Woohoo....had my tummy tuck!!! - ThinnerTimes - Gastric Bypass Forum, Lap Band Forum, and Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Forum

NewMel06 · 01-24-2009, 03:35 PM

Hello Everyone,
I had my tummy tuck on Wed this week. What a relief to have that done and the skin gone. I took a shower for the first timse since surgery today. Even though I have a tremendous amount of swelling, I can't get over how awesome it looks! I will have to post some pics when I am more recovered and looking less swollen.
I was super apprehensive about coming home the same day after surgery, but it turned out to be a very good experience. What a comfort to be in my own bed (acutally that couch-the bed is too tall for me to get into

), just to have the privacy of my own place make such a differenct. So thanks to those who shared their stories with me in my post about going home the same day after surgery. Your storries really helped!

Can anyone tell me:

how long did your drains stay in (I'm being told a week)
Being only 3 days out, is it normal to feel my wounds being itchy?
how long did it take your swelling to go down

Oh, and what was the average weight of your skin removed. I though for sure mine would have been around 10 to 15 pounds, turned out to be 5. I was amazed!

Thanks for your time and support everyone! Have an awesome day... I am certainly have an awesome one with these great meds they have given me

iamsuzen · 01-24-2009, 03:51 PM

I know you are on pain meds, but the thing that scares me about plastics is the pain. Now, I am no where near ready for platics, I just had my RNY this Tuesday. I am not really in pain, but terribly uncomfortable and sore. Is the pain worse, same, better, than previous surgeries?

Dawn Crippen · 01-24-2009, 06:21 PM

While I have a ways to go with weight loss, I think about a tummy tuck all the time. My doctor only lets me take Tylanol and it doesnt do such a good job for me. After surgery can I take something stronger? What are you taking?

Dawn lost 68 lbs 2-12-2007

staraex · 01-26-2009, 05:49 AM

congrats! im sure you'll be looking even more fabulous!!! i'm 45lbs away from my goal weight, but if my skin doesn't contract, I'll be looking into it as well! I say, we've gone through sooo mcuh shit that we deserve to end up completely happy with our bodies in the end!

Puddin · 01-26-2009, 06:15 AM

Congratulations on getting that done. I hope you recover quickly.

NewMel06 · 01-26-2009, 09:47 AM

Thanks for your posts everyone, well the pain is kind of hard to describe. I was given a block that lasted about 8 hours after surgery. However, still felt a fair amount of pain. Since then I have been taking percocet and valium. The most painful thing since is the sutures that are holding in my drains. It actually hurts more to cough or talk than it does to move. The first few days I relayed on my husband to lift me from a sitting or laying position so that I didn't put any pressure on stitches and to just not hurt in general. One thing to be prepared for is you wont be able to stand up straight for like a week. I am now 5 days out and I still can't stand straight. A lot of numbing too. I am sure as I "defrost" and the feeling comes back the pain may still linger a bit.

All in all, I would do it all over again. even if the massive swelling I have now were to never go away, I would still be happy with ht results and be able to wear a bikini

I will post pictures as I am able and more healed.

Jeanie · 01-26-2009, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NewMel06

Hello Everyone,
I had my tummy tuck on Wed this week. What a relief to have that done and the skin gone. I took a shower for the first timse since surgery today. Even though I have a tremendous amount of swelling, I can't get over how awesome it looks! I will have to post some pics when I am more recovered and looking less swollen.
I was super apprehensive about coming home the same day after surgery, but it turned out to be a very good experience. What a comfort to be in my own bed (acutally that couch-the bed is too tall for me to get into

), just to have the privacy of my own place make such a differenct. So thanks to those who shared their stories with me in my post about going home the same day after surgery. Your storries really helped!

Can anyone tell me:

how long did your drains stay in (I'm being told a week)
Being only 3 days out, is it normal to feel my wounds being itchy?
how long did it take your swelling to go down

Oh, and what was the average weight of your skin removed. I though for sure mine would have been around 10 to 15 pounds, turned out to be 5. I was amazed!

Thanks for your time and support everyone! Have an awesome day... I am certainly have an awesome one with these great meds they have given me

My drains came out at different times the last one was in for 2 weeks because it was still getting a lot of fluid out.
I don't remember my wounds being itchy.
the swelling doesn't fully go away for several months. Oh and I couldnt stand up straight (I mean really straight) for about 2 1/2 weeks. I found that sleeping with pillows tucked under my legs was the best way to slepp for about a month.
I had 13 pounds of skin removed.

Good luck I hope that you continue to be happy with your tummy tuck. I know it was one of the best things that I have done for myself.

GaryLondon · 01-29-2009, 05:38 AM

Melanie

Great to read your story. I am having my tummy tuck on the 11th Feb (aaarrrggghhh) and I am so looking forward to it. Its strange how I now hate the look of my body now more than I did when I was bigger! A common theme I know :-)

In the UK you are not let out of hospital until your drains have stopped draining less than 30mls in 24 hours. You are not sent home with them. I know that post op in hospital I will have a PCA (Patient Controlled Analgesia) pump of morphine and as the estimated stay is 5-7 days with physiotherapy (physical therapy) every day to get you upright.....

I feel very lucky in some senses that my surgery is free on the NHS (National Health Service) and I got a referral from my RNY surgeon to my plastic surgeon very quickly at my 14 month post op mark. On the 11th of Feb I will be exactly 18 months post op to the day and will have reduced my BMI from 54 to 26 in that time. Will my surgery and hopefully the loss of the skin I will be classed as 'normal' with a BMI of 25!!

I do feel sad for you guys in the USA who have to fight long battles sometimes with insurance companies to get the surgery done. I am having my inner thighs done next then my arms (though luckily dont need that much work done on them just some tidying up) Thankfully I dont need approval to have these done as once I am on the books of the plastic surgeon she will do what she needs to do with out a referral from anyone else on my various other parts :-)

I am so blessed that this has gone so smoothly for me and my life is so much fuller and happier....I know I should not be preaching on here but I know that the days and weeks ahead the power of prayer will see me through the hard times.. as I am sure I am underestimating the struggle ahead.. though reading the posts on here from people who have positive experiences keep me going.

Continued best wishes for your weeks and months ahead!!

Gary (from across the big pond)

NewMel06 · 02-03-2009, 06:32 PM

Oh WOW plastics for free..... you lucky lucky man Gary!!!! No apologies for talking about how lucky you are for getting plastics for free. I would be shouting it from rooftops if mine was!

I went through the round once with the insurance company and didn't have the emotions in me for the fight. My surgeon gave us a 10% military discount thought

, still a whopping $9,000

I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers on the 11th, just around the corner! You know I was so scared about coming home the same day as surgery. It was sounding crazy in the surgery room by 7 am and back on the road home by 1:30, drop off the kids, have plastic surgery and be done by the time school let out

When I actually came home though, it was a blessing to be on my own couch (didn't make it up the stairs to my bed the first night) I'm a pillow kind of gal so had my 10 pillows propping up my arms, head, legs.... it was really comfortable and good old hubby waited on me hand and foot-was a good experience. For pain, I have my good days where I say the pain wasn't as bad as I thought, then I have my bad days where I am saying this is horrible!

Just a word of advise, don't look too soon for the final result. I told myself over and over not to, but day 1 after surgery still expected to see Cindy Crawford when the doctor took my bandages off at my follow up LOL. My swelling was so bad that it looked like my belly button had been stitched two inches off center to my left. I was horrified, to the point I got dizzy and thought I would pass out. So know that things very possibly may look distorted.

Two weeks out tomorrow and feeling much better, still painful...but doing ok!

LyndasRoom · 02-03-2009, 07:23 PM

Congratulations Mel! I have no doubt you will have an excellent outcome. I think you're very brave.