Tummy Tuck: Stories

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No Drain Full Tummy Tuck

  • posted 3 years ago
  • updated 1 year ago

I am very pleased with my Dr, and my results. The...

  • 29 Sep 2009

I am very pleased with my Dr, and my results. The pain was a bit more then i expected, but the end results are totally worth it.

I was never really over weight to begin with, but had the loose skin and saggy area you have once you have had children. all my stretch marks are now gone - weeeeee!

Is swelling normal when you are almost 4 weeks...

  • 14 Nov 2009
Is swelling normal when you are almost 4 weeks post OP from a no drain full tummy tuck? I am nearing the 4 week point, and still swollen from the navel down, as well as all around the navel and above the navel. I never had any drains, so how long should i expect to be swollen? The swelling looks almost the same as it did the day i came home. Should I be worried? It seems never ending but my PS assured me all is well. Most of the posts here are from people who had drains, so if a Dr or someone that had the no drain procedure done could please respond, that would be great. Also, is there any advantages/disadvantages to a no drain procedure? I attached a couple of pictures I just took, and if you look at the side view, I look as if im 3 months pregnant. (sorry pics are not the greatest I took them in the bathroom mirror with my blackberry ha-ha) Its just very frustrating, and I just want to know when I should expect my tummy to flatten out. By the way, i love my results, its just the swelling that is starting to worry me. i see some on here flat as a pancake after being 2 weeks post op and i still look pregnant from the side view.
Great review?
James Nachbar, MD

My Doctor: James Nachbar, MD

My rating:

I would fully recommend. He is a very skilled, and has a wonderful personality. His work is amazing and i am very pleased!

Comments (18)

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Charlestown2443 29 Dec 2011
Hi I was wondering if you would mind posting pics of your scar now. I would really love to see it
Monique_Ready4Freddy's 1 Dec 2011
thanks for the two years later update. You look fab!
Ce3nie 24 Feb 2011
What did you use on your scar to lighten it up so much? You look amazing!!
Curvy Diva 26 May 2010
I just had lipo and mini tt with no drains. I look severly pregnant. Thanks for posting, I am hoping that by 4 weeks I am happy with my results. I am just 7 days post op and not happy with the pregnancy tummy. I am wearing my garmet 24/7. Next week I am switching to the stage two garmet in hopes that will help with the swelling. Best of luck to you, you look great!
mystey 8 May 2010
hi guys well have finally decided to have the thigh reduction on june 4th bit scared as i have trouble coming out of anesthetic although with my knee surgery the doctor was aware of my problem and took precautions and i was fine that was a painful recovery my husband thinks i'm crazy going under again and maybe i am who knows but i'm pretty tough i'll manage i hope. just worried about infections especially because i had one with tummy tuck and you read some people are not happy with results.anyway can't back out now i've paid deposit and booked the surgery will keep you posted. i think lisa you look great. mystey.
mystey 6 Jan 2010
hi guys i had tummy tuck 12 months ago have no problems with weight wished i had done it years ago, i'm 50 so i guess my expectations woudn't be the same if i was younger it's great fitting into your clothes and i always wore steppings to hold my stomach in as much as i could so its great not having to wear them anymore.i didn't have any drains either that was because i asked my doctor if i needed them as have had a few surgeries and found it invasive i didn't have any problems with not having drains and am happy with outcome my only problem now is my thighs think will go back and get something done with that even though i'm a little over surgery am hoping liposuction will do the trick.i also had a big weight loss so am not sure if i will have to have a thigh reduction am expecting that will be the outcome.
marisabella 15 Nov 2009
wow, Lisa! I couldn figure out what you were describing. Now, I do! What's with the vertical scar anyways? Why is it there? Do you still feel swollen? Do you work on your feel all day? I run around all day everyday and by the end of day - my tummy feels huge.
LisaLisaaa 17 Nov 2009
gosh, i feel bloated by the end of the day too. i always look at my tummy when i first wake up in the morning and its flat. by the end of the day, poochy again LOL. yeah, i agree...what is that little scar for? my theory is that its where all the strings are tied off from surgery - ha ha! its the smallest scar, but geeze something serious must have went on there LOL. is yours all hard there too? i hope it goes away. at least the puffy skin hid the hardness you know lol. Now i catch myself rubbing it all the time. my daughter yelled at me the other day and said "get your hand out of your pants" i about died laughing. i was rubbing on the hard spot thinking maybe it would go away LOL.
LisaLisaaa 14 Nov 2009
Just added a few more pics. A couple of when my navel was infected, and a pic of my first day home from surgery. its been an interesting journey, and not a real pretty one at times LOL! But, in the end, it was totally worth it. Good luck to all of you who decide to get a tummy tuck. Its a big decision, but it sure boosts ones self esteem. I can now buy the tight form fitting tops i love to wear (YIPPIE). Before they would just cling to my belly roll or muffin top ha ha. Now, its actually fun to look in the mirror - LOL.
marisabella 2 Nov 2009
Lisa you look awesome... btw, what dress size are you now? What was your old dress size and what are you fitting into now? for me, it didnt change very much if anything at all. I still bounce from a size 4 to 6. The same as before.
LisaLisaaa 14 Nov 2009
I dont see any change is clothing size for me at all. i dont wear dresses much, and for the most part wear low rise jeans. i was a 10/12 and am still the same size. i used to have the huge muffin top hanging over the low rise jeans, but now its gone...weeeeeee!! i hated the muffin top everytime i would sit down. i need to get back in to exercising and drop 10 lbs. im pretty tall but now that my tummy is flat, my rear end looks huge LOL
minis30 30 Oct 2009
You look good girl,swelling down..congrats!
mom2boys0409 23 Oct 2009
wow that looks good...im hoping to get one soon... really scared though...how did u feel coming out of anethesia?
LisaLisaaa 25 Oct 2009
That was the easy part, ha ha! Its a long recovery time. you are down and weak for a couple of weeks. it took me about a month to really start feeling back to my normal self. totally worth it though. i still have swelling. they say it takes up to 5 months, so its a pretty long process. i was scared to death too, going under always freaks me out. I just kept telling myself that if i never woke up, i would never know it anyways ;)
LisaLisaaa 20 Oct 2009
I just added a 6 week post op picture. Finally im starting to see the swelling go down some. Still lots of lower swelling, but wow, im finally starting to see some change! :)
Press 3 Oct 2009
My Dr. also use the same method no drains, but he recommend to wear the special garment for 3 months 24hrs non- stop for getting rid off the swelling.
marisabella 2 Oct 2009
Nachbar is a wonderful man - at times, I wish i had gone with him instead. He was the same in pricing as leber, but leber was closer to my home. I looked pregnant at 4wks too - i had drains. my swell hell finally went down after taking lots of anti-inflammatory vitamins. my the second month - i started to see the light at the end of the tunnel. now, i see somewhat of sagging skin where it was swollen and when i sit - it turns into rolls! How do you like that after paying 24,000. My lipo apparently didnt take and my butt lift looks absolutely awful! My surgery date was June 26, 09. If I wish to fix my unhappy areas it'll cost me another 14,000. I must have stupid written on my forehead!
LisaLisaaa 8 Oct 2009
im sorry to hear about your situation. I love Dr Nachbar, he is the sweetest man you will ever meet, and his work is amazing! Im starting to see some of the upper belly swelling starting to go down just a tad, but the bottom still looks like im 3 months pregnant ha ha. I cant wait to see my final results. Im guessing it will take several months.

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