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☆ uncommon top surgery tips ☆

☾ hi! i got top surgery (double incision mastectomy w/ no nipples) on october 8th! here are some tips that i haven't seen before, and would have/have been of great help for me! ☽

now ofc, none of this is professional or medical advice, i'm not a doctor, i'm just a boy. always follow the directions of your surgeon over anything a stranger on the internet has to say.

☆ popping ☆
in the first couple days, you might pop! i had never heard of this and it scared the absolute shit out of me. it's fluid build up under the skin shifting around. especially if it isn't accompanied by any pain, you're all good!
i had 2 pops on my first night home, right under my incision on my right side, it was accompanied by a small bit of bleeding. it sort of feels like cracking your back, but more in the skin.

☆ pineapple juice ☆
in my first 5 days i downed 4 liters of pineapple juice, and at my 1 week check up i had literally 0 fluid build-up and not a single complication. of course, it's more than just the pineapple juice, but it is fantastic for swelling! especially in those first couple days. i've toned it down a bit now that i'm nearing week two, but it has been a better help than the arnica gel. just be careful about the acidity, i wouldn't use it to wash down your meds.

☆ practice your t-rex arms before surgery ☆

doing this massively helped me prepare for the mobility restrictions after surgery. try showering, cooking, brushing your teeth, etc with the t-rex posture. anything you can think of that you'll be doing regularly, practice! you don't want to stress your incisions, and it's way harder to figure out how to move around when you're in pain and high on meds. also, practice getting out of bed with no arms! one of the most difficult things in the first couple days was getting out of bed or re-situating myself.


☆ stinky ☆
you're gonna smell bad for a while! no deodorant for 4-6 weeks when you're sweaty and on testosterone gets stinky. learn the way your body smells and get used to it, that way you can differentiate it from any concerning post-surgery smells.

☆ lions mane mushrooms ☆
DO NOT TRY THESE FOR THE FIRST TIME AFTER SURGERY! they can cause genuinely agonizing nerve pain, because there's a chance they will over stimulate your nerve growth. i thought i was going to have a psychotic break after eating a mushroom burger (which was very yummy) and i normally can handle pain very well. they make lions mane supplements and they're also a great meat substitute. but please, do not try them until you are way healed. it's so not worth it.

☆ laxatives/stool softeners ☆
don't stop taking laxatives/stool softeners just because you've had your first shit after surgery. you don't want to stop taking them until your shits feel like you're taking laxatives. i got so brutally constipated i nearly needed to go to the hospital.

☆ don't promise shit to anybody ☆
reality is, you have no idea how your healing will go. don't make any plans, don't underestimate the timeline of your healing, don't agree to doing any work from home. i thought for sure i'd be able to do some work because i'm just chilling at home all day. that is not the case! healing is a fulltime job in itself, your energy will be so low and everything takes 10x the effort it normally would. going on walks feels like sprinting a mile, making breakfast is exhausting. even just building up the motivation to play a ds game can seem daunting. right now, your focus is healing, don't worry about what anybody else has to say, they can kick rocks

☆ talk to your caregiver about boundaries and self care ☆
it is a tough fucking job to take care of someone after surgery, and if your caregiver doesn't have set times to go indulge in some self care and free-time, they can get really, really worn out, and not be able to fulfill your needs. make sure you discuss this stuff, especially if they are your romantic partner. things can get complicated when you blur the lines between caregiver and partner and damage your relationship. communicate well, and plan ahead!

☆ learn to forgive yourself ☆
i am a very routine focused, hyper-independent person, who tends to over-intellectualize my feels instead of feeling them. the vulnerability and moodiness you'll likely feel during recovery can be really tough, and you're likely to be very raw and illogical. learn to forgive yourself, and accept the state that you will be in. you're going to be disorganized and gross and scared, it will pass and things will get better, but beating yourself up over having a major surgery won't help you. you might gain some weight, your skincare might slip, and you might be too tired to brush your teeth. its okay! you just got splayed open and stitched back together, now is your opportunity to be unapologetic-ally messy. accept it and understand that you still deserve to be well taken care of and loved.

☆ sleep on your back ☆
do it! i know it sucks to get used to, but you know what sucks even more? not being able to sleep during recovery, because you didn't wanna do it when it was easy. start MONTHS ahead, maybe even try sleeping elevated in the days leading up to surgery. you'll thank past you!

☆ really understand what you want and what you don't ☆
i prepared a gallery of scar shapes that i liked, and ones that i did not. i also traced my body on a digital art program and drew the scar shape i wanted on my actual body. i knew that i wanted a straighter scar that followed the pec muscles, and i really did NOT want a scoop-like shape that mimicked an underboob. i also explained to my surgeon that i really wanted a masculine, contoured look, i did not want my chest to look puffy or per-pubescent. find precise words to describe exactly what you want - ideally, you get one go at it! you deserve to have the chest of your dreams

☆ wear a soft t-shirt under your binder ☆
after the first week, the hook and eye closures and armpit of the binder started giving me new bruising and swelling where it was pressing, a t-shirt has saved me! it can also help a lot if you're struggling with rawness from the edges of the binder digging into you. luckily, mine fits me very comfortably so i haven't personally had this issue, but many do!

☆ lymphatic drainage massage ☆
i only started doing this today (day 13), but i've already seen a difference with my swelling. i have a lot of bruising and hard swelling, no fluid build-up. but, i think this would help anyone. of course, do not do anything that pulls on your incisions, and if it feels wrong, stop immediately. really pay attention to how your body feels and take it slow. there are a couple videos but i found <a href="https://youtu.be/qmebH1lc4qU?si=B7yfDNkbdNHW4t3v">this one</a> super approachable and helpful

☆ work on self control ☆
there are soooo many opportunities to take a shortcut or be bad because you are uncomfortable or anxious to see your results. don't do it. you have ONE shot at recovery, don't mess it up because you can't control yourself. don't pick, don't peel, don't peek before it's ready. wait and it will be soo worth it. i promise.

☆ don't throw away all your old binders until week 4 ☆
i would've never thought of this one, but don't do it yet! i tossed all of mine the day of surgery, and when i was having issues with my post op binder pressing in weird spots they said i could wear an old binder if i had it, and god i wish i did! i've remedied this with wearing a thick sweater under the post-op binder, it's been helping tons


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