Hello everyone. I have been lurking on this site for months now, reading reviews and concerns and looking at before and after pictures. Ok so here is some of my back story.
My name is Pete and I am 26 years old from NY. All of my life I have been very overweight. After years and years of attempted diets that failed after 4 days, I finally settles down and almost 3 years ago started eating healthy and exercising 5 times a week. After 2 years I lost close to 100 pounds. I always had this "gut" so to speak that was very discouraging despite being in amazing shape all around. Long story short, I was told it was extra skin and nothing could be done other than surgery.
So for about a year I went to consultation after consultation with surgeons in the NY area, all offering the procedure for about 9-10k. After reading online, and with the help of a close family friend who is a doctor, I found an excellent Fellows program in Manhattan. I had my surgery February 7th, just about 4 days ago. I had a full abdominalyplasty done with liposuction on the flanks and the tightening of my abdomen muscles. I stayed over night in an adjoining hotel with a private nurse and my surgeon checked on me the next morning before coming home. I go back in tomorrow for a post op check up and to hopefully remove the left drain as my right is still collecting a bit of fluid. Also to remove the medicine ball I have the drips lidocaine into the incision site.
I havent been in much pain. Just minor discomfort in my abs which the valium helps with and my back from sleeping propped up. If this is honestly the worst of it, I am very happy to have made this decision. I am still wrapped in dressings but can already tell a huge diff despite that and swelling. Just thought I would contribute as I have found a lot of helpful info on this site. My meds are starting to kick in and I am getting sleepy but if anyone has any questions or any details that I am sure I am leaving out, please feel free to comment and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.
Pete
2/20/11
Just out of curiosity, tomorrow with be 2 weeks post Op and most of the steri strips are still on. Is this normal? When should they come off? Do they come off naturally or should i be peeling away at them. I have no idea. I hear the longer they stay on the better for the scar but I kinda just want to see what the scar looks like and start using the mederma or silicone strips lol.
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I will say this though, Immediately after surgery, I was 7-8 pounds lighter, so that must have been how much they took off. Since then I have lost another 8-9 pounds just by eating super super healthy, especially since I can't exercise. But I can not fit into my pre surgery pants at all yet. The binder, on top of just the straight up swelling which is perfectly normal, makes it impossible. Be prepared to wear sweats/track pants or a or 2 bigger in jeans for a while. Once the swelling is done, I anticipate being back at my normal waist size if not smaller. I was always fine with my waist size, just not the flap of loose, extra skin that hung over it lol. It's crazy how I wake up perfectly flat, and my 2pm into the night I am so swollen and looks like i have a belly. But that skin is still gone, so even swollen it's still better. Looking forward to 5-6 month mark when I'll see the true finalized results.
And yea, basically anytime we talked, I made conversation with him and asked a ton of questions. So I'm sure had I not asked, I would not have known lots of those details. No need to be worried. He is a good surgeon, has one of the best surgeons in NY that will be with you in the OR and paying so much less.
Im sure some people would rather the traditional surgeon and their own private practice or whatnot, but for me, in my situation, I was never going to be able to afford/finance that. This was an excellent alternative with the same results. Just a few little quirks that seem out of the norm along the way due to it being a clinic during his rotations.
Just be be prepared. It may me a minor inconvenience (a week's notice at the very least) to not know exactly the date until maybe last minute or have to wait for a date, but saving over half off on the procedure was so worth it and I am a month out already and 10x better than before, and can see once the swelling goes down how good I will look. The scar is nice and low and healing very well. I expected it too look much worse when the steri strips finally came off last week.
My next appointment with him is scheduled for March 30th, in which I should be cleared to resume normal activities. I can't believe it's been a month tomorrow since the surgery!
Thanks. I have my consultation on March 3 and would like all the information available.
Dr Draper (Fellow from NYU Medical) performed the surgery and Dr Spero observed. Hope that helps and good luck with your consolation!
Pete
Once I get the profesional photographs in I will post those too. i don't know if I will get the befores when I take the afters at 6 months or if they will send them before hand. I know the surgeons needed em also.
My surgery didn't cost me anything as my doctor referred me to the plastic surgeon and my health coverage paid the cost. However it took almost 2 years from the date of referral to actually get the procedure done.
Can't wait to see some recovery photos. I want to take weekly pictures so that i can see if there are any changes.
Hi Pete,
Congratulations on your weight loss! That is amazing and inspiring. So how is your recovery going? Swelling, pain, bruising etc??
Do you have before and after pictures that you would consider sharing?
Got my drains taken out yesterday and there's definitely some swelling as expected but no bruising as I can see. I have these strips still over the scar that my doc told me would eventually start coming off on their own. Belly button looks fine also. Little red inside but otherwise good.
I would love to share before and after pics. I had professional ones taken before hand and go back at 6 months to the same photographer. I can find some pics of me in general before and after weight loss.
And maybe I should start taking pics of the healing process as well.
That is wonderful you are doing so well! Glad to hear it..
Definitely don't let your mind get ahead of your body or you will literally go nuts. Even if you wake up feeling really good in the morning you need to go slow. Your body has just been through hell and back so be good to it.
Definitely post some pictures! Also do take pics as you heal; it is amazing to see the changes every two weeks. I did them every week for the first two months, then every two weeks for three months and monthly there after.
Wow you look like a completely different person...Good job! I will watch for the after pictures.
Those little buggers can hang on for a month if you let them. Some were even getting rashes and irritated skin from them after being on long term.
I had them on my breasts and not my tummy. But at two weeks post op mine were all but hanging so I peeled them off when in the shower one morning.
How are you feeling?
Also today is my last day of antibiotics! yay!
Yay is right! You are doing so well. Going back to work is hard and the first two weeks back are the worst. Go slow and try not to plan any after work activities for a while. I was totally wiped out by 2:00 each afternoon.
I am looking forward to the pictures :)
I can't wait to start working out again and getting into tip tip shape for summer. (I work out very early before work as I don't have time too afterwards)
So as far as the strips, tomorrow is 2 weeks post op, you think I should slowly start peeling em off if they aren't by themselves within a week?
Hey it's never to late to go to college! If you have the desire and drive to do it then I say go for it! That is cool that the professors have been so good about this. That will definitely help the process. Remember though to go slow :)
I went back to my workouts between 5-6 weeks. I was so sore when I started back that I thought I would die. I went really slow with no ab work for 6 months per doctors orders. I am so glad that I was in excellent shape prior to the surgery. I was back to full blown boot camps a little after my six month mark.
I am now training for the Crazy Legs Marathon in April. My knee has been acting up a little so that has been frustrating. I hope that I am not heading to the OR for that repair...UGH!
Is your wound all closed and dry? If so I would get those strips off so that your skin doesn't get irritated. How long did the doc tell you to wear them?
I had surgical glue over my incision and my doc told me that I could start peeling it off at two weeks. It was a bit like peeling rubber cement off. It came off in sheets and was really strange. I found that under the glue was dried blood which was making the incision look worse than it really was. What I found under mine was a nice fine white line.
Once you get the strips off start massaging with the Palmer's Vitamin E Skin Therapy Oil. You will be amazed at how it helps.