Hi guys, One of my friends scheduled for a female to male top surgery on 20th this month and I'm looking around for advice. Everyone says that the pain is much less than they imagined and I feel so good to hear that. I hope to get more advice on how to have a good recovery. As per her surgeon Dr. McLean’s advice(ftmtopsurgery.ca), she have stopped consuming alcohol and smoking. Any pre/post surgery tips that helped you out when you had your surgery? Thanks!!
Did Dr.McLean give him a list of things to consider packing for their stay and while in recovering? If not, here's some that I've been recommended by others. - Baby wipes: Not being able to shower for a while will leave him feeling pretty gross, so these can help make things easier. - Pads: This is a pretty cool life hack I've heard more than once--and this is only really for those who know they're going to have drains post-op, since some surgeons don't use them anymore. By putting them inside their surgical vest, the pads can collect any dribble or leakage by the incisions. - Cough drops/candy: Being intubated for several hours sucks, and it can leave your throat feeling like crud. That being said, hard candy or anything to suck on can make things easier. - Laxatives: This is something I've seen on several lists. The anesthesia can back you up, so I'll just leave it at that. - Button up shirts and loose clothing: Unless he plans on going shirtless, shirts that use buttons or zippers are the way to go--since his range of motion will be heavily limited and he probably won't be able to put his arms above his shoulders. - Pillows: If he sleeps on his back, then he might be okay. If he's a side sleeper, he's going to need pillows of some kind to keep him propped up--unless he plans on sleeping on a recliner of some kind. - Entertainment: Recovering is pretty long and boring, so if he has anything like movies or whatever to keep him preoccupied, that would be good. One thing I've heard at least once is that before surgery (weeks,months,years...) do chest exercises like push ups and dumbell flies. These exercises strengthen chest muscles and can help make it easier for the surgeon to find the pec line. As for post op recovery, it's important to take things slow and to not overly exert yourself. So he's likely going to rely on someone to help him around for a while until he's able to get his strength back.
