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5 YEARS POST OP!!!!!
HOLY COW GUYS!!!!! I can't believe it's been 5 years. I know I'm a little bit late with my update, and I know I haven't updated in a long time. I just took a picture today and realized that I should probably update for anyone who would like to see.
And yes, I am still so happy that I did this. My life was changed so dramatically, and I don't think I would be as healthy as I am today had I not had that surgery. I'm much more active than I used to be, I recently sold my car and have spent the last 2 months commuting by bike. That would never have been possible for me where I was 5 years ago. I would never have dreamed that could be me.
And yes, I am still so happy that I did this. My life was changed so dramatically, and I don't think I would be as healthy as I am today had I not had that surgery. I'm much more active than I used to be, I recently sold my car and have spent the last 2 months commuting by bike. That would never have been possible for me where I was 5 years ago. I would never have dreamed that could be me.
ONE YEAR POST OP! I MADE IT!
Here it is, my one year post op review. I came on here on my one year intending to write my review and got caught up reading back through everything I had written. I am SO glad I not only had this surgery, but that I WROTE EVERYTHING DOWN and shared it all with you all! I had forgotten so many little details that made me smile when I read back through it. Just amazing!
So, time for updates! Life is great! I haven't gained any weight back, only lost about 5 pounds, but I haven't really been trying, just been more active with my family, which has been so wonderful. Shopping for clothes is a dream now, I've almost forgotten what it was like to dread leaving the house because I didn't have anything to wear! It's funny coming back around to the change of seasons again and not having much to wear again. Last season change of all new wardrobe! This time last year I couldn't even wear underwear, much less pants because I had three drains coming out of my nether-regions. This year I am looking through my closet and finding nothing to wear again because I have nothing that fits me. My favorite jeans from the pics I shared with you guys are 2 sizes too big, even though I haven't lost much weight, so I'm enjoying that. I'm uploading pics of the current me, so you guys can see (of course, what would a 1 year post op be without pics!).
I haven't have my scar revision done yet. It's still all funny looking. Some places have actually sunken in, and my PS says he will fix that. I still have some pain from a lump in the scarring that is over a nerve in my groin area that he will fix whenever I have the time to take care of it, but I have recently started back to work in a 9-5 job doing what I love to do and because of that, I don't have as much free time for surgery.
As for feeling, I still don't have feeling anywhere above or below my BB from my ribs down, out to about 3 inches on the right and left sides of my BB. I still have numbness in my upper hips as well. This doesn't really bother me unless I have been leaning against something and I don't realize it (like in the car, sometimes I lean against the seatbelt connector in the passenger seat without realizing it). After a bit of time, it starts to hurt in an odd way, I can't describe it. Oh well, now I'm being nitpicky!
As you can see from the pics, I still have stretch marks showing, but they don't bother me, I don't show my skin off anyways. I wanted to look better IN clothes. Not out of them. Lol. I don't really wear a cincher anymore, maybe if I overeat and feel it pushing on my muscles, but that's me being paranoid. feel like there is so much more I could and should be saying but I just have so much info, I can't narrow down what would be helpful and what wouldn't!
I guess I just want to say that in looking back, I can say my biggest worry was "will it be worth it?" My entry from a few days before my surgery talked about me having a dream where I felt the emotional weight gone after the surgery. Here's an excerpt from it: "I had a dream the other night that I was on the flat side, just by a few days, and I was so happy. It was a wonderful feeling and it showed me the mental weight that I have carried for 12 years in dealing with this tummy. I realize now that it's not the physical results that I'm worried about, it the mental one. Will it make me feel better about myself?" So glad I wrote that down because I can look back now and say without a doubt that I have achieved my goal. I feel better about myself. I no longer have that mental weight. I feel confident and I no longer hide from cameras or mirrors. I love who I am. I am not perfect, but I am happy.
To anyone looking to take this journey I say this, make sure your goal is clear. Not a waist size, or a dress size. Take stock of how you feel about yourself. Think about how you would like to feel about yourself, regardless of how many inches you lose or how many heads you turn with your results (granted, those heads turned are a nice bonus) and write that down. I know I had numbers in mind as well before my surgery of what dress size I wanted to be, and what I wanted to weigh as well. But the thing that has had the most impact on me looking back, was that mental weight that is gone and I didn't even realize it.
Good luck in your journeys, ladies! If you have questions, ask! I'll be happy to answer when I am around. I will update when I can. I love seeing your transformations as well, take lots of pictures and write everything down! You will be so glad later that you did!
So, time for updates! Life is great! I haven't gained any weight back, only lost about 5 pounds, but I haven't really been trying, just been more active with my family, which has been so wonderful. Shopping for clothes is a dream now, I've almost forgotten what it was like to dread leaving the house because I didn't have anything to wear! It's funny coming back around to the change of seasons again and not having much to wear again. Last season change of all new wardrobe! This time last year I couldn't even wear underwear, much less pants because I had three drains coming out of my nether-regions. This year I am looking through my closet and finding nothing to wear again because I have nothing that fits me. My favorite jeans from the pics I shared with you guys are 2 sizes too big, even though I haven't lost much weight, so I'm enjoying that. I'm uploading pics of the current me, so you guys can see (of course, what would a 1 year post op be without pics!).
I haven't have my scar revision done yet. It's still all funny looking. Some places have actually sunken in, and my PS says he will fix that. I still have some pain from a lump in the scarring that is over a nerve in my groin area that he will fix whenever I have the time to take care of it, but I have recently started back to work in a 9-5 job doing what I love to do and because of that, I don't have as much free time for surgery.
As for feeling, I still don't have feeling anywhere above or below my BB from my ribs down, out to about 3 inches on the right and left sides of my BB. I still have numbness in my upper hips as well. This doesn't really bother me unless I have been leaning against something and I don't realize it (like in the car, sometimes I lean against the seatbelt connector in the passenger seat without realizing it). After a bit of time, it starts to hurt in an odd way, I can't describe it. Oh well, now I'm being nitpicky!
As you can see from the pics, I still have stretch marks showing, but they don't bother me, I don't show my skin off anyways. I wanted to look better IN clothes. Not out of them. Lol. I don't really wear a cincher anymore, maybe if I overeat and feel it pushing on my muscles, but that's me being paranoid. feel like there is so much more I could and should be saying but I just have so much info, I can't narrow down what would be helpful and what wouldn't!
I guess I just want to say that in looking back, I can say my biggest worry was "will it be worth it?" My entry from a few days before my surgery talked about me having a dream where I felt the emotional weight gone after the surgery. Here's an excerpt from it: "I had a dream the other night that I was on the flat side, just by a few days, and I was so happy. It was a wonderful feeling and it showed me the mental weight that I have carried for 12 years in dealing with this tummy. I realize now that it's not the physical results that I'm worried about, it the mental one. Will it make me feel better about myself?" So glad I wrote that down because I can look back now and say without a doubt that I have achieved my goal. I feel better about myself. I no longer have that mental weight. I feel confident and I no longer hide from cameras or mirrors. I love who I am. I am not perfect, but I am happy.
To anyone looking to take this journey I say this, make sure your goal is clear. Not a waist size, or a dress size. Take stock of how you feel about yourself. Think about how you would like to feel about yourself, regardless of how many inches you lose or how many heads you turn with your results (granted, those heads turned are a nice bonus) and write that down. I know I had numbers in mind as well before my surgery of what dress size I wanted to be, and what I wanted to weigh as well. But the thing that has had the most impact on me looking back, was that mental weight that is gone and I didn't even realize it.
Good luck in your journeys, ladies! If you have questions, ask! I'll be happy to answer when I am around. I will update when I can. I love seeing your transformations as well, take lots of pictures and write everything down! You will be so glad later that you did!
Updated pics (almost 6 months PO)
I'm 6 days short of being 6 months PO. Here are some pics for you guys!
I have NOT done scar treatment because of the hardened/thickened scar across the front that my PS said he needs to revise, so I left it alone.
I am still VERY happy with my results. I have a bit of a love handle left on my left side (right in the pics) but it is hidden easily in jeans, and I don't plan on it sticking around long now that summer is coming and I will be more active. :-) Not so much pain from the scar anymore, but I am still dealing with loss of feeling up and down the front of my tummy and on the tops of both thighs to my iliac crest area.
I still have to watch my sodium intake or else I will swell, but other than that, no swelling anymore.
Never in a million years did I think I would get here. 6 months PO!!! Woo! I have days that I totally forget that I had this done. I guess it's kind of like childbirth. You are in pain and miserable when you are in the thick of it, but afterwards, you forget about all that and all you see is the result of your labor. :-) I am going to go through y'alls reviews now and catch up a bit. Bunches of new faces (and tummies) I have yet to see, and I LOVE seeing all these life changes!
I have NOT done scar treatment because of the hardened/thickened scar across the front that my PS said he needs to revise, so I left it alone.
I am still VERY happy with my results. I have a bit of a love handle left on my left side (right in the pics) but it is hidden easily in jeans, and I don't plan on it sticking around long now that summer is coming and I will be more active. :-) Not so much pain from the scar anymore, but I am still dealing with loss of feeling up and down the front of my tummy and on the tops of both thighs to my iliac crest area.
I still have to watch my sodium intake or else I will swell, but other than that, no swelling anymore.
Never in a million years did I think I would get here. 6 months PO!!! Woo! I have days that I totally forget that I had this done. I guess it's kind of like childbirth. You are in pain and miserable when you are in the thick of it, but afterwards, you forget about all that and all you see is the result of your labor. :-) I am going to go through y'alls reviews now and catch up a bit. Bunches of new faces (and tummies) I have yet to see, and I LOVE seeing all these life changes!
Provider Review
Dr. Glen Walton, M.D., F.A.C.S.