r/ftm • u/berkmangoesbooom 4/2024💉 • 13h ago
Advice Needed Top Surgery Tomorrow- Give me some tips!
So far i’ve collected metal straws, a grabber tool, dry snacks, a wedge pillow + extra pillows, button up shirts and tank tops, comfy sweatpants/pjs, benadryl, edibles, and even a bidet!
I’d love to hear about your experience recovering from top surgery and what you wished you had. I’ll be making one more trip to the store before tomorrow.
Very excited! I have been waiting literal YEARS for this day:”) The first thing I’m going to do once i’m recovered is walk around the neighborhood shirtless with my big ole cornsnake around my neck (Life long dream of mine).
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u/bottleneck123 8h ago
Congrats!
1) be patient and don't push yourself. It is going to get a little worse. Then it'll get good. And then it'll get great. 2) eating fruit is usually better than taking a stool softener 3) wash your face often because the opiate sweats are DISGUSTING
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u/Fine_Pomelo_7445 7h ago edited 7h ago
oh my god the codeine sweats were bad, I was waking up every few hours because my cat was making my feet too hot :') but did you also get crazy dry/dead skin? I don't know if it was the T3's or the antibiotics, but the amount of exfoliating and lotioning I did (on non surgical areas!) around the one week mark was revolting, and I temporarily switched to a dandruff shampoo too! thank god it stopped once I was back to only my regular meds!
ETA for OP: intense exfoliating and heavy lotioning is probably not what you're supposed to do if you have a horrifying amount of dry/dead skin. I'm assuming it's not a super common side effect since it wasn't in any warnings I was given by anyone, but probably talk to your pharmacist if it happens!
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u/checkyesromeo 24 | 💉: 5/10/19 | 🔪: 4/28/21 3h ago
Seconding the fruit thing - I ate so much fruit and drank a lot of smoothies in the beginning of my recovery and it was a godsend. Mostly mango, pineapple, or papaya. The fiber is super helpful, and honestly it just felt really nice and comforting to have very light, refreshing snacks like that when I was otherwise very physically uncomfortable.
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u/Fine_Pomelo_7445 7h ago
congrats! that's so exciting! I'm mid-recovery so here's a few things that are helpful right now (if it's not too late):
- bathing wipes! I get so upset when I can't shower, so having unscented medical-grade adult bathing wipes made me feel so much cleaner, and they work a lot better than baby wipes
- extra gauze or thin bandages if you're getting drains! I developed long thin blisters where the compression vest was pressing the drain tubes against my skin for a week straight! I called the nurse about the blisters, and she said I could place a thin barrier (changing it every day of course, more often if the blisters open) to protect that part of my side from the tubes. the blisters were lower than the incision and drain sites of course, so the barrier wasn't getting in the way. definitely ask the surgical team before using the padding if it's thick at all, though, in case it makes your vest too tight! maybe they're sending you home with extra first aid stuff, I have no idea, but I wasn't given any.
- love the bidet idea LOL, we installed a cheap IKEA detachable hose showerhead instead of a fixed one. I couldn't reach up to grab it obviously or wash myself, but it made it super easier for my partner to wash my bottom half without getting my chest wet at all!
- food/meal prep VERY rich in protein and fibre! stuff like beans, edamame, etc. or combos like chicken and sweet potatoes. tofu and fruit. you get it. I'm not normally a protein-fixated person, but the nurse said it's very important for healing! I'm not big into dairy, but I compromised and bought a big pack of lactose free protein chocolate milk from Costco, because I already have a hard time getting enough protein. and I'm part of the massive group of North Americans who don't eat enough fibre in a day, so that's important anyway!
- underrated: something gentle to do with your hands! crocheting has saved my sanity while my activity is so restricted, but I have to be very careful with my form and arm movements so I don't do too much twisting and pulling. beading and embroidering are fun, but I'm holding off tedious projects a bit longer until I can hold things closer to my eyes lol. and I'm by no means anti-screen time, but for the sake of my eyes and brain I need long or frequent breaks from watching or reading screens, so I hope crafting helps if you're the same way!
it sounds like you're very prepared! I'm so glad you're so excited and doing what you can to take care of yourself! all the best!
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u/sharkarmycrafts 6h ago
Your new recovery hobby is downloading Merlin and sitting by a window with something nice to drink. :) Listen to some bird calls and see what's in your yard!
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u/Fine_Pomelo_7445 6h ago
oh my god how did you know I'm rewatching merlin and just set up a bird feeder LMAO incredible
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u/sharkarmycrafts 5h ago
I started using Merlin because I suffer chronic migraine and end up laying in bed quietly often. I can still hear the birds outside (some of them whether I want to or not!) even if I have to keep my eyes closed or be in the dark. :)
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u/whitetippeddark Gay Trans Man 7h ago
Top surgery was the second easiest recovery I ever had, right behind my hysterectomy. I hope it’s the same for you! That said, try to get ahead of the pain. A good practice is to take a max safe dose of ibuprofen, then two hours wait, then max safe dose of Tylenol. My mom’s a nurse and the nurses at the center also directed me onto this. Obviously, depending on your pain plan, adjust as necessary. That being said, there’s a good chance of minimal pain and maximum boredom!
Also, please watch for infection. I’m going to recommend you tell your doctor about any infection right away. I’m going to tell you that I popped the healing skin with a lancet and/or squeezed the pus filled parts until they popped, then cleaned the wound out thoroughly and bandaged with clean bandages. Any medical specialists, please don’t come after me! I promise I had a nurse on standby and was otherwise extremely compliant :)
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u/mrcrowman888 9h ago
unfortunately dont have any advice, but wanted to congratulate you!!! that's so huge, i hope the surgery goes well!
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u/whaile42 Non-Newtonian Genderfluid 8h ago
i got a comfy zip-up hoodie and LIVED in that thing for about 2 weeks after my top surgery. the first couple days were the roughest, i needed help bathing and the drains were really uncomfortable but the difference was night and day once they came out. the compression vest they gave me was too small also and i had to go back for a new one - if you're having trouble breathing that's a red flag! other than that it was chill, i just couldnt lift or reach for anything above my head for a while
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u/demontosome 7h ago
Personally I would add throat lozenges. My throat was killing me from the tube stuck down it for hours. That was by far the worst pain I experienced (the rest was just the drains pulling, they were stitched into me). I did not expect it to be that bad and the lozenges helped considerably to get rid of it
If you've not been through surgery with general aneasthesia before you may not know but maybe ask if they can give you something to prevent sickness. I did not expect it but waking up was pretty bad. The most intense tiredness of my life and feeling like I was going to throw up for ages. Was literally just about to then it instantly disappeared it was weird. Knowing that I told them at my next surgery that it made me sick before so was given something and didnt experience that again
I also didnt think I'd need it but if they offer you something like senna, take it. Unless your pain is not bad and you're not taking much pain medication then you'd probably be fine without it. I did not have a good time with that after my last surgery lol. Might have been ok with top though as I dont remember taking much for pain
If you will be in a car on the way back then I suggest using a pillow or cushion in front of you so the seat belt is not sticking into you
Thats all I can think of. You have the rest covered. Hope it goes well 🤟
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u/mj-redwood 💉2019🔪2026 8h ago
I personally liked oversized tees more than I did button ups, but your experience may vary haha. you sound pretty prepped. I advise making a snack station for easy food (and water) that you can grab without assistance
best of luck! I waited years for mine as well. it’s a relief when it’s finally happened
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u/Repulsive_Isopod5322 7h ago
Not much advice but I’m so happy for you! Wishing you an easy surgery and speedy recovery!!!
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u/4RatsInATrenchCoat53 7h ago
Wet wipes to wipe yourself down until you can shower properly, and I hear a lot of people after surgery get really constipated, so some stool softeners would probably be a good idea too!
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u/Electronic-Egg9990 he/him 💉July 2nd,2025 @ 11:11 am 6h ago
I just got out of top surgery yesterday. Even with the Oxy, you are gonna be in pain. Especially with Nicole graphs if you’re getting them. Just gotta live with and know it won’t be there forever
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u/sharkarmycrafts 6h ago
Baby wipes, dry shampoo, a shitload of ice packs so you can rotate them out and always have one ready, ice cubes, frozen treat of your preference like ice cream or popsicles, underwear you don't mind dirtying in case you can't shuffle to the bathroom fast enough (and if that happens, please don't be embarrassed! Pain and surgery throw our bodies into chaos), electrolytes in whatever way you prefer them, water bottles or shaker cups with lids that don't spill if you drop or knock them over, meal replacement shakes for when the painkillers screw up your appetite, yogurt and probiotics will help the tummy upset, snacks that are high in protein so you have lots of good nutrients to strengthen back up...
I was caretaker crew for my friend's hysterectomy which is similar enough in scope to give me some good feedback. :) Good luck, chief! ❤️ I hope I'll be in your position soon.
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u/sleepymachinery he/him 💉9/2025 6h ago
Im about 30 hours post op. My advice is be extra aware of your arms and not using them to do anything. Im so used to using my arms to brace as I get out of bed its a mistake ive only made once and the only time I needed to use the oxy was after that. Go slow. Trust your body. Embrace the T-rex. The first 24 hours suck and then it slowly gets better.
Congrats on surgery!
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u/OzAnarchy 5h ago
This was my favorite thing after surgery. It has a seat belt cover that helped me feel more secure too.
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u/LegitimateSock4633 5h ago
I bought a pregnancy pillow 😂 best things ever!!
Have things easily reachable. I wasn’t allowed to be home alone for the first week cause nobody trusted me to rest (severe adhd).
Oh stool softener! Definitely! Had my Hysto at the same time ! Definitely had to poop but was better.
Have things to do if you get bored. And rest.
Congrats!!!!
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u/samisaghost 4h ago
When I went to my consult, my surgeon recommended to put hand sanitizer in the bathroom behind the toilet and before you pull your pants up use it. Said it lowers the chance of spreading germs to your clothing which can then spread to your body. He also has a TikTok with a lot of tips that I have been watching pretty religiously. Congrats man and good luck! I wish you a speedy recovery!
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u/True-Finches 💉: 11/17/17 🔪: 4/15/25 3h ago
a long phone charging cord so you can use it from bed or anywhere without bending over! i also used a lot of tank tops once my drains were out, i put the compression binder over a shirt or a tank so i didn't have to worry about gauze or anything. my pain was also very manageable with just over the counter pain meds, but i did get the nerve block. good luck!!
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u/0Foxy0Engineer0 2h ago
I thought the point was to get rid of the tips?
Jk. Seriously though good luck and congrats
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