Question:
READ ME! Please .....questions on plastic surgery

I am having a panni in 2 weeks not nervous but just wondering if anyone that has had one would share some info like how do you judge what new size you are going to be and how do you deal with the tight feeling of the skin Just any info would be helpful ...maybe I am nervous. Thanks Monica    — Monica T. (posted on March 15, 2005)

March 15, 2005
Hi Monica, Congratulations on loosing and now getting a Panni. I just had a Panni and hernia repair 2 weeks ago today. Can't help you on what sizes. All I know is that I am wearing a binder to keep swelling down and can't wear any of the jeans I was wearing before but that is because of swelling and the binder. I have been wearing jogging pants. About the tightness. I think that varies with everyone. Last week I felt like I would never walk straight again and maybe he took too much off but now I can straighten up for most of the time. After an hour or so being up I am very sore and have to rest. Good luck. Jen
   — jenafwife

March 15, 2005
I had my TT last August. When I came home I wore knit things for a week or so. After that, I was able to get my pre-TT jeans on with my binder. I, in the end, only went down 1 size, but that was from a 6 to a 4, so I am not complaining. I would say that your posture gets better every day, and I was walking fairly straight within a week. I think I was the only one who was aware of it by that point. Good luck!!!
   — Fixnmyself

March 15, 2005
Congrats on your TT. I had a TT with hernia repair 5 weeks ago, and I am still getting Swelly Belly in the afternoon, but the incisions are healing great. I went back to work last week at 4 weeks post-op, did good, just get tired easy. Still wearing elastic waists, but tired on my jeans and they are to big. You might want to go to the Plastic Surgery Message Board on Obesityhelp.com, great information on just Plastic Surgery.
   — cindy

March 15, 2005
Monica -- congrats on your weight loss. I had a TT in mid December and am doing extremely well. Was back to work in three weeks (could have been two -- but with the holidays I took an extra week). I still have a slight tight feeling when I stretch or hyper extend myself, and of course the numbness of the stomach area will be there for quite a few more months, but that is fine -- no pain really, just the feeling you would get if you did a 100 crunches. The muscles seem a little sore, more with a lot of activity, but certainly nothing that I would consider real pain. After my apron was removed I actually had a waist for the first time in about 20 years, and was able to go down one size in my slacks. I only had 7 lbs of fat/skin removed, but it was enough to make a real difference. I cried after surgery because I was so happy that I could actually see my feet for the first time since I can remember. The binder is really important to wear for as long as the surgeon tells you, as it holds the skin close to the muscles while they reknit back together and keeps the fluid build up down. The only problem I had was that my skin was sensitive to the binder after a few weeks. Found a great solution -- I took one of my hubby's old T-shirts, cut under the arms straight across and slipped the shirt up around my mid-section. Put the binder back on, and the soft T-shirt material was less irritating to my skin. Good luck and a speedy recovery. I know you will do well! ! ! ! !
   — Brenda D.

March 15, 2005
Due to the swelling, you won't know what your TRUE final size will be until about 6 to 8 weeks post-op. I dropped from a very tight size 8 to a size 4. I don't think of my skin as being tight but I guess it is. You just get used to it. I think it also helps you in watching what you eat because it is so tight.
   — Patty H.