“Scar and bikini...do you care if it's visible or not?”

Hello ladies...I am a 45 yr old mom of a 7 yr old and 5 yr old. I have been physically active all my life...running marathons, triathlons, etc...but since mt babies, my body has never been the same. Seems no amount of diet or exercise changes this fact.

So as scared as I am...here I go. My husband is not being super supportive so this worries me a bit especially since I'm gonna have to count on his help quite a bit. I will post per and post pics as soon as I can figure out how to do it...lol.

Updated on 11 Feb 2012:
hi ladies, i changed my mind on doctors so i am now going in on March 9th...deposit paid and all...anyone else going in that day?

Updated on 27 Feb 2012:
hi everyone, i am getting sooo excited...but thinking maybe i should be more nervous than i am...am i crazy? lol
i am having a full tummy tuck w/ muscle repair and hernia repair, breast aug (exchange actually from a saline implants from 1995 going bigger and silicone), lipo to flanks and low back.
i am 5'5 and currently am hovering around 145...about 15 lbs heavier than i usually am...yuck. oh well, will try to drop a few lbs in the next 11 days.

hope you are all well!!! so glad i found this site!!!! and all you ladies!!

Updated on 27 Feb 2012:
hi everyone...i'm 11 days away and getting really excited. hope you all are doing well...i am having the full tummmy tuck w/ muscle repair, breast aug (exchange from old saline implants from 1995...going bigger and silicone this time), trunk lipo (flanks and low back).
by the way, i finally posted some pics...yuck...i wasn't holding my gut in (which is so habit nowadays) so i could capture the real way the tummy is...i am currently 5'5 and hover around 145ish...i am about 10lbs. more than i usually am...double yuck.

Updated on 1 Mar 2012:
i know this may sound silly...but i'm kinda feeling the same anticipation/excitement i felt with my first pregnancy. the waiting, the excitement, the unknown...will it hurt. will it not. anyone else feel that way? i am 8 days out from the BIRTH of a NEW ME!!!! right? lol :)

Updated on 1 Mar 2012:
i posted some new pics, too...take a look at the old boob jobs...from 1995. they only had one type of implant...so funny. it has come such a long way and i can't wait to update as i never really felt like these fit my body very well...not to mention the one on the right side never dropped into the pocket like it was suppose to despite me doing all the massage exercises etc. my new ps is gonna clean out the scar tissue and i'm going w/ mod profile silicone this time so hoping i get a bigger, but more natural look...w/ more of a drop rather than so high up on my chest.
i also added some pre op pics of my low back as the ps is gonna lipo the sh#t outta that muffin top area...can't wait!!! i never ever had muffin top prior to pregnancy...:)

Updated on 1 Mar 2012:
on the subject of size...ok, ladies...take it from someone who knows...and from most if not all of my friends w/ boob jobs...you will always wish you had gone bigger...i hear it from everyone (including my own feeling) more than not.
i was a A cup, if that, and was concerned when in '95 the ps said let's put u at a full c...i thought wholly shit, i'm gonna be huge, everyone is gonna notice, i won't be able to run (at the time i was competitive in triathlons and had run a few marathons, too)...but honestly, i wanted to be the size i was when i was swollen right after surgery...i did settle into the full c size...but i always thought i should have gone a bit bigger....take the advice for what it's worth. :)

Updated on 2 Mar 2012:
what kind of pain med's did your doc give you?

Updated on 5 Mar 2012:
Gosh...I keep reminding myself to keep my eye on the prize and not over think the procedure logistics as I have a weak stomach forbthebthoughtbofbhow it all comes down.
And I feel very lucky and blessed that I get the chance to create a new me. I know a lot of mommies wouldnkillbfor the opportunity and I want to stay mindful of this.
I go in Friday...any last bits of advice from those of u who have bravely gone before me?

Updated on 8 Mar 2012:
any tips on staying relaxed the day before surgery??????? i've been fairly calm up until now...yikes.

my doc said i could take a vallium tonight to help me sleep. did anyone else do this and did it help?

Updated on 9 Mar 2012:
i will try to post something a bit later today...gotta get in shower and head to hospital!! thanks to everyone for their support!!! xo

Updated on 11 Mar 2012:
I don't know what I was expecting but I can honestly say I have sailed w this recovery processes effortlessly so far. I feel very lucky for it. Definitely delivering my babies the natural, old fashion way was way harder, for me.
So I'm just letting all you mommy's who are about to embark on this wonderful journey back to you...try not to let ur self be scared and soak up all the excitement! You deserve this!

Updated on 15 Mar 2012:
good lord...i knew this would be difficult with my husband as he wasn't super supportive of my MM but i am finding i am definitely overdoing it and swelling and feeling a bit light headed because he is simply not doing anything different to help. i'm still having to clean the house, get kids ready for school, pack the lunches, take the kids to school...i don't know what to do. my doc even told me yesterday i am overdoing it since i am still swelling so much. am i alone here? or does anyone else find themselves in the same situation?

Updated on 15 Mar 2012:
ok...so i already spilled my guts on the husband not doing anything...my next question is this:

so i had a breast implant exchange from 350 saline from 1995, told the ps i wanted bigger and to go saline...so he went w/ 445 saline...but i am disappointed b/c they feel like they are the same size as the old ones...which was a full c...i was very explict about wanting to be either a full d or a small dd...now, granted, i am still in the hospital bra and can't take that off til the incision heals but i can just tell from feeling them that i really think they are the same size. what do i do? i really expect him to change them to the full D or small DD...is that something he will do? i know i need to ask him. and i did tell him i thought they didn't feel any different size wise than the other ones but he told me to give it time. I would think they would be much bigger and swollen...but they are not. and if they aren't bigger now, right after surgery, due to swelling...i can't imagine they are actually gonna wind up bigger after it's all said and done. has anyone else had this problem? boobs being smaller than asked for?

Updated on 16 Mar 2012:
My old ones were a full c and for the exchange I told him I wanted a full d or small dd...they sure seem like same size to me although they r silicone and not saline like my old ones. Has anyone experienced this?

Updated on 17 Mar 2012:
has anyone found a way around this? i can't stand the pantie lines either and i'm suppose to wear this sausage suit for 3 months...any solutions that you all know????

Updated on 20 Mar 2012:
Granted, I am still very swollen but have to say to anyone thinking of doing a MM to go for it! Just be sure to find a great PS. I couldn't be happier! I will try to get some new pics up soon...just remember I am still swollen . Hope u all r doing and feeling as ecstatic as I am! Xo

Updated on 21 Mar 2012:
gosh, i took a shower this a.m. and did the wrong thing and looked in the mirror. i cannot believve how swollen i am then i get to thinking i have gone thru all this to still be this size. i haven't had an appetite, have hardly eaten anything in 2 weeks. i feel like my legs are huge and my stomach is enormous (i know it's swollen) and my boob arent the size i wanted.

i'm gonna go get a good cry out of my system and will check back later. thanks ladies. glad i have you all.

Updated on 22 Mar 2012:
Yesterday during my crazy

Updated on 22 Mar 2012:
Went to doc today for check up and it appears I had a lot of fluid build up hence all the tummy pressure I was feeling. Holy shit, I feel Ike a new person. Hope you all have a great day!

Updated on 26 Mar 2012:
wow, i just can't believe how awesome this MM has been for me. I truly feel like i have a new lease on life. i love catching a glimse of my profile and not sucking in my gut seeing a flat belly. damn, this is worth every ounce of discomfort and cost.

Updated on 2 Apr 2012:
help a sista out...is it ok to go for it? my surgery was march 9th...i just don't want to infect anything or mess up TT scar.

Updated on 2 Apr 2012:
still very swollen....and still the nurse is getting about 50 cc of fluid out per few days.

Updated on 4 Apr 2012:
Gosh, this Friday will b 4 weeks and I'm just feeling so down. Swollen and fluidly is discouraging. Dull ache is subsiding some so thats good. I feel like I shouldn't need painkillers anymore but I just can't b pleasant at home w the tightness from fluid (in between draining atvdr office) along w dull ache.
Also, I just don't know what to do about boob size. I am totally disappointed in the size. I sure thoughtbibwas very clear w my ps and even sent over a dozen pics of sizes I liked. I really don't see much a difference at all from my old implants even tho he added 100 cc. I showed a girlfriend yesterday and while she thought they looked nice she agreed they weren't visibly bigger. What do I do?

Updated on 11 Apr 2012:
hey all you hot stuffs...so i saw my PS today and got the clearance to start doing my thang....which is running (i've run for 20 years)....so i am sooooo excited!!!!!! also, as my swelling keeps going down...i am now super ok with the size of my boobs...i know you all have heard me complain thinking they weren't big enought, etc...but i am thinking as i keep going down and down i will be right where i wanna be...
anyway, hope you all are doing well.
love, love, love this site....
xxooo hugs to all those healing!!!!!

Updated on 15 Apr 2012:
still swollen but doing ok...finally running....albeit, slowly, still doing 45 plus minutes and i feel great when done....nothing hurting at all during or after.

i have figured out that plastic surgery is a sidebar and huge advantage but doesnt' replace hard work...so to keep my investment in check i definitely need to work out and eat well...to be the person and have the body that i have had and will have again.

i am blessed to have had the procedures i have had that will help advance me a bit quicker (fingers crossed) but at the end of the day....we are still really responsible for our bodies and how they look. noone can change that for us.

anyone, that's it on my diatribe...i think i some small way...back in my mind....i was thinking after this major surgery my body would be perfectly the way i want it and while i my run i came to the conclusion that it's up to me, mostly....the plastic surgeon just gave me the jump start.

xxoo love and hugs and healing to you lovlies.

Updated on 23 May 2012:
Hi everyone,

hope you are all doing well. Yes, indeed, this is a journey. I must say that i'm feeling mostly recovered expect for the no feeling in by ab area. I am going back to my doc for 3 month vist on June 13th so I will see what he has to say. I think there might be a few modifications upcoming. I think he could have gotten a bit more off with the Lipo on the flanks and even tho my breasts are definitely more perky...sizewise, it definitely wasn't worth me doing an implant exchange for 5k considering the size seemingly is the same as previous BA (from '95 w/ 350 saline implants vs. the exchanged 445 silicone).

Have a fantastic day, Hot MOMMA's!! xo

Updated on 23 May 2012:
also, i have a question for some of you ladies, too...so pre MM i used to wear a bikini. Usually the tie on the side variety...with my TT scar i cannot wear any of those suits without the obvious scar. This has me a bit discouraged. Anyone else in the same boat?

I also have not dropped one (NOT ONE) pound since the surgery, either. I'm so confused. I know i am smaller. I have been running since 6 weeks, eating healthy, blah, blah, blah...but nada on the scale. I don't understand how i can get a MM (skin removal, lipo) and have not lost any weight. Anyone else in same boat?

Updated on 23 May 2012:
Imbnoticing I can't wear a lot of the bikinis I want to if I wanna conceal my scar but I'm starting to take on an 'I don't really care if u see my scar' mentality. Tell me how u feel? Same or wanna hide it at all costs including not being able to wear a skimpy bikini that looks good on (other than scar visibility).