“Dog ear removed at 5 months post op-Maryland”

I have a 19 month old son that is beautiful but my stomach looks so saggy and gross... gained and lost 40 lbs from pregnancy and left with over a 2 inch gap between ab muscles and sagging tummy skin! I can't wait to be my old self again! 5ft1 and 112lbs. I am going to a surgeon three hours away in PA because he is really good!

Does anyone have any advice on what to stock up on foodwise for after surgery or what kind of clothes I will be living in for the first few weeks post op?

Updated on 4 Mar 2011:
I am very anxious at this point! I really need to take some before pics this weekend and post them.... I have to get up the nerve to post those, lol! I just want a new tummy in time for summer!

Updated on 11 Mar 2011:
Okay I am finally posting my pre-TT pictures... Four weeks from today is my surgery... I cannot wait....=) I just have so many questions since I haven't had a pre-op appt... Ugh!

Updated on 14 Mar 2011:
Okay so I am a three and a half weeks away from TT and I haven't received anymore information from my surgeons office. They told me I wouldn't have to come in for a pre-op appt since I live three hours away. So they said they would send me all of the info that I need in a packet. I just emailed them this am because I am so anxious! I want to know when the packet of info is coming....If I need a physical/bloodwork...... when will they send me my generic dr note to give to my hr dept at work and about the supplements many woman are taking like arnica! UGh! i hope someone gets back to me soon! I like to be prepared way in advance! Not a last minute person!

Updated on 14 Mar 2011:
OKay finally got some answers from the PS coordinator today! She said she is sending out my package of info tomorrow... She said there are tons of forms to fill out and call when I get it. She said they are sending me a packet of vitamins to take the two weeks prior to the surgery that have both arnica and bromealin in it along with other things to help with swelling and healing. They are sending my dr note for work saying i am having umbilical hernia surgery and sending my prescription for my drugs! Yippee! Can't wait to get my info packet!

Updated on 16 Mar 2011:
I have a question for all of you post Tummy Tuckers! I was wondering if I can wear a sports bra and panties to surgery or do they make you strip down to nothing?

Updated on 18 Mar 2011:
Yaaa, three weeks until tummy tuck! Still seems so far away! So I got my package in the mail last night with my vitamins! It is a box with 4 bottles of vitamins in it from VitaMedica. One bottle is Arnica Montana and says take three tablets 3 times a day. To start taking immediately after surgery for 14 days. Next bottle is Bromelain with Quercetin and it says start taking 1 day after surgery for ten days. 2 capsules 3x a day. Then there is a bottle of Morning multi-vitamin and bottle of Nighttime multi-vitamin. Seems like I don't need any bloodwork or anything done because they didn't send any forms. Also I got a prescription for Oxycodon and Percoset that I have to fill. And my dr note for work.

Updated on 31 Mar 2011:


Updated on 31 Mar 2011:


Updated on 31 Mar 2011:


Updated on 4 Apr 2011:
Only 4 days to go. I feel like I still have so much to do before then! I did 5 loads of laundry yesterday and went grocery shopping but still forgot some things and tried to clean the house but its hard when my toddler makes messes all of the time... I am starting to get very anxious... I am trying to think of anything I still need to do before Friday....

Updated on 5 Apr 2011:
Okay so 3 days to go... Ugh! I am really getting nervous and the surgery center called yesterday to go over my instructions the night before and day of and told me they pushed my surgery from 6 am to 11 am...because they are extremely busy... so now i have to be there at 10:15... Guess I should start getting all of my comfy outfits out and lining them up and got all of my grocery shopping done yesterday... just wondering why the dr prescribed me oxycodone and percs since people are telling me they are the same thing... weird huh? Guess I will have to call the office to ask them!

Updated on 5 Apr 2011:
Wow, so the surgery center just called again and said now I am back on for surgery at 7 am! The dr called them and said that he wanted my surgery at 7 am the original time that he told the patient (me) so good now I have to be there at 6:15... Hopefully things are straightend out now! Two more days of worrying after today... ugh!!!

Updated on 7 Apr 2011:
Okay so tomorrow at this time I will be in the middle of surgery.. I am so nervous at this point! I didn't sleep that well last night and don't think I will sleep well tonight either.... I have most things ready... I am staying at my sister's tonight since she lives a half hour from the surgery center and I live 3 hours away.. So have to remember everything that I need.... My hubby is making me nervous also because he is very nervous about the whole thing... I just need it to be here and overwith! I was trying to label all of my vitamins and supplements for him.. Its crazy all of the pills i am suppose to take... Hopefully hubby will be able to keep track of everything...lol! Good thing my MIL is coming this weekend to help out!

Updated on 25 Apr 2011:
Hi ladies, Sorry I haven't been on here in two weeks... it has been an adventure. There was construction going on in my yard and the telephone line was cut for a while and the first week I couldn't get online to walk upstairs to the computer but I am back now!

The first day I was so drugged up and allergic to whatever they gave me post op and was itching everywhere... then they pumped me full of benydral and I passed out in the recovery room! My little guy was sick with a fever that day too=( We drove three hours home that day and my husband had to deal with me and a sick toddler. I hardly remember the first day.

Day 2... I was so sick throwing up alot and had to call the dr on a Saturday for anti-nausea meds.... boy I felt 50% better on the pain level after that zofran kicked in and started drinking ginger ale and eating cheerios after that. The first two days I took the oxycodone and percs.

Day 3 I stopped taking the percs and just took the oxycodone and tylenol. I was able to eat three small meals that day but was so sore... Walked around the house a little bit every few hours....

Day 4 was my first shower... it felt so good to get showered but the drains were such a pain... they hurt...and were annoying for sure! Was so exhausted just from showering... still ate small portions and took lots of naps...walked around the house every few hours too.

Day 5 I started getting around a little better and did some laundry and dishes but by afternoon I was tired and really sore...think I over did it! Very swollen and tired of the drains being in!

Day 6 was feeling very swollen and bruised by the drain sites... Was able to shower again with help..

Day 7 drove up to Philly to get the drains removed....Hurt like hell getting the stitches out and the drains felt like snakes coming out of my body! UGH!!! I was so sore but the nurse told me that I looked better 7 days post op then 90% of their patients.

Updated on 25 Apr 2011:
I had alot of help on the weekends so far... I had my mother in law who is a nurse and a friend of mine there the first weekend. I had my mother in law and my sister in law there the second weekend which was a blessing! The second week went by quickly. I saw my PS on Thursday for a follow up and he said everything looked great and wants to see me again in a month! I have just started mederma scar treatment for my incision line and belly button... Don't know what to put on the rest of my stomach though? I also have to wear a spanx type compression garment that i got at Macys during the day and wear my binder at night to bed. I am still taking Tylenol extra strength for the soreness and discomfort...

Updated on 26 Apr 2011:
I forgot to add that my PS said that if I wear a bikini this summer I will have to put the highest spf on and stay in the shade! He said if I want to go out in the sun I will have to cover my stomach since my stomach is completely numb and the skin is stretched and will burn a whole lot easier than the rest of my body. Has anyone else been told that? Also I am really sore by my incision line too. Other than that I am sleeping in my bed and just have two pillows behind my head but haven't been able to sleep a whole night through since surgery...

Updated on 27 Apr 2011:
So yesterday I went back to work and was lifting my little guy a few times. UGH! I was very sore... I had to take a pain pill last night... sore and very swollen...not good on day 19. I took pictures anyway to post, so here they are!

Updated on 28 Apr 2011:
I will be three weeks post op tomorrow. Does anyone else have a problem sleeping at night? I can't seem to sleep more than two hours at a time waking up from the soreness...=( I have been cleared by the PS to do walking or on treadmill and light weights but I am so tired after working all day I just don't have any energy whatsoever to do any exercising.... Is it just me or does anyone else feel this way?

Updated on 2 May 2011:
Well ladies i had a really bad weekend... I totally forgot everything I was going through. Post op week 3 was Friday and i got a call on my way home from work from the hospital and my husband was hit by a car while on his motorcycle... he has been through two surgeries on his leg between friday and yesterday and had 12 bones broken in his leg...its been a long weekend...with no sleep and juggling between my toddler and husband...

Updated on 3 May 2011:
I just want to thank everyone for their support and well wishes for my husband... you ladies are the best.. it means so much to me! Good news is my hubby will be getting out of the hospital sometime this week but won't be back to work until 2 to 4 months and will be six months before he can resume normal activities. I haven't been sleeping well still and have been picking up my toddler alot but it hasn't really been hurting my tummy since I am wearing my spanx. Some of my swelling went down too which is great and I am able to wear nice fitted shirts up to the hospital to see my hubby which he likes, lol! Thanks again ladies, hugs!

Updated on 5 May 2011:
Ladies, I finally brought my hubby home from the hospital on Tuesday night. Took off of work yesterday to get him situated and made sure he had everything he needed... I also had an appt with my female dr yesterday which complimented me on my new abs...he said the PS did a great job! It was also the first time I was weighed since the TT surgery and 4 pounds are gone... I went from 112 to 108 so I must have had 4 pounds of skin! That is just crazy in a good way! Alot of my swelling is gone which is awesome...even under all of my stress taking care of my husband and taking care of my 21 month old toddler that wants to be held all of the time. I have also been wearing fitted yoga pants and tshirts and damn it feels good to feel like me (pre-baby) again! I am so happy that I love it! I know things will only get better from here on out! Still have some soreness at the end of the nights and take some tylenol but other than that no meds anymore during the daytime. Hubby cannot bear any weight on his one leg and is so tired from his two surgeries..he will be out of work for 2 to 4 months if he can go back on light duty... So I will have my hands full for a long time taking care of him and my little one... hope I have the strength for this long road ahead... I love you ladies all for all of your support! You are all great!

Updated on 13 May 2011:
Hey Ladies! I haven't posted in a bit but things are the same with hubby... still on his crutches and I am waiting on him and my toddler when I am not working... I think I may have strained a muscle in my upper abs right underneath of my breasts because there is a dull pain there when I am chasing my toddler around every night for the past week... ugh! Don't see my PS until the 23rd and will talk to him about it. I am very happy with my TT but I am always questioning whether I should have had lipo on my flanks... I will post some pics on Monday that I took in my bathing suit for everyone to see... I am loving my flat tummy! Went to the gym and did the treadmill Tuesday for 40 minutes on 0 incline at a 3.5 pace and that was enough for me... I was tired after that... I have turned into a pansy, lol! But I am still recovering... Will probaby try the treadmill again tomorrow!

Updated on 18 May 2011:
Hey Ladies, I am posting my 5 weeks post op pics! Overall I am pretty happy but I think my flank area is a little thick but I had no lipo. I am feeling pretty good. Wearing my spanx garment during the day and my binder in the evenings still. Using mederma on my scar and shea butter on my tummy... some areas still don't seem smooth...its weird. I have been walking the treadmill now last week and this week a few times a week for 45 minutes at a time with no incline...it seems hard... Like I can feel every muscle in my abdomen move...is that weird or is anyone else feeling that....? When I wake up the next day after being on the treadmill my abs are sore! Friday will be six weeks but I go for my 6 week post op on Monday! I don't like my scar on the right side, ugh! I am thinking about getting a pretty flower tattoo there this winter on my hip to cover it! Anyone else thinking of that?

Updated on 18 May 2011:


Updated on 18 May 2011:


Updated on 18 May 2011:


Updated on 26 May 2011:
I went to the PS for my 6 week check up on Monday and he said that everything looks great! He said its totally normal for the scar to be red at this point and my dog ear went away...I guess from massaging it with mederma...So he said it would be a year before the scar fades. My scar also is a little jagged right above the pubic area since I use to have a belly button ring he had to close that little area and where my BB use to be is now my scar area. Crazy! He also said I had swelling in my upper ab area but by the 4 month mark most swelling should be gone... So if I think I am happy now, I can't wait until then! I still can't do spin class or run! He told me light weights, elliptical, treadmill or stairmaster.... so those are my choices for now... I am hoping I don't gain any weight back.... its been getting into the uppper 80's here and I have hit the ice cream a few night this week...UGH!

Updated on 31 May 2011:
UGH! 7 weeks was Friday and boy did I swell all weekend long! It was horrible... I was swollen like a tick! I don't know if it was because it was in the 90's all weekend....and I didn't wear my compression garment...too hot for that! Or what happened but I don't like this swelling...I looked better at 5 and 6 weeks than I do now... its horrible... I can't wear a bikini looking so bloated and you can see my BB scar too... Think I will be wearing sundresses over my bathing suit this summer... I know the PS said it would take 4 months for the swelling to go down but I didn't expect to be more swollen now than in weeks prior =( I also did get a few good workouts in on the stairmaster and had the treadmill up to a 7.5 incline over the weekend...at least that felt good to exercise a little harder than I did in the past. I really hope the swelling passes soon because I will be at the 2 month mark on Friday.

Updated on 17 Jun 2011:
Well I am 10 weeks today! I am feeling pretty good and doing light cardio... I am going to start indoor cycling class this weekend so we will see how that goes! My whole stomach is still numb...wonder if the feeling will ever return! Sometimes it itches so bad but I can't scratch it because I have no feeling...Also having weird twinges in abs...I love going to the beach now but it sucks not being able to expose my abs because the PS said not to with not being able to feel a burning sensation or any sensation at all.. Probably won't take anymore pics until the 12 week mark... Overall I am happy so far! I am swelling alot so I still wear my compression garment as often as I can.

Updated on 28 Jun 2011:
Well update at 11 weeks post op! Have started cycling class again..this is my second week. It feels so good to be back and started strength training using 7 lb weights... I feel so out of shape after taking either one of those classes.... Keeps me motivated to get back on track. My hubby loves my new tummy...he said it matches the rest of my body... he said strong and muscular, lol! Has anyone around 11 weeks experienced twangs of pain in the upper ab area? I have been getting them often on the right side...UGH! i have been wearing my compression garment to because of it... I wish/hope it goes away. I don't see my PS again until the end of July.

Updated on 27 Jul 2011:
Wow, haven't posted in a while but went for my 3 1/2 month post op Appt yesterday and dr said almost everything looks great... my scar is still pink/purple. He said I can start ab exercises on August 8th..he said to start out light and work my way back into things. Also, I have a dog ear on the left side and he wants to do a revision for that so I am suppose to have that done on Sept 28th. He is suppose to do it right in the office with lidocane to numb the area then cut out that piece of skin and suture me all back up! I feel great right but hate my love handles since I didn't have any lipo done. Now when I eat to much like i have the past week with my son turning 2 and having mega food at my house all of the extra weight goes to the love handles! UGG! how can I exercise those things to make them go away!!!!?????? I will have to update my pics soon.... have been so busy this summmer. My tummy is still numb but I think i am getting use to it... Also have been keeping my tummy covered from the sun since dr still insists on me doing that!

Updated on 4 Oct 2011:
So I went in last Wednesday to have a dog ear removed. It went well I would say. Dr shot me up with some numbing agent then came in and cut out a big piece of skin. Seemed there was alot of blood on my gown afterwards... I didn't watch him but the suture broke and my blood splashed all over his coat and face, yuck! the second suture worked thank goodness. Just have dissolvable stitches and paper tape over it. A little bruising but wasn't bad at all. I am pretty happy with my TT but wish I would have had my love handles lipod... Don't think I have enough time or money to go back and get that done...guess I will have to try to work it off at the gym.

Updated on 17 Nov 2011:
Okay so just updated my pictures finally! LOL! I am happy with my side view but the front view I am not totally happy about... I have the love handles you see. I think that I should have gotten the lipo on the love handles when I had the surgery...but who knew how it would look after right? i am also a few pounds heavier then I was right after my surgery. My weight fluctuates now between 112 and 115 depending on my eating and exercising on a day. I try to get in some good workouts... spin class 3 days a week... and 3 thirty minute strength training sessions... that is about all i can do with a 2 year old to chase after and working full time... My tummy is still numb basically from right below the incision line up to my bra line... who knows if the feeling will ever come back and its hard to do ab exercises...I find my abs very weak since the surgery even though they are sewed together... I guess I need to work on Ab exercises more to strengthen them... I feel confident with my clothes on and can wear beautiful form fitting clothes... but in a bathing suit i am still a little self conscience since i have those love handles...