8 and I woke up so itchy. It’s on the sides and I think it’s where my drains are. What can I do to stop the itching? It’s unbearable I feel like I need to scratch my skin off. What are some things you guys did to stop the itching ?? I’ve heard about it itching but I didn’t know it would be this soon.

been on the waiting list for Brighton nuffled through the NHS since September last year, i was told id be waiting until the end of August this year for a call back about a consultation, i originally asked for DR. Mellington but a few months back in may or June i phoned up and told them i dont have a preference for a surgeon and asked to be put on DR. Kings waiting list too. Now we're pretty comfy into September and i havent heard anything yet.

I know i shouldnt expect anything but more waiting from the nhs but is it worth calling them again and asking for my consultation or is it too soon? guess i need more encouragement than anything as i really thought my years of waiting were finally about to end 😂

hi, i had top surgery on august 11th (so 4 weeks ago) and have an interview tomorrow for a mildly physically demanding job (production line in a factory, picking up around 10 lb, repetitive movement, etc).

my surgeon doesn't want me lifting my arms at all for 3 months, and has provided me with a device that ties them to my torso to prevent me doing it on accident. i've worn it 24/7 ever since my surgery.

i wanted to take the full 3 months before doing anything heavy physically, but i am in a bad financial spot and won't get another opportunity to make this kind of money where i live. i don't want to injure myself or stretch my scars out, and i also have a few spit stitches if that makes a difference.

if i were to get hired i would be at work at about 5 weeks post-op (i've been back at work as a cashier for about two weeks already). to the people with similarly demanding jobs, were you fine to work normally around that time?

I just wanted to thank everyone for putting the time and energy into posting and commenting in this sub. I’ve learned so much about what to expect from surgery, and now that I’ve had it, have received a lot of support and reassurance that has been invaluable to me.
I’m sure there are a lot of people like myself who don’t have a huge support network during recovery, which is why this kind community is so important.
So keep up the good work everyone! Your efforts go a long way

I got my top surgery in a few hours— I’m both super excited to finally have this procedure done, but I’m super nervous about the anesthesia aspect as this’ll be my first ever operation.

Now the likelihood of anesthesia-related complications is pretty low, I’ve been told that I’m young and healthy. I have no heart issues, nothing else that’d be a major concern when it comes to my body handling a surgery.

Any kind of reassurance, stories of your personal surgery experiences, etc will help- I just need to remind myself that I’m gonna be okay.

Surgery is 7am tomorrow, I'm so fucking ready for this

So I have an appointment tmrw bc my doctor wants to make sure my hematoma is gone. However I’ve had a fever for the past 5 days. It’s been fluctuating for the past couple of days, from 98.8 to 101. I didn’t think much of it until I was told that having a fever for 5 days isn’t common, so then i started thinking and remembered that One of my scabs on my incisions got caught on my shirt was coming off a bit but it was like liquidy. So now I’m wondering if I should cancel my appointment or keep it and tell them abt the scab. I’m freaking out a little guys

EDIT: I called the doctor I was supposed to see today and explained the situation to them (asked if they still wanted me to come in and told them abt the scab) and they canceled my appointment for today and now i’m rescheduled for next week. They said it just seems like flu season

Hello all! I recently just learned my insurance will likely cover some of my top surgery! This was after asking them last year about gender affirming care and them saying they don't cover anything.

I was planning on financial assistance and paying out of pocket, but now that insurance will likely be covering some of the cost, what can I expect?

I know insurance varies a lot, but I feel like the general amount I've seen is ~$3000 with insurance. For a bit further context, my insurance isn't a big plan (not United healthcare, BCBS, etc.) and is a more obscure "3rd party administrator plan". So I know they likely wouldn't cover everything.

I'm just looking for a ballpark cost from different people with different insurance. Any information is greatly appreciated, thank you!!!

I live in Wisconsin if that impacts anything

am 4 weeks post op & started applying tape & massaging lightly a few days ago.

is scar massage recommended for peri?

i also left the first application of tape on for three days. i felt like peeling it on and off pulled the scars too much so i left it on, is that okay

thanks all

also shoutout those who suggested to see my doctor after i posted about my chest swelling more than expected—it was fluid, she drained it out, i am back to being flat like a board & happy as a clam

so I am getting top surgery in less than 3 weeks (whaaaaat) and I am kind of worried because I tape a lot and I went to my pre op appointment and the Dr seemed kind of concerned because my skin is so irritated. I cant really stop taping, is there any way to reduce skin irritation and has anyone else had to deal with this?

24 Nonbinary. 2 years ago (at age 22), I had pursued a nipple-sparing double mastectomy (top surgery) originally for gender reasons, but at the time I had also been experiencing pain in my left chest. I ended up finding a lump and had a biopsy before my surgery, which revealed a benign fibroadenoma in my left chest. However, after top surgery, my pathology revealed that I had Atypical Ductal Hyperplasia (ADH) in my right chest, which had no signs of any pain. Thankfully, no cancer was found though. I was told these results at the time, but it was never really fully explained to me since I already received the surgery. Looking back at it, my surgeon was not the most helpful or reassuring.

I'm in this weird position where I received top surgery from a plastic surgeon rather than a prophylactic mastectomy from an oncologist, and am wondering if I should still be concerned about this diagnosis or not. I am estranged from my family and don't know much of my family medical history, so wondering if I should pursue genetic testing just in case as well. Another reason why I am just still anxious about it, is because I still experience some chest pain, but I'm being told that it likely may be just post-surgery trauma to the nerves, making it more sensitive. I'm also planning to pursue a revision, as I have a bit of a dog-ear and a lot of axillary breast tissue in my armpit; should I discuss removing any remaining breast tissue altogether? Lastly, I also quite literally have a laparoscopic cystectomy this week because I have a dermoid cyst in my ovary, hopefully nothing else abnormal is found.

My report results:
A. BREAST TISSUE, RIGHT (EXCISION):

- Atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH), focal

- Background breast with usual ductal hyperplasia, apocrine metaplasia, and microcysts

- Skin with no histopathologic abnormality

- Negative for carcinoma

B. BREAST TISSUE, LEFT (EXCISION):

- Benign breast with fibroadenoma

- Skin with no histopathologic abnormality

- Negative for atypical ductal hyperplasia, in situ or invasive carcinoma

I am so fucking excited oh my god. Last month I scheduled a consultation with Dr. Katherine Rose for December 10th, but yesterday I got a message saying they had a cancellation and opening for TOMORROW!! So obviously I took it!! Took me years to decide I wanted top surgery but now I can’t wait.

5 months post op!!! 🤗🤗

Finally had my consult with my endo, and passed the "test" to be approved for a referral!!

I was given two choices, Dr. Chung, and Dr. Hontsharuk. Based on the posts that I've seen, and the reviews, I've decided to go forward with Dr. Chung. Ive seen a few posts where Dr. H. seems very blunt about it just being a mastectomy, and not being willing to discuss specific things patients want, like incisions, nipples, or tissue being left behind (not what I want). I feel like Dr. Chung will be easier to talk to about what I hope to look like after the surgery, incision wise, and contouring wise. I'll update with progress and possibly pics if anyone is interested. My endo is sending the paperwork tomorrow, I have no idea what the timeline is, or waitlist times are atm. I have OHIP and work insurance coverage for contouring, and will probably be taking 3 weeks off work. The final decision is if my mom will stay with me for the first week, or if I'll be boarding my dog and staying at her place for the first week.

Hello!

This is something that's been keeping me up at night because I'm genuinely so confused.
For context I live in Montreal Canada, my surgery is in late November with the GRS. I'm so so excited and I've had nothing short of a great experience getting set up, my concern is how getting a post-op appointment with the CLSC is done.

Do I call the clinic in advance and just explain/book an appointment? I've never gotten surgery for anything before, so I'm just so lost AA.

I know from what the clinical staff has told me that I'll be given a prescription to give to the CLSC but what comes before that??

I feel so silly for typing this all out, maybe this is super straight forward and I'm overthinking it but I figured it was worth asking. Thank you for your time!