StephC

I had an "almost" complete unfill. I had 8.5 and he took out all he could find and got 7 out- so I guess theres 1.5 floating around in there. I was worried about gaining prior to surgery so I didnt' get my unfill until 4pm the night before my surgery. Since surgery I havent' had much of an appetite, hardly anything the first 3 days and the last 2 days I've been eating very small portions. I was determined I was going to eat a cheeseburger when I got my unfill so yesterday we went to eat at a local little dive and I was able to eat 1/2 my cheeseburger with everything and a couple zucchini fries. I enjoyed it and was pleased that I was able to stop when I was full.

Congrats and good luck! The time will fly between now and then.

I think I look bloated. But heck I expected it, all the swelling and stuff. If you watch the procedure and how they pull the skin all off and stuff its no wonder I'm swollen like a balloon. Julie I had 2 drains and on Sat. the dr was tempted to take them out then, but left them until Monday. I only had about 20-30 cc for 12 hours on Sunday, then 12 hours later Monday morning I had 15 and 20, then 8 hours later he got about 10 out of one and hardly anything out of the other. He said I might still get drainage out of the hole where he pulled it out. I had a little on my wrap but not much. I made my first solo outing this morning. I ran to the bank - I didn't get out of the car just quick little drive. I didnt' take any pain meds this morning so I felt ok. I just took tylonel tho, I just feel achy. I don't have any pain really, but the rest of my body aches, not sleeping in a natural postition I think has a lot to do with it. Question for the rest of you tt'ers, how long till you can sleep on your side? I sleep in bed with my feet proped up on blankets, or in the recliner. Everyday is a little better.

You're in my thoughts and prayers sweetie. You'll do great. Best God vibes going to ya!

Just came from the dr, he took out my drains so I thought I'd post my pics. Sorry it looks gross. If you look close you can see my port scar is now next to my belly button. He circled where my port is. Today is only day 5 so theres alot of swelling. But I'm still pleased with the results.

Today was a good day - day 4 I guess if you count surgery as day one. My dd washed my hair for me - that was easy since I have a removable shower hose/head so I just stood beside the tub and leaned my head in. Somehow a clean body just makes you feel so much better. Hunger... boy this is absolutely crazy but I have NO hunger at all. I'm down in weight by at least 5 lbs. While I was in the hospital I bet I didnt' eat more then 500 calories the whole time. Everything grossed me out and nauseated me. My dd brought me some yogurt from McD's that I normally love and I took one bite and it was so sweet it grossed me out. It seemed like everything was intensified. Or just plain didnt' appeal to me. Since I've been home I havent' eaten a whole lot but I'm making myself. I'm not nauseated but not hungry either. Today I ate half of a peice of lasagna... well half of a half I guess and I was full. Then we went for icecream in the afternoon, so I ate a small cone, for supper I had 2 chicken wings. We had jello cake and I just tried to eat a sliver of it and ended up just eating the topping. I'm drinking alot of water, some juices. I ate bran cereal in the hospital on friday bc I was concerned about bm's. Then I ate bran cereal last night for supper, today I drank a small glass of prune juice. I had gas so bad but it wasn't releasing... if you know what I mean - so I was afraid of being constipated - well thank goodness that worry is over! Every thing came out very easily in the end. :wink2: DH changed my dressings today. Geesh I love this man. He was so cute, washing his hands and holding them up like a surgeon, then I laid on the bed and he and dd took the old off and replaced everything. My belly looks so good - I can't wait to take pics. I only took one nap today. When I woke up my hubby and dd were dressed and ready to go to the athletic banquet ... yeah the one I was so worried about.. nope I didn't get there and I hugged dd and said I'm sorry and she said it doesnt' matter mom, I don't even care if dad goes, its really not a big deal. So of course I had made it a bigger deal then she had. So I hugged dh and told him he's a good daddy. Yesterday was her prom and that was another thing I had worried about missing, but her dad, brother, sister, sil, and sis.bf were all there for the grand march so she felt loved, I'll be at her next one... next week (this was her bf's prom - different schools) So tomorrow I have to go in to work for a little bit, dd is taking me over in the morning, I said I think it'll take longer for my computer to boot then for the actual work I have to do- then I go to the dr. My dd is going back to Philly at noon so my friend is taking me to the dr. Hopefully the drains will come out tomorrow. I'm not getting much out of them so I think he will. I really hate this binder, its just too big and I don't see that its helping much. Kinda stupid to make them one size fits all, just bc there are some short people in the world. My biggest complaint is my back aches. I normally sleep on my side or stomach so this being on my back constantly just isn't getting it. I can only sleep about 3-4 hours and thats it, I gotta get up. I got up last night at about 12 or 1 and got on LBT, watched some tv and ended up sleeping in the lazyboy chair. Everyone gets on me if I do anything around the house -not like I'm really doing anything - today I made lasagna - not too physical - but it just gets so hard to sit in a chair hour after hour. So thats day four. Everyday gets better and yes it is worth it.

Hi girlfriends! I'm home. Still kinda wiped out. My sleep is crazy with the pain meds I seem to take these long naps and then I'm awake a few hours, then another long nap. They took 6 lbs off my tummy, so far it looks pretty good but I havent' really looked at it real well. With the binder and dressings and drains its hard to tell what it really looks like. I go Monday to get the drains out and hopefully I'll feel up to taking a pic. Va - good to hear you got a job! woohoo! Boo - your day is soon approaching... I'm feeling ya, the excitement and everything. Take it easy and rest as much as possible. Love ya all! Gotta go nap.

well my sleep habits have changed. I'm sure its the pain meds, which have me napping instead of sleeping. Its also the bed. I can only lay on my back for so long and then it starts aching. Earlier in the evening, I was walking through the house doing little things dh kept saying stop it and sit down I'll do it, but I was just so tired of sitting. But I obeyed and sat down. I'm really taking it VERY easy. The surgery was a breeze. In fact I felt better coming out of surgery then I did with the band. I don't remember the recovery room at all, I woke up in my own room. Which btw, somehow I got a private room. Oh yeah that was nice. The first night my nurses sucked. They were a couple of young girls, I don't know if they were understaffed but they were not very attentive. I got to my room at 11am and I was drowsing on and off all day. At 8pm I called the nurse and said I need to move. So she comes in and I said I need my catheter out and I want to get up and walk - my back and butt were sore from laying all day - she had already acted like I was inconviencing her when I called her in and she says well actually the dr doesn't want your cath out until morning. I said NO - no he told me as soon as possible so I can get up and start moving. So she says ok I'll be back after I do these other patients. (I couldn't beleive she would lie to me like that) 2 hours later she comes back - 2 hours! And that was bc I called again and said did you forget me? So she gets me up and takes me to the bathroom, just a very quick little walk and back to bed. So an hour later I have to pee again. She comes in and takes me to the bathroom and left me there. WTH! So then I put myself back to bed and an hour later I have to pee again. (I peed every hour the first day after the cath came out) She tells me that the iv is on battery and I can take myself. Needless to say I told all the other nurses about it the next 2 days! After her the other nurses were like angels of mercy. My dd was there all day friday and helped me up and around. The dr didn't let me go home bc I had so much drainage and was still using the pain pump quite a bit. So Friday they weaned me to percocet. I was nauseated alot of the time and I also had a headache. They gave me anit-nausa meds and told me the perc should take care of my headache - which it didnt' so I tolerated a headache most of the time. Back to the drains - the nurse from hell never drained them so I think they looked worse then normal. The extra day in was ok, I was able to get up and sit in the chair and started to feel alot better. My dr said he was very tempted to take the drains out on Sat. since they had really slowed down but decided to wait until Monday to see how they are. My binder is too big. Unfortunately they are one size fits no one - thats what the dr told me..haha... I guess I'm a shorter torso then most so the stupid thing rubs my boobs and my legs. For all of you about to have it done, the first day is the worst, just enjoy sleeping and healing. I have had one moment when I thought my goodness is this really worth it? But then it passed and I know in a few days I'll be feeling alot better. The pain really isn't bad, its like a burning - and I dont' really need to take the pain med as much as it says to. I can take tylonol in between and be fine. My hair is greasy and gross, I was going to wait until Monday and have one of my girls wash it for me but I don't know if I can wait til then. No showers for awhile, something about my belly button. I've only seen my belly a few times but already it looks so much better. I have the little pouch at the top where he said he couldn't get the fat from.. I expected it... but otherwise I think it looks pretty good. I'll wait until he takes the drains out to take a picture. I never noticed anyone elses drains but mine have a spring inside and the idea is the suction helps to pull the drainage out. I think it works. Somehow I'm a pound less with all my clothes on, binder and drains then when I went in so I dont think I have as much Fluid retention. That and I was peeing every hour! I'll check in when I'm up and about. It was nice to read all of your good wishes. Becky - have you heard from ins. yet?

Hello friends! Well I just got home. I'm beat, going to take a nap. Everything went well, he said he was able to pull the muscles tight and define my waist, and he cut off 6 lbs! I'll post pics when I'm up to it.

Just found out today they want me at the hospital at 5:30 - good luck and talk to you soon!

thanks Bman and Jill - I'm sooooooooo excited. I'll post pics as soon as I can. Say a prayer for me.

Thanks Kat! You all are so nice and I'm just as excited for you too! I went and got most of my fill out - they got 7 of the 8.5 that I had. I haven't been able to tell a difference yet but then I havent' eaten yet either. I guess I'm too excited to think of food. I got to be at the hospital at 5:30 so that means we leave the house at 4:45. I took a sleeping pill in hopes that I can fall asleep by 10 - its only 6:30 now. I got my sheets changed, a load of clothes in the dry and one in the washer and my kitchen is clean now I just need to sweep and I'm ready to go. Heck I even have my clothes for tomorrow laid out. I got everything done that I could think about at work, and they are all ready to have me gone. LOL just leave already! LOL Finally I said ok, I think you all can survive a week without me. Got my dogs groomed. Geesh I can't think of anything else. My sister had a tummy tuck a few years ago so she is excited for me too. She said you'll be wearing a bikini and I said yeah right - I'll just be happy to get into a one peice without my flap hanging out the legholes. I'm off - I'll check in asap - hopefully I'll only be in one night. Read ya later!

I'll be thinking of you - saying a prayer for us both! I'm leaving work at 1:30 today, gotta get my dogs to the groomer before I go get the unfill. I guess I'll be doing all my errands as well. I can't even think straight! What time is your surgery? Mine is at 8am so I have to be at the hospital at 6:30.

Tomorrow is the big day - wow - I can't believe its here already. I'll try to post in the morning before I leave and then when I get home (hopefully Friday). Pray for me.

Marilyn are you as excited as I am? I can't hardly wait! I'm leaving work at 1:30 - gonna get my fill taken out for the surgery. All my last minute shopping and housework tonight... pinch me!

I've never lost my love of salty or chocolate - I just figure its something I'll always have to deal with and keep control of. Everything in moderation.

oh yeah thats right ... for my steadies who aren't even checking... 2 days till my tt!

I do know what you mean Well have fun hon, I'm sure he'll be happy to see the "little woman" Boo - ah the poor baby, all that in the same day. What a happy birthday. We talking about graduation parties last night at the banquet we were at and Liv said no one will come anyway, and her gf's mom said why do you say that? She told her about the 16 party and she said what? didn't whitney go and Liv said no... it was graduation and goes on making excuses for why no one came. So here we go again with the graduation party.

Amy said she's not wearing hers anymore so thats encouraging. I guess its an individual thing. My dr also said the same as Amy's about only wearing the spandx underwear or like under armor for comfort. I'm hoping by July I'm able to go without. Can't believe its only 2 days!

Hey Julie - wow you look wonderful, so tiny! I was also wondering about the tt after you lost the 60 lbs. Did it make a huge difference? I know you had a revision but when you say revision was it just a little tightening of the skin or did they have to do the full pulling tight of the muscle and everything?

Amy are you still wearing your compression garments?

Oh geesh thats not what I wanted to hear. :coolgleamA: I'm going to have to wear those things all summer? yikes. I'm thinking surgery May 1st - compression garments are going to be hot and stinky July and August! LOL I guess I better buy more then a couple. Anyone else want to jump in and tell me how long you wore your compression garments?

Lynn I wish I could see your before pics too. I think you look WONDERFUL!!! I hope I have the same results. As far as the little swelling at the top of the tummy, I'm thinking I'll have the same thing. My dr said he can cut off the stuff hanging on the lower part but he can't do anything about that fat up there. Thats why he wanted me to lose more - but dang girl you look hot! It makes me feel alot better seeing your results. Tell me your stats - how tall you are and how much you weighed before surgery (I got to do my computing to compare and hope I have as good of results) :coolgleamA:

I was getting around pretty good after a few days - luckily I dont work much in the winter so I was able to just take it easy -but if I had to I could have went to work after a week - thats at a desk job.

Christine can you believe how fast this past month has gone? wow So girlfriend how are you feeling? Are you back to your old self yet? Still wearing the compression garments? Its almost 2 whole months since you had yours. Do you think most of your swelling has gone down? You are my inspiration!