Tummy Tuck: Stories

Hi y'all! I am so excited to have scheduled my TT for 12/28!! After 4 children, my abdominal area is a sore spot for me. I have this pooch that just hangs there. I hate it! My self-esteem is lowered due to this and (TMI ALERT) it has negatively impacted my sex life with my husband. I am always re-directing his hands and I wont let him see me naked. I'm so ashamed. When I initially brought up the idea of a TT to my husband last year,he was very opposed to it. He didn't think I needed it because he loved me no matter what. Well,that's great but I don't love me. A year later and a lot of tears, he's realized how important this is to my confidence.

I had multiple consults. The first one I went to, I broke down and cried thru the pictures. I don't let my husband see me and now that stranger was looking at me standing in those hideous paper panties exposing all my weaknesses. He was very very caring and talked me thru it. I knew there was no turning back. My second consult, I felt more comfortable with the staff and PS and I felt the pricing was more in line with what we wanted to pay.

I am thrilled to be a part of this forum where we can share our experiences, fears and triumphs.

So excited that it is getting closer!! I'd like to hear from some folks about the post-surgery swelling. I see some variation in people. Some complain of swelling for weeks others not so much. What has your experience been? I'm so excited!!!

I also need to start making a list of things I will need while I am down and out. Ideas? suggestions?

I have not told my family as of yet. Not sure I will actually until it's over. I would feel bad doing it that way but I just don't need the negativity.

Gosh it's 1210 am I can't sleep. I need to be at the surgery center at ten am so thankfully not too early. That's all the longer I can't have a drink lol. Sooo looking forward to this

Sitting here in pre-op. Yikes I'm really doing this! See ya on the flat side tt sisters!

Home from surgery. In some pain. Resting up. The plus side is my sweats falling down when I was scooting to the potty. Hot damn!

Gosh I was so sick last night. Nausea and vomiting all night.

Well I have managed to keep toast down. This morning I feel like I got beat up. With a bat. in my back. I have a heating pad on my back.

Between bracing for a cough and needing to poo I'm hurting! I brace for the cough but I feel like I'm splitting open. Anybody with tips?

the cough has subsided for which I am extremely thankful. Everytime I coughed I had to brace myself and truly felt like I split open a few times. Still waiting on a BM but I feel things stirring so I think that may be soon. I think my concern is that I think I look pudgy. Is it the swelling or did I just not get the result I had hoped for? Does anybody else feel that way? If so, how soon did you start to see your new shape? I'm trying not to be discouraged by the pudge ball belly I have ha ha. On the upside, my hubby washed my hair this morning, gave me a spongebath and even dressed me. He is trying to be reassuring about the swelling telling me it will pass. He did point out to me that prior to my date I would read him notes from this site about how people didn't truely see the finished product for weeks. Now he's wondering why I didn't listen to myself. Hey, we live in an instant gratification world right?

Seriously never thought I would start a sentence like that. I have some blood where one of my drain holes are and it looks like the stitch is on the drain tube. Anybody have that? Other than that I'm swollen!!

The top of my abdomen is super swollen and tight. I feel like I'm very pregnant or have a large watermelon in there. I haven't had a bm since last Thursday. My tt/Mr was 12/28.

Had my first post-op appointment today. The day started out with me crying because I look like a blubber belly and feel I look like I did before surgery. I felt I was abnormally swelled and was doomed to look like this forever. Fast forward to my appointment where she removed my lipo sutures on my sides (pinchy) and then my drains. I was so worried that she would say that I would need to keep them another week but she said let's get them out I was like YES! It hurt when she snipped the stitches from the drain tube site and it did burn/sting a bit when she pulled the tubes out. I told her it was like when you get your eyebrows waxed - the first brow is a little unexpected but you kind of brace yourself for the second brow. lol. when we got to the second drain I was a little tensed up. I cannot believe the difference having those stinkin' drains removed made. She also said my swelling was normal and my stitches looked good. She gave me a panty-style garmet to wear but said to wait until some of my swelling goes down. I'll be happy to have something different because my current CG gets all gatherd up in the middle of my waist and hurts like a SOB. I also get to shower tomorrow. she said stay in as long as I want. and I will. No follow-up till mid-february unless I had an issue. Feeling much better or at least more confident that nothing is wrong etc.

So all was well at first but now I have so much pressure and pain. Is it fluid with no place to go? Its in the area under my incision to my hip joints. I think I'm going to give in and take a percocet.

I'm starting to get depressed and discouraged with my results. To me I just look like a big puff ball. I feel as though I look the same. My hub said that's not true and that I'm just swollen. I see so many awesome results on here and I'm soooo not even close.

Took a hot shower last nite-felt amaz! Hubby washed my hair and rewrapped me. I don't know if my binder was too low or too tight but I was miserable all night. I went frim bedroom recliner to living room recliner. Between my legs and belly pain and itching I wanted to run out and jump in the snow. I took a clairitin but it didnt help itch. I put a tank under my binder that usually helps but not this time. Cannot wait for things to start looking up. Then I go on fb and my friend posted a pic of a mommy belly with a poem about how a mom's belly may not be pretty or taut but it was home to your babies so be proud if it. Soooo in addition to pain insomnia and insane itch I also felt guilt. Argh. Going to keep on keepin on and reading your stories of success. Hoping to post success or relief soon.

Bahaha to top things off my six year old just asked me if I had a baby in my belly. Id rofl if I could get up out of the recliner

So after a sleepless night Friday night I told my husband yesterday that I wanted to go to Target. So he helped me shower and off we went. I got some new yoga pants and a new panty girdle. We went to Bob Evans for early dinner. I ate a grilled chicken breast which was delish! Stopped at Toys R Us with kiddos and I was spent about half way thru.TRU. fell asleep for two hours when we got home but here is the upside...when I woke uo I felt totally different. Like some bloating went away. I went downstairs to our roomand started trying on tops and I was amazed how differently they hung on me. It was the first time I could see a difference. I yelled for hubby and then made him sit there while I tried on every button down shirt I had held onto over the years despite never being able to button them now they fit and button. I am still so swollen but I was so happy! I realize today may be two steps back but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel! Chin up ladies!!

Golly yesterday was a great day as ive posted earlier. However today has kicked my butt. I'm sore and feel beat up so ive taken cues from my body and rested. I napped for a bit and hopefully tomorrow is better

So I gotta ask...I have seen random comments about taping a marble in the bb to ensure a round bb. I'm just happy to see my bb let alone worry if its round or up and down. So has anybody done this? If so when? I'm so curious about this

Occassionally I have been having lower ab contractions. Reminds me of being in labor and having braxton hicks. Has anybody else had this

Returned to work today. Granted I only worked half a day but still I AM EXHAUSTED! Life in the recliner was much easier. I guess it didn't help that I stopped at the grocery store on the way home and loaded the groceries in the car etc. I just put a meatloaf in the oven and now am kicking back. I feel bloated and sore and have a jabby feeling on my lower right side. hope i did not overdue it! I'm doing half-day's the rest of the week and working reduced schedule next week. happy I have a desk job!

Hope all my TT peeps are doing well today!

I am reading about alot of gals going to the spanx. It happens to be on QVC right now and there are a ton of different products. What is everybody getting? Are you also wearing your compression binder with the spanx ?

We have an elevated king bed and despite many attempts to climb up and into our bed to sleep I just couldn't get comfy and would end up in the recliner we have in our bedroom. Well last night that changed. Hubs put a stool for me and piled up pillows and I was out. I was comfortable and slept like a baby except for the three potty trips lol. But I was able to climb back in myself. What a relief. It was so nice to sleep in same place as my hub. He has been great putting up with my sleeping issues. If I'm comfortable in the living room recliner he sleeps on couch if its our bedroom recliner hes in bed. I even need to give props to my golden retriever, Harley. He has stayed by my side this entire time. When nobody else was avail he sat by my chair so I pull up on his collar lol. He follows me everywhere. Such a good dog.

Anyway day 16 feeling good. Probably best I have felt. And I'm down 15 lbs. Woohoo

Ups and downs. I was happy over my weight loss and bed sleeping. Then I got pics taken with my daughter before her snowflake dance and when I saw them I bawled my eyes out. To me I look the same as I did three weeks ago just like my fat is all smooshed up. Gosh whats wrong with me...

Ladies, I know many of you have put something in your BB to alter the shape. I currently have a slit of a BB and as much as I said I didn't care at the beginning (was just happy to see it!), Now, I kinda do care. I know you can put a marble or ear plug in to make a more round shape. My question to the forum is: what have you used (if anything) and when did you start using it? I"m 18 days PO so I dont know if it is too soon or how it works. I'm a little creeped out by touching it all right now for fear I'll damage something or worse yet - do something that hurts so I wanna see what you gals have done. Thanks!

Ladies - I know I can count on your opinion's. I am posting a few new pics of me last night and this morning. In y'all's experience, is this swelling or was my TT not done as well as it could have been? my abdomen is sore to the touch I had muscle repair along with lipo and also had on my flanks. I look at pics of similarily built people on here and their results seem so much better than mine. I know comparison is the thief of happiness but in the "is this normal" daily conversation I have with myself, I check on here to see if others are going thru the same thing. In most cases, they are. I feel like I'm the lone wolf with the bad result :-(

If y'all could please give me your opinion - swelling or just not enough done? Thanks ladies!

I havent updated in a few days so here I am. I'm still wrestling with this stinking swelling. Its lumpy swelling if that makes sense. My upper ab area is swelled and lumpy and above my hips its swelled and lumpy. It will pass soon I hope. On another note I feel more and more normal. I'm back into the swing of things at work and doing what I can at home. I'm cautious but I'm feeling good. I'm taking cues from my body.

So, for the last few days I've these little crusties on my tank that I wear under my compression. I figured out that it came from a part of my incision line that had a clump of scab on it. Figured it was starting to peel off since alot of it has so far. Well I had blood this morning. I took a pic of it. Is this opening or is that spitting stitiches thing or is just scab coming off? If anybody else has had that, please advise. I've read on some posts where people had the stitches and they put neosporin and gauze on but I'm hesitant to do so until I know for sure what it may be. I do see a piece of white in there but can't see it real well. I'm going to shower and see how it looks afterwards but yikes! I'll call my PS in the morning but in the interim I wanted to get input from the group.

Went to my PS today and apparently what I had was spitting stitches. I looked at pics here posted by others who have had that the stitches issue and mine didn't look like that. I thought I had an ingrown hair. Well, not the case. she said it had abcessed and she pulled that one, one on the other side and she said one is coming thru on my hip but wasn't quite ready to be snipped yet. Lovely. My hubby, using very very gentle pressure on my belly, pushed out a ton of pus from the abscess. G-R-O-S-S!

Also wanted to ask when did you guys finally start wearing your regular jeans and clothes? I'm wearing stretchy waist jeans and leggings. I have a legal conference to attend in mid Feb and I am so hoping to wear regular dress pants. I tried about a week ago and it was a no go for button. I am hell bent against buying bigger clothes so I'm hoping by Feb 11th/12th I can get into my pants again.

well, I was at the PS today about my spitting stitches and my stitches were pulled and snipped. While I was laying there I asked "is my bb healing ok". she said yes. Well, I just changed my CG and I noticed a smell. It's my BB. It's a little moist and it stinks. Has anybody experienced this? I just saw her today so I'm not as worried as I probably would be had I not just asked her if it was ok. I doubt that much changed in a few hours. Wondering if I should put neosporin on it after my shower tonight?

hope y'all are doing great. Excited for my TT sisters who are coming up on their dates! It seems like just yesterday I was counting down and now here I am coming up on 4 weeks post-op. wowza!

Hey y'all-

I'm 4 weeks tomorrow (wow - that went fast). Anyways I'm posting two pics I took this morning. I know I'm swelled and will probably remain so for a while. I ask myself "if this was my final result, would I be happy" and my answer is no so I sincerely hope this lumpy swelling goes down. It seems like it remains about the same as it has been for the last two weeks and in the same spots so I hope that really is what it is. In the interim, I've had some rogue stitches snipped and random gushing of blood from my incision which appears to be from a scab that came off. my husband is way too into inspecting my incision and I really have to be stern about the "do not pick at it" or he will. Men! I have fears of him picking at something and me totally unraveling ha ha.

Let me know what you think of my new pics (im in black undies). Thanks gals!

Just added a side pic

So 5 weeks and 2 days for me. I took these pics a few days ago (around the 5 week mark). I am still swollen and you really need to excuse the morning hair but I think I am beginning to see some improvement in my swelling. It for sure increases when I eat what I shouldn't or increase my activity. I was away on business travel last week so I did eat some things I should not have eaten but .... I do not drink any pop at all and try to avoid chips etc. Tonight is the Super Bowl and even though my beloved Steelers are not in it and my company isn't sponsoring the half time show this year we will still have a small famly party and eat they typical wings, chips/dip etc. I'll pay a little tomorrow I'm sure.

Check out my new pics and let me know what yinz think!

As hard as I have tried to avoid it, I am sick! My 3 year old and his little kisses did me in. I tried to turn so he would kiss my cheek but nooooo. the worst part of this is the COUGH!! not only is it annoying but my incision is bleeding and theres a little hole. I realize it could be from a stitch but still! Golly always something!

I have been on a whirlwind of business travel the last few weeks and havent had a chance to update. This past week I was in Chicago. While I was there I noticed a terrible stench from my bb and some bleeding. I did get a stitch out so hopefully that is all it is. I have small small hole on my Icision line thats just not closing up. Unfortunately I'm too busy at work to go to dr. Hopefully soon. Other than that I have had it with this lumpy belly. Ive seen peoples before pics that look better than my after. Ug.

So I was stuck at the airport yesterday due to many weather related delays and as I was sitting there I was able to grab folds of skin from my sides. On the plane my belly was over my jeans. My belly button area is flat but the area to the sides was flabby. I'm so frustrated. I'm 9 weeks post and I know about the swelling but I'm not buying it.

So I started the Insanity program 5 days ago. I'm 2.5 months post op (seems so much longer). Its kicking my butt but I make thru each day. I did modify a few of the jumping and reaching exercises that felt like they were tugging at my incision.

Has anybody else done this? I swell like a beast afterwards but I sleep in my compression so I'm fine by morning. Id like tO hear your experiences...

so check out my new pic - I do not believe this is normal I also do not believe this is swelling. When I get dressed my belly folds in the middle so I look like I have a butt-belly. weird sounding I know but it's true. If I pull up under my breasts then my belly is flat but then I let go and it's like "whoop there it is" ha ha.

Well, over 3 months post op and still have my belly over my jeans when I sit and bulging out from my t-shirts. It's in my abdomen. Not sure if there is damage to my muscle repair or if I wasn't pulled tight enough. I've been doing insanity to see if that helps but it seems like it's making my ab area worse which, after talking to someone, leads me to believe my ab repair is not successful. Additional lipo, in my opinion, will not fix the situation because as you can see from the pic where I am pulling up on my belly, I can pull it tight. Yes it's better than it was but to me it just seems like the bulge has shifted upwards. My appointment isn't until April 17th so I'll see what he says but in talking to others that have used him and are having similar issues, it doesn't seem like we will get much resolution.

I had my follow-up this past wednesday. I'm just about 4 months post op. as soon as he saw my belly he suggested a revision which made me feel better. he will do it in his office in August. Has anybody had a lipo revision - how did it work out? I can choose to go back under the knife again but I figured I'd try the in-office lipo first and see if I"m happy with that before going under the knife again. Nonetheless, I'd love to hear from anybody who has had a revision

Seriously y'all - LOOK at my new pics!!! I am 4 months out and this is BAD! I saw my PS and he said it is NOT swelling. He has offered to do the lipo in office at no charge but also stated that he couldn't remove more than a handful in office under that type of anethesia. Otherwise, I need to go back under the knife to fix this (with me paying for the facility and anethesia - still waiting on a quote). I am seriously bummed out this. The confidence I had from my procedure was very short lived and TBH I wouldn't even tell anybody I had this done because they would not believe me.