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Sixteen days ago I had a skin removal surgery called a “lower body lift” and I thought I’d jump on here for a quick update on how recovery is going!
I thought I’d just answer some of the questions people have asked me, so here goes! And feel free to send me your own questions if you have any!
Read about my massive weight loss journey and learn some weight loss tips!
How is the pain and swelling?
So the first couple of weeks were sort of up and down depending on the day. But starting yesterday I’ve been feeling significantly better! In the last 48 hours I’ve had one Advil, and that’s it for pain meds. There’s still some discomfort (and if I move/walk/do too much, some pain), but it’s so much less. Basically it’s just a reminder to slow down a bit.
For a while I was having so much swelling that it was making me super duper uncomfortable. Luckily I realized that I was having much more than the normal swelling as a result of how tight I was wearing my binder.
When you get this surgery you have to wear a binder for several weeks, and until I got the hang of it, I was pulling it too tight. My former-nurse friend happened to be chatting with me one night and recommended I wear it more like a “snug hug” which helped tremendously!
Once I adjusted it, the swelling went way down and I felt so much more comfortable!
How did you choose a surgeon and are you happy with your choice?
I made the absolute best choice with my amazing surgeon, Dr. Kreithen and his awesome staff enough. Seriously. I met with several before deciding and he was truly just the absolute best choice I could have ever made.
I had heard from SO MANY PEOPLE that you have to choose your surgeon carefully, and of course I agreed. But it wasn’t until I finally had the surgery myself, and went through the recovery process, that I realized just how important it is to do so. It makes all the difference in the world!!
Do yourself a favor if you’re getting this surgery and choose a surgeon you feel super comfortable with. Mine came and checked on my while I was in the hospital recovering for those first couple of days, kept in close contact with my husband during the surgery and beyond, and has made sure that everything I need is completely taken care of.
I’m only mentioning this so much because it has been a total game-changer. His whole entire staff has made my recovery process incredible. Any questions I have had were promptly answered with care and a smile. It’s just been really great.
So as far as how I chose, I honestly went with which surgeon made me the most comfortable and who I felt like I jived well with. Dr. Kreithen wasn’t afraid to really examine my loose skin and talk through the best options for me specifically. That right there is when I was like, “ok! This is my guy!”
When can you get back to normal life?
I can get back to mostly normal at about four weeks (about two weeks from now). But I still have to be careful and not overdo things. But I can walk further, and do more.
When can you get back to exercise?
At six weeks post-surgery, which is four weeks from now. And when I do, I will have to ease into things. That’s tough for me because when I workout I just wanna CRUSH IT! 😉 But I will just have to take it slowly, and I know over time I’ll build back up to where I was, and beyond.
I’m never ever afraid to start at whatever level I’m at. So if that means going to class and doing the modified version of every single move, I’m 100% fine with that.
How are your kids coping with things?
It was a little tough for them the first 13 days or so. Just because of the change in routine. All the things mommy normally does, were being handled by daddy. AND they couldn’t get too close to mommy (as in they couldn’t climb on me and snuggle up close to me).
On day 15 I finally felt much MUCH better so I deliberately made a choice to focus solely on them for the entire day, and honestly it filled up both their love tanks and they’re as happy as can be now! Also the littler one can sit on my lap (super gently) here and there now, so that helps, and my bigger one can snuggle up next to me and watch a movie.
They missed me. I missed them!!
What has been the hardest part of recovery?
Well if you’d asked me a week ago I’d have said swelling. That REALLY sucked. But that was my own fault for wearing my binder so tight. By the way I was wearing it tight because I thought it would help the swelling go down (we’ll blame the pain meds for that dumb thought), when in reality it was doing the opposite.
If you ask me now, the hardest part is that I want to do allllllllll the things, and can’t. I want to run errands. I want to pick up my toddler. I want to go to the gym. I want to clean the house (I mean I don’t want to, but I want to help my hubby more). I want to shave my own legs. And I just can’t yet. That was ok for a week or so, but after a while it messes with your head a bit.
So getting out of the house every single day, and seeing my friends here or there when they visit… those things have helped for sure.
My nurse explained to me that you can have a bit of a lull, emotionally after a couple of weeks. I was so glad she told me that because then when I experienced it I knew where it came from and that it would pass.
Recovery has been hard, but now that I’m slowly feeling better it’s much easier. Just remember, when you’re in the middle of it, it truly feels like it will never end, even if you know in your brain that it will! So getting out of your head is a must!
Do you have to have any other surgeries?
Yup! Definitely need the extra skin on my arms removed too.
Have you ever regretted getting the surgery?
Absolutely not. Not even for one split second. When you’ve lived with loose skin for as long as I have, you suck it up for a while to take care of the problem. I can honestly say that even in the most difficult moment, I have not once wished I hadn’t done it. But I AM super glad that I chose the surgeon I did because he and his staff softened the difficulty of recovery.
What was it like standing up for the first time?
Hard. Harder than I thought. It was tough, but I think it would have been easier if I didn’t get woozy and feel like I was going to faint. You can read the full experience here.
Do you think that being fit and healthy made for a better recovery?
Absolutely!!!! In fact those first few days, every movement had to rely on my arms and legs. My mind was literally jumping back to alllllll the squats, lunges, and push-ups I’ve done over the last couple of years, and realizing they were all making me strong enough to get through this very moment!
I had considered getting the surgery several years ago when I was super skinny but had very little muscle mass. I am SO GLAD that it didn’t work out to get it back then because I think it would have been harder to recover.
Now I fuel my body with the right things and my heart and body is strong. It makes a huge difference.
I even see some muscles poking through as the sweling goes down. Those definitely came from working out while I still had the extra skin. The amazing thing is, I never worked out with the motivation of seeing muscles on my tummy… I wasn’t sure I’d ever see them. I worked out to be stronger. The muscles came about all the while!
Ok folks. That’s all I’ve got to share today but rest assured there will be more to come! If you want to see the journey unfold day by day, catch me on Instagram at @jenniferwagner.co !!
