I decided to start a new thread because my surgery date is fast approaching. I am getting very nervous. I am having a lower body lift with a hernia repair. I am staying one night in the hospital. I will go home with a pain pump. I should have drains in for 2 weeks. I am taking 3 weeks off from work. I am getting partial insurance coverage becaues of the hernia repair. My surgeon said that I can expect her to remove between 5-9 lbs which should easily put me at goal. Of course I am hoping for much closer to 9. I am driving my friends and family crazy with my nervous chatter on the topic. Can anyone relate? Anyway - I think that I included the usual questions that people want to know when they read these threads! Most of my nervousness stems from not being able to do things for myself and fear of gaining weight becaue my exercise will be so limited! Can anyone relate to that? Am I being silly? Hope whoever reads this thread will find it as informative as I have found all those who have gone before me!

Your results sound amazing. I just can't imagine a flat tummy! Sounds like you are doing great. I haven't had surgery yet, so I can't help with the feeling of almost passing out. Hope that gets better really soon.

I spoke with the surgeon adn she said the dizzy thing is normal.

I feel amazingly ok! I keep saying that so maybe it will change. My pain pump is empty now so it is just the percoset but still I feel ok with it. Not like dancing around ok but walking around house is fine. The biggest bummer is not being able to sit comfortably - just walking hunched or lying down.

I am sooooo encouraged to hear how well you are doing. My surgery is 1 month away and I plan on following your wonderful example. Hopefully you will be able to sit more comfortably soon.

Glad your feeling better. Our bodies are amazing. They want to heal and if we cooperate it only gets better and better. I hope you are taking some kind of laxative with your perocet. You'll be glad you did!

Glad your feeling better. Our bodies are amazing. They want to heal and if we cooperate it only gets better and better. I hope you are taking some kind of laxative with your perocet. You'll be glad you did!

I am taking Mirolax but still no action!? Yikes - what do I do about that?

Just keep taking it, Miralax will work. It just takes awhile for for bowels to come a live again.

Hi Karen,

I am SO glad to see how well you are doing. See! I told you :smile::smile::wink_smile:!!! It's not that bad really is it?

Take it from me though, lay low and get lots of rest. Don't be too active. I am having wound problems right now and I'm convinced it's because I thought I was superwoman and was WAY to active after this last surgery.

Miralax is the best laxative, and don't worry it will work even though it might take a little while. I had a terrible problem after this last surgery and the stool softeners were not effective. However, my problem was solved with the Miralax.

Well, I need to keep this short because I'm getting myself ready to return to the States to deal with my wound problem. Talk to you soon, welcome to the flatlands, and congratulations on a wonderfully successful surgery!!!!!

:confused::smile:

So today was a little rougher - pain pump is empty. Also Mirolax isn't helping too much if you get the picture. :confused:

Karen: Sorry you're having a rough day. It will get better! Try adding a stool softener to your regime also. Miralax is great, but it won't hurt you to add a little something if you need it (don't do it for too long). I think it took me almost a week to have a BM, you just might have to give it time. Rest up!

Had a follow up with surgeon yesterday. I got two drains removed and the pain pump. Everything looks good! Still can't believe my belly button and my hips - insane! I am feeling ok - pain is fine if I take my meds regularly. the only thing is that I am not sleeping well even though I am pretty tired all the time. Also, I feel like I am having a hard time eating even a tiny bit. Is this swelling? Is this because the binder is tight? I am really wondering how much I weigh now but there is no scale available where I am now and I am sure that I weigh much more because of fluid retention and all the stuff on me - so probably better if I don't weigh myself!

Karen: Don't weigh yourself for a while. In the end, you will have lost some weight, but the swelling can mess up the scale and your mind! I think that the anesthesia affects the appetite, unfortunately, it comes back! LOL!

I am so excited to read about your progress and the ups and downs associated with it! I can't even imagine 15 lbs of skin gone! WOW!

Karen: Sorry you're having a rough day. It will get better! Try adding a stool softener to your regime also. Miralax is great, but it won't hurt you to add a little something if you need it (don't do it for too long). I think it took me almost a week to have a BM, you just might have to give it time. Rest up!

Sucess in that area!

Karen: Don't weigh yourself for a while. In the end, you will have lost some weight, but the swelling can mess up the scale and your mind! I think that the anesthesia affects the appetite, unfortunately, it comes back! LOL!

I won't but i am dying to know. My appetite is still pretty reduced plus the binder makes it hard to eat much of anything. I understand that the fluids have built up in my body and the scale probably doesnt reflect my true weight right now. I am not so worried about the appetite thing because I wasn't eating much before the surgery and have been eating very little since surgery - I was on sugar free liquids for 2 days in the hospital. Is it possible that I have lost more than 15lbs including the skin loss - how cool would that be?

I am so excited to read about your progress and the ups and downs associated with it! I can't even imagine 15 lbs of skin gone! WOW!

Thanks Tracy! I remember you from before - we started about the same time at about the same BMI and I remember we were bothing trying to get to onderland at the same time! I am excited to see your progress towards surgery also. Where did you carry most of your weight? I was shocked when the surgeon told me 12-15lbs since she had said 5-9 originally. Howwever, looking in the mirror now - it is mostly off my butt - my thighs - although smaller and tighter now are still pretty big - I really need an inner thigh lift also.

Congratulations on your successful surgery! Please, take it easy and rest up. Glad to hear you are doing well and are pleased (so far) with the results.

I just had a very sad moment. Despite having 12-15lbs of skin removed last week and basicallly not eating for days I weigh about the same as I did before surgery. How is that even possible? I dont feel that bloated. Granted I was wearing my binder, drains bandages, a tank and pants and I usually weigh naked but still I feel like I should have been down a FEW pounds - can anyone reassure me?