My top surgery experience with Andrew Ives

My experience in 2013 when I got top surgery with Andy was positive. He was respectful, I felt he answered my questions well, and the aftercare was good too. Sure, he was socially awkward but so am I. And aren’t all surgeons a little weird lol? Part of the reason I went to him was because my other option was Megan Hassall in Sydney who had a horrible bed side manner, or I’d probably need to fly out of the country. 

When I got my revision done in 2019, during the consult prior, I honestly felt a bit brushed off at times. I did express this during my text post updates back then, which you can go back and read... but I also was careful in how I worded it. Nothing really bad per say really happened, but I did feel like Andy was a bit offended that I wasn’t 100% happy with my chest, and that I wanted a revision. I was specific with the things I wanted him to do a revision on, and also, asked him about what was possible and realistic. For example, I wanted to know if he could reshape one of my nipples to better match the other, and he seemed irritated that I even asked. There were a couple of things like this that occurred that bothered me.

The actual revision surgery was fine - Iffy was amazing and so sweet and comforting. The post up follow up appointments were also fine. With this being said, I completely understand peoples issues with his bed side manner. I was made aware that members of the Melbourne trans community actually worked along side him to help him improve it, and that’s the reason why nurse Iffy works with him.

Since my revision, I’ve read a lot of accounts online from people who either had surgery with Andy, or simply went to a consultation. Both trans men and women and non binary people. What I want to say is, there’s quite a few options these days! I have no regrets around my surgery and am so stoked, but if I was looking to have top surgery in 2021, I would shop around and check my options. I would take into account what other peoples experiences are too. I don’t want to talk for other people, as you too can find these accounts online with some searching and digging, and being in the right spaces. I have read things that are upsetting and multiple people have been able to confirm that indeed, those things did happen. Like people being dismissed, treated poorly, treated like they are less than, treated like they are being ridiculous etc.

I am very grateful that like, 95% of my experience with Andy was overwhelmingly positive, and I have accurately and honestly documented my experience online. However, this was back in 2013. In a few years, it’ll be an entire decade ago. If you wish to read my blog as prep for your own surgery and to help set up and manage your own expectations, that’s awesome, and I think my blog will be helpful. But also, please research more recent experiences too. :)

October 9th 2021. My chest at 8 years post op.

This is probably going to be the last photo of my chest. I never actually did make an updated post of my chest since I had my revision, and it healed. I had surgery in July 2013 and it’s October 2021 now. I had a revision in June 2019, where Andy removed fat from the left side of my chest. 

The upper photo is of my left side, and the lower is of my right side. As you can see, the redder stretched out scar in the upper photo is from my revision 2 years ago. I imagine it’ll always look like that, but the colour will fade to more of a pinkish tone, as you can see in other areas.

Good luck to you and congratulations!

As far as stuff to bring to the hospital with you, I would say baby wipes so you can give yourself little cleans where you want, while still laying down in bed. Bring an extension lead with you (along with maybe portable chargers) so you’re able to access your phone at all times, when it is charging up. It might be a nice idea to bring some ear or headphones to listen to music or podcasts with, because you may not feel like doing much at all. You may want to bring some of those little foam earbuds too, that help block sounds out. I had a room all to myself after top surgery and it wasn’t noisy, but you never know when action might go down and nurses start running around at night time.

If you’re anything like me, you’ll be fairly out of it after surgery and probably will just lay around and sleep a lot in the hospital, so I found I didn’t need to bring much in the way of extras. Just realised I made a post about this years ago here lol, so I’ll include the link to that https://mytopsurgeryexperience.tumblr.com/post/56231876030/belongings-to-take-to-the-hospital-for-top-surgery

As for after the surgery, I found it very helpful using straws to drink from. Prepare your house beforehand so you don’t need to worry about doing anything after (like give stuff a nice clean, clean bed sheets, clean clothes). I wore really comfy, baggy clothes after surgery. I brought a few button up shirts because it was hard to pull a T-shirt over my head for a while there. You may also want to cook and freeze meals in your freezer or buy pre-prepared meals from the shops if your friend can’t cook for you. 

When I had my op, I didn’t have any streaming services so I downloaded a bunch of movies because you’re going to have plenty of time to sit around and do nothing. Maybe get some video games, books, or whatever you enjoy. You will probably go between your bed and the couch, so set up a little chill out station at your couch with whatever you need, like pillows, blankets.

I had surgery on my chest many years ago now, and I literally never use Tumblr anymore. Logging on here feels like a fever dream really. Plenty more people have had surgery with Andy since, and now there’s at least 1 or 2 other surgeons as far as I know in Melbourne who do top surgery. At this point, the healing concluded a long time ago, and now, the scars continue to gradually fade tiny bit by tiny bit over time.

I hope I have helped some of you, but I think it’s time to move on from Tumblr for good. You might see me around on other websites in the future, documenting other things relating to my transition. I do have an anonymous YouTube channel where I talk about being stealth and trans, so if you want the link to that, just get in touch with me. I’ll check back on Tumblr in a week or a month or something to response to any last messages.

I didn’t have private health and it cost me a total of 9.1k

A refresher for those new to my blog: I had my appointment with Andy yesterday; my consult for revision. I had my top surgery in July 2013 and have tossed up getting a revision since, but tried to fall back on thinking I don't want more surgery than I absolutely need, and that over the years, my chest has healed more. But I got to a point of thinking enough is enough and I need to be the happiest I can be with my body.

So my issues were:

- A lump of fat on the left side of my chest, kind of like dog ears but lower. Even at 10 kg lighter than I am right now (skinny) it was still there. It looks the same being heavier. So I found working out didn't improve it, and so this was the big one I wanted to deal with.

Andy agreed that there was a lump of fat and would be happy to do something about it.

I figured that while I was there, I might as well bring up my more minor issues with him and see what he said about them.

- My nipples have these gross small white lumps that produce pus when I squeeze them. There's 2 in particular on the right that bother me, with one bothering my the most.

He said he can remove them but implied it's not really worth it. He explained that because I've had keloid scarring, it could happen and make it look worse. Not sure if I should do nothing, have it removed, or maybe see someone who can tattoo it skin colour. But at this stage, I am thinking of just leaving it. I have seen some keoid scarring get really bad and would hate myself if that happened to me.

- I explained that in the past I thought I may need steroid injections for my scars (Andy had suggested this to me when I asked about 5 years ago). But I was told it's painful and I need to be knocked out for it. My unlucky self has had surgeries coming out of my ears and I just didn't want more, so I waited and waited and am glad I did. The keloid scars have really gone down! But I get so scared my scars will out me and asked if there's anything he can do for the colour and asked if I should get a tattoo over them or what.

He said he can't do anything for colour and had a long chat to me about tats, which boiled down to saying no one really notices our chests but get a tat if I want to.

- Shape of chest; when I shave my chest hair, my right side dips in in a spot and my left doesn't. I like my right side better and wanted to know if Andy can make my left side the same as the right.

Short answer: no. Long answer: with every medical procedure, he runs the risk of a higher chance of complications. If it's not broken, why fix it. He said that this sort of thing along with the white bumps makes my chest look more authentic.

- Nipple shape. Now, after our chat I didn't bring this up. But I was considering talking to him about how my left and right are a bit different and I prefer my right side. But I felt I already knew the answer would be no so I didn't bring it up.

I signed paperwork for the future procedure and that was that!

THE FUTURE, AND THE SURGERY

I was told a few times over phone my consult would amount to around 300 with about a 70 dollar Medicare rebate. When I went to pay, the receptionist told me she will bulk bill me!! I couldn't believe it. I didn't pay a cent and was incredibly surprised and thankful.

My revision is set for early June.

I've been told more details will be sent out to me and I'll be phoned about a week prior, but for now here's what I know:

I'll show up at 9 am, I'll be out of there by lunch time, and the surgery will be done with me being awake and it'll take up to 45 mins. Andy compared it to getting a mole removed or a filling, so basically, not very traumatic. I have to pay a 100 dollar fee for being able to be in the hospital and for them to use their tools on me. Andy isn't charging me at all for his work (he calls us Boss... I think Andy is the real OG Boss here. What a champ). I won't need a referral as I got a new one yesterday morning before my appointment. I should wear a loose button up, I can't work out for 4-5 days after at a gym, can drive myself home after but have been told it's worth while to perhaps bring someone who can drive me in case I'm not feeling great.

Just a short video talking about and showing what I was trying to explain in my last text post, about having a surgical revision in future.

Sorry if the audio is low. Try using headphones and making sure your volume is loud. I am having microphone problems.

edit: 7:35 in this video from being around 3 months post op, you can see what I mean about my chest dipping in more on one side. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aisPwNqpuWM

Hey there. I’m sorry, I don’t know any info about NZ guys coming to Australia for top surgery. What sort of information is it that you’re after though? I might be able to help anyway. You’d obviously need to have enough money to organise a motel for a while, and you’d want a caring friend to escort you here and help you post op. I think a lot of other factors are your choice and would need to be researched more. Like I am not sure about insurance and if that’s something you could even apply for here, so you may need to pay out of pocket like I did?I saw a guy online the other day, an Aussie boy, who traveled to Thailand to have DI with nipple grafts and the result was amazing IMO. He paid 6k with Dr Sukit. IDK if you can find results online on some site like Transbucket, but if you want to come off anon, I can probably find a way to put you in touch with the guys result that I saw, as it’s in a private FB group.

Today I phoned the office of Andrew Ives and booked in a consultation with him for a revision. It’s been booked for late March 2019.

If you read back in my blog, it has been weighing on my mind for years. I went back and forth on it for a long time, thinking that the longer I wait, the more my chest will heal and change. But it has been 5 years and 4 months since I had chest surgery, and this is my chest as it is. The scars will fade more over the years, but the issues I have right now will not change.

In my consult, I am going to bring up these things with him and see what he says:

• The left side has some dog earring, which I want gone. I need to review my right side more. I don’t have dog ears but I might get a little bit of lipo just under my arm pit. Might. I’ll see what he thinks too if it’s still on my mind next year,

• There’s two very obvious white bumps on my right nipple. I want them gone. (I have some of these bumps elsewhere but they are smaller and less noticeable. I only get them after surgery and he did tell me the name of them once but I forgot. I remember him saying they would need to be removed surgically but I don’t remember)

• My left nipple is more of an oval shape while my right nipple is more of a circle. I would like for my left nipple to be more circular.

• This is so not noticeable to anyone, but there’s a slight difference in shape between my pecs. If you imagine the centre of my chest, and then both of my nipples, imagine the area between those things. In that space, my right side has slightly less fat than my left. Due to my body hair, you can’t notice this unless I told you and you looked at it hard. But shaven you can see this, and with the way the light hits my chest on some angles, it can become more noticeable. I think I would like for my left side to match my right side.

That I am sure I will have a revision. I have looked into other options and thought I would give myself a lot of time for my chest to naturally heal more to see how I feel. 

It would be nice if Andy could minimise the scarring some more (maybe steroid injections?). On my left side, I hide this in photos sometimes due to how I pose, like with my arms upwards, but there is slight dog-earring. I would like for this to go away, because even if I am at a really slim weight, it’s still there and the other side doesn’t match so I know it’s not to do with me.

This is less of an issue, but if I’m going under anyway, then I might as well have my nipples looked at. One of them is in a more oval shape compared to the other, which is more circular. Plus, there are some tiny areas that produce pus when I squeeze them. These are all things I am going to bring up with Andy and see what he says.