I'm officially scheduled for a tummy tuck (ugh I hate the word tummy) and brachioplasty in two weeks! Give me all the advice you've got! How much pain were you in? How long did it take for you to not be in pain? How much pain were the drains, literally and figuratively? We're there any sitting/sleeping positions that were more comfortable than others? Any gadgets or props that were especially helpful? Any kind of clothing that was easier to get in and out of? What did you eat? How much did you eat given that you weren't able to exercise? How much help did you need? I'm staying with my brother for the first 48 hours but then I'm on my own. Should I prep a weeks worth of meals? Two weeks? What do you wish you had known before surgery?

I'm so excited but also slightly terrified - much more so that before my gastric bypass. Seriously, any advice, tips, etc.!

So I had the TT and brachioplasty last Tuesday. It went as well as can be expected, though I underestimated how much of a b***h the first 72 hours are. I know it doesn't make sense because they're such very different surgeries, but I think I got it into my head that because bypass was so easy (I practically jumped off the OR table) that this would be a breeze too. I also underestimated the amount of assistance I'd need and for how long I'd need it.

Now that I'm a week and change out, I have a few more questions for people who've had plastics. In the almost year and a half since my bypass, I've become an exceptionally active person. I find it incredible difficult to sit still for more than a few moments at a time. For the next week and a half I have no choice but to sit still. While I do feel crappy, and get physically exhausted quite quickly, my brain still has trouble allowing me to stay put. Basically I'm bored as hell. I'm catching up on really good TV (Game of Thrones!!) but even really good TV doesn't distract me enough from the fact that I want to move. What did you guys do to distract yourself?

Also, I am incredibly hungry. I realise that my body needs a decent amount of calories while it's knitting my skin back together, but the combination of no movement and 1800 calories a day makes me anxious. I had been eating almost 2000 calories a day in the month before surgery and still losing, but I was also walking about 15 miles a day. How did you guys find a balance between not being starving but going nuts with the calories?

As for the surgery itself, the scars look pretty good, though the end of the incision on my left hip and the incisions in my armpits look pretty raised and ropey. Did they flatten out for you and if so, how long did it take? How long before you were able to shave your armpits and how did you manage with the scar? How long did you wear the ace bandages/compression sleeves on your arms?

Any advice is very helpful!

Edited June 9, 201610 yr by Indieflickers

Yes they flatten out. Mine took maybe 3 months. Shaving yeah ugh. I still miss spots bc of the scars and am thinking of getting laser hair removal! I waited for about three months to even attempt.

I had no lipo on my arms so I never had sleeves just two weeks of ace bandages.

Activity--totally feel your pain! I ran a full marathon a week before my plastics and six weeks off running made me CRAZY! I did tv and went out to movies. Wish I had some better ideas.

And I did gain weight. I will be honest. More food and less exercise, I gained about 10 lbs and not much of it was swelling. BUT at six weeks out when I could run again it was very easy to take it back off.

@@jess9395 that's all very reassuring! I'm not wearing sleeves just ace bandages. You were able to stop wearing them after two weeks? Did you put something over the scars after you stopped wearing them?

I'm trying to accept that I probably will gain some weight, weight that isn't swelling, and that that's ok because I have made great changes and I am anxious to get back to exercising so dropping whatever weight I gain won't be too much of an issue as long as I don't go nuts with the food. I think part of the anxiety is that sitting around all day watching to TV is basically what my life was for the decade before surgery, so having to go back to it is a bit triggering. I have to keep reminding myself that it's kind of a good sign that I'm not enjoying it and that it's only temporary.

I used embrace scar therapy so had that over the scars will about week 8. After that nothing but I did keep long sleeves and shield them from the sun for 9 months... I was supposed to for 12 but I got lazy.

I totally hear you on the anxiety!

@@jess9395 oh that's good to know about the sun. My surgeon seems to only give me the info I need when I get to the next step, which is somewhat understandable but also annoying since I like having as much info as possible. Did you have much swelling in your hands? I had read that people's hands got really swollen and felt extremely lucky that I hadn't experienced that and then of course when I woke up today it looked like I was wearing a fat suit. My hands were so swollen I could barely bend my fingers. I'm wondering if that's because last night was the first night I slept in a much flatter position. I had been sleeping almost upright since surgery.

I didn't have any hand swelling, no. Interesting! I seemed to have a very easy recovery. I did take turmeric for inflammation and arnica for swelling. I don't know if those truly helped or I was just lucky.

@@jess9395 interesting. I took arnica yesterday and I'm wondering if perhaps I had a bad reaction to it because I hadn't had any swelling before taking it.

@@jess9395 interesting. I took arnica yesterday and I'm wondering if perhaps I had a bad reaction to it because I hadn't had any swelling before taking it.

That's certainly possible! Are you getting in the right amount of Water? How's your salt intake? Those are the things I look to when I have any water retention.

Good luck! This too shall pass.... And it's soooooooo worth it!!!!!

@@jess9395 my salt intake is average and I'm drinking about a gallon of Water a day.

Thanks so much for the advice! I'm sure it will be worth it. Even swollen, my arms look ten times better than before so I'm sure it was worth it!

@@jess9395 my salt intake is average and I'm drinking about a gallon of Water a day.

Thanks so much for the advice! I'm sure it will be worth it. Even swollen, my arms look ten times better than before so I'm sure it was worth it!

A gallon is 128 oz. are you that thirsty or are you pushing liquids?

Honestly the one time I got really swollen hands and all was post c section and they told me I was overdoing (walking too much) and drinking too much water.

If you are thirsty it's one thing, but otherwise I don't know that a gallon is necessary. 64 oz is usually what's recommended and a gallon is twice that.

Just a thought!

@@jess9395 it's a combination of both. I do seem to be more thirsty than usual. I'm also pushing the liquids more than usual in an attempt to stay hydrated and also to help a bit with hunger. I'll try cutting back to 64 ounces and see if that helps with swelling.

@@jess9395 it's a combination of both. I do seem to be more thirsty than usual. I'm also pushing the liquids more than usual in an attempt to stay hydrated and also to help a bit with hunger. I'll try cutting back to 64 ounces and see if that helps with swelling.

Hang in there! It may be totally unrelated but it was a thought I had!

@@CowgirlJane my appetite has definitely gone way up, just like you said your did. I'm getting obscene amounts of protein but I was wondering what else you did to keep from gaining? Were there foods or meals that you found particularly filling or did you just have to live with being hungrier.

I was just hungry...and drank tons of Water.

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@@CowgirlJane yeah that's kind of what I assumed. Do you happen to remember how many calories you were getting?