I was banded in September 2008 and have lost about 240 pounds since then, from 433 to 190. I'm finally serious about getting cosmetic surgery. I met with my plastic surgeon yesterday, and I am scheduled for my first of two surgeries on July 24! I am going to have a tummy tuck with anchor (vertical) incision, breast lift with augmentation, arm lift, and lipo on the thighs. The second surgery (date TBD) will include the backside to make it a full lower body lift and a medial thigh lift. I am so excited! I know it's a lot of surgical procedures all at once, so I'm sure the recovery will be tough. But I want to get this done and out of the way!

To give you an idea of what my surgeon is dealing with, I've attached my "before" picture. That is, before plastic surgery but after 240+ pounds gone.

I will keep you all posted here with progress updates and pictures too. Any pre-surgery advice from those of you who have been down this road before?

Kathy

Lookin Great Kathy!! They pulled my drains out and let me tell you there was no way with out being pulled those arm drain are coming out. The drains in my boobs wherea little different. Nice and perky!!

Today is 5 days post-op. I've been feeling pretty good but I think I overdid it today. Now I'm feeling really tired and very swollen. My abdomen feels like someone inflated a balloon right under my skin. I have less overall swelling than I had in the days immediately afterwards (for example, my hands don't look nearly so bad, although I'm still not wearing my wedding ring yet) but the swelling now is very localized to my abdomen. Actually, the feeling reminds me of the feeling of being engorged in the breasts a few days after my children were born and my milk was just coming in.

Tomorrow is my post-op appointment. I am hoping that he takes the other arm drain out and OKs me to take a shower. Actually, right now I would give my eye-teeth (do teeth have eyes?) for a nice hot shower. I wouldn't even mind my other two drains being there. It will just feel great to be fully clean again. Wipes aren't the same.

My pain levels are quite manageable but I guess my patience is starting to wear thin. I want to be able to do more than I actually can right now, which leads me to overdoing it. I haven't even left the house, but my sister reminds me that it is quite possible to overdo it without leaving the house. OK, I guess cooking dinner - grilling salmon in the backyard - might have been a wee bit too much.

Here are some pictures I took yesterday with my binders off. I am still quite swollen. It is hard to see, but my stomach is quite flat whereas it had all kinds of skin folds before. I still have very pronounced hips, with bulges there and on my upper thighs. These will be address in a second operation some time in the future. Taking the tummy tuck around to the back and a medial thigh lift. So this tummy tuck didn't go very far to the sides.

Looking good Kathy!! A shower will make you feel like gold. Just think in 6 months we will feel great!! I have 2 more surgeries but probably not for at least 6-9 more months. Need to loose 15 more pound and I need to work to pay for it!!

My post-op appointment today went great. The doctor took out my other arm drain, stitches, and dressings. Everything looks good. I got the ok to take a shower! That felt amazing!

Then this evening I was sitting down, not moving, working on my iPad when I hear a "pop" sound. My right hip drain lost suction. I investigate, and the drain is just about to fall out. What is it with me and drains? I had this problem with my panniculectomy, so I was being super careful with the drains this time, and I've already lost one (day before it would have been removed anyway) and I'm about to lose another. I'll have to call in the morning and go back to my doctor's office. Nothing is being sucked or drained from that side anymore. I can see the stitch that the drain was connected to my skin is now about two inches from my skin. So my tubing has pulled out two inches.

This drain on the right side was producing a lot less than the left side. At first I thought that's just the way it was, and the doctor wasn't concerned when he saw my log. But now I wonder if this side wasn't draining properly from the beginning.

If I sound paranoid about my drains, it's because when i had my panniculectomy, I lost one of two drains prematurely, and then six weeks later I developed severe seromas. Like, the biggest my doctor had ever seen. He had to pull literally a quart a Fluid out of me, then two days later another quart, then two days later another quart. Finally I went back I to the hospital under light sedation and they put a new drain in me. Then I lost THAT drain! But by then my body was doing a decent job of managing the fluid build-up, and I was on antibiotics and dieuretics, and eventually the problem went away. But I really don't want to go through that again!!! So I have been taking careful care of these drains, treating them gingerly, so they would last. I can't believe I would lose a drain when I was doing absolutely nothing! Ugh!

Ok, rant over. LOL.

In other news, I did some light grocery shopping today but mostly took it more easy than yesterday. Rested quite a lot. I'm feeling nearly pain-free, my swelling is manageable, and my head is clear. I just don't have the stamina that I had before surgery, but heck, it's not even been a week yet! I think that's pretty dang good.

I'm going to feel like such a wimp in 19 days when I'm moaning about how painful my surgery was. You and Kirsten and going to make me look bad!

Naw, Janiece, it's really not that bad. Just stay on top of your pain medications, take it easy, and line up more support than you think you need to help you out. It's always better to have more support and not need it than the other way around. I had my mom on call for all this week but I haven't really needed her other than someone to do grocery shopping. I did need someone by my side for the first three days. Luckily my husband took Friday off and was around all weekend. I couldn't go to the bathroom without help!

This is my second major plastic surgery, and I have to say, in my experience at least, the pain is not that bad. I'm glad I decided to get a lot of work done at once so I can get all this recovery over with at once. I do still have one more surgery I need as soon as I can afford it: a thigh/hips/back lift (to turn my tummy tuck into a lower body lift) and medial thigh lift.

In my drain drama, my right hip drain is definitely dead. I called the doctor's office this morning, and he is in surgery all day. So I have an appointment first thing tomorrow morning. So today I am carrying around one working drain and one dead drain. My working drain isn't producing nearly as much fluid today as it did a few days ago. I think I'm healing well and there just isn't much fluid production, which is normal. So I am going to think positive, smooth-healing thoughts...

I felt like I was hit by a truck the first 5 mins I was awake but it got better fast. I agree with taking the pain meds on time. That helps. If I was ready for the other surgeries I would have had as many as the Doc would have done!! Over all not a bad experience. I will feel better when I am wearing a cute bra with my new perky boobs but I am feeling pretty good right now. The drains for me did suck but it was a mental thing. I will be better prepared for them next time. I did also need help the first few days with everything but I am OK on my own now, I am also totally off of any pain meds, even over the counter stuff. I am so grateful for everyone on here too. Having people (especially Kathy!!) was great. Janiece I can not wait to see your pictures!!!

How you felling Kathy?I am doing good. I am having a reaction to the steri strips so I am on a steroids now but other then that I feel good. I am totally over wearing the compression sleeves. My PS says to wear them for 3 weeks. So I have another 5 days. I actually do like the way they feel but it is HOT in Florida and I am wearing longer sleeve shirts to hid them. Look forward to your reply!!

How you felling Kathy?I am doing good. I am having a reaction to the steri strips so I am on a steroids now but other then that I feel good. I am totally over wearing the compression sleeves. My PS says to wear them for 3 weeks. So I have another 5 days. I actually do like the way they feel but it is HOT in Florida and I am wearing longer sleeve shirts to hid them. Look forward to your reply!!

Hi Kirsten,

I'm doing good! Getting out and about more and more even though I still have staples in my arms and a drain in my hips. Yesterday I had a career networking event and a board meeting where I had to dress nicely. It was a challenge putting together an outfit that fit my differently-shaped body, looked professional, and hid my arms and drain. I ended up sticking the drain in my bra LOL. I wore heavy duty Spanx but not my binder while I was out. It went fine but I was pretty tired when I got home. Still not too bad for 9-days after major surgery like that.

Ironically, my sorest part of my body right now is my lower arms. Yes, that's not a typo. My lower arms, not my upper arms where the arm lift was. My doctor has me wrapping my upper arms with an Ace bandage, and I think it is causing some kind of fluid backup in my lower arms. Sometimes I look like I have Popeye arms! I've started wrapping my upper arms less tightly and that helps, but even unwrapped my lower arms are tender to the touch.

I have my next doc appointment on Tuesday. I'm hoping to get the staples out then, as well as the tape on my breast incisions. I'm not sure if he will take out my remaining drain or not, though. Maybe not since I only have one.

As far as pain meds, I'm only taking Advil at night to help me sleep. I'm sleeping in bed now, as I really hate sleeping in the recliner. But I can only sleep on my back, which I don't like. I can't wait until I can sleep on my side again! I tried rolling gently onto my side and it was like, ouch, nope! Not gonna try that again for a while at least.

Hi Kirsten,

I'm doing good! Getting out and about more and more even though I still have staples in my arms and a drain in my hips. Yesterday I had a career networking event and a board meeting where I had to dress nicely. It was a challenge putting together an outfit that fit my differently-shaped body, looked professional, and hid my arms and drain. I ended up sticking the drain in my bra LOL. I wore heavy duty Spanx but not my binder while I was out. It went fine but I was pretty tired when I got home. Still not too bad for 9-days after major surgery like that.

Ironically, my sorest part of my body right now is my lower arms. Yes, that's not a typo. My lower arms, not my upper arms where the arm lift was. My doctor has me wrapping my upper arms with an Ace bandage, and I think it is causing some kind of fluid backup in my lower arms. Sometimes I look like I have Popeye arms! I've started wrapping my upper arms less tightly and that helps, but even unwrapped my lower arms are tender to the touch.

I have my next doc appointment on Tuesday. I'm hoping to get the staples out then, as well as the tape on my breast incisions. I'm not sure if he will take out my remaining drain or not, though. Maybe not since I only have one.

As far as pain meds, I'm only taking Advil at night to help me sleep. I'm sleeping in bed now, as I really hate sleeping in the recliner. But I can only sleep on my back, which I don't like. I can't wait until I can sleep on my side again! I tried rolling gently onto my side and it was like, ouch, nope! Not gonna try that again for a while at least.

That is great. I go Tuesday too for a check up. No drains or steri strips left so I am hoping he will tell me that I can stop wearing the compression sleeves all the time! I also have pain in my lower arms! The sleeves come down a few inches past my elbows like a 3/4 length sleeves. If I roll them up to my elbows it helps the pain in my lower arm go away. The sleeves are also making the incision area in my arm pits angry. My right arm feels almost normal, expect from the numbness on the underside. My left arm does not sit next to my body yet, still a little robotic. Today my boobs are ultra sensitive. Not painful just tingly I guess. I am not sure if it is the nerves reconnecting or what but it is making me aware of them all the time. Something else to add to my list of questions for the Dr. I having swelling from the Lipo on the side of boobs, I think. It feels squishy not hard like my boob where. So I am a little paranoid that it is not swollen and I still have side boobs. I know he did lipo there so I think I am being really impatient. Thanks for the update!!

I'm also getting a little tired of wearing long sleeves (out of the house) in August, but at least we're having a very cool late summer here in the SF Bay Area. I actually don't have many tops I can wear right now! Most of my long-sleeve tops are sweaters, which I'm afraid will catch on my arms staples, in addition to being too hot. Yesterday I was going to wear a long-sleeved fitted cotton blouse that I wore before my surgery, but I found that right now it does not fit me across the boobs! I think it will fit OK after my swelling subsides. My boobs feel engorged like right after my kids were born. Not painful exactly, just very, very full and kinda hard.

Not too revealing but this is as much as I've seen myself so far. But my tummy is flat and my boobs are full!

You look great!

I did not own a sports bra either! I could never image sticking my saggy boobs into one. They never felt good in one. I am wearing sports bra or Bali no underwire bras. That is not bothering me soo much. The heat and the sleeves are a little bit of a pain. Kathy, make sure you check back in after your appointment!!

I just ordered two Marena surgical bras and one Leonisa mid-thigh body shaper. Will have to see how those work out. :-)

Second post-op appointment was today (12 days post-op). The steri-strips came off my breasts, and most of the staples came out of my arms. One spot on my right underarm is a little wonky, so the doctor left two staples in on either sides of that. He also left my one remaining drain in, no surprise there. It is still putting out about 40 cc/day.

I am super duper swollen today. All my skin all over is sensitive because of it. I think this must be what people mean when they talk about swell hell! It might be exacerbated by the fact that I have been running around quite a lot, doing errands, cooking, meetings, etc like normal. The only thing I'm not doing is any heavy lifting, or even moderate lifting for that matter. For example, I'm still making my husband and kids do the laundry!

I have a job interview tomorrow afternoon. I went through all my clothes to find something with long sleeves that fits properly. Turns out I don't have much with long sleeves!