Back home from TT and Hernia repair...
Had my huge ventral hernia repaired (again) along with a basic Abdominoplasty this Tuesday 9/15, went home the following day after no complications (wow that's a first! haha).
Anyway, the first 36 hours were the worst but now I'm feeling 100 times better and just taking Tylenol w/ Codeine every 4-6 hrs. The morning of my 2nd day post-op I felt much better and was able to walk around (hunched over) without too much pain and pretty much take care of myself. I'm going to bring up these questions next week in my follow up visit but in the mean time I just have a couple questions for the people who have gone through this....
1.) How long until you could stand up straight? (being hunched over is killing my back/neck muscles)
2.) How long until you could stop all pain meds....I'm thinking sometime this weekend?
3.) How long to return to a deskjob....I'm thinking Monday...so 6 days off....sound reasonable?
4.) Is it normal for my belly button to look like a dried bloody mess? haha
5.) Regarding the Binder...my doc said I needed to wear it the first 2 days then I could keep it off since he feels they sometimes do more bad than good (skin irritations, etc)...I trust him but am curious what everyone else has been told. The last thing I want is to mess up the hernia repair and/or tt from removing the support too early.
That's all I can really think about now...
Thanks in advance!
-Adam
Anyway, the first 36 hours were the worst but now I'm feeling 100 times better and just taking Tylenol w/ Codeine every 4-6 hrs. The morning of my 2nd day post-op I felt much better and was able to walk around (hunched over) without too much pain and pretty much take care of myself. I'm going to bring up these questions next week in my follow up visit but in the mean time I just have a couple questions for the people who have gone through this....
1.) How long until you could stand up straight? (being hunched over is killing my back/neck muscles)
2.) How long until you could stop all pain meds....I'm thinking sometime this weekend?
3.) How long to return to a deskjob....I'm thinking Monday...so 6 days off....sound reasonable?
4.) Is it normal for my belly button to look like a dried bloody mess? haha
5.) Regarding the Binder...my doc said I needed to wear it the first 2 days then I could keep it off since he feels they sometimes do more bad than good (skin irritations, etc)...I trust him but am curious what everyone else has been told. The last thing I want is to mess up the hernia repair and/or tt from removing the support too early.
That's all I can really think about now...
Thanks in advance!
-Adam
-Adam - 6'6" - From 450 lbs to GOAL in 9 months...
Phase 1: Completed 10/2008.
Phase 2: Weightlifting - Goal: Add 40 lbs of muscle. Completed 2/15/2011.
Phas 3: Cut to 10% body fat.
MY STORY: imthebiggestloser.blogspot.com/
(deactivated member)
on 9/18/09 3:01 am - West Central FL☼RIDA , FL
on 9/18/09 3:01 am - West Central FL☼RIDA , FL
HI!
I'm just 2 weeks out from my TT but will try to answer your questions......
I've been standing pretty straight since about day 6.......my surgeon was amazed when I saw him on day 12 how straight I am.
On day 2 I reduced my pain meds to 1 pill every 3-4 hours (was taking 2 every 3 hrs the first day)...I then weaned it to 1 every 6 hours about day 4 and then kept weaning them down till I totally stopped and have not taken any since I think day 8.
I think you are being too aggressive returning to work so soon. Can you go part-time for the first week? I think you need at least a minimum of 2 weeks but 3 would be better.
My Surgeon (and everyone else I know) said I need to wear the binder 4-6 weeks. Even though the binder is uncomfortable it is holding everything together and there is no way I would leave the house without it. Even today at post-op day 16 I don't feel comfortable after it's been off for about an hr. I only take it off to shower and to rinse it out.
FYI - the binder is not only holding things nice and tight but the compression stops the fluid build up therefore keeps the swelling down. Trust me, I've had other procedures and the ones in which I wore the compression garment I had less swelling issues and better end results. Just my opinion but if I were you I'd keep the binder on.
Best wishes!!!!
Ruth
I'm just 2 weeks out from my TT but will try to answer your questions......
I've been standing pretty straight since about day 6.......my surgeon was amazed when I saw him on day 12 how straight I am.
On day 2 I reduced my pain meds to 1 pill every 3-4 hours (was taking 2 every 3 hrs the first day)...I then weaned it to 1 every 6 hours about day 4 and then kept weaning them down till I totally stopped and have not taken any since I think day 8.
I think you are being too aggressive returning to work so soon. Can you go part-time for the first week? I think you need at least a minimum of 2 weeks but 3 would be better.
My Surgeon (and everyone else I know) said I need to wear the binder 4-6 weeks. Even though the binder is uncomfortable it is holding everything together and there is no way I would leave the house without it. Even today at post-op day 16 I don't feel comfortable after it's been off for about an hr. I only take it off to shower and to rinse it out.
FYI - the binder is not only holding things nice and tight but the compression stops the fluid build up therefore keeps the swelling down. Trust me, I've had other procedures and the ones in which I wore the compression garment I had less swelling issues and better end results. Just my opinion but if I were you I'd keep the binder on.
Best wishes!!!!
Ruth
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