Tummy Tuck on March 17th

I'm 71 and had my Realize band installed on 8/3/06.  Sure would like to know where to look on OH to read about others experiences with TT.  I expect to be in the hospital one night.  Can someone respond?

Marti in San Jose

I was very sore for the first weeks. 

Here is what helped me:

A walker

A recliner to rest and sleep in

Bed pad to protect the recliner or bed from leaks

Loose comfortable clothing

Hand held shower and shower chair

If you have someone to help you at home it will be better.  You will want to mostly be resting for the first week or so.

Forgive me for dense but leaks?  What are you talking about from the drains or from my bowels?  I am lucky that I have a handicapped bathroom in my apartment.  I have not had a recliner since the last child moved out more than 25 years ago.  I wouldn't give a recliner the space in my living room!  I live in a 66 unit apartment building, with plenty of people to drop in and check on me.  Will I be able to get up to zap food I had made and frozen in the microwave?

Thanks,

Marti

Marti,

I had my tummy tuck about 3 years ago at age 53.

It was outpatient and I was home about 4 hours after the procedure.  The whole abdomen was numb for a long time, so I had minimal pain, actually.

It was handy to have a walking stick to help me get to a standing position.  And it was handy to have a plate, cup, bowl at counter level so I didn't have to stretch to reach them, but I was fully able to care for myself by 1 day post op.

Bathroom and fixing food were not an issue.  I slept often, typically getting up and having breakfast, doing some light walking, reading or knitting a bit ... Then taking a nap.

Up again for lunch, walking, more reading or knitting or tv, afternoon nap .... Dinner, relaxing and then bed.  This was the pattern for the first few days .... Gradually sleeping less and being active more.

I was off pain meds after about 5 days ... And driving by 1 week post op.

I DID rent a medical recliner for the first month, and was glad to not have to get in and out of bed.

Kath,

Thank you so much.  Your information was very helpful.  I generally walk about 3 miles a day.  I was lucky landing in a handicapped apt. so everything is lowered (and I am short) so I won't have to do a lot of reaching.  I will see if I can rent a medical recliner as I certainly wouldn't want one of those things in my apt. permanently!  I have a cane left over from a broken ankle from years ago.

How long was it until you were wearing your regular street clothes?

Marti

I was using a binder 24 hours a day for the first few weeks.   That made it hard to fit into my regular clothes.

I think that about 2 weeks post op, I was allowed to switch to spanx-like underwear for when I needed to dress better -- and then go back to the binder.

I work at home, so it is usually sweats for me -- and those were very forgiving.  The swelling gets worse throughout the day -- by evening I always wanted the binder to 'keep things firmed up' --- even for several months post op.

One other note about recovery --- my surgeon recommended that I take benadryl along with my pain med -- and take the lower dose of the pain med.  The benadryl 'extends the life' of the pain med and allows rest.

So, my percocet was prescribed as "1-2 tablets every 4-6 hours" ---- I was able to take 1 tablet every 6 hours if I took 25mg of benadryl along with it --- and then I napped through.  Pain meds can be very constipating, so the less I had to take, the better for me.

You might ask about that -- and see if it is useful for you.

Kath, Could you please be more specific about what a binder means?  Like refer me to a picture or where it could be purchased so I can figure out what you are talking about?  My mental picture is an old fashioned long line girdle made out of latex (since I'm older than you). 

Do I understand that the walking that I do now will be extremely difficult for sometime?

Thank you for sharing your experience.

You are not too far off with your visual!!  My binder was placed on my while I was unconscious --- it is just a wide piece (think 12-14 inches wide and 50 inches long) and velcros around my body -- it is not like a panty.

My doctor provided a spare, so I took it off to shower, and rinsed it in the sink with a little woolite -- and put the dry one one -- just rotating them.

I wore regular panties, and then a long t-shirt -- and then wrapped the binder around myself --- my incision was hip to hip --- I did not have the full lower body lift ---

Eventually, I would wear my panties, and gym tights --- and put the binder on over that -- and a big tshirt or sweatshirt to cover it up.

The binder REALLY makes you feel pulled in and stable --- it made it easier to stand up straight and walk.

You should be able to walk with a partner as soon as you feel up to it --- really, the incision site was tight feeling but not painful.

As soon as I was off pain meds, I was walking outside -- starting about 1/2 mile -- and working back up to a few miles at a time.

So, within a week -- I was out there -- it was good to have a partner in case I got a little woozy.

It might take you a while to work back up to 3 miles, but without complications, you should be walking pretty soon after you go home.

Kath, Thank you so much! I feel encouraged.  When another lady replied about needing a walker and such, I felt so low, I was beginning to wonder what I had gotten myself into or what I thought I wanted to get rid of my "hanging chad" after all these years!

Is there anything in retrospect you wish you had known that you can tell me?

Marti