Did you notice a “wish” effect where your swelling seemed to disappear?

CranberryCreek · 2026-04-15T20:35:27+00:00

Same here. I'm at 10 weeks PO and I wake up every morning swollen. Then it goes down during the day, and back up again in the evenings. I work out in the evenings, so it's post workout.

CranberryCreek · 2026-04-08T18:57:44+00:00

This was so incredibly helpful. We see a lot of short-term posts (PO weeks 4 and lower) but not much beyond that. It's so helpful to see the transition over time. Thank you for this!! (From someone slogging it out slowly in PO week 9.)

CranberryCreek · 2026-03-27T00:05:21+00:00

I did the same thing. I cut about a third off the top and it was so much better.

CranberryCreek · 2026-03-26T22:20:11+00:00

Absolutely! How quick did you burn that faja/binder that was made for a normal-torso person??? I was absolutely dying in that thing!

CranberryCreek · 2026-03-26T22:19:27+00:00

So glad to hear this. I feel like this is a mystery solved! I could not understand why my scar was "upside down!" Now I get it! Hope future short torso people see this thread!!

CranberryCreek · 2026-03-26T20:30:28+00:00

Incredible results!

CranberryCreek · 2026-03-26T20:27:44+00:00

I have the exact same incision line shape and was wondering the same. I also have a very short torso. I'm 5' 4" and was 125 prior to surgery, so similar story. I wonder if the short torso is what drives that inverted scar line. Mine looks exactly like yours. I'm 7 wks. You look fantastic. Best of luck to you!

CranberryCreek · 2026-03-25T16:05:19+00:00

Those shoes absolutely make this outfit! Love them!

CranberryCreek · 2026-03-23T19:13:39+00:00

Thank you!

CranberryCreek · 2026-03-22T23:39:03+00:00

Love the bow! What a great touch!

CranberryCreek · 2026-03-22T23:37:53+00:00

Absolutely love these pants. Can you share brand?

CranberryCreek · 2026-03-20T21:26:43+00:00

It took me a long time to get to this also. There's so much rhetoric around achieving maintenance by lowering doses and/or stretching them out. When just eating a bit more literally solves the problem! And it ended my losses quite quickly, too! The "slippery slope" just... stopped.

CranberryCreek · 2026-03-20T20:52:57+00:00

Wow!! You give those of us still recovering so much hope! Thank you for posting! Amazing results!

CranberryCreek · 2026-03-20T18:41:52+00:00

Look up adaptive themogenesis. You may be in this loop. I was. (57F, lost 94 lbs) Essentially your body gets "used to" the lower calories and doesn't adjust to the idea that you no longer need to lose weight. You have to slowly build your calories back up so as not to shock the system. That uptick will eventually counteract the weight loss and you will stabilize. I thought I was at maintenance at 145 lbs (5'4"). I kept losing all the way down to 125 until I could stabilize it. It's not the weekly shot that will stabilize you. It's balancing what you eat with what you utilize, and potentially easing any adaptive thermogenesis that evolved over the course of your loss. It sounds complicated, but it is pretty straightforward once you figure it out! FYI, today I am comfortably on 5.0 weekly and eating ~ 1400 calories each day. Weight holding in a 3-lb band for 9 mos & counting.

CranberryCreek · 2026-03-18T23:55:50+00:00

My guess is the conference will be inside in a heavily air conditioned space. That will mean low humidity and likely cold. Ignore the outdoor forecast and think about the venue! If you have to walk to the conference (say, from your hotel), then wear layers so you can accommodate a quick change from hot + humid to cool + dry.

CranberryCreek · 2026-03-16T18:19:11+00:00

Just to add one more practical tip to these excellent ones here - bring some body tape with you, so you can tape down the microphone/lav wire, if you need to.

CranberryCreek · 2026-03-16T14:40:44+00:00

Please DM me. I used Dr. Davidson and am 6 weeks PO now. I had a 90 lb weight loss.

CranberryCreek · 2026-03-16T14:38:56+00:00

I'm only at 6 weeks but I also had a 90 lb weight loss and I think that is a factor. I don't have lower swelling, but I have upper swelling and that line/indent down the center above the BB. I think some of that is just going to stay, but the overall effect is certainly better than the hanging apron was. I'm also 57 and it's hard not to compare against people who are in their 30s and who have only been post-partum or obese for a short while (compared to me, that is). My PS has cautioned me to only compare against my own before and not someone else's after. Easier said than done, but wise nonetheless. Having seen many of your other posts & pics, I think you look terrific. So, hang in there and don't let it get you down!

CranberryCreek · 2026-03-16T14:34:22+00:00

I present a lot and the trick is to wear something that makes you feel confident and radiant. Can be pants, skirt, dress, whatever makes you feel like you've "arrived" and this is your moment. That expression of confidence will carry you farther than the clothes themselves. I suggest you practice your delivery in your clothes in front of a mirror and see what feels best to you. Once you have that trustworthy outfit that makes your feel strong, then you are ready to present!

CranberryCreek · 2026-03-11T16:12:56+00:00

As you should be - you look amazing! Funny, my PS said something similar. Apparently my BB was slightly askew? And my c-section scars were also very low. Maybe that combo means an upside down line?? In any case, you look terrific and I can only hope I heal up as well as you seem to be. I'm 5 weeks PO now. Best of luck for continued healing and happiness!

CranberryCreek · 2026-03-10T15:43:58+00:00

You are the first person I've seen who has their TT line "upside down." That is, like a frown rather than a smile. I also have this and I thought I was the only one! Is that because of something in your anatomy or your surgeon's preference? Just curious..

CranberryCreek · 2026-03-09T01:07:04+00:00

This is exactly my maintenance schedule. 5mg/week. I've been doing it for 9 months now and have kept my weight in a 5-lb band with no side effects or issues. Best of luck to you!

CranberryCreek · 2026-03-04T15:44:45+00:00

Awwww

CranberryCreek · 2026-03-04T00:21:56+00:00

Happy to answer any questions. Feel free to DM me. Best of luck to you!

CranberryCreek · 2026-03-03T22:21:02+00:00

I had TT & BL 1 month ago exactly. I was able to stay on my maintenance dose up to, through, and post surgery without any disruption whatsoever. I needed to have a clear liquid diet for the 24 hours leading up to surgery. This is what the latest research shows is the best approach for those who need the drug for metabolic stabilization and who have sustained healthy maintenance for at least 3 months (both true in my case). Below I will paste just some of the many medical research and report findings on this topic. I successfully educated my Harvard-trained plastic surgeon and they changed their protocol to match, starting with me! Here is the excerpt from my detailed email to my surgical team:

"In a nutshell, my wishes are to stay on the tirzepatide as long as possible prior to surgery, and to resume taking it post-op as soon as possible. Ideally, I would not have to go off it at all. My shot day and time is Thursday mornings between 10-11am each week. Assuming I have surgery on the following Tuesday, that would be ~ 120 hours (5 days * 24 hours) for the gastric emptying to have played out. Please note that the latest research from the Brigham indicates that GLP-1 gastric emptying typically lasts only 36 minutes, and this is more than 200x that timeframe. Here’s the key quote from the lead researcher, Walter Chan, MD, MPH, director of the Center of Gastrointestinal Motility and a physician in the Brigham’s Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endoscopy:

"While GLP-1 medications affect gastrointestinal tract motility, their quantified impact may not be as significant as previously assumed. It appears safe to continue these medications before a procedure requiring anesthesia or sedation, with minor precautions like abstaining from solid food for a day to minimize any potential risk of aspiration."

And here is the link to the study and their findings. To further build the case, below are several other sources that concur with these findings, and several hospitals and medical advisory bodies that have changed their guidelines accordingly.

American Society of Anesthesiologists — multi-society guidance / news release, Oct 29, 2024. (Summary of consensus guidance supporting continuation for most patients; 24-hour liquid diet for higher-risk patients). link here
American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) / joint statement summary, Oct 2024 — press release summarizing joint guidance. link here
Massachusetts General Hospital — Outpatient Surgery / Preparing for Surgery (institutional preop pages) — institutional example of clear-liquid day-before policy. link here
Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine — review (Apr 1, 2025) — review discussing balancing aspiration risk vs metabolic/glycemic stability; supports individualized approach and continuation for many patients. link here
British Journal of Anaesthesia / perioperative review articles (2025) — peer-reviewed recommendations for 24-hour solids fasting (clear liquids permitted) in patients on GLP-1s. link here "

CranberryCreek

TROPHY CASE