Tummy Tuck Reviews
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“Surgery in February, 2011, Unhappy with Results - Massachusetts”
Butterfly74
Not Worth It
Spent: $6,000 in Massachusetts
Spent: $6,000 in Massachusetts
I know it's early but I am not happy with my results. I hope I have lots of swelling and this will go down but I still have a 37 inch waist.....my upper stoamch looks like a butt-two folds of skin that come together and the bottom part is flat-great, now I have a muffin top too.
I had lost a signifcant amt of weight (180 lbs) over ten years ago and had 2 pregnancies but I weighed 160 going in so not in bad shape.
The worst part is I have to pay for it for 3 yrs...hopefully after a few more weeks I will be happier and this is swelling-but I am depressed, feel very fat, have an infected belly button and am just miserable. If anyone has any thoughts of encouragement please provide because at this point all I feel is regret.
Updated on 24 Aug 2011:
Adding an update as I am now 7 months post op and being referred to another PS for a revision. My PCP thinks I was "pulled too tight" and need to have another surgery to correct it. I have had pain that never went away and finally had enough. I have stopped seeing my surgeon who claims I am still healing. Honestly, I now regret ever having this done. I work all day and cannot bend to give my 2 and 3 year old baths.
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Wendy- I have done research for close to a year on this so the profiles/before/afters as well as swell time have been my life for quite some time. My surgeon said he was going to get me as flat as he could so I was expecting something like this to happen.
Sadly I havent found any person equal in weeks post op with this much "left over" and swelling.
I am focusing on the positives and the hope for a brighter future.
I see my surgeon next week so hopefully he can help address my concerns better at this visit than last.
Thanks again.
Thank you for the well wishes!
I had mine done last Friday so I'm 5 days post op. I have posted before and after pictures.
My PS is more interested in treating the patient then making money and he's proven this to me on more than one occassion.
You didn't mention how tall you were. My PS will NOT under NO circumstances perform a TT on anyone who is NOT within 20lbs of their ideal body weight for their height. The reason is, unrealistic results. Now this may not apply to you since I don't know you're height.
A TT is not designed to help women "cut off the fat". It's to tighten the skin and ab muscles. Going into a TT as a size 14 (for example) and expecting to come out a size 4 is simply unrealistic.
Now...if this does not apply to you then here are a few more things.
My PS has me under strict instructions NOT to take off my binder for 3 weeks. I have to wear it 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Shower, you may ask?? It's call sponging and washing your hair in the sink. He said that the binder prevents and reduces swelling tremendously. So maybe you're not wearing your binder enough.
Watch your sodium intake. Eat LOTS of fruits and drink nothing but water. Try this for at least a week and see if things have changed. If not, then definately bring it all to the attention of your PS.
I truly hope things get better for you. Don't loose hope just yet! :)
I have been wearing my binder 24/7, and bought extras so I could shower with them, wash/dry them, didn't even want 1 hour without it!
Sodium is an issue for sure as everything has some but the last 3 days has literally been aux naturale....hoping it will help.
And while I posted I still have a 37" inch waist now, I was 29 inch going in.....just doesn't seem normal.
But I will hang in there. I was not a 14 hoping to be a 4 as I know that wouldn't be physically possible, but I was a 10 hoping to at least be a smaller 10 post op.
Time will tell.
I know this has to be discouraging. Maybe you're body is just resisting the new change and will settle down soon. Not everyone recovers the same, unfortunately.
I'm so sorry to hear this. Hopefully it will be just swelling and will "fix itself" in time. :)
I'll pray for your recovery.
I am 7.3 months post-op and still swell. By the end of the day my size 12 pants are tight and I can't wait to get them off and lie flat. Still having stomach spasms and feel very tight. If I eat or drink early in the morning the swelling starts right after. If I wait to eat, maybe just drink coffee and ensure the swelling starts afternoon.
I have lost no weight(genes) or dropped any sizes in my clothing although they hang differently on me. I am very active(mail carrier) have horses and lots of walking on my 10 acres.
All I know is that this healing takes a very long time. I am happy I did the T.T. with lipo because there has been a noticeable but not spectacular improvement in my physique.
I was very fortunate to not have had any complications, i.e. wound opening, necrosis, infection, or suture spitting. Drains did stay in for 21 days, I had to be aspirated once and I took antibiotic for 2 months. All in all I faired very well.
The depression just goes with it and I am just now out of it. Hang in there girl. Happy times are ahead.
Can you explain the aspirated comment? I believe that is when they use a needle to get the seroma fluid? I am curious how you knew you had a seroma? I just wonder if I have trapped fluid.
Hi Linda-I am almost 1 month post op-I know....still early. I am trying to be patient and will continue to do so.
If what is left is truly "me" I will just bulk up my workout routine and cut back on my caloric intent-not knew to me by any means so I will lose it. I should get my work-out clearance at my appt next week so will start on that ASAP.
My drains stayed in for so long because I was real "juicy" my doc said. Produced a lot of fluid. 3 days after drains were taken out, I was flying to Maine for a wedding , he wanted to give me a blood thinner shot and withdraw any fluid accumulation before I left town.
Aspiration is when the doc sticks a needle into your stomach while you are standing to draw off fluid. There is no pain because you will be numb for a very long time. Perhaps years. He drew out 60ccs, but that had taken 3 days to accumulate. I did feel a little pain when the needle sucked in some tissue but nothing dramatic. If you have to have it done it's for the better.
Swelling can be very uncomfortable and usually does not start until 10 weeks. You will shrink very nicely right at about 6 weeks. Thats when they like to do the after pics. The better you feel the more you start to do and thats when swell hell starts. After 7 months I still have it but it is getting better by the week.
My complete transformation will take a full year. I'm good with that now. Once the depression goes away you will be positive about the whole experience! Patience.
Right after the surgery my stomach was gone. Not perfectly flat, but definitely a big difference. My surgeon said she removed 5lbs. I think your surgeon did a different type of TT where you have a vertical scar, along with the horizontal scar. My surgeon didn't do that type because she said "even though the results will be better (a flatter stomach) you will have that scar".
Right now my pain from my TT is gone, but I still have pain in my thighs from the lipo. My belly button also got infected even though I was taking antibiotics. What I did for that was the following and it worked great: Wash out belly button with a Q-tip soaked in rubbing alcohol - let dry. Then wash belly button out with a Q-tip soaked in peroxide - let dry. Apply triple antibiotic to a gauze strip and put deep inside belly button and place a piece of tape over it so it stays in. Been doing it for past 5 days and infection is almost gone.
I also bought a corset like garment before the surgery and showed my doctor and she said it was perfect. I wear it along with a girdle and you can really see the results. I do have before and after pics if interested.
Good luck and make sure to keep your compression garments on!
Best wishes and keep us posted!!