Reza Jarrahy, MD

Lost almost 100 lbs and needed to get rid of extra skin due to weight loss and previous abdominal surgeries such as c/s hysterectomy, Oophorectomy and a surgery from when I was born 29 years ago. I wanted to see the results of my weight loss. I was seeing it but I had to move what skin was there out of the way of my pants or it hurt to wear pants that buttoned near the belly button because of all the scar tissue.



Updated on 18 May 2012:
OKay I am going to do a running update so you all know everything then I will update from today.

Surgery day-Got there at 10:30 went in at 11 and got prepped(iv, markings talking with everyone) I remember walking into the OR at around 11:20 and them asking me a few questions and then the nurse grabbed my hand because I started crying and she told me to outside(OR had windows) and think of being on a beach. Next thing I know I am waking up in Recovery hurting like there is no tomorrow and needing to go pee. They pulled the cath and helped me up. I got in my night gown and used the rest room with in 45 min of waking up I was getting in the car to go to the recovery suite. The ride sucked I was sick as a dog and kept having to throw up. I got there and they got me situated. I was in so much pain (I went 3 hours with out pain meds) Because I was so sick they would not give me any meds till my stomach calmed down. I finally got my phenegren (sp) and my pain meds an hour later. I was getting so mad and shaky and emotional I could not take it. It was worse then the c/s and hyst combined.. I slept off and on every time I woke up I had to use the rest room. All in all not bad

Post op day 1-got my first look OMG I am totally shocked and even with all my swelling its worth it. I hate these drains but they are must. We had a 2 hour drive to complete and it took 4 hours. Pain meds were a must I came home got comfy on the couch and fell asleep for a few hours. Pain is not to bad but not fun. Draining pretty good but way less then the first night.

Post op day 3-Had a scary night last night. Woke up around 3 am with cold chills, sweating, shaking, intense pain, I was nauseated and every time I tried to get up I thought I was going to pass out. The day was rough to I was really tired from being up so much during the night and those feelings lasted till about 7 am. I slept off and on. Not really draining maybe 15ccs itching really bad and lots of sharp tingling pains.

Post op day 4-Today has been great, Got up and saw my kiddos off to school. No pain really. Taking half dosage of pain pills three times a day. One drain is pretty clear and total combined is less then 15. I can not wait till they get taken out. I Hope it does not hurt. I am able to walk around a lot more just hate the fact that I am still stuck in a night gown due to the tubes bothering me. My husband washed my hair in the sink and I feel so so much better. I hate having dirty hair.

Post op day 5-Today has been wonderful pain is no longer pain it is uncomfortable..My friend came over and we watched Twilight and had starbucks the subway for lunch. She made me lay down and rest. It was nice to have company. I am up and down on my own with out help. Around 2 every afternoon I am so tired I can not stand it and end up sleeping tll about 5 or 6. When I get up I am so stiff it hurts and it takes me a little bit to get going. My drains are not really putting out and my binder is bunching so I am having to fix it with out taking it off. The TED stockings have rubbed my legs raw but I have to leave them on. All in all not bad. Tomorrow is my post op appt.

Updated on 18 May 2012:
Post op day 6 and 1 week appt
YAY!!!!!! my drains came out they so did not hurt. It felt like big gas bubbles. My poor husband was shocked at how long they were LOL. The cutting of the stitch hurt. They removed all the strips off my incision and that hurt so bad(I had an allergic reaction to the glue). It looks so small width wise very tight and will not be very noticeable once its healed. I can not get over how defined of a shape I have and I am swollen. I looked at my belly button I love it. I cried though when I noticed the scar I had on my stomach is gone. I had it my whole life I bawled when I was explaining everything to my grandmother. They put some some thick padded gauze type stuff in between the rubber and my skin. Ahh that is a godsend. They said I am healing a lot quicker then most, great. He was very proud of his work and I go back in two weeks. We got suck in traffic gosh love LA traffic. I have not had any pain meds today at all and am doing well. I am going to rest tonight. Tomorrow it's just me and the house. My husband is going into work for a few hours and the kids are with my in laws.

Updated on 19 May 2012:
Post op day 8 and wow I am feeling great. I took a full pain pill last night to sleep and I so needed it. I woke up a little bit at 5 am when my husband was leaving to go into work for a few hours. Then right back to sleep till almost 8am. The dogs stood at the baby gate growling at me to get up and let them out haha. I swear if it's not the kids it is the dogs. I decided I wanted to pick up what I could in the house(what I could not do my friends boys came over and did for me, for a few dollars). I also made them something yummy(apple Cinnamon bread). I am now sitting and resting and feel good. When I first woke up I was so stiff like every day since the surgery but once I got walking it goes away. My drainage holes are not draining and are almost closed so I am hoping tomorrow I can grab a shower. I am going to get into some yoga pants-shirt and bra today. I am starting to feel like a human again haha.

Updated on 21 May 2012:
post op day 10-Doing good really really really tired of the itching but know it means nothing but good things. I find it to go away when the binder is re-adjusted. I got my first shower today and was so nervous I made myself sick. As I was getting out I was light headed and nauseated. I felt like I was not going to be able to make it to my bed. I laid down with nothing on but my towel and just let my body adjust to everything. It scared me but I know it happened at the drs office to when they removed my binder. I am disgusted with the way my body looks right now. I have a huge indent where the foam and binder have went in and a hard lump that I am hoping goes away. My belly button is off center but it was off center before so no biggy that is the least of my concerns. I am more worried about the indenting of my hips. I cant seem to get some of my underwear on lol no joke my booty is to big I am hoping its all from the binder and swelling. That will not make for fun when it comes to shopping. I did not want to have to buy new panties. I just bough tall those LOL.I got on the scale yesterday with everything on well binder foam padding tank top and panties and I am a lb over my surgery weight which totally made me feel yucky. So starting today its all about eating healthy again and making sure I am getting what I need to make my body healthy during this recovery. I think a week of eating not so well is okay but that's it. Anyways here are some photos.

Updated on 22 May 2012:
post op day 11-I have some stiffness in the mornings but nothing major. Still having issues with BM's they hurt and take forever to happen. I have been trying to do it more naturally no meds no nothing but I might be breaking down and taking something for it.

The itching is really driving me insane. I take off my binder for little bit of time here and there to itch or let some air hit my skin then put back on and bam better.

I got up this morning and picked up the house the best I could and made a list of stuff I could not do so my hubs can do it for me. I am not in bed resting .

Decided that tomorrow was my last day of eating like crap while I recover. Today I have already gotten in two 24 oz cups of water and breakfast and am doing great. My husband is going to go walking with me later before the kids get home so I get some outside time and some walking done.v I am still pretty swollen but no pain what so ever.

Updated on 25 May 2012:
2 weeks post op-I bought my first swimsuit so I could take photos in and not feel like I was to reveling. I got a medium 8/10 which first perfect... Can not wait to see what it looks like when more of my selling goes down. I feel huge still. I look at my thighs and I want to cry LOL. The swelling on my sides (flanks area) is going down a lot. I am still itching but not near as bad. I've been on the go for two days and swell more at night which is fine I can relax. I plan on resting as much as I can in between birthday parties this weekend.. Pain is gone just stiffness that is it. Having issues sleeping I am sick of being on my back and really want to lay on my side but am afraid to.

It's still worth it to me I just am very emotional about it all.

Updated on 1 Jun 2012:
3 weeks post op-Feeling stiff but nothing major no pain for the most part. I had a mess up yesterday. I decided to push myself up and forgot and used my stomach oh my goodness. I sat there afterwards breathing for a bit because if not I was going to cry like a baby. My husband (poor guy) just stood there telling me if I did that again he was going to kick my booty LOL. I noticed last night I had a part of my incision open up and start draining. I knew what it was but of course me being who I am freaked out that it was something totally different.

We went to my post op appt today the PS said everything looked great that area is what I thought(suture spitting). My incision area looks angry (allergic reaction to the tape he says) but the other itching was the foam so the binder was readjusted and pulled way tighter. He said I still have a ton of swelling. That I will have this for a while even my legs were still very swollen. I did however get the okay to put silicon scar gel and sheets on and the okay to drive and walk the treadmill(slowly) still no baths or pools and I go back in 3 more weeks.

Updated on 23 Jun 2012:
6 weeks 1 day post op-my appt yesterday was a bit of a bummer for me. I have started working out because I am not happy with my body. My butt and thighs are huge and I can not stand it!. I still have a lower pouchy tummy which I know now is fat that can be lipoed off in a few months or hope and pray with working out going back to my healthy eating comes off. I am still in yoga pants stretchy skirts and dresses. I would kill to wear some cute shorts or a pair of my jeans but I can't they are to tight in hips and thighs.
The surgery is still worth it but I am just not near as happy as I was.

Updated on 2 Jul 2012:
Today was a huge huge day for me LOL. I was able to run 1.6 miles(not my normal 3-4 miles). I was not happy about that but when I sat and looked at how far out of surgery I am and all the post op do's and dont's being given and then taken away because of my stubbornness, I changed my outlook. I ran more then someone sitting on the couch, plus I had very little amount of swelling that was gone with in a few hours. I am only 9 weeks out and I stayed on my healthy eating. I am going to do some light kettlebell work out tonight to gage how I feel for future work outs. I am hoping this fat on my stomach goes away and that my thighs slim down now. I did find it easier to run with out the hanging skin on the front of me and just that alone was a big thing to me. It made me feel some what lighter and more free.

I am still not into my pre surgery clothes (jeans that is) or shorts for that matter. I am afraid to even try it right now. I am 1 lb over my surgery weight but I have been doing strength training little amounts at a time like 2-3 times a week so that could just be muscle or fluid or anything for that matter because just a week and half ago I was down by 5 lbs.

Updated on 1 Aug 2012:
August 1st-11 weeks and some days.

I had a ps appt on Saturday and he showed me what was muscle and what was one(I thought what was muscle was fat and it's not) He said I am as tight as I am going to get I will just get more defined. I mentioned I was dong ab work and he said that was a no no to top. Work on cardio and lower leg stuff. Im healing great I got the okay to swim. I am still in the binder for another 6 weeks to 3 months because I still have a lot of swelling(from doing to much). Over all I am happy with everything. There are some things now that I want to work on but I have to do it not the DR. so I have started that now.

Updated on 11 Jan 2013:
So I am 8 post op and things have been going so so. I gained some weight due to some hormonal issues I had going on(I was working out and eating right everyday). We got those taken care of and I am back on losing. I gained 20 lbs from my pre op and now I am lower from pre op by two lbs. I had actually got down past pre op by month 4 by 8 lbs. Anyways pre op I was a size 14 comfortably a size 12 depending on the jean. I am now a comfy 12 almost an 11. My thighs and butt are so much bigger probably due to the weight gain.

I was suppose to go back in October I believe for my last post op appt and I never went. I was disappointed in the weight gain,I was ashamed and just not happy at that point. I skipped so many things and kinda hid at home for a bit. My scaring is dark and puffy still around the belly button and along the tummy. I have a spot were it looks like it relaxed to much on my hips that I am not happy with. I am pretty sure if I do a revision on that area I am liable for the cost but that is out of the question right now and that is not happening this soon after the holidays.

I am at a loss. I am not sure what to do if I should go ahead make an appt and go in and see the PS and explain everything or just say screw it. Now my other battle is my arms...body improvement the never ending story

I had great results now that 6 months have past. My skin draped very nicely on my neck and stomach. I could have done a neck lift which I think I will do in the future, but I'm very happy with the night and day difference,especially in my profile.

DO NOT SEE THIS DOCTOR! Referred to him because of nerve pain. Never got back to me about my test results. Called multiple times. Then assistant set up appointment for him to call me. He never called. This happened twice. Filed a complaint at UCLA patient experiences. Then he called the next day to say, he didn't have time for my results because before because he had surgeries all day long starting at 6:00 am. Said he didn't care that I contacted patient experiences. Said he could not treat my nerve pain and charged $1800. for a 19 minute phone call. Bad Doctor.