Tummy Tuck: Stories

How are things progressing??

I really believe you have pushed it too early. Then comes swelling and thats what it totally looks like from the photo. Surgery can be so stressful and emotional. We want it so bad then think the results are not what we envisioned. Give yourself 6 months and they wont do revisions until that time or longer..Hope you are feeling better this week?? I am now just over 1 month and so irritated with soreness and the garment and the whole process as I cant really work out. But the results will be wonderful

My doctor wouldnt even let me out of bed for 4 days after my TT...didnt want stress on the wound. I had a catheter in until the 5th day and then had drainage tubes out as well. He then put me in the private hotel rooms at the hospital so i could get used to the bed and getting used to normal living again. What you have had done is HUGE and stress on your body is intense. As most the ladies have said....make sure you wear your support garment..24/7 except when you shower. I wore mine for 12 weeks and no swelling but so much support. Im 2 years PO and still have the flatest stomach that all my friends are so envious of. And above all..REST. Dust dont rust and it will be there when you are feeling better.Dont know how old your kids are but get them to help you out and if Dads around get him on the broom and mop. If you are not happy with your results after a few months then head back to your doctor and get it sorted but dont over do anything in the beginning as you wont have a leg to stand on if you havent followed your recovery instructions. Best of luck

Girl....you have some swelling. I had my surgery 6 months ago and I still have swollen moments where I feel pretty icky. You have to be patient...you have to wear your garment...you have to take it easy. You just got this surgery and your expectations are not realistic at all. You have to give your body, and mind, time to heal from this. You cant be cleaning house, swimming, running, or doing things like you used to before the surgery. You might not have pain, tenderness, or hardness but your body will still be healing and recovering on the inside and this can take up to a year. If you really are that unhappy make an appointment to go in and talk to the doc. Dont just shrug off this entire surgery, and journey, because your not seeing immediate results. I think it looks fabulous considering you just had this done...you must really take a deep breath, chill out and relax, and talk to your doc...

Relax. You are very swollen because you had a major and serious surgery. You might swell for months. Put the binder on and leave it on except to shower. Put your feet up and drink lots of water. Be patient and realistic. I lost four inches in my waist...but it took months to get there. A tummy tuck is a major dissection.

This first month has been a huge curve. I was told by my surgeon to wear the CG 24/7 the first month. Rest and rest. One day my stomach swells, the next day my leg swells, then my neck hurts, then my sides...It is major surgery. I have 3 different garments. Long legs, short legs, clasps and not clasps depending on how much I can take. Sometimes I feel like I am suffocating and cant breath. I got an awful cold/cough that is just going away after 1 month. Try coughing with sore everything. Eat clean, lots and lots of water and get someone to do your housework for a month. Make a deal with someone they do yours and later you will do theirs...LOL just an idea!

Uve def started doing too much too soon! Ure swollen for sure. Had mine 2 yrs ago and my PS has an amazing nurse who handles post op care. If I were to do anything out of order , trust me, she could tell soon as she saw me. Be sure u have ur velcro binder on everyday all day till u upgrade to the spanx-like garment. Do not cheat on those garment bc not only is that keeping swelling down but redraping ur skin to ur new shape. U def do not want flabby results long term. Remember, everyday could be diff from the previous depending on how ure treating ur body. Cautious with salty foods as well. Retaining water isn't a good look either ! Haha key is to be patient and follow Dr orders! Good luck!

Everybody else has said it, but looks to me like swelling. When all is said and done you may not look like you expected to (the PS uses the cream of the crop for their advertisement pics) but it should get better. Find a binder or compression garment if you don't already have one, it will help. And be patient, I know it's difficult. For heaven's sake don't get depressed, too easy to comfort-eat and negate your results (ask me how I know, lol). Sending you healing patient vibes. Give it time. :)

Really, are you wearing a binder? The swelling is completely normal as the lymphatic system has to re-establish itself. This is where the fluid drains downward and if I didn't wear my binder or at the very least some compression garment, I was very swollen. My Dr suggested that this would help keep the swelling down and I found this to be true. It is a process and I believe it took at least a good 6 weeks before the swelling wasn't an issue. Everyone is different I realize but I would suggest checking with your Dr.

Perhaps you started moving around too soon.

I'm almost 3 months PO and I still have days when I'm more swollen then others...especially if I was on my feet all day. I can't believe you were doing housework on day 4!!!! Didn't your PS give you post op instructions? For the first 4 weeks I wore my binder 24/7 and I still wear it when I feel and look swollen. Perhaps you caused some type of "damage" by doing too much too soon. What does your PS say? I love my results and have no regrets...even on my swelling days. Good luck and relax! Allow your body to heal!!! You had major surgery!!!

I think you are expecting too much. Well according what you said you are doing great. I couldn't stand up straight for a month!! It took me 4 months to see the close to final result. But boy after 6 months I could say the best thing I have done for myself. Be patient TT is not a fast fix! Now at about two years post op My stomach looks like fitness models.

I think You Need to take it easy, why would you be driving and doing housework on post op day 4 seriously? This is not a joke , I don't want to be mean or disrespectful but when you don't take it easy this is what happens!! When you do too much your body reacts by getting swollen, you are still fresh BELIEVE ME you will look better, give yourself time and rest, don't stress about it we usually want to see immediate results but it doesn't work like that is a very slow process, one day you are up and feeling beautiful and the next day you are down feeling ugly, I'm almost a year post op and still have those ugly days AND believe it or not I'm still in the recovery mode ( maybe I'm crazy!!) and to this day I take it easy when it comes to lifting things.... Stay positive.....

What did your doctor have to say? It could be lots of swelling.

PS it looks like a lot of swelling. I would also ask your doctor about a seroma. Fluid pocket. He drained one side of my abs that was real puffy and took 2 huge syringes out. It really helped.

My sense is, from all I have read, is that immediately post-op is as good to end result you will see for a long time after these due to swelling. It looks great, swells and settles, swells and settles -- it's not a straight curve down to zero swelling. Then it all starts to look really good. Swelling can be so bad I gained ten pounds in the two days after surgery -- a lot went to my legs, some in my abdomen. Pretty serious. Then it all calms down, just takes a long time. Your binder is your best friend. Swelling gets worse at end of day. The more activity you have, the more swelling you have.

It has been 1 month for my major lipo. Finally I am seeing some real results. I had so much swelling..Who was your surgeon? I live in Edmonton but had lipo in Cancun. I had consultations with 4 surgeons in Edmonton but researched about 10 of them! It takes 3-6 months to see some real results. I have had a real tough 1 month!

In the end, you will look better than you looked on day 2. Trust me! I dealt with swelling for about a year. I am 2 years post-op and things are great. Just hang in there.

It may be swelling. I am coming up on six months now and it's just starting to look great.

I have to wear my compression garments 24/7. We all have lots of swelling. I'm po 17 days and I'm swollen but think big pic. It will come. Hang In there.

It's only been two weeks?! Have patience. You'll be fine. Wear your compression garment to stick the flesh back on to the muscle.

Can I ask who is your surgeon? I am going for tt in Edmonton, AB on the 28th!