“Finally had the BBL with Dr. Mendieta - updated with new photos!”

OMG! All my life I wished for a flat stomach and a prominent bottom. I was not flat, but didn't have the bottom I wanted and felt it didn't fit my hips, which I did have. So I finally went ad saw two doctors for it Dr. Salzahuer (Bal Harbour) and Dr. Mendieta (Miami). I decided for Dr. Mendieta and had my surgery.



For the surgery:

I weight 118 lbs and the doctor said I wasn't big enough and asked me to gain another 10 lbs, which I did. Iy was fun being on "booty camp"- lol I ate all the forbidden foods and gained the 10 lbs in one month. I had to get a physical exam to ensure all was well and get cleared by my pcp before having the surgery.



The day before:

OMG! I was beyond anxious, stressed, scared, confused and happy! I couldn't believe it was happening!!! I had to take a Xanax the night before to be able to sleep.



The day of:

Got up at 5:00 Am and headed to the doctor. Surgery was scheduled at 7:30 AM. Once there I changed into a hospital gown, went into a room and the doc came in and started to draw on me, looked at pics I had taken of what I wanted and we spoke briefly ... (my error) icfelt I should have discussed the surgery and my wants/needs AGAIN right before surgery rather than just show him pictures. He left, the anesthesiologist came in, started an IV and was then taken into another room. Got cleaned up from my chest down with some liquid and asked not to put my hands down. I was asked to lay on the bed and the next thong I remember is waking up in the recovery room. I wanted to yurn on my back and someone kept tellin me not to. I was rolle out of there in a wheel chair and I was concerned with sitting, but was told it was OK for a brief moment. Everyone was super nice. My husband took me to a hotel nearby laying on my stomach in the back seat = HORRIFYING! Once at the hotel I got back on a wheel chair and went to the room, laid on my stomach and there was red liquid everywhere! WOW was I draining!



Next day (day 1): it was beyond hard to get up off the bed and let along walk, but I refused to "sit" so I walked to the car and went home on my stomach in the back seat.



To not bore you, the first 3 days were HORRIBLE! I was in pain, kept having to pee in pampers, couldnt get up at all, nausea, fatigue ... Luckily I didn't have to poop.



Day 3: decided I wanted to change my garment because I felt dirty and had peed on it. OMG! Almost passed out when iy came off ( 4 people helped, two to take it off, one to clean me and one to hold me and alcohol to my nose). It was as badUpdated on 12 Dec 2011:Day 5: was my first time back to the office after surgery. Sone stithies were removed. Drain stayed in because I was still draining too much. Garment came off due to a dark rather large spot on my stomach believed to have been caused by lack of circulation in the area because of the tight garment.



Day 6: oh I want my garment back on!!!! I couldn't per doc orders but the skin was soo sensitive and everything inside moved ... It hurt more not to have the garment on ... 



Day 7: was supposed to go back to the doctor to check on the spot in the stomach and the drains. I called instead and gave the i fo over the phone since i wasnt up for a car ride. I knew i was still draining too much and the spit was getting better, but was mot gone. 



Day 8: I could walk around the house and get in and out of bed easier. I was so ready for a good shower and gues what? I had y first shower in a week! Wow did it feel good?! All along I had been getting "wipes showers" lol not at all the same.



Day 9: my first post op visit with doctor. He said it was all looking great and said "wow q nalgas tenes" lol too funny! I shared I wasn't thrilled with the results and felt things didn't look quite like I expected. He said it's too soon and they ARE big! Lol he finally cleared me off those drains an they were taken out. I really like him! He is very personable, sweet, answers all questions and concerns.



Days 10 and 11: feeling better and with more energy. The red spot in my stomach is getting smaller, swelling on stomach is going down some and butt is starting to look more like what I asked for ... By ALL means I now look 10000 x better than I did before and that makes me happy already. Today I went back to the doc's office to check on the spot in the stomach, which itches like crazy and is now peeling. Additionally, I have not slept that past two nights because I have been itching all over, but especially my legs and now I have redness between the legs (inner thighs) that was not there before. Doc was in surgery so the nurse saw me. Still no garment because spot in stomach is not all better. For the redness in my inner thighs I got meds. It "may" be an allergic reaction to the antibiotics I was taking, but I find it weird that it only happened where I had lipo - anyway - gotta go back Wednesday to check on both again. Today I confirmed that I got 1280 in each cheek!!! OMG! I may just have a big ol' bootay once this is over hahaha! Doesn't quite look like it now because I'm still swollen all over AND I'm very wide. I can tell he had to fill me sideways before being able to add volume. We will see :) pics coming soon!Updated on 12 Dec 2011:So I have pictures but can't figure out how to upload them. Any help would be great! :)Updated on 14 Dec 2011:Today is my 2nd week (14 days after surgery) and I have to admit I get more desperate every day to see what I'll end up with... I used to be obsessed with Facebook and now I'm obsessed with this sits, with looking at reviews,questions and answers and before and after photos. I'm really trying to stay positive here but it's not working very well. I look at my *swollen* butt and it just isn't the size I wanted it to be!!! OMG! If now that it's swollen it is jot the size wanted it then it sure won't be oncethe swelling goes away ... I can't help but cry like unfed baby when I think of the money that I spent on this surgery which took me 10 YEARS to save and the pain I have had to bear to still be unhappy! I swear I'm about to have a nervous break down!Updated on 14 Dec 2011:Day 14: I went to check up on my dark spot in stomach and the new red stuff between my legs. I am back on antibiotics and my garment is back on! Alleluia! I had my first endermology massage today and I felt nothing throughout the whole thing. I'm being told I’m still VERY swollen and in part that's because I only wore my garment for 5 days after surgery and have been without it for 10 days. Two of the girls in the doc's office reassured me that it's too soon to judge my results and said to give it some more time for the swelling to subside. I don't know :(! I don't see how it makes any sense. If now that is swollen it is not the size I expected it to be, how is it that when the swelling goes away then suddenly it will be what I expected? If anything it will get even SMALLER! OMG!

On a different note, I have no one at home with me during the day anymore and I needed to use the bathroom. While I could have done it with the garment on because it has a whole at the bottom, I decided to take it off and OF COURSE I can't put it back on now! GRRRR! I'll have to wait until tonight to get help putting it on. I'll take pics tonight of the 2 weeks and post them.Updated on 16 Dec 2011:Just got out of my second follow up visit with my surgeon. He insists it is still too soon to judge my results and once the swelling in my stomach and lower abs goes away my butt will look with more projection. He explained he took out a FULL 4 liters of fat, which is what he I'd allowed to do. From that fat he put 1280 in each cheek, which was the most he could save/use from what he took. He explained that not everything that's taken out can be re-injected due to quality and because some of the fat also dies in the process.



I already asked about a second surgery. He thought I was crazy (in a funny way). He insists I need to wait before I even consider a second surgery and Lao asked me to quit looking at my butt for a few weeks lol. SO in the event that 6 months go by and I still want a second surgery he explains the following:

- he cannot lipo the stomach and flanks again

- fat will have to come from my upper back, arms and thighs

- survival rate the second time is better than the first time

- recovery is easier the secon time

- fee will be 8400.00 OMG! Way too high!



So let's wait and hope I end up lovin my new butt once it's all over with. As of right now I like it, I'm 100% sure I look better, I love my hourglass figure, but feel that for the money I paid it should have been exactly what I wanted (bigger). Can't blame the soc though :)Updated on 19 Dec 2011:Day 19: first day back at work. It's been a LONG day for me because I couldn't sit since I still dont have my pillow. I know, I'm a procrastinator! I have stood all day long. My butt hurts and I feel this garment is now loose in my atomic and too tight around my butt. Inuring my post-op visit last

Friday I asked the soc if I should change into a different garment. He told me to go to the lady in charge of that. They are now using a different garment that is of a softer material around the butt and of course that would cost me $200.00. I didn't buy it because I just can't right now. This surgery is going on 12k already between one thing and the other! It makes me so angry at myself for not choosing someone else a little less pricey like Salama. That guy never came up in my research. I wish he had!!!! Anyway, I have been trying to get an answer all day from my docs office as to what brand and model their new garment is to see of I can buy it online cheaper and I have gotten NO answer. I also asked for my before photos to be emIled to me and I have to pay $10.50 to get my own darn pics emIled to me! What da heck?! If u want to smile and get charged u go ahead and use this office!



Anyway, ladies who have had their BBL already and are 20 says post op or more, what garments are you using and where did you get it? Is it soft around the butt? Mine is tight and I'm about to take it off. I'm already not happy with the size of my butt can you imagine if this tight behind thing ends up negatively affecting my SUPER expensive results? Ugh! Thanks for the help :)Updated on 20 Dec 2011:So I finally called my doc's office since I wasn't getting a response to my email. They told me the garment I have now is the one they have been using for 10 years without adverse effects. They told me if I kept it on it wouldn't hurt anything. I asked why dis they switch to the one with a soft material around the butt and supposedly they are returning those and going bac to the ones they have always used. I'm curious to know if that's true! Anyway, I'm tossed! I read mixed reviews. I called design Veronique (brand) and they recommend the one with no pressure on the butt ... Ugh! I'm sure they want to sell too! Ohh ugh ugh

Updated on 23 Dec 2011:
Bello BBL friends! Not much has changed other than my skin is peeling everywhere I had lipo. Grossly peeling like nothing I had ever seen before. Flakes fly everywhere even when I have my garment on :O I didn't post pics of the 21 day mark because there isn't much change since the last time I posted pics at 14 days. I have lost about an inch and half around my hips and butt :( but I guess that's expected. I'll keep you posted.

Updated on 31 Dec 2011:
New Years Eve, a month post surgery! Can I not wear my garment tonight? Im invited to a party and don't have much to wear *for a good reason* lol. Jeans were banned by doc for 3 months and my garment shows thru all my dresses because it's a one piece that ties over the shoulders. What to do?!
As for results, in my opinion the butt is a lil' plumper now. Still swollen, still stiff and tight around stomach and sides. I'll be posting pics as soon as I can get my internet at home rolling again since this can only be done from a computer. Happy New Year ladies!

Updated on 16 Jan 2012:
So I posted new pics of my one month mark and my 6 weeks mark. I still don't look like I wished for, but certainly look better than before surgery and better than the first few weeks.

Updated on 3 Mar 2012:
Well ladies 3 and half months have passed and I think I have reached the "as good as is going to get" point. I'm unable to post photos because it can't be done from a mobile device and I don't have acces to a computer for now. Changes I saw in the last month and half are: my waist shrunk a tad more, my butt did NOT fluff out anymore than in my last pics but because the waist is smaller it looks bigger. My hourglass figure remains and it's most prominent now because the waist is smaller. Overall I'm happy. I still wish my butt had more projection/volume but it us what it is. I definitely look 150% than I did before and that's a plus!

Measurements before surgery:
Waist: 30 inches
Hips: 38 inches

Measurements "right after surgery":
Waist: 28 inches
Hips: 42 inches

Measurements at 3 and half months:
Waist: 26 inches
Hips: 40 1/2 inches

That's it for now ladies! Doc says waist will get smaller in the next 3 months. Will update when I see it happen :)