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“Meg5719 - Ohio”
Spent: $9,100 in Ohio
I am 53. I have had a breast reduction years ago, and always wanted a tummy tuck. That is where I carry all my weight, but was always too scared for some reason. After talking to a friend who had one done I decided it was time for me to do it! Surgery is April 12th. My family thinks I am crazy. They are supportive of my decision, but disagree with it. (My husband is fine with it, so that's good!)
My biggest fear is recovering from the anesthesia...i.e. getting sick and having to throw up! Anyone else have that issue?
Updated on 11 Apr 2011:
Well, to all the April 12th TTer's...mackenzieds, kumama, Clair Bear, shari1969,tomorrow is the day!!! All my best to all of you. I am not really nervous, just anxious! Praying for all of you and send an update ASAP! Am I forgetting any other April 12th ladies???
Updated on 15 Apr 2011:
TT was April 12th. Doing well, but also had a brow lift. A bit much,. but DO NOT regret it. I just look very scary right now! More when I am feeling a little better.
Updated on 18 Apr 2011:
po update: doing great. have to keep drains in for another week, staples out of brow lift next monday, too!
Updated on 10 May 2011:
I am 4 weeks post op today. Yesterday I saw my PS. He pushed on my very swollen stomach and it bounced back just like a water bed. Yep, a Seroma. He had to drain it. It was painless, as I am still so numb. By the time I made it home I was drenched and ended up changing my clothes 3 times yesterday. Today it has stopped leaking and boy, do I feel better. Still have a large open wound that is very sore from the surgery...a spot that they were overly aggressive on. It will heal in time, and I am starting to feel somewhat human again! I get tired really easily, esp the muscles in my mid-back. Will post after pics, when I am feeling a little better.
Updated on 17 May 2011:
5 weeks PO, tomorrow. Had to have more seromas drained today. Last night I looked HUGE and distended. I thought I was one of those weird people who was not going to benefit from a TT. But, after the nurse took 500cc of fluid out....(it continues to drain throughout the day...) I feel somewhat better. I have a feeling there will be more to drain possibly as early as Thursday...if I'm lucky, not til next Monday.
I also have a 3" x 3" deep hole from PS being overly aggresive when they took the old belly button out. Not the post op healing experience i was looking for, but I am healthy, the wound will heal in time. Just going to take longer than I had hoped! Pictures to come! It is STILL WORTH IT!!!!!
Updated on 25 May 2011:
6 weeks post op-Had to have another seroma drained. It felt like a water balloon burst in my stomach and came out the open wound I still have. What a mess. I now have to pack it with sterile gauze and be patient!! No infection, just an extra long recovery....but it's STILL worth it. I want to upload after pics...but waiting for some of this swelling to subside.
Updated on 10 Jun 2011:
This week was 8 weeks PO. Finally, I am feeling better. The wound I have is still open and oozing, but not nearly as painful!Still lots of swelling, but on the up swing now!
Updated on 20 Jun 2011:
Updated on 20 Jun 2011:
I finally uploaded a few after pics at 9 weeks PO.
Updated on 3 Jul 2011:
So, I am 12 weeks post op and feeling huge! Can someone tell me if this is normal at 12 weeks?
Updated on 28 Jul 2011:
Hi girls,
I was reading Farz's ordeal, and I too, have an issue. I have a large wound from the PS underestimating the amount of skin he needed after he took out the old belly button. Well, that wound is getting smaller all the time, but it is starting to look deformed. I have a big belly buldge right on top of my scar and where the wound is it is very hard and lumpy. I was down 11 #'s after my surgery, and now am up 6#'s. My PS said to wait for 6 mo. (Jan.) to re-evalute and that I might need some more lipo and that he could take the lump out near the wound site. Don't know what that entails, but I am starting to get a little freaked out. Since my surgery, I have found a few bad reviews about my PS, none of which had to do with Tummy Tuck's, but still! He came highly recommended by another Doctor. Anyone else have this issue? I want to post a pic soon. Very discouraged with my tummy right now. Some days I feel like I didn't have anything done.
Updated on 16 Apr 2012:
In need of some info! It's been 1 year since my TT. In January of this year, 2012, I had a repair surgery done, because my original incision split open. My surgeon ended up not only fixing that problem, but extended the tummy tuck all around the hip and butt area, which makes my lower stomach really flat. Now, my waist is bulging again, like I never had the TT in the first place. (Probably not as bad, but still!) What is going on. Anyone else have this issue?
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Hi Meg and welcome to RealSelf.
Talk to your doctor about the anesthesia. They have special meds that they can give you before and during surgery to help with the nausea. You definitely don't want to vomit after this surgery because it will hurt. Make sure to communicate with your doctor.
I expressed the same concerns when meeting with my anesthesiologist. I told him to please make sure I did not get sick and he said ok...LOL I did not have any issues and did wonderful. He had me drink some really bitter tasting syrup before surgery ad then he also gave me something in the IV.
My hubby always tells me that I have guts of steel. True but I wanted to make sure during this process.
Your day will be here before you know it. Keep us up to date on your progress both before and after.
Oh yes you only have to ask for the anti vomit cocktail..LOL
I am not sure I've seen anyone on here mention they had Ultram as their pain med after surgery. I had Vicodin and Valium which together my doc said worked as a 1 + 1 = 3 effect. And I will say that it worked perfectly in controlling my pain.
glad to hear they switched pain meds. Even though there isn't a huge amount of pain I would think ultram would be a little weak!
Silly question, but are you certain that your procedure will be done under anesthetic? I purely, blindly assumed that my April 4th FTT would be. I was scared to death of the nausea, as every time I've been 'put under', I wake up puking for hours and I am extremely queasy by nature...I can't even imagine the pain that would cause after TT!
One week pre-op, I was informed that it would be done with a rspinal. anxieties of nausea were replaced by a whole different set of "spinal" fears...lol.
Long story short, with the spinal, recovery is speedier, and nausea is minimal. Still, I was prescribed 2 days of ZOFRAN, as well as having it administered in my IV. Nurses suggested GRAVOL SUPPOSITORIES. Yucky, but if you are vomiting, it will be the only way to calm that tummy. Agian, mine was minimal, but ARROWROOT COOKIES were great!
Good Luck! Wishing you a puke-free recovery :P
My typo... spinal, like an epidural, and I also had no idea they would consider it that way. I am feeling well. The first 3 days were up an down. I would feel better, then worse again. I do remember thinking though, that if I only had to endure 2 more days like that, I would make it. Fortunately, day 4 and 5 have been increasingly better. I think your biggest hurdle might just be the nausea, so make sure to mention your concerns to you PS, so they can make it as comfortable as possible. (p.s. my sis-in-law had BA last year, tube down throat, and was totally fine with the Zofran and ginger snaps)
Meg - thinking about you and hope you are resting.