Owww that hurts like a @#$%!

Sneezing after a tummy tuck with muscle tightening is the worst ever! That rule needs to be included on the post op instruction sheets they give you at the hospital. <br />
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Rule # 11: No sneezing after surgery because it will hurt like hell if you do. Hehehehe!

Praise the lord I haven't sneezed yet. However I have coughed and thrown up which Im betting are right up there with it - both feel like your insides are burning and tearing apart. Not ideal at all!

I think I would be okay at this point if the drains would stop burning and feeling like they are being tugged even when they aren't!

I remember my first sneeze.....OUCH!!!  I did kind of learn a way to sneeze an not scream from the pain....keeping the mouth open wide helps...of course if it's one of those sneaky sneezes that suddenly comes on and you have not time to think then you are sunk.

Rule # 12....NO coughing!

I can't tell you how many times I had liquid "go down the wrong way" and cause me to cough/choke...Coughing is the worst thing after the TT.

Hang in there....you'll laugh about this is in a couple of months.

I threw up 3 times the night of my BL & LBL with muscle tightening surgery...I'd have to say THAT was the worst pain I've ever felt!!

Hi computer_nerd

I don't know if this is relevant or not, but I had 2 abdominal C-sections years ago (with two healthy daughters so it was worth it ) so I was cut up and re-sewn from the belly button to the pelvic bone. AND I had bronchitis after each - what saved me was taking a pillow or anything that could be bunched up into a pillow and hugging it close across my lower abdomen. It wasn't perfect, but it helped with the pain and with the fear of bursting out of your stitches.

skylar

edited because I spelled abdomen wrong.

OMG you are not kidding!!!! I sneezed and thought I was going to die!!! Owwwww!  I don't know when your surgery was, but how have your pain levels been?  I am 4 weeks and still am uncomfortable!  Had hernia/intestional repair too, but still.

Pam

Pam,

Are you experiencing a pulling sensation in your mid-section?  I don't know whether this is normal or if I might have pulled something loose when I tried to cut fabric over the weekend.  I was bending over a table to cut strips with a rotary cutter (I am a quilter).  Now the pain almost feels like I imagine a hernia would feel:  very sore and tender right under my breast bone.  Sometimes the pain is in the groin on the lower right side as well.

I plan to call the doctor today--wearing abdominal brace again just so I can work.  Any advice you can give me is appreciated.

Yes I am!! I am also feeling the same thing on my right side - very sore - I think it just must be the muscles healing - I dont know.Back has been sore as well.  I am a mess lol. 

By afternoon, I am hurting tht is all I know and I am sick of it.  I wear the abdominal binder every day, but now the top of my legs are swelling.  This surgery has been pretty brutal, I think.   Still cant cough, laugh or God forbid, sneeze wthout pain. 

Good luck - let me know what they say.

Pam

The nurse at the surgeon's office said this was normal.  She said that surgery tightens the muscles (particularly the abs) and that movement then has to restretch them.  That is what hurts--the stretching of the tightened muscles.  She said as long as there was no bulging out of the muscle (and there is not) that it is not a hernia or anything awful.  I just have to be careful and make small movements--limiting what I can do or expect to do for a while.

Makes sense.  Ugh.  Can't wait til this is over!!  Good luck with everything and hope you feel better soon,

Pam