Had extended anchor cut tummy tuck and breast lift on Wednesday..
I spent the night in the surgery center Wednesday night... felt a little like throwing up part of that night, but got meds for it and was fine after that.
I haven't had any real "pain" so to speak of.. maybe discomfort but on a scale of 1-10, I'd say maybe a 2, closer to a 3 if I slept past when I should have taken my pills, but nothing too awful yet. That's really just in the tummy tuck portion.. and mostly where my drains come out. My boobs, for the most part, aren't bothering me at all.
So... tomorrow is day number 3... Is this where the not so fun part begins?? I've had no trouble getting in and out of bed, no trouble getting to the bathroom... anyone else have a great experience for a day or two and then things go downhill? Hoping I'm just a lucky girl and it will continue to get better and not worse... but always like everyone elses feedback.
I haven't had any real "pain" so to speak of.. maybe discomfort but on a scale of 1-10, I'd say maybe a 2, closer to a 3 if I slept past when I should have taken my pills, but nothing too awful yet. That's really just in the tummy tuck portion.. and mostly where my drains come out. My boobs, for the most part, aren't bothering me at all.
So... tomorrow is day number 3... Is this where the not so fun part begins?? I've had no trouble getting in and out of bed, no trouble getting to the bathroom... anyone else have a great experience for a day or two and then things go downhill? Hoping I'm just a lucky girl and it will continue to get better and not worse... but always like everyone elses feedback.
Aloha QM-
Huzzah, you are a tough girl! The boobs were nothing when I compared them to the abdomen- and my pain was so well controlled with the OnQ Pain Blocker that I also felt recovery was a breeze. Did you have implants, or just a lift? My breasts didn't bother me at all til I had to massage them an hour a day to prevent capsular contracture around the implants ( around Day 5 if I remember)- so I would ice first with frozen raspberries, then massage. Not screamingly painful but I did time it for after I had taken a dose of pain meds.
I think the tummy part is worse is when you have alot of lipo ( I didn't) and muscle tightening, (which I think they do with all tummy tucks). I had a little tearful pity party for myself on night 2 post op ( the first night was spent in the surgi-center) when faced with measuring and activating my 7 drains, then smacked myself upside the head and thanked the Lord that I was able to HAVE these procedures. With an anchor cut, there is a large skin incision - my circumferential incision was long ( all the way around) but didn't really hurt- the pain was more from the deep muscles that had been pulled and tightened.
So you go girl, and pave the way so not everyone thinks it's the worst experience ever- because it isn't! Get that protein in to heal! XOXOLori
Huzzah, you are a tough girl! The boobs were nothing when I compared them to the abdomen- and my pain was so well controlled with the OnQ Pain Blocker that I also felt recovery was a breeze. Did you have implants, or just a lift? My breasts didn't bother me at all til I had to massage them an hour a day to prevent capsular contracture around the implants ( around Day 5 if I remember)- so I would ice first with frozen raspberries, then massage. Not screamingly painful but I did time it for after I had taken a dose of pain meds.
I think the tummy part is worse is when you have alot of lipo ( I didn't) and muscle tightening, (which I think they do with all tummy tucks). I had a little tearful pity party for myself on night 2 post op ( the first night was spent in the surgi-center) when faced with measuring and activating my 7 drains, then smacked myself upside the head and thanked the Lord that I was able to HAVE these procedures. With an anchor cut, there is a large skin incision - my circumferential incision was long ( all the way around) but didn't really hurt- the pain was more from the deep muscles that had been pulled and tightened.
So you go girl, and pave the way so not everyone thinks it's the worst experience ever- because it isn't! Get that protein in to heal! XOXOLori
You sound exactly like me. I had my surgery last Thursday. Spent the night in the hospital. My pain was about a 2-3. Usually a 3 after getting out of bed.
My boobs didn't bother me much either. As for the tummy, it was higher up that I had pain. Where he did the muscle tightening is the main area of pain. I got my 1st drain out at my 1 week follow-up and my second one came out today.
I went back to work on day 8. I am feeling great, but still taking it easy. Don't want to do any damage. I, too, was expecting to eventually feel awful, but that never happened.
Hopefully your recovery will continue to be pain-free and uneventful.
Best of luck.
My boobs didn't bother me much either. As for the tummy, it was higher up that I had pain. Where he did the muscle tightening is the main area of pain. I got my 1st drain out at my 1 week follow-up and my second one came out today.
I went back to work on day 8. I am feeling great, but still taking it easy. Don't want to do any damage. I, too, was expecting to eventually feel awful, but that never happened.
Hopefully your recovery will continue to be pain-free and uneventful.
Best of luck.
I don't recall the pain ever getting worse, only better. Now the swelling may get worse but not the pain. Unless something goes wrong you should be okay. The pain wasn't nearly as bad as I had expected either which was a nice surprise.
Just remember to take it easy because it is easy to overdo it when you aren't hurting.
Just remember to take it easy because it is easy to overdo it when you aren't hurting.
Duodenal Switch - July 2006
Baylor Residency Program - Houston, TX - June 2009/March 2010
Baylor Residency Program - Houston, TX - June 2009/March 2010
I guess I'm the opposite of most; my pain got WORSE before it got better.
The only reason I took pain meds in the first 48 hours was in anticipation of the hour car ride home; then, after day three I was taking them as often as possible. The worse for me started at 2 weeks, when the muscle spasms started. Wish I had thought to ask my doctor for something for that; the pain meds helped NOT AT ALL and I learned after the fact that muscle relaxers might have helped. I'm a nurse; I should have known to ask!
Bottom line: even though I'm still not 100% comfortable (I still swell and still can't sleep on my stomach), it was all worth it. Not sure I would have said that at one month post op, though....so keep you chin up!
The only reason I took pain meds in the first 48 hours was in anticipation of the hour car ride home; then, after day three I was taking them as often as possible. The worse for me started at 2 weeks, when the muscle spasms started. Wish I had thought to ask my doctor for something for that; the pain meds helped NOT AT ALL and I learned after the fact that muscle relaxers might have helped. I'm a nurse; I should have known to ask!
Bottom line: even though I'm still not 100% comfortable (I still swell and still can't sleep on my stomach), it was all worth it. Not sure I would have said that at one month post op, though....so keep you chin up!
Marilyn (now in NM)
RNY 10/2/01
262(HW)/150-155(GW)/159(CW)
(updated March 2012)
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