POSTED UNDER Tummy Tuck Reviews
Gym Rat, Single Mom with a Flat Tummy Just Waiting to Happen! - Pasadena, CA
UPDATED FROM GymRat1980
1 month post
5 weeks PO and counting
GymRat1980May 15, 2015
WORTH IT$7,290
I haven't been able to update in a while - life is sorta non-stop again after the three weeks off from work and Mummahood! I've started using Scaraway gel on my scar and took a picture yesterday. Look forward to updating as I go along and hopefully the line will fade more and more.
I'm also looking forward to hitting the gym again. Will start off slowly but God, I miss my routine!
For me, the gym = drinking more water (at all) = more protein intake = less Chinese chicken wings = less bloat = more good feelings ya?
Cannot wait!
I'm also looking forward to hitting the gym again. Will start off slowly but God, I miss my routine!
For me, the gym = drinking more water (at all) = more protein intake = less Chinese chicken wings = less bloat = more good feelings ya?
Cannot wait!
GymRat1980's provider
UPDATED FROM GymRat1980
23 days post
Hello! Long time, no update...
GymRat1980May 1, 2015
Sorry I've been off the RS grid. Since my last update, a little girl came home to her Mommy, life took over, rest sorta ended etc.
About 2 weeks post-op, I also started feeling rough - feverish but no fever at all. Just aches and the shakes and very tired. Quite honestly, it was the worst I felt since the actual surgery. Went to bed super early with the kiddo on Tuesday night of the 21st. Slept terribly. Woke up as tired as I went to bed, was very irritable with my little one (didn't have the patience for her tying her laces, awful mommy who was snappy :( ). Anyway, we finally get in the elevator to get her to school. As we reach the ground floor, I suddenly feel extremely light-headed and nauseous and I decided driving wasn't a great idea when I'm feeling this bad. Hit the button going back up again, mumbling something to my little girl about needing to go back home because I don't feel good. Stepped back to hold on to something and the next thing I remember is waking up on floor to her crying hysterically "Mommy wake up!". By this time, the door is opening and closing on my foot. Gathered myself up thinking "[RS bleep], I actually felt and my skirt is up and I have no underwear on, glad no one else was in here". Stumbled a few steps after I got up and passed out again. I was able to get up again and get to my apt and call my building manager. She's become a good friend and I called her first because she was home. Then I paged my surgeon who asked me to get to urgent care right away and get blood tests and what not. I was due to have my drains taken out at 1pm that day so I thought great, I'll go do that first and then schlep over to Pasadena for the drains. Little did I know that I was going to be admitted for 2 and a bit days with a seroma. At one point, the ER doctor on duty, a pretty senior doctor in the trauma unit was adamant about possibly operating to get the infection out. Everything was happening so fast; white count was high, BP super low and heart rate high. After a CT scan, the spotted fluid which in the end (thankfully) was drained via ultrasound guided aspiration...phew!
Was afraid that I was going to be cut open again, ruining my perfect TT scar. But above all of that, I was worried that I was about to snuff it and my girl end up being a 4 year old orphan :(
Anyway, cut to the chase, those were a terrible few days at the hospital. Was sent home last Friday with Bactrim antibiotics for 7 days (twice a day), and drains finally came out that following Monday. I finally wore underwear for the first time in 3 weeks and after a few hours of acclimating to underwear and a binder, I went back to the office for two hours.
It's Friday tomorrow and this week was all about to getting back into my routine but very slowly. The binder felt very weird at first but after 4 days, it feels weird not having it on. It makes me feel secure strangely.
I have my follow up next Monday and DOT will check for fluid and what not. But otherwise I feel much better as I near the end of my course of antibiotics. Having those drains taken out felt so good. I sang all the way home.
So. In a nutshell. Had a bit of a scare but on the mend!
I don't know how seroma's happen, whether I did anything wrong or whether the drains were in wrong or whether I should have been in a binder earlier. I don't know. All I can advise anyone is a) seriously take it easy after surgery and get help if you're a single mom like me who lives alone and has friends/family that live far away or don't know your little TT secret and b) at the first hint of feeling unwell, all of a sudden, or feeling feverish, light headed etc. CALL YOUR SURGEON and tell them something is wrong.
On a lighter note, I took a picture last night of my tummy laying down with me in a binder and I liked it! After all that jazz, it feels good to be flat.
About 2 weeks post-op, I also started feeling rough - feverish but no fever at all. Just aches and the shakes and very tired. Quite honestly, it was the worst I felt since the actual surgery. Went to bed super early with the kiddo on Tuesday night of the 21st. Slept terribly. Woke up as tired as I went to bed, was very irritable with my little one (didn't have the patience for her tying her laces, awful mommy who was snappy :( ). Anyway, we finally get in the elevator to get her to school. As we reach the ground floor, I suddenly feel extremely light-headed and nauseous and I decided driving wasn't a great idea when I'm feeling this bad. Hit the button going back up again, mumbling something to my little girl about needing to go back home because I don't feel good. Stepped back to hold on to something and the next thing I remember is waking up on floor to her crying hysterically "Mommy wake up!". By this time, the door is opening and closing on my foot. Gathered myself up thinking "[RS bleep], I actually felt and my skirt is up and I have no underwear on, glad no one else was in here". Stumbled a few steps after I got up and passed out again. I was able to get up again and get to my apt and call my building manager. She's become a good friend and I called her first because she was home. Then I paged my surgeon who asked me to get to urgent care right away and get blood tests and what not. I was due to have my drains taken out at 1pm that day so I thought great, I'll go do that first and then schlep over to Pasadena for the drains. Little did I know that I was going to be admitted for 2 and a bit days with a seroma. At one point, the ER doctor on duty, a pretty senior doctor in the trauma unit was adamant about possibly operating to get the infection out. Everything was happening so fast; white count was high, BP super low and heart rate high. After a CT scan, the spotted fluid which in the end (thankfully) was drained via ultrasound guided aspiration...phew!
Was afraid that I was going to be cut open again, ruining my perfect TT scar. But above all of that, I was worried that I was about to snuff it and my girl end up being a 4 year old orphan :(
Anyway, cut to the chase, those were a terrible few days at the hospital. Was sent home last Friday with Bactrim antibiotics for 7 days (twice a day), and drains finally came out that following Monday. I finally wore underwear for the first time in 3 weeks and after a few hours of acclimating to underwear and a binder, I went back to the office for two hours.
It's Friday tomorrow and this week was all about to getting back into my routine but very slowly. The binder felt very weird at first but after 4 days, it feels weird not having it on. It makes me feel secure strangely.
I have my follow up next Monday and DOT will check for fluid and what not. But otherwise I feel much better as I near the end of my course of antibiotics. Having those drains taken out felt so good. I sang all the way home.
So. In a nutshell. Had a bit of a scare but on the mend!
I don't know how seroma's happen, whether I did anything wrong or whether the drains were in wrong or whether I should have been in a binder earlier. I don't know. All I can advise anyone is a) seriously take it easy after surgery and get help if you're a single mom like me who lives alone and has friends/family that live far away or don't know your little TT secret and b) at the first hint of feeling unwell, all of a sudden, or feeling feverish, light headed etc. CALL YOUR SURGEON and tell them something is wrong.
On a lighter note, I took a picture last night of my tummy laying down with me in a binder and I liked it! After all that jazz, it feels good to be flat.
Replies (2)
May 1, 2015
So glad you're ok! How long did you wait to go into a binder? Did you have lipo?
May 2, 2015
Thank you SmittenKitten6! Recovery was almost as fast as I got sick, it's so weird!
Melissa Lake - it was 3 weeks before I was in a binder (I was in hospital at the start of the 3rd week or it would have been 2 weeks) and yes, I had lipo on my flanks and I think my upper belly area...not actually sure!
May 1, 2015
Wow, that's terrible. Glad things are back on the up and up for you. Just keep taking care of yourself!
UPDATED FROM GymRat1980
8 days post
One Week Follow Up And....
GymRat1980April 16, 2015
The drains have to stay in! :(
Was hoping they'd be taken out but no chance. Which means I've got to come up with a genius way of hiding these drains for a memorial I need to go to on Saturday. Ideas?
DOT also peeled away the tape over my scar...revealing the scar. Wow. A) longer than I thought it would be but can't imagine how I'd be the shape I am now without that length. And it's a nice, neat line too.
So one more week of these liquid bulbs and that's it.
Does it hurt when he takes out the drains? Anyone? Not looking forward to that!
Happy Wednesday! Pics to follow when kid is asleep.
Was hoping they'd be taken out but no chance. Which means I've got to come up with a genius way of hiding these drains for a memorial I need to go to on Saturday. Ideas?
DOT also peeled away the tape over my scar...revealing the scar. Wow. A) longer than I thought it would be but can't imagine how I'd be the shape I am now without that length. And it's a nice, neat line too.
So one more week of these liquid bulbs and that's it.
Does it hurt when he takes out the drains? Anyone? Not looking forward to that!
Happy Wednesday! Pics to follow when kid is asleep.
Replies (2)
April 16, 2015
I have an amazing insight for you. I was just about to post that when i went to go potty i ripped my tube earlier today little & it bled. It's 11:30pm my time & I just it & i can see the white part. So I'm intrigued by now. I cut the stitch & pulled the foot long tube out. So the answer to your question is No it doesn't hurt. I got one professionally pulled Tuesday. It didn't hurt then either. I'm didn't suggest that you do that EITHER! I also postef pics on my blog of how I hide both my bulbs very discreetly.I'm not suggesting that u do that EITHER. (If your doc asked where this bad behavior is coming from YOU DONT KNOW ME ) :0)
April 16, 2015
Hahah! Oh man. Did you have to have the tube put back in? Are you done draining?
April 16, 2015
Well I'll call the office tomorrow n tell them. He was gonna pull it Fri anyway. I just helped him along to save him the trouble. Now i can sleep without those arms. I was almost done draining.
April 16, 2015
You and kel crack me up! Will you girls just keep your drains in already! Bad all around! I know they're a PIA but the drains are good for you... keep them in. Take them out with your lymph nodes all messed up and you'll be swelling like crazy in weirdest places imaginable and ruining your results. And no, it doesn't hurt when they're pulled out. DOT will tell you he's gonna pull them out and then they're out before he even finishes saying it. You'll be fine. :)
Replies (1)