Removal of the Bingo Wings!

Like many others on here I am beginning the journey of removing excess skin that has been the baine of my life for the last 5 years. I feel like it is a constant reminder of the person I used to be and I can't wait to get rid of it.

At my heaviest I was almost 24 stone and had a gastric band fitted to help.me on my weight loss journey. I managed to lose 10 stone with the band and unfortunately the tube became disconnected from the port and I needed a reversal op. With a small weight increase, I was determined to get back on track and joined slimming world to remove the last stubborn pounds. Today I weight 11 stone with approximately a stone of excess skin, so the way I see it without it I would be my ideal weight.

My surgery plans are to remove my arms excess skin first, I meads this decision for two reasons. Firstly I wish to have children so a tummy tuck was out of the question for now and secondly because I want to swim and play tennis and the excess skin is painful when it hits the water. Next on my skin removal will be my tummy and at this time I will have breast implants before then having an uplift to remove skin- my surgeon wants to do it this way so the implants have had a year to settle as he refuses to operate on multiple areas and with less than a year recovery. Finally will be my thigh lift and all being well I will have a nice contoured body all be it a bit covered in scars.

So it's the day before my operation and I am feeling extremely nervous but excited at the same time. I've read so many mixed reviews on arm lifts and although I know what to expect I don't think anything prepares you for it.

Right Ladies it's time to update over a cuppa. I went down for surgery around 4 30pm and was still out of the land of living at 9pm despite having a special anaestetic where sickness is minimised and you come around quicker.

So I awoke at 4 in a lot of pain and was given a second dose of liquid morphine. I've had this and codeine on and off. I have had iv antibiotics and saline and my canola has just come out. I now have blow up dvt devices on my legs to prevent hear.

I'm sat up in bed with my arms propped up and although it's bloody uncomfortable the pain is manageable. The compression sleeve is ridiculously tight and the bra closing tides up my back.

All being well? I should be going home after dinner.

So as the day has been wearing on I picked up about lunchtime and felt quite good. Morphine every two hours was helping but now I'm due to go home qnd don't feel ready. My arms are really swllen and my garment is cutting in really bad but the nurses don't have a spare one which is fair enough as they are made to measure. I've been give meds to go home which is codeine and ibruprofen. The problem at the moment is the more my arms swell, the less movement I have and more blood that is appearing. I feel like it's cutting off the circulation. Is this normal?

I am convinced this is the wrong dressing as when pre op took my measurements they asked for my bra size which isn't the span of your back and rather than having a bra type one, I have the three quarter length sleeve one with the bra clip fastenings which are high up my back and neck. As it goes around into my armpit it is extremely tight and I don't know what to do. I've asked and they have agreed it looks tight. Do the arms swell even more or by day 3 is it easing? Is there anything I can take for this?