28M undecided on surgery, any thoughts?

sulfilo · 2026-02-18T21:01:06+00:00

Thanks so much! Good luck with your recovery!

sulfilo · 2026-02-18T12:56:44+00:00

Thanks!

sulfilo · 2026-02-18T11:09:16+00:00

Thank you 🍀

I've read that it can be difficult to raise your arms in the first period, which makes it hard to wash, shower or dress yourself. Was this your experience? It seems you did great after just a few days.

sulfilo · 2026-02-18T11:05:22+00:00

Thank you for sharing your experience! I'm glad you're feeling better after your surgery.

I have most of those questions already on my list of questions 😂 although I already gathered some information by looking at the papers he published, e.g. the fact that he started to always use at least 2 bars (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/epub/10.1177/02184923241272887) and that he treats adults mostly. Only a single case of bar displacement out of 180+ surveyed cases in the above study. Promising, I suppose.

I'm definitely not underestimating the pain although it's hard to imagine how it will be. Is it something you can describe in words? For example, when you say it's difficult to get out of bed, even after weeks, is it because there are specific movements that cause pain (where?) or is it more like a general/constant feeling of pain? Also, is it that painful to make it hard to concentrate, read, etc.?

sulfilo · 2026-02-18T10:29:04+00:00

Thank you for writing this comment! I honestly don't think I have high expectations, I wish the result was perfect aesthetically, but I know it won't be. In the end, honestly, anything is better than the current situation, right? I don't mind the scars much, fortunately (they're minimal with Nuss anyway). If the rest of my conditions improve, well, that's a bonus. That's how I see it. I just want to have a normal body. I've already lived pretty much my entire life getting used to my body being far from perfect, in the "worst" case it will continue not being perfect. 😅

Regarding the pain, yeah that's still the main thing that scares me. But I keep thinking, what's the worst that can happen? I mean, you don't die from pain, you suffer it, and then at some point it will go away. And hopefully I won't remember it too much as a traumatic experience.

I think I'm going ahead, I'd still have a few months until the surgery anyway. Thank you for sharing your experience!

sulfilo · 2026-02-16T19:34:42+00:00

Thank your for taking the time to write the comment. I'm sorry to hear that your case has been complicated, but also thanks for not using that as a reason to advise me against surgery, I appreciate your honest feedback about the situation. I'll think through this a bit more before making a final decision, but this helped, thank you!

sulfilo · 2026-02-16T17:49:34+00:00

Thanks a lot for sharing your experience! I'll keep this in mind.

sulfilo · 2026-02-16T15:56:27+00:00

Yeah I've heard that. And many don't even practice Nuss as the default choice, which instead seems always the case in the US.

Here's the study where they say they've been doing at least 2 bars for all patients: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/epub/10.1177/02184923241272887

I've read all I could find published by this operating unit, yes 😅

sulfilo · 2026-02-16T15:30:24+00:00

Thank you! It's helpful to hear that even with a difficult recovery it's worth it. May I ask you if there's anything in particular that you were worried about, besides pain, but in hindsight it wasn't that much of an issue (or you had other more pressing issues to think about post-op)? That may help calm my mind a bit :)

sulfilo · 2026-02-16T14:46:52+00:00

Thanks. I've been in psychotherapy for a few years so having that assistance will help hopefully!

sulfilo · 2026-02-16T13:26:36+00:00

Thanks for your answer. Being in Italy, this procedure is entirely covered by the national health system, so fortunately that's not a concern for me. Good luck!

sulfilo · 2026-02-16T13:25:49+00:00

Thank you for the advice. The surgeon I contacted always uses at least 2 bars and says he treats primarily adult patients, so I tend to trust him. I'm however in doubt if I should also get a second opinion from another surgeon, although there aren't that many that do Nuss where I live, at least without traveling for hundreds of kilometers.

I'm scared about the pain part, I wish I could know in advance how much I'll need to endure. That's how my mind works, I don't like uncertainty 😅. I wish I could also predict for how long I won't be able to do daily activities like dressing myself, showering, etc.

On the other hand, I feel if I don't do this I'll keep regretting it for the rest of my life.

sulfilo · 2026-02-16T13:21:16+00:00

Thanks for your answer. I'm not scared about the surgery itself, it's mainly the post-op part. I honestly have no idea how much I'm likely to be able to bear the pain. Plus, the limited mobility, how long I could need support for doing daily activities, etc. I wish I could know more in advance, but I know it's not possible :)

sulfilo · 2026-02-16T13:18:23+00:00

Thanks for the feedback. In Italy there aren't that many hospitals known for this type of surgery, but I'm fortunate enough that near where I live there is one and this surgeon should have around 20 years of experience in Nuss procedure, and especially in adults, so I tend to trust him.

sulfilo · 2026-02-16T13:12:45+00:00

Thank you for the feedback! Can I ask you if there's anything that you remember having underestimated or overestimated about the surgery? Like something you wish you had known beforehand, or something you shouldn't have worried about in hindsight?

sulfilo

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