Tummy Tuck
Tummy tuck before & after photos
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“Tummy Tuck Swelling - I Paid for a Flat Stomach and Didn't Get It”

9 posts
Comments (29)
Updated 27 Aug 2009
Posted 25 Aug 2009
Worth It
Spent: $6,970 in Newport News, VA

I had a tummy tuck and my stomach looks better than it did before, but when i measure myself there really isn't a difference, i still have swelling but by the way that it looks i'm not sure after all the swelling is gone that my stomach will be fat. i am still round in the midsection.

I havent' had any complications but I don't like the way my stomach looks, i'm still round. Does it get better later?

This review is the subjective opinion of a RealSelf member and not of RealSelf, Inc.

My Doctor:

My rating:
I donot recommend my doctor. I paid alot of money for mystomach to be flat and i'm not flat, i keep getting excuses on why my stomach may not be as flat as i want it. i could of lost weight and got my stomach the way it is now. It does look better than before, but i did not get my moneys worth.
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Comments (29)

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Stay Young (39 posts) 31 Aug 2009
Oh my gosh.. I completely understand what you are going through. I am 9 weeks PO from a TT and lipo. I do notice a difference but no-one else really does. I had two c-sections, I am 5'2, 128. I had that prego look after my kids and could not get rid of it. I was told that I would never have to do a sit-up again, I could bouce a quarter off of mu stomach. But, that is not the case. I am smaller now, but not what I was promised or expected. Please keep in touch and let me know how your healing goes. Thank you..
LaLa28 (9 posts) 1 Sep 2009
Thank you so much for your reply because i was wondering if someone was going to reply to my comment. But called my surgeons office Monday morning and i have appointment to see him on the 14th. I walk around the house looking in the mirror every chance i get as if something is going to change within seconds. I paid to much money for this and i had to get a loan, i do not have money to waste. I'm so embarassed when people ask how is the tummy tuck goin, and i say well it's not what i planned. Above my navel i have like this lump, it may be my abs sticking out, and it does not look good. I'm just so pissed!i'll be 6 months post op on the 16th. Oh and don't let me eat no food, my stomach is really sticking out. And when i had my last doc appt in July, i had the nurse measure my stomach and i was on ONE inch smaller than what they originally measured me as pre op! Wow! Sorry to just keep rambling.
Curvy Diva (22 posts) 24 May 2010
WOW, I am just 5 days post op but I am so afraid of this happening to me. My stomach does not look too much different. I went in for a Full Tummy Tuck and my Dr. decided while I was on the table in twilight sleep to just give me a mini. He told me to let the swelling go down and I will happy with the results but I am so afraid that is not going to be the case. How ae you doing now? I might find my answer if I read further. Thanks for posting this.
Stay Young (39 posts) 1 Sep 2009
I deffinitly understand.. I do the same thing each day checking the mirror to see if my stomach is smaller. Wishful thinking... I am still wearing the garment to sleep at night(I switch back and fourth between the strong one and the lighter one they gave me). During the day, I am wearing these compression type underwear i found (they are still a "G") but they are awsome. I feel if I don't have some sort of pressure on my stomach, then i still look prego, or atleast not flat like it is supposed to. I know I am only 2+ months, but I don't believe that 3 more months will make a difference. Please let me know how your Dr. appointment goes on the 14th. I think you do have some concerns. Have you read some of the other questions from people with your same problem? Just to let you know your not alone. I paid for some, but put the rest on a CC. I too, paid through the nose because I thought he was the best. Even if revision was free, I don't know if I can afford the down time (recovery) and then the pain.. Again... Ugh..
LaLa28 (9 posts) 7 Sep 2009
Yeah i hear you. And the thing about it when i go to the doctor they say, well your only 3 months post op or your only 5 months post op it takes up to a year for total swelling to be gone. But If he's telling me that most of the swelling in the top part of my stomach is gone, and i'm still poking out, he didn't do something right. I'm just pissed. I feel you on the revision, but i can prepare myself for the pain because i paid to much money not to be satisfied. So i'm just goin to have to save up my leave and see what happens in the next few months. but i will keep you posted on what he says at my doctor appointment.
sosadtummy (1 post) 9 Sep 2009
OMG! I can't believe that I'm not alone going thru this nightmare! I had my tummy tuck on 7/24/09 and I swear I am bigger now than before. I have no sagging on the lower portion but above my belly button I can even pinch the extra skin. Not to mention that I have the traditional scar plus one that runs down from my belly button. I don't know what to do. I hate the fact that MS tells me that I have swelling and that only time will tell. I feel so depressed! The whole point of getting a tummy tuck is for a flat, tight stomach. Honestly what can I do? I feel very misled!
Curvy Diva (22 posts) 24 May 2010
How are you doing now? Have things changed with your body. I am in the the same situation and very afraid. I paid cash and had my surgery done in two parts. Everything I am very happy with but this was the icing on the cake and I am anot happy. I am trying to to panic because I am only 5 days out but to wake to and not see what you were expecting is terrifying.
sg13 (5 posts) 10 Sep 2009
I agree with you all- I am only two weeks PO and I can not wear any of my pants. I am extremely depressed! I feel as though I just had a baby and keep putting on my pants to see if I can button them. Can you guys wear your regular pants? They say it is the swelling, but I am a big workout person and I feel as though I am gaining weight because I can not work out. I am hoping it is just swelling!!!
LaLa28 (9 posts) 14 Sep 2009
This is for you sg13, i can honestly say that you are only two weeks post op, you are swollen! I took 3 weeks off of work, and by that time i could put on my jeans and button them, but it was uncomfortable. i had room in them too, because before i had fat hanging off the sides of my jeans. So yes you still have swelling.
LaLa28 (9 posts) 14 Sep 2009
This is for you sg13, i can honestly say that you are only two weeks post op, you are swollen! I took 3 weeks off of work, and by that time i could put on my jeans and button them, but it was uncomfortable. i had room in them too, because before i had fat hanging off the sides of my jeans. So yes you still have swelling. Stay Young, well i went to my doctor appointment today and he looked at me and basically told me i still had swelling, and i mentioned that my stomach sticks out at the top and he said that was my muscles and to help that go down i need to do ab work. okay fine. and i still have swelling in my lowers belly, but i can tell that is still swollen. so he told me in a few months he would go back in and do some touch up lipo suction on my stomach and fix the dog ears i have. But next appointment isnt til March 2010!!! So he really dont want to see me until i am a year post op. So i'm a work on my part or whatever and see what happens. But trust me if at the end the results are not what i want i will be back for him to fix it.
ragtopday (2 posts) 20 Sep 2009
My lower abdomen is still swollen and my surgery was June 10. I asked the receptionist in my doctors office how long she was swollen and she said she was told to expect swelling up to a year for every decade of your life. Wish I had known this before. I am not a big person at all, when I went back for a follow up, the doctor said I looked fine. When I went back 2 weeks later he said, Oh yes the swelling is starting to go down, for a minute their on your last visit it looked like I hadn't even done a tummy tuck on you. I was like are you serious. I still have some lose skin on stomach and it is irritating. I guess I should realize, even doctors aren't perfect.
LaLa28 (9 posts) 23 Sep 2009
Well your only 3 months post op so you still have time. i think there are only a handful of people who actually get what they want, that's what it seems to me anyway. Some days i feel like my stomach is down, and some days i feel like it's big. It's defintely not as big as it use to be, but it's not what i want. But my doctor told me he would do some more lipo later though. So im going to keep working out and try to lose weight which i need to do anyway. i'm not fat or anything, but i want to lose a few pounds. Hope all goes well with your tummy tuck. And that sucks the doctor said that to you. And your right they are not perfect but when people spending their hard earned cash or loaned cash they need to do everything possible to make it right. Well keep me posted.
sg13 (5 posts) 22 Sep 2009
Wow- isn't it amazing how long the swelling lasts!! I will be 4 weeks po on thursday and today I walked/jogged for 1hour and felt good- I only have the swelling. Is anyone using silicone strips for there scar? If so, is it working? Thanks! Happy Healing!
ohyesidid (14 posts) 22 Oct 2009
sg13 . I have been reading about your swelling. I am six weeks po and I am not having that problem. I was told to stay away for soda's because they can contribute to the swelling. I am also still wearing the binder. Although I have been protesting the whole while, it does seem to prevent the swelling. I have not tried the silicone strips but I have been using 100% shea butter and alternating that with cocoa butter and it seems to be working on this awful scar. I hope this helps. Good luck
LaLa28 (9 posts) 23 Sep 2009
Well i am 6 months post op and at the bottom of my stomach i have this lump of swelling at the bottom of my belly, and if i try to wear a tight dress it shows. not cool. So i'm going to wait it out, i think my surgeon was tired of seeing me because my next appointment isn't until March 2010. But i always get pissed at what i see so i'll call them to get an appointment before that. But they say it takes a year, so i don't have a choice but to wait it out. I just want to be happy with it with all the money i paid. I had to get a loan, and i pissed everytime i have to pay on it cause right now i am not satisfied. But we will see as time goes by.
selfesteem (5 posts) 28 Jun 2010
Is your doctor in Hmapton? Is his name Dr Kanter please respond soon. I have surgery on thursday and you are the only person I see in Hampton so far thank you.
LaLa28 (9 posts) 1 Jul 2010

Im am soo sorry i did not respond in time. I havent checked this in a while. No, my Docotor's name is {edited}. Hope all goes well with your surgery.

Edited by Sharon: We've added your provider info to the review. Thanks!
KitKatmom (1 post) 27 Sep 2009
I am 10 days PO tummy tuck and breast augmentation. I also feel depressed due to the fact that I do not fit into any of my pants. My breasts are so huge, much larger than I expected and my waist is my bigger than it was before the tummy tuck. Logic tells me it is swelling and it all takes time, but I did not see any after pictures immediately following surgeries to relate to. I only see 10 weeks to 3 months of great results photos. It is really frustrating, but I have to believe the swelling will go down and my breasts will fall into place. I feel for all of you going through similar situations.
LaLa28 (9 posts) 13 Oct 2009
Well you are only 10 days, well bout a month now post op. So yeah you are going to be still very much swollen. I was really swollen too when i had my tummy tuck and lipo that i looked like i didn't even have surgery, i looked actually bigger. but it went down, but i still have swelling and i will be 7 months post op on the 16th of October. So be patient, i'm trying too, i know it's hard. I just called my nurse yesterday because i started getting upset again because my stomach is not where i want it to be, but she told me due to the extent of the surgery that my body needs time to heal and i just have to be patient. But she said if i was to need any touch up the doctor would be more than happy to do it, but he will not do it before my year is up. So just be patient. I know i'm trying my hardest.
Curvy Diva (22 posts) 24 May 2010
KitKatmom, How are you doing today with your tummy tuck? I am just 5 days out and I do know that I am swollen but I feel as if I had nothing done. I paid for a full TT and my doc decided when I was on the table to do a mini- I just do not understand. So I am very concerened. Any advise will be very helpful.
sg13 (5 posts) 23 Oct 2009
Hello- I have a questions- I am 8 weeks PO and I have the muffin top around my hips above my incision. I have never had that- I am hoping it will go away!! I wear jeans and it looks terrible. Any thoughts, ideas??
Ce3nie (14 posts) 21 Apr 2010
Can you tell me where in Newport News you went? I am having a TT/lipo on May 12th and live in newport news...
Curvy Diva (22 posts) 24 May 2010
Ce3nie, How are you doing? Are you happy with your results so far? I know you are only a few weeks out and a lot of swelling but are you happy with what you see this far?
Stay Young (39 posts) 1 Jun 2010
Hi.. Everyone... Sorry I have not written for those looking for my update. I had my original TT 5/09 and for some reason my stomach started to almost fall out again. I looked 5 months Prego again. Don't get me wrong... I was better than before surgery, but to still have that prego belly starting up high. Not exceptable for the price and $. So.. I did all my research and saw every specialist around. Even Oprah's Dr. in NY that has written books on TT. So.. Because there was nothing medicaly wrong with me or that went wrong with the surgery. I just had it done again 4/10. I don't know if it is going to help and as of today 6/1/10. It is not looking good. Better.. But not flat.. So, I have no great advice.. I can only tell you what I have done. Maybe more time will tell. I am only 6 weeks now and I have heard all the same excuses everyone has. (ex: swelling=time).
Curvy Diva (22 posts) 3 Jun 2010
OMG... I am totally feeling you. I am just two weeks out and saw my PS yesterday and he told me that I have e lot of inter abdominal fat and I will need to loose another 30 pounds for my belly to flatten.. What kind of crap is this, I thought, what the heck do you think that I paid you for? Geeze. I am trying to stay positive as I am only 2 weeks out. I have no drains and I hear it may take longer to see results. Please keep us upddated as to your progress. I hope that you get the results you are looking for and paid for. All the Best!

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