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POSTED UNDER Tummy Tuck REVIEWS

Terrible Itching After TT - Glen Burnie, MD

ORIGINAL POST

I had a gastric bypass in 2001 and as a result of...

ItchyWitchyApril 8, 2009
$7,000

I had a gastric bypass in 2001 and as a result of quick weight loss, developed a lot of overhanging skin on my abdomen. I planned for and had a TT in October 2006.

The procedure went well enough. However, I immediately had a lot of itching and tingling right after the procedure. I thought it would go away and that it was due to the healing process. It would affect me more at night when I lay down moreso than during the day -- maybe because I was busy during the day and didn't notice as much; however, it still itched a lot. The itching is a deep itch under the surface of the skin that ranged from a burning, tingling, pinching feeling to horrific itching. Mostly itching.

This has gone on for almost 3 years and while it has lessened is still bad enough to make me feel like I'm going crazy sometimes. I wonder if it will ever stop.

If I had been able to experience this sensation before having the TT, I never would have had it, that's how bad the itching is. I have had other procedures done-- lipo to my upper arms, nose job, and again the gastric bypass, and never had this kind of itching. I feel that it will never completely go away.

For me, the tummy tuck was not worth all this.

ItchyWitchy's provider

Replies (25)

MHillman
April 11, 2009
Hi itchy! I'm so sorry to hear of your complication following your tummy tuck. I too have had a complication from mine which was done 19 months ago. Instead of itching mine is INTENSE burning. It is in my lower tummy. It bagan almost immediately following the surgery, and my surgeon basically dismissed any complaints, even saying that he'd never had anyone complain of this. I went to another surgeon in another town and to a pain management doctor in my town. I even went to Clevelend Clinic to a world renowned doctor who tried a nerve block. It gave me 5 days relief. It is nerve damage, which is what you have I'm sure. I have to take 2 lortabs a day for the pain, have tried neurontin, lyrica, elevil, and am on keppra now and they have horrible sidee effects. Have you seen any specialists about your problem?
ItchyWitchy
October 2, 2009
Sorry it took so long to respond to this I didn't see it. No, I have no been to a specialist. The coupl of doctors I did mention it to were kind of nonchalant and didn't know what to tell me. I have just been dealing with it. It's worse sometims more than others.
Me again
July 28, 2010
From one itchy person to another...I'm suffering too! I know how you feel. I had a tummy tuck and feathering liposuction on the flanks 2wks and 5 days ago. About 9 days post op I started to feel itchy around my tummy and back. I'd scratch it and make it feel more itchy. Well It's only gotten worse for me. Today I have rashes where I itch and it seems to be traveling up towards my breasts and under my neck. I've tried to do some reasearch online about itchy/rashes after surgery and it's hard to narrow it down. I'm trying to self treat with Benadryl and Hydrocortisone. Both are temporarily reliefs. I surmise that my condition is among the following: 1. Allergic reaction to the Compression Binder (which my husband has washed with Tide). 2. Reaction to influx of medicine in my body. 3. Reaction to the cessation of Medicine use 4. Stress 5. Yeast Infection 6. Or just side effects of surgery. I'm itchy right now and sleepy. Hope this helps just knowing you're not suffering alone.
5248anon
July 29, 2010
I am now almost 4 months past my tummy tuck and thank God the iching stopped after a few weeks. After reading some of the reviews that it is still iching after 3 years I was scared. The iching passed by 3 months and I am sleeping so much better. I still feel numb around the belly button but I am still healing. My biggest complaint is a crooked scar. The doctor said my skin moved as it pulled up from my pubic area. Because I am 50 my pubic area was loose skin and it pulled up on the scar but I am still happy. Would I do it again? at first I would of said no but it's funny how you forget after time passes about what you dealt with. The pain was hard and the iching was terrible but it's all forgotten so I would probably do over.
MarilynF
September 30, 2009
I've had a lot of itching too, along the TT scar and the liposuction scars, but it doesn't sound like it compares to yours. Motrin helps mine. I'm wondering if taking Cymbalta or Lyrica would help. They're both given for Fibromyalgia and diabetic neuropathy pain.
ItchyWitchy
October 2, 2009
I found hat lotions or ointments like Ben Gay (something with pain medicine in it)helps somewhat. Mosty, there is just an underlying sensation of feeling itchy all the time.
annbbw
October 5, 2009
I had WLS 7 years ago and two circumferential body lifts to get rid of all of the excess skin. My itching takes place occassionally but when I have it, I am in tears because I can not reach the itch. It's SO deep inside! I use my fist to bang on my side (that's where the most severe itching occurs). I find that the banging seems to vibrate the itch a bit and gives me a small amount of relief. It truly IS maddening! I'm sorry you have this problem as well. I thought I was alone but it's nice to know I'm not CRAZY!
5248anon
April 17, 2010
I only had my surgury 8 days ago and am very ichy at my incisions site and around belly button. I hope after a few weeks it will not last. The thought of living with this forever would be scary. So far these 8 days have not been good for me at all. After day 4 I can't take pain meds because of severe constipation. I also can't sleep longer than a couple hours or so then I am wide awake and need to get up and move a bit before I try and sleep again. It makes me feel so tired all the time. I hope this is a temporary problem. ANyone else having sleeping issues and does everyone stay ichy. Maybe it's too soon to expect to fell any normal feeling. I can't imagine these what hell it would feel like to have body lifts.
NurseChick
July 9, 2011
I am 11 days post-op from a tummy tuck with lipo. My doctor gave me Lunesta to sleep for 10 days. It really worked. Left a horrible metallic taste in my mouth, but I slept very well. I have a deep itch sometimes but nothing like the above comments. I have a very hard spot above my abdominal muscles just below my breasts. I don't know if it's some kind of tie he used to hold my muscles together after he tightned them or what. I had a pain pump close so maybe it's from that. I was searching for what that could be & it led me here. I know these comments are from over a year ago, but I was wondering how everyone is doing now. It would be nice to hear an update on everyone.. :)
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