Hey folks. Had my TT today. They removed 6 pounds of skin. 2 giant pieces like the one on the picture. I'll get some photos of me posted as soon as I'm able, but wanted to let everyone know it all went well.

I'm in the hospital tonight and I'll go home tomorrow. I've got 3 drains....how in the world do you folks walk around in public with these things?

The doc came in earlier and opened up the binder for a second to take a look....holy crap! I don't recognize myself. It's so unbelievable. Now let the recovery begin.

Btw not much pain right now, morphine is awesome!!!!

So this is half of what they cut out.

Cheri, it freaks me out a bit too... I kinda want a face lift so I don't keep scaring the crap out of myself by seeing my mother (sorry ma) but oh the pain! And what if it looks bad??

Oh and you're not a weenie! Butter is.......

Edited October 27, 201312 yr by laura-ven

Cheri,I share some of those same concerns with you, to a T. I want to someday take care of this skin around the stomach area, but do not know if I could push myself to knowingly go through the pain, drains, bent over state, time out of work, etc. it is a mental block for me to take the step.

OMG! The posting about your cat was hilarious!

OMG! The posting about your cat was hilarious!

100% true story....sad to say.

I am completely freaked out by plastics. My sleeve? Once I got over the idea that it was too drastic I was fine with it and never worried. Plastics are creepy though. It's me paying massive amounts of money to a surgeon so he can basically play cut and paste to make me into a Frankenbarbie. I'm not sure I'm down with that.

Plus' date=' pain. Lots of pain. And eww, drains. Just...all of that grossness that comes with being sliced and sewn back together again. It's true: I haven't had plastics yet because I'm a weenie.

~Cheri[/quote']

It's not as bad as people make it out to be. The drains were no big deal. The pain wasn't as bad as the morphine and codine were powerful. Now the compression garments.....they suck. sleeping in a recliner for 2 months....gets old. But being able to see my abs in the mirror....priceless.

It's not as bad as people make it out to be. The drains were no big deal. The pain wasn't as bad as the morphine and codine were powerful. Now the compression garments.....they suck. Sleeping in a recliner for 2 months....gets old. But being able to see my abs in the mirror....priceless.

The drains make EXCELLENT pet chew toys!!!

I had a similiar view about plastics as Cheri did. Not sure where that attitude came from - but my reality has been very little pain. The drains are annoying, but also not that bad. Plastics is a big deal, don't get me wrong, but I had it made out much bigger in my head then the reality.

the worst things are the extended time off from life - all this laying around is annoying as hell. And the compression garments. Of course, I am pretty sure they made a mistake and gave me the toddler medium instead of the woman's medium...LOL.

It's not as bad as people make it out to be. The drains were no big deal. The pain wasn't as bad as the morphine and codine were powerful. Now the compression garments.....they suck. sleeping in a recliner for 2 months....gets old. But being able to see my abs in the mirror....priceless.

I had a similiar view about plastics as Cheri did. Not sure where that attitude came from - but my reality has been very little pain. The drains are annoying, but also not that bad. Plastics is a big deal, don't get me wrong, but I had it made out much bigger in my head then the reality.

the worst things are the extended time off from life - all this laying around is annoying as hell. And the compression garments. Of course, I am pretty sure they made a mistake and gave me the toddler medium instead of the woman's medium...LOL.

They gave me a man's extra large, binder!! It says 52-60". They said the small that they had would've been too small and there was no in-between size. But I'm short, so this goes from c**chie to B**bs!! After Tuesday, when this last drain gets pulled, then I can wear my bodysuit, YEAH!!!

I too, thought it would be much worse as far as pain and gross drains. Annoying but not so bad. Will be nice to be able to lay down in my own bed, in another month, though.

Edited October 27, 201312 yr by TheRealMeIsHere!

...able to see my abs in the mirror....priceless.

That is a strong motivator for me to have it done. Thanks for posting that.

Would you say that one has to take 6 weeks off from work for the type of procedure you had? Another interesting question: if a person never explained away VSG to work folks, how would one explain away doing this? It is a long time off work and there is no way to really explain why you had the procedure without also talking about the whole WLS thing to them. I rarely see my office mates (remote worker in WA and they are in CT), but questions would be flying..

I am not overly secret about it, but want to keep professional life separate from personal life. During the first 6 months or so, I did tell many about my surgery, just not work folks. Retrospectively, I do not have a strong compelling reason to be private about it. I just do not want to complicate the work environment on my team.

Thoughts?

That is a strong motivator for me to have it done. Thanks for posting that.

Would you say that one has to take 6 weeks off from work for the type of procedure you had? Another interesting question: if a person never explained away VSG to work folks' date=' how would one explain away doing this? It is a long time off work and there is no way to really explain why you had the procedure without also talking about the whole WLS thing to them. I rarely see my office mates (remote worker in WA and they are in CT), but questions would be flying..

I am not overly secret about it, but want to keep professional life separate from personal life. During the first 6 months or so, I did tell many about my surgery, just not work folks. Retrospectively, I do not have a strong compelling reason to be private about it. I just do not want to complicate the work environment on my team.

Thoughts?

[/quote']

With a desk job, especially a work at home job, you don't need 6 weeks off. If I had an office job, I could have gone back after 2 weeks. I wouldn't have been 100% my best, but I could have functioned. I work in a chemical refinery and have to be able to climb ladders, stairs, scurry over and under pipes all day, drag hoses, lift heavy sacks, open and close large valves, muscle a 36" long pipe wrench.....I need to be at 100% physically before I go back. That's why I'm off for 8 weeks.

You could probably crunch numbers at your desk after a week if not sooner.

As for explanation....just say you're having surgery and need a few days to recover. If you can work 100% at home for the first 3-4 weeks you'll be fine after that. Any drains are usually long gone by 3 weeks and the only thing you have left is the compression garments which fit nicely under clothing. The only thing you can't do by that point is lift anything or lie flat on your back. Sitting is no problem.

With a desk job' date=' especially a work at home job, you don't need 6 weeks off. If I had an office job, I could have gone back after 2 weeks. I wouldn't have been 100% my best, but I could have functioned. I work in a chemical refinery and have to be able to climb ladders, stairs, scurry over and under pipes all day, drag hoses, lift heavy sacks, open and close large valves, muscle a 36" long pipe wrench.....I need to be at 100% physically before I go back. That's why I'm off for 8 weeks. You could probably crunch numbers at your desk after a week if not sooner. As for explanation....just say you're having surgery and need a few days to recover. If you can work 100% at home for the first 3-4 weeks you'll be fine after that. Any drains are usually long gone by 3 weeks and the only thing you have left is the compression garments which fit nicely under clothing. The only thing you can't do by that point is lift anything or lie flat on your back. Sitting is no problem.[/quote']thanks BTB.

Hi, I am nearly at goal and do not like the mass of extra skin at my belly but being 60 I am not particular about the overall cosmetic result, i just want the skin gone. it seems that a Panniculectomy would have a much faster recovery. is that your understanding? Also i cannot take 4 to 6 weeks off work and although not as intense as Butterthebean's work it requires good mobility. BTW--- thanks for the laughs. i do plan to wait until my weight has been stable at least 6 months but my life requires significant advanced planning.

any input would be appreciated.

Hi' date=' I am nearly at goal and do not like the mass of extra skin at my belly but being 60 I am not particular about the overall cosmetic result, i just want the skin gone. it seems that a Panniculectomy would have a much faster recovery. is that your understanding? Also i cannot take 4 to 6 weeks off work and although not as intense as Butterthebean's work it requires good mobility. BTW--- thanks for the laughs. i do plan to wait until my weight has been stable at least 6 months but my life requires significant advanced planning.

any input would be appreciated.[/quote']

Yes I think the panni is slightly less recovery because they do not stretch the skin as much nor do they go in and do the muscle repair to the abdominals. But it's still a long recovery anytime you get an incision that goes 80% around your body. The thing is, everyone's recovery is different the same way as with VSG. I think being in better over all health really helps recovering from invasive surgery. So does following the docs post op recommendations.

There is such a thing as a mini-tummy tuck which is less invasive that you might look into.

thanks BTB.

Fiddle, from what you've said in the past you do not have that much skin. Why don't you post a pic for us to see. As I told alliekat, there is such a thing as a mini tummy tuck which is cheaper and less invasive...meaning recovery would be easier.

Fiddle' date=' from what you've said in the past you do not have that much skin. Why don't you post a pic for us to see. As I told alliekat, there is such a thing as a mini tummy tuck which is cheaper and less invasive...meaning recovery would be easier.[/quote']

In a few days, after vacation bloat wears off. Remind me please.