livinthedream

Location: Orlando, FL
Joined: 20 Oct 2008
Activity: 9 posts

1review
6comments
2questions

Recent comments by livinthedream

Posted to Tummy Tuck Gave Me my Body Back on 18 Jun 2009
My swelling was bad to me, uncomfortable, but I did buy a compression garment online (rather than the binder they give you) and that helped tremendously. I don't think anyone noticed the swelling but me. It was mainly in my upper abdominal area. I'm 5 months post-op and have been doing great until recently, was feeling so good started working out harder and went out dancing with the girls, I think I pulled some stitches or something and my swelling is back! I need to go back and see him for a followup. I still have numbness around my bellybutton --probably a full circle 4 inches around is all still numb. It seems to be going away though because it used to be my whole belly was numb. I think the hardest part in the long run was the lipo. Still very sensitive on my sides. Good luck! It's a long healing process. Don't go wild like I did thinking I was completly healed. The begining is very tough so be prepared and have someone look after you and/or your kids (assuming u have some) :-)
Posted to 17 Days After Tummy Tuck on 2 Jun 2009
I didn't have my drain reinserted, did you mean to post this somewhere else? I had mine in for 7 days. I can't remember how much fluid, but I emptied them everytime I went to the bathroom, so they were pretty full the first 5 days or so. By the last couple of days there was hardly any fluid. I think that's how they determine if they can be taken out or not. I would hate to have them re-inserted, hopefully that won't happen to you. Good luck!
Posted to Tummy Tuck Gave Me my Body Back on 23 Apr 2009
One more thing -- Neosporin I used that religiously around my drain port and on the incision. Happy to say I did not get any infection. Plan to be off of your feet for one week -- you need somone to take care of you absolutely. You still need to get up and move around every hour to avoid clots and getting stiff. I moved a recliner into my bedroom and slept in it for 2 weeks straight. Also that way my kids could not jump on me in the middle of the night.
Posted to Tummy Tuck Gave Me my Body Back on 23 Apr 2009
Hi, yes, you should have sterile gauze dressing & tape so you can change the dressing around your drains. Also, Dial anti-bacterial body wash to shower with. Baggy - elastic waist shorts or sweatpants. My friend who is a doctor, also recommended I have a stool softener because the pain meds cause constipation. I can't think of anything else, I know I was unprepared with the clothes situation, I had to wear my husbands shorts when I went back for my check up (all my shorts had zippers/snaps). It's not so much because of the swelling, but the drains, you have to stick them somewhere, it's like walking around with a set of balls :-). To me that was the absolute worst part of the expereince. Lucily I only had them in for a week, but some people have to wear them longer. Good Luck!
Posted to Tummy Tuck Gave Me my Body Back on 8 Mar 2009
Good luck with your surgery! I forgot to mention my size. I'm 38 years old, 5'1" and now weigh 128 lbs. At the time of the surgery I was 139 lbs. My doctor doesn't weigh or record how much he removes, but I'm convinced it was a good 8 pounds that came off just from the surgery. I was always pretty curvey and very muscular, but after I had the babies my waist completly disappeared for 5 years. Now it's back :-) I went from a 32 inch waist to 26.5 inches (the size when I was 14 years old). I think the key on the depression is to #1 - don't look at the scar too much #2 - keep thinking it is only temporary. If you are light skinned it should fade in time (at least that is my hope). The drains are the worst, luckily I got my removed after 7 days. My Dr. said to use Dial anti-bacterial shower gel, so I was very careful and used that and carefully around the drain port. I came up with a trick to throw on a bikni bottom to hook the drains to (they have little clips on them) so I could shower without holding them. I'm glad to share anything that helps other women, I am sooo happy with my results!

Comments by livinthedream

Thread Last Comment Comments
Tummy Tuck Gave Me my Body Back 32 months ago 4
17 Days After Tummy Tuck 32 months ago 2
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