tight feeling-how long?

I feel like I have a string around me tied tight. I spoke to a woman at a grad party recently who said I'll feel like this for the rest of my life. Is that true?

I'm six months out from LBL.  Yes, I still feel tight, but not as bad as in the early days.  At one point, it felt like there was a belt right around the middle where my belly button is.  Then one day, pop!  The scar tissue released and so did the pressure.  According to my surgeon, the tightness is from the muscle tightening (obviously!) and the scar tissue.  You can break the scar tissue up with exercise and massage.  And, no, breaking up the scar tissue won't hurt your results - I asked!

When I'm having a swelly afternoon, I definitely tighten up and find myself reaching to adjust my girdle, only to remember that I'm not wearing one. 

i only get that feeling when i'm swelling now, but i definitely know which one you mean! 

Yes! That's what it feels like--like I'm always wearing a girdle! I get in the shower feeling like I have clothes on. It's the strangest feeling. I'm in a constant state of swelling so that's probably why I feel it all the time.

 

Thanks for the advice. At least I won't be shocked or frightened if one day I feel that pop and release of pressure. I have to laugh because it feels like my underwear is falling down all the time, except, it's not!

My stomach still feels very tight-I never really noticed a tightness in the back, but I'm still numb along my whole scar (probably permanent at this point-9 months out).

I really notice how tight my tummy is in the morning when I wake up.

I too am 9 months out...and I still feel tight...I notice it when I stretch...say.....in the morning when I wake up...i reach up to stretch and my stomach feels soooo tight! I've gotten used to it at this point and i'm still numb all across the incision line as well as around belly button and about 4 inches around it up down and side to side. But that's a-ok with me! I'll take this belly over the previous belly anyday!

I wonder if the numbing will ever go away?

I wonder too! It's weird because I will have an itch on my tummy but get no relief when I scratch since its numb! That part drives me batty! 

The numbing can make me batty, too! I had a huge Stage 4 panus removed, and then a 2nd surgery for a seroma removal. So many nerves were cut. I'm numb at both hips on the back side, parts of my outter thighs, a couple small areas on my belly and my entire belly button is totally numb. The strangest feeling ever.

I hate this feeling. I hope it is not forever, or it is not worth it to me. I never wore girdles or tight clothes pre-op because I like to feel free to breathe, i would hate to think i will always be uncomfortable now.