OLD CUTS vs. NEW CUTS?

Hi all, I am going to bbe new here and a familiar face fairly soon.  I am 2 years and some change post op and in the next month or two will be having a panniculectomy but my surgeon may be doing the whole TT.  My RNY was done laparscopically.  I have had a few other surgeries.  My gallbladder removed laparscopically and I have had 10 children.  # of my children were born via c-section.  The first c-section my external incision was vertical as was the second.  My third c-section was the bikini line incision across the pubic area.   I have a large pannus that makes me easily 2-3 sizes larger than I should be post RNY.   Sorry so long, but with all that said, I have experienced surgery at least 5 times and I want to know from those who have had TT and have had other abdominal surgeries including c-sections is the pain similar or worse or milder....I know everyone heals differently but i am just trying to get in that, ya know, "what to expect pain mode....I have taken in the past percocet, vicodin (makes me itch though), valium, tramadol...just kinda want to know how deep is the cut and is it worse than other tummy surgeries.....thanks!

I had the full lower body lift and it was about 10 times worse than my c-section. I was pretty much a mess for the first week and needed a lot of help. Some people have posted, especially with the TT and not the LBL, that they were only really bad for the first 3 days, so it varies. It's the muscle work they do with the TT that makes it harder than the c-section.

Hello,

I have had 5 c-sections myself and am now 10 weeks out from an extended tt with lipo.  I would compare my tt to a c-section, but without the crying baby!  Although I was very sore and there was discomfort, I did NOT have an horrendous pain.  I did receive pain medication by IV the first 48 hours, and was then discharged to the hotel.  After day 3, I never took so much as a Tylenol for pain.  I did alot of walking and felt pretty good.  I have also had an appendectomy, gall bladder out and VSG.
For me, having had 5 c-sections, I felt pretty prepared and it was very manageable in terms of pain.  Although we were required to stay the full 7 days, I could have come home alone with no problems on day 3.  Hope this helps.  good Luck!
Jean

P S  I also had alot of muscle tightening, and I was definitely TIGHT, again sore and uncomfortable but not in pain.

@greenbaygirl.......wow....thank you for sharing your story....even though we are all unique in healing and pain tolerance I think I can relate to you more thus far.....wow 5 c-sections? amazing...how many kids do you have?....I birthed 10....I have heard of a lady from my homestate of Illinois that had 7 c-sections......thank you for sharing...I recovered well and speedily with the previous surgeries and hope this will be similar in nature as you said without the "crying baby"...I am soooooo done with that...DH and I are pooped no more babies for us...last one is 3 and on her way to school  "full time" ......so I just wanna rest and get ready for the future...."grandkids in about 5-10 years?.......thanks again...do you have any pics of your surgery I can see?

I am from the same area and was wondering who did your work and if you recomend them?

I am two weeks out of extended tt, anchor cut with muscle tightning and I would say the first three days were hell on earth with pain.  I had vicodin only and it was bad.  Having said that, I was on pain meds for 5-6 days then no pain meds.  Now, at two weeks, I am still sore but not bad (unless I caugh or sneeze).  Feels like I did 1000 situps, no worse.  It is comparable to having gall bladder removed or hysterectomy. 

Two weeks and a day out from LBL/anchor cut, BR/BL, brachio. I had a morphine pump in the hospital for about 24 hours, used a pump about once per hour after the first 6 hours. Switched to hydrocodone 325 mg, took 2 every 4 hours for the next 2 days, then switched to extra strength tylenol for the next day or so when I started forgetting to take them. That told me that I no longer needed them.

Seriously, my arms are sore/stiff, and I can't lay on my side (and by choice I'm a side sleeper, so that's an issue!), but otherwise I feel pretty darn good.

I would not attempt a full work out, and I am cautious about moving fast, but that's because I'm paranoid. I feel much less pain with my 8 feet of incisions/new belly button/muscle tightening than I did from my lap RNY/gall bladder removal.

Your mileage may vary - I do heal well and have a very high pain tolerance.