Carol Price6 said:So... how are the post-op pains? How mobile can you actually get?? I mean, a C-section incision sounds absolutely brutal—everything from your gut downwards just aches... at least for me, since my digestive system is already a mess. I’m genuinely terrified about that part of the recovery, though I assume they aren't opening up your entire abdomen, just making an incision through the skin, right?? What’s the hospital situation like? Are there any private suites? After my time at Washington, D.C. General, I lost all desire to stay in four-bed wards and share a bathroom with men 😢
Anyway, my doctor at Dubrava Basketball Club told me they can't fix my stretch marks—I have about a million of them... And what happens to the belly button? Do they remove it? Mine hangs almost down to my floor... look, I know I'm being self-critical, but I've simply never looked like this in my life, and I've never felt this insecure or dissatisfied... Plus, I am incredibly, deeply terrified of this procedure because waking up from anesthesia is a nightmare for me. I always get terrible nausea, and my blood pressure goes haywire every single time because of those drugs they pump into you during surgery..
For those first 48 hours... you get analgesics, starting with continuous relief, and then just as needed later on. You’ll wake up with a urinary catheter (thank God), so you don't have to worry about getting up during that first 24-hour stretch if you aren't feeling up to it. I personally struggled quite a bit because the dizziness was just too much. Once I received a blood transfusion—though I've always had issues with my blood counts, I guess—I started feeling better within a few hours, so I managed to get myself up by the afternoon. As for waking up from the anesthesia, I suppose that depends entirely on your anesthesiologist. You really ought to sit down with them before the surgery and lay out all your medical concerns. Personally, I didn't feel nauseous, mostly because they kept me on Reglan via IV the whole time to prevent any vomiting. I actually found it a bit harder to wake up this time around compared to my first surgery, even though that one was technically more intense. Maybe the anesthesiologist during my first procedure was just more attentive. It’s such a shame she wasn't available to handle my anesthesia this time; she was away on vacation.
I haven't really had any major issues with my bowels, though I suppose you always have to wait for things to get moving again after any kind of anesthesia (and an enema, too). That very first bowel movement can be a bit of a struggle, I guess. Once I got back home, I ended up taking some Dulcolax. It’s not like it just completely opens you up, obviously, but it helps—since the muscles actually have to coordinate, and it isn't exactly just skin...
Look, I can't sit here and lie to you and say there isn't any pain. There is. My muscles are aching where they were joined, the liposuction site is hurting, my skin feels incredibly tight, and my whole abdomen is still numb—it really is. But honestly, maybe it’s all just a small price to pay for the satisfaction I'm getting. Believe me on that.
The conditions at the hospital aren't exactly stellar, unfortunately. The plastic surgery ward—we used to call it the "beauty room"—only has four beds, so it’s pretty cramped, and you have to share a restroom since there aren't any private suites. I guess you should probably prepare yourself for that ahead of time. That said, the nurses are mostly wonderful and incredibly dedicated, and those four days tend to fly by really fast. I don't think that should be a dealbreaker for you. Having a positive attitude and staying motivated is what matters most; if you do that, everything just seems to go a bit easier.
Stretch marks... well, I wouldn't say they've all vanished for me either, but honestly, you should just go ahead and remove that patch of skin where they're most visible. I mean, I still have them, obviously, but compared to how things used to look... Good grief, Shakira!
I have a new one. It feels like it might be sitting a bit high, but I guess that’s probably just because my last one spent the better part of twenty years sitting on the floor...
I’m 49 years old now. Looking back, I honestly regret not doing all of this much sooner. I suppose that’s my answer regarding the whole fear aspect of it all. It’s only natural to be afraid, I guess, because you tell yourself that maybe you won't actually have to deal with the sleep issues, or that it's just about looks... But appearance really does matter, perhaps more than we care to admit sometimes. You should really sit with it, get a good night's sleep, and then make your choice. I’m fairly certain you won't regret it. As for me, I went through my first gastric bypass after losing a significant amount of weight and thinking it over deeply, and I am so happy I made that call. This particular procedure wasn't even the hard part for me. I think I might actually go even further with it. I’ll probably make that final decision this fall.
