February/March 08 plastics

[kareyquilts 1]

Christine: I swell in the upper tummy too. Hate it! The bridal shop won't give us the designer's phone number. I am going to the designer's website, but I don't really know if he'll see our complaint. I think he should know that his dress wasn't made to specifications and did not look like the trunk show dress. My husband is going to call the bridal shop on Monday. Hopefully, he'll get more of a response than my daughter did!

[StephC 0]

Karey - I would demand my money back or take them to small claims. Not only is that alot of money to spend on something you are unhappy with but its money spent on a major part of the most important day of your dd's life. Your dd should have burst into tears right then and there, that would have set the ball rolling.

I have a question for all of you ps veterans. I know I've asked several times how soon you were able to get back to work and I think I have that figured out. Since I'm having my surgery on a Thursday I think I'm going to pop in on Tues just to do the payroll and then seeing how I feel go from there. But my dd has prom that Friday night, which it sounds like I'm not going to be home to get her ready :crying: and she may have to come to the hospital to show me her beautiful self all dolled up. Its a bummer since she's a senior but she is going to 2 proms, her boyfriends is May 2nd and then her prom is the 10th, so I'll be home for that one. On the 9th she has senior night for track, which is when the parents walk out with the senior and they present the awards. I'm wondering if I'm going to be able to walk out there "normally"? What do you guys think? Is that whole week going to be exhausting?

[losingjusme 12]

I have a question for all of you ps veterans. I know I've asked several times how soon you were able to get back to work and I think I have that figured out. Since I'm having my surgery on a Thursday I think I'm going to pop in on Tues just to do the payroll and then seeing how I feel go from there. But my dd has prom that Friday night, which it sounds like I'm not going to be home to get her ready :crying: and she may have to come to the hospital to show me her beautiful self all dolled up. Its a bummer since she's a senior but she is going to 2 proms, her boyfriends is May 2nd and then her prom is the 10th, so I'll be home for that one. On the 9th she has senior night for track, which is when the parents walk out with the senior and they present the awards. I'm wondering if I'm going to be able to walk out there "normally"? What do you guys think? Is that whole week going to be exhausting?

it really all depends on how you react the the anasthesia (sp?????). it wiped me out the first few days. but when i was awake, i was awake...(and bored stupid in the hospital all alone - thank God i had LBT and my blog to post to!!!)

with walking, it all depends on what you surgeon says... mine wanted me upright the day of surgery, but he used the progressive tension sutures... the nurses said most docs the day after surgery want you bent almost at a 90 degree angle.... check with your doc on when he thinks you'll be upright.

im so excited for you!!

[StephC 0]

Thanks LJM - I'm excited! I just don't want to look stupid walking out on the field all hunched over. :crying: The more I think about it the more bummed I am that I won't be there to help dd get ready for prom. I called my ps today to ask if I will really be there 3 days and they said they schedule it as a 23 hr (outpatient) surgery but he always keeps you there longer, the average is 3 days but some he has kept 4-5 days!

[losingjusme 12]

i cannot imagine 4-5 days!

so sorry you wont be with DD for the first prom, but you'll be there (and in flatlands) for the 2nd.

[Esmeralda 2]

I have a question for everyone who has had there tummy tucks before me, I will be six weeks this Thursday and I still get some what swollen and I have to wear the girdle for 2 more weeks, how long did your doctor advise you to wear the girdle and at what point did you notice that you were no longer getting swollen???

[losingjusme 12]

my PS said the garment was for my comfort ... until my last visit then he suggested i wear it to help with swelling...

im still VERY VERY swollen. i had my PS on 2/29

[salsa1877 10]

Karey and LJM (and others that maybe able to answer) -

I know that you both had unfills prior to your surgery. Was that suggested by your PS or your lap band doc? When I talked to my nurse practitioner that does my fills (who is banded herself) about whether or not I should have an unfill she said that unless I tend to throw up after surgery that it is not necessary. However I just had to have a slight unfill because I was too tight, and still in my opinion am tighter than I want to be (most people would kill for this level of restriction, I just hate it). I guess what I am asking is do you think it would be better for me to have no restriction (I have very good will power and VERY good eating habits now) or to keep my current level of restriction and not even have the temptation of slipping back to old eating habits? Wow this is very wordy! Hope you followed along!

[nurseamy 2]

I have been at my "sweet spot" since July and had surgery 2/22.I left my fill alone. I was too scared to get unfilled!!! I had no problems after surgery with my band:smile:

[losingjusme 12]

salsa,

my LB doctor insisted on it. and im actually glad he did cause i really swelled after surgery and even with a completely empty band, i was pretty well restricted for a few days. now... not so much. i wish i could get back to where i was.

they SAY i have about 9ccs in my band and i have little to no restriction ... stinks

[kareyquilts 1]

StephC: I wouldn't plan on being too available for your daughter's first prom. Make sure you have a camera and video camera. I would plan on feeling crappy and if you feel good than that's a bonus! For me the first 4 days were the pits, but of course, everyone reacts differently and you might be feeling a lot better by then.

Esmeralda: I'm still getting swollen, especially in the upper stomach area. My doc said to expect swelling for up to 3 months or longer. As far as compression garments, I'm still wearing mine because it helps with the swelling and I feel more comfortable in it. A lot of the plastic surgery sites say that if you'll wear a compression garment for 3-6 months you'll have better results. The skin will adhere back better and tighter. Now, that doesn't mean you have to wear the one you got in the doc's office. A Spanx type garment will work after the first 4-6 weeks.

Salsa: I didn't have an unfil for the surgery, my lapband doc said it wasn't necessary, but I ended up having to have an unfill because of the surgery. A lot of people don't get an unfill and a lot do. I would say if you're a little tight, to have some taken out, but not all of it.

[salsa1877 10]

I am afraid that I am going to get to tight. I have a low tolerance for fills. In fact I only have 1.7 cc in a 10 cc band now, which shocks my fill nurse and doc that I have lost so much, so fast, with such little restriction. I was completely unfilled (due to getting something completely lodged) for 40+ days in November and still managed to lose 10 pounds.

I guess because I don't have a problem finding restriction that it would be best if I got the unfill. LJM did you get a complete unfill or just a partial.

Thanks for the responses

[losingjusme 12]

salsa, i had a complete unfill.

[salsa1877 10]

Alright since I got almost instant answers yesterday (great for those of us in the instant gratification generation) I thought I would post this question here.

What questions did you ask your plastic surgeon when you went in for the consult? A little background about me. I decided to have my lap-band on July 7, 2007, had my consult on August 8, 2007 and my surgery less than 24 hours later. It was such a whirlwind that I didn't even think about questions to ask in that consultation so I went in just basically with the knowledge I gathered from this site. Pretty good info here! But I don't know that I want to go into this surgery blind. The recovery time appears to be much worse than for lap-band. So I was wondering what you think are the most important questions to ask? Thanks in advance.

Karri

[Fran 1]

I had my TT on March 26th, and feel good except for the drains!! UCH