I have more questions, some personal.

Ok, so I have two drains left. I'm so miserable with them I really hope they get removed on Tuesday. Especially since my period is due to arrive anyday now.  I have not been wearing any underwear since surgery last week and that's not going to work anymore.

How did you handle your drains while on your period?

 

Also since surgery last Friday I have lost 15 pounds! I know they removed 9 pounds of skin, but the 15 pound weight loss is utterly amazing to me! I thought that with all the swelling I would not show much of a change on the scale right away.

Is it possible that my weight-loss will be jump-started again? I've been stable in my weight for over a year, losing a few more would be great!

can't help with the period question. i had hystrectomy several yrs back. i do feel for anyone having to deal with that while having drains in. cannot imagine the discomfort. i hated my drains, came home with four. after having last dreain removed on wed last week, i am retaining tons of fluid. dr says it's nothing. but i am only down 6 lbs, after having 15 removed. make sense? hell no. not to me. if swelling doesnt get better, i will be calling him on tues. you are lucky to be down so much. wish i could say the same.  i was going to take an after pic the other day and decided not to, look worse than when i was at 4 days.

Take the pictures anyways, in a few weeks the swelling will subside and you'll have side-by-side comparison pictures to look at.  Lucky girl, got your drains out! I'm a little jealous. :)

ok i just took pic for my own benefit. cannot believe how pregnant i look. was amazed at flat tummy when i came home. how many drains did you come home with? aren't they the most uncomfortable things? i asked if they could shorten my tube lines, cause i had trouble finding room for all 4 lines stuffed in my panties. they said no. anyway, good luck to you and getting them removed. it makes all the diff. in the world with how you feel.

I came home with four drains, two were removed in a few days. The remaining two are making me miserable. I can't find the gauze they sent me home from the hospital with to dress them!! I considered removing them myself tonight!

Mine went into a small fanny pack alot of the time.  When I got down to two, I'd actually tuck them inside the outer lower sides of my bra for a bit if a lift ;)

Sometimes they do get sensitive at the incision site.  It's good to tape them to your skin a few inches away from the opening that way they don't get pulled on as much.  I would do that and then cover the opening and where I had it taped to my skin with gauze.

I can't help with the period question because I had a hysterectomy but I hope you get the drains out before you start.

Congratulations on losing 15 lbs that's fantastic!! I had 15 lbs removed but only lost 10 lbs when I came home which I was hoping to lose more than that. I've only lost 7 more lbs since my plastics in April so not sure if I'm through losing or not, would love to lose another 12 lb and be 140.
Debi

It wasn't so bad having your period w/ the drains. I started mine 2 weeks after my surgery and still had 2 drains in - one in each thigh. I still didn't wear underwear at the time and just used tampons.

I know it's tough w/ the drains but hang in there. I had my final drain in for 6 weeks and was tempted to pull it out myself but left it because I didn't want to deal w/ having a seroma from what other people said. If I can last for 6 weeks w/ a drain w/ the last 2 weeks having to deal w/ it at work, you can last a couple more days. Hang in there.

Sonya

Re: weight loss--

Day of surgery I was 154-- they removed 10+ pounds. 

One week later I was 147--- and the next week after the swelling started (after they remove your drains) was back at 156.

And today, 2.5 months out-- I am 149. Why haven't I lost what they cut off? I dunno. I know I eat less than I expend, so it's anyone's guess.

So at this stage in the game, no losses or gains are permanent....just hang in and let it roll.

I started my period about 2 days after surgery.  Luckily it was light so it wasn't near the hassle as I thought it was going to be.  As long as the drains are pinned up high enough so they won't be in the way, you should be okay.