POSTED UNDER Panniculectomy Reviews
30 Years Old and 70 Pound Weight Loss. Erie, PA
UPDATED FROM ajdeloe38j
Infection
ajdeloe38jJune 25, 2016
So yesterday morning I woke up and a part of my incision had stated leaking overnight. I called my PS and he put me on Augmwentin. The area that was leaking is very swollen, red, warm to touch, and hard. In the afternoon before even starting the antioniotic it stopped leaking thank goodness because I was terrified that my incision would open up or they would have to put another drain tube back in. Just keeping my fingers crossed that the meds take over and this will just be a little hiccup in my road to recovery. On a positive note this was my first week back to work and it wasn't bad at all. I was tired, walked slower than normal, but all in all not bad! I am going out with my husband and some friends tonight to listen to our favorite local band and it should be a blast!
UPDATED FROM ajdeloe38j
3 Week Post Op
ajdeloe38jJune 22, 2016
Tomorrow I will be 3 weeks post op. Feeling better today than yesterday. Finally it my 2nd drain tube removed. I was still draining around 150cc's daily but due to having the drain tube in for almost 3 weeks he had to remove it because the risk of infection was to high. My PS said that if we needed to we would put a new drain tube in, but we are going to try and see how my body does without it in. I'm wearing my binder all the time and noticed a little seepage but not too bad. I am just keeping my fingers crossed that my incision doesn't open up because of it. I go back next week for another follow up so we will see how that goes. Keeping my fingers crossed. I will post a few updates pictures in the next day or so.
Replies (2)
June 22, 2016
Glad your feeling better :) I haven't heard from the doctor to see if I get approved for my panniulectomy yet .I hope to hear from them soon
UPDATED FROM ajdeloe38j
Problem with JP Drain Tube
ajdeloe38jJune 15, 2016
This past Sunday I was sitting in church and noticed a wet spot on my pants my husband said "you need to go check it out". When I went to the bathroom I noticed my drain tube had quite draining and the fluid was draining out of the site where the tube went into my body. I soaked through pads all day and was very swollen and my entire body hurt, but I sucked it up until Monday morning. I called my PS and thy put him on the phone with me. He wanted to see me and said that he would try to fix it but if he could not get it draining properly then I would have to get it removed and a new one put in. So after seeing him, he was able to get the drain unclogged. Thank god! It was like the flood gates opened up! The tube kept draining and draining! Today it is still working properly draining around 100cc's still and I will be 2 weeks post op tomorrow. Keeping my fingers crossed that I can get the tube out Thursday or Friday because I am scheduled to go back to work on Monday and I still have to take sponge baths. I really don't want to have to worry about taking sponge baths when I am working. Feeling sore today, and honestly on Sunday and Monday I felt the worst I have felt my entire post op time. I am so swollen and I know it will get worse before it gets better, but I am hoping I am getting over the worst part. Here is to hoping that my drainage decreases very soon!!!
Replies (3)
June 15, 2016
Thank you so much for sharing! This has given me such a better insight in what to prepare for when i decide to have this done! Good luck with your healing & please keep sharing!
June 15, 2016
If I may ... I'm about 9 weeks out from my abdominoplasty. I had two drains and was recovering very well until ... My first drain had been removed, and things were progressing normally, but then my second drain failed. My surgeon says it's the first in place drain he's ever had fail, and of course I developed a Seroma which required me to drive two hours (to and from his office) for aspirations with a huge 18g needle three times a week. Being a weight loss patient, my body just kept swelling and swelling with fluid.
The reason I'm even troubling you with this information is to encourage you to be as patient as possible with your drain. My surgeon was not able to get mine working when it quit, and he opted for the aspirations rather than taking me back into surgery to replace the drain. (I'd MUCH rather have had the drain put back into place than all these weeks of aspirations; talk about black and blue!!!!)
Anyway, I just wanted to share this with you so perhaps you will be able to tolerate your drain better. I also wanted to ask ... are you positive you can't at least shower with your drain still in place? I was instructed that it was okay. They recommended using something around my neck to clip the drain on so that it hung freely in order for me to shower.
I hope your recovery continues on a smooth and positive path. I wish you all the best, and hope your results exceed your expectations.
All my best wishes for you.
Warmly,
Kelly
❤️
June 15, 2016
Thank you for sharing your story with me! I was just telling my aunt today that I have come to terms that I would have to go back to work with my drain tube, but I would rather have that in than fill up with fluid again because that was painful. I have never felt that swollen ever! My PS still does not want me to shower and I have been using the lanyard to help with the drain tube. I have made it work, takes me a little longer, but at least I feel better after I am done. How are you feeling now? I exercise 4-5 times weekly including running and I know I will have to wait, but was just curios on when u started to feel like yourself again. Thanks again!!
June 16, 2016
Thank you for responding to my input. I would urge you not to use me as any sort of "normal" to analyze what's to be expected. With a Seroma, yes, it's INCREDIBLY uncomfortable, and the only ways to deal with it, in my case were aspiration, compression (also very uncomfortable for me personally ... Especially by the end of the day!) and restriction of activity. So I've been on restricted activity all this time (depressing!) aside from going and coming to and from the surgeon's office (which two hours at least of sitting in the car isn't helpful either) I don't want what I write to discourage anyone; as my case, while not abnormal, hasn't been the typical. I really can't say I'm feeling like myself yet. But I know that when I do ... I'm going to be so very glad to be through all of this. I'm just dieing to walk my dog and get more air!
I do know that a full year is the recovery time to be what's considered "healed". I think six months out, barring other complications is when I was told I'd have an inkling of a more normal "me".
I've been very fortunate in that I'm not working so I don't have to be performing on the job. But to be honest, I'd rather be doing that!
The motive behind my message was to give you another perspective, and hopefully motivate patience with yourself. This is no easy deal, even under the best of circumstances; especially for weight loss patients as we tend to be "juicier", lol.
From what I can extrapolate from your post, you seem to be doing well, and taking good care of yourself. I'm very glad for you and hope you will continue on that path!
I look forward to reading about your progress. All my very best to you! ❤️
I do know that a full year is the recovery time to be what's considered "healed". I think six months out, barring other complications is when I was told I'd have an inkling of a more normal "me".
I've been very fortunate in that I'm not working so I don't have to be performing on the job. But to be honest, I'd rather be doing that!
The motive behind my message was to give you another perspective, and hopefully motivate patience with yourself. This is no easy deal, even under the best of circumstances; especially for weight loss patients as we tend to be "juicier", lol.
From what I can extrapolate from your post, you seem to be doing well, and taking good care of yourself. I'm very glad for you and hope you will continue on that path!
I look forward to reading about your progress. All my very best to you! ❤️
June 16, 2016
Again thank you for all the helpful input! It's nice to have input from others who have actually gone through it first hand. I am just going to continue doing what inhale been and hope for the best! Still have 4 more days till the JP drain will come out. Keeping my fingers crossed that maybe by Monday my output will decrease and I won't have to worry about having to get any fluid aspirated.
June 16, 2016
I'm hoping for all smooth sailing for you. You're really looking good. Here's celebrating the coming times of feeling good too! ❤️
June 18, 2016
Two weeks was still terrible for me too. I'm sorry you're still having drain problems! I got mine out at 2 weeks and then at 3 weeks I felt like a new person. You're almost out of the tunnel!
June 19, 2016
That's good to hear! Hope I feel the same way! Keeping my fingers crossed!!!!
Replies (3)