Question:
Tummy Tuck Anchor Incision

I'm having a tummy tuck and breast redux/lift in October, my PS said to get the best results he wants to make an anchor incision. I was wondering if anyone who has had this type of incision could tell me how the recovery was. Any complications etc. I will be going on an 8 day cruise 8 weeks after the surgery and wanted to know if you felt like traveling after 8 weeks. Also when did your drains come out and how was the swelling and incision after a few weeks. Thanks in advance.    — Gail M. (posted on August 16, 2002)

August 16, 2002
I had the hip to hip incision for my tummy tuck. My plastic surgeon said that the anchor cut is for pretty severe cases of excess skin above the belly button. He did a great job and I'm not sliced and diced everywhere. I did have another opinion of a plastic surgeon who was going to do the anchor cut only because I was a WLS patient. I'm glad I ran from his office. Even though it's only been 10 days, my incision is very small (no more then 1/8 of an inch) and looks great. My belly is flat and not wrinkled anymore!! I still have 2 drainage tubes in my crotch. I'm hoping to get one removed by Monday and the other removed the following Monday. They don't want to remove them until your draining less then 20cc a day from each drain. I'm getting closer since I was at 30 and 40 cc's today. There the biggest pain - it's not the surgery incision itself!!
   — Patty H.

August 16, 2002
Hi...I had TT with anchor incision...my incision goes from breastbone to pubic bone and hip to hip...and down the sides of my "coochie" (got a lift there too :0)) Anyway...the recovery was uneventful though very painful. I never had any kind of surgery like that before...my wls and prior knee surgery was lap...this was pretty awful. You should be fine for your cruise...I went on vacation 2 weeks post TT -- drove 6 hours to my sister in law's place down in DC and did fine. I am now a little more than 2 months out and doing great. I still have some pain if I move the wrong way or too quickly...the muscles take a long time to heal. And I still wear my binder at night...it helps with the swelling. I still have slight swelling, especially on hot humid days when the body tends to retain fluids anyway. I had my drains in for 8 days...three of 'em...they were the worst part of it all. Once they were removed, I was happy as a lark. All in all, I did fine and am quite happy about it all. Good luck!! Click on my profile to see my after TT pic. ~CAE~
   — Mustang

August 16, 2002
I had TT and double mastectomy and TRAM flap reconstruction 3 months ago. BIG INCISIONS and lots of work. I have a pretty high pain tolerance and wasn't in agony or anything but I had a hard time sleeping and that's when I mainly took pain meds. I have a hip to hip incision and then an incision up to my belly button. 2 drains. I got them out after a little over a week. 2 things that help me alot: take a fanny pack to the hospital - when you're walking just tuck the drain bulbs inside it and there's no chance of the tubing getting snagged or tugging (drains were my main pain!). Second, they put me in this god-awful binder which kept sliding up every time I'd move around in the bed. Buy a moderately supportive panty girdle or shaper type garmet and ditch that binder as soon as you can! My plastic surgeon said snug bike shorts will work just as good too. Just pull the drain tubing out the top of the shorts or girdle and stick the bulbs in the fanny pack. It sure makes life alot simpler! Best wishes to you!!!
   — ronascott

August 16, 2002
I forgot to tell you that my husband and I went to Las Vegas 6 weeks after my TT and walked a gazillion miles with no problem at all. I think you'll be fine to go on vacation. We WLS folks are tough cookies!
   — ronascott

August 16, 2002
It's probably important to say up-front that no one should try to judge his/her responses to pain or recovery time based on the experiences of others. We're all pretty individual folks in those areas. I had my TT with anchor incision (along with armlift surgery) in November. For me, this was the least painful in a long series of major surgeries. My surgeon arranged for an overnight hospital stay for me, but I was up walking...not even bent-over (!)...that afternoon, and could easily have gone home the same day of surgery. I had one injection of Demerol in the Recovery Room, followed by some Percocet tablets during the next couple of days, and was back to work full-time in 10 days. I had four drains....two on each side of the lower abdomen, right where the thighs connect to the pelvis. My surgeon also is one of those who believes in leaving drains in place until there is little or no drainage at all. Two drains were removed at two weeks post-op; the third at three weeks; and the fourth at seven weeks (my surgeon said that that was unusual, but not unheard-of). In my case, the drains were completely painless while in place, and completely painless when they were removed....they were only an aggravation to find a way to pin them to my clothing so that they weren't noticeable at work :-) My surgeon used no external sutures or staples, so I just have a fine, pink line which is fading fast. He also doesn't use binders post-op, and my tummy is completely flat and firm...I couldn't be happier with the results! I wish you the same great experience :-)
   — Diana T.