“TT/MR/No Lipo...vertical incision...the journey continues 1-18-12 update...- Illinois”

I will be one of the last October tummy tuckers...Oct. 31st for me! I am 44 and have had 4 large babies (two were over 10.5 lbs and two were 9 lbs). My youngest just turned 5. I am 5'9" and have pretty much always weighed around 120, so those babies really did a number on my stomach skin and muscles!

I had my first consultation in January to talk about the extra skin. That's when my PS pointed out my separated muscles...why on earth hadn't I realized that before? Everything made perfect sense to me after that...the bulge I couldn't get rid of, the strange shape when I would do a sit-up, etc :) I really felt I needed to wait until the fall to get this done, due to kids activities and such. Soccer and football are now over, so it's now time for me!

I am aware that I may need a small vertical incision, as well as the hip to hip. My PS won't know if I have enough skin to pull all the way down until I am in surgery. I am hoping not, but expecting it. I have a long torso and carried my babies very low, so the bulk of my extra skin is low...definitely have sag above belly button, though!

My username picture is the view from our balcony on a past vacation. I am hoping someday I can take another picture like that while wearing a 2-piece :) That is why I chose that photo. Seriously, I can't imagine wearing a 2-piece, but I want to so much!

I will attempt to add some before photos now.

Updated on 3 Nov 2011:
Starting 3rd day post-op...had my surgery Monday and it is now Thursday morning. I think things went really well. Probably the most pain at hospital was waking up in recovery, due to the fact I was laying a little flatter than maybe I should have been. Seriously, my first thought after opening my eyes was, "Dang, I definitely just got a tt and why am I laying so flat?" After going to my hospital room and getting situated, my pain was never that bad.

I was surprised at how awake I was all day at the hospital (got settled in my room around 1pm). I brought nothing to do or read, because I thought I would be so out of it, but really ended up getting quite bored...thank goodness for House Hunters on HGTV :) I ate some ice chips, but then needed some nausea meds., which helped. Around 6pm was able to eat chicken broth, jello, and have sierra mist to drink.

I did end up with a vertical incision. My ps uses glue on the incisions and they aren't covered (other than with the binder), just gauze over my opening to my drain. Showered the next morning at hospital and was very surprised I wasn't light-headed getting up. It was a quick shower, put my own clothes on afterwards, and was ready to get back to the bed. My husband and youngest son showed up and waited while I drank fluids, since I hadn't urinated enough on my own yet to be released. 45 minute ride home was about what I expected, really noticed every bump and turn.

Got home and was able to go upstairs for a change of clothes. I was imagining not being able to go upstairs for awhile, but not really a problem. I decided to change into a long shirt and soft flannel shorts (no undies). No undies means not having to take my binder off each time I go to the bathroom. Since my gauze was being tucked into my undies, I just put a panty liner where the gauze was and stuck it to the binder. Made my way down the steps to the recliner, where I've spent most of my last 2 days.

Headaches were the worst of my pains, so I was taking the max of my pain meds. All good, until my stomach decided it was a bad idea. Yes, I vomited on Tuesday night...and again Wed. afternoon, and Wed. night!!! My husband called the ps office and he picked up some anti-nausea meds. Wed afternoon...they are gross and I really don't want to take them. I have stopped taking any pain meds as of early evening last night. So far my morning toast has not returned :) and my pain is fine, so will stick with this plan for now. So basically, my throwing up was caused by me overdoing the pain pills, which I was taking mostly for my headaches. I was so scared to look at my incision after getting sick last night, but it seems fine.

Not a lot in my drain, and my ps requires all patients to take the shots to prevent blood clots...something I don't recall reading before. Before bed I give myself a shot in my side...not too bad and only 6 more to go! Better safe than sorry.

Sorry about typos and rambling so much. Oh, and I have a picture of my skin that was removed...will have to scan it sometime...kind of cool and disgusting all at the same time!

Updated on 12 Nov 2011:
Time for an update.

My first appt. with PS was at 8 dpo and my drain was removed. I had no drainage for at least 3 days prior to this, so was not surprised...super happy though! I had a lot of bruising, which he said was due in part to being so thin. It looked like I was beaten with a bat on my inner thighs. I can't help but wonder if the Levonox shots contributed to some of this...oh well. All looked good, but I do have more swelling around one side of my bb, which he will keep on eye on. Was told to start using lotion on tummy and come back in 3 days. I have started using Palmer's. I then went to lunch with husband and youngest son and it felt good to be out in public, even if I was the slowest and most hunched over person I saw :)

At 10 dpo I drove myself about an hour away to drop of some work stuff, went to Target, and drove back home. I was slow moving at Target and ready to leave after 20 minutes. I may have overdone it, as I was more swollen that night than ever before.

11 dpo drove myself to PS (along with son). My PS thought the swollen bb area wasn't as large as 3 days prior. It definitely wasn't larger, but I'm not sure about it being smaller. He won't do anything to it this soon, so we will just keep an eye on it. His main concern at this stage of the game is checking for infection. I made another trip to Target and felt tons better than the day before. Having my 5 year old with me gave me confidence :), plus it was only around 10am (lots of energy in morning for me). We took the 5 kiddos to see "Jack and Jill" this night. My advice for anyone going to a movie...don't sit on the end of the aisle, because you will have to move each time someone wants out.

12 dpo today...added 2 more photos, which shows how one side of bb is more swollen. Things don't look centered, because of this. Back when the swelling was even, things did look centered, so I'm not concerned with that right now. The overall swelling has gone down each day, but still a long way to go! Will see PS again on Tuesday (at 15 dpo).

Updated on 16 Nov 2011:
Day 15 po and PS decided to try and drain area around bb. Very glad he did, because it was so tight and not getting smaller (honestly, I was a little down in the dumps about it the two days prior to this). Success...not sure how many cc's, but he filled about two syringes worth. I left the office feeling awesome :) and go back in 1 week to check it again. My tummy is still kind of a mess to look at, but I am seeing improvement each day. Glue is starting to flake off and I can see more of the incisions. There is one section on my vertical scar that is barely visible...crazy how the body heals.

Updated on 28 Nov 2011:
PS drained a little more again at my 22 dpo appt... any amount is good to me. I woke up the next morning feeling that maybe my stomach actually would be flat someday, as I didn't have as much of a lump around bb. This was the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, and I still hadn't been able to button pants yet. For Thanksgiving I wore leggings, tall boots, a stretchy tank that covered my binder, and a long sweater...nobody suspected a thing :) I didn't feel like explaining my tt to my in-laws, and my kids didn't say a word!
We stayed in a hotel for 2 nights, and it was the first time I slept in a bed all night. I think my bed at home is just too firm for me right now.

It's hard to believe I am at the 4 week mark! I'll post some pics that I took last week and today. Another appt. tomorrow.

Updated on 5 Dec 2011:
5 weeks today!

PS wasn't able to drain anymore at my appt. last week, so I have been massaging the area around bb. I wasn't so sure it was going to work the first couple of days, but am finally believing it is getting smaller...happy about that. I may not always notice a difference, but I can tell when I look at the photos I posted. It's so nice to have the pics on here to easily compare progress...hope I don't post too many!

Made the mistake of going "binder free" to a basketball game (4.5 weeks po) and ended up swelling in the shape of the waistband on my jeans...lovely :) Besides the b-ball game, can't seem to give up my original binder. I did sleep last night without it (back sleeping only) and was good this morning. Everytime I try a different garment, I'm back to my comfort zone by midday.

I haven't been back to the gym, but plan to this week. I am curious about the swelling that may occur afterwards.

Won't see my PS for another 5 weeks. I posted more pics from this morning.

Updated on 18 Jan 2012:
11 weeks

Saw my PS yesterday...had to cancel last week (bummer) due to a snowstorm. I was looking forward to hearing his opinion on the area below my bb. He was wonderful and said everything I was hoping/expecting he would. I didn't honestly think he would say it looks fine, but I was wondering how I would act if he DID say that! We are going to wait another 6 weeks and see if the "bulge" around bb goes down more(I will continue massaging it) and I will then have a revision at some point. He thinks he will do a little lipo on the bb area, and then make an incision from the top of my current vertical to my bb...kind of a football-shaped cut and then pull the skin together. I also have an area on one hip that will require one stitch. Not really a "dog ear" I don't think, since it's more likely something he will drain.

I am surprisingly ok with this additional incision. I told him I would prefer a longer scar that will only look better over time, rather than keep things the way they are and have no improvement. My vertical scar I have now has healed nicely, so I hope my future one will do the same. Looking on the bright side...I will loose a little more of the wrinkly skin below my bb :)

Some people will look at my pics and think "Yuck, glad it's not me" and I totally understand that. It's not ideal, but it is my reality. I did not have enough skin to pull down, so it was this or not doing it all. I am happy with my muscle repair. My pants fit how they should! It's especially noticeable with my workout clothes...man I hated how my shorts used to bulge out in the front.

I will update if I have any news on the revision. It's hard to find info/photos on vertical incisions, so I hope I can help someone else.