Panniculectomy & Liposuction....RECOVERY HELP!!

Hi all, I am out 3 1/2 years Distal Open RNY with a total weight loss of 125 lbs., and still need another 75+ lbs. to go. After MONTHS OF exercise attempts, and getting nowhere in flattening my abdomen, my doctor told me that having my belly surgerically removed was the "only" way to get rid of it. I consulted with a Plastic Surgeon and he told me I needed a Panniculectomy...WOW...they have a name for it, I'm impressed. Due to constant skin infections underneath my fat, I was able to get insurance approval. I took pictures of the infections when it was at it's worst and took it to the surgeon (blown up to 8x10). That helped him write a good enough letter to the insurance company to get it approved. As a side note, in answer to the many posts about what to do about helping these infections....OXISTAT CREAM!!! Have your doctor write you a prescription. Apply a thin coat and the pain will go away immediately and the infection will be gone the next day. That is one miracle cream!! Make sure your doctor writes you the biggest Rx possible, because you'll go through it quickly and this will reduce your insurance copayment. My surgeon told me that if he did liposuction on my abdomen, hips and waist, he could contour the shape of my body much better. He also suggested liposuction of my chin(s). This was not covered by insurance, so I had to pay in full 2 weeks upfront for the liposuction (a total of $7500). Anyway...he removed my pannus, which weighed 20 lbs. and sucked out another 5 lbs. and from what I can tell he did a decent job. The chin liposuction looks like crap and I have a hard lump of coal floating painfully in there. The doctor told me it might take 3 months for this to go away. Does anyone else have experience with this???? I'm 6 weeks out, and the scar healed amazingly well (all but about a small 2 inch section. I still have a very annoying drain in me, which I was warned ahead of time that it might be 2 months before he could remove it. I can't wait to get this damn thing out!!!!! Anyway...after 6 weeks, I still have very little energy and have to nap about 3-4 hours a day or more, and get dangerously exhausted after doing very little. I am also SOOOO bloated and swollen in my abdomen that I went up a full shirt size since surgery. There are days when I feel like I'm going to explode. The doc says 3-6 months for this to go down. Anyone out there ever experience this? So my questions to all is, "Has anyone else experienced this lack of energy, the bloating, the drain, and the hard lump after liposuction?" Any advice will be very appreciated. Thanks, Dan H.

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