LBL - 1 week ago! Post Op updates

LBL Pre and Post OP

I had a Butt Lft w/flap augmentation and the Outer Thighs lipo’d and Lifted.

I already had the tummy tuck done exactly 3 months ago (on Sept 2^nd), so this is finishing off the LBL for me.

 

Pre-Op!

I did my normal Pre-op routine and preparation.  I took the obligatory “before" pictures of my butt and thighs.  NOT a pretty picture….but it is what it is.

I got my personal supplies all ready and packed the day before.  I knew I was going to stay at an After Care facility again for the first 2-3 days so this time I prepared some food items just in case the food selection at the facility was still as bad as it was last time.  I took a couple of containers of oatmeal and soup which could easily be heated by the nurses if I needed it…..I also took some protein powder, cereal bars and a box of cold cereal.  FYI - It came in handy a few times!!!  I was so busy the week prior to surgery that I didn’t get nervous until about 36 hrs before surgery and then I kind of freaked out until they rolled me in for surgery (I was a ball of nerves on the stretcher).

 

Day of Surgery – We got there on time and I was still nervous but they did a good job of keeping me calm and reassuring me that things would be ok.  The Surgeon got there and did all his markings….I can remember he going over how things will be lifted, how skin will be removed and the tissue (flap) will be placed to form a flap that will give me a bump…..I told the surgeon I do not want a JLo butt!...LOL…I just want a little bump so I’m not flat as a board back there.  Before I knew it I was being wheeled into the OR…next thing I knew I was at the after care facility!!

 

Post-Op!

First let me say the first few days of recovery for this surgery was much harder on me than the Tummy Tuck!  The first few days after my TT, which was an Anchor Cut with muscle tightening, was a piece of cake in comparison.  It will be interesting to see if my overall opinion of this changes as time goes on……

Day of Surgery –

I didn’t eat anything when I got to the after care place….I was not hungry and not thinking about food.

I needed to pee!  I was told I could not walk to the bathroom yet. They had me stand up along side the bed as they held a large Styrofoam cup between my legs for me to pee into.  The nurse made some sounds like running water and I was able to pee (LOL).  But that was it, only once!  After that I would try and try but nothing would come out.  We even stuck my fingers in a cup of water but nothing…of course ever time Matthew told me to “just relax" I got more nervous.…..finally we ran some water in the bathroom sink and that did the trick.  It had gotten very frustrating and embarrassing to have someone standing there with a cup between your legs and you “can’t go".  Finally when I was able to pee I filled 3 large containers!  We all laughed a little…

All the up and down trying to pee was making me dizzy and shaky..…PLUS I had not eaten anything in more than 24 hrs and had very little water to drink.  At 2am the nurse took some of my oatmeal to heat it up and made me eat it.  Gotta admit I had no trouble eating it and it did help.

 

Day 1 Post-Op (Thur) I didn’t really get a good night sleep (not that I expected to sleep well) woke up with a better appetite than I did after the tummy tuck (guess because the muscle tightening with the TT made me feel full all the time).  Man the food choices are terrible here.  I knew it wasn’t great from the last time but it’s gotten worse.  Thank goodness I prepared and brought some soup, oatmeal, and cottage cheese.

 

MAN the pain in my butt and hips is so much worse than the pain from the tummy tuck.  I’m not getting real relief with the pain killers but then I’m not getting them on time every 3 hrs so I’m not managing the pain well.

 

I’m covered in blood (leaking from the drain entrance spots) so they are going to bring me a new one.

 

I can tell I already that I like the results on the outer thigh part of this operation….haven’t seen the butt yet.

 

Thank goodness they had a toilet riser in place for me at the facility.  It’s the highest one I’ve ever seen!  I can’t imagine sitting those first couple of days without the riser.

 

We took a couple of “after" pictures…wanted to see the results before all the swelling starts.  Friends can see them (FYI - I'm cleanning up my "friends" list....if you don't have a picture posted or you never post on the forum I am removing from my list...sorry)

 

Day 2 Post-Op (Fri) Been running a low-grade fever most of the day.

Needed to up the pain killers a little…1 every 4 hrs was not cutting it.  I went to 2 every four hours and finally got a few hours of sleep and some relief from the pain.

 

I think my compression garment is too big!

 

Day 3 Post-Op (Sat) Still feeling warm and I finally asked them to check the temp and sure enough I had a fever over 101.  They called the Dr and gave me Tylenol….I sweat like a pig all night but the fever did break over night (Sat night).

 

Day 4 Post-Op (Sun) I can’t believe that given I’ve been running a low-grade fever they (the after care facility) did not come and check my temp all day.  They only did it once today at 4pm.  I’m also surprised nobody is asking if I had a bowel movement yet..….all these days and I was only asked once.  I’m not happy with the facility but it’s not my surgeon’s fault.  I already know they are working on a deal with another after care place so this might be my last time staying here.

Took a picture after my shower and really like what I see on the side view.  I’m starting to feel the swelling start but so far I like the initial results!

 

Day 5 Post-Op (Mon) Finally going home today!  I should be checking out about 3pm.

After my shower this morning I felt my heart beating heavy and I got all warm again.  I think it’s a fever again. As I’m typing this I’m feeling all hot like the low fever is back.

Have to get out of here by 3:30 pm so we can stop and pick up Buddy from the kennel on the way home.

 

I can see the swelling is really starting…especially in the upper butt….man it looks like a big shelf sitting back there and my whole waist/hip area just looks and feels wider…  YIKEs…..I trust that it is just swelling and not my new booty….yeah, it must be swelling. 

 

OH GOOD HEAVENS!  The 2 hour drive home was not fun…I should have been sure to have a full dose of pain killers in me.  By the time we got home I was ready to drop.

 

Funny thing….we put the toilet seat riser in place in one of the bathrooms and when I sat down it felt so much lower than the one at the facility….that other one must be a good 10 inches high!

 

I really believe the compression garment is too big…(I know I’ve said this before)…I’ll call the office tomorrow to see if they can get me a smaller one or if I should just order one.  The whole point of the compression garment is to have a snug fit so help reduce swelling and help the tissue re-adhere to the skin with a tight/smooth finish.  I’m worried I’m not getting any compression.    I called the surgeon, they have a smaller one I can buy but I’m not sure I want to wait…I may order on-line and get next day delivery…not sure…will think about it tonight.

 

Day 6 Post-Op (Tue)

First day home.  While it’s soooo good to be home and see my baby (my dog Buddy), there are new challenges to be faced now that I am not at the after-care facility.  It will be a challenging day but I believe I/we can do it.

 

I am having a BIG PROBLEM with constipation.  My body is trying to pass a brick (sorry if that’s TMI).  I am packing in even more fiber and laxatives today because I can’t take much more of this.

 

I was able to sit at the table for breakfast.  I needed help getting out of bed and I put 2 fluffy pillows on the wood chairs before sitting down.  It wasn’t too hard getting into the sitting position just a bit uncomfortable actually sitting….not really pain…just uncomfortable.

 

Pain is much less today…..nothing really in my thighs…it’s all in my butt.  Isn’t it weird how the butt is so big and swollen and numb yet is hurts so much….hmmm

 

I have banged into furniture with my wide behind twice so far this afternoon…LOL

 

I’m feeling a little warm again and starting to get a little headache…….need to buy a good thermometer…..have to let the Nurse know I’m running out of antibiotics so she can call in a new order if needed.

 

Ok, FINALLY , I have emptied out my bowels.  This was the worst constipation I’ve ever experienced!  I feel so much better right now (and so much happier too!).

 

So it’s been about 5 hrs since I finally had a bowel movement and I must say I feel so much better and so much happier…what a difference!!!  I think tomorrow will be an even better day.

 

Day 7 Post-Op (Weds)

It’s been one week….surgery is behind me….pun intended! 

So far, the major events over this week have been:

* The first couple of days were brutal!  I definitely should have taken full doses of the pain killers and not tried to cut them in half right away.  Pain management and being comfortable is really important…especially the first few days!

* I wish I had told the surgeon I thought the compression garment was too big before I left the facility (I’m not driving 2 hrs to get a new one).

* This might be TMI but my “girlie plumbing" is lined up differently now.  It changed a little after the TT w/mons lift, but I guess pulling things and lifting things again changed it again.  I have to be careful how I sit on the bowl so I don’t pee over the top!!  LOL

Maybe some of it is just that my butt is so swollen that I’m sitting funny but I’m thinking it has more to do with all the lifting.

* Take laxatives from day 1 post op and every day afterwards until things start flowing! (I skipped a couple days…not a good thing).

* Swelling Sucks!  This is my first bad experience with swelling and it is nasty!

 
I love the initial results I saw and can't wait for the swelling to go down!

More to come…..
Hope you are all healing well and enjoying your new bodies!

TTFN

Ruth

 

 

thank you so much for this, it really helps me to prepare for what to come when I have my LBL and BL....I hope you continue to get better and improve! very gentle hugs to you! 

Hi Ruth,

Thanks for the great detailed update....is TTFN the password for your new pics?  Love the peeing part...too funny.

Suzi

LOL.....no TTFN mean "ta-ta for now"....I close most messages with that.

I will PM you the Password. 


TTFN
Ruth

Still haven't received the password, Ruth.

Tks,

Suzi

WOW Ruth, you have been through it..... yikes! I'm glad you are happy with the results

Martha

Thanks Martha.
Yes I really like the results I first saw and felt.  Now everything is so swollen so I'm not happy but I know it will change...
I'm sure I will not fit into my pre-op pants.....Funny thing is after my tummy tuck I had no swelling and no trouble wearing my pre-op clothes.... I guess this my turn to suffer through swell hell.

And how are you doing?  You look fantastic...tiny little waist!!

Thanks for the posting! I never would have thought of bringing food and laxatives.  Here's hoping the worst is over and the pain lessens.

Nancy

You are such a trooper, Ruth. You always seem to keep your positive attitude in spite of the difficulties that come up. I really hope with a new compression garment it'll do the trick to decrease the swelling. I know how uncomfortable the swelling can make you. You look fantastic in the pictures. I hope your recovery continues to go well and fast!

Thanks so much for sharing the details of your experience, Ruth.   Great timing for me as I'm going in for Phase 2 of my PS work on Sat, which will include what you just had and much more. Yikes... not looking forward to the recovery pain, but your post helped further prepare me (just as your emails did prior to my brachioplasty!). 

Glad to hear you're liking your results so far and feeling a little better every day.  Wishing you all the best in your recovery. 

Would love to view your post-op pics, if you wouldn't mind.  PM me the password.

Thanks,

Michelle