Nervous about Tummy Tuck

I am 8 year Lap-band Post op with a weight loss of over 90 pounds.  I am at my goal weight of 150 and am very excited about where I am today.  Unfortunately with my highest weight of 248 and my pregnancies (kids were 9lb 3oz and 9lb 13oz which ended up as C-Sections) I am not very excited about my stomach apron.  I also have hips and inner thighs that are baggy as well.  I know what the C-Section is like and the pain that went with it, however, for some reason I am extremely nervous about having a TT done, especially having drains.  I have looked on-line at before and afters and I dream about having that flat stomach again.  I guess I am looking for experiences and maybe even a pep talk to calm my nerves. 

What should I expect as far as the days and the weeks after.  I love to run and also wonder when I would be able to start back up.  I have not talked to a doctor yet since I am still in the wishing stages.  Any help or advise (good or bad) is greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Tracy

I was worried about recovery too. I am a daily runner and worried about not being able to run for months on end...I had never had an operation and was so worried I would be recovering forever. My first two weeks were very tough emotionally. I felt like I was stuck doing "nothing" and watching my life happen, being an observer instead of a participant.

I am happy to say by about three weeks I was able to return to work and mothering my children 100%. Sorting laundry, vacuuming (my way, the right way ), and walking on my treadmill. At 4 weeks I was given the ok to speed it up a little and return to push ups, sit-ups and pull ups, if tolerated. At 6 weeks post op I am able to run 10 minute miles (the fastest allowed by my doc..) and I run 4 everyday and still have enough energy for everything else.

Here is what I learned...the first few weeks of recovery were certainly a time to take it easy and heal. Each week that has ticked by has gotten me closer to the post op me and the activities that I love.

I had tons of buyers remorse in the beginning...but now...I am so very happy I went through with it. You have recovered before, you know it doesn't last forever!

Good luck!

Thank you for your reply, it was nice to hear about your experiences with working out.  I am really shocked that the activity level was OKed at just a few weeks.  I am a desk worker who walks 1/2 mile to work each way so I will definatley get my exercise walking after being released to work..  I am worried about the sit ups as well.  I am active duty military and sit-ups/push ups are mandatory.  I usually score high enough that I can pass the test with high enough scores to only have to test once a year.  I guess I will have to schedule this surgery right after testing to get best recovery time to keep my high scores. 

I really appreciate your reply and feel a percentage better about maybe talking to a doctor.

Tracy

I am not active military but about a year ago I decided to train to be able to be marine 1st class. After surgery I have lost a lot of my hanging ability. I was able to hang 49 seconds and now I am at like 20. I can also only do I e pull up. I did have a breast augmentation but I know that takes abs too. Push ups I am ok and sit ups are almost back to normal...now that 21 minute 3 miles needs to be back!

I guess, from my training perspective, if you get it done right after testing and then get back to training it should be fine.

Tracy

I am a bandster, also --- went from 284 to 155 (never gave birth).

I had a full abdominoplasty last March -- and my surgeon uses a technique known as 'post tension suturing' - I had no drains.

I went into the surgical center for a 9am procedure and was home by 3 pm on a Thursday.

Hip to hip incision (that is almost invisible now) -- muscle tightening --

I went back to the surgeon's office on Friday for a wound check and saw my flat tummy for the first time (yes, I cried!!)

I had a pain pump inserted during the surgery and it lasted until Saturday evening -- and when empty I removed it myself (painless).

I had help from my husband the first night - with getting up and down (rented a remote-controlled recliner for the first 6 weeks)

By the second day, I was able to get up and down myself (with the help of the recliner and my walking stick)  I could squat without pain, so the bathroom was not a problem or painful for me.

I was on half-doses of pain meds by about the 3rd day -- I napped a good part of the day for the first week because I could.

I had another follow up with the surgeon at 10 days post op and was released to start back to work (desk job from home).

I wore my binder for a few months -- and began back to elliptical and treadmill work at about 6 weeks post op -- always with the binder.

I was camping/hiking within 8 weeks of surgery

It was much harder than my band surgery (but that was a really, really easy procedure for me) -- and over the last 10 months, I have had some discomfort as numbness wears off --- but it is nothing that an Advil won't relieve.

 

Thank you for giving me something to research.  I will look into this and see if it is something that I may be able to do.  What was the pain pump like, you said it had to be removed.  Was it directly attached to your stomach or was it an IV type in your arm?  I can understand the tightness and the not being able to move faster than a grandpa with a walker.  I was like that with both c-sections.  Was the binder cumbersome at all?  It seems to me like it would be awkward to get any movement with them.   I still have phantom itching/pans in my stomach now and my "baby" is 13.  I can completely understand that part of it. 

I can just imagine how you felt when you saw your stomach for the first time.  I will try to cover mine with my hands and dream of what could look like.  I am curious, excited, and nervous.  But I thank you for your comments.

Good Luck to you,

Tracy

Tracy,

the pain pump is a very thin catheter that is inserted in the abdomen as they are suturing/gluing you closed.

It 'comes out' of the body at the top of my right thigh --- I had a small 'spot' bandaid there ---- and it is attached to a bag of anesthetic.

Mine was an 'On-Q' (you can google that to see a picture) --- and it came with a little fanny pack that was strapped around my waist and just hung there --- slowly dripping anesthetic into the incision for about 48 hours post-op.

I was told that once the bag of medicine was empty to just remove the bandaid and slowly pull the catheter out --- there was absolutely no pain involved --- I was numb from the anesthetic.

The catheter was about 18-24 inches long -- and the 'tip' is colored --- so, you gently pull it out, and if you get to the end and don't see the colored tip, you are supposed to call your surgeon (it could have broken at you removed it and still have some left in there) --- my doc says he has never had that problem.

I had 2 different binders (got them from the surgeon) -- they both are about 12 inches wide -- and lay flat when open -- and close up with velcro -- so, I could cinch them as tight as I wanted to.   One was bulkier than the other

I bought a package of cheap men's tank-t-shirts (Fruit of the Loom) -- very long, so I put on my panties, and bra -- and then one of those shirts -- and then the binder --- then, for the first 2 weeks I pretty much lived in sweats/yoga pants.

Working from home was a great benefit in that way -- I did not have to dress for work.

When I did want to dress to go out, I substituted spanx for the binder -- and wore the binder all night.

Keep asking questions ---- also -- make sure you understand your doctor's follow up protocol.

I saw my surgeon 1 day post, then 1 week, then 1 month, then at 3 months, 6 months, 9 months

I will go back next month (10 months out) and he will do a little Lipo in the office because he thinks that my results could be 'more perfect' --- I am thrilled with the way I look right now --- but he wants it to look better --- and that is part of his fee.

He will check me again at 12 months -- -and then expects to 'release' me ---- I love that he does not just 'cut and run' like some.

 

my surgeon gave me the option of a pain pump or directly injecting a medicine into my abdomen, so I went the direct route and didn't have to deal with the pain pump. The first day was rather painful, but everything after that hasn't been too bad. I had two drains, and they didn't bother me much at all. But I also looked at it from the standpoint of- when I had my bariatric complications, I had four drains and I developed two seromas and had to have the fluid in my body drained with a needle when they got bad. One was close to my lung, and made breathing very difficult. I don't think you would have that problem, but I always remember what the drains are there for, and they didn't bug me much. The worst thing about them is that they make you look lumpy under your clothes whereas you otherwise feel good enough to return to normal life and not act like you are recovering from major surgery. And I couldn't have alcohol till they were removed. but they were sutured in place and did not hurt at all, and didn't hurt when they were removed (just got the second one out yesterday).

Because of my major major complications from bariatric, I was really hesitant to go under the knife again at all. As it was, it's been four years since my WLS. But I am SO glad I did. my stomach looks SO much better, and I haddn't even had children before it. I have pictures on my profile if you want a motivational comparison. good luck on your journey