Top Surgery: The First Step to Knowing Oneself
Let me introduce myself first, my name is Kwan, I’m 31 years old, and living in America. I worked as a US navy there and I would like to share my top surgery experiences with everyone.
Seven years ago, I had breast augmentation surgery. At the time, I had a lesbian girlfriend and we often quarreled and didn't understand each other. One day, she told me, "You look too manly. Can you do breast augmentation to look girly?" Because of love or infatuation, or something else that inspired me, I decided to get the surgery done. However, even after the surgery, we still quarreled, leading me to realize that the breast augmentation hadn't helped our relationship at all. We eventually broke up, but my augmented breasts "are still with me" and do not reflect my identity at all.
During that time in America, I decided to remove them. I researched information from the internet and social media, and also asked friends who had already undergone top surgery. I also read reviews of clinics and hospitals. It took almost two years to make a decision until I found a review of this hospital. Most of the reviews were from foreigners, so I asked people who knew about the hospital to find out if it was good. Everyone said it was popular and good in foreign countries, so I decided to have the surgery here.
On October 21, 2019, I arrived in Thailand. I went to the hospital at 10 a.m. the next day to consult with the doctor, and the surgery date was set for the following day. Before the surgery, the doctor gave me the following instructions:
- Stop food and water for 6-8 hours. This is very important.
- Stop alcohol (which I had refrained from consuming for a month)
- Stop smoking (I don't smoke, so this wasn't a problem for me)
- Stop taking supplements and vitamins
The next day at 10 a.m., the nurse took me for a physical examination that included blood tests and x-rays. The results showed that my potassium levels were high (K+), which could affect the surgery. I had to take potassium-lowering medication before the surgery. This made me think that, if I had surgery at a place that didn't do a thorough physical examination like this, it could be dangerous during surgery. We never knew how high my potassium levels were. It was a good decision to have the surgery here.
After completing the physical examination, the nurse took me to my patient room (which I had to stay in for 3-4 days) and helped me get ready and change clothes for the surgery. All the nurses were nice and kind.
After 2-3 hours, the nurse came in to check my blood pressure again and gave me saline solution. At 5 p.m., the nurse came to pick me up to go to the operating room. I wasn't excited at first, but once I was in the operating room, I was very excited. I couldn't wait to see the results of the surgery.
The surgery time was not too long, but my case was quite difficult because the surgeons had to remove silicone first. After the surgery, I was taken to the recovery room to monitor my symptoms. I was brought to my room around 5am, almost 6am the next day. As for the pain, it didn't hurt at all, it just felt a bit tight because there was a cloth around my chest. I was able to get up and go to the bathroom normally, brush my teeth, and lift my arms, but not too high.
The nurse came in to dress the wound every day and check the drain line. The more bleeding, the better for the wound because it means there is no blood clotting caused by the surgery. The drain line will be with me for approximately 3-4 days, depending on whether the bleeding has stopped or not. It is better if it stays in longer. I also had my nipples moved because they were previously male nipples.
The nurse came to check on me like this every day until the day they removed the drain. The doctor came in to remove the drain line. It looks like it hurts, but I really don't feel it. (But I'm not sure about others.) I recommend that if you have the surgery, you should have someone to take care of you. Because we don't know when it will hurt or when you will need to get up and go somewhere or do something, it will be easier if you have someone to help you. (I have a girlfriend who takes care of me all the time ^^)
After the 4th day, it's time to leave the hospital. Before leaving, doctors and nurses will come and suggest that
- How to clean the wound with myself and what do I need to prepare
- Various prohibitions in treating wounds to heal quickly, recover quickly
- abstain from alcohol.
- Refrain from fermented food.
- Avoid spicy food.
- No smoking.
- Do not walk a lot because it may cause the wound to split.
- Do not lift heavy objects during the first 1-2 months. - The doctor will make an appointment to see the wound and cut the stitches after 1 week.
After 1 week, I returned to the hospital to have the stitches removed and check the wound. The doctor said the wound was very good and very beautiful. They also gave me recommendations on how to continue taking care of the wound and made an appointment for another follow-up after 1 month.
When I returned to see the doctor again after another month, my wounds were already dry and the wound had healed very well. In the future, I won't have to worry about my clothes fitting properly. To take care of the wound, I must always wear a strap around my chest to keep the muscles in place and help them heal as quickly as possible. The hospital will provide a corset for us to wear. We have to wear the corset for about 4-6 months. After that, anyone who wants to exercise must wait for 3 months to avoid the risk of tearing the wound.
Now the wound from my top surgery is very beautiful and I am very satisfied with it. My case was a strange one, but it made me realize that I made the right decision to come so far for the surgery. I am writing this review to share my experiences and any mistakes I made, and to provide information for anyone considering having their breasts removed. If anyone is interested and wants to ask more, feel free to message me on my Facebook: Juthamard Promchana or the hospital's Facebook page.