Tummy Tuck: Stories

Oddly, when I was younger, I thought that people who had plastic surgery were crazy and insecure. What a few years bring, no? I am 5'3" and average ~150 lbs. Five years ago I was 200 lbs, and in the Philippines for a wedding with lost luggage. I was forced to go shopping for clothes in a land where nothing fit me. It was a rude awakening...shopping in the men's store for pants that would button! Needless to say, a (much needed) divorce and the South Beach Diet put me on track.

I met my current husband about 2 months after I was divorced, and began to eat again like he did, piling on the pounds. When I was up to nearly 180, I realized again that this was a destructive pattern, and have maintained my weight for the last 2 years @150 with diet and exercise.

Of course, my midsection has taken a hit. I was always stocky. As a teen I competed in near national level gymnastics, lifted weights, was on the diving and track team. I rode bicycles in college and worked out in the gym in graduate school. But, I always had a gut, even when I was at my thinnest. I still work out 4x per week for an hour a day. Now that I'm 42, I have made the decision to undergo abdominoplasty with liposuction of flanks and possibly rectus muscle tightening.

I contacted a plastic surgeon who did a virtual consultation online after I sent him some pictures (as a pre-consultation,of course). I found him after looking through before and after galleries with a number of body types similar to mine, and consistently favorable results.

I have no intention of being a size 2, I just want to be able to button my nice jeans without praying to take them off all day.
After several decades of New Year's resolutions to (HA!) lose those last 10 lbs, I realize that I am where I'm going to be. I love my body, but really can't stand that gut. Yo yo dieting, and a genetic predisposition to be an apple has put me in a place where this midsection is untouchable except for a surgeon's knife.

My biggest impediment to surgery is taking time off of work. In the last 20 years, the longest I was off work for 4 weeks, and that was in between a job switch. I have to work double before and after a vacation so that my hours match up in any month. Even then, taking 2 weeks off is problematic for me.
I am glad I came across this website. I've eagerly read through the post-operative courses and realize that most people have some sort of an 'awakenings' moment around 10-14 days post op with a paradigm shift in discomfort.

Although my job doesn't involve heavy lifting, I am constantly up and down out of a chair, and moving around.(ok, spoiler, I'm an MD-we're people too!). I would prefer not to advertise in my workplace that I'm having elective surgery, but I don't think I'll be too spritely on return, and it will be noticeable amongst my peers, who notice every little tic and muscle kink.

In all, my husband is supportive. My sister is a general surgeon, and feels that I'm an excellent candidate for this surgery, in that I'm aerobically fit, nonsmoker, no medical problems, and with stable weight for several years. After telling her about my thoughts, she said that she was going to suggest it to me anyway.

My goal is to get into the best physical shape possible cardiovascularly prior to the surgery, as I see that this seems to speed recovery.
Thanks to all of you that have posted on here, even the gory details. These are what people need to understand the process.

Was looking forward to my surgery later this month, but wouldn't you know it...wiped out in a high speed ski area and had to have reconstructive surgery on my knee! I'm now 3 weeks post-op and have a little taste of what the post operative experience is like, and how good (or how my husband thinks)...badly I handle pain. I've been on crutches for nearly 2 months but weaning off. I thought about keeping my abdominal surgical date, but my priority is getting my strength back in my leg. I've put off abdominoplasty until late August as a result. There is no substitute for good health.
Interestingly, I've learned a few things about elective surgery from this debacle. Regarding the knee, I've found that the better shape one is in prior to the surgery, the MUCH faster the recovery. I would bet that this holds true for the abdomen as well, in terms of muscle tone and cardiovascular conditioning.

Also, I found that after all the anesthesia wears off (a day or two), its good idea to get up and move around as much as possible, as much as that seems to suck. I found that the less I moved around, the worse I felt, and as painful as it was, the more I moved around, the better I felt afterwards. Even just a trip out of the house to a local quiet restaurant or coffee shop (someone else driving) was exhausting, but really picked up my spirits.

Another thing...less mobility means less exercise, and watching what I eat. Its been difficult to avoid easy to grab and munch junk foods, and I have been less than perfect, but I didn't want to be on crutches for several months and hauling around an extra 10 lbs. (my deltoids are now fabulous). Just for ease, bought two family-size pre-made spinach salad mixes from Costco (has egg, a little cheese, cranberries, and some BACON-yum) and ate that twice a day post op. Helped with constipation from the pain meds, tasted fantastic, and was easy to prepare and eat. Stuck with similar foods for awhile, and have lost 4 lbs in past month with no exercise. Goal was to not gain. Bottom line, I found something that worked for me, was easy to do, and tasty.

Will take these lessons to my abdominoplasty in August. Good luck!