PO 5 months - Still at a stand still... swelling not going down at all - Mississauga, ON

Ok guess since I’ve been reading since Sept 2012 I should probably post my story too.

I have 9 kids, 6 I’ve given birth too and 3 bonus daughters. I’m 39 years old, 5’4” …well technically 5’3.5” ? and float around 140 lbs (that’s right fat floats ?) My first 2 were c-sections, then 3 natural & final was a c-section. I gained 50-80 lbs with each of my 6 pregnancies. Collectively I’ve gained and lost more than 2 of me which sounds really weird. I was eventually able to get back to pre-pregnancy weight but definitely not pre-pregnancy shape. Round and lumpy are shapes right?

My last c-section is what really started to bother me. It was done by a resident who had only been on the job for a couple of months. Between different size staples, turned staples, incision not lining up… the list could go on. My little pouch never seemed to really heal properly. The final straw was this past year the itching of my final scar got worse and worse. I was scratching myself constantly almost to the point of being raw.

Visited 2 different PS and both said no guarantees but a TT would remove the various scar tissue and pouch therefore removing the moisture source which could alleviate my problem.

I had the surgery on Dec 12/12 so I’m now 5 days PO. I had a drainless tummy tuck with muscle repair. I had 800 cc’s removed but no Lipo. I have to say I was freaking out PO because I had staples, 51 of them! Yes 51 staples instead of stitches. I looked and felt like Frankenstein. Of course I had nothing to do for a few days but read this site and was pretty much in tears by Friday night because hardly anyone had staples. Now I know I was fretting for nothing about the staples. Still not sure why no lipo. The nurse said not everyone needs lipo and for my frame 800 cc’s could be considered a lot. Of course I have no idea who to believe anymore but since I’m so swollen right now I’m going to have to trust the nurse for now.

I went today to have them taken out and wouldn’t you know my sole belly button stitch was the son of a gun that hurt. My incision is beautiful! Staples or stitches, doesn’t matter if your PS knows what they’re doing and you follow your post op care.

My favourite post is a fellow flat-sider who said the best thing is the BackMax Body Wedge. For the first 4 days PO I used a standard 23 degree wedge and pillows and made due. My BackMax showed up on Sunday (who knew the post office delivers on Sundays right before Christmas) What a God send! I can’t tell you how comfortable this pillow set is. It’s worth every penny and then some. I highly recommend it!!!

http://www.contourliving.com/p-21-backmax-body-wedge-cushion-sets.aspx

Well here I am 5 days PO and still quite hunched over and very swollen. Geez right now my stomach is so swollen I almost feel like I’m made of plastic if that makes any sense. I really wish the PS and patient coordinator prepare patients better for the range of emotions that you could go through. From fear of what have I done to I’m being selfish to damn I’m doing this for me ? Now hopefully in a few months I’ll look as good or better then when I was sucking it in and passing out LOL.

I’m just SOOOOO glad I’m not itchy anymore the swelling is nothing compared to the pain and embarrassment I was going through before.