POSTED UNDER Tummy Tuck Reviews REVIEWS
It's Been a Lead-in Time of 20 Years!
ORIGINAL POST
It's Been a Lead-in Time of 20 Years!
RJP2019July 19, 2019
WORTH IT
After a false start in the late 90s when I had a consultation for a TT but decided not to proceed for a host of reasons including being scared of the surgery, I am finally having the surgery next week, 20 years later than planned. I am not after perfection; just wanting to divest myself of the pannus I developed after 3x big babies in the 80s and 90s (smallest was 9lb). I want to exercise without the pannus overhang flopping around AND I don't want to age and have skin problems under the overhang (common in old age). At age 53, I have a BMI of 30 (technically obese), exercise regularly, am moderately fit and feeling really healthy; I also don't take any prescribed meds regularly. Overall, I am hoping for a good result and a strong recovery although trying to be realistic about both aspects! It's D-Day minus 4 so I am busy getting organised to make things as easy as possible for afterwards. I am also keeping a list of tips I have gathered from heaps of sources including this site just in case any of my friends or family end up on this journey too one day. I am most worried about the sore lower back and constipation owing to the opioids so am already taking stool softener and a low dose of stimulant laxative (I also wanted to be sure that my gut could tolerate them with no problem). I have hired a lay-flat motorised recliner/lift chair and a shower stool (I am having a drainless TT so can shower from the day after surgery and figured that the stool might make that a bit easier). Last time at the Warehouse, I spied an electric throw which is a cuddly warm blanket which I thought might be comforting to use in the recliner (it's winter here). Just got to get through the next 4 days without too much anxiety. Keeping my eye on prize! Have tried to upload photos but they are coming in wrong rotation. Will try again later.
Replies (1)
UPDATED FROM RJP2019
9 days post
TT with lipo Days 1 to 9 - it all went about as expected
RJP2019July 31, 2019
Surgery Day: definitely felt like backing out but decided I had waited long enough to do this and just needed to make it happen. Plus, I had paid the surgeon in advance so no turning back!
Day 1 & 2 post surgery: Make no mistake, this is major surgery and I was glad to have two nights in hospital care with assistance in toileting and showering as well as access to great pain relief. What took me by surprise was the terrible heartburn/reflux I suffered for the first 24 hours post-surgery; perhaps it was the change in my usual diet by switching to hospital food. However, I didn’t feel hungry at all for the first 48 hours which maybe part of the shock that your body goes into with major surgery. I slept propped up in the hospital bed but did get hubbie to bring in my soft down pillow which I found soothing to cradle, lean my head on, and hold onto as I dozed through the night. Tell you what… that anti-blood clot leg machine with the puffy wrappers they velcro around your legs was noisy! I hardly slept the first night because of them but was fortunately able to negotiate to have them off for the second night in hospital as I had been quite mobile during the day. If I ever have surgery again, I will bring my own earbuds + white noise on my phone to try and drown out the all-night whirring and whooshing of that damn machine so I can sleep!
Some differences it would seem from how TT is done here in NZ compared to USA etc: Drains were placed extremely low and were only kept in for 12 hours post surgery. Apparently, they stopped draining fluid within 7 hours of surgery which is normal with this surgeon’s technique. Also, my abdomen is completely strapped with medical tape so can’t really see much of the surgeon’s handiwork. The tape remains on until the post-op appointment (Day 10) and there is no requirement to wear a binder garment at any stage.
Day 2 – came home in the morning where I felt every bump in the road that hubbie drove over. It almost felt like he was doing it deliberately, lol. Meds at this stage were paracetamol + ibuprofen around the clock with 1x tramadol in the evening and through the night. I had codeine given to me as an alternative to tramadol but didn’t take it as I was paranoid about the first BM and codeine is particularly constipating for me. Started on a regime of high dosage Vit C, Tumeric tablets (for inflammation), arnica (for swelling and bruising).
I felt a bit spaced out but this feeling helped me sleep during the day so I didn’t really care. Anything to pass the time. Hubbie was with me 24/7 from Day 2 to Day 5 - I don’t see how anyone can look after themselves over this period. All I could do was toilet, shower, sleep, rest, watch TV, take pain relief and eat small quantities of food prepared for me. First TIP: ensure you write down all your meds as you take them because you think you will remember what’s what but you truly don’t! Second TIP: Equipment that I hired was a recliner lift chair, walker and shower stool. These were absolute life savers and made everything as easy as it could ever be given the circumstances. Highly HIGHLY recommend these pieces of equipment because they helped me be independent quickly, kept me regularly mobile as the walker supported me so well, saving my back from spasms (I had none). The walker has a little seat on it so I would lock the wheels and then sit down on it at the table to eat like a normal person (!), dress myself and blow dry my hair etc. I slept in the recliner until Day 9. Even now at Day 10, after I have been up for awhile when I get back into the recliner it feels soooo comfy and relaxing.
Day 3– passed in a haze; still no appetite. Sleep all over the place so I ended up watching TV for a few hours in the middle of the night. Lots of swelling in my back, top of abdomen and vulva. Back was quite tender to lie on but I could get comfortable in the recliner chair.
Day 4 – Words which stuck in my mind that other people having a TT have used to describe the experience include “intense” and “rollercoaster”. However, I didn’t get the Day 4/5 blues which apparently are quite common. Perhaps it helped having realistic expectations from my surgeon who specifically warned me about it, lol. He also told me that it is common to be initially quite excited seeing the immediate result but then to wish it was even better ie perfect…. which he didn’t think could be achieved for me (as my BMI was 30.5 pre surgery). This was also the first day of a bowel movement and it was a challenge. Yes, ouch! On Day 2, I had started on a regime of laxatives (Laxsol, Molaxole and prunes). I went into hospital with very soft bowel movements but wished I kept the laxatives up in hospital as getting things going again was, as expected, literally quite painful. Once the first BM was out of the way though, it has been no problem since (am keeping up with the laxatives for a while yet).
Day 5. Out of the blue, I had a terrible coughing fit which panicked me as it was sooo painful and scary. It has been the only time that I have cried since surgery! Hubbie reminded me afterwards though that the surgeon had said that coughing and sneezing would feel bad but that nothing would happen to the abdomen. This reassurance has helped as I have since had 3 days of tickly throat with coughing. Also extremely helpful is very hot water sipped at the time the tickle starts. I now have a small thermos of hot water by my recliner and bed to try and stop any cough before it begins.
Day 6 – feeling much less vulnerable and much more capable of doing a few things eg basic food prep like a sandwich. It hurts my back in an achy way to try and stand for long unassisted though.
Day 7- really feel like I have turned a corner now with noticeable good progress every day.
Day 8, I walked outside for the first time since being home and down our long drive to get the mail (no walker). I can feel hunching in my back when I walk but my friend says that she can’t see it visually and I appear straight to her which is encouraging. Swelling really starting to go down now everywhere and bruising not too bad.
Day 9 - Normal appetite is finally back today. Still on paracetamol and ibuprofen every 6 hours but haven’t taken any tramadol (even at night) for 3+ days. Mostly now, things feels tender, stiff, tight and achy but not really painful except if I try to lie on my right hip (I am a side sleeper so keen to get back to that but haven’t managed it yet). I also get sharp groin (nerve?) pain on the LHS if I hunch forward and roll to my left at the same time (eg when getting out of bed). However, what was searing shot of hot pain only 3 days ago, is more of a bearable sharp twinge now. Going to sleep back in my normal bed again tonight (did that last night with only moderate success). Off to my Day 10 post-op appointment tomorrow so will post a further update after that.
Day 1 & 2 post surgery: Make no mistake, this is major surgery and I was glad to have two nights in hospital care with assistance in toileting and showering as well as access to great pain relief. What took me by surprise was the terrible heartburn/reflux I suffered for the first 24 hours post-surgery; perhaps it was the change in my usual diet by switching to hospital food. However, I didn’t feel hungry at all for the first 48 hours which maybe part of the shock that your body goes into with major surgery. I slept propped up in the hospital bed but did get hubbie to bring in my soft down pillow which I found soothing to cradle, lean my head on, and hold onto as I dozed through the night. Tell you what… that anti-blood clot leg machine with the puffy wrappers they velcro around your legs was noisy! I hardly slept the first night because of them but was fortunately able to negotiate to have them off for the second night in hospital as I had been quite mobile during the day. If I ever have surgery again, I will bring my own earbuds + white noise on my phone to try and drown out the all-night whirring and whooshing of that damn machine so I can sleep!
Some differences it would seem from how TT is done here in NZ compared to USA etc: Drains were placed extremely low and were only kept in for 12 hours post surgery. Apparently, they stopped draining fluid within 7 hours of surgery which is normal with this surgeon’s technique. Also, my abdomen is completely strapped with medical tape so can’t really see much of the surgeon’s handiwork. The tape remains on until the post-op appointment (Day 10) and there is no requirement to wear a binder garment at any stage.
Day 2 – came home in the morning where I felt every bump in the road that hubbie drove over. It almost felt like he was doing it deliberately, lol. Meds at this stage were paracetamol + ibuprofen around the clock with 1x tramadol in the evening and through the night. I had codeine given to me as an alternative to tramadol but didn’t take it as I was paranoid about the first BM and codeine is particularly constipating for me. Started on a regime of high dosage Vit C, Tumeric tablets (for inflammation), arnica (for swelling and bruising).
I felt a bit spaced out but this feeling helped me sleep during the day so I didn’t really care. Anything to pass the time. Hubbie was with me 24/7 from Day 2 to Day 5 - I don’t see how anyone can look after themselves over this period. All I could do was toilet, shower, sleep, rest, watch TV, take pain relief and eat small quantities of food prepared for me. First TIP: ensure you write down all your meds as you take them because you think you will remember what’s what but you truly don’t! Second TIP: Equipment that I hired was a recliner lift chair, walker and shower stool. These were absolute life savers and made everything as easy as it could ever be given the circumstances. Highly HIGHLY recommend these pieces of equipment because they helped me be independent quickly, kept me regularly mobile as the walker supported me so well, saving my back from spasms (I had none). The walker has a little seat on it so I would lock the wheels and then sit down on it at the table to eat like a normal person (!), dress myself and blow dry my hair etc. I slept in the recliner until Day 9. Even now at Day 10, after I have been up for awhile when I get back into the recliner it feels soooo comfy and relaxing.
Day 3– passed in a haze; still no appetite. Sleep all over the place so I ended up watching TV for a few hours in the middle of the night. Lots of swelling in my back, top of abdomen and vulva. Back was quite tender to lie on but I could get comfortable in the recliner chair.
Day 4 – Words which stuck in my mind that other people having a TT have used to describe the experience include “intense” and “rollercoaster”. However, I didn’t get the Day 4/5 blues which apparently are quite common. Perhaps it helped having realistic expectations from my surgeon who specifically warned me about it, lol. He also told me that it is common to be initially quite excited seeing the immediate result but then to wish it was even better ie perfect…. which he didn’t think could be achieved for me (as my BMI was 30.5 pre surgery). This was also the first day of a bowel movement and it was a challenge. Yes, ouch! On Day 2, I had started on a regime of laxatives (Laxsol, Molaxole and prunes). I went into hospital with very soft bowel movements but wished I kept the laxatives up in hospital as getting things going again was, as expected, literally quite painful. Once the first BM was out of the way though, it has been no problem since (am keeping up with the laxatives for a while yet).
Day 5. Out of the blue, I had a terrible coughing fit which panicked me as it was sooo painful and scary. It has been the only time that I have cried since surgery! Hubbie reminded me afterwards though that the surgeon had said that coughing and sneezing would feel bad but that nothing would happen to the abdomen. This reassurance has helped as I have since had 3 days of tickly throat with coughing. Also extremely helpful is very hot water sipped at the time the tickle starts. I now have a small thermos of hot water by my recliner and bed to try and stop any cough before it begins.
Day 6 – feeling much less vulnerable and much more capable of doing a few things eg basic food prep like a sandwich. It hurts my back in an achy way to try and stand for long unassisted though.
Day 7- really feel like I have turned a corner now with noticeable good progress every day.
Day 8, I walked outside for the first time since being home and down our long drive to get the mail (no walker). I can feel hunching in my back when I walk but my friend says that she can’t see it visually and I appear straight to her which is encouraging. Swelling really starting to go down now everywhere and bruising not too bad.
Day 9 - Normal appetite is finally back today. Still on paracetamol and ibuprofen every 6 hours but haven’t taken any tramadol (even at night) for 3+ days. Mostly now, things feels tender, stiff, tight and achy but not really painful except if I try to lie on my right hip (I am a side sleeper so keen to get back to that but haven’t managed it yet). I also get sharp groin (nerve?) pain on the LHS if I hunch forward and roll to my left at the same time (eg when getting out of bed). However, what was searing shot of hot pain only 3 days ago, is more of a bearable sharp twinge now. Going to sleep back in my normal bed again tonight (did that last night with only moderate success). Off to my Day 10 post-op appointment tomorrow so will post a further update after that.
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