HARD TUMMY POST-OP

Hey, all....On March 3 I had a panniculectomy and TT done...I was discharged the next day with 1 JP drain.

Yesterday My surgeon took the drain out and I noticed that my tummy is now hard all over.  Is that normal.  anyone else Tummy became hard after drain (s) were removed?....

Other than that scar looks good, minimal pain.....mobility good...lower back pain GONE!

I will post before and after pics soon and I know I can call doc but just wanted to put this out there before office opens and get some help from my OH family.

I had a wondeful experience and the only minor complication I had was both legs swelled 2 days after surgery because I was EXTRMEMLY constipated from anesthesia and regular doses of percocet and my God you don't want to even now the "boo-boo baby" that came out of me! whew!
trouble with constipation.....my concoction is warm prune juice mixed with a little oranje juice and make sure you take your stool softeners!

I had my tummy tuck the same day and I swear i don;t know how my skin has not ripped apart from the swelling.  I had 4 drains, 3 removed yesterday.  My stomach is very hard but it has been hard all along- although my swelling has increased it is not from fluid accummulation I just tend to swell up quite a bit.  My surgeon actually said... 'well you sure swell up huh?  Did you at least get to see the result inthe hospital, you're small!' 

the hardness could be a combination of both swelling and bloating- I have both.  I have been taking stool softeners around the clock, literally with every dose of percovet as well as 2 doses of miralax daily.  I am exceeding the daily amount im sure but i couldnt care less I havent had any issues moving my bowels and I struggle with that- glad you were finally able to go though and hope you're feeling good soon!!

WOW! 4 drains? and I was complaining about 1......thank you for sharing your input...I called surgeon's office just to be on the safe side but in the hospital when nurses and doc took my binder off to check me...I was SHOCKED at how super flat I was...

and now that I am thinking, after my drain was removed I did pop 2 percocet and you know they are known to cause MAJOR constipation so I will take my fail proof laxative......warm prune juice w/ a splash of orange juice....it will move you in an hour or so!......I promise!

also I am mid-cycle around my ovulation period and I always bloat too.....forgot about that.

congrats to you too!  I am just sooooooo happy that it is over and my back does not bear the weight of that huge pannus anymore!

How many CC's was your drain producing in a 24 hr. period before removal?   Sure sounds like you are swelling up.    I'd be super diligent about compression at this point! 

before removal yesterday I was emptying about 15 cc's every 4 or 5 hours with last total of about 50-60 cc's.....

I am wearing my compression garment 24/7.....literally.

and I let my DH pull it extra tight......I like the tight compression....it may be percocet and constipation AGAIN!...but  called surgeon's office anyway and awaiting his response just to be on safe side...

50 and higher is still draining pretty good.  I bet it's a combination of drainage and constipation.

so if it's drainage what would I do?.......I am going to relieve the constipation..I got that one down pat!

surgeon called me and told me it was my muscles and skin becoming tighter healing together because my tummy is hard but not tender in any spots...

but if it's drainage what would you do? does your body absorb it on its own once drains are out...how would you know to go to dr. office or ER?


other than that I feel fine!

Well hopefully your body will start absorbing it all.  Keep up with your compression. 

If it doesn't ... then I would speak to your surgeon ... not the ER.    They can get build up fluid out with a syringe as a last resort once a drain is gone but it doesn't sound like you are anything near that yet.  

I had an abdominoplasty and lipo inner/outer thighs March 3.

Have you had babies?  My "tightness" feels like a pretty hard contraction.  Having had four babies I knew it was muscles tightening.  The swelling for me was HORRIBLE days 3 and 4.  The solution -- sitting way back in a recliner w/ my feet propped above my heart basically all day.  Sipped hot green tea w/ peeled lemon all day.  Only got up many times to urinate.

My doctor doesn't remove drains 'til producing 30ml or less in 24 hrs -- my drain came out yesterday (yay!  didn't really enjoy that thing).

The Cephalexin I'm on has taken care of any constipation problems -- opposite problem!  Haven't taken any narcotics 'cause I'd rather have pain than be constipated.  2 Advil and 1 AdvilPM before bed is all I've allowed myself.

Don't overdo -- we're still supposed to be resting for another week according to my doctor.  I'm forcing myself to do that for my long term recovery.

HAVE I HAD BABIES?....Yep 10 of them....3 were c-sections and I have been cut up, down, and across......

We had surgery the same day....Yes, I agree with you...the tightness feels like a very hard contraction...yep, that is exactly it...I called my surgeon and he told me that it was my skin and muscles tightening and not fluid build up.....I agree the drain was tedious but Thank GOD I only had 1 to deal with....

I have seen people with 3 or 4 popping out of everywhere!..I too was on Cephalexin but it did not make my stools loose...I was also on percocet and took them faithfully for the first 5 days every 4 hours and had severe constipation...Tuesday, I birthed my 11th child in the bathroom...lol...it was not a pretty sight....I take warm prune juice w/ a splash of orange juice for a laxative and in an hour or so it works with no cramping..

I have some Black and Green teas in my cabinet...I have been elevating my legs in my recliner too....I have been putting my DH and kids to great use! for every "little thing"...hehe

You know what....I have always been flabby and no muscle tone...so it is hereditary for me...the women on my mothers side including her are flabby obese soft ass women....so I probably have muscles that I never knew I had...doc did tell me he sewed them together...they were probably torn apart with my oldest back in 92'