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Standing up straight

By spinmama on 25 Feb 2011

Im 17 days post op and still not standing upright and my PS is really after me. And worse I saw some guy making fun of my while walking out of the yogurt shop with my daughter tonight. Any tips on how to get straight? Im trying my best...its so uncomfortable!

Comments (23)

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Farz 25 Feb 2011
Well, I dont know much as I am booked for my TT but as long as you listen to your body you should be fine !
Kimmers25 (Community Manager) 26 Feb 2011

Oh girl..you are having a tough time.   I wish I would have been with you last night.  I probably would have kicked that mans butt. Seriously..who laughs at a woman in pain and distress.  I bet he is single and without a girlfriend.

3-5 times a day lay flat on the bed and slowly lower your legs flat.  It will help relax the muscles and help you stand up straight.  When you feel the pull in the tummy and have the urge to hunch forward; stand up straight, pull your shoulders back and focus on the posture.  The sooner you can set this habit the quicker you will be through this horrible stage.  It's not easy but you can do it.
Miami6324 12 Mar 2011
i tried that today and my incision started becoming apart. What do i do?
Miami6324 12 Mar 2011
two spots opened slightly and one started bleeding.
i am mine 13 Mar 2011
How long has it been since your TT that your incision is opening??
Kimmers25 (Community Manager) 13 Mar 2011

You need to get to your doctor and have that checked.  It should not be opening up at this point. 
Miami6324 14 Mar 2011
17days
Kimmers25 (Community Manager) 15 Mar 2011

Did you call your doctor??
majatummy 16 Mar 2011
OK first calm down. I am just back from a vacation in Mexico and while there, my incision opened in two places. I was at 3.5 weeks. Talk about a freak out moment.

I now know that this is something that happens sometimes...maybe from over stretching. Everyone's scar is different and ours may just be a little weaker. My openings got bigger over a period of about 36 hours eventually to about 1 1/2 inches long and 1/2 wide for the largest, about half that for the smaller one.

You hopefully have contacted your PS by now. Perhaps he could stablize your incision before it got to far. My understanding is that once it has been open for 12 hour or so, it is not wise to stitch it back up due to infection risk. Best to keep it clean, use antibiotic ointment, and keep a gauze pad over. This is what my PS instructed me to do. Eventually it will heal, but this will take a number of weeks.

I have a dear friend who also experienced this, at about the 10 day point. Her incision closed over a period of about 3-4 weeks, and now she says it looks just a tiny bit wider than the rest of her scar.
Miami6324 17 Mar 2011
i did, he put some steri strip over the areas. I looked yesterday after a shower both areas closed back up on their own. He think i should take it easy and stop stretching the incision trying to stand up straight. But yes i feel way better, i was really freaking out.
majatummy 17 Mar 2011
Well, after what I've been through, I totally agree with that recommendation. This open incision business is NO FUN!! I am really happy that yours resolved quickly...now just relax and let that tummy heal!
Miami6324 18 Mar 2011
yes indeed!
j-taylor 21 Apr 2011
Hey Spin - I am now 17 days PO from FTT, and cannot stand straight either. I haven't addressed it with my PS yet, because at my one week checkup, the nurse was very direct about saying that I needed to give my body some credit and start standing upright. I have been trying, and improving, but still hunched, and still embarrassed to go out.

When were you able to stand upright? What helped? What did your PS end up saying or advising?
Country Gal 21 Apr 2011
I was barely walking at 2 weeks. I wouldn't worry too much. Just walk a bit more every day, and you will gradually be able to stand straighter each day.
majatummy 22 Apr 2011
Try to be patient...I was upright at 3 weeks, but at 3 1/2 weeks when I arched my back just a tiny a bit and opened my incision. Believe me you don't want that to happen. I remember that it was more like 5-6 weeks before I started to feel pretty normal. The great news is I'm now at 10 weeks and I feel and look great!!!!! The only thing I still can't do is targeted abdominal exercise, like crunches. Boohoo! Who needs crunches now???
j-taylor 22 Apr 2011
Thanks Ladies... that is so encouraging! So many 'tuckers' are upright at that 10-14 day mark and I am getting frustrated at nearly 3 wks post-op. I don't want to baby myself, but I certainly don't want to push too hard either. Finding that happy-medium is tough.
spinmama 22 Apr 2011
Dont feel bad....it took me til week 4 to stand straight. Its good to push yourself to try, but its a painful slow process so dont beat yourself up:)
trishvan99 22 Apr 2011
It takes time.... Don't force yourself for something you are not ready for. I slept with a pillow under my knees forever....
Miami6324 23 Apr 2011
i'm almost eight weeks and i'm still having a hard time at night or after sitting for an extended period of time. I will get better.
Country Gal 23 Apr 2011
j-t, go ahead, baby yourself! :)

I did, and hubby cooked and everything for about 4 weeks. He still lifts for me and does anything I don't feel like.

I am capable, just that my PS told me to milk it for all it was worth! :D :D

Honestly though, I'm at 11.5 weeks, and still taking it easy. Even at my 8 week checkup, the doc said to keep taking it easy, as the more you do, the more swelling there will be.

I still sleep with pillows under my knees. If I lie on my side, I have at least 2 pillows supporting my abdomen and between knees. My side of the bed currently has 5 pillows! Not ginormous ones though.
majatummy 23 Apr 2011
There is certainly a range of recovery times...I wonder if it depends on how tightly your doctor stretched the skin. Mine was like a snare drum!!
j-taylor 23 Apr 2011
Haha... I wonder too. But if that is the case, I'm so okay with a snare drum tummy and no need for future abdominal exercises! :p ...So good to know that I'm not off course with this whole standing thing.
Farz 24 Apr 2011
I am 3 weeks postop tomorrow from full TT and lipo. I started to fully stand up straight just a couple of days ago. I think it helped sleeping in my bed, which I finally got the courage to do just a few days ago. I still sleep flat with two pillows under my head and one under knee. Half of the night I still sleep in my recliner. I feel like I have to keep moving back and form cuz my body gets tired in one position. Maybe next week I will try sleeping on my side. Right now, I just dont feel ready. With the standing up straight, I found that standing up with your back against the wall and doing VERY VERY light stretching helped me out a lot!

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