2 month PO - good eating, exercise, and patience has paid off! - Dartmouth, MA

2 months!! I can't believe how fast it has gone! The past 2 weeks since I have stopped wearing any kind of binder has helped me feel so much better, and more like my normal self. I have noticed a lot of the swelling has gone done in the past week. I still have a small amount of swelling the end of the day directly above my incision directly in the middle, but other then that I feel great. I have been doing 45 min of cardio every morning with no complaints. Abs still feel slightly tender like I have done a lot of crunches, but nothing I can' t deal with. This whole process has taught me patience big time!! I didn't even post after my 6 wk check with md, because I was so frustrated and upset. I was still very swollen at that time and I didn't really get any reassurance from him. He said to wait a couple of months and then we could "discuss our options", meaning lipo on my abdomen? After everything that was the last thing I wanted to hear. Shouldn't that have been taken care of with the surgery???? Needless to say depression hit big time!! Thank goodness for this site. I myself realized that it was way to early in the recovery process to be judging...so good eating, exercise, and patience has paid off! I surprised myself at how much things can change in just a matter of 2 weeks! Happy healing everyone!!

Had my 1 month post op!! Everything is going well! Have been feeling pretty good!Back to regular routine, minus the exercise. For some reason more tired the last couple of days. Finally sleeping good! Oh how I have missed my bed! Got a little nervous at begining of week, had a red goopy spot on my incision. MD thought it was more from irritation from binder. Looks much better now. Had my 1 month recheck with MD. Everything looking good. Got the ok to wear any bra I want!! Still have to wear CG :( I had tried weening down, getting scared that I am not going to be able to function without it!! I feel like my back is so weak and sore when I don't have it on?!? I was starting to get nervous about my "prego bulge swelling" above my incsion, but MD did confirm that it is still swollen. I had to very nicely explain to him that I understood that it is not always possible to get everyone completely flat, but for my own emotional status I need to know what to expect with me. That made me happy just knowing that it is still going to get better. I don't want to be keeping my hopes up with unrealistic expectations. I have to say that I am loving my boobs! I was so afraid of shirts not fitting right, but now it is so much more fun having them!! Definately a confidence boost!! I picked up a bikini just to try...haven't attempted that in years. Bottoms are a little too low for incision, but it was fun anyways!!

Post op #15.....Saw the nurse practitioner yesterday, had BB sutures and breast sutures out! She said everything is healing nicely! I am to keep steri strips on tummy until they fall off. I still have swelling in lower abs above suture which I HATE!!! I know, I know/...normal, but man it suckkkks!! I have lost 5lb since surgery but I can't even button my "fat day" jeans with the mega suckage compression garment on! Very frustrating! I am kind of confused on whether I should be wearing the binder or compression garment?? The NP I saw yesterday I should still be wearing the binder as much as possible, but on day #3 the PS gave me 2 medical grade compression garments. I feel like the CG keep everything so much more smooth?? The binder compresses me in all crazy places and I am just wondering if that has any effect on how the areas that had lipo heal?? Any suggestions greatly appreciated!!! Slept in bed last night, not great though! Think it is back to the chair tonight! I think I used my stomach muscles too much just trying to get comfortable because today they seem so much more sore and tired today.