Thank yo

Thank u Erin for the list of helpful "tools". Will definitely come in handy. Im trying to be as prepared as possible. ALtho, I'm sure nothing will prepare me for the amount of pain afterwards.

I definitely have enough pillows i think, i just bought 6 fluffy pillows and later today I'm going to get one of those pillows that have the arms, so it may help when i want to sit up. I have an adjustable bed...but its upstairs, and my PS told me I may not want to do stairs for a few days...so, in to the spare room I go, with the plain ol' regular flat bed. lol.

How many days do they keep you on narcotis for generally? Im just wondering how much pain i may have to deal with, and for how long. Like, is it a 10, on a scale from 1-10....? I do realize everyone handles pain differently tho, so i suppose its up to the individual. BUt, in your experience, was it like SUPER painful, where you're crying daily and wondering "why did i do this?".....or is just like discomfort, and slightly painful when moving?

I would recommend avoiding any surgeon who doesn't have extensive experience with people who have lost large amounts of weight.

I don't know what you're asking about wearing the compression garments - are you asking if I wear them under clothing? Yes. In my case I wore a lot of sleeveless dresses while recovering, so I'd wear them under my dress, but they were still visible, since I was wearing sleeveless things.

I've read a little about the pannulectomy and from what I can gather, it's more about just getting rid of the hanging part and less about aesthetics. Often your belly button is removed and not put back. The abdominal muscles aren't tightened, so not only do you have a muffin top, but your stomach still protrudes instead of being made flat.

When you said you were approved, do you mean approved by your insurance to have it covered? If so, some plastic surgeons will apply that toward a tummy tuck or body lift so the part you pay for is the work over and above what is covered by insurance. Many plastic surgeons do a free consultation. It may be worth it just to explore what your options are. Good luck!

Thanks for the clarification...I think we have the same surgeon and compression sleeves and as I was walking through mentally how I could pre-hook them in order to slip them on like a t-shirt or jacket I just wasn't seeing how it could work with my (current) limited range of motion. Really appreciate your perspective and willingness to help others!

Well, it worked once I had full range of motion :)