A little background, I had gastric sleeve about a year and a half ago. I've been overweight my entire life. Decided to start the hard work and I'm on the cusp of achieving my goal weight. I've decided on a surgeon and had my consultation. I'm super excited and nervous. I would love some tips from any rs vets. What products to purchase, what really helped you sleep or any other tips you may have... here are a few before pictures and what I'm workin with.
33, 3 Kids 183lbs 5'9" mommy makeover 560 srf and extended tummy tuck with lipo of the flanks
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jfizz8
- Worth It
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Cost:
$16,500 - Jeremy Pyle, MD, Raleigh, NC
Three kids!
Trying to start my meal prepping. Get Christmas decorations and lights hung all while managing a household and three kiddos! ???? My husband travels for work. He's currently overseas, so I'm trying to get all of his favorite meals froze (breakfast biscuits and dinners for him and the kids). How do you moms do it??
Pre-op
Headed in to pre op in the morning! It's soooo close. Just two weeks. What should I expect? Do they draw on you? Take pictures? Sound off ladies! I can't wait to be on the other side.
Ahhhhhh
Three days. Three days away. I'm looking at everything I'm wearing and wondering what will this look like after it's all said and done. It's wild to think I'll finally have a body I'm excited about. I'm looking most forward to feeling comfortable in everything I wear.
19 hours
Just got the final call from Molly asking if I had any questions. Confirmed the arrival time and it all seems sooo real now. O. M. F. G! There's no turning back now. :-) Fingers crossed everything goes well!
Made it to the other side.
Home. Resting in bed. Trying to get situated. Eating a yogurt. Feeling drowsy. No pictures just yet. I'm a chicken shit. Haha.
Garment rub.
On the right leg on the inner thigh, the garment is rubbing so bad it stings. Any suggestions. I assume, if I leave it un snapped, that's where the swelling will go. Hubby just helped me put on leggings under the garment, but that thing is so tight that idk if I'd be able to take it off to pull them all the way up.
Woke up to pee
Chest is a little more sore right now. Dr.pyle put in 540cc silicone under the muscle. This binder is a bit difficult. I don't know how I'm supposed to do this binder by myself. Do you change the binder or deal with the hassle? Or just leave it unbuttoned?
Shower day!
I was able to wash myself. Went downstairs with no pain. Just took it slow and had no problems. I'm stiff when I get up after sitting for a bit. Today I also took the suggestion to put a tank top under the binder and it feels way better. I'm having a lot of itching (I assume from healing). My husband is taking care of my pain meds and keeping me on track. I'm taking two Percocets every six hours along with my soma and dolcolax. Im very excited to see the final re
Swell hell
My boobs are swelling so much. They're super hard too. I'm assuming that's normal. It doesn't hurt, but have y'all put a pack of frozen peas on your breasts to help the swelling?
Extra tired today.
Can't seem to keep my eyes open. Went down stairs and ate eggs and bacon. Got my shower and came back to bed. I was wore out. Has anyone else experienced this?
Feeling good
I didn't want to get up and get moving, but I always feel better once I do. Today is day four and I don't feel any more or less pain. I actually got up, went downstairs made my coffee and ate half a bagel. Was able to go number two for the first time with with no constipation. Feeling pretty good overall. Still pretty swollen in my lower tummy.
Last night was kinda rough though. I had to take some nausea meds. I felt like I was going to vomit. Once I took that and laid down I felt better, but had a slight 99 degree temp. It was normal this morning, so I'm not worried. I think I just over did it. Anywho, hope you ladies are all feeling well!
Last night was kinda rough though. I had to take some nausea meds. I felt like I was going to vomit. Once I took that and laid down I felt better, but had a slight 99 degree temp. It was normal this morning, so I'm not worried. I think I just over did it. Anywho, hope you ladies are all feeling well!
Left the house today.
First time since surgery I've left. I was able to be downstairs this morning. Had a coffee. That really got things moving. Not had any issue with constipation, thankfully. Helped clean up all the kids toys and breakfast. Felt good. Got my shower and shaved my legs. My back started to hurt without the binder on. It was a relief to put it on.
Got dressed, put my makeup on, that took a while. Feeling drained just from that. Then we took the kiddos to lunch and had to stop to get a tv cord. I was done. I needed a Percocet at that point. I could feel my muscles tightened and almost uncomfortable. There was no pain though. Just uncomfortable. Now that the meds have kicked in, I feel better. I wonder what it will be like tonight. Hope you ladies are healing well. Good luck tomorrow to the one! I'll be thinking and praying for ya!
Got dressed, put my makeup on, that took a while. Feeling drained just from that. Then we took the kiddos to lunch and had to stop to get a tv cord. I was done. I needed a Percocet at that point. I could feel my muscles tightened and almost uncomfortable. There was no pain though. Just uncomfortable. Now that the meds have kicked in, I feel better. I wonder what it will be like tonight. Hope you ladies are healing well. Good luck tomorrow to the one! I'll be thinking and praying for ya!
Had my post op today...
Feeling a little down. I had a seroma. Dr. Pyle had to drain it. I thought I was gonna fall out towards the end. I couldn't watch. My husband did. He pulled two and a half syringes of fluid off my belly. The big ones too. He did say its uncommon and he'll likely have to drain it again AND if it persists he'll have to put in a drain! :'-(. This was a bit upsetting. I feel like if he has to do that, it will delay my healing process, make it longer. My husband leaves to go overseas at the end of February, so I need to kind of get my self together and back in the routine of things.
I know it will all happen in time, but it just stresses me out a bit. Oh well, what can I do.... just hurry up and wait, I guess. Hope you ladies are all healing well!
I know it will all happen in time, but it just stresses me out a bit. Oh well, what can I do.... just hurry up and wait, I guess. Hope you ladies are all healing well!
Ohmergerd!
This is the nastiness that got cut off the other day! I can't believe how it looks. It kinda makes me feel weird seeing it not attached to ME!
Woke up feeling pretty good!
I feel like I've crossed a hurdle. Woke up feeling pretty good this morning. Got up with the two older kiddos and made breakfast. Let my poor exhausted husband sleep in a bit.
I had some pain at bed time last night, but it wasn't too bad. My panties were kinda bunching up under my binder and caused a bit of pressure pain, but once I fixed it, I felt so much better.
Still have the noticeable seroma. There's no pain associated with it. Just one side of my belly seems to stick out and look bloated. I'm thinking of emailing on Monday and setting an appointment to go ahead and have a drain placed, since my sister is staying with us to help with the kids. I figure I should just do it now while I have all the help I need. :-)
My husband is obsessed with my breasts. Lol He admitted last night he has a problem. They're looking Better and better every day.
Very excited overall with my results. Dr. Pyle and his team has really been exceptional.
I had some pain at bed time last night, but it wasn't too bad. My panties were kinda bunching up under my binder and caused a bit of pressure pain, but once I fixed it, I felt so much better.
Still have the noticeable seroma. There's no pain associated with it. Just one side of my belly seems to stick out and look bloated. I'm thinking of emailing on Monday and setting an appointment to go ahead and have a drain placed, since my sister is staying with us to help with the kids. I figure I should just do it now while I have all the help I need. :-)
My husband is obsessed with my breasts. Lol He admitted last night he has a problem. They're looking Better and better every day.
Very excited overall with my results. Dr. Pyle and his team has really been exceptional.
More pressure.
I feel like this seroma is getting worse. I have a blood blister just above the incision line, poking out of the tape about a 1/4inch. I have fluid of some sort leaking out of another part of the incision, leaving a spot on my underwear. Granted, it's not a lot. Just a little, but this is making me feel a little uneasy. I've emailed and sent pictures. They say everything looks normal, but I don't have a good feeling about it. A bit nervous. I also have a spot near my belly button that looks a little odd. I think that may be from being so swollen and it not being able to dry out completely. I'm going to see if I can get an appointment for tomorrow morning.
Drain and relief!
Had an appointment with dr. Pyle this evening. He was great as usual. Molly was not at all annoyed that I made an appointment, lol. She reassured me I was fine and she understood! She was welcoming, warm and pleasant, as always. They're both really exceptional. I had a drain placed! I'm excited, relieved and feeling a lot less pressure. The process was kinda funny. They removed the tape from my whole incision and I snapped a pic real quick ( well hubby did.) he numbed the area first and then placed the drain. I had a brief, sharp pain, but instant relief. It felt like my water broke as the warm fluid gushed out and down my leg. It really made me laugh. My tummy went down instantly. My right side is more swollen than my left now. lol I look a bit deflated. There's no pressure on the right side, so I'm good. They drained about 400cc of fluid off. He said this happens about twice a year in their practice. So he'll definitely remember me, haha ;-) Its a whole new situation to deal with, but again I'm so happy to have the relief. Hope you are all feeling and healing well!
FML
I swear. If I can't get this shit together... got a shower today, removed the pad to look at the tube, there was a black spot. Yeah. That's what I said. Oh shit! Are you friggin kidding me. I can't catch a break. Sent a pic, Molly called, said it may be a blister, may need to have a REVISION! (Eye roll emoji x 10!)
Drain update.
I wasn't able to get my drain removed. I'm ok with that. He said he's hoping he'll be able to remove it before the weekend. My out put is still over the recommended 30cc for the two consecutive 24 hour periods. He did say he thought about our seroma situation, mom (he said he's had three now) He said they switched to sutures that have an antibacterial they're treated with, and he and his partner have both had the same problem. He said they haven't seen that many seromas in a three year period. He also looked at all my areas of concern. He did say it was a scab and that if it didn't heal right, he could do a procedure in office that would take 10 minutes and I'd be able to drive myself home. So that was a relief. I also asked if I should be massaging my breasts, to help them settle. He said there's no study's to prove massage works, but he said if it would make me feel better, it wouldn't hurt anything.
Buh-buy drain!
Got that bitch removed TODAY! It's so nice not to have! I buttoned my pants without having to worry about the pressure. They did put a dressing over it, told me to put some antibiotic ointment on there and keep it covered. That's definitely best for me. I don't want to look at it more than I have to. ;-) He told me the swelling I had was normal. Even the hardness down by the incision line was swelling and would be there for months. I did for get to ask about showers. Doh!
Not gonna lie...
This last week and a half has been slow going and rough. The drain came out. The drain site was extremely weepy yesterday. Today is much better. Just trying to go through the motions. Getting ready for the shower this morning, catching a glimpse of my nude self in the mirror, I had that feeling again of, it's been worth it. It's normal to get down on the recovery process, as it's so long. I'm starting to not notice or think too much (like saw referenced) when I have to pick things up. It's been a relief. Even with the drain site getting me down a bit, I know I'll make it through. It's a tiny bump in the grand scheme of things... In the long haul, it will seem like it went by so quick.
4 week update.
This is what's going on. :-) everything's moving along. Even with a few setbacks, we're getting there. With 560cc implants, they don't look as large as I initially thought they would, I'm ok with that. I feel they're proportionate to my body type. Even though the drain area is a pain to deal with, I'm feeling pretty good. Able to move freely overall, and life is kinda, almost, halfway back to normal... picking the baby up. Putting him on the hip. Doing baths and all that. So yayyy to four weeks! Cheers and happy healing.
A bit of swelling
Not sure if this is normal for most, but this is my swelling situation on week 6 (tomorrow). Also an update on the area the drain was.
Late this morning.
I guess the swelling doesn't look as bad here. I also changed my tape. The incision line looks pretty good. :-)
Fist thing this morning.
Almost 7 weeks out. Things seem to be calming down. Still swollen for sure. Still have a bit of leaking from the drain site. Still keeping it covered and changing the dressing twice a day... I've taken the tape off the incisions on my breasts and said buh-bye to the binder... I'm keeping the incision from the tummy tuck taped up and just waiting for the drain site to close too. Have a follow up on the 28th. With Pyle. I've started to look at a thigh lift, not anytime soon. That recovery looks gnarly! I also want my flabby arms done, maybe one day. Until then I'm definitely excited with the progress my body has made.
Swelling and Hope!
I think my swelling is pretty typical at the moment. Feeling pretty flat-ish in the mornings. By the end of the day, feeling bloated and squishy, as my son would say.
I definitely feel like things are calming down. I was able to go bra shopping. That was fun. Although, my breasts are a ddd. That was surprising. They don't seem that big, but I don't have anything to compare to. Lol
I hope I don't develop a shopping addiction. I've had to replace my entire wardrobe. It's hard to say no. I've found a new sense of confidence since surgery. Thanks to Dr. Pyle and his team! Everything fits really well for the most part.
I'm excited to see my implants 'drop and fluff' more. As for now they definitely look too 'fake'. So I'm trying to exercise my patience here... they've had a good work out through this process.
I haven't decided on when to do my scar revision. I do know for a fact, I'll be waiting until summers over.
I hope all of Pyle's princesses are healing well, along with everyone else!
I definitely feel like things are calming down. I was able to go bra shopping. That was fun. Although, my breasts are a ddd. That was surprising. They don't seem that big, but I don't have anything to compare to. Lol
I hope I don't develop a shopping addiction. I've had to replace my entire wardrobe. It's hard to say no. I've found a new sense of confidence since surgery. Thanks to Dr. Pyle and his team! Everything fits really well for the most part.
I'm excited to see my implants 'drop and fluff' more. As for now they definitely look too 'fake'. So I'm trying to exercise my patience here... they've had a good work out through this process.
I haven't decided on when to do my scar revision. I do know for a fact, I'll be waiting until summers over.
I hope all of Pyle's princesses are healing well, along with everyone else!
Updated pictures.
Swelling is becoming less and less every day. I'm treating my scars with maderma scar gel once a day. I'm using it on my scars from the vsg too (weight loss surgery). As they've stretched awkwardly. I tried some silicone strips, but wasn't too excited about those. They seemed to irritate the area around my tummy tuck scar. I have heard a lot of ladies have had good luck with them though. Anyway here are a few new pictures.
12 week update, a little late... updated photos
Had my 12 week follow up. Pretty quick and simple. To the point. Dr. Pyle said I still have some evident swelling. He said that will continue to go down. He said when he does my scar revision there is some kind of weird fatty tissue around the scar he can remove. All in office. He said I can drive myself and it won't take too long. I had a reminder of the free Botox that came with the implants. I'm going to be doing that around the end of may. I'll be taking my mom as my +1. I also got a tour of skin Raleigh. I'll definitely be going back there. Everyone was kind as always and very welcoming and excited for me. Ms. Peggy said I should be in a bikini, but I'm still not that brave. Lol
I did it.
I bought a bikini! Oh my lawrt. I'm not too excited about how it looks in the back, wish I would have got that bra area lipo... Over all, I was pleasantly surprised! My husband was very excited. Thank you ladies, for all your encouragement!
6 months
It's gone so fast! I'm so glad I was able to do this at the beginning of the year and be ready for summer and able to swim and hang out with my babies by the water. So much has changed! I've gained an insane amount of confidence in myself. I finally feel confident-comfortable in my skin. My husband says my attitude has changed, I'm always happy now, more fun and willing to do a lot more!
I really feel great physically. My scar is still purple, healing well for the most part. Under my breasts, the incision looks great and is fading well. I do still have some numbness in my upper right thigh on the outside. Kind of tender in that area, But getting better daily. My lower abdomen is still kind of numb, mostly. I can still itch around my scar area and feel it below my belly button lol. That's kind of interesting and funny. The only complaint I have is my belly button. It hasn't healed as I wold like, but still looks ok overall. Very happy I've done this. So happy with my results, my doctor and his staff. I've always felt very comfortable around their office and Dr. Pyle.
I really feel great physically. My scar is still purple, healing well for the most part. Under my breasts, the incision looks great and is fading well. I do still have some numbness in my upper right thigh on the outside. Kind of tender in that area, But getting better daily. My lower abdomen is still kind of numb, mostly. I can still itch around my scar area and feel it below my belly button lol. That's kind of interesting and funny. The only complaint I have is my belly button. It hasn't healed as I wold like, but still looks ok overall. Very happy I've done this. So happy with my results, my doctor and his staff. I've always felt very comfortable around their office and Dr. Pyle.
During my consultation I had a great chat with dr. Pyle. He was very informative and took his time to answer all of my questions. My husband was also with me and dr. Pyle was also patient with his redundant questions. Lol the only down side to the practice is that there's a disconnect with the patient coordinator, Jessica. I've had to send several emails to follow up with her on things she's dropped the ball on. She's unfortunately had a poor excuse for everything. The office has an imaging system that you can basically try on different breast sizes with. She said she'd send the pictures same day, well after two emails and a follow up call, I finally received my images. It's been a slow process with her. I'm not sure if she's new, just learning her position or just down right forgetful. She's made this experience hard. The only thing that keeps me hanging on is that dr. Pyle really made me feel comfortable. An update after surgery- everything has gone very well. Dr. Pyle has been amazing in every interaction I've had with him. Anytime I've had to come into the office he's always made me feel extremely comfortable. I called Dr. Pyle on his cellphone after surgery (day three) and he picked up on the first ring (I was a bit shocked.) He has a great sense of humor, but still very professional. Welcoming is an understatement. Molly, the nurse that handles all the aftercare questions (an everything in between) is simply amazing. Worth her weight in gold and then some! She's very responsive to emails. Even on the weekend. Even though I've felt like a pest, she's never made me feel like that. She has such a warm personality. To see her and dr. Pyle interact is a treat. They all seem to really love what they do. The front desk staff have also been very nice on every visit. I gave the 4 stars on the phone/email and staff responsiveness solely for Jessica's lack of responsiveness. That in no way was a result of my interaction with anyone else. You really can't go wrong with this office. You'll be hooked after your consultation. Thank you dr. Pyle and Molly! Y'all have really been exceptional.
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