Question:
Advice Please..surgery for hernia & TT in one week

HI, I am 10 month out and have lost 110 pounds. I am having a huge incisional hernia repair next week. A Tummy tuck will be done at the same time. I pretty saggy/flabby in the belly department. My doctor estimates that the excess skin will weigh 6 pounds. What can I expect after this surgery? Do you have any advice? I had a terrible time with awful reactions to the anesthsia after my bypass surgery. Pain wasn't a big problem. The plan is for me to stay overnight in the hospital, then go home. Seems kind of quick. Any thoughts?    — Barbara M. (posted on September 15, 2003)

September 15, 2003
I stayed overnite for my extended TT, brachioplasty and breastlift. It was a 9.5 hour operation too. I did fine. Shouldn't be a problem...
   — Kris T.

September 15, 2003
I had TT and medium-large hernia repair 2 weeks ago. Other than the tightness and walking bent over forward for the first 7-10 days, the main pain was right in the area where the hernia was done. I had a script for Vicodin and took 2 of them every 4 hours during the day and every 6 hours at night for the first 4 days and it really helped....still had a bit of that pain, but not bad. I have a really high pain tolerance and if it hadn't been for the hernia repair, don't think I'd have had hardly any pain at all. If you have a recliner, I'd highly suggest sleeping in it with a pillow under your knees for the first week. I just made sure that whoever was helping me out made sure I could reach my blanket, the lamp, cordless phone, reading material, ice water or other drink and pad of paper & pencil on my end table beside the chair (I call this my *picnic*). In fact, everyone laughs about my picnic with all the necessities! I needed the pen & paper for writing down things I thought of to do or things I needed, or the things I wanted to buy off of QVC! LOL....couldn't get to the store! Good luck to you!
   — Lynette B.