You said something about receiving script-strength Vitamin K, yeah?
I’ve received it a couple times, intravenously, before/after some of my surgeries. Bad idea (for me, anyway).
It burned horribly - my entire forearm felt as though it was on fire. No joke. I’m fairly tolerant of pain, but I couldn’t complete the treatment the second time around. I took it orally instead.
I don’t say this to scare you - I just want you to know that it does tend to burn if they do it via IV. Obviously, you may have a better reaction than I did.
As for the surgery itself; you go, girl! My mom’s been talking about a facelift - maybe I can get some tummy lipo at the same time - a package deal!
Thanks for the info Tomcat but I’m already flying to Michigan to have it done. My parents and sister live there, so I’ll have someone to take care of my 3 year old while my mom (a nurse) and dad (a doctor) take care of me. I think I’ll be in better hands there than anywhere else!
Cosmopolitan, I have to take it orally starting a week prior to the surgery but thanks for the heads up. I’m really only worried about painkillers. Anything stronger than Vicodan tends to make me puke and I’m guessing that puking is the LAST thing I’d want to do after lipo to my tummy. Erg.
I’m finally awake and feeling okay. I was really woozy earlier from the anesthesia and had a wicked bad case of cotton-mouth.
I don’t hurt that badly. Of course, I’m taking Darvocet every four hours, so that could have something to do with it.
I am wearing a compression garment that goes from my ribs to my knees. It’s crotchless. It’s sorta bloody too. I have to wear it constantly for a week (I can take it off to bathe me and/or wash it) then I have to wear it four hours per day for three weeks after that.
On top of that, I have an enormous pale blue plastic diaper. It’s so big that it has TWO plastic tabs on each side to fasten it. This is not because I can’t go to the bathroom, it’s to catch all the fluids I’m leaking. It’s pretty ugly. I should be able to get rid of that tomorrow.
Oh! I’m not supposed to bathe for a week. Sponge baths only. It’s because of the tape that’s all over. Apparently, if you don’t have the tape, the skin will sag down (because it’s not attached to anything right now) and heals that way. That’s what the compression garment is for too. Sounds ugly, so I stink for a week.
I’m really glad you’re posting this as it is interesting to read a first-person report of this kind of cosmetic surgery. Whenever I’ve heard of people getting cosmetic surgery in the past, I’ve always just heard about the results and seen the before and after picks. It kind of made the whole thing seem bloodless, tidy and even a bit glamourous. It’s great to get to get to virtually peek behind that curtain.
Sue, be sure to ask your doctor and/or cosmetic surgeon about the possibility of the surgery increasing the amount of fat in other parts of your body. Liposuction removes areas that your body uses to store fat, so your body has to increase the amount it stores in other places (interesting enough, this is often the breasts - a bonus for most women). Your doctor(s) can tell you more about that, and whether that will be a worry for you or not.
I’ve never been beat around the torso and legs with a baseball bat but I’m pretty sure that this is what it feels like.
I’m not bleeding (oozing) anymore and I’m actually feeling quite good. The acts of standing and sitting aren’t very comfortable but for the most part, I’m good.
My mom figured out a way I can take a shower…heh. First, I wrap a towel around my waist and then duct tape it so it stays on. Then I wear a drawstring garbage bag like a skirt. The towel catches any water that makes it past the garbage bag. I still have to use a washcloth for my hoo-ha, but I can at least wash my hair and shave my armpits.
I got my first glimpse of the new me during my shower yesterday and it’s not pretty. The backs of my thighs are solid black and blue from my ass to my knees. I didn’t have lipo back there, it’s just where the blood pooled during my anesthesia-induced coma. I also have a lot of bruising and general achiness in my lower back for the same reason.
I’m moving away from the Darvocet as it really does a number on my tummy and Tylenol seems to have about the same effect w/o the nausea. I really just feel like I did about 1500 squats and crunches. Achy.
I’m dutifully taking pictures (in a hideous pair of disposable panties I stole from my surgeon) for all those that are interested.
Pictures in black lace panties are going to require chocolate.
I itch. Everywhere. The tape is driving me insane and I still have two days before I can take it off.
It’s hot and I can’t wear shorts because of the compression garment. Thankfully, Tuesday I can move to a store-bought one (meaning prettier, smaller and without the two waist to thigh zippers) for my 4 hour daily wearings.
My back of leg bruising has migrated over the past few days. I still have a lot of bruising on my thighs, but now my calves and ankles have joined the act. My tummy bruising is turning a lovely shade of yellow. I’m still pretty swollen but things are looking good. I have a flat tummy! A flat, yellow tummy, but still!
I weighed myself and I’m seven pounds lighter that I was when I left despite them only removing ~81 oz (~5lbs) of stuff. Some of that was fluid they injected to help with the lipo too. I blame the nausea and Darvocet for killing my appetite.
I’ve been told that I had “good” fat and should expect “great” results. That’s coming from my Mom’s colleagues that were actually in the OR. I think they just liked me because I was a fun drugged person and I send goodies.
Another thing that I found out is that my fat is very fibrous. The surgeon had to use a cutting tool before she could go in with the suction. (Translation: Hello cellulite!) Apparently, the connecting fibers are the things that cause the “dimpled” look of cellulite. I probably won’t have problems in the lipo-ed areas now but I’m screwed everywhere else. Joy.
Don’t let me fool you. I’m happy. My formerly “square” looking butt is now (upsidedown) heart-shaped. I can see the muscles Pilates put in my tummy. YAY!
