Seromas

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

My belly button has a scar but it is white and faded. All my scars look pretty good. The breasts are the only invisible ones..I had the lollipop incision and they cannot be seen.

[MichiganChic 3,262]

@@BethinPA good luck today. Let us know how it goes.

[BethinPA 305]

@@BethinPA good luck today. Let us know how it goes.

Thanks so much for your well wishes! I really appreciate that.

It went well enough, I guess. It took twice as long as was anticipated, and I have two drains instead of the expected one, but I don't really know what he found when he went in there, because he was gone when I woke up. He spoke to my friend afterwards, but he didn't really think to ask the right questions. So, I have to wait until my appt on Thursday to find out more.

Meanwhile, my drains are leaking like crazy at the insertion sites. I just have rags wrapped around them that I keep changing, trying to keep dry. I'm going to try wrapping a vaseline gauze around them next, to keep them from draining. Anyone have any ideas?

[MichiganChic 3,262]

How much are the drains putting out? Be glad the Fluid is leaking out instead of accumulating inside you! Two drains are better than one when it comes to an abdomen. I'm glad it went OK and you are home resting. I'd say just use 4x4 and cut slits in them for the drains, (or get drain sponges) and change as needed. I'm anxious to see how long that takes to heal!

[MichiganChic 3,262]

@@BethinPA just wondering how you are doing?

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

How are you doing Beth? I didn't answer your question about skin laxity. Overall my results are great. I am not tight like a 20 year old but pretty good. the skin laxity issue is my pubic area. It's ugly with stretch marks. I think Dr Sauceda judged correctly how much to "pull" because had he gone tighter my pubic zone would have stretched more. I dislike it but it is the consequence of a lifetime of obesity and a pregnancy to boot. That skin isn't in good shape. Funny... I was having laser hair removal at a place where they do reconstruction plastics and she said "your skin is great". I thought it was a joke but she said the stretch marked thin skin pubs are common and revealed with hair removal. It's been hard to get used to. I wish at times I had left it as the weirdly enlarged hairzone.

[BethinPA 305]

Thanks so much for asking! I'm muddling through, trying not to get too depressed. I've had the drains in for over 2 weeks, and he says he wants to keep them in until I make less than 15 mls per day, but I seem to be holding at 75 - 90 Mls per day. The drains burn and bother me, but I have learned to strip them routinely, so they no longer leak. The surgeon says that when he went in this second time, he found that my abdominal wall had healed almost too well, because it was thick and slick, which necessitated basically flaying the top layer of my abdominal wall, which too twice as long to do, and hurt twice as much as anticipated. So I have no idea when I will be out of the woods, just the hope that some day my body will give up and give itself bask to me. Today in church I fainted, from the abdominal pain, always a good look! I think I may have a virus on top of everything else, and I thank goodness for good friends and family for sticking by me throughout all of this nonsense. I just keep telling myself that this fact can't last forever. But at this point I also think of all the fun trips I could have taken with 20k plus instead! So, I wish I had better news… how are you doing? ????

[BethinPA 305]

How are you doing Beth? I didn't answer your question about skin laxity. Overall my results are great. I am not tight like a 20 year old but pretty good. the skin laxity issue is my pubic area. It's ugly with stretch marks. I think Dr Sauceda judged correctly how much to "pull" because had he gone tighter my pubic zone would have stretched more. I dislike it but it is the consequence of a lifetime of obesity and a pregnancy to boot. That skin isn't in good shape. Funny... I was having laser hair removal at a place where they do reconstruction plastics and she said "your skin is great". I thought it was a joke but she said the stretch marked thin skin pubs are common and revealed with hair removal. It's been hard to get used to. I wish at times I had left it as the weirdly enlarged hairzone.

The revision that the surgeon did at the same time looks good, thank goodness. I just hope I get to enjoy it someday soon! ????

[MichiganChic 3,262]

@@BethinPA I was hoping you were going to say you were all healed by now. I really hated the drains, too. But I think you are right, it won't go on like this forever. It will eventually heal. Even knowing that, I do know how frightening it is when it doesn't take the usual path. Hang in there buddy! I am sure some day you will get to enjoy it.

My wound is completely healed and the incision doesn't look too bad. My left foot and lower leg is still swollen. Not terrible, and I think it is some better, but I'm really worried that it's lymphedema. It's been 6 weeks, and I've been on a diuretic and wearing compression hose, but it's never gone completely down. However, the fact that it's some better, and responds to diuretics and elevation is promising. If it's not better in a couple of weeks I'm going to see if I can get a CT or something to look at the lymph nodes behind my knee.

So, good luck to you. I do hope you start feeling better! The weather has suddenly and dramatically improved in Michigan, and that's working wonders to get my mind off of all this. I hope you can also get some temporary relief until you are totally healed!

[sarsar 824]

@@BethinPA I was hoping you were going to say you were all healed by now. I really hated the drains, too. But I think you are right, it won't go on like this forever. It will eventually heal. Even knowing that, I do know how frightening it is when it doesn't take the usual path. Hang in there buddy! I am sure some day you will get to enjoy it.

My wound is completely healed and the incision doesn't look too bad. My left foot and lower leg is still swollen. Not terrible, and I think it is some better, but I'm really worried that it's lymphedema. It's been 6 weeks, and I've been on a diuretic and wearing compression hose, but it's never gone completely down. However, the fact that it's some better, and responds to diuretics and elevation is promising. If it's not better in a couple of weeks I'm going to see if I can get a CT or something to look at the lymph nodes behind my knee.

So, good luck to you. I do hope you start feeling better! The weather has suddenly and dramatically improved in Michigan, and that's working wonders to get my mind off of all this. I hope you can also get some temporary relief until you are totally healed!

I also have swelling in my left calf and ankle. Some in my right but mostly my left.

I had my LBL, Lipo, and Tummy Tuck 10 months ago. My surgeon said that the swelling can last 1-2 years and he doesn't consider it permanent until the two year mark. I'm also scared of lymphedema. My PCP gave me a script to get an eval with the lymphedema clinic to see if that may help. It is a lot worse when I have been in a plane or in a car for a long time.

My mom has lymphedema so it concerns me. I didn't have issues with this before plastics.

I also am planning on getting a full thigh lift and I hope to have that done this fall but my surgeon won't do it until the swelling goes away.

[MichiganChic 3,262]

@@sarsar sorry to hear you also have swelling. I hate it. I really hope it goes away! My surgeon also says it can take a year for things to settle down. I need some Lipo in my saddlebags. but I'm not doing anything until this resolves.

[BethinPA 305]

@@sarsar sorry to hear you also have swelling. I hate it. I really hope it goes away! My surgeon also says it can take a year for things to settle down. I need some Lipo in my saddlebags. but I'm not doing anything until this resolves.

The idea that it could be permanent is scary to me! I know I'm still working through my complications, but I had wanted to get my breasts done also. At this point I would have to think long and hard before attempting another procedure. I can't go through this again.

[MichiganChic 3,262]

@@BethinPA just checking to see how you are, and if things are healing? I sure hope so!

I saw my plastic surgeon today, and while we can't be sure yet, she said she really doesn't think my swelling (which is lymphedema) is permanent. She said because it's only distal and goes down at night are good signs. She also said it could take 1-2 years to resolve!! Ugh, this is a really long process.

So, I am going to proceed with some liposuction in July. I really hate that my right leg is bigger than my left, and that's the only way to fix it. I also hate the saddlebags, so I want to get rid of them. I can't believe I'm doing this, but I am really, really uncomfortable in pants because of it.

[BethinPA 305]

@@BethinPA just checking to see how you are, and if things are healing? I sure hope so!

I saw my plastic surgeon today, and while we can't be sure yet, she said she really doesn't think my swelling (which is lymphedema) is permanent. She said because it's only distal and goes down at night are good signs. She also said it could take 1-2 years to resolve!! Ugh, this is a really long process.

So, I am going to proceed with some liposuction in July. I really hate that my right leg is bigger than my left, and that's the only way to fix it. I also hate the saddlebags, so I want to get rid of them. I can't believe I'm doing this, but I am really, really uncomfortable in pants because of it.

Thanks for checking in on me! I very much appreciate it! At this point I would call myself situationally depressed. I'm in my fifth month of this sick role, and it is really getting to me. You all are handling this stuff better than I. I miss showers, I really miss exercise, I miss the social things I used to do. I tire easily and I'm de conditioned. If my surgeon had his way I wouldn't even be working, which of course isn't an option, although I haven't worked my second job in months in my attempts to take it easy to heal. I've had my drains in for almost a month, and I'm putting out about 60mls a day. It's slowly, slowly going down, I have no idea how many more weeks it will take. I see the doctor Thursday, and I think he wants to take them out, but I want to see this through to the very end, so I never will have to do it again. I'm going to my nephew's graduation in NC this weekend, and I'm worried that all the activities will wear me out and set me back. The good news is that my spring dresses look way better than they did before the surgery, even with the drains sticking out some.

So while I wouldn't even consider another procedure while you are grappling with this lymph edema, more power to you that you are going through with another procedure! You deserve for this one to be a success!

[MichiganChic 3,262]

@@BethinPA Glad it is getting a little better for you. It sounds like your drainage is cut in half? Why can't you shower? I did every day. With drains, with wound vacs, you name it. I don't think I could handle that either.

I realize I probably sound nuts for having another procedure, but the swelling I have will be there either way. I know that liposuction is going to cause more swelling, but I just really am uncomfortable with uneven legs. The swelling I have is in my left foot and it's around my right knee that's bigger. I'm scheduling for July, and if it's not some better by then, I may end up cancelling. I'm an optimist at heart, so I don't think what I have is permanent.

I wish you didn't have to deal with depression on top of it all. I do know how that could easily happen! You are in the home stretch, and once it's healed, you will continue to shrink and those dresses are going to look even better! Hang in a little longer! I bet it will be instant recovery when those drains are out - those things can get you down!