Eleven days Post Op

 Well here it is 11 days post op. I had abdominoplasty, which is panni removal and tightening of stomach muscles. What an experience this has been. I think that I underestimated this surgery a lot. The recovery so far has been a lot bigger deal than I anticipated. Wednesday I went and had 35 staples taken out but the dr didn't want to take the drains out yet. Tuesday I go back to get the drains taken out and probably the rest of the staples also. 
I did not take enough time off work which I feel has set back my recovery and made it that much harder. But I am making it through. Another thing that I am having trouble with is eating. I am finding that with the Lap Band and the tightening of the muscles I am feeling so full all the time and getting stuck a lot. I can only eat a bite or two and I am feeling bad. Has this been the case for anyone else? 
Just wanted to post a little update on how it was going. Overall recovery is going well and I am feeling good for the most part. I am looking forward to being drainless but do want to follow what the dr says is best. 

I will be posting new photos after the drains have been taken out tuesday. I am liking what I am seeing so far. I just wish the swelling would go down.

Dottie

as of today I am 14 days post-op.  I had LBL with anchor cut they also tightened my muscles very hard to eat good with not being hungry.  I to underestimated recovery time, not with work but just for myself. I got an infection in one of the drain tubes which really stinks but I guess is part of the game for some of us.  now i am dealing with diarrhea I just want to feel better soon. Have you been able to start walking or doing and exercise yet? I am not having alot of swelling as of yet nothing unmanageable

Hi Dottie,

I have a lap band too and had an LBL in December.  Both my lap band surgeon and plastic surgeon advised me muscle tightening will make me full faster for a while.  If you continue getting stuck and you start to PB or outright vomit, you might want to ask your band surgeon if he/she advises to take a bit out of your band. The last thing you want as a result of this surgery is to have a band issue. I was getting full quite quickly for about 6 weeks, but not getting stuck.  Protein is so very important to your healing.  I encourage you to not wait too long to see if your band doc has any recommendations.

Best wishes for your continued good healing.  You will be so happy with what you can now do with your new body, even with the time it takes for the swelling to subside.

Terri

I don't have a band, but I am also having a harder time eating much at one time; so I have had to increase the frequency with which I eat....and STILL I am losing weight.

I also thought I would feel better at this point (three weeks today) than I do; particularly, I HATE the compression garments!! When I wear them and go from sitting or lying to standing, I feel like my skin is tearing away from the muscle!! It is very uncomfortable. Pain medicine doesn't help with this feeling. By the end of the day I am crawling in my skin and cannot WAIT to peel these damn torture devices from my body!! I feel like an overcooked sausage about to pop on the grill!! Thankfully I have the OK from my surgeon to sleep without them. I am still not getting a full night's sleep; it is uncomfortable to turn, so every time I need to do so I wake up. But I certainly am sleeping better than I did last week, so at least I am moving in the right direction.

I have an appt. next week and am PRAYING I can go without the garments. I know some people SWEAR by wearing them FOREVER but I simply can not do it....I will end up in the psych ward. Thank GOD I don't have a job to go to...I simply could not do it!

Hope all my PS buddies are feeling better soon....

How long are you off from job?

I had surgery monday april 19th and was back to work by that friday. which was wayyyy to soon but i lived through it. I am still much more sore than i was anticipating being at this point. It is weird cause my dr said nothing about a compression garment, i went and bought some compression shorts from under armour but that is all i have done. I wonder if that would help the swelling.

Yes, Dottie...the compression garments will help with the swelling; that is actually the main purpose of wearing them. Mine are a brand called Marena; however, I know some people just use abdominal binders that you can buy in any medical supply store. Some people also use spanx, although spanx is no where NEAR as compressing as what I have on. But it is better than nothing. Get one that has legs, too....otherwise, you may transfer the swelling from your abdomen to your upper thighs.

Oh my goodness Dottie!!

That is NOT enough time off from work!! I am have a tt. arm lift (both with lipo) & BA  and I am taking 5 WEEKS off. I am hoping that is enough.

So glad you made it through!!