Body Lift Did Not Provide the Bikini Body I Expected

I had a baby in my teens. I went from 115 lbs to 190 lbs on delivery day. I don't need to explain to you all what happens to anyone that expands that much in somewhat short period of time 9 mos. Needless to say, I was stunned that i could no longer get back to my old clothes after giving birth.

It somewhat got me started on my yo-yo dieting routine through my teens, twenties, and now thirties. I did a lot a damage to my body. I think i did more so from my eating habits than my pregnancy.

I was young, continuing with my education, first time mom and married. It was too much for a young person to handle all of it, but i managed to do so by not taking care of my eating habits.

My husband at time started to become abusive towards as a result of my increasingly weight gain. I was very young and very insecure... by the age of 21, I weighed about 175 lbs at 5'6. I was perhaps wearing a size 14. I then, added jogging/running every evening (5-7 miles per day) to my list of responsibilities. I lost 40 lbs within 5-6 mos time. Then, my husband started to feel insecure of my weight loss and started to be suspecious of me and accused me of being unfaithful. What the heck?

I had enough by young age of 23. I got divorced. I was for the first time in my life living on my own. Nobody controlled me or commented of my weight or eating habits. I continued with up and downs throughout the years.

Finally, at the age of 30 - i wanted to turn my lifestyle around and eat to be healthy. I was somewhat done punishing myself with over eating and beinging with food. I felt that i was worthy of being healthy, sexy and beautiful for the first time in my life.

I wanted to repair the damage. I had to get rid of the extra weight, first. I did it with HCG/Releana drops - it took me 6 mos to drop about 40+ lbs. Then, I was in the hunt for a plastic surgeon to finally give me the body - I wished to have for years.

Actually, two years prior to my last weight loss - I started fantasizing about wearing a bikini and running in the beaches of Coronado, CA. As I've witness others do without concern.

I did my homework - i somewhat interviewed a lot women that had undergone similar procedures. I took note of what i liked and disliked about their results.

I was absolutely certain this what i wanted to do based on conversations with over half dozen women from all ages. Mid-thirties to late fifties. The one thing these women shared was the boost of body image they experienced after their grueling undergoing.

Pain has never deterred me from taking on a challenge. I finally, had narrowed my surgeon down to candidates. One in San Diego and the other here in my hometown - about a mile away from my apartment.

I ultimately, based my final decision on the recovery (what if's) - I decided to stay close to home in case something happened - I drive to the surgeon office without having to catch a flight for follow up visits.

Now, all was going well. I was anticipating the big day. I bought a bikini to wear for the scar marking. I had everything figured out mentally. I had envisioned the procedure in my head and could almost visualize the outcome. I was in cloud nine.

Surgery Day
6 am get up, shower, and put on my comfy pre-surgery thongs and pajamas.

7:45 am - Doc is running a bit behind. As he is marking me up and informs me that he will not be placing my new breast bags under the muscle as we had discussed. He decided the night prior that based on my pre-existing space - it would be best to keep them over the muscle. I was a bit dissapointed because the reason - i had requested under the muscle was to keep my breast perkier for longer period of time. I had undergone a breast augmentation three years prior and it had significantly dropped within couple of years.

I had taken the printouts of what i had hopped to wake up and see after my eight hour procedure. He nearly glanced at my images and kept marking me up.

It somewhat disappointed me that he didn't seem to care of what i was wishing to get. He seemed anxious and rushed. I thought i was going to be spending about eight hours undergoing my body lift procedure. (breast lift, new bags, full tummy tuck, butt lift, lateral thigh lift and lipo (flanks, inner & outer thighs).

I originally wanted my breast lift, full tummy tuck and fat grafting to augment my buttocks. However, my surgeon and boyfriend agreed that a butt lift was perhaps best for my droopy rear. I'm of Mexican decent - I wanted curves and a round plump butt was of the essence. I had complete trust in my surgeon based on his post-op website pictures and his impressive bio.

Everyone else was great and patient. I felt at ease going under. I was ready.  It seemed like minutes that i was already at my recovery room. I vaguely recall waking up or noticing my boyfriend sitting by watching me recover.

The surgery center was the worst care - i had experienced ever. I didn't know where my nurse controls were, i had to reach over through my bed rods to try pull the television towards me, i felt anxious. Where were the nurses? I started to call out for one. I kept increasing my voice. I was shouting as loud as i could... nothing. I finally, whistled as loud as i could to get attention. Finally, someone walks in and asked if i had a problem. I explained that felt anxious that it seemed that like had awaken for a while and i had not seen anyone stop by to check on me.

I was informed that before i went home - i had to go to pee. for whatever reason, I couldn't. I was taken back to my bed... I was determined to get out as soon as possible. I mentally told myself to go - i personally got myself out of the leg pumps, moved my IV drip and got myself out of bed to go walk over to the restroom. I did it! I didn't flush - so the nurse could see that I had. I didn't feel any pain. I got myself back into bed, strapped my legs back on the pumps, placed the IV drip back in its place and waited for the nurse to return.

During that time, I had my blackberry and started taking pictures of my new breasts, tummy, and the room. I txt my boyfriend to bring bagels or donuts for the nurses. I was set to go home asap.

The doc stopped by to check on me and give his blessing on going home. My boyfriend arrived with the bagels and the ladies were happy.

I got home. I felt great. I couldn't believe that after all the stories i had heard about the pain - it seemed like a piece of cake to me.

I had one setback... I couldn't go to the restroom on my own and I was in pain. I had hired a nurse to take care of me during the first critical days of recovery. She suggested calling the surgeon for a checkup. Upon his recommendation, I was placed on foley.

After two days of private nurse care and $500 bill - I could no longer afford her services. I had to recover on my own, but I felt great and ready for the challenge. On the third day, I returned to the surgeon's office to have my pain pump removed. I was made aware that the doctor was going on vacation for the next two weeks.

My follow up were going to be with the new nurse. She seemed very young and nervous like. Besides her shy like demeanor she did well without causing me extreme pain.

After the pain pump was removed - i was in extreme pain. Everything was now a challenge and I no longer had that extra boost of energy to take on what i did on my 1st week of post-surgery. I started to walk slower. It was completely different.

I started to look up blogs on tummy tuck recovery to get tips on what was normal. I had done so much research on post-op results that I had neglected to educate myself on post-op care (eating, swelling, scar maintenance, bruise management, vitamin supplements to promote healing, etc.)

I left was in reactive mode. I need to find a way to improve my rapidly declining condition. Google was my savior... I lead me to so many different websites and blogs that had information of tried and true practices.

I took my overly fatigued and overly swollen body with my notes listing the vitamins i needed to help me get me back on track. It was a blessing!

After taking my vitamins and eating what was suggested - i quickly started to feel a lot better. I had the tool and knowledge i needed to keep my swelling down.

I also took the suggested from the nurse practitioner to seek lympathic therapy to help stimulate toxin discharge. 1st visit was free - the package for four additional visits was $500. I was skeptical of the new-age sounding procedure, but i did it anyway.

I don't know if it really helped me reduce my swelling - since i had started taking my vitamin supplements and eating foods that promote healing.

Nevertheless, it took me about two-in-half weeks to get back to the office. I had originally asked for only - one week off. Yea, right! I felt guilty, but I needed to rest and recover.

Vanity sets in...
I truly loved my breast lift (my new nipples were perfect), tummy tuck (my new belly button was exactly what i had envisioned and seen on his post-op pics) results... however, I was struggling with accepting my butt lift results. It looked awful to me. Not only that, it seemed like my rear was shorted not lifted. My butt seemed flatter and stumpy. The incision was lower than I anticipated. Although, the scar was almost perfectly aligned across my body.

Then, I started to inspect my body a lot closer and noticed that i had a lot of stretch marks still left behind all over my body. It's not what I had expected to see behind after the "Body Lift". My flanks, inner and outer thighs were still black, blue and purple hues from the bruising.

The stretch marks on my flanks were now a lot more apparent than they were pre-surgery. Apparently, because my body was pulled and tightened they now appeared wide and larger per the nurse practitioner. I wasn't happy with the explanation, but what could I do.

The doc was back in town and I had an appointment to see him... I needed answers.

My dissolvable stitches were break out from my incisions and it was painful. Was that normal? My breasts were not as big as i had envisioned them... Can I get them pumped up? I confessed that i was not happy with my butt results. I needed to hear a plan B to fix it.

Basically, I was told that I needed to buy new bras that fit. He didn't think i needed more fluid. Secondly, the dissolvable stitches is not fool proof... I just need to cut or place hot presses on the blister like lesion on my incisions areas and squeeze them out like pimples. Yuck & Ouch! Lastly, addressing my butt... he apologized, if i was having buyers remorse but I needed to be patient and find a way to fix it when he returns from another week of vacation. However, I don't have enough fat in my body to remove at this time to transfer to my buttocks. Secondly, I shot down the suggestion of having butt implants. I've only hear and read about unhappy results of the procedure and outcome.

He then got short with me and said I needed to slow down and be happy with my new body. I needed to be patient and come back after his vacation to revisit my results. Nevertheless, he didn't guarantee that he could fix it anytime soon... he only asked that I worked with him.

I have mixed emotions... He's seemed overbooked, overworked, running behind 1hr plus, tired looking and he just came back from vacation.

I paid him a lot a money in cash and trusted him to execute my dreams... during my two pre-op consults he never gave me the indication or feeling that he couldn't give me the results i was seeking. Why, should've I doubted with such an impressive bio and post-op images on his website.

From this long-long story... I hope to get your honest feedback on my results. I wanted be able to print them before my next doctor post-op visit.

Seriously, I'm now more obsessed with my body and perhaps I will not relent until I get a decent hispanic butt.

Yea, those dreams of walking out of the surgy-center with my two piece bikini headed to the beach was totally a crude dream of mine.

I don't regret my procedures... I only wished I had stuck with what I wanted to pay with my money and body. I took recommendations on what others thought would be best for me instead listening to my gut.

This is a raw unedited draft of my story. I hope it makes sense, if not i'm sure you'll let me know.

 Hi Ladies- I'm four in half months post-op - i've been through a lot. I'm having my buttocks redone... as you can see, they look worse than before. The scar will be moved upwards to give my rear more shaped look and add fat to my fat area to balance it out. I can't wait to be done with this ordeal. Dr L said to me on my last visit that perhaps if i lost weight - I would be happy with my current results. Wow, I was so shocked by his comment... Nonetheless, I need to get my butt fixed! I'll be keeping you guys posted.