I hope this is just swelling.....

I was very excited after my recent tummy tuc****il I took off the binder and saw what I looked like underneath. That was the first time I saw the incision. My doctor had assured my family and I that I had a perfect hourglass shape and the body of an 18 year old. I know I am only 3 days out.....but I hope to god this is not what I am going to look like. I still have a hangover of skin and a huge ripple at the top of the incision between my breasts. Is this normal at this stage? I am so worried I went through all of this for nothing!

Sorry I cant figure out how to post pictures here, they are in my profile

I'm not sure what to say but it could be post surgical swelling and stuff.

If it helps - and I had to tell my DH to remind me of this when I get frustrated - I read that with plastic surgery such as what we're doing it can take up to a year before you see the absolute final results.

I know it may not help much but you have to remember that you put your body through major trauma.  And your body is going to heal on it's own schedule.

The day after my surgery my surgeon showed me my tummy and it was so perfect - now I see some swelling.  I have to remind myself that it's going to take some time.  

In the morning when DH puts the compression wraps on my arms, they feel perfect but the more I do/move I can feel them getting tighter.  That's the one sign for me that helps me remember that there will be swelling.

I just looked at your photos and to me, it looks like it's probably just swelling. Swelling does weird things to distort the shape of our body so don't worry, my guess is it will all eventually subside and you will have that body you were hoping to have. It is hard to be patient but unfortunately, swellin has a mind of it's own and the length of time and the degree of swelling differs from person to person. I will keep you my prayers. Chin up girlie. I'm sure you will love your results!

I just had a circumfrential LBL and when I first peeked I was pretty happy with how it looked. But the next time I had started to swell and all along the incision line was a bumpy ridge with big dips and hollows and just really weird bunches of skin in places. Now it's all flattening out again and looking fine. You really just have to wait and see what it's going to look like. It could take months before you really start to see what the end result might be.

Unfortunately reconstructive surgery on previously morbidly obese patients isn't an exact science.  I don't see your photos but it could be swelling.  I looked GREAT after mine and now 8 months later I'm sagging a little as my skins elastic was shot...thank God I have more rounds to go and it can be addressed as we proceed.  With that said the ripped at the top could be a "dog ear" which is also common I have one on my back where my upper body incisions meet.  It can be addressed.

Continued healing and just wait before you get to freaked out.

Ms Shell