3 weeks post abdominoplasty

[newdel]

My doctor has been perfect with post op exams & answers but I feel that I shouldn't be calling with every little concern. I am happy to have found this forum & have had many questions aswered by reading these posts. I explained my (I think) extremely sensitive skin as feeling "scraped" & the doctor said that description was a new one to him. Of coarse there is a numbness, that is tolerable, but this raw skin feeling is driving me crazy. I even cut up a soft t shirt & placed it under my binder but it seems anything that comes in contact with my skin irritates it. Is this normal & is there anything to do about it & how long will it last? Also, after my drains were removed I seem to have fluid retension. Yesterday the doctor tried to extract it with a syringe to no avail. Today the puffiness seems to be more & also some fluid in my upper abdominal area also. It is not extreme but I need to know if it will disipate by itself or does it need to be removed. Will the fluid cause my recovery to be slower?  I am going on a cruise in 7 weeks (10 weeks post op) I need to be in shape by then. need I be concerned now that I am retaining this fluid that I won't be healed enough?

[Howard Rosenberg, MD]

Hypersensitivity is telated to healing and regrowth of nerve connections.  It is normal and will dissipate with time.  You probably have a small seroma with fluid build up beneath the skin flap.  ven if this cannot be tapped with a needle, it will eventually disappear (usually in a week or so).  Your cruise will not be affected by your surgery.

[newdel]

Thank you for your speedy reply. You have put my mind at ease.