What happens when you have a tummy tuck?
- Thread starter icemoose
- Start date
poohbearmufc
Longing 2 b a yummy mummy
Hope everything goes well and you are back home later..
Just listen to what they say and if they have to keep you in, then stay in!!
Love
Just listen to what they say and if they have to keep you in, then stay in!!
Love
JustJo
Cambridge Counsellor
I haven't been around much lately, as i've just been soooo busy (as someone with a full time job, a busy Cambridge Counselling job, and a couple of kids, i'm sure you know the score!), but I spotted this thread on Monday evening, and have spent every spare minute since catching up and reading it all!
I have to thank you for being so candid about the whole process, as it's been enormously informative for me.
As you know, I got referred to an NHS surgeon through my doctor, and had a consultation back in April. He recommended me for surgery, as, like you, I have a lot of loose skin, a healthy BMI, and have now maintained my weight for two years (how time flies, huh?). Since then though, it's been an exercise in frustration, as my GP surgery are telling me they're not receiving letters off the hospital (the letter of recommendation, which the GP then has to send off to the Trust requesting funding), yet the hospital have apparently sent and re-sent the letter. I've just been back in touch with the GP and hospital again today, and have asked the hospital to fax it this time instead! This kind of incompetancy doesn't help my faith in the surgery going well!
Anyhow, I had decided that if the Trust turn down my request, i'll have it done privately instead. I don't think your story has changed my mind about that, but it's certainly made me more cautious. Above all, your frankness has at least made me aware of exactly what I can expect - forewarned is forearmed, and all that.
I do hope that today goes well for you, and you wind up with the lesser of the evils, but less of a lump! Naturally, I also hope that you begin to feel much better and 'more healed' soon! Try to remain positive, as, even if it's a slow process, it's got to get better eventually.
Your Jo sounds like an angel. I can only hope that my other half will be so caring, helpful and supportive, although I know that's a fruitless hope!
As an aside, I didn't realise that you worked in IT for the NHS. Coincidentally, so does my other half.
Take care.
Jo x
I have to thank you for being so candid about the whole process, as it's been enormously informative for me.
As you know, I got referred to an NHS surgeon through my doctor, and had a consultation back in April. He recommended me for surgery, as, like you, I have a lot of loose skin, a healthy BMI, and have now maintained my weight for two years (how time flies, huh?). Since then though, it's been an exercise in frustration, as my GP surgery are telling me they're not receiving letters off the hospital (the letter of recommendation, which the GP then has to send off to the Trust requesting funding), yet the hospital have apparently sent and re-sent the letter. I've just been back in touch with the GP and hospital again today, and have asked the hospital to fax it this time instead! This kind of incompetancy doesn't help my faith in the surgery going well!
Anyhow, I had decided that if the Trust turn down my request, i'll have it done privately instead. I don't think your story has changed my mind about that, but it's certainly made me more cautious. Above all, your frankness has at least made me aware of exactly what I can expect - forewarned is forearmed, and all that.
I do hope that today goes well for you, and you wind up with the lesser of the evils, but less of a lump! Naturally, I also hope that you begin to feel much better and 'more healed' soon! Try to remain positive, as, even if it's a slow process, it's got to get better eventually.
Your Jo sounds like an angel. I can only hope that my other half will be so caring, helpful and supportive, although I know that's a fruitless hope!
As an aside, I didn't realise that you worked in IT for the NHS. Coincidentally, so does my other half.
Take care.
Jo x
girlygirl
Silver Member
Oh, Mike.
You've been through so much.
This morning I got a letter from my GP saying that he'd finally received funding to refer me to a plastic surgeon about my tum. They are gonna send an a appointment date.
As you can imagine I am now very very nervous. I may get a knock-back, of course, but once I'd have been jumping for joy...
Hope all your problems are resolved soon.
XX
You've been through so much.
This morning I got a letter from my GP saying that he'd finally received funding to refer me to a plastic surgeon about my tum. They are gonna send an a appointment date.
As you can imagine I am now very very nervous. I may get a knock-back, of course, but once I'd have been jumping for joy...
Hope all your problems are resolved soon.
XX
SandraEG
Full Member
Mike
Just caught up on your story. Hope the latest issue is being dealt with as I type!
I have to say I have never been fond of the idea of surgery and your account has definitely made me certain not to have it. I think I will have some loose skin on my tummy area but I am losing weight to have a child (hopefully) so would ahve to wait even I was intending on it.
My thighs are the biggest area of concern because I am a classic pear and I can see them sagging already after losing 48 lbs. Still - rather look like one of those wrinkly dogs than be almost 20 stone again!
I hope you're properly on the mend soon!
Just caught up on your story. Hope the latest issue is being dealt with as I type!
I have to say I have never been fond of the idea of surgery and your account has definitely made me certain not to have it. I think I will have some loose skin on my tummy area but I am losing weight to have a child (hopefully) so would ahve to wait even I was intending on it.
My thighs are the biggest area of concern because I am a classic pear and I can see them sagging already after losing 48 lbs. Still - rather look like one of those wrinkly dogs than be almost 20 stone again!
I hope you're properly on the mend soon!
icemoose
The Diet Guy
Well back home and wrapped up in bed with a whole world of new pain!!
Got to the hospital ok and a rather abrupt nurse came and took me into a room and then decided to ram (and I use the word ram!!) her fingers into my lump to which I told her it was painful and to stop, she said that there was no fluid and it was swelling (funny as I thought swelling and fluid were the same thing!)
Anyway she said I had only been there last week and didn't need to be there, I said my GP had requested I was seen urgently so she went and got the doctor. He arrived and luckily was the guy I saw the week before, he was much nicer (and gentler!) and had a feel and said "it's absolutely full of blood and needs draining", he asked if it was tight to which I confirmed it felt like I had a belt on 6 notches too tight.
So anyway he went to get a needle and syringe but came back with something Fatima Whitbread should have thrown at the Olympic Games to drain it. (Well it was a big needle really but by god it was big!!), he said it may hurt but I am so numb I didn't feel the needle go in, he took out 150 mls of brown old blood from the right side of the lump and then a further 50mls from the left side, he then went lower down in my groin and took out another 50mls which was a total of a quarter of a litre!! I could feel the feeling of pressure subside and it felt more comfortable, then about 2 minutes later it started to really really hurt, he said it was bound to as he was really working the needle around to try and get as much fluid as he could, the first time he put the needle in you have never seen a large syringe fill up that quick! I said to the stroppy nurse that if there was no fluid then what the hell was that.
Anyway they have taken out 250mls and although it now "stings" like hell the pressure feeling is better, the fluid he said was old blood (was like murky brown water) and he said he thinks there is still a lot more fluid in there but he would have to either push a lot harder or put a proper drain in.
So he has given me his clinic phone number and said if it gets pressured again then to phone and come straight over and if needed they will put a proper drain back in although I can go home with this in.
Anyway Jo just brought me home and now in bed with a very very uncomfortable tummy, have dosed up on tramadol and brufen and going to try and snooze and hope that it doesn't fill back up overnight.
The one thing he did ask was why I wasn't wearing cycle shorts as I was told, I said I had never been told and apart from a friend of mine who had a similar operation and said wear magic knickers no one at the hospital had ever mentioned them.
He said that by wearing very tight cycle shorts it squeezes the layers of fat together which stops pockets being created that blood flows into, so Jo popped into Sports World on the way home and got some very small Nike compression shorts which are frankly obscene (lol mustn't laugh as it hurts) but may stop the pocket refilling.
Anyway!! On a positive note at least I am not in hospital and he said the rest of the scar was fine.
Got to the hospital ok and a rather abrupt nurse came and took me into a room and then decided to ram (and I use the word ram!!) her fingers into my lump to which I told her it was painful and to stop, she said that there was no fluid and it was swelling (funny as I thought swelling and fluid were the same thing!)
Anyway she said I had only been there last week and didn't need to be there, I said my GP had requested I was seen urgently so she went and got the doctor. He arrived and luckily was the guy I saw the week before, he was much nicer (and gentler!) and had a feel and said "it's absolutely full of blood and needs draining", he asked if it was tight to which I confirmed it felt like I had a belt on 6 notches too tight.
So anyway he went to get a needle and syringe but came back with something Fatima Whitbread should have thrown at the Olympic Games to drain it. (Well it was a big needle really but by god it was big!!), he said it may hurt but I am so numb I didn't feel the needle go in, he took out 150 mls of brown old blood from the right side of the lump and then a further 50mls from the left side, he then went lower down in my groin and took out another 50mls which was a total of a quarter of a litre!! I could feel the feeling of pressure subside and it felt more comfortable, then about 2 minutes later it started to really really hurt, he said it was bound to as he was really working the needle around to try and get as much fluid as he could, the first time he put the needle in you have never seen a large syringe fill up that quick! I said to the stroppy nurse that if there was no fluid then what the hell was that.
Anyway they have taken out 250mls and although it now "stings" like hell the pressure feeling is better, the fluid he said was old blood (was like murky brown water) and he said he thinks there is still a lot more fluid in there but he would have to either push a lot harder or put a proper drain in.
So he has given me his clinic phone number and said if it gets pressured again then to phone and come straight over and if needed they will put a proper drain back in although I can go home with this in.
Anyway Jo just brought me home and now in bed with a very very uncomfortable tummy, have dosed up on tramadol and brufen and going to try and snooze and hope that it doesn't fill back up overnight.
The one thing he did ask was why I wasn't wearing cycle shorts as I was told, I said I had never been told and apart from a friend of mine who had a similar operation and said wear magic knickers no one at the hospital had ever mentioned them.
He said that by wearing very tight cycle shorts it squeezes the layers of fat together which stops pockets being created that blood flows into, so Jo popped into Sports World on the way home and got some very small Nike compression shorts which are frankly obscene (lol mustn't laugh as it hurts) but may stop the pocket refilling.
Anyway!! On a positive note at least I am not in hospital and he said the rest of the scar was fine.
Britmummybites
Full Member
Glad your back home, let's hope that this is the last time. But would be banned if i mentioned my thoughts about that nurse.
wanna b a yummy mummy
Full Member
Hope that's it sorted now Mike, fingers crossed.
Also note to self - don't be eating a strawberry mousse while reading a post about your wound!
Take care
Christine
Also note to self - don't be eating a strawberry mousse while reading a post about your wound!
Take care
Christine
poohbearmufc
Longing 2 b a yummy mummy
Hey Linford....... sorry Mike! glad to hear the pressure is off !
You will hopefully feel much better tomorrow after a good nite sleep (which you will have with tramadol!)...
(p.s. my hubby wears those compression shorts to run in (under his normal shorts)...)
Love
You will hopefully feel much better tomorrow after a good nite sleep (which you will have with tramadol!)...
(p.s. my hubby wears those compression shorts to run in (under his normal shorts)...)
Love
Well i have just got out of my own sick bed to check on you, had a stinking migrain all day, anyway, so glad you managed to get the fluid drained, forgot all about asking you if you had a pressure grament, i had one which had to be worn for 6 weeks, along with the bloody white full length stockings LOL...... are you still wearing yours?????
All hosp/clinics vary with aftercare, anyway, not the best thing to do, computer with migrain, so i'm off now, i'll be back tomorrow
Michelle
All hosp/clinics vary with aftercare, anyway, not the best thing to do, computer with migrain, so i'm off now, i'll be back tomorrow
Michelle
Ruthlet
Wants to be a loser!
Oh Mike - I am so glad that you did not have to be re-admitted.
A quarter of a litre drained (whats that 1/2 a pound in weight) - blimey - no wonder you were uncomfortable.
Hopefully the shorts will do the trick and prevent any more issues.
I hope you sleep well tonight - you certainly deserve it!
A quarter of a litre drained (whats that 1/2 a pound in weight) - blimey
- no wonder you were uncomfortable.Hopefully the shorts will do the trick and prevent any more issues.
I hope you sleep well tonight - you certainly deserve it!
