hi,

i've been reading everyone's journey on their plastic surgeries and have gotten alot of good information for use in mine.

since i've gotten so much great help from everyone, i've decided to journey my own upcoming process.

i'm scared to death but will not let it stop me. my biggest fear is developing blood clots. this has been my fear since my lapband surgery which was minimal compared to the one i have coming up.

just 2 days ago my boyfriend's aunt passed away as a result of one....she was old and had lots of health issues which caused it....but i was spooked a bit by it...was it a sign?

luckily dr schulman just posted about this subject and it made me feel better.

since being banded, i wanted to avoid PS. the first year i worked out like crazy but in the end i have extra skin on my belly that looks ok with clothes on...and "not so much" with clothes off. i want to complete this journey so decided to have PS.

i figured while under the knife i might as well get the "girls lifted" ..... gravity is taking them south.

my preop is next tuesday 4/28. i figure i will get alot of answers then. i am looking to rent one of those recliners that lift you up. i cant find one yet but will keep trying.

my sister in law is a nurse and will stay with me 3 days. she is normally a sweetheart but turns into "nurse ratchett" when it comes to recovery. so i know i'm in good hands with her.

then my cousin is flying in from NYC to babysit me for a week.

i'm a baby when it comes to pain...

my surgery is 5/11.....the doctor said it will be a 7 hour operation. it is outpatient...so i will go home that day with my sister in law.

anyway....just wanted to start this up and any suggestions are completely appreciated....

what was the best advice you got? best products you used? etc.

thank you ahead of time

josie

hi lellow

yes i thought i would be a big baby. but i'm really following everything they told me to do.

the anesthesia is wearing off...so i have a little pain. but i' taking all my percoset and valium.

tomorrow i have to go back to the doctor's for a check up and take the foley out.

i will keeo you posted.

how are you feeling?

Josie:

I'm confused. You said you had to have the foley out on Wednesday. Is a foley a catheter for urine? They didn't mention a catheter to me, but it makes sense that if you're going to be unconscious for 4 + hours that they would do that.

Sorry that your pain is starting to be worse with the anesthesia wearing off. Did you have a pain pump to go home with? My doctor is attaching a pain pump that will send anesthesetic down over the abdominal muscle repair stitches, but it will only last for about 3 days.

If you're not feeling well, don't bother to respond. I'm just getting a little bit nudgy now that I'm so close.

I got unfilled today. My weight was 183 on his scale, 181 on mine in the morning. I hope she cuts off 15 pounds - ha ha!

I was thinking about having a nonbanded meal tonight, but changed my mind. Angel says no, Devil says yes. I'm thinking the Angel will win out in the end.

Take care and keep me posted.

Sue

hi sue,

not to worry. i still think the lapband was worse at this stage.

i did have a foley for urine. i loved having the cathteter since i didnt have to go to the bathroom. but he took it out today. i was outpatient so maybe that's why they gave me it.

i went to my drs. this morning for him to check everything out. my belly button was ooozing but he said no big deal. he liked the color of my skin.

on a scale of 1-10...the pain is at 3-4 (10 being worst). so dont worry. they give us plenty of drugs. he doesnt use a pain pump. instead he gave me percoset, valium, phenergen and antibiotics. i dont take all at once naturally.

my doctor didnt unfill me. i sure feel good eating wise now. my band has given me trouble from day 1.

i will pm my phone number in case you want to talk

joanne

Joanne, I'm glad to hear that everything went well and you are feeling ok. I had a catheter during the surgery and then they took it out in the recovery room. I'm glad I didn't have to go home with it in!

Rest up and keep us updated.

Jo,

I'm glad you're managing the pain well! My pain levels sat around 3-4 too, except for the time I sneezed - OUCH!

Just remember though that in 6 weeks you're going to feel so much better. I am back at work, exercising and my incisions are fading everyday.

Aside from some swelling in the afternoon, I feel almost 100%. And you will too!

thanks lellow and mrgrta,

i just took a shower and feel like a million dollars. wonders what a shower can do.

i'm so excited....my "girls" are quite perky...

i've gained 10 lbs but i know that's Water weight. he took 5 lbs of skin off and 4 lbs of fat through lipo.

anyway i will keep you posted

josie

Glad to hear you are doing so well!

Keep us posted.

My belly button oozed a bit too. It's looking great now. Some of that is to be expected.

Joanne, I am delighted you are doing so well. I can't wait to go through what you are going through. Every time I look at my "girls" I get sad!!! I want them perky like yours!!

Mimi

Hi- I am very new and have an orientation date scheduled, so at this point I am gettin as much info as I can; How soon after surgery did you get the tt and lipo etc., and what is the typical cost for this? I live in California. I know that after my weight loss there will be A LOT of skin sagging, I am very afraid of that.

hi everyone,

well i have to tell you i am sooooo happy with "my girls" they are nice and perky. they are a bit smaller but i dont care.

i'm sleeping alot which feels real good. i had a little bit of a downer today from anesthesia....but no big deal.

i'm trying to wean off percocet.

juli....my belly button is much better now. the ooozing has subsided altho we keep putting bacitracin on it.

mimilou.....if nothing else....the "girls" make me happy. i cant really see much on my belly since it is swollen still. i did take a shower yesterday so that felt good.

marquint....i really wanted to avoid plastic surgery. i worked out like crazy to try to avoid it but i needed it in the end.

i had my lapband put in 3/07. i lost my weight in 10 mos. i worked hard at it...ie. journalled food, exercised. i even rode the MS150 between houston and austin. after all that i realized i had skin i would never get rid of.

may 08 i started visiting plastic surgeons. i saw 3 altogether. and decided on dr adam based on the results the people got that went to him.

not sure if you have orientation for lapband or plastic surgery. if it's for the lapband.....probably focusing on the lapband first would be best.

anyway good luck on your journey

josie

hi everyone,

thought i'd give an update.

i still think the lapband surgery was harder to deal with then this one. i realize this was much bigger but i haven't had nausea, i've been dealing with breathing exercises better, etc.

yesterday i walked the dogs a half mile, my boyfriend reminded me that when i had the lapband and couldn't walk 1/2 block without getting dizzy and winded....i had an extra 100 lbs on me.

today i'm not having such a great day emotionally. i'm crying alot so i'm going to try to get off the pain meds. i do pretty well on tylenol so i will start that tomorrow.

pain wise i'm doing ok.

i know i still have a long road ahead but so far so good. i really thought i would be a big baby and i guess i'm tougher then i thought

anyway i have a funny story......my dog babysitter came to drop the dogs off after daycare. so i asked her if she wanted to see "the girls" and she said...."you showed them to me yesterday ha!" ANYWAY I AM REALLY HAPPY WITH THE BOOB LIFT. THE REST OF ME IS SWOLLEN AND I LOOK LIKE A BOY

sorry for caps...didnt realize i hit the key and am too lazy to type over

josie

Josie,

You actually made me laugh out loud with your story. Sorry you're having a down day. To me, that is the worst part of postop... everything else you can kind of understand but to not be able to control your emotions really sucks! :mad:

I haven't decided whether I will have my tummy tuck and BL in Oct. or wait until Jan. I think I'll be at goal by Oct. but the timing would be so much better if I could stand to wait until Jan. Oh, well. You're not helping either -- with making it sound like such a breeze! :sad:

Keep flashing, I mean, WALKING -- it'll make you feel better! :eek:

Josie, thanks for all the updates and good information....when is the big reveal? I am delighted you are doing so well.

Mimilou

My daughter is having her lower body lift (LBL) and breast reduction in a few weeks. It's good to read your posts, even though I know the LBL is much more than just a TT. I'm hoping her progress is as good as yours. Her dr. will be sending her home with a morphine pump and will be in the hospital three days with morphine. That's the only thing I worry about for her is the pain, but she's pretty strong too and has waited for this for so long.

Thanks for your posts.

Trisha

hi everyone,

had a good day...altho' i think i'm pushing too hard. so tomorrow i will slow down a bit

i walked my dogs for almost 2 hours. of course it's at a snails pace but i was moving.

i also took my first shower without help. then a shopping trip to target.

i am off pain meds and am now taking tylenol liquid. my doctor doesn't give pain pumps and i have to say...i didnt need it. i was surprised when he first told me this (that he didnt give the pain pump). i really dont have much pain except when i wake up. i'm usually stiff and can work that out by walking around.

i'm still weepy. i had 2 crying jags today for no reason. i will say i feel better after i finish crying. i do have the postop blues a bit

southern missy: ha...you gave me a good laugh re: flashing. the compression garment they give you has an opening for you to go to the bathroom easily. when i go out naturally i put shorts over the "girdle". i keep worrying that my butt is sticking out. it is so weird.

mimilou: re: "big reveal" i have a doctor's appt next monday. so i guess after that. altho' my drains have slowed considerably and he may want to see me sooner. so after i see him i will do the post op pics.

pennreporter: i think the younger they are the better they do...so thats a big positive. actually i had a TT but only 4 inches in back werent cut. so it was almost all the way around. i think following the doctors orders are key. plus i found reading about the people that went before me on this website has helped tremendously. i gained alot of strength from many of these women

anyway i'm going to sign off now....i have 4 dogs of my own (One just fell in the pool) and my boyfriend has me watching his and his father's dogs. so they are keeping me busy. which is a really good thing. so i have to let them out and then go sleepy time.

have a good night everyone

josie

Edited May 19, 200917 yr by josiebies