Melissa's tummy-tuck diary: the first week
I chose to have a Tummy Tuck following three large babies. It left me with a tummy that wouldn’t disappear with diet or exercise. I was also left with a gap between my tummy muscles.
Day One
I arrived in the hospital in really good spirits and was not nervous (unlike my husband!!!). I was excited at the prospect of my new tum. I was first down, which was great. After the op I had some pain in the cut but once I slept and the anaesthetic had worn off I had no pain at all. When you go to sleep for the night it is not easy to sleep as you have to sleep on your back with your legs bent and wear some shoe type things that inflate up and down to keep the circulation going and prevent blood clots in the legs. I found these to be noisy and very aware of them when you are trying to go to sleep. Pain through the night is minimal due to the pain killers I was given.
Day Two
Woke pain free. I decided that I wanted to get up in the morning. A few minutes after my first attempt I came over all dizzy and had to lay back down this was due to my blood pressure dipping slightly which is apparently quite normal. But the next attempt was a success and it felt good to have a little wash and walk around. I had discomfort, but no pain- it just felt very tight.
Day Three
Home again. Again no pain (keep up with the pain killers), got up with no problems again just feeling tight. I was standing pretty much upright when the physio came to visit today, probably something to do with the fact I have done Pilates for a couple of years so my core is strong but also believe it is down to the positivity I have always felt. On my way home I stopped in at toys r us and had a walk around which felt great. Again just tightness but the more I walked around the easier it become. I slept a lot better, not easy sleeping on the side as it feels like it pulls slightly.
Day Four
Had a great sleep and got out of bed with no problems, gets a little easier every day. Still no pain, just tightness and slight pulling. Experiencing some lower back ache which is now the only reason I am taking pain killers. Always trying to focus on pulling my tummy muscles in (navel to spine) just to take the pressure off the back. This is a technique I have learnt from Pilates so if you can master it will help.
Day Five
Today I experienced a different thing, a slight pull down the centre, I guess where the tummy muscles have been stitched together. Not bad though, bearable. Walking is becoming easier everyday so don’t be fooled-just take it easy.
Day Six
Felt exactly the same as yesterday.
Day Seven
Backache easing, feeling stronger, sleeping a lot easier.
Till day 32 felt the same, other than random stingy, burning, pulling sensation on the right side for two days. The rest of the time from then until seeing Anita again on January 8th has been pain free. Getting stronger every day. You feel slightly strange when you don’t wear the support knickers as you have worn then for about 6 weeks so you feel very vulnerable without them. Great to see tattoo is gone!
All in all the experience for me has been a pretty pain free one, I have been fortunate that I have had great support from my husband and my parents with regards to the day to day home stuff and with my kids, the youngest being only 10 months old when I have the procedure. The hardest thing was not being able to pick her up for almost 6 weeks, but we got by. I am extremely happy with the outcome and have absolutely no regrets in having a tummy tuck. Mentally and physically I feel amazing. I can well and truly recommend Anita, she was great. I think being a woman she understood and was sensitive throughout.
Day One
I arrived in the hospital in really good spirits and was not nervous (unlike my husband!!!). I was excited at the prospect of my new tum. I was first down, which was great. After the op I had some pain in the cut but once I slept and the anaesthetic had worn off I had no pain at all. When you go to sleep for the night it is not easy to sleep as you have to sleep on your back with your legs bent and wear some shoe type things that inflate up and down to keep the circulation going and prevent blood clots in the legs. I found these to be noisy and very aware of them when you are trying to go to sleep. Pain through the night is minimal due to the pain killers I was given.
Day Two
Woke pain free. I decided that I wanted to get up in the morning. A few minutes after my first attempt I came over all dizzy and had to lay back down this was due to my blood pressure dipping slightly which is apparently quite normal. But the next attempt was a success and it felt good to have a little wash and walk around. I had discomfort, but no pain- it just felt very tight.
Day Three
Home again. Again no pain (keep up with the pain killers), got up with no problems again just feeling tight. I was standing pretty much upright when the physio came to visit today, probably something to do with the fact I have done Pilates for a couple of years so my core is strong but also believe it is down to the positivity I have always felt. On my way home I stopped in at toys r us and had a walk around which felt great. Again just tightness but the more I walked around the easier it become. I slept a lot better, not easy sleeping on the side as it feels like it pulls slightly.
Day Four
Had a great sleep and got out of bed with no problems, gets a little easier every day. Still no pain, just tightness and slight pulling. Experiencing some lower back ache which is now the only reason I am taking pain killers. Always trying to focus on pulling my tummy muscles in (navel to spine) just to take the pressure off the back. This is a technique I have learnt from Pilates so if you can master it will help.
Day Five
Today I experienced a different thing, a slight pull down the centre, I guess where the tummy muscles have been stitched together. Not bad though, bearable. Walking is becoming easier everyday so don’t be fooled-just take it easy.
Day Six
Felt exactly the same as yesterday.
Day Seven
Backache easing, feeling stronger, sleeping a lot easier.
Till day 32 felt the same, other than random stingy, burning, pulling sensation on the right side for two days. The rest of the time from then until seeing Anita again on January 8th has been pain free. Getting stronger every day. You feel slightly strange when you don’t wear the support knickers as you have worn then for about 6 weeks so you feel very vulnerable without them. Great to see tattoo is gone!
All in all the experience for me has been a pretty pain free one, I have been fortunate that I have had great support from my husband and my parents with regards to the day to day home stuff and with my kids, the youngest being only 10 months old when I have the procedure. The hardest thing was not being able to pick her up for almost 6 weeks, but we got by. I am extremely happy with the outcome and have absolutely no regrets in having a tummy tuck. Mentally and physically I feel amazing. I can well and truly recommend Anita, she was great. I think being a woman she understood and was sensitive throughout.
