My Tummy Tuck Journey...- Frederick, MD

I had my tummy tuck in August 2011. The pain was more then I ever could have imagined. But by the sixth week I was feeling like myself again. My stomach was flatter but not the results I wanted. I swelled for months and the swelling caused loose skin again. I also ended up odd shaped. The top of my abdomen was larger then the bottom. So by October the surgeon was discussing a revision.

In February I had my revision. Less pain this time but after a few months it was obvious that something wasn't right. I was bigger on top on my abdomen again. In June the surgeon told me I would need the inverted T tummy tuck to get the results I wanted. If I knew that I would have needed the inverted T method I never would have had the surgery. But it was too late now and I scheduled my second revision for August. I had the surgery in August, the incision is hip to hip and straight up to right below the center of my breasts. She said she removed two pounds of skin. I am now four weeks post op and have skin necrosis. Yesterday she cut away the dead tissue and cleaned underneath. I now have a huge hole where the two incisions meet. I have an appt at wound care tomorrow to start care with a wound vac if my insurance will cover it.

It is too early to tell if I am now even and flat with the swelling but I sure hope so after all of this!

I am trying to stay positive. I lost 54 lbs on my own and kept it off for one year. The extra skin on my abdomen drove me crazy and I thought a tummy tuck was exactly what I needed but now I wonder if I made the wrong decision.

Update...For a week I packed the open wound (above my private area) and also inserted packing strips into small holes that formed from my belly botton down to the open wound. Then I had my wound care appointment. Not a good appointment. The surgeon opened me from my belly button down to the top of my private area. The open wound is now 6 inches long, 3.3 inches wide and 2.2 inches deep. There is also necrotic tissue on my right side (groin area). I also have a tunnel that is off to the right inside the wound that measured around 5 inches long. The surgeon has decided to leave it alone. I am using santyl cream everyother day and keeping it covered. The cream should dissolve the dead tissue.

On September 12th the vac was put on. They pack the tunnel with a white foam and I have to admit it hurts like hell when they insert the foam. They then stuff a black form into the wound, lay a thin clear plastic sheet over it and it then they hook up a tube that attaches to a small machine. This machine provides a negative pressure that sucks all the nasty stuff out.

It is a pain to lug around but I am told it will cut the heealing time in half. I was told I would need the vac for two months.

Emotions.....

I am feeling depressed and scared. I just can't get my mind around the fact that I have this open hole in my abdomen. I had a tummy tuck to make me smaller but I can't wear my normal clothes due to swelling and the wound vac. I can't imagine going through this for another two months!

Yesterday the smell was horrible, it gagged me. I also run a fever everynight, I am so tired that i am alseep by 7 every night. I called the wound center and they told me to talk to my home nurse. UGH my nurse is a joke, she never brings the right supplies and diasgrees with the doctors orders. I am so frustrated!! I see a home nurse on Mondays and Fridays and then wound care on Wednesdays. My normal nurse called in sick yeterday so I had a LPN that never saw my wound before. She argued with me that she smelled nothing and I was fine. Guess I am crazy!!!

Well I wasn't crazy. I had sn infection and a hematoma. So they started me on antibiotics on weds. Thursday the surgeon cut me open over the hematoma trying to get the fluid out but didnt get much. When I went to wound care on Friday they found that I had a tunnel from the large wound (central lower abdomen) to the new spot the surgeon opened. They called the surgeon and it was decided that I should be admitted. So they ran a CT scan and inserted a drainage tube. By Sunday the tube fell out. Today is Tuesday and I am still in the hospital. I will be having surgery today to clean ghe hematoma out. I need all these complications to stop!!