So I don't look to bad,as I have seen many ladies worst off than me, I am very athletic ,5'3 138lbs and still look from the side like iam 3 months preg. I have 2 sweet girls 3and 6. I still wear maternity tops cuz by belly sorta bubbles over. I have been left with 2 scars from sections and a 3 inch scar under belly button from a malignancy last yr. the skin kinds sags and puckers there.i have diastasis recti and slight hernia. I have been beating myself up trying to get rid of this belly but just can't . my husband has " toy car-and Harley , so it was time I did something for myself. Do I feel guilt cuz of the money,yes! Do I feel guilt cuz my kids are small and iam doing major surgery that's elective. Yes! But at the same time I want to be comfortable in my skin. Iam not looking to be in my amazing prebaby body, iam realistic and want to just correct the damage to my skin and muscles. Plus over time my lower back will feel the pain of of having separated ab muscles. Anyway nervous booked for 5/1. Very nervous excited! Will post again soon.
43 Yrs Old 2 C-section Scars and a Skin Cancer Scar!
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Pinni
- Worth It
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Cost:
$9,000 - Richard Zienowicz, MD, Providence, RI
So nervous!
Surgery is this Thursday. I am a dental hygienist and am taking 2 weeks off for TT muscle repair and some lipo of flanks. Any ladies out there that have had this think this is a realistic timeline barring no complications? Also anybody out there care to post a photo of scar 1 yr out? You don't see to many of those! Just curious! Also I will have help for the first 5 days is it possible after that I will be able to get kids ready for school? Kinda nervous I won't be able to tend to my 3 yr old mostly, my 6 yr old is pretty independent. Just like many post on here I am having nightmares. I just want it to be over!
Ok everyone I am 43 not 33
I try to edit it but it will not let me!
Sleepless
Woke up 100xs last night! Besides my husband keeping me up with his snoring, was having thoughts and dreams of surgery. Just have a pit in my stomach. Took a lorazepam to start my Monday morning. Hope that wasn't a mistake cuz I got a lot to do before surgery day. Very concerned about the sleeping arrangement here, cuz at the moment I try to sleep in my comfy bed but when my husband comes in he starts right up snoring and I always end up in my daughters trundle bed. I know for sure I won't be able to get out of that after surgery. Maybe if iam drugged up enough I can sleep thru the dam snoring. I am slightly bitter on this subject cuz he is opposed to wearing a appliance for snoring. So I suffer :( iam a really light sleeper have tried everything ear plugs white noise etc..
Yeah I think it let me edit the 33 to 43 yrs old
Finally I think it let me edit it!
Big day
So nervous, tomorrow is the day. Prob not gonna sleep. My 6 yr old is making me nervous cuz she has been suffering from an unknown GI issue for awhile and of corse she started complaining tonight. My blood pressure just shot up. Iam hoping she doesn't have an episode and I have to cancel. That would suck bad, got all my ducks in a row, it pull be hard to reschedule . Plus it's getting close to summer.
Done!
Uncomfortable effing insurance wouldn't cover med until preauth done which can take 2 days just paid get reimburse . At moms no way could I be home with girls. 3 drains :(
Still not sure
So uncomfortable day 2, so not sure it was worth it yet. I gotta keep reminding myself it will be worth it, I hope so cuz it hurts way more than a c-sec. But remember I has muscle repair from just under my breast center all the way down to c-sec scar,hernia repair new belly button,lipo to flanks. Plus my dr. Was kind enough to remove all my protruding moles. So it was extensive. Morphine not touching it. I have the 3 day pain thingy too. Can't remember the name. Gonna try o.c now see if I get any relieve. I really can't see myself returning to work in 2 weeks.
When will I start to turn the corner?
Can anyone who had this give me feedback on when I should start feeling better?
Day 3
Feeling so much better today, sore but not to much pain. Thank god cuz I was starting to get the depression ,as it was the worst pain I ever felt to be honest. I was starting to question myself.A lot worst than csecs! Dr told me it's worst than standard tt cuz of muscle repair, hernia. He did the muscle repair starting center right below breast all the way down to my hoo-hoo pretty much.so I have a splint running down as well as all the other bandages, drains. Today iam hopeful and starting to now get excited. I can't wait to go out shirt shopping, as I was still wearing maternity tops empress waist things.
Hard lump
Found a hard lump on belly not near incision should I be concerned, no pain but still numb any feedback?
Very depressed today
My daughter is sick, iam still not moving around great, and I have to put my dog of 15 yrs down very soon. Went to follow up and have to keep drains in all 3 for another week. Said iam looking great but to be honest my mind isn't there right now. I am coming unraveled , and depressed. I guess it looks good but I can't really be excited with all the other things needing more attn right now. God please let this pass,and give me the strength I need to deal with all this
Dam drains
My drains are really irritating me. One of the got cought on something and pulled ouch! It has been hurting ever since. 5 more days urgh . I suppose it hurts to be cuz some of the feeling is coming back but they are really raw. 5 more days. Does it hurt to come out?
Still bitching
Still bitching about my 3 drains, the side one is the worst. My daughter came down with the flu, so I took my youngest and hid out at my moms. Keeping my fingers crossed I don't get it coughing would be a bitch. I choked on some water today, ouch! Feeling alil better today. I still haven't dealt with my dog yet. I want to get better be4 I put her down. She is actually doing alil better, but can not do any stairs. Poor baby girl. I need to spend some quality time with her b4 I do it : ( I really can't get excited yet I have so much gauze and tape,drains. It's hard to see what it looks like counting the days till these drains come out. I don't understand how some of these girls have it done without drains. I mean seeing all the shit coming out I would hate to have all the fluid sitting under the skin. Oh well. I will add more pics at my follow up. I haven't really seen my belly button yet it's all taped up. I saw it quick while the bandages were changed by nurse, it was all scab in the middle. Will be excited when I can see it all together and drains out.
No help tomorrow
Husband back to work and my mom had to attend an emergency. So I will be on my own. Not really sure if my 6 yr old can go to school. She is still alil off from being sick this week so I may have both home lord help me. Effing drains so raw. Does everyone have their drains open no gauze.? Nurse put gauze on be4 I left cuz they were oozing. Not sure if I should cover them back up or leave them open. Still can't shower. Sponge bath today than went to cvs to get a Mother's Day card. It took all my energy. My daughter took the rest. God she can suck u dry.
Drains open/covered?
Advice plez
Let the swelling begin
So swollen on rt hip. The only place I don't have a drain.
Can't wait til these drains come out
Tomorrow is my follow up, I hope these drains come out, I feel good except the drains hurt tugging. It really makes me sit still whenever possible I guess that's prob a good thing, I am not much of a couch potato. I have watched all 3 seasons of game of thrones. How much fluid is exceptable for drain removal?
Pic
B4/after I still haven't seen belly button or the scar. Dr has had it taped. I go Friday. At drain removal he did give me a c.g. And yeah it's not skin friendly. I do have to wear a tank under it!
Back to work!
Back to work at 20 days post. Wasn't to bad but so swollen end of day that the incision was hurting. Still taped haven't seen bb yet go back Friday. When I get home from work I get right into my recliner !
Belly button
Saw my belly button looks good, I am concerned about the scar on the left side. It's kinda uneven and puckers.
Left side puckering
Not liking the way the left side of scar is puckering. Anyone out there have experience with it flattening out? I am using silicone strips
Still happy
Still happy with results even if the scar puckers alil, there is only so much that can be accomplished, and I am still under one month so... Not to many people see that far down anyway. My bikini doesn't show it.
Still sore
Still sore, maybe cuz the feeling is coming back more. Dr. Cleared me to excercis lightly, so I ran on the treadmill really slow. Not sure it was the right thing to do cuz it's been since than that I feel sore. I am gonna give it another week before I try it again. The flank lipo hurts the most still. my chest feels tight and stomach feels so hard to me. Hoping it's the swelling and it will go down at some point right? My dr. Said I am not swollen, and this is the result which is great but I do feel swollen and alil puffy down ther. What do u all think about the swelling? Is it really true do we swell or no selling as my dr. Seems to think..
Getting nervous
Ok I am getting alil nervous about the puckering on the left hip and my swelling belly. I know everyone says they swell but at my last follow up my dr said I wasn't swollen, it just felt like it cuz I am numb. I was definitely flatter soon after my surg. I have been really good about eating and have lost lbs. I hope it is swelling and will go away. But I think I am gonna have to address the puckering here. What do u all think
Getting upset
So first week postoperative I was excited and very flat, now it seems my belly is forming a pouch. Under bb. I am really getting upset, are my expectations to high. I go see my dr on Friday. Also I tried to go to work without binder today and it sucked. I am a dental hygienist and when I got home I wanted my binder and recliner. Dr. Didn't specify or say how long. I hope I didn't bust any internal sutures this weekend. I lifted 50lbs playsand bags at lowes cuz I got sick of waiting for help. I am I being unrealistic? Why so flat one week in now yuck. Like I didn't even have anything done!
One more thing
I can't even see the incision on the left side cuz the skin whales over it urghhh! Like a ledge
And another thing
I weigh the same, been eating clean and doing moderate cardio, it can't be weight gain.
Week 5
Well went to appt at dr bawling my eyes out cuz I have an appt at 530 to have my dog put down
Not over the moon
Initially I was excited but the more I heal the more I am not to sure, yes it's better but not great. I have noticed that since the hardness is going away the upper skin is kinda getting jiggly. I have returned to excersize but can not find any web sites that can recommend the proper way after tt , hernia and muscle repair does anyone have any excersize advice for abs
Happy for cropped shirt!
But on positive side I can wear short shirts again without whaling out. Haven't done that in 6 yrs : )
At drs appt he said he may have to go back in for left side scar provision. I think I remember him say "fork it" not sure what that meant but he wouldn't do it til fall. Overall happy ,def improvement . Just being picky. I don't expect to look like I did when I was 32, I was training for contest, but I guess I was expecting ... Idk?
At drs appt he said he may have to go back in for left side scar provision. I think I remember him say "fork it" not sure what that meant but he wouldn't do it til fall. Overall happy ,def improvement . Just being picky. I don't expect to look like I did when I was 32, I was training for contest, but I guess I was expecting ... Idk?
Changed figure
I feel like my figure is completely changed. I kinda had a boyish figure not very hippy, or curvy but now I feel curvy cinched in waist. Not really sure how I feel about it . But realistically it looks good, I am 43 what did I expect? Ok I need to stop my bitching. Thanks for letting me vent!
Scar
Ok so some of u complaining of scar to high, mines to low again on the left side . Dr did say he may need to revise it, but I wasn't really listening cuz it wAs the day I had to put Pinni down. Anyway what do u all think? I love my belly button but I am not liking the verticle scar from old one, would not be bad if it was flat but maybe from swelling it's puckering!
Scar,drain holes outside of bikini line
Strange place for drain placement on outside of bikini line both sides, u can kinda see the verticle scar looks worst when I swell, but today I was slit less swollen yeahhhh! Looking better, corse I am being my worst critic
For livbella
I tried to pm you and show u this pic,but it wouldn't let me upload a pic to pm you. That's stupid. So I figured what the heck why not show it to r.s it may help someone.
This is my back drain 2 days after it was removed at 2 weeks. Sent a txt to dr I was paranoid it was MRSA or something and he said it was a reaction to ointment he put on and to put hydrocortisone cream on rash part and cover til next day. It was fine by next day so I didn't go into drs.
This is my back drain 2 days after it was removed at 2 weeks. Sent a txt to dr I was paranoid it was MRSA or something and he said it was a reaction to ointment he put on and to put hydrocortisone cream on rash part and cover til next day. It was fine by next day so I didn't go into drs.
4 th of July
Just a quick update. Went to a follow up yesterday and had to drag my 2 kids waited for 45 mins and finally got annoyed and rescheduled. That was not cool at all! I def need a scar revision and wanted to discuss it but it's gonna have to wait! My time is valuable too! Painful with 2 kids so I just left no update on that end just thought I would post some pics of the 4 th! I ran 4 on the fourth with mum and my oldest! Looking at my pics I feel I now need a boob job ! Lol
Road race/beach
My vertical scar was was visible as well as the left side where my revision will need to be done
2 1/2 month check up
So I finally met my ps for my 2 month check up at 2.5 months and I had a few things to discuss. My dimpling vertical scar from old bb and extreme itchiness of back. Now this one bothers me the most be us my ps removed tons of moles for me on back during surgery and decided he wasn't going to send them out for biopsy , which confused me cuz of my hx wth skin cancer. When I had a priminery biopsy done on my melonama it was soooo itchy. I realize lipo is itchy but where it's itchy happens to have a mole on the spot so it got me worried cuz why didn't he remove it, and if he did why is it back? So he decided to remove it in office and send it out. So just praying it's negative. Also he said the indentation of vertical scar was due to fat loss in the area. So in fall he is gonna remove some fat from hip and blump the surrounding area so it won't dimple so much as well was go into the side scars and release the tissue that is alil to tight and is puckering on both ends. It will be done in fall in office with local. So he addressed my issues with out me having to ask phew! I was starting to get alil mad b4 I went in cuz I thought I would have to ask if it all could be fixed but he addressed it to my satisfaction.
Physical therapy
So I decided to start going to physical therapy for abs cuz the dr didn't really give me any advice as to what to do or not do. When I sneeze it still hurts like hell, I can't sit up from lying down unless I go sideways. So they have a women's health pt which specializes in these things. Iam just really afraid to do any damage with so much repai done. All the info I can gather online is all over the map. 2 months 6 months bla bla bla. And since my dr said I can do anything now, his exact words were u can play football if u wanted, so iam confused and need to seek professional help. If I can I will pass on what I have gained if any to you all. My first appt is Friday .
Physical therapy what I learned
I highly recommend pt for anyone that has had tt muscle repair and hernia. The PT said the reason why it still hurts when I sneeze 2.5 months after surgery is because I am still very tight, and while that sounds good for abs it can cause pain while doing things and muscle pulls, back aches etc.. She spent 20 mins messaging the scar and abs. Which by the way didn't hurt but it was not comfortable at all I was squirming the whole time. She said there are a lot of adhesions and try to message the area. Se said I was to guarded for her to give me any ab excercise to do yet. I joked that I wish the message was on my back instead. She gave me simple stretches and to do and to practice some deep breaths to stretch my diaphragm and belly. So stretch and message girls!
6 month update
So it's been 6 months and I am overall happy wth results although I guess I expected to be really flat and that's just not true. Feeling well back to all normal ab excersizes
6 months
6 momth
So as you can see I still have some pulls on ends of scar by the hip it def got better but dr. Said he can go in and release the pulls and my old bb has really concaved in, so he will take some fat from hips and inject it into the concavity . As you can see I still feel a fullness in my pouch area, but it comes and goes . Still numb so it feels hard. Seems to swell bad around my period. I will update after my scar revision! Hope it's not to uncomfortable
Scar revision and b4 afters
Had scar revision last Friday. Dr put some fat into my old bb area cuz it was dimpling, and released skin pulls on each side. He did it in office with local. Some parts were uncomfortable but not to bad. He didn't charge me. Also I got to see the b4 and after pics.
Scar revision = fail
Well thought I had posted some pics when I had revision but they did t come thru. Basically it did nothing I have the same pulls and my old bb is completely collapsed and concaved in. So I think I am done. Dr wants a follow up in spring but.... Not sure I want to pursue this any further
Very talented warm personality. Would definitely recommend him. I trusted and felt comfortable with him.
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