“6 weeks post op and very swollen!!! :'(”

Just like everybody else I'm tired of this hanging apron! I have had it for 20 years know. I am a mother of 4 beautiful kids. My oldest 20,10,7 and 2years old. I had my first child at the very early age of 15 years old. I had other complications with my pregnancy that the doctor missed. I was unable to keep any food down. So I had to go in the hospital for regular IV's. I went from weighting 115 lbs to 216lbs at the end of my pregnancy. It turned out the the reason why I could not keep anything down was that I had a gallstones. Once I gave birth I had to have an emergency surgery to have my gallbladder removed. Well after that I lost 50lbs but my body was never the same. Them I struggle contsantly with my weight reached my highest of 292lbs. I am a very active person. I currently lost about 70lbs and decided this is the year for my tummy tuck. I am 5'6 and weight 197. I wanted to lose about 20lbs more but haven't been able to lose them. I asked my ps that I want the best results so if I needed lipo to tell me where so I can get it. He replied that I would not need it. I feel that I do in the love handles and flanks, but he says that with the muscle repair it will all fall into place and look good. I am trusting him and hopefully it will.

I have a question. Is Pineapple really good for the recovery of a tummy tuck? If yes when and how often do I have to eat it for? Also, anyother suggestions for a good and fast recovery?

Updated on 1 Nov 2011:
Sorry forgot to mention that I am 35 years old. I am new to this.

Updated on 3 Nov 2011:
Well I am still trying to figure out the posting of reviews. I am only 9 hours away from my surgery! Feeling very nervous! I am going to be staying with my mother and father for my recovery! I have two older boys that fight alot and I thank god for my husband that is willing to take of all the running around with them for a month! So that I can have the best and stress free recovery possible! I love him for the sacrifice his is doing for me! My boys play basketball, Soccer, and have music lessons which is very stress full driving around everywhere! He is also taking Care of all the house work, homework, and cooking! Since I will be at my parents home about 45 min away! Well I am going to try to get some sleep so that I won't be to tired tomorrow morning!

Updated on 5 Nov 2011:
Well I had my surgery yesterday and I am happy I did it! I have a pain pump which is way I think my pain isn't that bad. I feel good I feel my soar then pain. I have gotten up a couple of times to walk. The doctor wants me to try to walk not just sit. Well I started out on the recliner but that only lasted about 25 minutes. I was very uncomfortable my sister and daughter helped me get into bed with pillows and I feel a lot better in this position. I have 3 big pillows supporting my back and 2 big pillows supporting my legs up. If my legs are not supported up just lying flat I feel pulling at my abs. I am on viocodin for pain and my antibiotics. Well I will keep everybody posted but like I said so far I am doing better that what I thought!

Updated on 6 Nov 2011:
Well today is Sunday morning and I feel pretty good! I drank mom yesterday evening and had my first bowel at 1:30am. I felt such a relief. I am trying to get up by myself don't know if it's to soon or not! I just dont want to get use to somebody helping me to get up everytime just in case I am left alone. well in Friday the rn told my daughter that the ps removed 10lbs of excess skin! I thought it would be about 5lbs since I have read that is about the most. Well I was surprised to hear how much he had removed! The pain is not as bad as I thought it would be. I am draining about 30cc from my right side about every six hours and 15 from the left. My first post op appt is on Thursday which hopefully by the I can get both drains and the pain pump removed! My daughter is going to clean my wound today with water, soap, and wash cloth. The rn told her to, I am a little bit worried hopefully I won't get an infection! I still have questions regarding the pineapple? I have one but have not had any! Well I will have to look on realself and find out how to take it! I also posted my pre-op pictures but I don't see them maybe I didn't do it correctly! Once I get a chance and figure out how to post my post-op pics I will! I love my ps I can see the difference with my garmet and all the tubes!

Updated on 7 Nov 2011:
Well I feel very good today! I am moving around a lot more. I can't still lying down all day! We called my ps and he said it's ok as long as I don't over do it! I just don't want to get any blood clots in my legs they feel stiff and are starting to hurt me! Well I missed my appt today I thought the rn told me thursday at 2 but she said Monday at 1 so that I can have the pain pump removed! So know I will go to the ps tomorrow to have it removed. Maybe I can also have both drains or maybe one removed if I'm lucky! I won't get my hopes up just in case he doesn't remove any of them! I feared for the worst the first three days, but thank god I am doing better than what I thought! I just wish the time would fly so that I can be up and around! I thought it wouldn't be that bad lying around but I am tried of it! I want out of bed already! I will try to read my book and watch tv!

Updated on 10 Nov 2011:
Hello ttuckers, I am 5 days post-op sun to be 6 days in a couple of hours. Don't really know the count down exactly since its 3am! Well I went to the Ps on Tuesday afternoon and got my pain pump removed. I thought it was going to hurt but i was just a little bit uncomfortable due to first time with out my binder! Well I still have both drains and the nurse told me the longer I have them the better! If I get them out when it's not time mist likely I will get seroma or have an opening later on due to fluid retention. Will I the ride home took a toll on me. It took us 2 hours to get home during rush hour traffic! I of course felt each and every bump! When I got home at 4:30pm I took my vicotin and fell asleep for 9 hour straight! Woke up about 2 am needed to potty then went back to sleep! Today I was walking around alot trying to get tired so I would sleep at night but as you guys can see I am up! I took some pic, i am hunch back just a little. The nurse told me even if i could stand straight not to so that i can heal better! I will post as soon as I can! Well my tummy is flat but still not pretty due to my pigmentation loss! But I am very happy with my tummy!!!!! It's been 21 years since my tummy was flat again! I feel pretty good the one thing is the nightmares that I keep on having! Is anybody else experiencing this? My Dr doesn't clean the would also told me not to touch! The nurse at the hospital that discharged me told my daughter to clean the wound with a washcloth to use water and soap! I was confused and called my ps on Monday to make sure and he said don't touch until he saw my the next day! When I went in all the nurse did was rake the dressings off! She wrapped me back up in my binder and said everything was fine. Anybody else didn't clean their wound or ps clean it? Please let me know that is just a little bit scary! Well I am going to try to get some sleep! Goodnight tt!!!!

Updated on 10 Nov 2011:
Hello ttuckers, I am 5 days post-op sun to be 6 days in a couple of hours. Don't really know the count down exactly since its 3am! Well I went to the Ps on Tuesday afternoon and got my pain pump removed. I thought it was going to hurt but i was just a little bit uncomfortable due to first time with out my binder! Well I still have both drains and the nurse told me the longer I have them the better! If I get them out when it's not time mist likely I will get seroma or have an opening later on due to fluid retention. Will I the ride home took a toll on me. It took us 2 hours to get home during rush hour traffic! I of course felt each and every bump! When I got home at 4:30pm I took my vicotin and fell asleep for 9 hour straight! Woke up about 2 am needed to potty then went back to sleep! Today I was walking around alot trying to get tired so I would sleep at night but as you guys can see I am up! I took some pic, i am hunch back just a little. The nurse told me even if i could stand straight not to so that i can heal better! I will post as soon as I can! Well my tummy is flat but still not pretty due to my pigmentation loss! But I am very happy with my tummy!!!!! It's been 21 years since my tummy was flat again! I feel pretty good the one thing is the nightmares that I keep on having! Is anybody else experiencing this? My Dr doesn't clean the would also told me not to touch! The nurse at the hospital that discharged me told my daughter to clean the wound with a washcloth to use water and soap! I was confused and called my ps on Monday to make sure and he said don't touch until he saw my the next day! When I went in all the nurse did was rake the dressings off! She wrapped me back up in my binder and said everything was fine. Anybody else didn't clean their wound or ps clean it? Please let me know that is just a little bit scary! Well I am going to try to get some sleep! Goodnight tt!!!!

Updated on 13 Nov 2011:
I am 9 days post-op today! I am still feeling pretty good! I have my good and bad days! I am off pain meds! It seems to be more difficult for me at night. I am having trouble sleeping, nor sure why! I itch at night have insomnia fir the last couple of nights. It worries me that I will have a set back due to lack of sleep! So what I did last night was a took 2 tylenol extra strength pm at about 2am and slept straight thru till 11:30am. Which felt great to sleep a full night! The only thing that is really bothering me besides the insomnia and itching is the burning sensation in my tummy along with the tugging feeling I am having in my hips! Also started getting muscle spasms on my tummy that doesn't hurt it just feels weird! I am walking better getting in and out of bed by myself! Also I took off the binder yesterday and saw my tummy again, it looks smaller then when I took the post-op pics! Which makes this all worth it!!!!! Good luck to all on they're upcoming tummy tucks! Good luck to all that are recovering! Hang in there because at the end it is all worth it!!!!!:)

Updated on 15 Nov 2011:
I have been doing very good yesterday I was up from 8am and got into bed at 8:30pm! I was exhausted but felt good that I was able to do this with almost no pain! I have been off of the pain mess for awhile. Really don't want to start taking them again! If I do need to then I will. Went to see my pa today and was excited to get my right drain removed! The nurse said the left will be out in two more days! One less feels very good! I can wait 2 more days for the other one to come out! I don't want to get seroma later on and have a set back! I will keep the drain in as long as I have to! No rush!!!!! I feel that If things keep on going this way I can return back to work after Thanksgiving! I could probably go back next week but why rush things! I don't want any set back!!! Good luck to all the upcoming tummy tuck procedures and wishing all the tummy tuckers the best recovery!!!!!!!!:)

Updated on 19 Nov 2011:
Hello ladies, I am not sure if anybody is going thru this or maybe it's only me! My husband was being so wonderful to me by taking care of our kids so that I can have the best recovery! Well the s--- hit the fan four days ago! He called me and asked how was I doing Nd I relied good. Then he asked now was I doing without him, I said well I really haven't thought about us! I have been trying to have the best recovery possible. He told me that he has been great without me and suggested that this is probably something we should think about being separate! I was thinking in my head wtf! So I said fine with me and know he is making my life a living he'll! I guess this was some stupid test and I didn't pass! Like really wtf who plays these kind of games! I guess what he wanted to hear from me was baby don't leave me! He thought wrong, he is blaming my tt for all of this! That if u would have never gotten it done, this would my be happening! Well call me strong minded but I someone's husband suggest that it's that he really doesn't want to be with you anymore! not only that but what husband would play mind games we are not teenagers we are adults I am 35 and him 37! Maybe it is his insecurities! I don't know what it is! Freaking out! Help I think am going crazy!!!!!;( So sorry to all the ladies I just
needed to vent!

Updated on 28 Nov 2011:
Hello ladies, it has been awhile since I posted. Sorry it took me so long to update you on my status. I am recovering fairly good I have to say. I thought it would be alot worst with all the stress I am dealing with at the moment! I am very swollen, almost standing straight, only get sleep if I take Tylenol pm, and getting a divorce! I went back home after the arguement I had with my husband but it did no good, all we do is argue all the time. I guess it's been something he has been dealing with awhiknolls and decided it was time to bring it up since I was so happy! well needless to say my happiness didn't last so long! I am doing very well though better than what I thought. We have been together for so long guess we were just familiar with one! You can't keep he who doesn't want to be keep! Well back to talking about my tummy! I am healing so well my scar is not that noticeable, once I get a chance will post picks! I do need to get a new garmet. The one that I have is giving me a bad rash above and below my incision. I am putting kotex all around my incision over my scar it seems to help a little bit. Does any body know of a good garment I can get? I will try to take some picks and post them once I get a chance. Wishing everybody is doing well and to the new tummy tuckers good luck on there procedures!:)

Updated on 6 Dec 2011:
Well ladies I can't believe how quickly time is passing. I am 4 weeks and I will be 5 weeks this Friday! Well last week I noticed I had a little opening on my left side of my incision! But I called my ps and he told me not to worry unless I got a fever. At week three I started putting maderma on my scar. I also put a bandaide with antiobots so that it can heal. It seams to be working. I get very swollen I know that I am pushing myself a bit to much! I still need to get me a new garmet. I will be posting some pictures that I took yesterday. You will also see the bad scars that the garmet has left me! Sorry in advance for any typos or writing errors. U am very tired and am writing at the same time. Hopefully I won't say anything bad. Otherwise everything is pretty good for me!

Updated on 16 Dec 2011:
Hello ladies, I hope all of you are recovering Well and to the ones with upcoming procedures I wish you the best! I am 6 weeks today. I am very happy with my results, still haven't purchased a new garmet. Hopefully will do that tomorrow. Well ladies the only thing that I hate about the tummy tuck is the swelling afterwards! I am so swollen it is depressing me. I was able to wear a pair if my jeans yesterday, they fit fine a little bit snug. I was out all day got home about 8pm , got the boys ready for bed. I didn't lay down until 2am and got back up this morning at 6:45am. I was so disappointed this morning that I had to go back to joggers. I guess I didn't let my body rest enough that is why I woke up swollen. The swelling is at it's worst today! When I set down I feel the rolls bulging out I HATE IT! I am going to have a arnica tea which hopefully will help with the swelling. Otherwise everything else is good I guess. The small opening that I had is almost all closed up. My incision looks good. I want to start the scar therapy with te wraps. I just got to go online I heard it was a bit pricey for the silicone wraps but worth it! Does anybody have any suggestions on how to get the swelling down. I am up 10 lbs in one day who goes ip 10 lbs in one day? So sorry ladies that I am nagging so much! I am just so upset about this. I still don't regret getting a tt! I love my new tummy, just hate the swelling. Also, I am so sorry that I haven't posted any new pics but I have a iPhone and I can't download them. Kimmers would normally help me post pics, but she is on vacation( good for her). She gets back sometime next week. I just don't want to put pic on my laptop and have my kids looking at them. Well goodnight and hopefully tomorrow will be a better day!