dianec

Has anyone had the experience of someone asking this ignorant question: So, did you lose your weight the hard way or by surgery? I was soooooooo angry. There's no easy thing about surgery. I wanted to say to this person: Yeah, I took the easy way by getting cut open, the insides cut and rearranged, sewed up and then reintroduce food only to throw it up because my stomach wasn't ready for solid foods......... How did you deal with people and their stupid question?

Not quite sure, but probably two weeks. Depending on the type of work you do.

I took off 6 weeks (but I had 3 procedures - tummy tuck, back lift and the brachioplasty).

My left arm is healing AWESOME, however my right arm the scar is not healing as well - thicker scar. I am massaging them and putting the lotion on. Pain is not in the arms, just my abdomen.

So, this is an update on me.........I'm still feeling blue as I can't get back to running yet. I have tried and I get stabbing pains. It's sooooo frustrating. I miss my running and the happy endorphins it gives me. I can walk, but not at a very fast pace. My body hurts. I sometimes feel like I'm back at my weight of 328 pounds. I need some support here guys. Do you have any words of encouragement? Please help.

TracyW2 that's awesome that you are doing well. Thanks for letting us know!

Dylanmiles23. Good job on your weight loss. Keep it up! Yes, the excess skin can be very bothersome however it can be removed. This is not to discount your feeling at all. Your fear is normal and valid. Have they said that you can't have the skin removal surgery? I encourage you to focus on the weight loss at this time. Fear can set you back. Trust me I know. Let me know if I can help ease your fear in some way. I'm here to encourage and support you the best I can.

My stomach had 2 big tires. I'll try to post photos if I can figure it out. If you have kids, you will definitely need some help. I am a single lady and though I didn't need a lot of help, I think the stress of the things a mom does you will need help especially if they are real young. Definitely no lifting. Follow your doctor's orders on what you can and can't do. Unfortunately you won't be able to get back to the gym as quickly as you'd like. My surgery was June 18th. I haven't been able to get back to the running that I did before. Though in saying this, I had some complications and my recovery might be different. I have run twice about 2 miles at a very slow pace. Very slow which is VERY frustrating. I loved my exercising and not being able to do it really stinks. Just be prepared to not exercise for awhile. Mentally before surgery, I thought that I would bounce right back into exercising. I was wrong. I can't wait to get back to where I was. I pray it is soon.

I take pill form AND do the lotion. I had RNY surgery not lap band. This surgery was MUCH harder to recover from for me, but I had complications after they gave me a blood thinner so I wouldn't get blood clots. The initial surgery for the abdominalplasty went great. I think had I not had the complications things would have been easier. I took 6 1/2 weeks off work. I'm a ward clerk in a nursing home. My first day back was this past Wednesday. I was exhausted after day one. Then Thursday I felt great and I had so much energy. Hardly any pain, so when I got home from work, I went out for a walk / jog. I over did it. I paid for it yesterday and still today. So that's why I say take your time in healing. I'm definitely not myself - well on Thursday I was, but like I said, I over did it and it set me back. Ease back into the work outs. Everyone's recovery is different so maybe you won't have the issues I did. I'll be praying that you don't!

TracyW2, no problem. Take it easy during your recovery. I'm about 6 1/2 weeks post op and I over did it at work and home on Thurs. I paid the price yesterday and today. I'm totally wiped out and was in some significant pain. Some advise in regards to incision healing: Take extra Vitamin E, once the steri-strips come off and there is no scabbing use lotion with vitamin E in it. Rub in using small circular strokes (my dr said twice a day for 2 minutes) I rubbed the incisions in the shower with the antibiotic soap and then when I put the lotion on. My incisions look great! Let me know if you have any other questions.

Hi Sarie. That's wonderful on your weight loss. You're doing great. I wasn't banded, but rather I had gastric bypass. I experienced the "stopping when I felt full" vs "stopping when I was satisfied". I too hurt and was beating myself up for not stopping when I knew I should. I found that the days where I didn't feel satisfied (and this is just me) I found an emotional trigger. Something happened to me and I ate beyond where I should have because I wanted to get rid of the feelings (I didn't figure it out until after I ate - I had to take the time to think back and figure out what happened.) It has taken me awhile to be able to see my triggers and be able to stop myself from eating to much. I had to be mindful and ask myself: "Diane, why are you eating? Are you truly hungry or what is going on?" I don't know if this has helped you or not, but I hope it does. Keep your chin up. You haven't failed, you just hit a bump in the road.

I had bracioblasty done on June 18th and I found the pain to be very tolerable. I also had a pannilectomy, abdominoplasty and back lift. I was off the big pain meds the Saturday after surgery and was just taking Tylenol ES. Everyone is different though and some have higher pain tolerances than others.