Drainless TT and Flank Lipo

Dr Pollock and his staff were fantastic. My first appointment was virtual due to covid, the second appointment was in person and Dr Pollock and Kim went over all of my questions and were very thorough. We decided on an Extended Drainless tummy tuck and flank lipo. My surgery was 5/29 and I spent the night in the surgery institute and the nurses there were fantastic too. On Sat 5/30 Dr Pollock came into the hospital to change my dressings and answer any further questions I had. He has great bedside manner and you never feel like he’s in a hurry. Recovery is sore, but to be expected, with the drainless process I think I am moving around pretty good and thankful for no gross drains! On Day 6 today and stitches out tomorrow. I am sleeping and resting in a recliner and moving around ok. My results so far look good, minus the bruising and swelling. Excited for 6 months from now when the full results will show without swelling!

I have been getting messages asking to explain the recovery a bit more, so here it goes!

I was so scared about pain and constipation and am pleased to tell you that the experience is honestly not as bad as I had built it up to be! You are going to be sore and you get these little nerve kicks that hurt but go away quickly. My dr uses Celebrex which you take at 7 am and 7 pm and it helps with inflammation and pain, he wants you off the hard stuff as fast as you can.

I got to the hospital at 6:00 and was prepped and marked. Note if your tubes are not tied you have to pee in a cup to prove you are not pregnant. This was difficult as you can’t have anything to eat or drink past midnight. It delayed my surgery an hour as I couldn’t go! Once the IV fluids were in I was able to produce! I spent the night at the surgery center for day 1, so glad that I did. I went under about 8:00 and the surgery was 4.5 hours, I was up in my room by 3:00. The dr had me walk that afternoon and night and was up for the bathroom. The hardest part was the barrel roll out of the bed, once up you are good! Very swollen, pain was manageable since I was on an IV. If you are able, stay the night at the clinic you have the surgery, the nurses were so helpful.

Day 2 was more painful than day 1. Start colace a few days before procedure, then stay on top of + miralax with the pain pills. I learned that you can take Miralax up to 2-3 times a day if needed. I went to straight Tylenol and Celebrex on day 3. The nerve endings and sides are the most painful, I am black, blue and yellow on sides, butt and upper thighs! I highly recommend sleeping in a recliner with a foot wedge pillow, my husband had to help me get up the first 4 days, I am able to push with my hands and use my feet independently now without squinting! I showered on day 4 and 6, gets a bit easier each day.

Had the steristrips removed on Day 7, didn’t hurt as I am still so numb. My belly button is coming along, waiting on the edges to curl in and applying polysporin daily. I was very swollen at the end of the day yesterday after the dr visit and visit to my moms. Flatter this AM after rest.

Sneezing, coughing and laughing hurt! Avoid when you can!! Thankful I didn’t sneeze until day 6, I think I would have cried on days 1-4.

Today is day 20, tried on a bikini for the first time. Have some work to do when I can workout again, but not too shabby! I am walking 2-4 miles a day and moving around pretty good. Started driving and can get up and down much easier. Only complaint is that I am super itchy!