What was your experience post TT

MyLady Heidi, I don't even want to leave the house. I don't know how you went for a walk by yourself. My family asked me to go to the diner tonight. I feel like crap. I cannot walk straight and am hunched over. I have these huge drains tucked in my pants -- too bad the lines aren't longer so I could stuff them in my bra. Then I would look like I had huge boobs and everyone would think I was hunched over from the weight of them! LOL!! The drains are being removed on Thursday late afternoon and I cannot wait for that! Both of them are coming out of my vagina -- ewwww!

I would freak out of they got caught in my throat, too. I can take a big handful of vitamins at once so a couple of pain meds aren't easy to choke down. What I hate is injecting myself with the Lovenox (anticoagulant)! It has to go into my tummy and that area feels so weird and numb that I cannot stand touching it.

My surgeon no longer uses the steristrips. I have nothing on my incision. He said that I could shower and get soap and water on them but that is it.

I pray this all is worth it! The healing process is too slow... and now I find out that the swelling will get worse before it gets better. Yikes!

Ready for Plastics, I do not know how you got through those 6 hours. I am so sorry that you had to go through that. How horrible! 

I am taking Colace twice a day since my day of surgery. And I am drinking lots of water. I am terrified to get constipated! I did have my first BM today - actually twice today - and it was pain free. I want to keep it that way!

congrats on your surgery! I have to say that I did not expect this much pain and there are times when I wonder if I will ever stand straight again!!! The folks on this board help me to realize it will be OK!

I had a LBL in January.  You develop a love/hate relationship with the compression garment.  You feel like you're being squeezed like a sausage, but it also provides a level of comfort.  I still often wear it at night just because it feels better with the extra support. 

Pain meds - you should take them until you don't need them anymore, and your doc shouldn't try to wean you off based on his schedule.  I had Lortab (pain killer) and valium (for muscle spasms), and took them for 2 weeks.  I was getting ready to call in and ask for another prescription renewal when, overnight, I determined that I didn't really need them on a regular schedule any more.  But when you're in the middle of swell hell, starting at around 3 weeks out, popping a pill is the only thing that gives some relief.  And Tylenol just doesn't do it for me.  So, I guess my message is - yes, get off of them as soon as you can, but don't live with the pain just to make your doc happy.  Take them as long as you need them.  And he should provide them as long as you need them.

I guess that the laws have changed, or maybe they are different in NJ, or perhaps it is Rite Aid Pharmacy policy but the darn store would not allow my surgeon to call in a script for narcotics. The ONLY thing they will accept is an original written script on paper, not fax or email. I am leaving for Indianapolis this Friday and not returning to NJ. So I am wondering how in the heck I am going to get refills if I need them on the pain meds!!! I am seeing my surgeon on Thursday so I will ask him to write a new script with refills or something - he has got to do something. It is not like I can just pop into a doc's office out there and get Percocet.

I really do not like pain killers and anything in that class of drugs. They make me irritable, and some even make me nasty. The pain on top of it doesn't help. They also make me dizzy and nasueaous and the only thing that seems to help is eating bread, which I am allergic to (celiac) and which makes me fat even if it is gluten free. But what I like less is the actual pain. I do not have a high threshold for it. I wish that I could just be injected with a local anesthetic every few days!!

HI! I'm having surgery with Dr Capella in June a LBL, BL, and Arm lift. I would love to hear all about your experience and would actually love to talk to you on the phone if that is possible. I'm excited and nervous. :D Congrats and I can tell you from experience with an ankle fracture if you need more pain meds, say so and be FIRM! PM me if you dont mind further communication :) 

Southernsleever, I am writer on HealthCentral and will be publishing a very detailed account of my experience. I began writing the night of my surgery! I want to wait until I have my post op visit on Thursday and then will publish next week. I will be sure to post the link here so please be on the lookout.

I am in the midst of relocating to Indianapolis and can't do a phone call but I am happy to answer any questions that you have via PM or on this forum. Sometimes it is good to have the communications out in the public forum so that others may benefit and contribute.  I think that Dr Capella is just about the best there is, and his prices are good. That is a powerful combination!

Congrats on your upcoming transformation!!!

Hey Southersleever, I finally published all the chapters of my article. You can read it here if you like: http://www.healthcentral.com/obesity/c/276918/160586/bariatr ic-abdominoplasty-ch You will be in very good hands with Dr. Capella. He is an excellent skilled surgeon and very compassioante with his patients.  You will read about that in my article. He was always available to me if I needed him after my surgery, even at 2 in the morning. Good luck!