Robert Toma, MBBS, FRACS

All my life I have had saggy upper arms, I hated them so much I never went out without sleeves or a shawl to cover them
Not many posts show the scars and healing process so I am posting mine!
3 layers of stitches all dissolving
About 3.5 hr surgery
Have had micropore tape on total length of scars
Main issue is haemotomas on both elbows and swollen left hand
This will take a few weeks to settle
In the mean time I am wearing compression tubing

i had the procedure on thursday last and today is monday. i came home from hospital at lunchtime with my right side drain still attached, lots of pain in the back from sleeping on it, used high strength pain killers and wheat packs. couldn't cope without these. a little better each day but miserable a lot of the time. tears this morning. my husband has come around and is being very good now after not wanting me to have it. you really need to want this operation badly to take it on i feel. a bit like having children, you feel you will never do it to yourself again, also my views on euthanasia have been reconfirmed. if it stayed like this indefinitely, pull my plug!!
will post again tomorrow.

Updated on 10 Nov 2013:
hi, i have been home for 7 days and am able to move around a lot more in terms of moving my legs and arms to help me to move in the bed. i find the best things are to all someone strong to take both my hands and gently pull back until i am sitting up to help me sit and then get out of bed. no other way reallly which is a big part of this which no one seems to give advice for. the nurses are not allowed to so this for health and safety reasons so you are left to your own very limited resources. I am keeping up the pain meds (very important) my umbilicus is still draining since the drain tubes were removed so the skin around that area is becoming irritated from the tape being pulled off whenever i change the dressing (hourly). this is my biggest worry at the moment. i don't want the fragile skin to break down. am off to see my surgeon this a.m. to check this. apparently the compromised blood supply to the area is the cause of the difficulty in healing. i am resting more and letting others do things for me. movies to take my mind of things.

Updated on 17 Nov 2013:
hi there again,
well i am a lot more cheerful this week. my tummy feels weird through the numb parts and shooting nerve endings (not painful just weird) my hips and thighs are still very swollen (i think that is why they are mostly numb also) especially the left one. much easier to move around and get in and out of bed. i have a four week check up scheduled and aim to be able to ride my new horse by xmas day. (six week mark). i will be carefully recommencing my job teaching piano this coming week. my stomach looks flat but the lipo will need less swelling to really see the difference there (another xmas present) but the doctor says it will take 3 months (end of january) to see the full results. hang in there everyone and spoil yourself for these months!!! you need to.

Updated on 24 Nov 2013:
hi again
i am now 3 weeks post op and moving around pretty well. i still walk with a slight stoop and a shuffle. whenever i try to stand erect i can feel the suture line pull and i don't like this. the tape keeps it nice and together and i don't to compromise this. my hips where the lipo was are still sore and swollen. it is hard to believe that it will take 3 months for this to disapate. i have returned to my part time job and find it difficult to manouever getting in and out of the car. but not impossible. still sleeping in the guest bedroom as i can't imagine sleeping in the same bed as someone else yet. i need the space to get really comfortable. don't really need pain meds but it helps to have some sleepers sometimes. i have my 4 week check up next monday. i will post befores and afters when i have my afters. i haven't taken any pics of my own inbetween. i can carefully roll onto my sides to sleep. can't ride my horse until xmas i have calculated. that will be 6 week mark. i have a stomach band which i got several years ago and the port had to be repositioned and it hurts as it is attached to the muscle that was sutured. i hope this pain will go away eventually. bye for now

Updated on 1 Dec 2013:
hi,
tomorrow is my check up with my surgeon. my right hip is taking longer to 'settle down' than my left and is bright red and sore, and also sore along that end of the suture line, i am guessing it is still more swollen around that area. my left hip is not nearly as sore and is not red at all really. i am wondering which parts of me are still swollen and how much i can expect to thin down in the next 2 months. belly button has well and truly stopped draining but still a scab inside which i am too scared to move. will also ask if i can ride my horse yet. it is not the riding which worries me but the falling off!

Updated on 2 Dec 2013:
hi , i had my 5/6 week check up yesterday and dr toma said my shape looked very nice. that was my waist from the frontal view (my sides coming in) but my husband says he has to say that. however i can see a nice shape developing but i am swollen still everywhere according to dr toma so i can't really confirm definitely that it was worth it until at least 3 months are up. also the full results are seen after 12 months so that is why i can't tick the 'was worth it ' box yet.

Updated on 9 Dec 2013:
hi everyone, i saw my surgeon yesterday and he says i am going on well but still swollen everywhere. my abdomen feels weird and lumpy but apparently this is the swelling and is normal. i had some after pictures taken and have an apointment for the 12 week mark when most of the swelling should be gone but can keep reducing for up to 12 months. i wish you could see the end result (12 month mark) before deciding to have the procedure. it would let you know that yes it will be worth it.

Updated on 16 Dec 2013:
hi, i am hoping to get up (and down from) my horse and just walk around the paddock with someone leading me. she is very quiet but falling off doesn't bear thinking about. my hairdresser noticed that my abdomen is looking flatter (the first person to say anything) and i am going out to a xmas party on thursday and am hoping to feel more self confident there.

Updated on 3 Feb 2014:
hi, today i had my after pics for my 3 month check up. here are the befores and afters:

Updated on 3 Feb 2014:
here are my befores and afters at the 3 month mark.

Updated on 3 Feb 2014:
i have been unable to upload the pics as 7 mega bites is way too small for even one before and after. sorry!

Updated on 3 Feb 2014:
front before and after

Updated on 3 Feb 2014:
front before

Updated on 3 Feb 2014:
front after

Updated on 3 Feb 2014:
before back

Updated on 3 Feb 2014:
before back