5 weeks post op LBL - wound dressing using Silver

Nikitabanana
on 4/12/18 9:18 am
RNY on 05/25/16

As some of you may know, I had LBL with muscle repair and autologous fat transfer (fat flap) to bum on March 9th.

Things are continuing to progress. Since week 4 there have been 2 major changes.

  1. I have been told by my PS that after week 5 they don't want me to wear my binder at all so I've started to wean myself off it now. I was taking it off for a few hours here and there, then taking it off as soon as I got home from work and putting it back on before bed. Last night I didn't wear it to bed and have kept it off for about 12 hours. I'll put it back on when I go out today for a few hours then I think I'll be finished with it! My PS said I could use spanx or support panties/tank top if that feels better.
  2. I had a spot on my left side/back that was weeping. I noticed it was getting worse and took a pic and sent it to my PS and they said they could see a stitch poking through and for me to remove it. I removed two thick blue plastic stitches (thankfully I was numb so it didn't hurt at all) but sadly that didn't rectify the problem so I went to see my PS in his office. I was nervous that it was looking necrotic. He said it's just slow healing and he cleaned it out (sloughed off the white skin on the top with gauze) then put silver on it (powered on a cloth type thing) and covered it with tagaderm. I am to leave it covered and not touch it until next week. I can shower with it on. I have no idea if it's working because I can't see it but will keep folks posted next week. All other areas including my belly button are healing well with no other openings. The pics are kinda gross so I didn't post them. Anyone else heard of using silver to assist healing? Any experience with this? I googled it and found silver nitrate stick but this wasn't what my PS used. It was a small thick grey/silver cloth/gauze/dressing looking thing about 1 inch by 1/2 inch which was bigger than my wound. He folded it and pushed it onto my wound an covered it with the tagaderm. He said when it comes off the silver will be gummy and may be black looking. Didn't want me to be alarmed in case the dressing came off. Just instructed me to put the gummy silver back on the wound and recover with tagaderm (he gave me 3 extra tagaderms in case it comes off).

I continue to work full time. Still restricting my lifting to under 10lbs. No exercise until cleared by PS - hopefully next week. Even just light yoga I'll be happy with.

Still numb, especially around the sides and side butt cheeks. From what I've been told by others and their experiences, being numb may not be so bad.

Belly button was a clear and almost protruding outtie but the swelling dropped dramatically - literally over night and now it's sort of an innie but very shallow. The scar is healing nicely too.

Swelling hasn't been too bad. Was 143lbs last week, am 142 this week. Water % is around 55% on the scale which is higher than I was before surgery so still some water retention but was as high as 69% post op.

I'm getting less tired and feeling more normal now. Still tight and have the odd pulling sensation. Also not fully used to my backside but getting better.

Quick Facts:

Surgery date weight: 155lbs

Weight day after surgery: 150lbs (they removed 9lbs of skin/fat)

Current weight: 142lbs

Thanks for reading and good luck on your journey!

Referral sent: 1/26/15 / Sleep study: 2/23/15 / Orientation: 4/20/15 HRRH / Meet Dr. Hagen: 11/17/15 (no show) / Meet Dr. Klein: 12/10/15 / Trio appointments: 2/11/16 / Follow up appointment SW and RD: 3/16/16 / Dr. Glazer: 3/30/16 / Dr. Klein: 5/9/16 / Surgery date 5/25/16 / LBL with Dr. Nandagopal 3/9/18 - PS SW 155

HW - 280. Opti start - 280. Surgery day - 266. CW - 142.

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