39 Yr Old Mom of 4, Tummy Tuck with Implant Swap - New York

My swelling gets worse throughout the day. Very uncomfortable. Every day I walk straighter a little bit. I'm 16 days post op (nov 14) was my surgery. The swelling is the worst by far.

I sure hope so. Nobody told me how long the recovery process can be. Not even my dr. I'm depressed. I just feel like it's so tight it's never going to stretch. lol. Like he made a mistake. I know, crazy.

That's how I feel as well. My daughter calls it phantom tummy syndrome. Lol. I feel so much better in the binder. I feel loose and weird without it. It does help.

Phantom tummy syndrome! That's it. She nailed it! Too funny!

And I'm moving around, no pain meds in over a week, Colace every day, water, etc. I was so constipated today. I went get into graphics, but it was like literally giving birth. I was actually crying. Any tips?

That sounds yummy!! I need more fruits, veggies and fibers as I'm very constipated. I feel pregnant. It's so weird. More swollen around belly button and upper abdomen. My PS is in NY, I'm in NC. I wish I was closer. 10 hr drive, 2 hour flight, big inconvenience. I'm definitely calling the office tomorrow!

Wow! That's far! I don't see how some of you travel so far.

I'm from NY, transplanted to NC a year and a half ago. I don't know doctors here or trust them. He had done my previous surgery in 2007 and I am also friends with his wife who is an RN. I was most comfortable but it stinks being so far.

That makes sense that you would trust him and go that far then, having a connection with him and his wife already. If I have more work done, I would probably travel further if I had to go back to my same surgeon. He is worth it.

Definitely. All this is so mentally draining.

A little less uncomfortable if I don't do much, which stinks. I'm 22 days post op. Must update my pics. Thank you :)

Thanks for the confidence! I've been dreading the dr tomorrow for fear of him telling me I messed up my muscle repair. I don't know how, since I was cleared at 6 weeks to exercise, and waited until 8 weeks. Walking and elliptical with a slight incline? That causes muscle soreness. It still hurts in my abdomen. It's been a week. I didn't lift weights or anything. Hopefully I have no seroma or hernia. But if I do, I need to go back to NY to my ps there. Prayers, please!! Thank you for letting me vent :)

My abs were sore from walking for a while. My surgeon's nurse told me not to push through pain. My upper abs and around my belly button burn and ache sometimes. My surgeon is 2 hours away. It is frustrating to need reassurance and not get it. Your GP could detect a seroma or hernia. I've never heard of a seroma so far postop. I hope you don't have anything major foing on. Sending good vibes :)

Knock on wood, I have no seroma fluid. Just fluid from swelling. Saw local ps today. I had actually spoken to my dr last night, and he was surprised but my pics looked like it. I'm very relieved!! Thank you for your good vibes :) my dr had told me at 6 weeks don't push through pain. So I guess exercise twice a week, and sit out the next 2. Lol.

If that's what it takes. :)

Also this ps said that my operating ps did not tighten the muscles tight enough, and that's why the regular swelling made me look bigger - skin laxity. Very annoyed about that.

I would be very upset if my muscles weren't tightened enough. Are you saying that your skin appears tighter because of the expansion of the muscles that weren't tightened enough? I know my skin is not as tight as it was in the first month or so and my swelling looks more like a fluid pocket when it happens now. My scar actually goes over my hips around my back and I get this puffy ridge above it sometimes. I was thinking about how you said just walking and the elliptical hurt your abs. When I swell more, my upper abs hurt. I think it is because the swelling creates a tugging sensation. I complained about it around 8 weeks postop to my surgeon and he did the finger check for the muscle repair. He said "Let's see if you messed anything up in here." I was like ???? I didn't mess it up, the muscles that were tightened attach to the bottom of our ribs and a lot of pain comes from tugging there. I spasmed a lot for a while. I needed muscle relaxers just from sitting at my desk all day. Anyway, sorry to keep going on and on. It is just nice to compare notes with others who have gone further along in recovery like us. Do you swell anywhere else? I get a lot of upper body and facial swelling still. I used to not have that issue. Do you get nauseous too?

Your describing exactly what I'm going through! I'm not alone!! Always my upper abs and tugging feeling. I hate that. No other swelling that I noticed. I get nauseous all the time. Especially while walking around. Do you know why that is??

I'll have to ask my dr why the nausea. I was like that with food. I tend to eat more at night. I have lost over 12 pounds since surgery. I only gain/lose about 2 pounds I'm assuming of fluid. When I wore the binder all those weeks, and back in now, I had a hard time eating. Fuller. I think I'm just stretching back out now. I get reflux now, too. I bet it's because we don't eat enough protein. I tend to go for the carbs. I am still in yoga pants. I worse jeans once, and it was uncomfortable.

I do well with protein from Greek yogurt and protein powder supplement in whatever meat I have at dinner. I've been in jeans for a couple of months now. My old jeans are huge so it never bugged me to wear them after my drains came out. Sorry things are taking a while. It goes by so fast. A year from now, we probably won't think about the surgery often. I really hate the swelling.

You look great by the way. My swelling is in bulges. So it's like alien protrusions! Ha! This is consuming me. My breaste always hurt during the week and during my cycle with the bigger implants I put in. It's unbearable. I couldn't sleep last night, so I stayed home today and slept. I made a decision that I'm taking these implants out. The swelling is causing all of our pain. But I will give it until nov 14, 2015. Fingers crossed for us :)

Thanks! Why are you getting the implants out? They look great. I am very envious as I wanted breast augmentation but couldn't talk my husband into it. I have sort of learned to accept it. I just can't find bras that fit right so it is frustrating. I'm a B on one side and a C on the other :/

I had my augmentation done in 2007. I decided to go slightly bigger during tt. Just a simple swap out. We discussed sizes. He went way too big while I was under. They are very heavy and uncomfortable. I just want to go back to a smaller size. Maybe one day the hubby will say go for it!! :)

I understand that. I wouldn't want a heavy chest either. I'm still paying for my tummy tuck and it looks like I am going to be scheduling my knee surgery for as soon as possible. I think financially, by the time the debt is cleared up, I will be ready for a new car. :) I don't have a car payment now at least.

I know about that. I finances my surgeries. So expensive for beauty. And pain. ! Knee surgery sounds awful. You're a trooper. Earlier my husband finally convinced me to take a Percocet for this pain. I haven't taken one since about 10-12 days post op. He just hates seeing me in pain. I don't like meds at all but didn't want to take Flexeril because of heart risks. I have been so nauseous for the last few hours. I just kept praying please don't throw up. My abs couldn't handle that right now. Still trying to remain still and calm. I just had to get a new car because my lease was up on my old one. I hate car payments! You're so lucky you don't have one, I'm jealous.