Seromas

[BethinPA 305]

@@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!

I guess my drainage is cut by a third, and he wanted me to be putting out no more than 15 Mls/ day before taking them out. How long can that take? And won't my body heal around the drain, so I would have a tract there? That's what I wonder about.

I hear Lipo is really painful - how much time off from work do you take for that?

[MichiganChic 3,262]

@@BethinPA I had some really slow healing wounds from the drains, and they did leave circular scars there - and I only had them ten days from my abdominoplasty. They did heal though, and they are fading. Hopefully you will start to dry up!! It's encouraging that the output is decreasing. You know it's headed in the right direction.

As for the Lipo, it probably will be painful, and I really hate pain. I'm going to have it July 2 and then take the following week off. I'm also prepared to swell even more. Ugh. I just still feel like I'm not done....like a half built house or something. I've gone this far to get things put back in place, and I'm not seeking perfection, just a little more uniformity. Believe me, I would never be doing this to get a perfect body - I just want to be able to wear clothes comfortably.

I don't know if you've been able to enjoy your results much, but I have to say that even with all the complications, I'm very aware and thrilled with mine so far. I notice it every time I get up, walk, and move. It also reminds me how hard I worked to get here, and I think of the plastics as one more thing I've done to help me maintain my weight loss.

[tebowfan 70]

@@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!

Are they gonna do lypo as a revision to your knee from the thigh lift?

[MichiganChic 3,262]

@@tebowfan no, it's not a revision. It's an additional procedure, and come complete with all the associated charges. I'm not sure if that's right or not, but since I didn't have any to start with, I figured it's a new procedure and cost. If I had paid for Lipo with the thigh lift, then I would consider it a revision.

[MichiganChic 3,262]

@@BethinPA well, what the word? All healed?

[BethinPA 305]

@@BethinPA well, what the word? All healed?

I'm cautiously optimistic!

I had the drains in for 5 weeks, and then they fell out on their own, even though I was still putting out plenty of Fluid. I think me shimmying in and out of my compression garments over time just loosened the stitch enough to end that option. I was upset, but those things hurt all the time, and it was such a relief to not be in pain anymore!

I've seen the doctor twice since then. The first time he drained my seroma in the office, and last Tuesday he didn't feel he needed to drain me. I know there is still Fluid in there, but my body does seem to be slowing down production. He said I could begin to up my activity, and begin spending some time out of my compression garments. That night I slept in just my underwear and a t-shirt, and it felt soooo good!!

So I'm going to ease into everything super slowly, I don't want to do anything that will affect my progress. 2015 has been the longest year for me, and we are only halfway through it!!

How are YOU doing? All healed? Any more surgeries?

[MichiganChic 3,262]

Glad to hear that things have turned around for you. I'm doing well. Everything is healed. I still have some mild, residual swelling in my left foot, and it's marginally better than it was. I still hate it, but I'm adjusting to having it, and honestly, it's not noticeable to others.

I am still planning some Lipo in my hips and right leg, though I am not sure of when it is. I was going to do it early July, but didn't nail down the date so I'm waiting to hear back from the office. I think I'm sort of teetering on putting it off a while. I have really put my body through the ringer, and that would be a third surgery in under a year.

How does your belly look?

[BethinPA 305]

Glad to hear that things have turned around for you. I'm doing well. Everything is healed. I still have some mild, residual swelling in my left foot, and it's marginally better than it was. I still hate it, but I'm adjusting to having it, and honestly, it's not noticeable to others.

I am still planning some Lipo in my hips and right leg, though I am not sure of when it is. I was going to do it early July, but didn't nail down the date so I'm waiting to hear back from the office. I think I'm sort of teetering on putting it off a while. I have really put my body through the ringer, and that would be a third surgery in under a year.

How does your belly look?

I like the idea of taking a breather - it's a journey, not a race, right? I'm sorry that residual edema hasn't resolved, but I'm glad you are still hopeful that it will!

How does my belly look? Kinda creepy, in my opinion, but I guess that's normal. The doctor says there is still swelling to resolve, not sure how long that takes to happen. I'm sure once the scars start to lighten up I will feel better about how I look. I'm definitely happy with how I look in clothes, and I think the muscle plication was key.

I'm glad that I'm feeling more hopeful now that things are showing signs of progress, and will now consider doing the breasts someday!

[MichiganChic 3,262]

@@BethinPA are you still progressing well? I sure hope so!

I was scheduled for all that Lipo for tomorrow, but I cancelled it. I've been too busy, and just wasn't mentally ready for all the pain and risk again. I'm a little sad because I really need it done, but I'm relieved, too. I'm also waiting for that swelling to go down in my left foot before I go disturbing more of lymphatic system! It does seem to be getting gradually better, but it is slow going, and some days it's pretty puffy. I think I'm still slightly swollen from the work I had done last August, and I am just now noticing that it's going down all the way.

Here's to enjoying our summer as thin women!!

[BethinPA 305]

@@BethinPA are you still progressing well? I sure hope so!

I was scheduled for all that Lipo for tomorrow, but I cancelled it. I've been too busy, and just wasn't mentally ready for all the pain and risk again. I'm a little sad because I really need it done, but I'm relieved, too. I'm also waiting for that swelling to go down in my left foot before I go disturbing more of lymphatic system! It does seem to be getting gradually better, but it is slow going, and some days it's pretty puffy. I think I'm still slightly swollen from the work I had done last August, and I am just now noticing that it's going down all the way.

Here's to enjoying our summer as thin women!!

I think your reasons for postponing your lipo are sound. It's good to take the long view. I definitely think being in the right mind set is also important. My surgeon says his business really drops off in the summertime, so I bet you are not alone in your thinking.

It's helpful to me to hear that you still have swelling. My surgeon released me from our frequent visits last week, and said I can slowly resume my activities and decrease my compression garment usage. I'm on vacation this week, so I'm in bathing suits for part of the day, and I've been not wearing compression while sleeping. Today I took a 2 mile walk on the beach in just my bathing suit, and now I feel so swollen! So tonight I'll be wearing Spanx to bed. This is such a long journey! But I can start to say that it will be worth it in the end!

Next summer is going to be even better for both of us! ????☀️????

[bayareanan 24]

I had a seroma that opened up and I had to have the wound debreeded (sp) because it got infected. The surgeon that opened up the wound made the opening larger than the originalm opening. It started at 10 in by 7 in. Now I have a wound vaccuum and will have it for quite a while to heal up. It is frusterating. It is a good thing I am not working because there is no way I could get a home health nurse here after hours.

The problem started because the drain on that side never drained anything. I mean NOTHING. The surgeon probably gone back in and moved the drain, but he never mentioned it.

This can happen to anyone, regardless of the surgeon.

[BethinPA 305]

I had a seroma that opened up and I had to have the wound debreeded (sp) because it got infected. The surgeon that opened up the wound made the opening larger than the originalm opening. It started at 10 in by 7 in. Now I have a wound vaccuum and will have it for quite a while to heal up. It is frusterating. It is a good thing I am not working because there is no way I could get a home health nurse here after hours.

The problem started because the drain on that side never drained anything. I mean NOTHING. The surgeon probably gone back in and moved the drain, but he never mentioned it.

This can happen to anyone, regardless of the surgeon.

I'm so sorry that happened to you! It feels like it will go on forever (at least it did to me) but it will pass, and hopefully you will be happy with the ultimate results!

[MichiganChic 3,262]

@@bayareanan Sorry you had this, too. Usually a seroma is a pretty mild complication even if they are pretty common, but it sounds like the 3 of us had a worst case scenario. @@BethinPA is right, it will get better and things will be OK.

I also had a wound vac, and once I had that, it healed very quickly! I had my original surgery in mid December of 2014, and dealt with the seroma by multiple weekly trips to the surgeon, getting it drained manually, having a drain placed, had it opened up twice, and ultimately in March had the wound vac. It was a tunneled area on my left knee that was about 12 inches, with a 4 inch opening. It healed once and for all in less than 30 days. I still have some residual swelling in my left foot as a result of all this, which might be permanent.

Even with all that, I am still glad I had the surgery. I'm still a little traumatized, if you can't tell, lol! Where is your seroma?