5.5 weeks - is all this normal?

It's funny because right now I can't really SEE them because of my bad eyes and where they are. I had to get a mirror out! I feel like such a whiner.

Silicone, textured anatomical, under the muscle. I haven't taken measurements since right after. Great idea ~ thanks! I've been trying to watch my salt and eat pineapple, but I do love salt so I should probably watch better.

you will have some swelling, so that's normal. But things that can help. Drink enough water, or other fluids, if you are not drinking enough fluids that can make you swell worse, as your body tries to "hold" all liquids to protect tissues, and keep things going. Take a mild diuretic if needed, when you feel you are very uncomfortable. Ether a water pill, or one for pre menstrual water gain, or bloating. You can also drink diet teas that are good for losing temporary water weight. Use common sense, do not abuse and dehydrate yourself, also very bad. Of course this should only be used if you have no medical reason to avoid them. Certain medications should not be used when you take water loss products. Certain medications can also increase swelling. Many processed foods are very high in hidden sodium, which can make your body salt levels high. Take a good multivitamin, as skewed vitamin and mineral levels can goof up you body salt and fluid balances. If you are Pre Menstrual, water weight gain is also common. Both before, and during menstruation.

You are great, thank you! I had a hysterectomy many years ago but kept my ovaries and take HRT so I never know when or if I'm ovulating. That could have a lot to do with it! Going today to check out water pills. I took some pictures yesterday in jeans and the stomach was totally sticking out to say nothing of the thighs and butt that barely fit in them. I'm happy that the fat apron is gone, but still having a flat stomach would be really nice after $15K!

HRT can cause water weight issues, bloating, and difficulty losing weight.

Well water makes us gain weight so if drinking too much water, should we weigh more? Kinda confused with the water concept. I know water is good but seems like it makes my tummy huge after drinking aqua ;)

water does cause scakle weight, thats try. But your body absorbs it and pases it. This is one reason scale weihgh only is a poor judge of fitness. Because all food, all fluid, all fecial matter and urine, all glycogen in muscle have "weight" - so you can have a weight flucuation of as much a2 3-7 lbs in one day. And this is 100% normal. But it is not acuratly telling you how much is muscle, how much is fat, how much is fluid etc. A better way to judge fitness, is inche measurements, clothing fit etc. Used in combo with sacle weight. Just keep in mind scale weight in NOT the most accurate assessmet, but one tools only. Muscle and fat have much different volumn and mass, so if you have more muscle mass - you will weigh heavier n the scale - but you will be leaner, slimmer, tighter, and fit a smaller clothing size. Muscle takes up three to fours times less space./room on the body compared to fat.

if you are always bloated after drinking water, you need to find out whats going on. :) Obviously if you are drinking lots of air - this will cause bloating. Or if you are "gulping" (not drinking or sipping. )You may be ingesting a lot of air. Start using a straw maybe. Or try room temp water, not ice cold. Or use a water bottle or lidded sports cup, to slow the ingestion rate a bit. Or if you are drinking excessive amounts all at once - that could cause some temporary bloat. But should dissipate fairly quickly. But in general, water is one of the least likely liquids to cause bloating. But you may have some health issues that make your case different. Sodas and carbonated beverages, can case bloating. (sodium and carbonation gas) Milk and dairy can, as many people are slightly lactose intolerant. Fibers and high vegetable or fruit consumption can also cause bloating. So confirm you have not made other diet changes at the same time. (this is different then swelling though) Not drinking enough liquids (and this is all liquids, you donot have to drink watre only) - will cause swelling. The body is made of roughly 70-80 percent water. If you donot keep enough fluids in your system, you body trys to hold on to what it has to function, and begins to store it in tissues at higher levels to prevent dehydration. And as a result you will swell more. It also messes up your healing, and scar formation, and mineral balances.

sorry for typo! water does cause temporary scale weight changes - I mean. But it is temporary, and part of normal weight fluctuations in the day. I always weigh first thing in the AM, Naked, after passing all waste material, before drinking. And do not go by the scale weight day to day - rather go buy the average of the week, and the overall trend. Most people that diet binge a bit on weekends, and thus it takes a few days for the excess water weight to balance back. Excess carbs, sodium all cause the body to temporarily hold MORE ( also stored as part of normal glycogen storage used for energy in muscles and liver). Starting a new workout, also increases water in tissues and muscles, as body send fluid to those areas to repair injury. PMS, and menstruation causes water weight gain of 3-7 lbs. Some HRT and hormonal birth control items can cause water weight gain, and blaoting. Surgery cause water store and fluid storage, as body needs fluids in the injured areas to repair tissues. Because of all above, most people find that Fridays AM, are when they weight least. And gaining one pound one day, losing one the next, gaining two, losing one - all normal. All part of normal body fluctuations or fluids, tissue adjustments and so forth. Thus - do not look at scale weight everyday and use that as a final count of diet failure or progress - thats inaccurate. Its only ONE tool, and the least accurate. Rather track your weight, but look at an overall trend using 4 weeks weights as a guide. using clothing fit, inch changes etc. (hard to do after surgery with swelling, but measure once a week in the am when you are smallest, usually Fridays) Then you look at long term numbers to confirm you are consistently losing over a 4 to 6 week range. Not from day to day. Also know - you cannot lose more than roughly 2 lbs of fat in one week. Any loss over that is water, and muscle. Not stuff you want to lose. (unless you are hughly overweight, then you can loss a bit higher amounts of fats per week - but thats some over 75 lbs or more of excess fat only) If its water, it will not stay gone. Its temporary, until you drink a lot again, and your body regulates your fluid balance. If its muscle, that leads to less scale weight, but you also look less toned and sleek, more flabby. And your metabolism begins to slow with muscle loss. Not good.

Thanks for all that info!!!

also just an example. In high school I was size 7. Now I am size 7/8. I am 15-20 lbs heavier on average then I was in high school. yet I look smaller, leaner, tighter, more toned, more fit, no jiggle. The difference is I have a MUCH higher muscle mass then I did in high school. I do not look "muscley" but I look sleeker, tigher and definitely more toned. I still have good curves and softness where I should, as I do not let my body fat drop to low. But I have muscle to support tissues. My abs and butt are much tighter , flatter in the case of my abs (well not now because of swelling, and doughy puffy look from that :) ) and my butt is rounded and lifted but in a good way. I am 49 years old. The muscle I have build, weighs more then the fat, on the scale . And is much tighter then the loose un-toned muscle I had in high school. But clothing fits well, and my ab muscles corset in my inner body organs. Keeping things looking lean in that area, and hourglass like. If your abs are loose, inner organs, like stomach, intestines (food or water in stomach also) etc press out, and make abs look "rounded" and give the round tummy look . Tight abs hold everything in and tight. Even when the PS stitches abs together, they are still going to have slackness/losseness, if you have not worked them to tighten them. And donot maintain that tightness.

Thank you - the right boob and the pooch are bothersome but still better than before!

Yours ARE beautiful - thank you for the encouragement! I know I will love them just feel such envy when friends who are 1-10+ years down the BA road whip off their pretty sport bras and have pert but jiggly boobies, haha!

Thank you! I really didn't think I'd care about placement since I don't plan on wearing a bikini ever, but seeing how it's kinda in a "crease" area, it makes me realize it might not look so Frankenbodish when a male actually sees it for the first time!