Mommy Makeover: Stories

I am 34 years old 5'3" and 135 pounds. I gained a lot of weight while prego with my now 9 year old daughter. The stretch marks and extra skin have made me feel so self conscious and I have wanted to do this for a while. I have 32DDD size breasts and they SAG whoa! I wanted a breast reduction when I was little but now I am used to them so it is more or less just getting them lifted now so they are not hanging down towards my belly button. I will have a small reduction though. Hubby doesn't want me to go below a D so that is what I have decided. I am 2 days per op and hoping that I have remembered everything to get! This website has been the biggest help ever!! I took off of work today but work tomorrow and then Wednesday is the big day! Am sitting here waiting for PS to call and let me know what time my surgery will be. I went and got Brazilian wax this am so will post pics tonight once the redness goes away! I am so excited, not really nervous yet!

I still can't figure out how to upload my before pics?.. Is it the iPad that I'm using? Tomorrow is the day, not going in until 10:45 am, hate that it's so late but hey what other choice do I have?

Today is the day! I am not nervous, wow,thought I would be...just waiting for my husband to get home from the gym. We don't have to be at the surgery center until 10:45 which it is almost an hour away so will leave here about 10:00. I will post after. The most momumental unfortunate part of the day is not being able to have coffee..

Posted to Post op 1 day, Tummy Tuck and Breast Reduction / Lift - Alpharetta GA on 16 Feb 2012
Thank you!!! We got home last night about 9 and I went right to sleep on recliner.. Hubby slept in couch and got up with me every couple hours that I had to pee...this morning I felt good but got increasingly sore as the days gone by. To top of off I got a corneal abrasion so typing this with one eye closed, my mom is ophthalmic tech and told me it will healthy likely in 24 hours!!! Ugh.., will write more When I can and post day 1 pics, I have to admit I look awesome even with all the bandages and drainsy stomach is do flat and my boobs are so perky!

2nd day post op- thank goodness mom came over last night with numbing drops and contact lens to put over abrasion on eye, she said its common to get during surgery because your eyes might be open a little bit and there are no tears since you are not blinking..

I am in more pain today and really have to stay on top of meds. I slept thru night just getting up once to pee, still no bm even with double doses of colace and lotsa prunes.

My husband has been amazing, I don't know what I'd do without him... I under estimated how little I would be able to do. We just went in bathroom so I could wash my face and sponge bath, switched from recliner to big overstuffed chair and ottoman. Feels good to have a change!

Today is third day after surgery, watching movies on Netflix with my daughter. Mom and sister are coming over to give hubby a break from the house. I am still having moderate pain but tolerable and definitely standing up so much straighter today. Might get mom to wash my hair in sink...looking forward to days to come when I start feeling better.

Booo.... Today is the most uncomfortable day so far, although off of pain meds, constipated bad.. I have been taking colace but not working, took some senna laxatives I found in cabinet at 9 this am, so sitting around and just waiting in constipation pain is no fun. Tomorrow is my post op appointment, hopefully will get drains out, only one is draining close to 20 ml in 24 hrs, so that one might stay but the rest are hardly draining any at all. So ready tj shower to, mom gave me sponge bath and washed hair in sink which felt awesome.

Hubby is back at work, my 9 yo is off because of presidents day, have off the rest if week go back on Monday the 27th

Post op day 6... So yesterday finally had my first bm, sorry to gross you out, but it was rock hard and would not come out. I was super freaked out to use my abdominal muscles that it ended up taking about 2 hours to get relief. Alllllmost as bad as child birth no joke!!! I am still really constipated today, same thing feel its there bu won't come. Went to store after dr appt and got milk of magnesia so now sitting and waiting for that to kick in. I'm not in as much pain today, I suspect there's not as much that's why.

So dr appt....they took my drains out for my breasts but left the two abdominal ones, next tues will get those out. They took off all the bandages. My breasts look super perky it's crazy!!! My tummy and bb look great but still swollen quite a bit especially my pubic area, woah!!!!

My incision for tt looks amazing, I have seen some croked ones so was worried about that. My dr did a great job.

I will post pics after I shower, waiting for hubby to get home from gym.

7 day po, first let me say I love my husband...at about 830 I realized I wasn't going to be able to pass another bm after trying for 2 hours. I started freaking out that I was impacted and asked him to go buy me an enema. I have never tried one before,but yah they work. I had to stay close to bathroom for a few hours! So yeah today I am cleaned out!

I couldn't sleep in recliner so I went to the bed, fell asleep at about 1230 am and woke about 500, slept a little, but not enough. Got up and got daughter ready to catch school bus. Then decided to take my first shower. It was short and took a lot of energy. I was exhausted when I was done and had to lay down for a while. Reading people's posts about swelling I am worried doing too much will result in longer healing so I am taking it easy until I go back to work on Monday. I need all my energy for then.

Post Op Day 8

Feeling like I've turned a corner. I am feeling really good today. I got up and emptied the dishwasher. Nothing vigorous, but felt good to be able to do something around the house since I have been just sitting in here looking at stuff. My hubby has done a good job but it's early in the morning and the dishes were there from last night so I went for it.

I added another picture. I got up and my breast drain sites were leaking through my shirt and bra so had to change them and thought I should take a picture while my binder and shirt was off.

I slept awesome last night. No pain pills.. Took a klonopin, which I normally take for sleep and was out at 10:00 and woke up around 5:30. I actually turned over on my stomach last night, which I think made the difference.

Daughter is home sick with a stomach virus. Throwing up, hopefully I don't get it! UGH! At least it is now though instead of the day after I go back to work!

Day 10 post op

Still feeling really good, although caught a bad head cold, ugh. I keep sneezing and it hurts so bad!! I went to the movies yesterday, moved pretty slowly but more so because I put on jeans. They would not button over my binder so I did the elastic rubber band trick I learned being pregnant. Anyhow, the jeans were more than uncomfortable. I am going to spend some time today trying on other clothes to see what I can wear to work. I won't be attempting heels yet, so my choices are very limited.

After movies my hubby got called into work for a few days so my daughter and I went to the drug store to get a few things. I drove for the first time and it was fine. No problemo!

Slept great last night, still sleeping on side. Today we will probably venture out and get nails done and I need eyebrows waxed, then maybe to lunch.

11 days post op

I am getting over this nasty cold! Other than that I am doing great! I had my 2nd outing / driving experience today... Went to grocery store by myself. Unloaded the groceries bag by bag, making sure not to exceed my lifting limitations. I made myself some lunch and took it easy the rest of the day.

I go back to work tomorrow. Kind of nervous, mainly because I still have drains in and my clothes don't exactly fit yet. I have two pairs of slacks that will fit high on my waist, giving me an unflattering close camel toe! Ugh... I have some blousey shirts I can wear too. Drains are so ready to come out. One is practically falling out, I had to tape it up good.

Hopefully tomorrow doesn't suck. I plan on sitting at my desk and catching up on emails and a few reports, so will not go roam around unless I have to.

12 days po

I made it! I worked a whole 8 hour day. I sat in my office all day only getting up when I had to or to go to the bathroom. I was pretty surprised that I had the energy to make it 8 hours. I would say the hardest part was getting in and out of car. Especially because parked super close to me and I had to squeeze in and rotate to sit down at the same time. Everyone kept asking me what was wrong when they did see me. I still walk a little hunched over and def slower than usual. I ended up telling a few more people, but I don't care.

When I got home I fixed a salad and ive been resting on the couch, feet up for the last 2 hours. My drainage increased today, almost doubling yesterday's? I am going to ps appt tomorrow and was really hoping to get these suckers out. They are annoying and bulky under clothing. Maybe one can go or both would be awesome, I did milk the drains a few times today because it looked like chunks of tissue was in there. The fluid is yellowish pink but clear.

Anyhow, I will be resting for the evening! 4 more days until the weekend!!

2 weeks po today

Swollen!!! More than any other day, especially below incision and also pubic area. Ugh. I know to be patient . Otherwise I feel good! Got drains out yesterday, makes a huge difference! Now I sm paranoid about getting a seroma, I guess cause I am do swollen I am worried more. Work is going good though, not bad at all!!

19 days post op

Besides feeling great, no pain. I am extremely swollen still. It doesn't go down in am either. I woke up this am and clear red fluid was dripping out of one of the drain sites.. I repacked it with ointment and put two binders on and going to take it easy today. Yesterday my daughter and I went out all day...hair cut, out to lunch and then to movies and mall. I was ready to come home but didn't feel like I pushed it at all. I am going to take pictures of my swollen belly and post ASAP. I'm discouraged right now so reading thru people's reviews to try to find someone with similar experience.

Post op 20 days

I am still leaking fluid out of my drain site.. Kept maxi pad on it all day to prevent it from seeping through gauze. Called dr and they told me I likely had Seroma and my body might be trying to get rid of it on its own. I go in tomorrow for ps to drain it if that's the problem. I am still super swollen. I am not smaller in the morning like most people. Worked all day and was pretty busy so going to keep my feet up and relax. I am ready like most people to start exercising again but there is no way I can do it like this. Patience....

3 weeks post op

Sooo... Went yesterday to dr and I did have seroma. It was kind of small, only 25 ccs were drained. It was amazing though to see how that little made a difference in my bulging side profile! I have to go back in 4 days for another drain. It didn't hurt at all just a needle to the stomach which us numb anyway. Ps said I broke her record of not having a patient with a seroma for a year. I feel great, walking straighter and maybe it's imagination but I think the swelling is going down a tad bit.

24 days post op

I went back to dr yesterday and they drained Seroma again but only 8 ccs came out so she said I don't have to go back. My cg is rubbing me right under my breasts nbetween my rib cage and hurts like hell. They looked at it and said I probably need to get a smaller one and recommended lipoinabox. I have a stage 2 merena. They also said as long as I can stand I wear my binder super tight over it. Not possible at work so I will do t home and when I sleep. Said that will help with swelling. I have gone down for sure. I will post pics tomorrow am. I have to work today. 6 days this week.....I am ready for weekend. I have off Sunday and Monday. I think I am going to start exercising this week. Well....low impact and see how it goes. With the time change I should be able to walk th neighborhood when I get home. I usually workout at gym in am before work, but afraid I will swell big. We shall see!!!

Wow what a difference a week makes! I am way less swollen now than this time last week. I finally wore one of my looser fitting jeans last night to go out for dinner. I posted pics that I just took this afternoon. Was hoping to go for a walk but daughter has the flu..so we are chillin at the house all day, guess that isn't so bad. Cleaned for a few hours his am, much needed and neglected. It was driving me crazy. Have off tomorrow so hopefully my girl feels better and we can enjoy this early spring weather!

4.5 weeks post op

Still getting swollen but not as bad as before. I still don't fit in all my clothes, almost there though.. I don't fit in anything that was fitted or snug. Another inch or so and I can button! :) I don't want to push it either because by the end of the day my swelling can be a lot worse. I have periods of time wear I go without my binder or CG. Only for short times, like an hour or so a day. I went out to dinner on Friday without anything on and it felt weird. I had my binder in the car. Overall I feel 90%, I am not in any pain, still tight. I am going to start walking today for the first time since before surgery. I have post poned it mainly because of tightness and swelling, but I have to start at some point huh!! I am 5 pounds less than before surgery but I need to tone up my thighs. Especially before I go to Hawaii in May.

9 weeks post op

Since my last post I have just been walking it returning to my normal gym routine. I have been fitting in most clothes with them still being a little snug on waist. Yesterday I decided to head to gym before work. I did 30 Min of high intensity cardio on treadmill alternating between incline, sprint an fast walk. Then did 20 min weight training on legs. So, I have swollen up like craaaazy. More than I have for a month. I am going to stick to walking. Hopefully it will end soon. I feel like I am 4 months preggo! I will post pics soon. Scars are doing awesome. Using silicone strips.

4 months post op

Time flies!! It's been a while since I posted any updates.... I have been walking for exercise several days a week but as of yet not gone back to gym. I tried twice and both times I got super swollen. Then we went on vacation to Hawaii week before last!!! I pretty much went off healthy eating track, hiked up diamond head and thereafter was super swollen and gained five pounds. I still am swollen but it has gone down a bit. I am going to take new pictures today. Scars are healing nicely except for one breast. Around the aerola (sp?) the skin where incision is if it rubs against anything it opens...I was wearing a strapless bra that ended up scooting down last weekend and it rubbed a few spots, they are healing up fine though this week. I am using silicone strips for all scars except belly button, been using mederma on that.

Other than the swelling I am happy, no more muffin top however pants still fitting same if not snug. I guess I am one of those people that takes longer to heal. I am going to talk to doc about lymphatic massage. My swelling is on top of bb a little and then above and below incision, which I've read is normal and is last to go down. I suppose it is safe to go back to gym. I am going to attempt getting back to routine this week. Posting pics shortly!