ok here goes i had a tummy tuck and a breast lift on april 12th about 3 weeks post op. i lost 100lbs quit smoking for this surgery. went cold turkey by the way so its been a bit hard on that part... either way i dont know what to think of my results. my breast lift i am totally satisfied and my tummy tuck well im bigger then before the surgery. they say its due to sweling and i hope it goes down. im alot flatter but its sucks not being able still til this day to be able to wear my fat jeans. the sides of my stomach over hang and to me that looks disgusting. my question to others that had this when does the swelling go away and when can i expect to be able to wear my clothes again.

as for the surgery i wasnt in much pain i had a pain pump for 5 days and i slept on the couch since i couldnt get comfy in my bed. slept on the couch for two weeks actually i had some killer pain meds too and i think the trick was to keep taking even if you wasnt in pain so that way the pain dont catch up with you. i had a really bad swelling issue on the 5th day or so went to the emergency room my knees feet and legs and everything was so swollen that my lower body couldnt take it and was pounding so bad. wasn't in pain but just throbbing like my legs and feet were going to explode. after alot of walking and getting check for a blood clot and 5 hours in the er i was finally able to go home. the swelling went down and it didnt happen again so i was relieved about that. i walked hunched back for about 2 weeks. forgot to say i did have drains in for about a week. i think that was the most frustrating part. having those drains in your side and it would itch and sting alot i was so happy to get those things out and finally able to take a shower. i think that was my highlight taking a shower. haha. so since im still bigger then before especially without my compression garment i have been going to the gym everyday building strength in my arms and legs havent done any core excerises and i been on the treadmill and eliptical. i gained about 15 lbs the month before the surgery from stop smoking so i have to lose that 15 lbs. now since the pain is pretty much gone and im able to move around again normally for the most part i've being hitting the gym everyday for about 2 hours. an hour of cardio and a hour of weightlifting. ive been getting stronger everyday and im hoping with all this excerise it will help the swelling go down. well i hope my info helps someone and if you have any questions ill try to answer the best i can.

Hi:

I was told nothing more than walking for the first six weeks. I only had swelling at the end of the day, and it only swelled where my binder didn't cover. You may be pushing it too much for someone who just had major surgery. Did you ask your doctor about having so much activity three weeks out from surgery?

I suggest that you speak with your doctor about how much activity and see if he/she recommends cutting back to help with the swelling.

I hope your swelling goes away soon.

Take care.

Sue

I'd be like you. I panic if I cant exercise, lol, I'd be back into it as quick as I could. Yet I think taking it slowly and gently would be more sensible.

Gentle walking will move the blood, lymph and fluids around your body and help the swelling, heavier exercise might cause more.

Also, I was like this after my caesar. I didnt want to be an invalid. I didnt want to get fatter than I already was either. So i didnt lay around, I was active. Fast forward five years down the track, and my weight's gone post banding and I've got these weird bumps down below. Right at the ends of my caesar scar. Thought it was ust the shape of my stomach, kind of a big crepey down there from childbirth. I pushed on one day and it moved! And squished! Eeek. Turns out they're incisional hernias, and most probably caused because I didnt take it easy post surgery! They didnt cause me any particular problem but they look a bit odd. It'd be a shame to look down your newly flat stomach to see it bumpy and uneven.

Weight lifting in particular sounds alarming because of the increase in intraabdominal pressure when you lift. Have you checked whether you're allowed to do this much? If you are, then I'm full of admiration for your strength and commitment, but please do check.

exercise will cause swelling and can for MONTHS after surgery.

My dr. also only suggest walking for the first 4-6 weeks, NO ABDOMINAL exercise for at least 6 weeks.

I had surgery on april 7th and just from being on my feet, going to the park walking around with my kids in the hot sun for 3 hours i had a lot of swelling yesterday.

drinking a LOT of Water will help with the swelling, low salt diet, and your compression garments will help also.

if your legs and feet start to swell, elevate them higher than your heart and REST!

I'm a size smaller than i was (was a 6, can now fit my 4's...i don't have size 2's to try on, cause they may actually fit now!) but even though they fit, and look fine on, they FEEL tight, but it's actually my skin that feels so tight...i don't know how to explain. i can pull my 4's out about 3" but they feel tight on but it's not the pants, it's my mucsles and skin that are so taught.

i'm sure everyone's healing is at different stages and the swelling is surely different in everyone. My surgeon said i would continue to see results for months. give it some time. I'm sure you will see the results you were hoping for soon.

it sounds like you are doing a bit much for 3 weeks out.

thanks for your replys guys. im am just freaking out way too much right now about this tummy tuck everyone talks about tt's as the best thing in the world and here i feel like i traded one issue for another. the only way i know how to deal with things is exercise or eating. and sadly i know i was wrong to eat the way i did the month before the surgery because i quit smoking. i kept telling myself i quit smoking and its ok to satisfy myself with food. figured once i had my surgery and about 6 weeks later i can go hard core on losing it again and should be able to lose it in about two months. and now the only thing that keeps me sane is the exercising. looking at myself i dont feel satisfied and im just happy im not turning to food. i haven't done weights that hurt my body i have done a lot less just making sure i move my hands and feet. more for toning and not losing to much muscle from not working out. and with the eliptical and treadmill i have been going a lot slower then what i would normally do. i know i can push myself harder but i know i haven't since i haven't been breaking much of a sweat even with my garment on.

im just stressing a lot it will be 4 weeks on monday and right now i still cant fit into my jeans. i just dont understand why. the nurse thinks im just one of the few lucky ones that swell alot more then usual and takes alot longer to get rid of.

i will call my doctor on monday and see about weights and the eliptical. but from what i got on my last visit about two and half weeks i was ahead of schedule (besides the swelling) basically told me to take it easy but can do what you want. not in those words but that is how i took it. but again i will call and make sure im not going crazy about the exercise. im just more freaking out and dont know how to take this issue and how to overcome it right now.

thanks for listening it helps alot just to be able to express myself and worries i have. i know i have to wait it out. hopefully it wont be too much longer.

ok guys things are looking up!!!!! i can get into my jeans they are tight but im getting there. i find myself more swollen as the day goes on since im moving around but when i wake up its not to bad. seems to work for me if i exercise about 3 or 4 days a week and then resting about 3 or 4 days a week no exercise. i've lost about 6lbs in about a week and a half doing this. hopefully in about another week and half or so i will be less swollen and my pants fitting loosely again that would be nice.

Your swelling will be on and off for about a year. I suggest not buying any new clothes and watching your sodium intake.

I used bromelain supplements to help with the swelling. It contains the same enzymes as pineapples which help with inflamation and bruising.

Hi, I just started interviewing Dr.'s for plastic surgery. I'm scared shitless. It sounds so extensive. I want to do a tummy tuck and breast lift prob with implants, as the skin is soooo bad on my breasts. It's funny because I've always been very big up top and in the past wanted a reduction. I've gone from a 44DDD to a 36 D. I run several times a week, and the skin flaps and I get chafing and blisters under the breast area. It's brutal. I have gotten two different opinions. The first Doc does what they call a lower lift or 360 around the whole body. It lifts the stomach back, etc..not just a tummy tuck. He says there will be some slack after and I'll get some drooping. The second doc doesn't do it like that. He says he wont do the 360 because you can't get the stomach as tight that way. You need to be hunched for the tt and straight for the back part etc... so one ruins the other. get it??? He does the tt, and says it will be very very tight and that I should NOT have any slack or drooping. So... please help! What do you think. I want to d othe tt and breast at the same time. Also... Neither doc has seen anyone having the band done. Mostly gastric patients. The second doc actually was confused by my port scar and port and said "Can I take it out" I said NOOOOOO! Def NOT. hahahaha Seems weird with so many people doing the band now that neither was familiar with it. HELP! I welcome ALL advice. I'm afraid to death of this surgery. 5 hours and 5 drains scares me to death. If it wasn't for the skin so bad on my breasts, I would skip it all. But.. with running so much, it's just not an option.

Hi:

I would ask your band surgeon if he can recommend a plastic surgeon in your area that is familiar with WLS patients (including bands).

You could also check out www.makemeheal.com to see if someone there can recommend a surgeon in your area.

Best wishes to you.

I love my flat tummy!

Sue

dont be scared.... i thought it was going to be really really painful and unmanageable and actually besides being able to move around freely for about a week or two as long as i was sitting around hunched over there really wasnt much pain. i did have a pain pump and i would really recommend having one for the first 5 days or so. the drains arent that bad just very irrating from poking you. i really do enjoy my new breast since i got them lifted they dont giggle very much. my doctor didnt know much about my port either i pointed where the port was and he circled my port before surgery so that would remind him not to mess with it. everything went fine. i still got some swelling but things are looking up finally back in my jeans again. alittle tight but every week seems to get loser. i lost half my weight gain since i quit smoking the month before as well. so got about alittle more to go. i see that i am alot flatter and my pouch is gone but my sides of my tummy overhang alittle. i think its due to swelling and some fat still. when i dont exercise for the day and hang around the house i really dont swell up much but when i exercise and run around for the day i swell up like its no tomorrow but its getting better and better. not as frustrated as i once was.

its really up to you what you want done. if you think you can live with just doing your tt and not doing the around the world go for that. or if you think you just have to much lose skin on your back do the around your body. one doctor said if you can grab a good chunk of fat on your love handles then it will prob be good to do all around or atleast get lipo back there to compliment your tummy. its really what you want and think you need and what you will be happy with. i dont know if your anything like me but i carried alot of weight from the extra skin and fat that i couldnt get rid of in my stomach and breast and getting a tt and breast lift actually helped out my back. i dont have back issues anymore which is great.

Karen, Thank you sooo much for your reply. Did you have the all around 360. The surgeon said my back isn't back, but my hips and butt and lower things are pretty droopy. hahaha Also, did you have implants with your lift. Both the surgeons I saw recommended a small implant because I lost so much tissue with the weight loss. After reviewing all the material on the implants last night, I'm actually steering a little away from them. There apparently is a significant amount of maintenance involved with the implants, with most women having to have them replaced at some point. The brochure says throughout that "This is not a lifetime implant" I really don't want any maintenance and don't want to have to ever have them replaced, so I think I'm just going to go with the lift and tt and skip the implant. I don't need 20 year old boobs afterall. I am 43. hahaha Thanks so much again for your help. :-)

Sue, did you have the all around 360 lower body lift, or just the tt?

Just a tummy tuck and some lipo on love handles and mons areas.

Good luck!

Sue

i didnt do the 360 i didnt think i could live with the scar on the back as well. i didnt have implants sadly i'm bigger in the chest two main places i didnt lose is my breast and stomach area. i did the tt and lift because it was such a deal i was going to just go in for a tt. i saw a doctor in austin texas and i was quoted 14k just for a tt. and i think a full 360 for around 20k. and when i moved to virginia the doctor advised i didnt need a 360 and just a normal extended tuck should be fine and i got quoted for a lift and tt less then 13k so i did both. now i wished instead of doing the lift i would have done some lipo in my love handles to compliment my stomach more. its flat yes but i have a bit of a overhang on the sides i think if i done the lipo on the back it would look alot better. i didnt need implants. if anything i was thinking about getting a reduction but once i see all the lose skin gone it looks awesome. with the lift you are going to look alittle smaller but you have the same mass so you will be the same size for the most part. they will just be perky... im really going to have to take some pics of it so you can understand. i would recommend if you do have a tt and have love handles get those done at the same time it really does make a difference i think. i just wish i knew that before i did my tt.