Is this amount of swelling normal after a TT?

Im a little concerned with the fact that you're constantly swollen. As your Dr pointed uot, swelling in the tissues usually worsens through the day. One other way to tell if you have fluid, which is how I test, is to press on one side of your tummy and see and feel if there is like a wavelike motion. You also can put your hand od one side and press on the other. If the opposite hand is pushed up, there probably is fluid there. Fluid build up also typically causes some discomfort. Hope this helps. If ther is fluid it should be drained.

Dr Peter Fisher

I know your response was directed at the OP, but I wanted to thank you for that explanation.   I've spent the last 5 minutes naked in front of the mirror poking and pushing.  Good thing I'm home alone - ha!   I didn't see any waves and depressing one area did not seem to make the other side pop up.  So I feel better that this is likely normal swelling, even though it is always there, even first thing in the morning.  I like kind of pregnant. :(  But I'm not going to worry now, thanks to your description...  I'm seeing my PS in just four days for a regularly scheduled check-up, so I'm sure he'll evaluate my swelling.  I can wait until then.

Good

Dear Dr. Fisher, it is very kind of you to engage on this message board. I truly appreciate your perspective. thank you.

My surgeon is in NJ and I just moved to Indiana a week after my TT. So, it is not as if I can just pop into his office for an exam. Based on your original comment, I pushed the issue with my surgeon regarding the swelling. He is sending me for an ultrasound out here in IN and will evaluate the results. I did the couple of tests that you described and I do not get the response that would indicate a seroma. But I will follow through with the ultrasound just to play it safe.

Thank you, again.

I'm sure it will work out fine. Good luck.

A comment for anyone undergoing post weight loss body contouring esp. LBL. Everyone recovers at different rates. I think this is important to remember. The most important thing however is to listen and follow your surgeons instructions. 

Dr Peter Fisher

Thanks again for your comments on my post. It turns out that I do have a seroma. I would not have pressed the issue with my surgeon had it not been for your comments here that supported my feeling that something was wrong. Thank you, again, this was very important to me.

Hi again, Dr. Fisher, I actually did the tests you described standing in the shower and exactly what you said would happen did. The other day I was lying down when I did them and did not experience the wave like motion or opposite hand raising. I am going for my ultrasound tomorrow so I will now soon what is going on. Thanks again for your posts. It really did lead me to getting a definitive diagnosis.

I was in my abdominal compression garment for 3 months, but still wore it in the evening.  I couldn't wear my jeans until I was 3 months out.  The garment helped with the daily swelling and I'd look good in the morning.  By evening, sometime I'd been looking 6-7 months along. 

Yikes! I can fit into my pre=op baggy cargo pants, don't think I could fit into jeans. And I am less than 2 weeks out so I may not have reached swell hell yet, even though I cannot imagine it getting worse than this.