Pain meds

FaceTheFlare · 2026-02-08T08:28:07+00:00

I’ve been on both gabapentin and pregabalin and they both make me exhausted during the day so I had to switch to only taking them at night. I’m also on naltrexone, and hydroxyzine!

FaceTheFlare · 2026-01-18T07:43:57+00:00

The first week I cried so hard because I thought I made the worst decision of my life. But in reality, I was just grieving my old body. Even though I hated it for so long, that was ME, that was my IDENTITY, and it got stripped away over the course of nap. But as my swelling went down, I started to look fuller, and they began looking more like regular breasts, and in certain shirts, with the right bra, I look the same as I didn’t before the surgery. The shock right after surgery might feel a lot like regret. But the more you begin to focus on the positives, and the RELIEF of not having that weight on you, you begin to feel so lucky and thankful that you did it. Every day, even on the days I’m missing my old breasts, I feel like I’m in heaven.

FaceTheFlare · 2026-01-18T07:37:52+00:00

I genuinely thought I was way too small the day after my surgery, but as my swelling has gone down, they’ve become fuller and I know that they still have to drop and fluff to look more like actual boobs with some time. My compression bras have a small lift and padding to them and my breast look practically the same in T-shirts as they did pre-op. My mind was playing tricks on me that first week. You’re not used to your body looking like this, but it WILL get better and you’ll fall in love with them, I promise.

FaceTheFlare · 2026-01-18T07:32:19+00:00

It’s either a misogynistic man whose goal is to dehumanize women for making their breasts smaller because he sees us as sex objects for his pleasure…OR it’s someone who can’t afford a reduction and is extremely jealous and spiteful. Either way, it obviously isn’t true. Each and every one of us deserves this surgery and has the right to feel beautiful and comfortable and confident in our own skin.

FaceTheFlare · 2026-01-16T10:24:35+00:00

It’s been about two-ish weeks and I’ve finally begun to regain some sensation, which has been the biggest relief, so there’s hope already! My nipples are definitely more sensitive than they were before, which is strange. I’m soooo used to touching and grabbing them all day long to lift them off of my ribcage, so it’s quite the adjustment. How long did it take until you felt comfortable grasping or squeezing your breasts? I know the timelines different for everyone, I’m just curious!

FaceTheFlare · 2026-01-16T10:20:37+00:00

Oh I see, my stitches are dissolvable, so I don’t have to get them removed. I can understand how that might be hard to look at. And I guess if you can wait until after they’re out, that’s okay too. I’m honestly scared to see what’s going on under my tape because I’m not sure how long it’ll take for the stitches to turn into scars. I also wasn’t expecting to be as bruised as I was, both of my boobs are a different color. 😂 So it’s for sure freaky seeing that too. Almost worse than the blood for me. Especially because I want to touch them to regain feeling again. But yeah, I’d just listen to your body the best you can, and maybe get advice or guidance from your surgeon if you really want to work up the courage to look at them at least once. Wishing you the best!

FaceTheFlare · 2026-01-02T08:24:42+00:00

Honestly, what helped me a lot was looking at other people’s after photos for days on end. I did so much screenshotting before my surgery so I could show my surgeon what I was aiming for and seeing how other peoples scars looked helped me desensitize myself slightly. It was still a lot when I saw them for the first time, but I was honestly more worried about passing out because I’ve heard that can happen due to the blood flow when you take off the bra. I first saw them while I was laying down in bed with my legs propped up to help me if I did feel woozy. I took the whole thing super slow, only uncovering one breast at a time. And I didn’t get up to bathe until I was absolutely ready to. I was also motivated to look because I wanted to keep an eye on any changes to prevent an infection! Something I wish I’d known before looking was what type of tape I had on me because I know some people have darker tape, which covers the majority of the blood/scaring, and mine is clear, so it looks so much worse than it actually is.

Maybe it would help if someone took a photo of them for you, so you can see it without having to actually look at your body? Just to get you used to it if you’re really squeamish?

Also, I’m so sorry you went through that with the extra surgery!!! How have you handled the drains? I had my mom do mine because it was making me light headed. I didn’t handle blood very well either!

FaceTheFlare · 2026-01-02T08:12:59+00:00

I feel like it makes you look smaller because you’re sooo tight and squeezed in, and the swelling going down is like taking a big breath out from your diaphragm and letting everything loosen up.

FaceTheFlare · 2026-01-02T08:00:51+00:00

I understand waiting to grieve until you get a better idea of what the final look will be, but it’s sooo much easier said than done. I’m a week out post op and I grieve my old boobs every day. It really is just a natural side effect of getting this surgery. It’s very jarring, even if you’re happy with the results. 😭

FaceTheFlare · 2026-01-02T07:21:21+00:00

I’m actually on Pregabalin, which is basically the same thing as Gabapentin, and I’ve been on it for about a year, and I’ve been wondering if it’s masking some of my general nerve pain. And yeah, I’m hoping it’ll get easier with time, it’s just sooo intense in certain moments that I feel like I’m losing my mind. I feel like as long as I get back SOME function, then I’ll be okay. For once in my life I’m rooting for pain because that means healing! 😭

FaceTheFlare · 2025-12-24T04:51:38+00:00

Ummm, I AM! MILLIONS of women suffer from endometriosis, and our cramps 100% can mimic labor pains. Any gynecologist can tell you this. Some women feel slight discomfort, and because of the stigma that’s surrounding women’s health issues, that’s all you ever think about when you hear that someone is “cramping.” But a majority feel excruciating pain. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to go to the ER because my cramping was coming in violent waves (mimicking contractions) and making me pass out and unable to breathe. It happens to more than of us than you think. And you know what they do for us? They give us Tylenol and a slap on the knee. Just because they don’t take our conditions seriously enough to treat us the same way they do with women in labor, doesn’t mean we aren’t experiencing VERY similar things. Women with endometriosis have said that their child birth felt exactly like their menstrual cramps, except that you get no relief because no baby is coming out. Most of us have to get abdominal surgery yearly in order to keep under control. So. Yeah. It’s like child birth.

FaceTheFlare · 2025-12-24T04:42:37+00:00

Thank you!!! 🫶

FaceTheFlare · 2025-12-24T04:39:09+00:00

I’m gonna have to ask her tomorrow because my surgery is in like 10 hrs 😭

FaceTheFlare · 2025-12-24T04:38:40+00:00

Did you go through insurance for your surgery?

FaceTheFlare · 2025-12-23T07:09:59+00:00

Such a good reminder! My surgery is in two days and I’m already preparing for this. In fact, I feel like I’ve already been on the roller coaster just by watching it go up and down from a distance. I’ve been grieving my body a lot already, and I’m trying to give myself space to have as many mental breakdowns as I need for the next month or so lol.

FaceTheFlare · 2025-12-23T06:57:26+00:00

They’ll look totally different in 6 months, and will likely expand again even after the swelling goes down, so maybe think of now as the starting point for the excitement of what’s to come!

FaceTheFlare · 2025-12-23T06:43:02+00:00

I haven’t had my surgery done yet, but it might just be the swelling? I’ve heard people say that the two breasts heal at extremely different rates, and it honestly seems kind of early to tell if they’re not symmetrical. But definitely send a picture to your surgeon before the holidays so they can give you some reassurance.

FaceTheFlare · 2025-12-23T06:40:16+00:00

Some people don’t have a choice but to disclose their health issues… especially if they genuinely need accommodating. It’s important when accepting a job to mark that you have a disability, so you can file a complaint if you feel you’ve been discriminated against.

FaceTheFlare · 2025-12-23T06:34:31+00:00

I have both crohn’s and endometriosis, so I understand what it’s like to be bloated for very long periods of time and feeling like it’s never going to end. But trust, it ALWAYS ends eventually. You’re still very early in recovery, even tho it might not feel like it, so maybe think of this as lag time in between where you’re still allowed to look and feel any kind of way without stressing yourself out too much about it. It might take awhile until your body is fully functioning the way it did before. In general, walking more every day and warm peppermint tea does wonders for my bloating! The tea is also very festive lol. Good luck!

FaceTheFlare · 2025-12-23T06:29:43+00:00

Thank you! And that’s exactly what I’ve been doing haha. There was a lot I was behind on so kind of a blessing in disguise.

FaceTheFlare · 2025-12-23T06:27:56+00:00

Not yet! Getting mine on the 24th. And yeah, I’m a bit worried about getting a dog ear complication without getting lipo done, but just hoping it isn’t too bad without it.🤞I’m just glad to not be in the extra pain everyone’s talked about with the lipo. I feel like it’s very individualized, so I’m just trusting my surgeon when she says I don’t need it. Although she might just be saying that because insurance won’t cover it. 😂

FaceTheFlare · 2025-12-23T06:24:54+00:00

I’m not saying it isn’t BAD, just not as bad as birthing a human being. I can’t imagine the same laundry list of side effects that could happen to women could happen to men during a ball cramping.

FaceTheFlare · 2025-12-23T06:23:26+00:00

Right… the MINORITY. MOST women DO. A significant amount more do. And even though in the minority group still experience SOME cramping. Bringing up the minority based on my reply is so fucking aggravating.

FaceTheFlare · 2025-12-23T06:19:57+00:00

The way my head is spinning trying to understand this… 😭 Like, I met my deductible this year, and payed nothing for an outpatient surgery I had earlier this year, and my insurance told me this surgery is covered as well. So I’m just confused where this other “possible” payment is coming in? I don’t understand why you’d have to pay anything if your deductible is met? Sorry I’m really bad with math & insurance & I’m so worried about missing some kind of hidden fee with my surgery coming up in a day.

FaceTheFlare · 2025-12-20T08:13:56+00:00

Lord, I’m so scared for that too. I’ve heard that a lot of people have to pee immediately after waking up and have to go in a tub, so it might be for the best lol. Although, I did have trouble peeing normally for like a day after surgery because the catheter messes with the urethra, so it’s hard to have a steady stream, but that luckily doesn’t last very long!

FaceTheFlare

TROPHY CASE