Skin Removal Surgery - Lower Abdomen

I had it done exactly two weeks ago and am currently at home recovering. I figured I should post about my experience to let everyone know.

First of all, it was all paid for by insurance (minus a $20 copay for each visit) due to the severity of mine. If it hangs low enough to obstruct view of the genitals when viewed from the front, insurance will generally cover it. This is one of the exact criteria you must meet apparently. I lost 125 lbs over 3 years through simple nutrition and exercise.

I was not allowed any caffeine or anything containing stimulants or blood thinners for two weeks prior. The day before, no solid foods after noon and I had to do a bowel prep using a bottle of magnesium citrate (available over the counter for like 2 bucks). Instructions were to drink half the bottle at noon, the other half at roughly dinner time.

I reported to the hospital the following day where they went over again with me all the possible complications that could arise (they already went over it with me in a pre-op evaluation but just a CYA) I was then put on an IV. They wheeled me into the operating room and I don't remember what happened after that because I went under. I awoke as they were wheeling me into the post-op recovery room. I was on strong painkillers. There was aching down there but not severe. They then put me into my own room in the hospital. The nurses were very nice to me and made sure all my needs were taken care of. I had JP drains in me (two of them) that were sticking out from directly above my genitals. These drains were to be emptied 3x daily.

They gave me a choice in the hospital of percocet or morphine for the pain, but I never once at any point felt any pain severe enough to need morphine (although it probably would have helped me get to sleep easier). Sleep was . . . erratic. I never slept more than 3-4 hours at a time without waking up to a dull pain across the incision area that required more painkillers. They injected antibiotics into my stomach near the incision area every few hours. I had a catheter in me. They also made me get up and go for walks every few hours up and down the hospital hall.

They released me the following day. I now had to empty the drains myself. I had a back binder on and dressings that needed to be changed daily. My mother, being a nurse, did it for me. They told me I was able to shower the following day but the truth is standing up was not really a possibility for long enough to shower, so I didn't get my first real shower until about a week and a half later. I was stuck bent over into an L-shaped angle. That would get better as the days went by.

I stopped taking painkillers approximately 3 days after being home because there was no more real pain except for the occasional sharpness showing I had moved in a way I shouldn't be. I returned to the doctors office a week and a half after the surgery to have the drains removed, a painless procedure. One of them had to stay in however as it was still draining a fair amount (I was required to monitor how much drained in a log book they gave me). I am returning next wed to have that one removed.

If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask me.