Tummy Tuck: Stories

Started at 248 - 5'7": Was told I was pre-diebitc, so I lost 30 lbs and maintained weight over the last year. Working out daily, I dropped another 10. I went from a size 24 to 14/16. The smallest I got while running 3 miles a day was 202, before I suffered hairline fractures in my shins. Working out 2 hours a day resulted in excessive skin and fat that can be pulled away from the body. My body does not match my hard work, so I'm having lipo on hips, upper and lower back and arms.

yesterday I had my surgery. they removed 3 lbs around my waist. my incisions burn but the pain meds help. I'm pretty tired and dizzy. walking is not fun at all. it's difficult to pee. I'm turning yellow in the places I had lipo. even though I'm swollen - everything is a noticeable difference. I can't wait to see what I look like in 2 weeks.

I read on this site that some people started taking a stool softener to help them poop. I was wondering how long after surgery should someone do this? I'm trying to avoid any unnecessary complication or pain.

day 3- changing the dressings was painful. and I'm sore from the lipo. I'm pretty swollen. the liquid from my drains has slowed down and they said once you go 24 hours with less than 25 - they will remove them.

Changing bandages is not pleasant, still feel like I'm going to puke or pass out when I try to change the gauze. My legs aren't as sore. It feels good to stand up and straigthen them out (hunched over though). I'm getting restless sitting around, but there is no way I can move around. Every 3 hours just walking 10 feet is draining. My lower back is so tight and it starts to cramp up when I walk.

The drains are more 'chucky' and a lighter red, which is normal. I don't really have an appetite and I'm still sleepy. I take half a pain med after I change my bandages and sleep for about 20 mins after taking them. The rest of the time, I'm drug free, so the areas "burn".

I'm looking forward to Monday when it will be a week and I get to change these pantyhose. I cut a bigger hole to make sure I didn't get anything on them. It's pretty hard to pee, I focus to make sure it doesn't run everywhere.

According to discharge papers, I wear these for 2 more weeks. I'm wonder what it will feel like to not have anything wrapped around me? I hope the bloating/swelling has gone done and it's not so sore. I have been gently rubbing my legs and arms, which seems to help the feeling return to that area.

Any suggestions on what else I can do to ensure this is a good recovery?

I had lipo in my thighs (apparently that area is considered the waist area at my doctor's office), but they are hard as a rock and incredibly swollen compared to prior days. I've been lightly rubbing them and I've been up walking (to and from the bathroom) and standing while leaning over a counter. I have squated down to pick up things- is this normal? If not, what should I do?

On the 11th, I was able to have one of the drains removed. I went into the office, she checked some of my stitches, removed a few, pulled out the tube, had me recline (which I had not been doing). It was a bit much- I passed out twice. After awhile, she wrapped my back up, removed a few more stitches and instructed me to get up and move around more and to start laying in a more reclined position. My advice to anyone- get a recliner- don't use pillows to keep yourself upright, you might make the same mistake as me and not stretch out enough (after day 3).

On the 15th- I experienced a hard bubble two inches above my belly button. So I called and got in within 5 hours. She removed some more stitches that she couldn't get to because I kept passing out a few days earlier. She felt around on it and actually had the doctor come take a look. He did and told me to put heat on it. He thought it was a blood clot.

She tried to manually drain the right side (the side with the drain) but the fluid she felt was too deep. She was impressed with my mobility and the fact that I didn't pass out once, even with her putting a needle in my side. She placed extra gauze on the hard lump and told me to keep heat on it for a few days.

I've been putting heat on my entire stomach and it's gotten softer and doesn't hurt as much. :) I removed the added gauze for a few hours and moved around the house, the lump started to come back, so I placed the gauze back and put heat on it. I've had more drainage with lots of chucks.

I'm still pretty bloated so my size is pretty much the same, but the way I look in my clothes and naked - is AMAZING. I still have to wear the binder for another 2 weeks, but all the stitches are out. My incision line still has a large open wound and is pretty tender. I wish they would just stitch it up but they want it to heal on it's own.

still swallon but over all pretty happy with the results