LBL - 3 Months Out

Hello All!

I'm about a week late in posting this but I wanted to meet with my PS first.  But then that appointment got rescheduled so I figured what the heck, post now.  (Blah blah blah)  :-)
 

My LBL with inner thigh lipo was done on 6/5/13.  At 3 months out, I am getting back to normal.  I still feel the tightness around the incision site but it doesn't hurt or really bother me.  My incision is looking good, still red but flat and smooth.  I've been using the silicon gel from my doc's office.  I can't really tell if it is helping or not.  I think that it is.  Or at least hope so.  I still have red marks on the backs of my legs from the tape of the dressings from the lipo.  Then again, the spot on my calf that the compression stockings dug into for less than 12 hours is still kinda there too (almost gone though) so my skin is not that forgiving I guess.  

A few things I have noticed: 

1. I still have some slight numbness in my left calf.  This is likely a nerve ending thing. It doesn't bother me but I can tell when I am putting on lotion or scratch that it feels different than it did before the surgery.
2. My incision will sometimes ache.  Not badly and not all over, but in some spots.  Again, likely nerves waking up.
3. I still have "fat" days where I feel bloated and generally hard on myself.  All in all, I love the results.  But I do find that I am even more critical of my body than I ever was before.  
4. I didn't have a lot of swelling, so I have been lucky with that.  But I do see that some days I have more skin laxity and muffin top kinda thing going on than others.  I wonder if that is swelling sometimes.  I fear that it is weight gain.  
5. I have gained some weight back from my lowest. About 6 pounds.  Makes me crazy.  
6. My stamina is still a little lacking.  I'm able to do all the exercising I did before (running, kickboxing, weight training) but I find it takes a little more out of me and sometimes just a "day at work" will leave me exhausted (work is nuts lately so don't know if I can blame that on the surgery or not)
7. Running has been a challenge again.  When I first start out, I can really feel it in my incision in back.  And my lungs have to remember what it is like to support a run.  But I've been able to do it and in fact, we did a 13 mile walk/run last weekend in preparation for a 1/2 Marathon we are doing on 9/29.  My time wasn't great, but I did it within pace requirements, which I was worried about.  Since I haven't done a long run since January, I was worried that my stamina (or lack thereof) would peter out.  But even at mile 12, I had enough gas in my tank to finish!  Yay! 
8. Women's clothes are still evil in terms of sizes and fit.  Alas, I have discovered a truth that all "normal sized" women have always known, I'm sure, but damn, can these designers all just agree to a standard so it doesn't make ladies dread trying on clothes? 
9. Having a LBL didn't solve all my body problems.  Funny statement to make, but I admit it, when I was heavy, I thought getting lighter would address all my self esteem and body image issues (plus make me more attractive to the opposite sex).  That happened some of course, but I still had "problems".  So of course I thought getting rid of the excess skin would address it..... sure, that helped even more but low and behold I am still not completely happy and I still feel like I am not attractive.  -- Don't get me wrong, my husband loves me no matter what.  For that I am grateful (I love him no matter what too) but it would be nice to finally get hit on by someone and feel like I spark some interest, even if I would never act on that interest.   Then again, I met my hubby when I was 17 (now I'm pushing 40) maybe I just haven't got a clue about what getting hit on is.  I dunno.  
10. The website Zulily .com is addicting.  I have spent WAY too much on dresses (which I never wore before) but at least I've expanded my wardrobe and have gone beyond my previous comfort zone. 

But all in all, I'm still loving the decision to do this.  Despite my whining above, I do feel better about myself.  Better than I ever have in fact.  I like how I look in clothes, to the point that I really need to stop buying new stuff, I'm running out of room in my closet!  

I'll post a reply to this thread Thursday after my doc appointment if she has anything interesting to say.   Hope all is well for everyone.  

Thanks for the great post. I enjoy reading your observations. 

Congrats on the half marathon. I could not imagine running 12 miles. I just started up sprinting and working my core and I am feeling pretty good. I kind of dread the idea of losing that and starting at square one after next month when I get more body work done. I will be 6 mos out.

there is some bounce back with your skin. It does not stay tight as a drum as it was after surgery. I had the opposite problem. I lost weight, about 25 lbs, and tht caused muffin top when I sit as well as excess skin in my lower abdo. He is going to take more off when I go in next month for my other body work.

my incision is dark, too. D you have any before and after pix posted? Good luck at your post op. I was surprised how brief mine was.

I have pics on my profile. Not from this month though but the redness is about the same still. My PS said she was pleased with how things are looking and the redness should start to fade. I am making plans for my next surgery, breast and arm lift. She said she could pull some of the upper ab skin tighter that way. It's not that bad, I know that, but it does bug me

Will you shoot me the password to see your pix, please? Thanks, Robyn! Continued good healing!

Oops sorry, I forgot I put a password on the albumn. It is: LBL

Thanks for the update.  I'm only a week and a half postop (LBL with vertical incision, breast lift) so I'm very keen to read of what might lie ahead.  My swelling was ALL OVER (I expected it where my surgery was but didn't expect my hands to triple their size!) and is still settling so it feels like I won't know what I really look like for a while yet.  What I see looks pretty good, but I'm still afraid to trust it in case it all disappears!!

Off now to browse Zulily :) .

Havent been around in a while....mostly due to getting back to work and getting the kids back to school but I had to reply to your post Robyn. I felt like it was written by me! Had LBL on 7/11. #3,4,5,9 of the points in your post are me exactly. I'm thrilled I did this, glad its behind me but hasn't changed my body issues.  Definitely have my fat days and I'm harder on myself now than I was before! I've gained 5 pounds back and although it hasn't changed my size of clothing or anything like that I often feel like a failure. I also worry constantly that I'm going to ruin this and keep gaining! As hard as that part is,I do have my ny moments of joy where I recognize just how far I've come in this journey!

another thing I've noticed is now that I've had the LBL and everything is so flat, I notice my arms more! So hard on myself! Lol

thanks for sharing. Sounds like you are doing wonderful. I feel blessed to have made it through this process so well with no issues or complications . 

Best, Kacey

Glad to hear your update. I think about you often!