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Had Lipo Yesterday--inner, Outer Thighs, and Above the Knee

MidwestDylan
updated 1 year ago

Worth It
Cost: $5,200

Hello all! This site has really helped me...

24 Nov 2011

Hello all! This site has really helped me establish expectations after lipo. I had lipo yesterday under general anesthesia. I had tremendous leaking when I got home. I went through about 12 towels to absorb the leakage. My husband that I ruptured one of the stitches. He called the doc and they advised me to put a maxi pad on that spot and press firmly for about 15 minutes. I did this and finally the awful leakage diminished. My garment wa completely bloody. Sorry, it's gross, but thought I'd share my entire experience. Today, a day after lipo, I feel extremely sore. I wish my doc had given me a garment below the knee. I got one above the knee right where they did lipo, too. The inside of the knee was very swollen and protruding out. Luckily, I had a garment I bought years ago to wear under my tight fit wedding dress and after I took my first shower and replaced the gause pads with bandaids, I slipped my old garment on. It was difficult to put on b/c I had a hard time putting it on before the surgery, let alone after. It took me about 10 minutes and I almost fainted a couple times...just from seeing all the brusing and swelling. Last night I hardly slept all. I'm used to sleeping on my side and now I have to sleep on my back. Slept on the couch and got up 5 times to use the bathroom. I've been drinking a moderate amount of water and the color is light but it smells. I dont know if the fuil they injected is coming out of my lymph nodes or if its from all the fruits and veggies I've been eating. For now I can hardly eat anything but fruits and veggies. Those keep me hidrated along with the water as well. I'm just not hungry when I'm not moving around much. I do get up to walk around every 45 mins or so for about 5 minutes or so at a time. When I'm laying down, my legs are elevated-I dont know if they are supposed to be or not, but I'm afraid of the swelling going down into my calves. Hoping this will speed up swelling process. I only took one hydrocodone last night and I will never touch it again. I felt absolutely horrible and I almost fainted several times. I have been taking ibuprofen every 4 hrs or so. Thats to help with the soreness pain and swelling. No other pain besides soreness. I will keep you posted as my healing process continues. I took 10 days off work, and really hope to be able to go to the gym and get on a bike 5 days after lipo. My appt to get stiches out is 6 days from surgery date. I had 6 stitches all together. 3 each leg. They took 3.5 liters of fat and were absolutely amazed b/c otherwise I am very thin. I will post pictures eventually once I can move around more. I hope to be happy with the final results. Any comments are welcome. Thanks!

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MidwestDylan 25 Nov 2011

Day 14: I weighed myself today and I have officially dropped 4.3 lbs!!! I am now at 130 lbs even. My inner thighs still kind of bother me and I still have swelling there and also on the inside of my knees where I had lipo, too. Bruising is starting to diminish, but still darker in my inner knees. Inner thighs are still uneven despite the constant massaging. I am planning on getting a professional deep tissue massage within a week. That's all for now...

Beautiful.Me 23 Nov 2011

My Inner thighs are not hard,but today I am so swollen in my lower ab area and above the pubic bone. :( I'm staying away from salt, and i'm not sure why I've all of a sudden I swelled. Yesterday is when I actually "felt the fattest" since the surgery. Today, I'm swollen! Its strange. It's equal everywhere, not just in a lump or one place, and that is the only reason I have not yet called the doc.

MidwestDylan 24 Nov 2011

I see. My inner thighs are still pretty doughy. When I press in, you can see my finger impressions, so I still keep massaging a lot. Almost 3x a day sometimes (morning shower, then lotion, then lotion before bed). It's getting better a bit as I massage, but still not completely gone. I can feel some hard spots under my skin, but keep working those in with deep tissue massage.

I don't know what you could be experiencing, but remember, my nurse said the peak swelling is 10-14 days post op. I bet it will go down here in a day or two. But yeah, definitely stay low on the sodium. No thanksgiving for me today. :( Definitely no deserts. I am going to bake a buttercup squash for myself for desert today. LOL! As I've said before, I have an addition to that stuff. It's delish!

I was also going to ask you...are your crotch "lymph
nodes or just nodes kind of swollen up??? I thought it was scar tissue b/c its close to where the incisions were by the underwear line, but I'm starting to think it's not that b/c its not right by the incision, it's a little lower. Any thoughts???

I was also pretty swollen yesterday. Worked all day (sit down office job w/ some walking around, but legs were hanging down most of the day), then I went shopping for a couple hours and then it started hurting really bad. Felt hard in my inner thighs and was hard to get in the car. Ouch!!! Better today though...elevating a lot.

Well I hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving!!! Keep me in the loop of your progress!

Beautiful.Me 21 Nov 2011

I have also been extremely itchy all over! Drives me nuts!! Once you scratch once, it's like you keep scratching everywhere!!! Especially the numb areas!!

How is your garment? Full body or just lower body? I have the full body...below my breasts to above my knees, and the seams are irritating. I'm always trying to move them, especially my inner thigh area is very sore.

MidwestDylan 23 Nov 2011

Mine is below the knee. I now have 5 different garments. The reason is b/c each has different stitching and it bothers me differently on the inside of the garment. It makes dents into my skin, so I try to wear different ones every day. I found some pretty good ones for cheap at Sears. I bought 2 there. 1 from Dillards, 1 is from my wedding 3 yrs ago and then I had the one from the doc, which I won't wear again b/c it's above the knee.

Yep, I am trying to move the garment around sometimes during the day.

OMG! Are your inner thighs getting hard?????? Mine started 9 days after lipo. I keep massaging like crazy but it seems they are getting harder and harder.

Please let me know if you are experiencing the same. I hope it gets better soon!!!

MidwestDylan 20 Nov 2011

Day 9
(I skipped a few as not much has really changed)

However, the tightness in my inner thighs is getting better. After my stitches were taken out, I continued to have some leakage. I guess I was just destined to have it. In reading, many people did not have lakage.

Anyway, I am happy to report that I have lost 2 whole lbs. since day before surgery. I probably have eaten more now than before surgery, but the food is very natural and healthy. I'll have either oatmeal for breakfast with just a few raisins and some cinnamon. Some days I'll have an egg or two with an all natural, fat free, chicken sausage, seasoned w/ some herbs. I also just tried Palenta from Trader Joe's with low fat cottage cheese and that I also love. I'll have a snack about 3 hrs later. Greek yogurt with a little granola on top or I will just have some walnuts, almonds, or even buttercup squash, which I have a major addiction to! :)

And the day goes on healthy as well. I usually eat something different every day for lunch and dinner.

On the bad note, I am still pretty darn sore. I am going back to work tomorrow and am a little worried. I still can't fully sit down on a chair. I still feel like I have balloons under my buttocks.

Also, for the last 4 days or so, I feel like I have fluid in my knee joints! It really hurts! Also, my inner knees are still killing me. They are still a deep purple. The front of my thighs and outer thighs really don't bother me anymore. They are about a yellow bruise color now. The green is fading away.

I don't know if I mentioned already, but I bought a different compression garment. It was about $40 at a dept. store and it goes down below my knee. The one I used before seems to either have lost elasticity or my swelling is finally starting to go down.

Anyway, I will try to keep posting when I have time.

MidwestDylan 20 Nov 2011

Oh and I forgot to mention that for the last two days I have stopped taking Ibuprof and have started taking Bromelain. I take 2 capsules in the AM w/ breakfast and 2 with dinner in the PM. I have read good reviews about it and am hopingn that it helps the swelling and bruising.

I have also been massaging my legs, esp. my inner thighs. I massage my scars w/ Bio Oil 2x a day and also do the same thing with my legs with just some Jergens firming lotion. I massage the inner thighs and some spots feel doughy, so I try to massage the tissue a bit deeper and spread the lumps of fat around. (Sounds gross, I know).

I still take 2 OTC Tylenol 2x a day. In the morning w/ breakfast to help me throughout the day and then before bed so I can sleep calmer. I've been itchy like crazy the last 2 or 3 days also, so the Tylenol helps me calm down.

MidwestDylan 17 Nov 2011

Day 6 post op:

This morning before breakfast I was still about same weight, only a few oz difference.

Had my stitches taken out today. I discovered I had four incisions in each leg--what a nice surprise! The extra ones were in a crease under my buttocks. No wonder it hurt like heck to sit down! It took a little bit to take the stitches out--nurse was having problems getting them out. Said they were pretty tight.

Doc said swelling and bruising is as expected. In most areas it's turning greenish yellow, hopefully meaning it's nearing the end stages. However, on the inside of my knee and by my crotch area, it's still pretty purple, but getting better. Kind of turning pinkish.

Doc also told me to massage the areas in the shower with soap and water. I just did this today more than before and its still a bit tender to the touch of course, but I kept massaging. I was prob. in there for about half hour.

Nurse said to keep the incision areas dry--no neosporin and/or bandaid, b/c that can trap bacteria. She said to just put mederma or something like that on the scars. She advised maybe not quite yet b/c the incisions are still healing.

She also suggested to make sure and massage the areas where the incisions were to help with the healing of scars and also soften up the tissue.

I have another follow up appt in 3 wks. I am guessing they will take after pictures then.

Beautiful.Me 17 Nov 2011

How are you massaging the areas of lipo? I wasn't advised as of yet to do any massaging, just to keep my garment on unless i'm bathing. I have of course rubbed my areas a little bit, just to make sure I can still 'feel' something in that area, but no massage. I'm not sure how you are doing in without the hydrocodene,b/c that helps me more than anything. When I'm at work, I break the pill in half and take it if needed..but when i'm at home, if the pain is intense, I will take a full pill. I have found 2 incisions I was not aware of on my outer thighs, so I have a total of 8. They itch like crazy, and again, I never had any leakage out of mine. My surgical tape they had orginally put on is still in place. Not sure if that's a good thing or bad thing, but it's still there.

Are you finding it difficult to remove the marker that they drew on you with? I am!! It of course is dissapearing slowly, but I thought it would be gone by now!

I have written a blog like yours if you are interested in reading it! Of course I will keep updated with your progress as well!

MidwestDylan 17 Nov 2011

I use Lever2000 soap in the shower. I was advised to use that rather than shower gel 2 weeks prior to surgery. I do the massaging in the shower with soap and water. It helps if you rub a bit of soap in area where its not too tender and then just massage the other areas. It's easier obviously b/c it's slippery rather than rubbing just dry skin. I'm a bit of a nature/health nut and feel that I'd rather have leakage than not b/c I think it helps with reducing the swelling. I am still experiencing some leaking from my inner thighs after stitches were removed today. I put a gauze pad and some clear surgical tape. Sounds gross, but in my right leg, it's leaking through the gauze a bit. I don't really mind that. I will just have to change it more often. I see that you're from Texas and I'm surprised they do things a bit different there...as in you have dissolvable stitches, etc. but it could be that you had lipo in different areas. I'm still only doing about 2 Tylenol every 4 hrs andalternating w/ 1 Rx Ibuprofen. As of today, I'm losing track of time and haven't been consistent w/ taking them. Like I said, I didn't have a good experience w/ Hydrocodone, so I just stopped that right away. Make sure your tummy is always full before you take that stuff. I'm already gettin gripe from my hubby for taking the Tylenol and Ibuprofen. I will keep on taking Ibu. for a bit here so hopefully it helps with the swelling to go down. I would think by now you could start massaging. I think for you esp in the stomach area what might be good to try is a thermal handheld massager. I bought one on Amazon by Wahl for like $15! It's pretty awesome. Its got different attachments and it vibrates. I actually did this day after lipo. I was determined to get this swelling out. However, today the nurse did say that the peak swelling occurs 10-14 days after surgery, so I think I need to be more patient. I will read your blog as well. Keep in touch! And happy recovery!

MidwestDylan 17 Nov 2011

Some of my areas itch, too. Some are numb as well, esp. under my buttocks where I discovered today I had extra incisions down there. Yikes! I didn't realize you had 3 kids, wow! I would love to see pictures! I don't have any kids but despite eating healthy and exercising, I was prone to saddlebags and heavier upper legs genetically. Can't wait to hear more...

MidwestDylan 16 Nov 2011

Day 5:

Still have tightness in my inner thighs. Makes it kind of hard to work. It's really getting to me. My measurements are the same as day of surgery pre-op. It feels like I still have major fluid under my buttocks. I've been trying to massage that more as well with a handheld heat massager. I can feel the fluid in there when the massager is vibrating over it.

Had a hard time sleeping last night again. I decided not to elevate my legs while not sleeping. Wish I could find a happy medium. If I elevate while I sleep, I lose circulation in my toes and that wakes me up. Last night while not elevating, swelling built up in my upper thighs. Ugh! It was hard to get up. I didn't take any meds before bed either and was on the elliptical for about 15 minutes about an hour and a half before bedtime. It feels amazing to be on the elliptical. Really starts to stretch my muscles and warms them up, reducing pain.

I'm still on the low down with medications. I did start taking 2 OTC Tylenol and then alternate that with 1 Ibuprofen Rx every four hours. I still have not touched the Hydrocodone and will not.

I am hoping to in a day or two to wake up and have the stupid swelling in my inner thighs gone. I hate the feeling. Funny thing, the leg that did not have the major leakage like I talked about above (in my left leg) is the one that has more swelling. Obviously most of the leakage was the fluid they injected. In hind sight, I wish the same thing had happened to my other leg. I think it would have seriously helped with the swelling by now.

MidwestDylan 16 Nov 2011

*I meant its getting hard to walk, not work. I am not back to work yet. Still off for another 4 days.

MidwestDylan 14 Nov 2011

Yikes! Already back to work!?!? I am taking my time. Keeping hydrated and massaging the areas.

It is now end of day 3 after surgery and I feel much better. Went on a half mile walk outside by myself yesterday. Today I went on about another half hour walk outside w/ my husband.

How are you walking? Did you just get our outer thighs besides your flanks done?? I did everthing above and around the knee. Today it's been pretty tight in my inner thigh. Right where the incision is, it feels like its pulling. Now I just have bandaids and I put neosporin on the stitches to keep them hydrated and hopefully prevent scarring. Although the incision are about 4 mm.

I continue to drink a ton of water. However, I my urine still smells sweet. I don't understand why and can't find anything online except that it may be a sign of diabetes?!?! I eat extremely healthy and watch my weight, so I don't see how it would be so coincidental that I got diabetes day of surgery. I highly doubt its that. I still think its the fluid and toxins being flushed out through my lymph nodes. I massage the area several times a day. With my hands and also a heated hand held massager. I keep pushing towards the inner groin area to help with the flushing.

I am really amazed how much the swelling has gone down from Saturday to Sunday and surgery was Friday.
Bruising looks like its starting to diminish. I actually had a lumpy outer thigh area but with massaging for about 15 minutes as I just mentioned, the next day it was gone!

You are lucky your husband washed your garment for you. My husband almost puked when he saw how much leakage I have. I think the leakage is a good sign because the fluids arent staying inside your body. But it was really gross! He covered the couches with garbage bags and a ton of towels until the leakage/bleeding (I am 100% it was a combo of both for some reason) stopped.

I am extremely careful what I eat esp. now. I am extremely picky about how much sodium something has. I am planning on staying this way b/c I refuse to put on weight elsewhere.

How much do you weigh now? I weigh 1.4 lbs more after surgery than before. I try to weigh myself in the morning before I eat breakfast.

I was 133 lbs day of surgery and now I am 134.4 lbs. I am 5'7" and am pretty thin everywhere else. I just had bigger thighs gentically.

I'd be interested to find out your diet and your height and weight.

Good luck with going back to work!!

Beautiful.Me 14 Nov 2011

Hi, I just had lipo done on my ab/back/flanks/thighs on Nov. 11th. I am day 3 now. Your experience doesn't sound very good so far, but hopefully it will get better. When I came home from the hospital, my husband put me straight to bed. I am in a garment that goes right below my breast down to my upper knee area. I have not had very much leakage if any at all from my incision areas. I have 6 incisions, with dissolvable stitches. They have tape on them and I was instructed to leave them on as long as possible. I gave myself a sponge bath on day 2 while my husband hand washed my garment for me. I was able to slip it back on with a little help. We went for an hour long walk to different stores and to just get me out of the house! I have been taking the Hydrocodone even though it makes me feel loopy, but I cut my dose in half. Ibuprofen is considered a blood thinner and if you need to take something for pain you should take Tylenol. I am pretty swollen and I weigh more now than I did going in, which is a little discouraging but I realize i'm only on day 3! I am going back to work tomorrow, but I work in an office and I am up and down all day, but I do sit long enough to get enough rest. I hope my experience helps you, we are going through this together!! Good luck!!

MidwestDylan 17 Nov 2011

How much did you weigh pre op?? What do you weigh now?? How tall are you? Also, did they tell you how much they took out with and without the fluid they inject you with prior to lipo? I'm just curious. Like I said I gained about a lb after surgery. They said they took out 3.5 L but thats prob. with some fluid. I forgot to ask during my post op appt.

Beautiful.Me 17 Nov 2011

I have my first follow up visit tomorrow. I am not sure how much they removed yet but I will ask! Pre op I was 130lbs...5'3. I carry most of my weight around my lower belly and thighs. I weighed 135 after the surgery, but am back down to about 128 as of today. I did not do it for the weight loss but rather the contour. I of course was alittle disappointed that I weighed MORE after, but I realize it was all the fluids they pumped into me.

MidwestDylan 17 Nov 2011

Interesting to read about the supplements you are taking. My doc never told me about anything like that.

Do you take that along w/ your regular Multi-Vitamins?

I see one of the supplements thins the blood. So if I find them at Target today or tomorrow, I will prob. replace the Ibuprof. w/ one of the supplements.

I'm so glad I read that. I hope the swelling goes down faster.

Thank you!!