Hernia Repair with Tummy Tuck - Boston, MA

I needed an umbilical hernia repair and have always hated my large abdomen, especially after 3 c-sections, so decided to have a TT with hernia repair. The cost would have been $10,700, but insurance covered fees related to hernia, including one overnight in the hospital. Thank goodness for that! I never would have been able to make it home. If staying over is an option for you, I highly recommend it!! Although my sx was compounded with hernia, and I received narcotics for pain after sx which caused me to breathe very slowly to the point that I needed oxygen and constant monitoring by an RN. And then I vomited a couple times. So, if you have a straightforward TT and no aversion to narcotics, you will be good! My PS also did lipo of my flanks and they were very bruised after, but that went away in about a week. I had a pain pump which consists of 2 thin catheters going into the upper belly and they are attached to a button and plastic pump holding the med (marcaine). The pump was wonderful!! It does run out after a few days and you have to pull the tubes out yourself, but it didn't hurt at all as they are VERY skinny. I had one Jackson Pratt drain which is a tube inside your body that comes out of your incision and is sutured in place. It's a plastic thingy that collects blood and fluid and you have to empty it. The doctor removed this one when I was putting out less than 30cc's a day which was at 2 weeks. Some days I put out 200cc's. I read the range of times to have it in is a few days to 3 weeks and some people have more than one drain. My incision is 12 inches long and very thin. My PS closes with inside dissolving stitches which work great! The only incisional pain I've had is the first couple times I got out of bed there was a lot of burning and pain. Now it feels great and I rub vit e oil on it every day and wear oleeva clear on it 23 hours per day. I have minimal swelling below my waist, but my upper belly is very swollen and there is a grapefruit size bulge right in the middle that causes me a lot of pain. My muscles were very separated so perhaps it was a struggle to bring them back together, I just really hope the swelling goes down, and I no longer have a bulging belly! I was cleared to sleep without my binder on, but find I am more comfortable in the am if I sleep with it on. Mornings are best, and the swelling and pain increase as the day goes on. The only pain med I take is one demoral at night to sleep. Tylenol and motrin have zero effect on this type of pain for me. I did not have a new belly button made, mine is just lower from the ps pulling the skin tighter. I'm hoping it looks better after all is said and done, or that it's easily fixed. My PS said it was very challenging bc the hernia had thinned the skin so much it was like tissue. I am only 2.4 weeks and my lower belly is great, but only time will tell if this was all worth it.

Surgery was Jan 12, 2011