Update on surgery

This is just an update to the surgery i had last Monday the 19th of April. I had  abdominoplasty. It was done at a surgery center about two hours away from where I live. Everything went smoothly, the surgery lasted about three hours and I was released to go to a motel in town about an hour after surgery.I ended up with an incision about 3/4 the way around my abdomin which was bigger than I thought it would be. I have two drains in and really have had little trouble. I go back Tuesday to get checked and hopefully get the drains removed. They are draining about 30cc in 8 hours. Is that little enough drainage to warrant the surgeon to remove them? 
The whole surgery was a little more than I anticipated, both physically and emotionally. I had researched it very well I thought also, but it has ended up being more of an ordeal than I thought it would. The emotional ups and down have surprised me, that has been the hardest as well as when i let myself run out of pain pills. 
I am pleased with the resulting flat tummy, very pleased. I cannot wait to see how it looks when the swelling is all gone, the drains are gone and the staples are out. 
I am not sure what to expect at the surgeon's appt tuesday either, maybe one of you has an idea what will be happening then, that will be 8 days post surgery. Is that to soon to get the staples removed? I am surely hoping the drains go at that time. 
I am excitedly anticipating getting into skinny jeans again, I was in 6-8 before surgery, they removed 5 lbs of skin and i have no clue what to expect as far as dropping or not dropping a size in pants. Any ideas there, or is it as I suspect, totally an individual experience? 
Well thanks for letting me go on here, I appreciate the support.

Dottie 

The emotional ups and downs have followed all of my procedures, so you're not alone there. Part of mine is actually from the pain meds and just the overall state of feeling sorry for myself. I am happy to tell you that it does pass. Just hang in there and you'll realize one day it was just a phase and it will have all been worth it.

My surgeon wanted me to be draining 20cc's or less in a 24 hour period but he also is not one to leave drains in past a certain point. It just varies between surgeons. I didn't have staples with my tummy tuck so I'm no help with that. I had internal sutures with steri-strips covering the incisions.

After I healed and the swelling subsided I did drop a pant size. That also various amongst us but it's not uncommon to be able to fit in a smaller size once all of that excess skin is removed and the swelling is gone.

It soumds like you are going to have great results. I hope you continue to heal well.

Just want to ditto everything the previous poster said. I expect the staples can come out (they remove them often times for things like C sections, my bypass, etc. before you leave the hospital but then again you're there for 3-4 days) but the drains are another question because every surgeon is different. Mine came out on post-op day # 5 at my first appointment.

I'm too new to give you any feedback about pants sizes; I'm only two weeks out, still wearing my compression garments and taking it easy. If the status of my pants over the garment are any indication, I think I'll need to do some shopping in a few weeks!

Just hang in there...it gets better, a little every day.

My dr wanted me draining less than 30ccs in a 24 hour period before he removed them. I had one taken out at about day 5 and the other at day 8 I think. The ups and downs are normal for lots of us after surgery. Part of that is from the anesthesia and from the pain pills. Try to stay on top of the pain pills so you don't hurt. It really is hard to get the pain under control when you wait for the pain to get pretty close to unbearable. No need to do that. That's what they are for. As everyone has said, it does get better each day!