I am having #breastreduction #surgery July 11. I have hEDS. I just had a call with my surgeon because he did not answer my hEDS precautions question at the consultation. The call was not much better. He is not taking any of the special EDS precautions except he did say that he keeps extra skin and looseness on the incisions. He has a sterling reputation, all 5-star long reviews on RealSelf, but I'm getting the package deal he gives everyone, basically. He said that since I made it to age 58 without a skin-wound healing incident, it is very unlikely that there is going to be a special problem now with healing poorly or slowly. I do have slow-healing tendons. He said there is no tendon being affected by this surgery. I did have excess bleeding from major surgery at age 10 and they wanted to do a transfusion. I guess I will have my husband bank blood for me and hope for the best. All stitches are dissolvable, closed in many layers, and taped with paper tape only, no steri strips. He said that surgery always comes with risks and I need to talk to my EDS specialist, as though there is such a thing, if I need more than a week's worth of pain narcotics. I have central pain sensitization. I also have medical trauma in my background, so all the uncertainty is unsettling. He is very nonchalant about the whole thing. He has operated on at least two EDS patients. They had no complications. He's never had a patient had to go in the hospital or get an infection. His results look amazing. He is taking more than 5 pounds off my chest to relieve chronic pain, disordered breathing, and limitations in movement. I have made a nonrefundable down payment on the surgery, and honestly there is not a better surgeon in the region in terms of reputation and outcomes. Still I wish that he had given me special reassurance. Any thoughts or advice are welcome. Any cautionary tales too. EDIT: I should mention that the surgeon did have my platelets tested and I've had coagulation panels that are fancier done in the past. I do not have a clotting disorder. Also, I did bring a printout of research to him, with a doctor's list of recommended practices. Not much changed, if anything. He does not like tight incisions anyway, so at least that measure is being taken. I hope he is right that I will heal at normal speed. I would hate to have wound openings or hematomas.

Posted by Jenny at 2023-05-23 22:44:33 UTC