Recovering from plastic surgery!

My abdominaplasty and upper torso lift was on Friday 10/21. My plastic surgeon likes to keep sugeries under 5 hours but expected mine to last 6 hours due to the huge amount of skin being removed. The surgery actually lasted 7 hours and she removed 22 lbs of excess skin. I left the surgery center at 4:15 P.M. the day of surgery, and was able to walk from the car to my house by 5 PM that night. I as able to walk to the bathroom with assistance the day of surgery, but have walked alone since then with no problem. I was put on 6 kinds of medications the day of surgery, but was down to 3 the day after surgery. The fifth day after surgery I took only 1 pain pill all day. I had the option of taking 2 of them every 4 hours but had no pain or discomfort until late afternoon when I went outside and took a walk. Obviously it was a bit further than I should have pushed myself and I became uncomfortable. I slept for 2 hours after which I got up, prepared a small amount of chili which I am eating as I type. The incisions look good, but I can't say the emptying of the drains every 4 hours appeals to me. I had 6 drains until I went to the doctor yesterday, now I am down to 5 and hope to get rid of some of them this week. Someone has been with me full time until tonight when I told my nightime caretaker I no longer needed her help. Overall the experience hasn't been as bad as I had expected. I look like a road map, but everything looks tight. I'm really colorful with everything from yellow to brown, to white, to blue but that will disapper in time. I'm happy with where I am today, but know a week from now I'll be dancing around with joy.

I had the same surgery in Jan., 2005. Congratulations on your success in the process of recovering. My experience was no where near as POSITIVE as yours, but I was wondering if you mind me asking if you have staples and how far up do they go on your torso? Again I am so glad that you are doing so well. It is great about you getting up to move, that is extremely important, especially because of the torso and Abdominoplasty. P.S. about dancing next week, I might keep it to a moderate gig. Stacey 326/133

Hello Pat - Congrats on your recent round of plastics - hopefully, with each day, you'll feel stronger and better and back to your ol' self again. I can empathize with those BLASTED DRAINS!!! I felt like a flippin' Octopus when I came home from my tummy tuck - and theres just NO good way to hide 'em under your clothes, so going out in public was minimal trips at best. Its amazing and Im not sure why, but when they pull those things out, you feel a 100 times better almost IMMEDIATELY!!! Just make sure they RELEASE the suction before they start yanking on 'em. My nurse DID NOT and I swear I was making up cuss words as they were being pulled out - it felt like my insides were being sucked out with them. My girlfriend (Eileen) who also had the tummy tuck with the same doc, is the one that told me about the "suction" thingie - the nurse remembered to do it with hers. Happy healing - Lei

Pat--Great news you are recovering well. Wow, 22 lbs is tremendous. Great! I, too, felt pretty darn well after the tt, but I didn't have 2 procedures. I remember wanting my drains to come out and then he pulled them--I was so happy. But...much better for them to stay in and get the fluid out of you then have it build up inside. I have a small seroma and having to get it drained every week and limit my physical activity is frustrating. Hope your recovery continues well.

You will be such a happy camper once your healing is more advanced. I found the tummy tuck was the most exciting of all the surgeries I have had (other than WLS -- and I have had my share) because the results are instantaneous. Immediately after my TT I had a tummy like I never had, even in my teens. I still (after 10 months) have to look in the mirror and pinch myself to know for sure the person looking back at me, is me, because my tummy is as tight as a drum and I ended up with a bellybutton I never had (I always what I called a BLOB). Good luck to you. Missi.

I kept my drains for 2 weeks, and went back to school in 1 week, drains and all. just wore very baggy sweats and tucked them in with a too big sweat shirt over it all to hide the lumps and bumps.