swelling

Hi! I'm nearly 3 weeks out from my tummy tuck, was doing fairly well until an infection set in. The infected area was so red and swollen that it started oozing again. I was put on antibiotics and the infection is clearing up. My problem now is with the swelling which I know is typical, but I swell so much that the places I was oozing from still continue to ooze. I was wondering if anyone knows what to do for the swelling to at least maybe keep it to a happy medium. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

My understanding is that there isn't a whole lot that can be done for the swelling. Some people find going back into their compression garment or binder helpful, but I personally didn't. Wearing the compression garment actually made me hurt WORSE. So I am just trying to grin and bear it although at 6 weeks post-op I am tiring of it, especially because it is really BAD. I can take some swelling but COME ON!! Some days by the end of the day I can do nothing but lie down!!

Anyway, sorry to turn your thread into a "poor me".....hope you feel better soon. And maybe someone else will have some tips that help both of us!

Thanks for your reply. I hear ya about the compression garment making it worse. I switch back and forth from my "girdle" to my original binder. It seems too like about anything I eat or drink puffs me out, I feel like I'm preggers with twin elephants!  If you could go back knowing what you know now, would you do it all over again?  I really don't think I would!  Most say they would, and a few more months down the road maybe I'll feel it was worth it. Anyway, good luck to you!

Yeah, I'd probably do it again....'cuz I know everything I am experiencing is normal and while I consider myself to have a pretty high pain tolerance I know I also am a bit of a complainer. For some reason, if I can whine and cry I feel better.

Hope you feel better soon...hope we ALL feel better soon.

FWIW: when I swell, I feel like a sausage on the grill.....you know how they POP when the grease inside gets too hot? That's me!

Compression and rest are the best things.  Lay down, get your legs way up above your heart.
I'm now doing Lymphatic Drainage massages twice a week...they help but the swelling persists.  Only time will take care of it for good. :-(   Swelling stinks!

Like everyone has said there really isn't a magic solution. Everyone responds differently to swelling. Compression garments help even though they are a pain. Keep your sodium low and drink plenty of water. Keep your feet elevated when you are resting which should help. Some of us are meant to swell for a short while and others for months (like me)! For me the part that absolutely just loves to swell is my tummy. My arms and legs didn't swell very long at all after this last go round so different parts of our bodies can respond differenly as well. Your swelling will improve with time, we just have to be patient.

Patience is definitely Not one of my virtues! I do realize the sodium is a big contributing factor in the swelling. I try not to eat hardly anything coz I know what it will do if I eat the wrong things, but eventually I get so hungry I start grabbing whatever  I can get my hands on and then poof, I'm out there again! I know it will get better with time. I'm soooo anxious to get on with my life. Good luck to you!

I'm almost 5 weeks from my LBL and still swell by the afternoon every day. It sucks! I had to stop wearing my compression garment because it was irritating the stitches under the skin where they tightened my abs. That pain is worse than swelling. The binder doesn't squeese the lower ab enough to do anything worthwile so I just gave up and am living with it.

By evening I just lay down on the couch with my legs elevated. That's the only thing that seems to work. Hang in there, it's going to get better, right?

I certainly hope so! I feel like a big baby complaining! I can't imagine how the ones who've had several procedures done have handled it. Good luck to you! Hope your swelling goes away soon too!