I was hoping for anyone with experience with having had the above surgeries to offer some insight.
After being lapbanded just under 5 months ago, I am close to my goal weight. At the recommendation of my Dr I've booked an appt to see a plastic surgeon to remove the excess skin from the weight loss (and from 4 pregnancies!) on the 21st of Jan.
I have some excess skin on my upper arms and thighs, which I'm happy to live with, but have a LOT of loose skin in the belly region, which I had even before I lost a kg. Now that I'm 20kgs+ lighter, I look like an empty sack when I'm naked. It's not pretty.
Plus I know that it's not going away with time. The skin will not bounce back.
So basically sometime in the next year I WILL be having either a tummy tuck or a lower body lift (depending on what the surgeon suggests).
So I have some questions I was hoping someone could help me with: have you had a tummy tuck? Did it hurt? How long were you off work? How long after you saw your PS did you get operated on?
yes i have had it done (TT)... yes it did hurt to recover for a while... two weeks off work and five weeks of NO lifting... had to wait 6 weeks from my first appt....
its funny isnt it how you can lose all that weight and think at the beginning that it will make you feel so much better about yourself... but then the reality of all that loose skin can make you feel worse in some ways (im talking about minus the nancy gantz here...) But it is SO worth it!
Thanks myson! I'm so glad someone has been through it and is willing to help me out with my myriad of questions. Lol!
I see you only took two weeks off work. Does it mean that most of your discomfort was over in two weeks? Or would you have preferred to have taken more time off in hindsight?
My boss is really cool about it, but the truth is, work for me is pretty full on, and I don't know how my work is going to be impacted if I'm away for the four weeks she reckons I should take.
The other thing I was hoping to find out is: how soon from your first appt with your PS before you actually got the surgery done? TBH, I'd like to get this done asap because as you say, as nice as it is to have lost the weight, the loose skin is a constant irritation. But for work, uni and family reasons I guess it's better for me to wait until mid year. How flexible are plastic surgeons?
Also how did you manage the pain?
Sorry about all the questions! It's coming up really quickly and I suddenly am getting very nervous about it all!
I think in hindsight a bit more time off would have been nice... but isnt it always . I worked shop front in a lunch bar at the time (4 x 4 hr shifts a week) as well as part time office work from home. At the shop I just let them know I wouldnt be lifting anything heavier than a pie for a while! Im guessing the recovery would be a bit like getting over a CS... but Ive never had one of those so not too sure. The cut is longer, from hip to hip, but then it doesnt go right down to your uterus. But there is a the tightening up of muscle to remember. But yes most of the discomfort was over in two weeks, and I was off the pain killers by then. But still had to go gently for a few more weeks.
What sort of work do you do? Is it full on in a mental or physical way... or both...?
Was only on panadeine once i got home, but in hosp it was morph drip for a couple days. Day 1-3 after surgery was awful, i was in pain and felt really sick from anasthetic too. Had a bit of "what have i done" moment. Why would I put myself through this agony just for vanity sake. But its not just about vanity. Its about self esteem. And that shapes who you are as person. Anyways, once i was up straight and the drains were out i felt alot better in head and body. I havent regretted it since.
Wait times for the surgeon probably dont relate between my case and yours. My guy was a travelling specialist. I had to wait for him to be in town next.( about 6 weeks i think) But I had the first consult, then the surg on the next visit. Not sure how long it would take if you are seeing him in his usual place of work????? sorry...
questions are fine... anything you want to ask, go right ahead.
the scar takes a bit to fade, but will prob still be always a little bit visible, depending on skin type. My scar is the classic "bikini" type.... comes up quite high on the hips. If you think you might be more of a "hipster" type girl then that might be something to consider.
I dont know if there are different positions for the scar available or if you just dont get a choice, but it might be something worth considering/discussing with the Doc if you think it would worry you....???
Tummy Tuck/Lower Body Lift
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. I worked shop front in a lunch bar at the time (4 x 4 hr shifts a week) as well as part time office work from home. At the shop I just let them know I wouldnt be lifting anything heavier than a pie for a while! Im guessing the recovery would be a bit like getting over a CS... but Ive never had one of those so not too sure. The cut is longer, from hip to hip, but then it doesnt go right down to your uterus. But there is a the tightening up of muscle to remember. But yes most of the discomfort was over in two weeks, and I was off the pain killers by then. But still had to go gently for a few more weeks. 
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