farmgirl04

I'm so sorry you are feeling so badly. I never had the type of pain you're describing. I only had 2 drains, one on each hip, and got the last one out on day 17. My worst pain has always been from the drains and now drain sites. As my daughter, a doctor herself, told me once the drains are removed those spot go right back to day one of healing so they always will be the last to stop hurting. I also didn't have staples, I have glue and dissolving sutures. Since you obviously had an infection I sure wouldn't hesitate to contact dr ASAP. It may be something as simple as changing to a different antibiotic. I didn't have the emotions from my surgery, mine was from losing my mom. I would take your emotions as one more indicator that you are sick, not just healing! About the showering, I really loved using a lanyard to hang my drains off of. It gave me plenty of freedom both in the shower and when drying off. Call your doc, feel better, and let us know how you are doing! I'm sending good thoughts and wishes your way! PS I did have my belly button relocated also, but never felt even a twinge from it. Call your doc!

I had my band put in August 2012. Basically got to goal a year later, this past august. I have been running once my body and legs could handle it and battled a bad rash under my belly no matter what I did. I also had 3 c sections, the last one 25 years ago, not sure of that made a difference. I casually asked my bariatric doc about removing it, she sent me to a plastics doc, but didn't think I'd have luck with insurance company. I saw the plastics doc who told me it was probably 75% with insurance on the bottom! above the belly button was more like 25-50%. They turned around and approved it 100% in less than 2 weeks! So I got it all done! Now I'm recouping. It is so worth it, but as an independent woman I have a hard time being hands off in life. A cute note was the day we buried Mom. I was 3 days post op. Mu dad is 97 and holding his own. He and I were on the same nap schedule most of the day, so we would just snuggle up in the hotel bed together! It was nice to have each other there when we woke, and it allowed my siblings to know he and I were taking care of each other.

On a happier note, I still can't get over the fact that I don't have to lift my belly when I wash- that it's all flat now!

Thank you all for your support. I think the fact that I had to fight so long and hard, right up to the end, for Mom to have the death she wanted- at home and with family, that though sad at her passing, I was so relieved that we were able to have it happen on her terms, that grieving was different for me immediately. My sister is experiencing the same thing. It is like we are finally able to let our guard down, so to speak. It was a real battle to keep her at home, with Dad, which was all she wanted! Now the fight is leaving me, and reality is settling in. Just to add to it all I walked out to feed my sheep and found my oldest ewe down and dying. I simply turned and walked in and told the boys to deal with it because I couldn't handle any more. They did, thank goodness. He'll of a day! This 10 pound lift limit is really constraining, which I knew it would be, but after 3 weeks everyone else gets tired of it too! There is so little I can really do! I water my chickens a gallon at a time. One other strike against me is that walking, then running, had always been my go-to mental health support, and I can't even rely on that for another 3 weeks! Thanks so much for listening. It really helps to vent!

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!

I'm on day 17 from a full tummy tuck, and just got my last drain out today! Yeah! Re showers, my doc was the same- shower every day after my first appointment. He suggested the lanyard as well. It worked really well. I would even hang it on the door hook, knob, or wherever, to make drying off easier. He told me no serious walking till 4 weeks, and no walking that would make me sweat (just so I'd know how much to push it). Absolutely nothing that would stress abs! I bet he would include upper body and arms in that. Walking only till 8 weeks! I'm only taking any pain meds at night, I'm a 'rotisserie' type sleeper, rolling over all night, so sleeping on my back with a pillow under my knees isn't easy. I'm still in the binder from the hospital but he said if things keep going well I can switch out to a spanx type product till 3 months out. Hope things keep going well for you! We all have a great 2014 to look forward to!

If it means anything to you at all I would do it again tomorrow! Really, the hardest part of it all for me has been learning to be patient when things need to be done that I can't do yet! My family is teaching me that it is okay to do something's on their schedule, not mine! Really! Good luck! My tidbit of info is from my doc, get some new white tee shirts to wear under the binder, it makes it much more comfortable. Ask me any questions-I'd be happy to answer them since it is still so new for me!

Thanks miz73, the swelling in my legs isn't so much swelling as not as flabby up high as I remembered! On a lighter note, I asked my daughter who is a ob/gyn resident who, with kindness, had nothing sweet to say to me about getting on the scale after surgery. She said basically just what you said. Fluid retention, and strict orders to stay off the scale for a few weeks I guess I had dreams of seeing 135 again!

This is to those of you how have done this already. I'll give hard numbers so it makes sense I hope. My surgery was two weeks ago tomorrow. The morning I went in I weighed 143. I don't know how much he took (I'd guess 6 pounds, I forgot to ask). Today I weight 144! I know I'm getting NO exercise, obviously, but I'm also being very careful about what I eat. I'm eating less than pre surgery to try to balance the lack of calorie use. I know once I can start even walking things will get back on track, but is this normal? Is this fluid? I have one drain still in, but it has finally stopped much output so it will be removed Tuesday. FYI, I feel like the weight is going to my thighs. Is this some weird head game I'm playing on myself, is this normal, did you guys go through this as well? I'm torn between eating to recover and not eating to take the weight off! Help!

I'm 57 years old and 10 days post op from a full tummy tuck. Mine was 100% covered by insurance due to rashes. I run about 15-18 miles a week, and can't wait to start again. So far so good re the surgery. I still have one drain in, hopefully it will come out next Tuesday (day15). By far the hardest part of this is maintaining the restrictions (no lifting more than 10lbs). If you want it seriously check into it! I'm sure glad I did.

Just had my first post op, later than usual due to my mother's passing. I lost one of my drains, the other one is still producing too much to remove. I see him again next Tuesday. Hopefully the remaining drain will come out then. Otherwise, everything is looking good!

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!

I guess I have been extremely lucky, that or reality still hasn't hit yet. I had a full tuck, hip to hip and with muscles tightened. I had it done Monday. I see the doc on Wednesday. He had wanted to see me last Thursday but as many of you know I just lost my mom and that was the day we buried her. I'm up and putting around the house. Trying not to do too much. I'm down to oxi at night only, but still sleeping a fair amount during the day. I think I could physically go back to work at one week, but I know my brain is absolutely useless!

My concern is that I know how much to eat given regular activity. If I were to eat the same amount while lying around I'm sure I'll stretch my pouch and start gaining. Boredom has always been my enemy so I'm trying to be proactive and plan ahead. I'm sure as I feel better and start doing more things (knitting) it won't be as big an issue.

Thanks! I can't wait to start moving around more!

Hi everyone, now that I am on the recuperative end of my tummy tuck I am trying to get an idea of how to eat till I can start exercising again. I'm drinking a lot of broth and lemon tea, but don't want to go too heavy on the meat end since I won't be burning many calories right away. I certainly don't want to come out of this weighing more than I did going in! How did all of you handle it? Ann

Made it through the day. I'm so sorry to say that partway through the family dinner I had to leave and go lie down in one of the hotel rooms so I missed a huge part of the family healing time, but it was that or face planting in the plate. My daughter said I turned white as a sheet! It least I was there! Now to readjust and get back to couch sitting! I have 5 movies waiting at redbox for my son to pick up for me

AJ, when I took my first shower yesterday I wasn't surprised at what the bottom half of my abdomen looked like, rather I was really surprised about the top half! That seems to be where the swelling is, at least I hope that is swelling. It is also where most of my pain is coming from. Did you experience this? I'm not worried about it , just surprised. I don't see my doc till next Wednesday since we are burying my mom today. I truly had an angle watching over my surgery! Today will be a very long day, with an hour drive each way to the cemetery, and a family dinner following. At only 3 days post surgery I've noticed that one drain produces a fraction of the other. I strip it every time I empty it in case there is a clot, but nothing changes. I'm just hoping he doesn't remove it next week only to have an issue like you had. Are you driving now? Sorry if I'm rambling but these drugs really make me loopy!

Hi Everyone, just got home from my full tummy tuck. Glad to have been given Valium to help control the muscle spasm in the top half.

On a lighter note..... You're an over achiever! On a more serious note, I got my pre-op phone call this evening

My doc is low key about this. Wants me out of the hospital that afternoon even though insurance covers the night. He doesn't like the.increased exposer to infection. Other than not lifting more than 10 pounds the first 6 weeks he wants me pushing and up and going .

Don't have bandages. I never had them with my 3 c sections, doc never mentioned them. Can't I drain my own drains?

Well...... Not so much! I have the special soap from my lapband surgery so that is there. I have all they hay and grain for my animals so people can take care of them for me, I have protein shake on hand, the hospital will provide the garment. I have a ride to and from, need one for the visit to the doc on day 4, need Benadryl cream (!), iPad will be ready. Hopefully my husband and adult kids will step up.glad I had the blood work done already, and my primary moved my physical to this Monday since I've been out of town with my mom. Hope that covers it!

Yikes! They told me I'm getting the compression garment at the hospital so I'll wait and see if I can order another one. I'm worried about the 'poop' issue as well, I'm thinking of starting colace before hand. I'll call the office and check with them. My doc says milk of magnesia, so I'll do that as well. A lot is going on here as well. My 86 year old mom broke her leg Tuesday and it turns out it was due to cancer. Still waiting for the biopsy report, it will probably come right before my surgery. I've decided to plow on ahead with the surgery not knowing what the future holds. It has changed it in my head a little though, from a grand milestone to something to just get through as fast as possible.

How did it go this morning?