Swelling is Insane

I am 6 weeks post-op.  I had a TT, BL, BA, and mini arm lift on 04/27.  My surgeon told me I could quit wearing my binder after 4 weeks.  The swelling is awful.  My belly jiggles and I look pregnant.  The skin from my belly button up, is sooo tender sometimes.  It feels sore and irritated.  Is all this normal after 6 weeks?  I put my binder on and wore it for about 21 hours and it made the swelling much better.

I took it off this morning and I am swelled up again.  It seems so unfair.  I was a size 4 before surgery and now I can't wear some of my clothes.

Any advice?

Cindy

wow I am 7 months out from a LBL and a BA...how time flies

Guess what...I STILL swell up.  Still dont have tons of feeling around the belly button yet.  I personally stopped wearing the binder and just pay attention to my food intake IE salt, drinking more water etc.

I have heard a lot of people swear by lymphatic massage, though I have never tried one myself.

I must admit, I have eaten salty foods.  I have tried occasionally putting lemon juice in my water.  I heard it is a natural diuretic.  Have you ever heard of this?  Do you know of any foods or liquids that are considered diuretics and are caffeine-free?  My WLS program prohibits caffeine.

Thanks,

Cindy

I had an LBL just 1 day after you Cindy and well.. I swell with activity, more swollen at the end of the day, especially at my incision right above my pubis area.  I was told to start massaging it now.  It has scar tissue developing under it as well, doc said it is the furthest from the blood supply that is why.

Watch your swelling and make sure u don't have a seroma.  When you tap on your belly does it wave like a waterbed would?  If so, you may wanna make a follow up with doc unless u have seen him recently and is aware of it.  

I still wear my compression garment faithfully or I blow up.  I havent gone without it except to shower since surgery, I love the darn thing.. sadly LOL.  I will be wearing mine for 3 mos, docs orders for best results he says.  I say if you need, put it  back on, it can't hurt anything, only help!

I know you will get back in your clothes once u get the swelling down.. water weight adds lots of "bulk" to us.. until that goes down you just won't know your true size.  I was told not to buy clothes until later fall early winter... until then it isn't worth it as our size/swelling can change us.

Good luck and put that garment back on.. that is my suggestion :)

I must admit, when I put it back on, it didn't feel near as bad as I had remembered.  lol.  It really helped with the swelling.  If I kinda flip my belly with my finger, it jiggles.  Could that be a seroma?  I go back to the surgeon on Friday.  Should I not wear my binder prior to seeing him?  That way it would give him a truer picture of how things are.  What do you think?

As for my mons area, it swells really bad.  I also swell a lot more below my belly button.  I've tried not to overdo it.  I read your reply to my post about exercising.  Did the gym make you swell very bad?

Cindy

It could be a seroma or just genearlized edema (swelling) from the surgery.  I would put the compression garment back on until you see him, absolutely. 

Well so far not yet - not any more than normal but I wore the garment while I was working out.  No way could i do it without it! that is for sure!  We will see as the night progresses.. lol

Melissa,what kind of garment are you wearing now?  The one I will have is the one that goes from under the breast all the way to my knees and zips and has they eye hooks on either side. It also has a slit in the crotch for easy bathroom access.

Melissa

You described yours just like mine!!!