[kitty56]

I am a little over a month past my tummy tuck and some have said that they cannot wait to get their belts off, actually I am dreading the day it is suppose to come off becasue when I take a shower it feels like their is no support by my belly and cannot wait to get out of the shower and get the belt on. I know that I am going to have to get use to not wearing it anymore. Did any of you have the same feeling? For being over a month out from surgery my muscles still hurt from where the doctor tighened them up, he had a long ways to tighten my muscles becasue I was so huge in my stomach. I still cannot lay on my sides becasue the muscles hurt. It is not the incicsion that hurts it is my muscles. My incicsion has healed up very nicly.
The next question is to those who have had a tummy tuck. Did your portion size cut down drascally. The most I can do is 3/4 cup of food and that is chili and I feel like I am going to bust. Before the tummy tuck I could eat up to a cup and a half. I feel the best if I eat only about a half a cup of food. The feeling is like my skin by my stomach gets so tight when I eat anything over a 1/2 cup. I am trying to stay at 3/4 cup but I feel so uncomfortable if I do. Eating 6 times a day, their is no way that I can do that, my appitite is so bad now, I feel like I just had gastric bypass and food just does not interest me right now and have to force myself to eat. I try to get alot of protein down but the most I can get down is about 60 or so, but most of the time it is around 40 to 50 protein. But I do have to say that I healed very nice from the surgery except the muscle pain and I can understand why they hurt yet is becasue if you look at my before pictures, oh my gosh where they ever stretched out far. I am kinda scared that I am not getting enough food down me to keep me healthy. But it seems like when I eat that my pouch protrudes out to the muscles and that gives me that really really full feeling and my muscles hurt for about a half hour or so and then they feel better and hate the thought of eating because I know they are going to hurt again. I am happy about that but scared that I am not geting enough nutrition down me. Will this get better in time? I would love to have your opions and experineces on this. Its not like that I cannot lose any weight, I still have enough on me to lose.
I love that I look much better in cloths and that I can wear cloths that fit the way they are suppose to, but never figured my muscles to hurt this long. I would have to say that I would do it over again.

[dixieladybug]

Hey diana. Im not one to ask about this lol but I sure know what you mean about muscle pain for sure. I had it done Tue. and I think I am doing good so far. The removed around 9 pounds. I can't beleive how flat my tummy is. I will be so glad to get these darn drains out. How long did yours stay in? I also know what you mean about not wanting to eat. I have been have a couple protein shakes a day to help with protein. I really don't want anything to eat. Guess it is time to go rest for a while. I am still so weak. I know it will get better. I think it is a good thing that we cant eat as much anymore. That could be a good help. lol

[MsVickie]

Oh my Dixie I didnt know? Or somthing? mabye it was me not looking? I try to keep up with you and I got lost. Im sorry I didnt know and help encourage you along the way. I am sorry. Congrats on it!!!!!!!!

Kitty You know I havnt had it done but im here supporting you. You know I wouldnt worry about not eating as much as you had gotten up to. Mabye your body is ready to let loose of what you have left that you wanted to loose. Dont eat until you feel bad. Just eat what you can and be done with it. Kim Tindall and myself talked about this when I visited Flordia. She stated the same thing and was still swollen at that time. Her tummy looked good but you could still see some swelling going on.

So I hope someone will come on and help you along with this. I might give Kim a hollar on facebook and tell her to come in and help ya out if she can ok?

[kitty56]

That would be great msvicki and thanks for the information.
Dixie it is great to see you and sounds like you are doing pretty good. At the beginning the muscle pain was so bad that I crinched over and pushed on the belt when I had to cough to get the flem out of my lungs. Oh how I hated to cough or even laugh was really hard for me. I still push on the belt when I have to cough, but not near as bad as at the beginning, but still enough pain to be careful.
I had two drains, I had my surgery on Oct. 5th and on that same week on Friday I had the first one taken out and the second one was in about a week and a half. The drains are alot of extra work. When they took out the drains it did not hurt one single bit, just felt like something wigle when they took them out. Changing all the pads on the incision every day was alot of work too. Then taking care of the new belly button too. So when I had it done I layed on bed and hubby changed everything for me and it took about 15 minutes everyday to get everything done on me. It worked the best for me to put the belt around me right on the bed. He just opened it and layed it on the bed and when he was done I held one end and he pulled it tight for me right on the bed while I was laying with head up and feet up. I was laying in bed like a v shaped.
It sure is funny how little food I can get in after the tummy tuck. Feelsa like they did the gastric bypass all over again on my stomach. I did also notice some foods taste different again, weird. Dixie how far did he cut you from side to side. Did you get a new belly button and did you lose any of your gastric bypass incisions. I lost 3 of them and I use to have 6. I thought I lost 4 but when I looked in the mirror I counted them and I saw 3 because one is so little and almost all fadded away.

[dixieladybug]

diana I am so glad I can get so much good info from you. I had the extended tummy tuck. It goes from my back past my hip on one side across to the other side. I have two drains. I go back to the dr. Mon and i hope he will take at least one drain out then. Yes I did lose some of the scares from my r n y and my gallbladder scare use to be way up on my tummy but now it is right next to my belly button. Yes they did move it and it looks so different. I am so happy with the results already and the pain has not been as bad as I thought but sure not easy either. I do have a problem not wanting to eat but I hope that gets better. I am drinking alot because my mouth stays dry. I am getting my protein in by adding some protein shakes in. Thank you for helping me. You went ahead of me and it is so good to have someone to talk to about this. I am still really tiried and only stay up for a while. Thanks again.. dixie

[stylindi]

oh lord..i cant wait!!!...but man..you do realize i WILL be working. Do the drains come with corks? Stupid like that..oh well eata perc go to work and everyone will get the psycadelic hair those days.

[A new me]

Kitty yes I felt the same way as you. I LOVED my binder and felt the most comfortable in it. Wore it for quite some time. Had to phase myself out of it.
My surgeon said the longer the better.
I am just about a year out. Had my surgery a year ago November 21st.
My binder was my buddy. I had switched over to a cheaper version of Spanks
that I got at Wal-Mart but it wasnt as tight feeling.

And yes to the food issue. Its like if you eat more you can almost feel your
tummy popping out. Its hard to explain the feeling but I know exactly what you mean. I swear sometimes it felt like I had a baby in me. Like the old days when
I was prego.

And yes Dixie your doing great for only being not too far out and I did the same thing as you. Just pushed the protein drinks. My surgeon had told me to push as much protein as possible casue it helped with the healing.

[kitty56]

I was even thinking of getting some extra hold girdle to wear a while when I get off the binder. I also feel like the binder is my buddy

[kitty56]

Thank you a new me, I had to make it short the post before this one. Hubby brought dinner in from the grill. I had a small hamburger and 2 T. of sweet corn and then I was stuffed. For supper we are going to have grilled ribye steak. Hubby will get half of mine, I can only get in a half steak. Our steaks are not even that big. I stop the minute I feel a little full becasue i do not like the full full feeling. Feels like my stomach wants to push threw the binder and the binder feels extra tight. That is when my muscles really start to hurt.
A new me, I also have another question, how soon can a person have sex after the tummy tuck. Hubby has been bugging me and I told him it is going to be a while yet, becasue I difnately am not in the mood for it and not sure when it is safe to do it. He has been really patient and understands how I feel right now.

[dixieladybug]

Lol diana in the papers the dr. gave me it said about the same time as aerobic exercise 6 to 8 weeks. At less than a week out the thought has not crossed my mind.. OUCH lol...when did they take your stitches out?