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So, three weeks went by so quickly!! I've been...
So, three weeks went by so quickly!!
I've been wearing a Spanx garment during the day and my binder at night, until Thursday night. I woke up with severe chest pain - i mean SEVERE!! I thought I was having a blood clot or a heart attack! I loosened the binder and fell back asleep, just to wake up with that feeling, but even worse! I removed it completely and after 5 minutes, the pain in my chest went away. I haven't worn in the binder since.
I called Dr. Otero's office first thing Friday morning, but she was already in with patients and I was told to leave a message with the nurse. WELL, they never got back to me!
I went in for my 3 week check-up on Monday and Dr. Otero told me there was no need for me to wear the binder anymore. The dark blotches from the rash have not faded in the slightest, so Dr. Otero prescribed me Hydroquinone USP 4% - which is a skin bleaching cream, to apply to the affected area. I only started using it today, so I haven't noticed a difference.
Almost all my scabs have fallen off and I was told I can start putting on cocoa butter or vitamin E. My friend swears by Mederma, so I might give that a go! Overall, the puckering has gone down significantly, but is still visible.
The swelling varies from day to day. Some days my belly is COMPLETELY flat and it's amazing, and some days when I walk a lot, like on Monday, I swell up like a giant balloon!!
Overall, super happy. The doctor says no riding my bike for another 3 weeks, which is a total bummer!! But after how awful I felt walking to the doctor from the metro (columbia heights to washington hospital center - 1.4 miles) and then back to the pharmacy, I guess I'm not ready for it anyways! :(
Completely flat (unswollen), my measurements have dropped from 38-33-42 to 38-31-39. I'm wearing 8-M/10-L depending on the fit and style. My mom sent me a size 6 suit that ran big and it fit me perfectly!
Now, if only this scar would look less heinous!!
I've been wearing a Spanx garment during the day and my binder at night, until Thursday night. I woke up with severe chest pain - i mean SEVERE!! I thought I was having a blood clot or a heart attack! I loosened the binder and fell back asleep, just to wake up with that feeling, but even worse! I removed it completely and after 5 minutes, the pain in my chest went away. I haven't worn in the binder since.
I called Dr. Otero's office first thing Friday morning, but she was already in with patients and I was told to leave a message with the nurse. WELL, they never got back to me!
I went in for my 3 week check-up on Monday and Dr. Otero told me there was no need for me to wear the binder anymore. The dark blotches from the rash have not faded in the slightest, so Dr. Otero prescribed me Hydroquinone USP 4% - which is a skin bleaching cream, to apply to the affected area. I only started using it today, so I haven't noticed a difference.
Almost all my scabs have fallen off and I was told I can start putting on cocoa butter or vitamin E. My friend swears by Mederma, so I might give that a go! Overall, the puckering has gone down significantly, but is still visible.
The swelling varies from day to day. Some days my belly is COMPLETELY flat and it's amazing, and some days when I walk a lot, like on Monday, I swell up like a giant balloon!!
Overall, super happy. The doctor says no riding my bike for another 3 weeks, which is a total bummer!! But after how awful I felt walking to the doctor from the metro (columbia heights to washington hospital center - 1.4 miles) and then back to the pharmacy, I guess I'm not ready for it anyways! :(
Completely flat (unswollen), my measurements have dropped from 38-33-42 to 38-31-39. I'm wearing 8-M/10-L depending on the fit and style. My mom sent me a size 6 suit that ran big and it fit me perfectly!
Now, if only this scar would look less heinous!!
Today was my first day back at work. For having a...
Today was my first day back at work. For having a sedentary job with little stress, I was EXHAUSTED by 2:30pm. I didn't wear my binder (it gave me a blister, and bunches uncomfortably when I sit straight up at a desk), but one of those spanx garments I had pre-op that holds me in. OH MAN, i swelled up like a balloon by the end of the day. Got home and put my binder right back on and I feel a lot better (though i can't sit up straight to draw - I draw comics as a second job, and this binder makes that very difficult).
I'm completely spent from just 8 hours of sitting at my desk. I also feel like I've been dragging so much because I haven't been exercising, which usually gives me that nice rush of adrenaline and some pep during my day, I feel like such a slug!!
My good friend came and visited me on Friday and gave me a gift certificate to modcloth.com (a fantastic retro-vintage website), but I need to wait for the swelling to go down to get good measurements.
I checked my incision today and massaged more cortaid on it - it does look like the puckering is going down and the scabs are definitely falling off!! I feel like I've had a huge setback in the appearance of my scar because of this rash (everything is still discolored). I really do hope the discoloration goes away, and that my incision line drops a bit once the swelling goes down.
Can't wait for my 3 week post-op check-up on Monday so I can talk to my doctor about starting up exercise (i want to start biking to work again) and about the scar and rash discoloration.
I'm completely spent from just 8 hours of sitting at my desk. I also feel like I've been dragging so much because I haven't been exercising, which usually gives me that nice rush of adrenaline and some pep during my day, I feel like such a slug!!
My good friend came and visited me on Friday and gave me a gift certificate to modcloth.com (a fantastic retro-vintage website), but I need to wait for the swelling to go down to get good measurements.
I checked my incision today and massaged more cortaid on it - it does look like the puckering is going down and the scabs are definitely falling off!! I feel like I've had a huge setback in the appearance of my scar because of this rash (everything is still discolored). I really do hope the discoloration goes away, and that my incision line drops a bit once the swelling goes down.
Can't wait for my 3 week post-op check-up on Monday so I can talk to my doctor about starting up exercise (i want to start biking to work again) and about the scar and rash discoloration.
New pics! Scabs are starting to fall off now,...
New pics! Scabs are starting to fall off now, especially around the belly button! OH MAN, my belly button looks great! Guess my doctor's and my worries were pretty unfounded.
I'm still concerned about the puckering and if the rash will scar, but I see my surgeon again on the 17th and will bring up my concerns with her.
You know, when I was in the hospital before surgery, I was really nervous. But I had 3 separate people (the administrator who did my paperwork, the nurse who put in my IV, the one wheeling me to the operating room) told me not to worry, Dr. Otero does really good work. It's really something for the hospital staff (not the surgeon's assistants or aids), who see Dr. Otero's patients go through surgery day after day, tell me she does really good work.
I have to agree.
I'm still concerned about the puckering and if the rash will scar, but I see my surgeon again on the 17th and will bring up my concerns with her.
You know, when I was in the hospital before surgery, I was really nervous. But I had 3 separate people (the administrator who did my paperwork, the nurse who put in my IV, the one wheeling me to the operating room) told me not to worry, Dr. Otero does really good work. It's really something for the hospital staff (not the surgeon's assistants or aids), who see Dr. Otero's patients go through surgery day after day, tell me she does really good work.
I have to agree.
Provider Review
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
406 Irving St NW , Washington, District of Columbia
Dr Otero was lovely, and everybody at the Washington Hospital Center was very kind and caring. I had a great experience! I've only had one follow up so far (next is on the 17th). The office does NOT finance, so all money has to be paid up front for cosmetic procedures (hence the 4 stars on payment process). I had to pay the 2851 up front, and the rest is being billed through the insurance.