X-post: Everything I wished I had known, and everything I learned, from my LBL and BL

You look great! Thanks for posting. I am 8 years out after gastric bypass. And 10 lbs lighter than expected. I lost 145 lbs. next Wednesday I am scheduled for a belt lipectomy and inner thigh lift. In October I will do arms and boobs. I am nervous about the belt lipectomy and inner thigh lift. I will get a numbing pain med that lasts 96 hours and Percocet. I will have 5 drains. I don't smoke or drink and am very healthy. I hope i heal fast. I am taking two weeks off work. I am a nail technician so no heavy lifting etc. I sit all day. I am just nervous. His directions were to eat 50-70 grams of protein per day. I already eat about 50 per day. I'll call to find out but I not sure if that was for regular people or a ray person? What did your dr advise you?

Hi Stacie,

How exciting that you are scheduled for next week!  I am telling you, other than the first night at home, the pain has been so tolerable.  And I am a a baby.  I am still taking Oxycodone before bed because the swelling is really uncomfortable.  I had two drains and they came out day 10 post op when the daily fluid was less than 20 cc.  The drains were annoying but didn't bother me, and didn't hurt to be removed.  I would definitely up your protein.  My doctor wanted me closer to 100 before and after.  Right after I ate very little the first few days but I am back to normal now.  Just grab deli turkey and things like that for a snack.  I am also doing a shake or a bar a day to add 20 g of protein to my daily diet.  Your body apparently needs the protein to heal.  

I honestly was working from home on Tues afternoon after my Friday surgery.  Today is post op day 10 and I went into our office and was fine. I am wearing a crazy Spanx like compression garment and definitely swollen.  I have a desk job.  I am up to walking 2 miles a day.

I hope you heal well and quickly!  Just remember that day 2 sucks but get past it and you will be good!

Hey DCGirl, it's been 2 weeks right? How are things healing for you? How's going back to work treating you? :)

Hey Mandi! I'm feeling awesome - I got my 10,000 steps in on day 13 :) But then yesterday I was very very swollen by the end of the day so I have to remind myself that I am still healing because I am living life normally (minus the gym) and I tend to forget that my body is healing! All of my incisions are healed and I could not be happier! I feel very fortunate :)

I had my surgery yesterday and things are rough but going. I didn't realize how tight the abdomen would be! I mean it's so much. I'm super swollen too. I'm not in a panic because I remember you said Saturday was the toughest. :)

 

How long did it take for you to be able to stand up mostly straight? the abdominal tightening is defin itely the worst. at least I have been sleeping a lot!

Yay! You're on the other side of surgery :) I have been wondering how you're feeling. Trust me, tomorrow will be a new day. My abdomen still feels right after three weeks. But I walked 7 miles today and tried on bikinis at Target so it's all worth it!!! I think I was mostly upright by the end of week 1. My surgeon had advised that it could take two weeks but I just couldn't stay hunched over haha. 

Thats awesome that you are sleeping! Get your fluids and protein in and I promise it gets better every day!!!

Awesome, so glad to hear it. I'm mostly drinking protein shakes and lots of water. standing is the worst but it's getting better every day. hopefully I can post some pics when I'm standing more upright! Right now it seems like I'm staring at the ground whenever I walk.. haha. I keep wanting to cough but trying to avoid it. kinda scary right now but I know the results will be worth it. :)

Don't cough or sneeze!!! Or even laugh hard! Those three things still hurt me three weeks out! I wasn't really bent over like you describe but I believe many people are. That means you were sewed up nice and tight - which sounds like a good thing! My doc said people often walk hunched over until their backache annoys them enough to stand up straight lol. 

I also learned the hard way that foamies (not sure if you still occasionally get them) are VERY painful so don't eat too fast. The abdominal tightening is the worst part of this. 

In my experience, if you made it through last night you're well on your way! I'm so excited for you. Not sure how your incisions are but mine are all 100% healed and once I could peel off the glue around 1.5 weeks post op, it took the purple marker lines with it and my body looked less like a pirate's map. 

Keep me posted, Mandi! It sounds like you are doing awesome!!!

I knew swelling would be bad around the midsection but I didn't realize how much my legs would swell too! Holy smokes I feel like I'm going to pop!