Just had a liposuction and fat transplant but can't stand the garment.

daniella198027 · Newbie Joined: 08 Jul 2008 Posts: 4

Five days ago I had a lipo on my tummy and fat transplant on my buttocks. I just feel awful. If I had known better I would had never done it. First, I never had general anesthesia before and had no idea of how my body would react to it. Few hours after the surgery (maybe 10) I started vomiting and could not stop. I felt dizzy, nauseous and terribly in pain. I took some painkillers and that kind of helped with the pain (Endocet 500). But yesterday I decided I do not want to take these anymore. When I'm sleeping they make me feel really strange. Everything feels more like hallucinating than dreaming, so no more Endocet 500 for me. The doctor said I could buy Tylenol Extra Strength over the counter. I also told him about the numbness and continuous pain that I'm feeling on the affected areas and he told me it was normal....in other words just bear with the aftermaths of plastic surgery.

I was also expecting to see the results right away and I really don't. I'm hoping to get better so I can examine myself really close in the mirror but now I'm in no mood for vain stuff. Vanity was the one who made go under the knife so right now we are not having a really good relationship. Sitting here in pain, and barely seeing any results (I was not that fat, I was just 130 pounds and I just wanted to get rid of the love handles and get my butt more curvier) and not mentioning that I'm 15,000 dollars poorer, I can't help but to feel really bad right now. I just want to get well. Embarassed

Also, is it really bad if I remove the garment they make you wear in order to compressed the skin? I wore it faithfully for the first 3 days. On day 4 I removed once to take a shower and put it back to go and see my doctor. But by the end of the day I was in so much pain and discomfort that I just had to remove it. So it's been a whole day without it. That garment is torture. How bad would it be if I don't wear it considering that I did wear during the first three days.

qoftheu · Newbie Joined: 06 Jul 2008 Posts: 3

Hi -- first: DO NOT TAKE THE GARMENT OFF -- DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT!!! It serves NUMEROUS purposes: Fluid -- it keeps the fluid from pooling and swelling -- which is BAD. Second: If you swell, you tear incisions, and if they stretch out they will SCAR more! So leave it on!

So lemme ask you a question: If you had been in a pretty moderate to severe car accident would you expect to be totally healed and be back to normal after only 5 days? I really really doubt it. So what's the difference? Nothing except that an accident is, well, an accident. But your surgery was self-inflicted -- but that's ALL. As far as your BODY is concerned (NOT your psyche), it's all the same -- a trauma has occurred and it has to fix it. Cut yourself some slack here g/f! Think POSITIVE. It's all perfectly totally normal!

Next thing is this: Did you think this was gonna be a cake-walk? Nahhhh -- you're too smart for that! What do you mean if you'd known better?? You did your research - you knew what was coming!! It's just that now it's time to pay the piper -- and the price for looking great is some pain and or uncomfortableness. And btw, if that pain med isn't working for you, MAKE your doc give you a different one -- they all work differently. But anyway, we just get ourselves hung up on wanting instant gratification cuz we're excited! Which is all normal, and why post op depression/"regret" is NORMAL -- and it will pass. But 5 days is NOTHING. I'm 4 weeks post op and JUST in the last FEW days am starting to feel SOMEWHAT like myself. So make yourself a rule: No more crying, no more "what-ifs", no more bad negative thoughts. From now on, until 4 weeks post op, you're gonna BELIEVE that everything is just FINE and progressing EXACTLY how it's supposed to. Fake it till you make it! And you will be SOOOO happy you did this -- and you WILL see a difference and it'll just keep getting better -- and at the 6 month mark -- you'll find it hard to believe you ever felt the way you feel now.
Stay strong -- plastic surgery ain't for sissys! Wink

daniella198027 · Newbie Joined: 08 Jul 2008 Posts: 4

Thank you so much for your words of encouragement. It's now been 10 days since the surgery and I do feel a lot better now. I even stopped the painkillers. I have continued to wear the garment, not 24/7, but at least for most of the time. I'm still a little disappointmented with the results but I know I need to be patient, so I'm hanging in there.

You mentioned that your surgery was 4 weeks ago, can you see any results by now? I'm not planning to have another surgery but is it always that bad during the first few days? what symptoms did you experience?

EsUK · Newbie Joined: 30 Jul 2008 Posts: 1 Location: UK

I just wanted to post a reply, because I know exactly what you mean. I can see the sentiment of the person who was all POSTIVE< POSITIVE, POSITIVE, but sometimes, you just want someone to understand where you're at.

I'm 4 weeks post-liposuction, and I have to say (even being a biochemist, and reading about the pain), I'm not sure I would have had it done if I'd known it was that bad.

Like you, I spent the first three days throwing up, until I was so weak from not being able to eat. Then, the swelling came, and now I'm on the creepy, crawly, burning sensations.

I think liposuction should, MEDICALLY, be reserved for those with serious psychological issues with their body shape, not just those who want to spot reduce areas of fat. I don't think the pain I went through was worth the results - I wasn't fat to start with - just bottom heavy.

So, take heart, don't feel guilty for feeling like you do, and just put it down to one of life's experiences.

Hope this helps,

Esther
Very Happy

Just had a liposuction and fat transplant but can't stand the garment.

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