surgery

[Leslie]

I have a silly question for those of you who have had surgery,  I was reading that they take abdomen fat to cover the exposed area when you have surgery - How do they do that?  Is that done prior to surgery, or during?   I was thinking, it would be nice if they could just take it all   Is there any post-op pain in that area?   I was telling my husband that it would be nice to get a tummy tuck and a face lift at the same time...He said " This isn't Nip/Tuck"  Oh well,  i guess it doesnt hurt to ask ,  since I am going to be off work for awhile.
Also,  was wondering about the hair issue.  I have long hair, so would it be better to cut it off?  How much of the hair do they shave?
I am worried about it getting all matted up in the hospital.
Hope this doesnt make me sound vain...I am really not,  just thinking about the comfort level,  and also trying to occupy my mind while i am waiting to see the doctor.  Thanks for your help

[Pembo]

You don't sound vain at all. My husband asked the drs the hair question and I didn't even think of it. They shave as little as possible. I had shoulder length hair and other than being uneven looking to me it wasn't noticable.  It did get a little matted in the hospital but honestly I wasn't really caring at that point.

I said I wanted an extreme makeover when I had my surgery, breast lift, tummy tuck, the works. Always good to have a sense of humor.

My surgery didn't require the use of abdomen fat so I can't answer there. I had retro-sig and the docs put in a titanium mesh to replace the bone.

Keep asking, no questions are silly ones....we've all been there.

[kstanley]

Hi!

I'm guessing you're going to be having trans-lab surgery since they will be taking some abdomen fat.  I had the trans-lab procedure and the same thing was done.  They take the fat during the surgery.  I'm not exactly sure how they do it but you will just have a little incision on your lower stomach.  Its not really painful or anything, but you might want to buy some pants with elastic waists.  I wore a lot of sweat pants and pajamas for a couple weeks after my surgery because the area around my incision was a little sore and I found that wearing jeans wasn't very comfortable.

I don't think you will need to cut your hair.  I think it's probably better to keep it long.  In my case they just shave a little area behind the ear so that when I wore my hair down you wouldn't even notice that they had shaved anything!    Don't worry! I wondered about the same type of things before my surgery- especially about how much of my hair would be shaved off.  I was quite relieved to find that it wasn't that bad and that nobody could tell when my hair was down!  

Where and when are you having surgery?  Hope this information helps!  Let me know if you have anymore questions!

-Kara

[krbonner]

I have a silly question for those of you who have had surgery,  I was reading that they take abdomen fat to cover the exposed area when you have surgery - How do they do that?  Is that done prior to surgery, or during?   I was thinking, it would be nice if they could just take it all   Is there any post-op pain in that area?   I was telling my husband that it would be nice to get a tummy tuck and a face lift at the same time...He said " This isn't Nip/Tuck"  Oh well,  i guess it doesnt hurt to ask ,  since I am going to be off work for awhile.

They take the fat graft during surgery.  It's a simple procedure, though you might want to ask them to sew it up nicely.  My surgeons did a super-nice job stitching up my head (where it's covered by hair!), but my belly looks like it was hacked.  It was closed with just ster-strips, not stitches, so the scar is very noticeable, and there's a big divot right next to my belly button where the graft came out.  Very strange looking.  Fortunately, I've never been one to wear a bikini!   

My belly was a bit sore post-op, but not very much.  Mostly it felt like I'd overdone an abs session when I tried to use the muscles.  That only lasted a few days.

Also,  was wondering about the hair issue.  I have long hair, so would it be better to cut it off?  How much of the hair do they shave?
I am worried about it getting all matted up in the hospital.

I've attached a photo of me taken 6 days post-op (translab).  I think they shaved a lot on me compared to what a lot of other people describe.  But it's growing back quickly.  Even immediately post-op no one could tell I was partly shaved if my hair was down (it's about jaw-length).  I did cut my hair just before surgery (it was below my shoulders) and I'm very glad I did - it took four sessions in the bath to scrub all the dead skin, blood, ooze, and medical goop off my hair.  And that was washing it three or four times per bath!  I can't imagine doing that with long hair!  LOL!



Katie

[nancyann]

Hi Leslie     I had hair past my shoulders, thank God my co-worker put it up post op, the Pebbles look.    I wish I had cut it to chin line, it was a mess washing it the 1st time - 13 days post op, & alot of it falls out, for awhile, don't get scared about it.    I had the retrosigmoid, so no fat off my abdomen (I just can't win).   Best wishes, Nancy

[Obita]

Hello Leslie:

I forgot all about them taking belly fat to plug my translab hole until a nurse asked to check my belly incisions.  I have four of them because I am a runt.  I am very glad they kept harvesting until they had enough.  No CF leaks for me. My harvest sites were stitched up real well but I still have the dents where the fat used to be.  It was a little uncomfortable like Katie said but only for a few days. 

I had short hair and cut it even shorter right before surgery. 

Best of luck to you, Kathy

[lisa2]

I had a translab at House and they told me not to cut my hair before surgery.  Glad I didn't - it's shoulder length and you can't even tell I've had surgery.  The hair totally covers the incision (surgery 10/17/06).

[Natalie]

The abdominal "tuck" is done during surgery, and while it was tender for a while, not a big issue.  My scar there was also not as neat as the one on my head, but I also gave up bikinis years ago.  I tried to convince them to harvest from the buttocks area, where I have more to spare, but they didn't take me up on it.  The nurses all said they have offered numerous times to be a donor, but no go.  It helps to keep a sense of humor about the whole thing.  I told my friends I was getting a free tummy tuck. .  It did help to have a small pillow or stuffed animal to put under my stomach when I wanted to roll a bit to the side.  Otherwise it sagged and pulled.
Don't change your hairdo until later, when you see how the shave turns out.  My shaved area is only about 2 inches wide, and hardly shows when my chin length hair is styled.  I have been reading on this site how some people experience hair loss, (thinning?) and now I think mine feels a little thinner.  Power of suggestion?  You won't be going out much for a while, so schedule an appointment with your hairdresser for a few weeks after surgery, and let her work her magic.

[danaej]

Hi. My name is Dana and I had my surgery June 7th. I didn't know anything about the removal of belly fat until I kept noticing that the nurses were looking at something down there. I was wondering what it was until I saw the bulb drain. I was familier with that since I had just helped a friend go through gastric by-pass surgery. Had I of known I would have asked for the incision to be lower. It is still very red but I never feel it at all. And like everyone else I told my Dr. that he could have taken it all . By the way....after your surgery and you get up and going, try not to bend over. That was one of the things my Drs. didn't tell me as part of my does and don'ts. Since I am an avid gardener I have to bend over to work in it. Now I have a "leak". Good Luck to you, Dana

[Leslie]

Hello fellow ANers,
I started this post on this subject- because I guess I just assumed that surgery was going to be the way I would go for my AN, and I appreciate all comments and helpful ideas.  After being on this sight everyday, reading all the posts, it helped me to realize that i may have other options which i will be discussing with the specialist (i have an appointment on December 4th at UCSF)  They originally gave me a Nov. 20th appointment, which i cancelled...i figured this would  give me more time for research so that i would be well informed when i go.
What a blessing this has been,  I have been addicted to this forum,  because of all of the stories and information.
This morning I am a little freaked out because the left side of my face feels numb now.  So here I am posting again....Has anyone else experienced this?  Is this something relative to the AN.  My AN is on the left side. I made a call to my ENT, so i am awaiting a return phone call.  I
hate being such a hypochondriac,  and i am sure once i see the specialist i will be more at ease about the whole thing.  But if anyone has had any experience with the numbness, i would appreciate any insight.  Have a great day
Leslie

[lisa2]

The numbness on the left side of my face was my first symptom of the AN. 

Lisa

[Pembo]

Leslie, My first symptom of the AN was numbness of the cheek. So yes it could be related. My tumor was pressing on the facial nerve.

[Patti UT]

Leslie,
   We are the sister/brotherhood of the abdomen "DIMPLE" when they took out the fat.
 
I too tried to donate as much as they wanted. Offered my entire gutfull of fat, even offered they could take some from my hips and thighs. Woke up with just a dimple full removed. darn!

Patti UT

[sreda]

I had middle fossa approach removal of a small left side AN at House/St. Vincents in August 04. The fat from my abdomen (a small incision) was harvested during the surgery. Virtually no discomfort there for me, small amount of tenderness for a few days. As for the hair, they shaved what i considered a whole lot (a fourth of my head, i think) and since i had barely chin length hair I did what i could to rearrange hair from the top to cover the scar for months, plus wore lots of baseball caps the rest of the year!

I had a very good outcome from my surgery. Have retained perhaps halaf my hearing in the affected ear, no facial affect, things are good and normal. Except....Have had  lots of ear noise since the surgery, which i expected (also had it pre surgery) but in the last month to two the noise is louder in perceived volume and changing to a much higher, squealing pitch, and it is even more frequent. Recently i also had a sudden onset of pronounced vertigo and imbalance that lasted several days, very much like my  first post op experiences. I have had a sharp decline in my speech discriminaiton scores in the recent hearing test. Any of you ever experienced these or other symptoms long after surgery? My MRI in late 05 was clear. My ENT and I are exploring other possible reasons for the vertigo (virus on hearing nerve) before we start scans or suspect it  might be tumor related.    Any ideas, vets?  Thank you, Sis

[Angieshubbie]

I had retro surgery on Aug 21st.  One question that I asked my doctors about my hair.  My hair is natural curly and it was the middle of my back.  They told me not to cut it.  My hair when it is down will cover the shaved area.  I decide a couple of weeks before surgery I was going to cut it.  I cut it and donated it to the Locks of Love.  I'm glad that I did.  They shaved more than expected.  Half my hair was gone.  I looked sooo bad.  I wore handkercheifs and hats.  People thought that I had cancer.  I finally got tired of it (couldn't do anything with it).  I shaved it all the same length.  My hair is grow back and it is really salt and pepper looking.  I can't wait until I can dye it one color again. 

I look like I'm recovering from something.  No one asked and the just give me a weird look.  I just tell them that I had a brain tumor and that I didn't do by myself pointing to my head.  It is easier to take care of.  I couldn't have imaged all of the stuff that I had on my head after surgery with long hair.  I got the okay to dye my hair 3 months post-op, but it is still bleeding sometimes.  I'm on blood thinner because I had a blood clot a week after surgery.  So now I'm waiting patiently, to get off of the blood thinner and my head to heal completely.

I finally have gotten the what the hay thinking, I'm alive. 

~Angie