If its a kid too young to understand "I don't want to talk about a surgical procedure" then you just make up a kid friendly story. "I fought a tiger with my bare hands", "I had a sword fight with a pirate, you should have seen his scars", "I used to be a lion tamer".
im getting surgery later this year, and my other dept manager and i decided that if anyone asks him while im out why im having surgery, or me when I get back, our answer is just to be "Bear fight" o_o a couple awkward seconds of intense blank staring, and then just walk away.
I'm a cis lesbian but I find videos from you and other trans creators, whether they're binary or non binary, so important to help me educate myself about the trans experience so I can be a good ally to my LGBTQ+ brethren. I just wanted to say that your book was the first book I read this year and reading it on audio and hearing it through your own words was so impactful and really started off the year right. Thanks for the great work you do.
The anti-nausea thing is real! They're a class of drugs called antiemetics. The most common ones (at least where I am) are ondansetron (sometimes called zofran) and metoclopramide (sometimes called maxolon). They can be taken as tablets or given through your drip and are commonly used if anaesthetic tends to make you a little green around the gills. A tip to anyone worried about nausea post anaesthetic: talk to both your anaesthetist and your surgeon about it. The anaesthetist may be able to give you an antiemetic during the procedure as a preventative, and usually it's the surgeon who writes the post-op drug chart, so make sure they know to write up an order for an antiemetic if you think you might need it when you wake up.
Unfortunately, I think that I am going to be on my own after top surgery. I left behind everyone I ever knew about a year ago to escape domestic violence. There is a lot of homophobia, transphobia and racism where I grew up. I had a nephew tell me that gay men should be shot onsite. Most of my family hold similar beliefs. Cutting off contact was the healthiest thing for me. When I figured out that I am transmasculine, I had one friend to come out to. There is a part of me that wishes that I had people to celebrate this with, but worrying about what I wish I had, doesn't make me a happier person
If you are connected with a therapist at your local LGBT center, they might have suggestions for trans support groups or just hangouts. Our local center has a completely free, open to anyone who identifies as trans, weekly peer support group that is virtual. Many of the folks in that group have been supports for each other post-op and just in life. Best of luck and I hope you can find some support!
I wanted to put this in a separate comment, just in case no one wanted to read my other one. DISCLAIMER *I AM NOT A DOCTOR*, I just had the DING surgery! EDIT: (Top surgery was bout 4 years ago) I found out that those cheap skin/back massagers they sell at Walmart or Target; worked to get those "unscratchable itches" that you get when your nerves start growing back. They usually take 3 AAA batteries, some of them have colors that light up in them, but they're cheap and really help with moving the nerves and skin around your incisions (AFTER they have healed shut). I don't know why, but it really helped to get the nerves to stop going berserk. As for the nausea, they have a little patch that goes behind your ear, and/or in your IV that they can put on/in you that can help with nausea. The sticker behind your ear is called Scopolamine, DO NOT touch your eyes if you scratch it though, it can make your pupils dilate (NO CLUE WHY!) I am a "hefty" FTM, and needed revision surgery for dog ears, but that was normal from what my doctor said. Even once I lost weight, I still probably need more revisions, but I have come to the conclusion that no one is perfect, and I look how I look. I hope that helps some of you out there. Thank you Jackson!! This was a great video and very informative 👍💯👏😎
I'm one year post top surgery and I can confirm that there is an anti-nausea medication that anesthesiologists are able to put in your I.V.! If you're prone to nausea make it a point to talk to them about it when they are hooking you up to your I.V. Also, if you are super nervous and feeling freaked about surgery, let them know and there is an anti-anxiety med they can give you to help ease nerves :)
My healthcare workers were all amazing right up until going into the OR when the anesthesiologist walked into while they were shaving my chest and called me "miss". like... bro you know exactly why we're here right now... please.
Thank you so much for this! I'm having my surgery in 48 days and I've been looking at so many videos from other trans youtubers trying to get an idea of what to expect. I have a very similar transition time line to yours and you've been a youtuber I've followed for other interest too (like Harry Potter and stuff) so this is just so freakin awesome for me that you made this right when I need it. Thank you
I had top surgery two months ago now and honestly it was the best decision of my entire life. I also paid entirely out of pocket because my insurance wouldn’t cover it (I paid about $11,000 for the entire experience, including travel and prescriptions and supplies and everything). I raised $5,000 on gofundme and saved up the rest (with a very helpful donation from my good friend)
I'm glad you talked about nausea because the only major surgery I've had that required general anesthesia was all my wisdom teeth removal. And I was nauseous for about a day or so. And I have lowish BP too.
I had serious post-op depression. It was probably the first time I’ve experienced depression. but my surgery had complications during the procedure. it was so bad, at one point I wondered if the surgery was even worth it. 2 years later, and one revision after, I can’t even imagine how my life would be without the surgery. I spend most of the year shirtless at home, even in -30c weather.
I’m almost 2 years post top and this reminds me so much of the months of watching and rewatching videos you and ash Hardell had made. And (especially the last few questions) even tho I’m probably not the target audience for this vid anymore, this still gives me so much good info and relatable feels. :) also the mustache is great.
About depression because of anesthesia, I have experienced it both times i was under, i think a chemical imbalance happened. It’s like going to sleep perfectly fine and waking up suicidal, the sudden change was incredible. The last time it happened I freaked everyone in the ICU, my friends and family were extremely concerned. I was 90% ok in the next few days but I developed sleep anxiety, long term, because of it.
So when it came to drain pain, I think I was right there with you in terms of pain maybe... I vaguely remember this weird experience of my brain basically saying “WHOA!! WHAT IS THIS SENSATION?! It’s unlike anything we’ve ever experienced before! It’s not pain but that’s the closest thing to this sensation so we’re gonna play with the pain section of the brain with this one!”... and I almost deficated and passed out as the first drain was being removed...
That makes a lot of sense! I too almost passed out. We had to take a break and let me drink some water in between drains. The doctor also encouraged me to stop screaming so much because it was scaring patients in other rooms.
@@jackisnotabird Screaming scaring patients in the other rooms made me legit laugh. I won't say what was happening, but I was the one screaming (for about an hour) at the hospital and it made me so mortified when I think about it after. They had to put an oxygen mask on me.
26:54 As a cis straight woman, the closest experience to this I've had was the removal of a (benign) breast lump. I still think this is very interesting and got some flashbacks from my surgery (mine was also very early in the morning and I also took pictures of me in hospital clothes to show my friends I was okay)...
Last year I was told by my doctor that she wanted to try and get me at least ready for top surgery by my birthday this year and I was super fuckin excited especially since we had called my insurance and they told me not to worry about it cause they're sure they can cover it. My insurance called me back at the beginning of the year and basically told me they lied and couldn't cover it. So Ive been slowly trying to deal with it, its made me really depressed and has made things a little harder. Before I didn't let misgendering me by accident bother me a lot and I just corrected people and moved on, but after this situation its felt harder than it use to be and getting misgendered makes me feel instantly horrible and uncomfortable to the point where I just kinda avoid getting gendered at all. Like, I knew things could go wrong and could have been put off or Id have to do something like lose weight first, I was ready for that! But I wasn't ready for my insurance to call me back and essentially say "sorry but no" after they told me not to worry at all. Ive been trying to deal with these emotions but its kinda hard though watching trans UA-camrs has helped a bit. And I mean hey, since Im not getting it when I thought I would, I can at least keep doing research to be even more prepared for it!💕
Anti-nausea meds definitely help with anesthesia - you can ask your surgeon to prescribe a scopalmine patch (which goes behind your ear) for before surgery and Zofran for after surgery. However, for people out there who get nauseous because of opioids, I highly encourage them to talk about it at length with your anesthesiologist before surgery, because that’s what they primarily use during anesthesia to control your pain. Some smaller surgeries can be managed with less serious meds like lidocaine. If you have a low pain tolerance or it’s a longer surgery, you can request ketamine, but ketamine may make you hallucinate (it convinced me a terrible talk show was an episode of the Great British Baking Show, so not all bad?). Just thought I’d share some alternatives as someone who can’t take opioids/handle anesthesia and has had lots of surgery :) great video!
Well explained Jackson. I’ll be 5 years post op in October and everything you laid out has been accurate to my experience as well. One question... if you’re swimming/ beaching with family (dad/sibling), do you wear a swim shirt and if so, do you find it triggering? I’ve found that I’m not comfortable with taking my shirt off around family, yet wearing a shirt or tank top is weirdly triggering as well.
Congrats on soon-to-be five years! Fortunately, I haven't had to face the situation of being shirtless in front of someone I'd be uncomfortable doing that around (like family). Maybe I would wear a swim shirt? I think I would just try to avoid the situation or go shirtless, but try to find an ally within the group of people there who I could spend most of my time with. They don't even have to be a good ally, just one person who you know won't make too weird of comments or care too much. I know that's not always possible though!
I had drains for 2 weeks and it was almost no pain when they were removed, but I had such horrible blisters at the drain sights. My skin is stupid sensitive and I also got a pretty large scar (maybe a few inches) from a blister on my side from the binder I wore for 4 weeks. So, I think this is more of a "my skin is weird" thing, but in case anyone else has sensitive skin- the drain site pain shouldn't be keeping you up at night despite taking pain meds. If it's that bad, there are ways to deal with it the doc can suggest, such as strategically placed gauze and wearing a shirt under the binder or placing the drains over the binder, etc. Seriously, my skin irritation was by far the most painful part... Well, except the random nipple zaps that would sometimes stop me in my tracks, but they last a few seconds and hurt but are kind of funny... My bestie calls them "lightning nips" and that amuses me, lol. 13-ish weeks post-op.
Nipple zaps are good; my surgeon told me it was from the nerves rewriting and regaining sensation. I remember having nipple zaps in the first 2 weeks after my surgery, they were so uncomfortable 🥴
Psst, hey you. Yes you! Go drink water. Take your meds. Eat something. Brush your teeth. Take care of yourself. You are special. You belong here. You deserve to take up space in the world. I love you beautiful people ❤️
It’s crazy to think when I started watching you it was further back videos and I learned so much. I love watching your videos they have helped me so much as well as my family and girlfriend to better understand. I will have been on Testosterone for a year in May. As well as I got my top surgery date it was a long process but thanks to watching your video and a couple other transgender you tubers I have come a long way. I cannot wait for m6 surgery in June but I know it just around the corner.
I had anti nausea medicine in my iv after waking up. Idk if there’s a preventative mix in, but whatever they gave me after worked super well and super fast.
Thank you for making me laugh out loud with your description of T-rex arms, it exactly described how I was after my mastectomies. Mine were for a less joyful reason than yours, and I'm so glad to laugh about that part with you.
I had a lot of nausea after waking up from the anesthesia, however they leave an IV in your arm that gives you drip fluids that they injected anti nausea stuff into to help with it until the anesthetic wore off. Also getting fed ice chips when you wake up to help with the sore throat from the breathing tube is so good lol.
Your videos are always so comforting to me, you always end up saying exactly what I need to hear in the moment (re: spiel at the end about regret). Thanks ❤️
Im 8 month's post op top surgery never had much feeling there and dont now. But im ok with it. Good looking beard and mustache. Its good to see you again.
Thank you so much for making this video! I saved it to my favourites list. I should (hopefully) be having top surgery in a month or two, so this'll be great to watch again later.
For anyone worried about the post-anaesthesia nausea, I got really bad nausea a little while after I woke up, it came on very suddenly and intensely, but I told the nurse and she gave me an injection (in the butt and very painful ngl) that cleared it right up really fast, and it didn’t come back after that
My surgeon put a patch on my neck - not sure what it is exactly - but it was for nausea from anesthesia. I just told them ahead of time that I’d had issue from anesthesia before after other surgeries.
Yes they can add an anti-emetic such as Gravol into your IV to help with the nausea. I told this to my anesthesiologist before hand that I didn't want the extreme nausea. I had some nausea when I woke up but nothing terrible and I didn't throw up.
Hi Jack! I've been a subscriber for quite a while now, and it's so great to see you doing so great 5 years post-op. To be honest, I came to your channel for the trans content but stayed because I needed to know if gummy bears would waffle. I'm a cis woman and I love following your channel because you and your particular story are so interesting, and also because I'm headed to medical school in a few months and I look to your channel and to other trans creators to help guide me for when I treat future trans patients! On an unrelated note, do you happen to know if boba will waffle?
You can ask for Ondansetron against the nausea. It’s often not the actual anaesthesia but the opiates (strong painkillers) you will wake up on. It’s real! Constipation is another side effect of the same opiates. And they are also the meds that can make depression worse - more than the actual anaesthesia…
Thanks so much for sharing all this with us! I’m hoping to get top surgery soon, myself. I’m very dysphoric about my chest. I have been for nearly 15 years now. I went in for a consultation last year, but they told me I had to be on T for at least a year before they would do the surgery for me. I have yet to start T, but hopefully I can soon! Or find a surgeon who doesn’t require that. That would be nice. We’ll see how things go!!
You may want to search for informed consent/nonbinary accepting top surgeons. I am looking at Dr. Javad in Seattle as soon as I get some therapy letters to help insurance cover it (or at least a decent portion!!!)
They can mix anti nausea meds with the anesthesia. Tell the ANESTHESIOLOGIST, not the nurse or the surgeon. Plus, from 1 nausea sensitive person to another. You can ask for a rx of oral anti nausea meds to take home with you, cuz most of the time , pain meds cause nausea too! They usually suggest you pick up your meds prior to surgery.
I mean you wouldn’t trade surgery over physical sensation but I would have emphasised how big of a sacrifice that actually is, and how many people end up with sharp, shooting pain for the rest of their lives on top of lack of sensation.
Great video and very honest. I had a breast reduction and tummy tuck a few years ago. For the breast reduction I gained back 100% of all my sensation in that area (nipple included) but for the tummy tuck it was quite different, I have permanent numbness around the lower abdominal area 24/7. It makes me feel like I’m wearing a corset. I put a positive spin on it by saying it’s my reminder to do isometrics on the area to keep it flat, but I won’t lie that the permanent numbness is a drag. Just goes to show that you never know with surgery, sensation recovery is super-individual even for the same person for 2 different surgeries. But I still would have had the tummy tuck done, my clothes fit me so much better now it was worth it. ETA - forgot to mention that both of my procedures were drainless. For the TT they did have to go into the area and remove a bunch of blood that had accumulated with a large needle, but for the reduction I never needed that. It was nice not to have drains, worth asking if it’s an option with your surgeon.
How long did it take your nipples to pink back up after surgery? I got my top surgery with Dr. G so I had the wrap on for a week full-time. My nipples were grey when the binding was first removed but by the next day they were pink with blood flow all evidently established.
I'm really prone to nausea. My anesthesiologist i think gave me zofran before, and then they gave me an anti-nausea patch that lasted for 3 days post surgery. I still felt really nauseous for a week after though.
haha handlebar mustaches can't really NOT be planned out. I did a terrible job waxing it properly before this video though and, thankfully, it's gone now.
I'd definitely say the drains thing varies person by person too as everyone has different pain tolerances and thresholds, and different surgeons have different techniques. I don't want anyone to be unprepared; I had them coming out of my armpits (not the universal placement, but still common) and it was extremely painful and I couldn't get comfortable for a minute until I got them out... by comparison the incisions didn't even bother me. Totally agree getting them out was the best part of recovery though!
on nausea- they can give you IV nausea medication (usually zofran) during or after surgery since you'll already have the IV (which will have also been used for anesthesia, so maybe that's what they meant!)
because not all transgender people want to change the bodies they are in, and vice versa. its rude to assume someone identifies as male because they had their breasts removed. Get in to the fluidity of gender and gender expression, mama.
@@idab6864 why did you call them mama if they just complained abt being called "she"? also, the staff could've used they. its still weird for the staff to misgender the person just bc they had breasts.
@@ironicchroniclesic4910 mama is a term of endearment said by people in the gay community to one another. As a gay person I tend to use this term a lot
I'm non-binary and I'm okay with all and no pronouns and I'm having top-surgery hopefully this year or the next. Although they used the wrong pronouns for you which is shit and rather questionable, there are people getting top surgery while being okay with the pronouns "she". Like me.
I wanna get top surgery so badly I'm only 15 rn so obviously it's a long time away but I wanna get it when I'm about 18 or 20 and go on T at 16 or 17 ;^;
If you experience nausea with anesthesia, you can absolutely request anti-nausea medication. Ask the nurse when you wake up, and they should be able to get you Zofran, a very common anti-emetic med, or something similar. Take it from a nurse 🙂
It just occurred to me that I even though I know top surgery will make me really reliant on my boyfriend, I just realized that he might need to feed me, clean my back and front ends which he would be comfortable with if necessary, he'd be okay washing, drying and dressing me of course. Him working from home now and even when covid is more under control he would still be able to work from home alot more now. Which makes me more comfortable about not making him talking months off work to care for me because I don't know how long my recovery will be, but I hope its fairly quick. But I have years until I can even think about getting surgery sadly.
As someone who has had loads of surgeries, and gets majorly nauseated from the anesthesia, yes, they can administer anti-nausea medicine to try to help. Not 100% foolproof, but it can help. Please mention it to your anesthesiologist. Good luck, people!
You can get Zofran if you are nauseous when you wake up. Also can sometimes ask for an anti anxiety med but it depends on the doctor. Haven’t had top surgery yet but have had 22 unrelated surgeries. Hope this helps some!
Post-op depression is probably also hormonal. After all, you've removed a part of you that produces hormones, so there's bound to be issues as your body adjusts.
The way you talk about scarring sounds similar to me. I wonder if the underarm scarring is lighter because whenever you move your arms it's basically free scar massage. 🤔 It turns out that Im allergic to the silicone strips. (I went all in for the NewGel+). So, Im basically stuck with just doing scar massage. I hope in 5 years me scars look like your 5yr vid thumbnail. 🤞Did you crop that section from the vid? Ty for sharing your journey!
I was wondering if you had any info that you could recommend of any surgeons in NYC, I've been on T going on 4yrs this May. I've had HUGE dysphoria for the last 3yrs and has taken a horrible turn in my daily life and relationship. I'd really appreciate it Jackson, thanks🤙🏽
i actually don't care about nipple sensation it doesn't really make much of a difference to me. i'm definitely nervous but i have a long way to go before i actually get my surgery
I had collarbone reconstruction in the Army in the 80s. I still have numbing paun and sensitivity to my pectoral muscle area. I am considering breast reduction for pain reduction. I am non-binary but near cliser to 60yo vs young. Not syre how much reduction i will be looking at.
I love love love love love love love love love ur mustache I love it!!!! I feel like I never say it when I like peoples mustaches annd then they get bullied into shaving it so i just wanna say i love it I hope to grow one that nice
Im autistic and want top surgery. Im pain sensitive and am worried about it. Is there a way to get it and be asleep? Or not aware? The pain could be way more extreme for me than other people.
i got top surgery yesterday, thank you for this video! I was 3rd in line for surgery so I ended up not getting it done until midday and then I felt bad afterwards so yeah I didn't eat for 24h and it sucked lol. Didn't experience any nausea at all, I think I got something against it!
*CONGRATS!!!* 🎉✨🌟🎇🎆💯👍🥰👏👏👏👏👏 Thank you for sharing! Dude, I'm jealous of your mustache, mine grew in grey and almost invisible RATS! lol My top surgery healed nicely, but my scars got stretched of my own accord, I had to take care of myself after my surgery, so I ruined my surgeon's good work 🤔 I had to change my own bandages and everything.
Being afraid of children's curiosity and honesty is really remarkable. It shows that your own (unfounded) belief is not strong enough to be questioned. There still is enough rationality and doubt left that could not yet be overcome by "affirming" and lying.
Regarding advice to the medical community: Bear in mind that your abilities and time are scarce resources. Try to use them to help people who are actually suffering from physical illness. Do not spend them on stuff like plastic surgeries or boner pill research. Do not be afraid to refer people with psychological or mental problems to mental health practicioners.
If its a kid too young to understand "I don't want to talk about a surgical procedure" then you just make up a kid friendly story. "I fought a tiger with my bare hands", "I had a sword fight with a pirate, you should have seen his scars", "I used to be a lion tamer".
im getting surgery later this year, and my other dept manager and i decided that if anyone asks him while im out why im having surgery, or me when I get back, our answer is just to be "Bear fight" o_o a couple awkward seconds of intense blank staring, and then just walk away.
@@Ima_robot lmaaaao
I'm a cis lesbian but I find videos from you and other trans creators, whether they're binary or non binary, so important to help me educate myself about the trans experience so I can be a good ally to my LGBTQ+ brethren. I just wanted to say that your book was the first book I read this year and reading it on audio and hearing it through your own words was so impactful and really started off the year right. Thanks for the great work you do.
The anti-nausea thing is real! They're a class of drugs called antiemetics. The most common ones (at least where I am) are ondansetron (sometimes called zofran) and metoclopramide (sometimes called maxolon). They can be taken as tablets or given through your drip and are commonly used if anaesthetic tends to make you a little green around the gills.
A tip to anyone worried about nausea post anaesthetic: talk to both your anaesthetist and your surgeon about it. The anaesthetist may be able to give you an antiemetic during the procedure as a preventative, and usually it's the surgeon who writes the post-op drug chart, so make sure they know to write up an order for an antiemetic if you think you might need it when you wake up.
Ok but can we take a moment to respectfully ackowledge this very nice mustache?
I came here to comment on Jack's glorious 'stache.
@@Dfarrey listen I expected some quality content (which I'm very greateful for), the mustache was a bonus I didn't see coming
It's super handsome and I'm honestly a little jealous he totally rocks that mustache style
first thought: oh HELLO mustachioed jackson bird
so nicely styled as well
Unfortunately, I think that I am going to be on my own after top surgery. I left behind everyone I ever knew about a year ago to escape domestic violence. There is a lot of homophobia, transphobia and racism where I grew up. I had a nephew tell me that gay men should be shot onsite. Most of my family hold similar beliefs. Cutting off contact was the healthiest thing for me.
When I figured out that I am transmasculine, I had one friend to come out to. There is a part of me that wishes that I had people to celebrate this with, but worrying about what I wish I had, doesn't make me a happier person
best of luck to you, friend. you'll find your family and people to share this with, i'm sure
If you are connected with a therapist at your local LGBT center, they might have suggestions for trans support groups or just hangouts. Our local center has a completely free, open to anyone who identifies as trans, weekly peer support group that is virtual. Many of the folks in that group have been supports for each other post-op and just in life. Best of luck and I hope you can find some support!
im so proud of u !!! u deserve celebration !!!! :))
@@sour_dough_bread Awesome! Thank you so much for saying that. I officially feel celebrated 😁
I hope you have some trusted person (S) to help you after your surgery, it’s not something to try to do on your own
I wanted to put this in a separate comment, just in case no one wanted to read my other one.
DISCLAIMER *I AM NOT A DOCTOR*, I just had the DING surgery!
EDIT: (Top surgery was bout 4 years ago)
I found out that those cheap skin/back massagers they sell at Walmart or Target; worked to get those "unscratchable itches" that you get when your nerves start growing back. They usually take 3 AAA batteries, some of them have colors that light up in them, but they're cheap and really help with moving the nerves and skin around your incisions (AFTER they have healed shut). I don't know why, but it really helped to get the nerves to stop going berserk.
As for the nausea, they have a little patch that goes behind your ear, and/or in your IV that they can put on/in you that can help with nausea. The sticker behind your ear is called Scopolamine, DO NOT touch your eyes if you scratch it though, it can make your pupils dilate (NO CLUE WHY!)
I am a "hefty" FTM, and needed revision surgery for dog ears, but that was normal from what my doctor said. Even once I lost weight, I still probably need more revisions, but I have come to the conclusion that no one is perfect, and I look how I look. I hope that helps some of you out there.
Thank you Jackson!! This was a great video and very informative 👍💯👏😎
am i listening to jack? yes
am i looking at him? no
am i looking at his books? yes
as a trans person who always valued attention for my intellect and personality over my physical self i can say i would be flattered by that lol
I'm one year post top surgery and I can confirm that there is an anti-nausea medication that anesthesiologists are able to put in your I.V.! If you're prone to nausea make it a point to talk to them about it when they are hooking you up to your I.V. Also, if you are super nervous and feeling freaked about surgery, let them know and there is an anti-anxiety med they can give you to help ease nerves :)
My healthcare workers were all amazing right up until going into the OR when the anesthesiologist walked into while they were shaving my chest and called me "miss". like... bro you know exactly why we're here right now... please.
Thank you so much for this! I'm having my surgery in 48 days and I've been looking at so many videos from other trans youtubers trying to get an idea of what to expect. I have a very similar transition time line to yours and you've been a youtuber I've followed for other interest too (like Harry Potter and stuff) so this is just so freakin awesome for me that you made this right when I need it. Thank you
I had top surgery two months ago now and honestly it was the best decision of my entire life. I also paid entirely out of pocket because my insurance wouldn’t cover it (I paid about $11,000 for the entire experience, including travel and prescriptions and supplies and everything). I raised $5,000 on gofundme and saved up the rest (with a very helpful donation from my good friend)
do u have any tips? im getting surgery in a few months
I'm glad you talked about nausea because the only major surgery I've had that required general anesthesia was all my wisdom teeth removal. And I was nauseous for about a day or so. And I have lowish BP too.
I had serious post-op depression. It was probably the first time I’ve experienced depression. but my surgery had complications during the procedure. it was so bad, at one point I wondered if the surgery was even worth it. 2 years later, and one revision after, I can’t even imagine how my life would be without the surgery. I spend most of the year shirtless at home, even in -30c weather.
I’m almost 2 years post top and this reminds me so much of the months of watching and rewatching videos you and ash Hardell had made. And (especially the last few questions) even tho I’m probably not the target audience for this vid anymore, this still gives me so much good info and relatable feels. :) also the mustache is great.
I'm getting ready to schedule my appointment!!! I'm so stoked!
About depression because of anesthesia, I have experienced it both times i was under, i think a chemical imbalance happened. It’s like going to sleep perfectly fine and waking up suicidal, the sudden change was incredible. The last time it happened I freaked everyone in the ICU, my friends and family were extremely concerned. I was 90% ok in the next few days but I developed sleep anxiety, long term, because of it.
So when it came to drain pain, I think I was right there with you in terms of pain maybe... I vaguely remember this weird experience of my brain basically saying “WHOA!! WHAT IS THIS SENSATION?! It’s unlike anything we’ve ever experienced before! It’s not pain but that’s the closest thing to this sensation so we’re gonna play with the pain section of the brain with this one!”... and I almost deficated and passed out as the first drain was being removed...
That makes a lot of sense! I too almost passed out. We had to take a break and let me drink some water in between drains. The doctor also encouraged me to stop screaming so much because it was scaring patients in other rooms.
@@jackisnotabird Screaming scaring patients in the other rooms made me legit laugh. I won't say what was happening, but I was the one screaming (for about an hour) at the hospital and it made me so mortified when I think about it after. They had to put an oxygen mask on me.
26:54 As a cis straight woman, the closest experience to this I've had was the removal of a (benign) breast lump. I still think this is very interesting and got some flashbacks from my surgery (mine was also very early in the morning and I also took pictures of me in hospital clothes to show my friends I was okay)...
Last year I was told by my doctor that she wanted to try and get me at least ready for top surgery by my birthday this year and I was super fuckin excited especially since we had called my insurance and they told me not to worry about it cause they're sure they can cover it. My insurance called me back at the beginning of the year and basically told me they lied and couldn't cover it. So Ive been slowly trying to deal with it, its made me really depressed and has made things a little harder. Before I didn't let misgendering me by accident bother me a lot and I just corrected people and moved on, but after this situation its felt harder than it use to be and getting misgendered makes me feel instantly horrible and uncomfortable to the point where I just kinda avoid getting gendered at all. Like, I knew things could go wrong and could have been put off or Id have to do something like lose weight first, I was ready for that! But I wasn't ready for my insurance to call me back and essentially say "sorry but no" after they told me not to worry at all. Ive been trying to deal with these emotions but its kinda hard though watching trans UA-camrs has helped a bit. And I mean hey, since Im not getting it when I thought I would, I can at least keep doing research to be even more prepared for it!💕
Nonbinary transfem here, just love seeing you and hearing your stories :)
Anti-nausea meds definitely help with anesthesia - you can ask your surgeon to prescribe a scopalmine patch (which goes behind your ear) for before surgery and Zofran for after surgery. However, for people out there who get nauseous because of opioids, I highly encourage them to talk about it at length with your anesthesiologist before surgery, because that’s what they primarily use during anesthesia to control your pain. Some smaller surgeries can be managed with less serious meds like lidocaine. If you have a low pain tolerance or it’s a longer surgery, you can request ketamine, but ketamine may make you hallucinate (it convinced me a terrible talk show was an episode of the Great British Baking Show, so not all bad?). Just thought I’d share some alternatives as someone who can’t take opioids/handle anesthesia and has had lots of surgery :) great video!
Well explained Jackson. I’ll be 5 years post op in October and everything you laid out has been accurate to my experience as well. One question... if you’re swimming/ beaching with family (dad/sibling), do you wear a swim shirt and if so, do you find it triggering? I’ve found that I’m not comfortable with taking my shirt off around family, yet wearing a shirt or tank top is weirdly triggering as well.
Congrats on soon-to-be five years! Fortunately, I haven't had to face the situation of being shirtless in front of someone I'd be uncomfortable doing that around (like family). Maybe I would wear a swim shirt? I think I would just try to avoid the situation or go shirtless, but try to find an ally within the group of people there who I could spend most of my time with. They don't even have to be a good ally, just one person who you know won't make too weird of comments or care too much. I know that's not always possible though!
Congrats! My chest turns 4 on July 6th lol.
I had drains for 2 weeks and it was almost no pain when they were removed, but I had such horrible blisters at the drain sights. My skin is stupid sensitive and I also got a pretty large scar (maybe a few inches) from a blister on my side from the binder I wore for 4 weeks. So, I think this is more of a "my skin is weird" thing, but in case anyone else has sensitive skin- the drain site pain shouldn't be keeping you up at night despite taking pain meds. If it's that bad, there are ways to deal with it the doc can suggest, such as strategically placed gauze and wearing a shirt under the binder or placing the drains over the binder, etc. Seriously, my skin irritation was by far the most painful part... Well, except the random nipple zaps that would sometimes stop me in my tracks, but they last a few seconds and hurt but are kind of funny... My bestie calls them "lightning nips" and that amuses me, lol. 13-ish weeks post-op.
Nipple zaps are good; my surgeon told me it was from the nerves rewriting and regaining sensation. I remember having nipple zaps in the first 2 weeks after my surgery, they were so uncomfortable 🥴
Psst, hey you.
Yes you!
Go drink water.
Take your meds.
Eat something.
Brush your teeth.
Take care of yourself.
You are special.
You belong here.
You deserve to take up space in the world.
I love you beautiful people ❤️
I see you everywhere, and I just want to say thank you. You could be making a big difference in someone's life right now 💗 You're amazing
Thank you. That's very sweet.
It’s crazy to think when I started watching you it was further back videos and I learned so much. I love watching your videos they have helped me so much as well as my family and girlfriend to better understand. I will have been on Testosterone for a year in May. As well as I got my top surgery date it was a long process but thanks to watching your video and a couple other transgender you tubers I have come a long way. I cannot wait for m6 surgery in June but I know it just around the corner.
I had anti nausea medicine in my iv after waking up. Idk if there’s a preventative mix in, but whatever they gave me after worked super well and super fast.
Thank you for making me laugh out loud with your description of T-rex arms, it exactly described how I was after my mastectomies. Mine were for a less joyful reason than yours, and I'm so glad to laugh about that part with you.
I had a lot of nausea after waking up from the anesthesia, however they leave an IV in your arm that gives you drip fluids that they injected anti nausea stuff into to help with it until the anesthetic wore off. Also getting fed ice chips when you wake up to help with the sore throat from the breathing tube is so good lol.
Your videos are always so comforting to me, you always end up saying exactly what I need to hear in the moment (re: spiel at the end about regret). Thanks ❤️
Congratulations on 5 years Jack loving your wavey hair and moustache 🧒😎
I love how you put a section in the video for each question
Im 8 month's post op top surgery never had much feeling there and dont now. But im ok with it. Good looking beard and mustache. Its good to see you again.
Thank you so much for making this video! I saved it to my favourites list. I should (hopefully) be having top surgery in a month or two, so this'll be great to watch again later.
For anyone worried about the post-anaesthesia nausea, I got really bad nausea a little while after I woke up, it came on very suddenly and intensely, but I told the nurse and she gave me an injection (in the butt and very painful ngl) that cleared it right up really fast, and it didn’t come back after that
6/21 is my surgery date! I'm actually going to Bluebond-Langner in NYC! I'm excited! Even more of these: !!! lol
My surgeon put a patch on my neck - not sure what it is exactly - but it was for nausea from anesthesia. I just told them ahead of time that I’d had issue from anesthesia before after other surgeries.
Yes they can add an anti-emetic such as Gravol into your IV to help with the nausea. I told this to my anesthesiologist before hand that I didn't want the extreme nausea. I had some nausea when I woke up but nothing terrible and I didn't throw up.
You're a treasure. Thank you for your openness.
Hi Jack! I've been a subscriber for quite a while now, and it's so great to see you doing so great 5 years post-op. To be honest, I came to your channel for the trans content but stayed because I needed to know if gummy bears would waffle. I'm a cis woman and I love following your channel because you and your particular story are so interesting, and also because I'm headed to medical school in a few months and I look to your channel and to other trans creators to help guide me for when I treat future trans patients! On an unrelated note, do you happen to know if boba will waffle?
You can ask for Ondansetron against the nausea. It’s often not the actual anaesthesia but the opiates (strong painkillers) you will wake up on. It’s real! Constipation is another side effect of the same opiates. And they are also the meds that can make depression worse - more than the actual anaesthesia…
Thanks so much for sharing all this with us! I’m hoping to get top surgery soon, myself. I’m very dysphoric about my chest. I have been for nearly 15 years now. I went in for a consultation last year, but they told me I had to be on T for at least a year before they would do the surgery for me. I have yet to start T, but hopefully I can soon! Or find a surgeon who doesn’t require that. That would be nice. We’ll see how things go!!
You may want to search for informed consent/nonbinary accepting top surgeons. I am looking at Dr. Javad in Seattle as soon as I get some therapy letters to help insurance cover it (or at least a decent portion!!!)
They can mix anti nausea meds with the anesthesia. Tell the ANESTHESIOLOGIST, not the nurse or the surgeon. Plus, from 1 nausea sensitive person to another. You can ask for a rx of oral anti nausea meds to take home with you, cuz most of the time , pain meds cause nausea too! They usually suggest you pick up your meds prior to surgery.
I mean you wouldn’t trade surgery over physical sensation but I would have emphasised how big of a sacrifice that actually is, and how many people end up with sharp, shooting pain for the rest of their lives on top of lack of sensation.
Great video and very honest. I had a breast reduction and tummy tuck a few years ago. For the breast reduction I gained back 100% of all my sensation in that area (nipple included) but for the tummy tuck it was quite different, I have permanent numbness around the lower abdominal area 24/7. It makes me feel like I’m wearing a corset. I put a positive spin on it by saying it’s my reminder to do isometrics on the area to keep it flat, but I won’t lie that the permanent numbness is a drag. Just goes to show that you never know with surgery, sensation recovery is super-individual even for the same person for 2 different surgeries. But I still would have had the tummy tuck done, my clothes fit me so much better now it was worth it.
ETA - forgot to mention that both of my procedures were drainless. For the TT they did have to go into the area and remove a bunch of blood that had accumulated with a large needle, but for the reduction I never needed that. It was nice not to have drains, worth asking if it’s an option with your surgeon.
How long did it take your nipples to pink back up after surgery? I got my top surgery with Dr. G so I had the wrap on for a week full-time. My nipples were grey when the binding was first removed but by the next day they were pink with blood flow all evidently established.
Ok, haven't watched the whole thing yet but... Sweet stache! It looks awesome!
I'm really prone to nausea. My anesthesiologist i think gave me zofran before, and then they gave me an anti-nausea patch that lasted for 3 days post surgery. I still felt really nauseous for a week after though.
I don’t wanna distract from the information in the video but Jackson lookin cute
this mustache looks so planned out that's not an insult btw lmao I don't know how to explain it, it just has a lot of purpose
haha handlebar mustaches can't really NOT be planned out. I did a terrible job waxing it properly before this video though and, thankfully, it's gone now.
Glad ur finally back making videos
Yayy just happy for there to be an upload
I'd definitely say the drains thing varies person by person too as everyone has different pain tolerances and thresholds, and different surgeons have different techniques. I don't want anyone to be unprepared; I had them coming out of my armpits (not the universal placement, but still common) and it was extremely painful and I couldn't get comfortable for a minute until I got them out... by comparison the incisions didn't even bother me. Totally agree getting them out was the best part of recovery though!
on nausea- they can give you IV nausea medication (usually zofran) during or after surgery since you'll already have the IV (which will have also been used for anesthesia, so maybe that's what they meant!)
There are definitely meds that they can give you for nausea, either given in your IV or in a patch placed behind your ear
I was called "she" when I was in the hospital recovering. I found it really weird. Like why would I be having top surgery if I was a girl?
because not all transgender people want to change the bodies they are in, and vice versa. its rude to assume someone identifies as male because they had their breasts removed. Get in to the fluidity of gender and gender expression, mama.
@@idab6864 why did you call them mama if they just complained abt being called "she"? also, the staff could've used they. its still weird for the staff to misgender the person just bc they had breasts.
@@ironicchroniclesic4910 mama is a term of endearment said by people in the gay community to one another. As a gay person I tend to use this term a lot
I'm non-binary and I'm okay with all and no pronouns and I'm having top-surgery hopefully this year or the next. Although they used the wrong pronouns for you which is shit and rather questionable, there are people getting top surgery while being okay with the pronouns "she". Like me.
@@madeleinebohman2577 exactly what my point was too!
I wanna get top surgery so badly I'm only 15 rn so obviously it's a long time away but I wanna get it when I'm about 18 or 20 and go on T at 16 or 17 ;^;
If you experience nausea with anesthesia, you can absolutely request anti-nausea medication. Ask the nurse when you wake up, and they should be able to get you Zofran, a very common anti-emetic med, or something similar. Take it from a nurse 🙂
It just occurred to me that I even though I know top surgery will make me really reliant on my boyfriend, I just realized that he might need to feed me, clean my back and front ends which he would be comfortable with if necessary, he'd be okay washing, drying and dressing me of course. Him working from home now and even when covid is more under control he would still be able to work from home alot more now. Which makes me more comfortable about not making him talking months off work to care for me because I don't know how long my recovery will be, but I hope its fairly quick. But I have years until I can even think about getting surgery sadly.
As someone who has had loads of surgeries, and gets majorly nauseated from the anesthesia, yes, they can administer anti-nausea medicine to try to help. Not 100% foolproof, but it can help. Please mention it to your anesthesiologist. Good luck, people!
Ngl loving the longer hair on you
You can get Zofran if you are nauseous when you wake up. Also can sometimes ask for an anti anxiety med but it depends on the doctor. Haven’t had top surgery yet but have had 22 unrelated surgeries. Hope this helps some!
Post-op depression is probably also hormonal. After all, you've removed a part of you that produces hormones, so there's bound to be issues as your body adjusts.
I had no idea your chest produced hormones, like what?!?!?
@@Snow-sx5ev The mammary glands produce them, yes.
@@kilian-one-l *ahhh I want to get them off even more now I can't believe I wasn't aware they produced hormones*
@@Snow-sx5ev Mooooood
@@kilian-one-l ***yeet them***
This is a really great video, I’m having my surgery next month and this is super helpful
Zofran/ ondansetron is the anti nausea usually used it’s an actual thing.
The way you talk about scarring sounds similar to me. I wonder if the underarm scarring is lighter because whenever you move your arms it's basically free scar massage. 🤔
It turns out that Im allergic to the silicone strips. (I went all in for the NewGel+). So, Im basically stuck with just doing scar massage. I hope in 5 years me scars look like your 5yr vid thumbnail. 🤞Did you crop that section from the vid?
Ty for sharing your journey!
I was wondering if you had any info that you could recommend of any surgeons in NYC, I've been on T going on 4yrs this May. I've had HUGE dysphoria for the last 3yrs and has taken a horrible turn in my daily life and relationship. I'd really appreciate it Jackson, thanks🤙🏽
I'm getting top surgery in October can't wait
i actually don't care about nipple sensation it doesn't really make much of a difference to me. i'm definitely nervous but i have a long way to go before i actually get my surgery
So interesting to learn more about this topic. Thank you so much! PS: I love your book!
My surgery is coming up on July 13th so this is very helpful, thanks for the info!
Excellent video. Very helpful. Thank you.
Every time I watch one of your videos I crush on you so bad
You're an amazing person and I greatly appreciate your sharing
Much love (no creepy)
thanks for sharing your experience 🖤🖤🖤
I had top surgery a little over a month ago, I wish I did more research on the experience with the drains cause those fucking suckkkkkkkk
Both of my drains rejected, one side was suoer painful, but the drain on the other side slipped out on its own and I didn't feel it at all
Great video Jackson
Great profile pic
That mustache 👏👏👌👌
Your moustache is life.
The podcast link doesn't work!
I had collarbone reconstruction in the Army in the 80s. I still have numbing paun and sensitivity to my pectoral muscle area. I am considering breast reduction for pain reduction. I am non-binary but near cliser to 60yo vs young. Not syre how much reduction i will be looking at.
I love love love love love love love love love ur mustache I love it!!!! I feel like I never say it when I like peoples mustaches annd then they get bullied into shaving it so i just wanna say i love it I hope to grow one that nice
Who was your surgeon?
Im mentally not ready. Also not financially, but that can be saved easily tho. Its mainly fear of complications.
take as long as you need to figure this out, u got this
Im autistic and want top surgery. Im pain sensitive and am worried about it. Is there a way to get it and be asleep? Or not aware? The pain could be way more extreme for me than other people.
Great video!
i got top surgery yesterday, thank you for this video! I was 3rd in line for surgery so I ended up not getting it done until midday and then I felt bad afterwards so yeah I didn't eat for 24h and it sucked lol. Didn't experience any nausea at all, I think I got something against it!
Your scar is almost gone my friend? Did you do anything about it? Like streoid injection or cream and oil?
bio oil goes a long way
Gotta love your moustache man
Early :) love the moustache btw!
LOVE the tash
I think I started mobilizing too soon 😬
Early squad 😊
Luv y'all
*CONGRATS!!!* 🎉✨🌟🎇🎆💯👍🥰👏👏👏👏👏
Thank you for sharing!
Dude, I'm jealous of your mustache, mine grew in grey and almost invisible RATS! lol
My top surgery healed nicely, but my scars got stretched of my own accord, I had to take care of myself after my surgery, so I ruined my surgeon's good work 🤔 I had to change my own bandages and everything.
You look amazing!!! 🥰😍
what a brilliant mustache!
I recommend square classes
Facial hair is going nice
I also recommend in different haircut with lots of straight edges, if you can manage it just saying
Your muscles are being re routed to your brain
Are u still friends with John?
Being afraid of children's curiosity and honesty is really remarkable. It shows that your own (unfounded) belief is not strong enough to be questioned. There still is enough rationality and doubt left that could not yet be overcome by "affirming" and lying.
Regarding advice to the medical community: Bear in mind that your abilities and time are scarce resources. Try to use them to help people who are actually suffering from physical illness. Do not spend them on stuff like plastic surgeries or boner pill research. Do not be afraid to refer people with psychological or mental problems to mental health practicioners.