Just had a tummy tuck

Hello everyone! I just wanted to let you all know that I had my tummy tuck on Thursday Feb 28th. All I can say is "holy hell, am I in pain!" This surgery is no joke! I had a complete tummy tuck whi*****luded removal of panni, muscle wall tightening, and lipo. The surgery took 31/2 hours. Before they closed me up they injected my abdomen and incision from hip to hip with a 72 hour lasting anesthetic. I can't remember the name, it was something like epiquil? They had given it to me since I get really nauseous from heavy narcotics. When I woke up my stomach was tightly wrapped in a layer of gauze, a very thick layer of foam, and an abdominal binder. I also have 2 JP drains, and for the first day a catheter. They did not want me getting out of bed the first day so I just laid in bed. As long as I didn't move, I was ok. The second day they removed my catheter and helped me out of bed to go to the bathroom, and to sit in a chair. It was painful, but manageable. Leaving the hospital was really hard!. I was wheeled to the car, but trying to get into an SUV is hard work! My husband basically had to lift me into the car, and even though he supported my weight, it still hurt like a mother!!



I have done a lot of research on what to do to prepare for post recovery. I rented an electric recliner, a raised toilet seat, I bought men's pajamas since they have the open fly in the front so that I could pull drains through. I am taking Bromelain which is a pineapple extract which aides in tissue repair, and flushes out fluids. I have also watched countless hours of video blogs, but just like having a baby, you can't fully understand the amount of pain that is involved until you experience it yourself! I am in the very early stages of healing, and I know that it will be quit some time before I start to feel better....but it is so worth doing if you have a large amount of excess skin, and fat left over!



My surgeon's name is Dr Boss, he is located in Paramus NJ He was wonderful! He even took a picture (per my request) of my panni that he removed! I can't wait to see it when I go for my follow up this Tuesday. I am excited for this appointment since it will be the first time that they will remove my abdominal binder, and I can see my new tummy!! They will check my incision, and look over the measurements of fluid that my drains have collected. The drains will be removed between 7 - 14 days. It will take up to a full year before I can see the final results. I am committed to continuing my healthy eating, and healing. Next month will be my one year anniversary from VSG. I am so grateful for my weight loss journey...it has been quite a ride!

Lesley




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I'm going into my sixth week post LBL and oh, yeah, surprisingly painful!  And it was all the muscle tightening.  I mean, the incisions were numb - parts still are.  The drains, no pain.  I could feel every now and then a pull on an internal stitch.  But the real ouchies were all the muscle repair.  The only hope I can give you is that it will get better, although it'll take awhile.  I can actually get in and out of bed in less than 20 moves now!

Take your pain meds and rest, and congrats on the surgery!

Thanks so much for your support! I just keep trying to imagine the final results to help me get through the pain! My stomach muscles feel like I did a million sit ups, and when I coughed....I almost hit the ceiling!  I wish you continued healing!

Lesley

You'll be thrilled with the results!

I coughed once right after surgery.  Never since.  Did you know that you can will yourself not to cough?   

OKAY, you;re really scaring me!  YIKES!  I'm scheduled for and extended TT this coming Thursday.  So the pain medication doesn't keep you at least comfortable?  OMG!  I'm expecting the medication to ease the pain.  Do I need a stick to bite on too?  I was told I will have a pain pump for the first 3 days.  Oh my, your post frightens me.  I went into my first childbirth thinking I would do it by the book "Childbirth Without Pain" no medications, what a fool I was...I believed the book and suffered.  Next baby I said, "Bring on the epidural"!  Any advice on how to lessen the pain?

this made me feel the same way! 

It's all the muscle repair. The incisions are numb. Even the internal stuff is pretty numb. The muscles, not so much. I had Valium to stop muscle spasms and lortab for general pain. It was bearable but no fun for the first few weeks. I'm starting week six, and I can walk normally. I'm finally totally upright!  It was no walk in the park, but I love having the skin gone. 

glad mine will supposedly be "minimal" muscle repair

I had a LBL with Anchor Cut TT and an extended Thigh Lift with massive Lipo, a Flap Butt Augmentation and IF I hadn't had the incisions for the TT, I would have never known I had surgery!

NO PAIN AT ALL!  SERIOUSLY!

My PCP said, he didn't believe me - but I can tell you, I seriously had NO pain!  It was a breeze!

Now the Lipo for my thigh lift was a totally different story.  The Percocets took the edge of the pain of that!  But after a week the pain was gone from that lipo.

We are all different.  Just because someone had the worst pain of their life with their TT, doesn't mean you will.  I also had a facelift  3 days after my body work!

Damn girl! You must have had some strong drugs to feel no pain. You should be written up in The Medical Journals!!! LOL!