Overweight sisters please help!

Wow! Thank you all! I have tears reading all the support I am feeling! I have to admit I don't know what A&D ointment is (I'm in Canada) You might be right about the yeast because years ago I had a "rash" under the breasts and the dr gave me a cortisone cream for it then. I had a year of undiagnosed extreme pain and any test you can think of (despite we knew endo, fibroid and heavy bleeding but they weren't positive so even had a colonoscopy) I was not very active but I can only blame 10 lbs the rest truly crept up on me until I looked in the mirror one day and wondered where that tummy and butt came from! The biggest thank you I want to say is for saying not to be so hard on myself. I've heard that a lot in my life but when you don't hear it, in fact you hear the opposite from your dr - well you don't feel so good about it. Unfortunately my family dr is on maternity leave ( a whole year here!) but I do have an anti yeast cream that I'll try first. (Is that what A& D is?) Thank you all again!! I don't know anyone as overweight as me and I don't know anyone who's had a hysterectomy (mom but she's passed) so it really means a lot to me that you have answered!

A & D ointment is a healing ointment. Here in the US its sold in the pharmacy or in the medication section of a walmart kind of store. It comes in a tube enclosed in a box (I think also a jar for a larger quantity). I use it for diaper rash all the time it works wonders. It heals chafed skin very well.

Thank you Bittersweets - do you know if it contains cortisone? Or perhaps zinc?

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Originally Posted by Abagayle I think you have a bit of yeast going on. I struggle with yeast myself and since my 3rd c-section I have the ugly belly flop over thing happening. After showers, dry under the flap with a hair dryer (seriously, my doctor's recommendation and it's worked wonders). If the redness is sore, then call your doctor and ask for a Rx of Nystatin cream. It's the most soothing stuff on earth for a yeast infection.

Echo this! The weather is getting warmer, you are sweating from skin on skin with no air flow to dry it. Hairdryer trick works, as does standing in front of a fan on the floor pointing up at that area. Trick is not to get dressed until every tiny bit of moisture is gone from that area after a shower or bird bath, and in really hot weather, you may need a cold washcloth rinse more than once per day with the fan to get it to go away. Yeast can be a problem because it loves to multiple in the wet areas, and if you are in a humid climate and are fat, you see the infections more often. Echo the cream from the DR- works wonders!

I too have the weight issue with the over hanging belly, I will get the red areas from time to time and I was giving a cream from the dr but it never really worked as good as penaten a diaper cream, when the red sores appear i put it on it creates a barrier and allows the area to heal.

It more than likely is yeast infection and I too use the hair dryer but as the body sweats it comes back so to combat that I use a deodorant and it helps to prevent the sweating, I can clean it every day but if you forget once it can start right away...as to the weight, concentrate on being healthy first and foremost, that being said you can be overweight and healthy you do not need to be a model thin to be healthy--

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Originally Posted by Carnationz Wow! Thank you all! I have tears reading all the support I am feeling! I have to admit I don't know what A&D ointment is (I'm in Canada) You might be right about the yeast because years ago I had a "rash" under the breasts and the dr gave me a cortisone cream for it then. I had a year of undiagnosed extreme pain and any test you can think of (despite we knew endo, fibroid and heavy bleeding but they weren't positive so even had a colonoscopy) I was not very active but I can only blame 10 lbs the rest truly crept up on me until I looked in the mirror one day and wondered where that tummy and butt came from! The biggest thank you I want to say is for saying not to be so hard on myself. I've heard that a lot in my life but when you don't hear it, in fact you hear the opposite from your dr - well you don't feel so good about it. Unfortunately my family dr is on maternity leave ( a whole year here!) but I do have an anti yeast cream that I'll try first. (Is that what A& D is?) Thank you all again!! I don't know anyone as overweight as me and I don't know anyone who's had a hysterectomy (mom but she's passed) so it really means a lot to me that you have answered!

i am also hanging on to about 70 lbs more than i need to have. as for not being very active - it is HARD to be active when you aren't feeling well or in a lot of pain. i used to be very active - but as the pain took over and things got worse - i stopped doing a lot of the things that i loved. i don't have any advice for the skin pain...but as for activity...BABY STEPS! start small. small walks will turn into longer ones. and walking is one of the best exercises out there. even just walking around a shop or a mall is great exercise and you would be floored about how many steps you are actually taking. but again ... i cannot stress enough that it has to be started slow. and listen to your body. just right now - concentrate on healing. i am right there with you, sister!

Aww...I have the belly overhang, too For me, it really helped to use peroxide and water, dab dry, and then use very soft gauze over the incision with granny-type undies to help hold it in place. I did that 2-3 times a day for 3 weeks. Then just once a day until last week (5 week mark) and now I don't need to use guaze, but I do peroxide and water daily still at 6 weeks. To sleep, I use a soft towel between the folds and that helps. I hope you feel better soon...the incision drove me nuts! Ice helps, too. Peace.

I have this issue quite often with my breasts...sore, red, painful welts. My magic solution is Gold Bond medicated powder. It works wonders for me! I used to have a summer job outdoors, in 90-100 degree weather...EVERYTHING chafes at that temperature! Gold Bond is a life-saver!

Hi All,
Total - penaten - I know what that is! So many have suggested the hair dryer. Last time I was model thin I was 9 years old! Don't figure I'll ever be a model and not looking for that, just want not to have my hips go from tummy to butt instead of side to side :-) (I'd have great looking hips if I stood sideways. And despite tears I have my sense of humor!)
Debra - thank you for sharing - you really made me feel that you understand how hard it is to be active. I feel guilty - hubby is wonderful but I know he's getting tired of doing everything after 9 weeks.
Piper - I love the towel idea!! Thank you!
Sgardner - thank you for your tip - that's what I need is coping tips for every day. I am afraid that this saggy belly is not going away even if I lose weight.

I'm really torn between wearing the loose granny panties and letting air in to keep the area cool or wearing something that supports. (I'm in Canada and have a month before the real hot weather starts - am tempted to make myself get into jeans - and I bought a pair so big before surgery I don't need to undo the zipper to get them on! But would that really be support?)
I do not yet feel like having anything rub against or touch my belly - that's why the skirt.
I'm feeling blessed that you are all answering! Thank you!

My Dr. told me a long time ago, 1998, when I started getting the yeasty redness under the DD size pregnant breasts and I still do this today with the post child bearing belly crease and under the breasts and it works for me like a charm. I am 5' 5" and 200 lbs so I know. Cool setting blow dryer for drying the under the belly incision at the bikini line dries the area nicely without contact with a towel. Gold bond medicated powder is a cooling preventative barrier to the skin on skin areas in the creases. If I have a little yeast irritation, a common OTC anti fungal cream that works for athletes foot does the trick. I put the cream on in the reddened areas after a shower and drying the creases and then add a layer of the Gold Bond powder to absorb sweat during the day. The no bottoms is really counter productive when you have tummy skin to skin contact. If you can wear pure white cotton panties to bed, do it. The black cotton or dark color cotton panties are not as pure a cotton it is usually a blend to retain the dye so I opt to wear white, 100% cotton as it breathes better and absorbs moisture where normally your thighs touch belly when sleeping on your side like me. The cotton will keep those contact areas dry. A binder is a very good idea. It helps "lift" your belly and provides support! Wear one as much as you can stand. Adjust it looser when you lie down and then tighter when you are up and walking. I am a side sleeper and at 10 days post op I can't sleep a full 4 to 8 hrs on my sides but I can do a 2 to 3 hour nap at a time on one side then the other. This is what I do. Put a cotton pillow case covered, large medium density bed pillow between your thighs so that your legs are parted by the pillow. Put a softer, plusher pillow underneath the mattress side of your sore tummy to prop your belly up and off the bed surface and keep it positioned up toward the center of your body. Make sure you have a few pillows under your head and neck to keep your neck aligned with your back and reduce the pressure off your shoulder. A back scratcher hung within easy reach of the bedside will zap the itch that comes just when you get in a good position!