MaumeeMG - 12 Weeks Post-Op - Updated Review & Pics

12 Weeks Post-Op:

Wow – time flies!! Overall I feel pretty good, finally. I still have areas of numbness along the incision line especially and from belly button to incision. And I have sensitivity on my flank area when I rub it. But I’m no longer sore from the muscle repair. I have what I can describe as knotty areas inside my belly button and mid section that I think are from the hernia repairs. I can’t see them but I can feel them just under the surface. I’m hoping they will soften over time.

I was cleared for most exercises at my 8-week post-op appointment but PS wants me to hold off of ab work until at least 12-16 weeks due to hernia repairs. I don’t have another post-op visit until the 1-year mark. Seems so far away!
I’ve been running on the treadmill, and doing squats and lunges, and 10-15 lb. weights since 8 weeks post-op and it feels really good to sweat again. It’s great to have a hard workout and feel like I’ll see the results I’ve worked so hard for instead of a jiggly belly. I wear my velcro binder while running for now – just helps me to feel more secure. I’ve started doing pushups and can only do them on my knees for now; on my toes uses my abs too much. I’ve done a couple of planks and I can tell my body is not ready to use the core that much yet. I tweaked a muscle in my upper abs on my left side, maybe from the planks. So I’m taking it easier. I do actively tighten my core during running and in day-to-day living – a welcome change from trying NOT to use my abs for so long during recovery.

I still have swelling by day’s end and especially if I haven’t watched my sodium intake. I recently bought a waistnipper to wear at night for sleeping and I really like it. I originally bought a medium (the smallest JCPenneys sold online) and tried it and it wasn’t as tight as I wanted it so I found a small new with tags on eBay and got that. It works well and is comfy. I read on a review of someone who continued to wear a garment for up to a year and it really helped form the hourglass shape post surgery. So while I’m still swelling by day’s end I’ll wear it.

I no longer wear a garment with my regular clothes – and it does feel great to be in smaller jeans and tighter fitting tops without worrying about muffin top! Although by the end of some days I do have a “roll” between my belly button and incision from the swelling. Grrrr. If this process has taught me anything it is PATIENCE!! I have to admit that I really thought once the stomach was cut off I would look good very quickly after surgery. Even after all the research I did here I didn’t count on the day-to-day changes with the swelling, mood swings, and sleep disturbances. PS has said the swelling could continue up to a year and I realize now that just because I look puffy one day does not mean I will look that way forever.

I haven’t noticed a dramatic change with the thigh lipo. The “bump” on the outer thigh is gone, but I’ve seen virtually no difference on my inner thighs. PS went “light” to avoid sagging. I do notice a difference in the hip area and the lower back area, but he didn’t get it all (again, to avoid sag) so I’m critical of those areas still. Hard to be 100% happy if you can still see fat! I’m hoping now that some has been removed I’ll be able to see additional results with exercise.

So – on to “the girls.” My full, perky girls have settled down now and aren’t quite what they were the first few weeks after surgery. The swelling is gone and with it some of the fullness that I assumed would stick around. They are still pointing in the right direction (lol), more or less, and I’m satisfied they are not saggy, but I’m not as enamored as I once was…they’re looking a little deflated. :( They aren’t as symmetrical as they were with full on swelling, either, and I see slight differences in the shape of each nipple. Small details in the grand scheme of things but we sure try for perfection, don’t we?? And now that I’m back to exercising (and down a couple pounds since surgery) I’m a little nervous they’ll deflate further due to weight loss. I tend to lose weight there first.

I’ve been a bit lazy on scar therapy – not doing the Kelo-cote everyday like I should. It takes a while to dry so it’s kind of a pain, especially when I’m pressed for time during the morning routine. I used Scargo for a couple of weeks and I got used to the smell. The camphor in it did feel soothing but I was eager to start the silicon gel so as soon as the opening of the breast incision healed (it took nearly 3 weeks to fully close) I switched. I’ve been more diligent this week – just need to get into a routine.

I’ve added my 3-month pictures of scars, boobs, and belly. I am satisfied overall, as long as I don’t allow myself to nitpick. I am my own worst critic. But the bottom line is my clothes fit better, I’m much more confident, and my body image has vastly improved. I am thankful!

Happy healing everyone!

6 weeks po: I officially ran out of bio oil and today was my first day starting with the Scargo Scar Massage Oil (found it on Amazon). I hadn't noticed before I purchased it but one of the ingredients is "camphor" which is what is in Vicks Vapo Rub - so the smell is a bit off-putting to me right now and my first instinct was to pitch it. But it felt good to rub in (oil feels good!) so I'll give it a while to see if it makes a difference. It's only 4 oz so I'll prob go through it in 3 or 4 weeks but I'm not sure if I can stand the smell that long. I'll update. :-)

6 Weeks PO-
I thought by 6 weeks I'd start to feel more back to normal than I am. I do feel good, for sure - zero pain or soreness, I'm sleeping well, and my spirits are up. But I am still really swollen through the day and in the evening, still numb in belly areas, still irritated along the incision lines, still not using abs for fear of wrecking muscle and hernia repairs. This is a much longer recovery than I thought it would be!!

For all of you starting or planning your journey - don't worry about your results until you are at least 2 months post op. Some people swell like crazy from day 1 post op and some people don't, some people are back to normal activities at week 1 and some people take 6 weeks! Everyone heals differently!

Since I don't see my PS again until my 8th post op week I called the office to double check what I am cleared for now that I am 6 weeks PO. I am cleared for exercise ("ease into it!!"). Walking on treadmill is fine, light resistance band is fine as long as I am not twisting or engaging abs. I can wear regular bras and go braless for sleep. I can officially stop wearing binder and switch exclusively to spanx type garment, which I don't have to wear every night if I don't want to.

I slept with no bra and no garment last night and it felt FABULOUS to be "free" but when I turned over I could feel my abs and that worried me. So I'll probably sleep with something for a couple more weeks. But - I woke up this morning the flattest I've been since surgery and that excited me!! So I took 6 week pics. I had been avoiding them since I'm still so swollen by end of day. ;-) I've also taken pics of my incision lines to compare to the ones I posted at 12 days post op.

My incision has opened a bit under my left breast where the vertical and horizontal incision lines meet. Feels like a stitch has poked through. But the scab hasn't closed yet and after showers or if it is rubbed it seeps a little. Talked to PS office and they asked what color. The seepage is orange-y/yellow-y, and I confirmed it's not painful at all, not red, not hot, no fever. They say it's totally normal and it hasn't closed yet because the stitch is dissolving. They advised putting neosporin or bacitracin on it and covering with a dry dressing and leave it along.

I will definitely wear my velcro binder while exercising but I am going to attempt to alter it to make it tighter. I'll bust out my sewing machine and see what I can do. ;-)

I have been massaging my incision lines with bio oil and rubbing my flank/hip lipo areas with lotion. My incision is pretty purple looking but it is softening and the bumps and minimizing. I'm almost finished with the bottle of bio oil I purchased so I'll be switching to scargo until the opening under my breast is fully healed, then I'm switching to kelo-cote which is a silicon-based gel. We'll see how it does!

My appetite has been ferocious!! I expressed concern to PS about this, especially since I wasn't exercising fully yet and worried I'd eat like crazy once I did. PS warned me that fat CAN come back to areas that have been lipo'd (that, in fact, those areas are ripe for it since it's a space that was created) if you are not careful with your caloric intake. Womp womp! I'm still documenting my food and drink, and the snacking here and there is my enemy (the nightly cocktail doesn't help, either). Getting it under control this week and the treadmill is my new BFF!

Overall I am pleased with my progress to date. I am excited to start getting my sweat on and I'll check back in again after my 8 week check up.

Happy healing everyone! :-)