Panniculectomy & Hernia repair....46 yr old

While I realize I have not been on here for a while I figured I should do a quick update. I have lost more weight and as I have the deformity from the complications has started to look a bit better. I will eventually have to find a surgeon to repair the permanent muffin top left behind by the panni/hernia repair complications. I don't regret having the surgery though!

I have actually since last being on here been doing a lot of physical therapy to deal with the horrific spasms I get since the panni/hernia repair. I also had a revision to my old VBG done and have lost more weight. It is definitely showing in my lower tummy area and the belly is slowly but surely getting more towards the flat stage. Well, that is except my upper belly/torso. It is even larger looking to me than prior to the panni/hernia repair. I truely believe it is swelling due to the hernia mesh.....I am going to look into that soon enough. I took some pictures of my laying down in bed and how the lower belly is looking now.....and what I notice the most is how much I am really starting to dislike my FUPA! UGH! As I loose more weight I will see how that decreases, if at all. I have loaded the pictures of what I took this morning as a comparison to what it was before. You can see in the side view shots that upper belly torso is still quite protruding. Please excuse the FUPA in the shots. Kinda hard to not get when trying to show where the scar line is and all. As you can see from the front view in the mirror the unevenness of how it healed after having that huge wound vac is still extremely noticeable. I am not sure if that will ever look decent again. :-(

Still have the swollen tummy and lopsidedness. It is slowly getting a bit better..but my upper abdominal area is still swollen compared to before but it is getting better. I have been taking it easy for about 4 weeks now as I have found out I have herniated discs in my neck now. A bit of cervical stenosis and arthritis up and down the neck. I have a sore neck and upper shoulders since surgery and I had figured it was simply the hospital beds. And when getting home it just has not gotten better. I finally broke down and went to see my Dr. My regular Dr suspects during surgery when I was intubated it may have put a strain on my neck causing the problem. Apparently that can be very traumatic on the neck. Never had that issue before :-( I have had the misfortune of a few surgeries in my past and never had neck issues afterward. So, now I am going to see a specialist this coming Friday and hope that we can get to making the issue better.

I have lost a bit more weight, but can't be very active because of the stress on my neck. It really is amazing how the neck can affect so many other things! Sitting, laying down, and yes, even walking!

Anyway....I havent taken pics in a while. There is still the pudge above the incision and the unevenness too it. I also noticed today how my left side has a bit more of a "love handle" when that had been all gone before being reopened. But...all in all it is much better! I will take pictures again soon and post.