Excess Skin Removal Surgery?

[Maryposa]

here's what i've been going through, i know it is long, but hey, i hope all this detail it will help someone be prepared for the huge surgery that is reconstructive surgery post massive weight loss

Post Reconstructive Surgery Round 3 - Play by Play - YouTube

[Maryposa]

i'll try to post pics soon!!

[wastednuffime]

Mary,..

I have no words!!! I am actually sitting here all teared up!!

THANK YOU,..THANK YOU,..THANK YOU....

For posting and sharing this!!!! My PS journey has not yet begun, but just viewing this and following you on YouTube, I am way MORE at ease with things!!

A very speedy recovery is in process for you!!, And...You are BEAUTIFUL, both inside and out!!!

[Hot Tamale]

Hi Everyone & happy holidays. Thigh lift surgery tomorrow; please wish me luck, or, better yet, if you are a prayerful person, please say one for me. I've heard its not pleasant, and I'm somewhat prepared, but who is ever really prepared for this stuff... I'll post in a few days.

[clmoore]

Originally Posted by Hot Tamale

Hi Everyone & happy holidays. Thigh lift surgery tomorrow; please wish me luck, or, better yet, if you are a prayerful person, please say one for me. I've heard its not pleasant, and I'm somewhat prepared, but who is ever really prepared for this stuff... I'll post in a few days.

Best wishes and prayers to you, HT! You'll do great. It took me about two weeks of discomfort and then it was so much better.

Did you get you a pee - funnel or whatever they are called? That is one thing I would do over.

[Maryposa]

Originally Posted by clmoore

Best wishes and prayers to you, HT! You'll do great. It took me about two weeks of discomfort and then it was so much better.

Did you get you a pee - funnel or whatever they are called? That is one thing I would do over.

i wanted to get one but didn't... instead i used one of those kidney shaped medical containers i hold it between my legs, sit and pee... lol it does the job as far as keeping the drains and bandages and stuff dry and clean.

[Maryposa]

ht i wrote you about the thighs on the other thread. for me they were not so bad. the worst part was drains. the bandages are challenging but not painful. i had a non narcotic pain pump for numbing, that may be why. if you can, request one. mine was an extra 250 and totally worth it (I assume lol)

[clmoore]

Originally Posted by Maryposa

i wanted to get one but didn't... instead i used one of those kidney shaped medical containers i hold it between my legs, sit and pee... lol it does the job as far as keeping the drains and bandages and stuff dry and clean.

That was a great idea. I could not pull my compression garments down and was trying to pee through the crotch opening and kinda straddling the toilet and not sitting down. It was a joke! I should have tried one of your pans you mentioned or gotten a funnel.

Good luck, HT!

[Maryposa]

Originally Posted by clmoore

That was a great idea. I could not pull my compression garments down and was trying to pee through the crotch opening and kinda straddling the toilet and not sitting down. It was a joke! I should have tried one of your pans you mentioned or gotten a funnel.

Good luck, HT!

fortunately my compression is thigh high TED stockings for the legs, and a velcro binder for my lower body lift... when I had other things done they put me in one of those knee-to-underbust ones and ya, peeing through it was difficult... so I cut a bigger hole lol

[Hot Tamale]

I didn't get an "official" funnel, but I do have one. Hopefully it will work.

Thanks for the well wishes. I'll talk to you all soon!

[Bejewelme]

Good luck HT, I will pray for you- you are going to be fine and loving your thighs! mary hope you are feeling better!

[Izzysdream]

Originally Posted by Hot Tamale

Hi Everyone & happy holidays. Thigh lift surgery tomorrow; please wish me luck, or, better yet, if you are a prayerful person, please say one for me. I've heard its not pleasant, and I'm somewhat prepared, but who is ever really prepared for this stuff... I'll post in a few days.

Sending lots of prayers!

[Hot Tamale]

Hi Everyone, Just a quick update... I am doing okay. It is more uncomfortable than painful...then again, I do take my pain meds religiously! I don't know what I think about everything right now. I know I am swollen and things look kinda ugly right now. I took a shower this morning and I'm trying to walk every so often. More later - the pain meds are making me sleepy. Thanks for all your prayers!

[clmoore]

Hi, HT!

Yes, mine was more discomfort and misery for a couple of weeks, than actual pain! Hang in there. It will get better and better. Things will also start looking not so scary!

Yay!

[Hot Tamale]

Mine is too...more discomfort and numbness right now than pain. I gotta admit, the swelling and the way things look is bumming me out. I can only hope in a month or two things look a lot better. I am walking pretty frequently and doing a lot of things on my own. I must admit I do look forward to the naps I take whenever a pain pill kicks in. I only take about 4 a day and I believe I'll start tapering those off in a day or two. I do have a little area that is a little drippy, but it is tapering off, too. All in all, not as painful as I had anticipated but very uncomfortable. More as I go along...

[Heidi]

Originally Posted by Hot Tamale

Mine is too...more discomfort and numbness right now than pain. I gotta admit, the swelling and the way things look is bumming me out. I can only hope in a month or two things look a lot better. I am walking pretty frequently and doing a lot of things on my own. I must admit I do look forward to the naps I take whenever a pain pill kicks in. I only take about 4 a day and I believe I'll start tapering those off in a day or two. I do have a little area that is a little drippy, but it is tapering off, too. All in all, not as painful as I had anticipated but very uncomfortable. More as I go along...

Glad to hear things are going pretty good! I hope I'm as lucky!
From what I've read and pics I've seen, yes, the immediate after is almost like "WHY did I do this??" lol but it looks soooo much better in such a short time. I'm positive yours will too

Happy holidays everyone!

[Maryposa]

calling bejewelme (or anyone else with experience with seromas)!! Today is 4 weeks since surgery and the drain which was always most active is still in and going strong (30cc yesterday, 38cc the two days before that). The output is oily (surgeon said there's fat in there), pink/red, and not clear. He said it didnt smell infected and i don't have a fever and before i told him the output he wanted to take the drain out and put me on antibiotics. when i told him how much it's draining he left it in and put me on antibiotics. My fear is that after all this time my body is not going to stop draining, what's going to keep it from building up fluid after he removes the drain?? He wants to remove it weds regardless of output. I am so scared of a seroma and going through what you went through. when was your last drain out? were any of them more active than the rest? were you still producing allot of fluid into the drain when it was removed?

[Bejewelme]

HT- Glad you are doing OK!!! It will get better!!!!

Mary- my drains were always yellow toward the end, what I had was not a seroma but a lymphocele, I had my drains in for 28 days and yes the left side was putting out more than the right! Leave them in as long as needed!!! The problem is infection can occur sometimes so maybe he is worried about that. He can always reinsert it later if needed. I had that last surgery and now the lymphocele is back!! I am going to have to go back! My lymph duct was disrupted somewhere he thought he got it all but apparently something is still running in there, see the doc and see what he says, dont mess around! Normally the fluid is reaborbed into your system.

[Maryposa]

thanks for the response

[Hot Tamale]

When I had my tummy tuck I had drains that wouldn't quit for a while. My doc left one in for 2 weeks and it was always right under the limit she had to take them out. It drove me nuts! Mine also had all kinds of material in them... I wouldn't worry - keep them in as long as you need and when they do come out chances are your body will absorb the fluid naturally - mine did. Try to stay calm and positive!

[Maryposa]

Originally Posted by Hot Tamale

When I had my tummy tuck I had drains that wouldn't quit for a while. My doc left one in for 2 weeks and it was always right under the limit she had to take them out. It drove me nuts! Mine also had all kinds of material in them... I wouldn't worry - keep them in as long as you need and when they do come out chances are your body will absorb the fluid naturally - mine did. Try to stay calm and positive!

thanks HT
you

[Hot Tamale]

You're welcome, Mary & you, too! Btw, I meant the drain was always just OVER the amount she wanted to see in order to remove it. I think it was 60mls/day...


I had my thigh lift surgery on Thursday, I can tell everyone I already feel quite a bit better. My thighs are swollen and the incisions are ugly still, but I already have a lot more energy and moving around isn't as painful as I expected it might still be. Going to the bathroom isn't pleasant, but it isn't outrageously bad, either. One thing I thought was odd is my doctor did not put me in an undergarment... I will give it another day or two and then I will wear one on my own because I think it will make me feel better. I am currently wearing depends as a covering/bandage combo (only - not using them for anything else!) and I take time to make sure all the incisions are clean and attended to after each bathroom visit.


Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy New Year! Thanks for all your advice and for listening to me. All the best to all of you in 2013!

[Izzysdream]

Originally Posted by Hot Tamale

You're welcome, Mary & you, too! Btw, I meant the drain was always just OVER the amount she wanted to see in order to remove it. I think it was 60mls/day...


I had my thigh lift surgery on Thursday, I can tell everyone I already feel quite a bit better. My thighs are swollen and the incisions are ugly still, but I already have a lot more energy and moving around isn't as painful as I expected it might still be. Going to the bathroom isn't pleasant, but it isn't outrageously bad, either. One thing I thought was odd is my doctor did not put me in an undergarment... I will give it another day or two and then I will wear one on my own because I think it will make me feel better. I am currently wearing depends as a covering/bandage combo (only - not using them for anything else!) and I take time to make sure all the incisions are clean and attended to after each bathroom visit.


Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy New Year! Thanks for all your advice and for listening to me. All the best to all of you in 2013!

So glad you are feeling better than you expected! Sending cyber hugs your way! Do you have any help?
Happy New Years wishes to everyone!

[Maryposa]

My last drain pretty suddenly slowed down and then last night it stopped almost completely, right in time for my appointment! The drain came out and it didn't even hurt. I know most say it doesn't hurt but believe me, I have had some that hurt like a mofo coming out.

The bad news is, an area that always looked kinda upset opened and that is leaking allot. My surgeon cut away some dead skin and it did not hurt either.

I had to look away for both the drain removal and the skin cutting

But just being able to wear underwear and walk and get up without worrying about the darn drain at the side of my crotch makes me feel brand new lol

[Maryposa]

PS... now that I can wear undies, I can take pictures! I have pictures but I still hadn't Photoshopped undies on them lol

Oh, and I was supposed to go back to work today but I am not quite ready... Dr wants me out of the office for two more weeks.

[Bejewelme]

Yeah for no drains, they are the worst!!!! Best to stay off work cause if you go back and you are beat then it is hard to say I need time, so best to rest!!!! Glad you are feeling better!

[Maryposa]

All my excess skin is gone!!

All my excess skin is gone!!! - YouTube

[Dirty Harriet]

Congrats everyone. I have lost 235 pounds with a lap band. I have issues with loose skin but I will not have any plastic surgery. So far, I have no complications....I would like to look better but am afraid at age 54 the complications with extensive anesthesia and trauma to the body after surgery, such as scarring.
All of you look gr8 and I wish that insurance would pay for the reconstruction, but it is the way it is. Glad to know names of good surgeons in case I change my mind!

[Dirty Harriet]

Add pic full length

[clmoore]

Originally Posted by Dirty Harriet

Congrats everyone. I have lost 235 pounds with a lap band. I have issues with loose skin but I will not have any plastic surgery. So far, I have no complications....I would like to look better but am afraid at age 54 the complications with extensive anesthesia and trauma to the body after surgery, such as scarring.
All of you look gr8 and I wish that insurance would pay for the reconstruction, but it is the way it is. Glad to know names of good surgeons in case I change my mind!

Congratulations on your great weight loss! I'm 57 and had my first plastic surgery at 55. You are young!!