Swelly Belly is AMAZING

Jan,

The evenings are the worst swelly belly time for me too. Yesterday I really tried to basically not do anything, yet still a huge swelly belly at the end of the day. I wonder how long it will really last? I'm worried at this point about when I will be able to button up my regular pants. I'm living in pajamas right now. I'm trying to follow the two week jammie rule I've read about on here.

Other than a nurse giving me the wrong medication -- that was fun -- my time at the hospital was pretty unremarkable. I was too nauseated to eat most of the time I was in there. My husband brought me Kentucky Fried Chicken the night before I came home. It was the best KFC I have ever tasted!!!

Oh yes, that lovely swelly belly. In the morning I can almost see what my stomach may look like when I am all healed and then by night time I look bigger than I did before surgery. I have been living in very loose elastic waisted clothes for the most part. I had my first post-op appointment last Thursday and since it was in the morning I was actually able to wear a pair of jean capris. The nurse commented on the fact that I was able to wear normal clothes so soon so I guess I should be happy that I am doing better than average.

I am curious, do any of you have that "shelf" belly? I swear it looks like I have a shelf over my incision. From my incision to my belly button is where the swelling is and at night it just looks so ugly I can't stand it. I sure hope it goes away with the swelly belly. I know it will just take time but it just seems like time is moving so slowly right now. I can't wait to be back to normal!!

don't panic mine went after 6 months! Quite normal. Friends can't belive my flat belly - better than before - just do those excercises every day! Now 8months post op after TAH - best thing ever!

omg girls you ought to see the grannie pants i had my friend run for. I was wearing a size 6 in the fruit of looms and i sent her for 10s just so they wouldnt cut in to the swelly belly its too funny. but the 6's were making it much worse and i need pants for the pad still have the small red. But it is way too funny I guess we need to just laugh it off and make the best of it knowing it will only be a few months and we will look more beautiful than before.

Anyone notice after a night of swelly belly that they have a hard time getting a good deep breath or feel like they can't?

I'm finding this, and finding it nerve racking!!!

Nina, that was a hoot.

Mine asked me if it was time to 'change my patch' the other night!!!! That, I told him, was equal to asking me if I was 'on the rag', which is a term I also detest! He just laughed and hugged me. Men are goofy, and my husband...their King!

Tilly7 thanks for the encouragement- it is good to know there may be a light at the end of the tunnel- I am 5mo out and really have been trying to work out like I used to and the last few days I am so swelly and puffy that it feels like the first week! Here's hoping it will go away
Hang in there sisters- things will improve!

You think hair plug surgery involves as painful a recovery as a hysterectomy? I doubt it! Unless you sew in the plugs yourself, which I highly recommend you do -- very matter-of-factly, after telling him that his rapidly receding hairline has been a great source of distress to you. And tell him that you've signed up for fat-reduction surgery for your belly, and that you're sure he'll understand that you'll be as swollen as a woman pregnant with triplets for about 8 months till that finally calms down.

Yuck - I know what you mean about the shelf phenomenon.
I wouldn't even mind the swelling alone -- that's somewhat normal and to be expected, and even kind of sexy in a way --but that bizarre, artificial looking "bloop" that bulges out right above the seam .... like somebody decided to sew a random stitch across the edge of an overstuffed pillow.... yikes! I try to look at myself like some fascinating post-op science project and not like the person who, 6 days ago, was running 7 miles with a tank top and running tights. Now I look like I've just eaten 5 mega Mexican dinners and am on my way to give birth to 4 misshapen characters from "SpongeBob Square Pants."

You gals are TOO FUNNY!!! I, too, have been left with the jelly belly thing that droops right over the incision. Honestly, I could put a pencil along my incision and then flop the belly over it and it would stay in place! Oh, what's happened to my body?!?!? I was expecting to be somewhat "sunken in" in the belly area since they removed just about everything I had in there. Wasn't quite so. I guess that's still from the swelling. Look forward to having a flatter-tummied me once I resume the exercises. And I know that some of you may not want to hear this, but I am down 24 lbs. since my op date. OK, I had to tell somebody. Not sure why this is so. Just not experiencing a big appetite, smaller portions, and lots of water. It's a pleasure to step on the scale. LET'S SEE HOW LONG IT LASTS, THOUGH.....ha ha. Good luck to y'all!

Congrats on the weight loss skippydog!!! 3 years ago I lost 45 pounds in the same way....smaller portions, exercise, etc. My girlfriends hated me. I mean it. Some of them wouldn't even hang out with me anymore.

I'm afraid of being able to get back in shape after this recovery. I also have the shelf thing going on. It's disgusting. I'm trying to keep it all in perspective, but it's hard.