Question:
how long does the swelling last and when does the sensitivity come back

i had my tt, hernia repair, and gallbladder removal on august 4th. i was wondering when the feeling in my tummy will come back or if it ever will? also, did your tummy swell more in certain areas than in others? like my lower tummy, one side is more swollen than the other. also, how about the scaring? does it fade nicely. mine was the full belt. i'm using the mederma. anyone else use that? also, my belly button is a little off center and i'm hoping that once the swelling goes down it will be in the center. i did go down 3 sizes though and i finally, after two appeals got insurance to cover it. (bcbs of tn). any replys are much appreciated. have a great day!!!!!!!!    — JOY C. (posted on August 28, 2003)

August 27, 2003
I had my tt almost 13 months ago. There are still areas on my stomach that are almost numb. It will take time for the feeling to come back completely. I figure in another couple of months it will happen for me. Honestly though, unless your touching your stomach, you really don't even realize that you've lost some of the feeling. Also, if you have swelling on one side of the stomach, you might need to be drained. You could have a fluid build up. You should see your doctor regarding this. I had to have fluid drained from my stomach 3 times after surgery. As far as scars, I had a hip to hip incision and the scar has faded to a very thin white line.
   — Patty H.

August 28, 2003
The few people that I have been able to talk to personally have told me that they have some permanent numbness. They still feel it was worth it. I doubt you can determine how much will stay numb until like a year as nerves can take a long time to regenerate.
   — zoedogcbr

August 28, 2003
I had a TT 15 years ago after losing over 100# on my own (I gained it all back plus some). I still have a large area of numbness and a slightly off center belly button. It was still worth it because my tummy is still really flat despite weighing almost 300 before WLS. Also when they gave me the blood thinner shots in my lower belly after my surgery I didn't even feel them.
   — Tawnda C.

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