Question:
Pain from tummy tuck compared to WLS
I am considering havinga tummy tuck done and am going to speeak with my doctor later this month to get a referral to see the surgeon. My question is for those who have had WLS and then a tummy tuck which hurt worse and how long until you could resume normal activites? I am a full time college student and I don't want to miss too much school and I hate pain. — KittyKatt (posted on November 8, 2004)
November 8, 2004
Please take some time to read some of the questions concerning PS on this
site. From what I understand PS hurts much more. I had no pain with my
WLS. I'm going to have a butt and thigh lift and I will be out a min. of
two weeks and maybe half days after. I will not be able to sit for more
than 1/2 at a time. Not looking forward to this part but I'm have a hard
time sitting so it is a medical need. Good Luck.
— Linda R.
November 8, 2004
This seems to vary a lot by person. I had lap RNY, so that was pretty
easy. This past summer, I had an extended abdominoplasty, brachioplasty,
hernia repair, liposuction and the skin that flabbed over the sides of my
bra removed. I can honestly say that I had almost no pain. I had the
surgery on a Thursday, and took pain meds just a few times in the hospital,
and not because I really felt pain but because I always heard you should
stay ahead of the pain. By Friday night, I wasn't taking anything for
pain, not even Tylenol. I found that I was numb around the surgical areas,
and so didn't feel pain. I'm still a bit numb four months out. I gotta
say this was the easiest surgery I ever had. I've said that I've had a
harder time getting over the flu than I did the plastic surgery, and I
don't think I'm exagerating. My surgeon wanted me to be off work for four
weeks, I thought two weeks would do, so we compromised on three weeks. I
could easily have gone back to work before two weeks. The blasted JP
drains were the only inconveninece. They were a nuisance to drain and to
try to hide in my clothes. Once those were out, I was fine. I was a bit
tired, but not enough to even be taking naps. I was working from home for
about half days from the Monday after surgery. This was a piece of cake
(pardon the phrase) for me. But, I don't think I'm the norm.
— Vespa R.
November 8, 2004
Boy do I have a different experience than the first poster, I had lap rny
and it was ok and tolerable with pain meds. When I had my tt, that's a
different story much extreme pain, and belly muscle spasms. I was cut from
hip bone to hip bone and my belly sutton was relocated, the first time out
of the hosp. bed I cried from the bed to the chair, so much pain in my
right crotch area. If I had a full time job I would have been off of work
for 6 to 8 weeks, it was the most pain I've experienced so far. From what
I've read on the boards most post tt patients will tell you it was much
worse pain wise than the rny, even the open rny patients. P.S. I would
still do it again....
— Donna Y.
November 8, 2004
Hi - I had a full lower body lift and my gastric bypass was an open rny. I
can honestly say that the pain from the tummy tuck/lower body lift was the
most intense pain I've ever felt in my life. I wish it had been a piece of
cake (pun intended). It was worth it though and I got great pain meds
which made it easier and the pain fades, but the flat stomach lasts a lot
longer. Good luck whatever you decide to do.
— Traci H.
November 8, 2004
I had lap rny, a full torso lift, arms and a thigh lift. I thought the RNY
was bad because I was so out of shape. I went back to work 2 weeks after
the lift. I didn't think it was that bad because the stichtes were in
places I didn't have to sit on. I had muscles repaired on my waist and
stomach and a new belly button. I thought the whole thing pretty easy,
hard to keep me down because I had so much more energy. The arms weren't
too bad, but my arm pits and elbows were quite sore. I don't think I can
reccommend the thigh lift. 10 weeks later and my scars still hurt if I
wear regular underwear. Everything I did hurt, it was the worst of all the
surgeries.
— Gail O.
November 8, 2004
I had a lap rny almost 21 months ago, and my abdominoplasty almost 3 months
ago. I found the pain and recovery different for each one. With the rny,
I was in pain for abot 2 1/2 weeks but it was tolerable. The first few
days were pretty bad, then I was able to deal with it, only being
uncomfortable if I over exerted myself or had to get out of bed alone.
After that, I was back in service with only a twinge from time to time. I
was back to work teaching after 3 weeks. As for the abdominoplasty, the
pain was intense, and even 2 days later when I went home, I was walking
bent over with a walker. I was able though, to get myself in and out of
bed w/o help right from the beginning. I was driving at around 10 days,
and just took it easy. I went back to the gym after 6 weeks, w/o ab work,
and am seeing the PS this week and will ask him if all limitations are off.
I was off from work for 3 weeks, because of vacation time, but could have
gone back in 2. I am still numb along a good part of my incision, but am
told this too will pass. I would do both surgeries again in a second.
— Fixnmyself
November 8, 2004
We are truely all very individual. I thought the open rny hurt more than
anything ever in my life, muscle spasms on top of incisional pain. Altho I
have to say kidney stones are a close second. Both were worse than
childbirth with out epidurals. I had a lower body lift and arm lift in
Sept. as an oupatient. I went in to surgery at 830am and was home before
dinner time. the arms never felt worse than if I lifted too many weights
and had sore muscles from over exercising. I was fine, able to go up &
down stairs no problem, walking out side 2 days later 1/2 mi in the am and
1/2 mi in the pm, and 2 miles a day by the next week. I did use pain meds
(LORTAB) the first week then plain tylenol about another week after that.
The worst part for me was the upper abd. where I had muscles repaired and
around my belly button. Around the belly button is still a little tender, I
can't do stomach crunches yet, but started at 6 weeks doing 1 hour of
strenuous cardio 5 times a week on the cross ramp and body peak which are
ellyptical type machines.(burns about 450 calories! according to the
computer on the machine) and lifting light weights 3 times a week for
about 1/2 hour. and no abd exercises yet. I was back to work in 6 weeks,
which was the soonest My doctor released me to full duty. I hate to hear
how bad the thighs were as I am planning to do them after the first of the
year, my doctor said the thighs are the most painful plastic surgery you
can have. By the way, I am thrilled with my new tummy and butt. all lifted
really nicely with the belt lipectomy.
— **willow**
November 8, 2004
I had a lap RNY and it was the most painful surgery I had ever encountered.
The tt was a breeze in comparison. The day after the tt, I stood up
straight and walked with no problems. Pain was probably a 4 on a scale of
1 to 10. I took 3 weeks off of work but could have easily have went back
after 10 days.
— Patty H.
November 9, 2004
Ask your doc about the "On-Q" pain pump system...it delivers
about a 3-day supply of numbing medicine (long-acting Novocaine) right to
the area that hurts...where the muscles were tightened. I've had some
great results with it.
— DrL
November 26, 2004
I just had my TT on 11-23-04. It was outpatient surgery. When I came out of
the anesthesia I couldn't believe how much it hurt and was sure I could not
go home like that. But a few hours later I was home in bed and my pain was
noticeably better the following morning. Everyday it has been better and
now that I am on my 5th day out, I would say my stomach feels sore like I
did too many sit ups. Pain is quite controllable with Vicodin every 4 to 6
hours. I am moving around a little stiffly but otherwise fine. In fact, I
am thinking I'd like to go Christmas shopping! (But I probably won't - too
crowded:)
— linda A.
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