farmgirl04

He had to do stuff around house that I do, including my livestock. I was watering with a 1 gallon bucket by 10 days post op. I wasn't cooking him a full (soup, salad, sides, and meat dinner), I wasn't eating with him because I don't really have an appetite but sat with him, which pissed him off. He's had to deal with my mood swings, loss of mom, recup from surgery, deal with Xmas emotions, deal with pending baby emotions). When he is stressed he tends to blame, and not want to hear any advice. His dad was a brilliant physician, who would now be diagnoses with Aspergers syndrome (I'm in special ed so I'm not just making that up), so dh didn't have a good role model for dealing with social and emotional issues. When life is fine so is he, when he gets stressed all social skills go down the toilet. He'll apologize, probably this evening, but it gets old! Was it extra work for him, yes, but he also got much nicer specialty meals waiting on the table, something I'm not good at!

Yup, getting better but still annoying. I'm thinking that the pressure from the compression garment on the scabs isn't helping the issue. I'm seriously trying not to reach up at all and that seems to be helping those pesky drain hole heal better.

Midlife crisis, or one both my husband and I have dealt with.... People starting new careers that require them to contact large numbers of people! That was really offensive!

Hi All, I know I'm not going to do anything without talking to my doc first, but when where you all given the green light to at least start walking distances (2-3 miles). I can't remember what he said, I think it was week 4, but I may be way off base. I do know he said no sweat inducing exercise for a while. My next appointment isn't till January 9th because his schedule gets so busy during the holidays, otherwise it would have been due right before the new year. Thanks for your input. It is always wonderful. Ps- experiencing 3rd week stomach cramps, seems to be par for the course for what I'm reading.

I'M having a tough time this morning and just need to vent. I had a full tummy tuck December 2, one day after my mom died. I still think it was the right decision to go ahead with the surgery, I was at the family only burial 3 days later and we are having her memorial service in the spring. Re her death, it was a good one. The last year, last months, last week, and last days were not how you would wish anyone to have to live. My sister and I were with her almost 100% of the last two weeks. I left for home Saturday night in order to get prepared for surgery that Monday. I got home at 130am and got the call to come back at 230, so my husband and I drove back 3+ hours each way. I spent the day with my family, making arrangements, grieving, talking, ect then drove home in time to start prepping for the next morning. Now fast forward 3 weeks. I'm healing well from the surgery, on the phone regularly with dad, sister, and brother, but here at home I'm married to a fedex delivery man and have 2 adult sons still living at home and at that mid twenty work hard/play hard time of life. My daughter lives nearby, is a medical resident who works 90 hours a week and it 37 weeks pregnant(!). So you get the idea. Support, while it looks available, isn't there. I've followed all the post op restrictions, but it is getting harder and harder to get any support from family. Screw the 10 pound lift restriction, I just won't lift! But Christmas is almost here, and I'm feeling like part of me wants to move ahead in some sense of normalcy, to help me cope with grieving. Yet I can't, and don't, want to do it all. I have gifts but don't want to wrap them. It is just more than I feel up to. I have stocking stuff, but don't want to wrap and stuff them. Quite frankly, I just want to make flipping piles and say merry Christmas. I don't want to cook a big dinner. I don't want to make baked Alaska for desert. I just don't want to. My family is expecting it all. I'm tired and I'm grieving. There is no answer but to just keep moving forward. Sorry this is so long, but I'm missing my mom this morning, and it is coming to a head. Thanks for letting me vent!

56 when I was banded. 57 now, 104 pounds lighter. Below my doctors goal by 8 pounds, and looking to shed probably another 10 as my running gets back into high gear post tummy tuck surgery a month ago. So, yes, it does work!

I saw the story on the today show this morning. Not sure which surgery they would do. Not lap band, cause you still need to make good choices. Whatever they do, shame on insurance company for being so blind!

Just 4 weeks post tummy tuck and already thinking of a breast pick-me-up! It would be glorious, but I do want to look my age (57), so I'll need to think on iy some more!

Biggest issue, by far, are the restrictions! No lifting over 10 pounds for 6 weeks! No exceptions. Think holiday turkey, garbage, laundry, grocery shopping. No pushing heavy carts. Or anything. That has been the worst! Things happen on everyone else's schedule. Or standing in the isle waiting for someone to put dog food in your cart!! Never mind unload the car for you! Much worse than drains!

First drain came out about a week post surgery, it had never produced much. Second came out two and a half weeks after surgery.

First, drains are not associated with banding. I had lost 100 pound, but had a persistent and documented rash. Running has always been my exercise of choice. I don't know it that mattered.

I wrote a wonderful post, then deleted it trying to make one small change! Here we go again. How much was removed. I don't know because I keep forgetting to ask. My stomach is flat! I don't have any skin to wash under, or dry under, or get a rash under! That is what really matters to me. The drains are not pleasant, but then, it is major surgery! There are things that are not pleasant! I had two drains, one in each hip bone area. They are like a bulb on the end of a tube exiting your skin that you squeeze before putting the cap onto in order to maintain a draining pressures. Two or three, or however many times you need to, each day, you pop the top and squeeze the liquid contents into a little plastic beaker to record the amount of fluid draining. No big deal. Really. They are a pain showering, but that is where hanging them from a lanyard around your neck comes in. Removing them sounds a heck of a lot worse than it is. The dr cuts a stitch and pulls it out. I would compair any discomfort to having a fill, if you had lap band. I am still only 4 weeks out, but so glad I did it! Remember, when people like me come here to post it is to get info that maybe docs don't share, or are weird questions, or you just plain want support from people who've gone through it. Again, I'm so happy with my decision!

Yesterday I resolved to not lift anything (!), not even a mug, higher than my shoulder. This made a huge difference in how the drain hole feels! I swear I don't remember doc saying anything other than the ten pound limit, but maybe he did and I missed it. Or maybe it's just me. Anyway, I have step stools everywhere around the house prompting the revelation that I have A LOT of step stools!

Hi Countrygirl, 16 months between lapband and tt. I've been running and couldn't get rid of the rash no matter what, plus at goal for 3 months.

Hot butterfly, I'll be sure and ask. I don't want an increase just a pick-me-up!

Shiver! I can't imagine pulling it out, and I'm not usually a wimp. You impress me so much! Remember to keep your binder tight, it might help keep the fluid moving down. Keep us informed, we're all thinking of you!

Thanks for all the input! I know which way to go now. Now all I need is to heal from my panni/tummy tuck and get out of the binder and then I'm headed to probably to the Somas near here. Why Soma, it's right near JJill!

I had my first true 'slender' experience at JJill. Absolutely loved it and got unbelievable service. Granted I was the only customer there at the time but when they heard how much I lost they went nuts! They helped me pick flattering clothing that would mix and match, the. They found me every coupon under the sun! It is expensive so I do shop there on sale and with coupons.

I've always just gone to sears, kohls, walmart type stores. I guess I need to up the class a little!

Before we knew what insurance would cover my doc said if insurance was paying for the hospital, insurance, ect, the added cost for the above the belly button was minimal (relatively) expensive. Your friend should ask her doc what the cost would be.

Hi All, I'm now one week post tt surgery. I thought I'd pass along some info while it's fresh in my mind. My doc suggested bandages for the first day or so then switch over to a clean white tee shirt under the binder. It has worked really well. It keeps the binder clean, and other than a couple spots the first day i had no drainage. I also pin the drainage bulbs to a lanyard that I wear around my neck when showering. I then hang the lanyard on the hook on the back of the door which frees me up to dry and carefully dress. Re underwear- I've decided commando is the only way to go for me. No matter what I tried granny vs bikini it all irritated the incision line. Diazepam is the drug that works best for me- most of my pain, discomfort seems to be from the stretched muscles. I see the doc in two days. Obviously longer that we both wanted but given the circumstances it was the only way. I'll let you know what he says then. So far so good, and much less painful than I anticipated (way less than my c-sections). Clearing up my head seems to be the biggest issue!

Hi everyone, I've been so disgusted with how fat the top of my legs had become since taking it easy after surgery. Lamenting how fast they had gone to h*ll without running. Then I realized I simply hadn't seen that part of my legs in years! When I used my hands to cover up what used to be covered by my flab it was a miracle! They looked the same! Between learning that I don't need to wash under my belly and seeing parts of me I haven't seen in years this experience is certainly a learning one, in such a wonderful way,

I'm in Connecticut. Dr. Alex Cech did my surgery. To anyone in the area I would recommend him 100%. Perfect experience in every way!

I just got my last drain out last Thursday evening. My doctor stressed, and stressed again, how important it was to keep the binder on and snug to help deal with any accumulating fluid. He said fluid retention was prevented by both the drain and the compression garment. Maybe you want to snug it up a little, although that sounds like torture also! Good luck, you're very brave. I was more than surprised at how long mine was when it came out. There was over a foot in there!

My dad and I raced sailboats my whole life, once I was out of diapers. He's world class so it took years till I was good enough to be a regular on his big boat. This past spring, during a health crisis at age 97, I decided I wasn't waiting till he was gone to immortalized him on my body. I have an outline of our boat with his initials on the sail. Contrary to my my concern that he might be upset he love to have me show it off to people. My mom just passed away 3 weeks ago. She loved purple martins (birds). I wish I had done it so she could see it, but at least I'll know. That is my vacation plan. And yes , they are addictive!