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Help... I lost my butt! (seriously!)

By KSP2 on 22 Feb 2011

I'm 4 weeks and have noticed 2 things. First, my butt is much flatter, and I liked it before! I guess the tt reshaped my body and I lost the arch in my lower back too. So I now look like a board in back. ugh! Second, my blood pressure is really low now. I get dizzy a lot. Anyone else???

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Just an update--my but came back. With a vengeance, in fact!! Seriously, once my stomach relaxed a bit and I stood more naturally, my butt looked normal. Then some of the recent holiday weight gain has gone to my fanny. With the smaller waist, I almost feel like I've got Kim Kardashian proportions. Hope to get my butt smaller again once I lose some weight. Hope all your butts came back in a good way.
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I found my yoga class was the best for helping me to stretch. And I also thought I was cuter before from the side, but now also good again. And yes... the swelling is just about all done and I'm feeling great! Good luck to you too!
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Thanks for the update. I can't wait until I can stretch and arch again. It was so much cuter from the side before the TT, but I'm sure it will come back at least a little. 9 months out I hope your swelling and all that is ancient history!
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It's been 9 months for me now and yes it did come back, but not totally. I think it had to do with the tightness in the stomach, so my pelvis was tilted that way. Does that make sense? Also, I did lose about 10 pounds so I'm sure my butt is a bit smaller from that too. Now, after LOTS of stretching while arching my back to get my tummy more flexible, I do notice more of a natural arch has returned. Even though it didn't come back 100%, it came back enough so I'm definitely happy now. Hopefully that'll happen for you too.
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Now that I'm on the other side, I re-read this post. Yes, my butt disappeared too!! I was thinking it was swelling on the lower back from flank lipo, but I also definitely think it's the minimized arching as well. Definitely hope it comes back. Has yours?
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I just happened on this site looking for reference to spasms after TT. Had surgery 8/23 and am doing really well. Love the result so far. But, have very strong muscle spasms at night that wake me several times. They're not so much painful as they are so strong they wake me up. Tried muscle relaxers, but I'm a "cheap junkie" (can fall asleep on aspirin) and the side effects outweigh the benefit. I woke up 2x last night with headache and dry mouth from meds. Does anyone know of a holistic/natural way to avoid/remedy these spasms until they subside on their own? I need some sleep.
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I'm sorry I don't have any suggestions, I didn't have that problem. But if you don't find some help thru this topic, I would try under another subject. People on this site are so helpful so I'm sure if you reach the right person you'll get some good advice. All I can say is maybe your doctor has some thoughts? Or maybe somewhere where you can purchase holistic medicines they might have some advice? Good luck.
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As far as the spasms......It has been 7 months since my tt and I have had spasms daily since day 1 also. I get mine first thing in the morning when I wake up. In the first couple of months they were very strong, and I couldn't even get up when I would have them, but now, even though I still get them daily, they are less intense. My ps never seemed concerned about them, and just gave me muscle relaxers. There are a couple of ladies that I have spoken to on here that are having the spasms also, and it seems to be a long term thing unfortunately. I try to stretch a bit just before I go to bed, and that seems to help a little. I guess some of our muscles just didn't like the idea of being pulled back together. Wish I had better news for you, but I'm sure they will clear up in time.
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Talk to your doctor about taking quinine tablets. I have long suffered from muscle cramps in my foot, ankle and calf after breaking my foot and ankle. I now keep a bottle of quinine tablets on my night stand and take them when needed for muscle cramps. Tonic water works too since it contains quinone. Hope this helps.
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Thank you all for responses and suggestions. I knew going in that this was a long term healing process. Printed information from my PS repeatedly mentions "be patient"...something I'm not very good at. I'm still 100% glad I had the surgery. Wearing my surgical binder at night helps; and putting pillows under my knees when I sleep. I'm not very sexy right now, but I will be! Thanks again.
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The PS looked at my photos today and emailed me back. This is what he said, and since I have my checkup on Tuesday, I will feel better going through the weekend.

The incisions do not look infected. It is sometimes the case that the central corner above the pubic area has some delayed healing as this is where the blood flow is the worst and the tension on the wound the highest. I would shower with soap/shampoo and then put polysporin and a clean dressing on this every day. If the scar ends up a bit thicker than expected, we will be able to deal with this down the road. Overall things look like they are healing well aside from this area.
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Glad to hear it's not serious!
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Ha! I mostly got them when I Was sleeping. They gradually went away. Thank God for this site because I thought something was wrong until I saw others having them too.
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I had the muscle spasms last week (wk 2-3). I don't get them much anymore. It's odd the first time u get them!
Country gal, definitely have them look at it asap. I had redness near the center of my incision a few days ago and I didn't see the dr for a couple days and it spread and ended up looking like hives all around my incision! It ended up itching like crazy too! Nystatin powder was prescribed and it is now going away.
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Did you get spasms at rest or when you moved around. I get them first thing int the morning as I wake up and am laying on my back. it happens every single morning and feels just like the muscles tense up like I am doing sit ups. It will last until I get up and take a muscle relaxer. Glad to hear they gradually get better because even though it is not really painful, it kind of freezes my body for a few minutes and would hate to think they are permanent, unless as they are doing it they are building me a six pack. LOL.
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Work was okay. I was swollen and uncomfortable by the end of the day. I mostly sat, but did get up and move around, but my binder rode up and that made me uncomfortable.

I think I will try to wear a dress today, so there's no waistband or anything helping push the binder up. I do think it's mostly from getting up and down - it just doesn't stay put.

No muscle spasms here.

I do think I have developed a bit of infection. I sent pics to the PS office and hope they will get back to me soon. I have an appt. on Tuesday, but hope if they decide it looks infected, they will just phone in a prescription for antibiotics, and let me keep the Tuesday appt. Right at the centre of the incision, there is another small incision going upwards - about 2 inches. That whole area is now dark red and kind of ugly looking. It doesn't really hurt though, but does play into the end of day discomfort, when the belly is swelling anyway.
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Yea, I have that incision too. The PS said it was the slit from my old belly button that had been brought down, so maybe that is what yours is as well. I am also about over it with this binder, but I tried spanx and I am not quite ready for that. I felt kind of nauseated with the own because I felt like a stuffed sausage. Maybe I will try them again next week. Hope you don't have an infection...maybe the skin is just irritated and they will let you put some neosporin on it.
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Here is my opinion on the butt thing, as mine was the only body part I had that I really liked and it too does look flatter after the tummy tuck. I think we are still just not standing up completely straight allowing the arch in our back. Also, when the muscle was separated before the tuck, it didn't support good posture, actually causing our backs to arch more by the end of the day and therefore pushed the buttocks out giving the illusion of a swayed back and larger butt. Hey...Country Gal..how was you first day back to work? Also, have you been having any muscle spasms in your tummy? Every morning I wake up due to the spasms in mine, and it feels like my body is doing sit ups even though I am just laying on my back. It almost feels like a charlie horse. Has anyone had this?
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Thanks everyone for weighing in! I just love this website and the support it gives :) I hope you're right about our butts coming back. I wish I knew someone who was further out who could confirm, but I guess there's nothing I can do about it now anyway. I notice since I'm not 100% upright, my back also hurts after standing...but all in good time. I've never experienced the muscle spasms so no help there. Sorry you're experiencing them. Country Gal, I hope you don't have an infection. Glad you're reacting to it quickly though and not letting it get worse. And I hear you about dresses! They are more comfy for work I think.
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I was pretty dizzy to start with. I think it was a combo of the tramacet and anesthetic, but I actually did need my hubby to help me walk for the first couple of days. My BP was low in the clinic, but it did improve.
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KSP2, I was just reading about my reactions to the antibiotic keflex (bad hive like rash on incision, and diarrhea!....yuck!) and I saw that one of the other symptoms/reactions to this antibiotic is lowering blood pressure. Did you take reflex?
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Hi Ohio, No, I don't think it was keflex that I took. To be honest, I can't remember what it was now (I took it for 10 days then threw the bottle away), but that doesn't ring a bell. Good to know though! I'll call my surgeon and ask which one I took and see if that is one of its reactions. If it is that, I hope it wears off soon! Thanks for the tip!
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I too think my butt looks flatter. I noticed that I now have a crease where my butt meets my thighs. I have a full body compression garment from a mommy makeover so I thought it was from that? Do you too? Going to hit the gym hard once I am cleared (3 weeks post op now). Not sure on the blood pressure... Mine has always been low.
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Thanks for your reply Ohio! I was wearing my compression garment basically full time for almost 3 weeks, then I tried to go without it but my blood pressure was so low that I couldn't function without it. So I had to wean off it... for the next week I wore it with more of the snaps undone each day so it was gradual and at night I slept without it. Now it's been 2 full days of not wearing it at all. My blood pressure is still too low (I get dizzy easy) but at least I can function now. It's always been low too, now just much worse. I'm also hoping now that the garment is off and once I hit the gym more that my butt comes back. But I'm not willing to bet money on it yet.
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I haven't heard of either of these phenomena with tummy tucks. But I can imagine that losing a butt you liked would be disturbing. Hopefully some other women will weigh in on this. Tummy Tuck ladies...what say you? Has anyone experienced changes in their butts or low blood pressure after tummy tucks?

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