Just few things that are less talked about when it comes to getting top surgery Come follow me! Instagram: / jammi.dodger Twitter: / jammi_dodger94 Email: jamieraines@hotmail.com Music: Bensound.com
Unpopular opinion: I'm actually super exited for my post op scars. I'm planning on getting a double incision hopefully in a couple years and I'm not bothered at all about the prospect of having big scars. I think they'd be more of a testament to how far I've gone to feel at home in my body, like a rad bookmark everyone can see and know that I've endured.
Yeah I feel smth similar I think it's because I'm non binary so the scars would make my chest more androgynous and and not strictly masc in my head if that makes any sense
you would dig schuyler bailar's talks about his scars if you haven't already seen em - he has a gorgeous big old thick scar and feels similarly about it. @pinkmantaray on ig
Post-op sadness is a common side effect of anesthesia. Some people have really intense symptoms right when they wake up where they cry uncontrollably. Anesthesia is WEIRD.
eustacia03 anesthesia is INSANE. It's so hard on the body sometimes, both times I've gone under I woke up feeling like I got hit by a train just from the anesthetic not even the procedure 😂 I get monthly lidocaine shots in my neck and shoulders to help muscle knots and those make me sob every single time just...just because I guess? lol
Holy shit the uncontrolable crying was something that happened the first time I went under, and I couldnt feel any of my body, so I was extremely afraid. My parents yelled at me because of it, rip.
oh wait a minute tho I be havin a concave chest 👀 in reality it just means I’ve kinda always looked like I had tits even when I was little + sometimes it’s hard to breathe, but my chest isn’t horribly concave so it’s not that bad still always been fascinating to me ever since I realized not everybody has a chest like this though
on god broke my rib binding one time and at the hospital my mom was like 'wtf' and later I called my friend and we laughed abt how 'at least I passed' LMAO
About point number 5: I am a cis female, and like, half of my (cis)male friends have more or the same amount of chest-bumpyness (idk what to call it) as I do. So really, don't worry my dudes. Your chest doesn't have to be F-L-A-TTTT to look the same as a biologically male chest would. (this is not to invalidate your desire to make it flat, my only purpose is to reassure you that your chest does look very manly even with a little bumpyness.) (also, please if this does not sound as supportive as it does on my head, let me know so I can fix it. I do not mean to hurt anybody)
Hey just wanted to say thanks for this, also yes the term "chest bumpyness" has now entered my vocabulary since it made me smile oddly enough? I hope you have a wonderful day and week
Thank you. I need a reminder sometimes. Just like Jaime I obsess over being as flat as possible when binding... But I know that's not realistic (especially that I'm overweight and most cismen my weight have bigger chests than I do).
I'm not a trans person but a little old lady who can relate somewhat to this. I'm 7 weeks post opp from a mini tummy tuck and liposuction. The first couple weeks I was so so swollen I felt like a bloody sausage!! Like you said, your body has just gone through a traumatic experience and needs time to heal. It's going to take six months for me to see the final results. Thanks for making this video. I think it will really help lots of people.
Ren Feral i hope that your surgery went well and thank you for leaving a positive comment. I am a 13 year old ftm trans person and for a person of an older age to have an open mind and be accepting makes me feel a bit better about the world. So thank you for being a great person.
Ren Feral Way to go, keeping your mojo. You must be truly living to be concerned with improving your looks yet! I’m in my 40s and was starting to think maybe I’m too old to risk elective procedures lol (I do have some health issues.)
I love how straight-forward and honest you are about your transition. You're a bloody inspiration and I hope other people going through the same process continue to find comfort and courage from sharing your experience
@@QueenOfEyeliner that sounds brutal heh...bloody...i hear sometimes "that's a bloody good deal!" And I'm like "....murder?!" Heh...it just sounds weird tbh...havent you wondered why you peeps say that?
As a non-binary person aspiring top-surgery this is exactly the kind of content I need to help me on my journey. Thank you for talking about your experiences so openly it really helps me and a lot of others. Much Love from Germany.
I just had surgery last week, and my current feelings towards my chest are “gross, I love it” with a heaping side of medical anxiety. This is very reassuring
00:00 - Introduction 01:09 - It won't look pretty straight away 2:49 - scars stretch. 4:00 - binders are still a part of your life 4:48 - your chest may take a while to settle down 5:40 - it's not normal to be completely flat 6:51 - post-op depression is a thing
young trans kids are so brave and i will tell all of you that it DOES get better i started T in 2015 and ill be getting my top surgery in 2019 i never thought id be able to be confident in myself but even before my surgery, i feel amazing life for trans youth is tough but i know yall can get through it 💚
Something I wasn't prepared for: Scabby nipples. I had peri and for some reason I just didn't expect it, but especially my right nipple literally looked like a small black hole on my chest for a few weeks because the scab was so dark and thick. Also when the scab came off I seriously thought my whole nipple was coming off.
@@kimburtrach2011 I'm the same, but quite honestly, I just had surgery in October (which is why I was watching this, have some niggles I wondered if he'd cover) and really, I am terrified of touching the scabs because they are just not the same as a cut or small scab, these are Very Important Scabs and they really make you convinced that if you picked it, your whole nipple will fall off 😬
I can definitely say just as a woman who had a breast reduction 6 years ago now. I am very glad that I did it. Because it was causing me breathing issues and back pain and chest pain and being very self-conscious and uncomfortable. but recovering from that was one of the most painful things that I ever had to go through. The drainage tubes and the stitches pulling. The recovery pain alone had me crying for about 2 weeks. Had to actually get put on oxycodone after the initial pain meds they gave me did not do its thing. Also had to deal with a infection after a few weeks. I still have the scars and I can say my areolas are not completely even, but they did do their best. The bruising was absolutely horrendous. It looked like my chest alone got hit by a car. I was told that there was a good chance that I would never get feeling back in my chest. But luckily after about I'd say a couple years I have full feeling in my chest. I would not change it for the world. I am so much more comfortable and my breathing problems have been resolved and my back pain and chest pain have almost completely gone away. The scars compared to the way they used to be are almost unnoticeable. I am so much more comfortable in my own skin now and can actually wear clothes that I like that are my size.
AmvReverdedStudios My expérience of breast reduction surgery is very similar to yours. It was living hell. Massive complications... but worth it from the perspective of my bodily integrity years later. Not just did I experience pain from very large breasts, but I also had body dysmorphia about my breasts, and whilst being mostly comfortable with the gender assigned at birth, I was a Binder . I have happily had an almost flat chest for 6 years now. Yup, cisfemales can have issues about having breasts...
@@spiralpython1989 oh for sure. I know how you feel in that regard. I had very large breasts in middle school and throughout high School. A lot of the girls, I think out of jealousy.. bullied me and would always make rumors that I stuffed my bra. Even though most of the time I was wearing sports bras so there was nothing to hide pause adult bras hurt me too much. Over the years it was hard to do any kind of activity or exercise or sport that I wanted to do because of my chest size. It was very hard to breathe and sleep and I always had a sore back and neck. Even from a disturbingly young age I had adult adults looking at me in ways that they shouldn't have been looking at me. Looking back at all the complications, the infection I had, the pain etc. if I knew then how much less pain and how much more comfortable and confident I feel in myself now. I would do it all over again.
@@AmvReverdedStudios Wow, what you are saying here should be heard out on the open because this is important. Your life experience could help a lot of women out there. I think you should do a video about that if you have the time and ressources. The best to you Amv.
AmvReverdedStudios tysm i really needed to hear that right now. I just got top surgery a few weeks ago and I’ve been having a really rough time but I know I just need to wait and get through it
I’m a 16 year old baby trans ftm and I have a rather large chest, when binding I’m still not completely flat, and it upset me for a long time. But after friends told me that it just looks like I have pecs, it boosted my self esteem and I feel great! Hearing this from another trans guy is so reassuring! Everything you said is so good to hear and very educational! I’m hoping to get top surgery once I graduate in a couple years (too far away but oh well I’ll have to be patient) But yes in short I’m so glad you made this video it has helped answer a lot of questions!
Jamie, ok so Aaron Ansuini did this, but I’d love it from your POV - can you do a video advising carers (partners, parents, friends etc) about how to do aftercare for and with you? I ask only cos I’m waiting for my surgery date and would love to signpost the people in my life to someone/somewhere relatable. Thank youuuuuuj xxx
This would be a great idea! My boyfriend is going to be having top surgery in February and I would love it if I could learn the best way to help take care of him. Jamie your videos are so eye opening for me and I feel like I am learning so much that is helping me really understand. Thank you for your insights and best wishes to you!
On post-op depression: your mammaries typically produce hormones! Your body has to adjust to different hormone levels after surgery, and you will feel bad/weird until they regulate themselves.
Just so y’all know, not everyone experiences this, it varies a lot from person to person. Everyone I’ve talked to has had different experiences with post op depression, plenty of people don’t have it at all but those that do can have it to very different degrees.
No, your mammaries do NOT produce hormones. Not sure where you got that from. Hormones that affect the breasts come from the endocrine system. Yes, stimulation of the mammary can trigger glands and glandular organs within the endocrine system to release hormones. This is a reaction through the nervous system, triggering reactions in the brain, not the mammary glands themselves. The mammary glands themselves, do not release hormones. They are only designed to produce and release milk. The mammary gland is an exocrine gland; just as salivary, sweat, and mucus membranes glands are. They secrete substances other than hormones. Also, they secrete what they produce through ducts and not into the bloodstream. It is also true that many women, who have a mastectomy do require hormones. However that is to fight certain types of cancer. Mainly ER and PR positive cancer cells. Not from a loss in hormone production. Transgender men do not require any hormones after Top surgery. Other than testosterone which they were most likely already on. Since Top surgery is not used to fight cancer, there is no need for any hormone treatment specifically related to the removal of the mammary glands.
i want to reply to everyone that's commenting that they got or are getting their top surgery but I can't so im just gonna say congratulations! everything will go well and im so happy and proud of you ♥️ and even the ones who can't get their surgery i still support you and you're strong as hell, keep doing you, you all are amazing 🌸
All the best, and don’t worry too much if it looks quite weird for a while. You can probably ask your surgeon if you have any major concerns. Oh, and post op, if you can, get Mepitac silicone tape for your bandage changings, as it will irritate your skin less.
@@LadyAneh yeah lol my surgeon warned me that it probably won't look completely right until about 4-6 months or so. And thank you I'll try my best to get my hands on them!!
I had to have two too operations. In 2005 I had double mastectomy, but the doctor just took the stuffing out, ting incisions under the nipples, left sagging skin and didn’t resize the nips. This year, about two weeks ago I had a second surgery to remove breast tissue that went cystic and would leak out one of the nipples, as well as hurt when my dog stepped on my chest. Lumps were diagnosed as not cancer, and a different doctor fixed the problem. Removed the tissue and extra skin, and at my request removed the nipples completely (because I didn’t want the hassle of relocating and sizing them). I now have two prominent scars across my chest and when I heal up you won’t be able to tell if it’s cold out. 😁 the scars kinda freak me out, especially since I was mostly given the wrong after care instructions. Thankfully I have a first aide course and remembered they after care from my 2005 operation.
As a trans guy waiting for top surgery, yes I knew most of this but I'm still super glad you posted this! Definitely a lot of things you mentioned are good to hear, like with the potential of post-op sadness. Thank youuu!!
Currently recovering from top surgery (3 days post op) and wow this is the most excruciating pain I've ever been through. Don't get me wrong, I'm still glad I got it, but wow holy shit I'm in so much pain. I was unfortunate enough to find out the medicine they first prescribed me I'm mildly allergic to so I had to stop taking it. I saw so many videos where the people said, "It doesn't hurt that bad heehee" but yes it does for me. Oh my god. Just a reminder to everyone that this is an intense surgery and it will probably hurt very bad when you recover. Some people are luckier than others but I unfortunately am not one of those people.
I have never heard anyone say "you don't have to subscribe if you don't want to"!! I respect that, you are so sweet and polite, and for this reason I am subscribing. Right on.
I'm fifteen years old and my brother is nineteen. Both of us are trans FtM and not only does it help me with my future, but it helps me to help my brother if he needs it when he gets surgery. Honestly, I need an adult male figure in my life to help me out with things like that and my dads not supportive of my brother so I know he won't be supportive of me, therefore I refuse to come out to him yet. Watching your videos makes me feel like I kinda have that male figure in my life that I need. Thank you for that. Love ya
This is so relatable. My top surgery was about 2 years ago and I was also a Good Boy post surgery but my scars still stretched to hell... I wish they were a bit more faded, but what can you do!
@@sataprescott7588 no problem i can't wait until I'm older and can get the surgeries.im only 13 but only a few more years until i can start to medically transition.
As an 18-year-old who just had my consult with my (potential) surgeon, it is extremely reassuring to know that a man who has said on multiple occasions that he loves his results almost ten years later got his surgery at 18. My (potential) surgeon made absolutely sure that I understood that getting the surgery younger can increase the risk of complications and that I needed to be 110% sure there wasn't any possibility I could regret it, so it makes me feel a lot better to know that Jamie got his surgery at my age and he's still happy with it now.
You briefly mentioned another guy having top surgery on the same day by the same doctor, and it made me wonder what sort of interactions happen between patients. Do you consider yourselves "surgery buddies" and maybe keep in touch afterwards, at least for a little while? Do they have someone at the hospital to talk to when you need an ear to listen to you?
I think it depends a lot on your surgeon, where you go, but I've heard a lot of stories of meeting people who are also getting surgery. It helps when someone can share your experience.
Even though i'm MtF I've begun watching all your videos! They're so funny and relatable even though we don't go through exactly the same thing. I really love your videos and you. :)
I had my top surgery just over 2 months ago so thank you Jamie for making this video! My scars are surprisingly thin and look great, and my nips are a bit discoloured but I feel that will clear up eventually. I just wanted to say that this video gives me some hope for that, and the general look of my chest for the future. It's crazy also how every day (and several months) leading up to my surgery I was watching sooo many top surgery vids, but now that I've actually had it done, this is the first one I've watched since - crazy how priorities shift lol. Thanks Jamie :D
thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for this!!! I just had my top surgery barely 5 days ago and I have definitely been feeling worried about what it's going to look like when my bandages come off and a little sad/scared and then immediately following that, immense guilt for feeling anything other than grateful that I had the opportunity to finally achieve this huge step in my transition, and I really needed to hear all of this, so thank you a million times over for your advice, general openness, and kind words
what a timely video - i’m 5 days post-op and i’m feeling a lot of the things you mentioned. i’m mostly feeling annoyed that i can’t go out and do normal things, that things are itchy and uncomfortable, and that i can’t get out of the dreaded post-op binder that’s squeezing the life out of me. i’m a little bit nervous for my reveal in 2 days bc i’ve always had an image in my mind of what my chest would look like after surgery, so i’ve just been reminding myself that whatever the result will be i should be grateful and kind to myself. thanks for another great video jamie!
You'll be fine man. I know it's scary to go into, not knowing what to expect, even if you've read or watched a lot of other people's experiences, it's always different anyway, so it's scary, for sure. But you'll be fine, it's honestly not nearly as bad as it seems or how much you work it up to be in your head. I was 'fortunate' (if you can call it that, haha) to have had gone into renal failure about a year before my top surgery, resulting in me needing emergency surgery all of a sudden and I nearly died, so the recovery was absolutely horrendous. That was my only other experience with actual surgery (not like dental surgery or anything, which I've also had, but it's nowhere near the same) before top surgery, so when I was prepping myself for top surgery I _waaaay_ overestimated how bad the initial healing and subsequent recovery would be... And it was totally fine. I stayed with my parents for a while immediately post-op and even that night/the day after my mum was like 'wow, you don't seem like you just had a huge surgery, this is crazy how quickly you're able to move and talk and be happy' haha. It' a big surgery, and it's serious, and you should absolutely be careful and treat yourself well during recovery, but it's seriously not nearly as bad as people work themselves up to believe beforehand. It's natural, fear is normal, but you'll be fine and you'll get past it just fine too, then you'll have the rest of your life to enjoy your new chest!
All very good points! I'm 7 weeks post-top as of today, and I feel all of this so much, especially the bit about the post-op binder. I'm soooo glad to be free of that thing! Anyway, thanks for another great video!
This was very helpful. All of your videos have been. My therapist says that I'm very chill and I told her that's because I prepare myself to not just the goods but also the bads... When you accept both you will accept everything that may go not as perfect as you imagined. Thanks for everything!
I have my consultation in march and your videos have been so incredibly helpful in alleviating my anxiety and keeping my spirits up in the meantime so I just wanted to say thank you for everything
I love your cheery yet realistic approach! I'm currently 5 weeks post op and I'm so antsy to get busy hahaha. I'm healing much faster than I expected but as I'm also recovering from fatigue (probably birth control side effects, yay) I'm feeling more energetic than 5 weeks pre-op. I actually already got myself a gym membership so I can at least walk and stuff because the weather is way to bleh to do that outside atm.
I'm recovering right now, day 4 post op and tbh... my mobility is really good, there isn't much pain, I washed myself yesterday. But it's been really rough all the same for other reasons and I'm really very appreciative of your videos, they make me feel a lot better.
I've been following for a long time, I've watched these videos many, many years ago when I first came out. Back then top surgery seemed the unobtainable goal. I'm happy to say I'm back on this video today 7/20/22 because I am 8 days away from my top surgery. I'm terrified - I've never had any kind of surgery before or been under anesthetic - but I am also so so happy. Thanks for making these videos Jamie; helps me a little more to prepare.
Wonderful video jammi! I’m a 15 nearly 16 ftm and I watch your videos to help me know about the top surgery as I am planning on getting it in the future. Thanks for the amazing video
The post op binder is the part I’m least looking forward to. But if wearing one for a couple weeks more means I can breathe normally and I won’t cough all the time, it’s worth it. Because sometimes I neeeed to take it off, but then I feel like crap. So yeah it’s worth it in the end
@@whalethen5055 no problem. As a trans 13 year old i can't wait until im old enough to get top surgery and bottom so i can feel comfortable but hope it goes well. And have a merry flat chested christmas 😊
im so jelous of anybody who gets top surgery even if it looks awefull. i have extreme chest dysphoria (i even have to close by eyes when i take my top off so even though i always look away i dont even want to see myself out of the corner of my eye) but due to a medical condition i can not have any trauma to my body so that means no top surgery, no testosterone and even no binding. also because this condition causes the worst pain known to man and i have it all through my body. it is incurable as well. it is so rare i have had to tell all but one of the heaps of doctors i have seen about it. and most dont even beleave me
I had top surgery on the 15th of this month and i wanted to say thank you for this video. I feel relieved and hopeful and like normal and this is just what i needed in this stage of my recovery💜
Guys! I've got a consultation with my surgeon THIS FRIDAY! I'm so excited! What are the essential questions to ask?! Here's hoping my chest turns out as nice as yours! Thank you for touching on post-op depression. :)
That's awesome! Just make sure you know exactly what he's going to be doing and that he knows what you want out of surgery Ask about post-op care, when you can return to work/school, if you need to bind post-op and for how long, what to do if something doesn't seem right (e.g., you think you might have an infection). Just anything that you want to know about the surgery, and the post-op healing, write them down between now and Friday. I'm sure there's a bunch of other questions, but I can't think of anything else right now! I hope the consult goes well and I'm sure your chest will turn out great! :)
I'm 5 days post-op and I've been feeling the post-op sadness, it's rough because I don't want to talk about it with anyone who might not understand... I'm also not very good at letting other people take care of me, which really doesn't help. I can't wait until I get more independence back in a couple weeks
LOL pepperoni nipples. xD I'm having my top surgery in March and I'm so excited! I'm expecting it to look all gnarly too with bruising but I think I'll still cry anyway because flatness. :P
Hope doctors tell their respective patients this before hand, to set the expectations to a realistic level for the client. Especially the binding part is very relevant information for a client,....yeah, nope, you still have to bind for 4 to 6 weeks after, is good to know before hand innit.
I really, really needed this video!! I'm a bit less than two weeks post-op, and I hadn't heard any bad stuff about it. I didn't know I was going to be in pain for weeks afterwards (you can take painkillers to help with that), or be unable to reach above my shoulder or twist my torso or walk for more than three minutes without collapsing for fifteen, or that I'd be spending most of my day sitting or lying down. Even my mind doesn't seem to be up to much at all, I've been mentally and physically useless for weeks, which is stressful because I've got a dissertation to be writing! (note to students: if your top surgery is affecting your studies, apply for extensions and mitigating circumstances! It most definitely qualifies. Ask your surgeon or his/her/their secretary for medical evidence, to show to your educational institution) I've been feeling anxious about the fact that I'm not overjoyed with how my chest looks, and that I've been feeling low after the surgery, because I was sure that you're meant to have this moment of joy and relief at having a burden lifted, and getting a body you can love. I didn't know that feeling low was fairly normal, so I was really scared that I had made the wrong decision in getting this irreversible surgery!! I'm so glad I found this video, although I wish I'd seen it a few weeks earlier :P
I'm now nearly 7 weeks post-op and healing really well, happy with the results, can move better than I expected, etc etc. Everything is great, except it seems I kinda hit post-op depression. :( It's so frustrating because I'm super happy but still depressed. X_X
I came out as trans in September 2017 and im the same age as you. I hope that your friends and family all support you because this is a time where support really helps.I just set up a RU-vid channel but i haven't posted yet. I want to post support videos and videos about my transition.I hope that you feel like you can be comfortable and feel like the true you one day because it will happen. Good luck😊
Good luck figuring yourself out if you didn't already. I had the exact same feeling when I was 13 (I'm 16 now), but I didn't really know what trans was at the time. I was constantly asking myself "What if I was born like a boy?". And now I'm 99,9% sure (which will be 100% when I would talk with a professional about it). I wish you a lot of luck on journey :D
Thanks for sharing! My top surgery is definitely a future thing, but I can't wait ... not just because I want a flatter chest, but also because I have a lot of painful, dense tissue in there and it's just always uncomfortable/painful. I at the age where I need to get mammograms and those suck so bad.
