Tummy Tuck: Stories

I am a 31 year old mom of two beautiful girls who is ready to wear a two piece again! I got pregnant with my first when I was 19, went from 110 lbs to 160 lbs during my pregnancy which I may also add was mostly gained during my last trimester. Needless to say the stretch marks were inevitable. I then had my 2nd child at 28 and controlled my weight gain ( only gained 30 lbs), however, although I gained no further stretch marks my already existing stretch marks were just made worse.

My decision to get a tummy tuck was not an easy one but after months even years of research I finally booked my tummy tuck with a board certified doctor who seems very confident and is very experienced.

I had my pre-op appointment today.....and it's official because I paid for it in full...so there is no backing out now!!! This site has been amazing and so very informative. I am scared to death and excited at the same time. I wish I could fast forward to the final results!

Oh...and here are my stats: 5'4 129 lbs tummy tuck w/ muscle repair no lipo

4 days to go......and I am a nervous wreck....my anxiety is through the roof. I couldn't even sleep last night, I felt like was having a panic attack! I am excited but also really, really scared! I feel selfish for putting myself in the position of possibly losing my life when I have children who need me! I just want to fast forward....to being 4 weeks post op.....

Okay down to the wire.....I am just hours away from surgery! I am sooooo nervous...excited...scared, anxious...omg I can't believe I am about to do this. Please keep me in your prayers!

I am 19 days post op today! Hmmmmm....what can I tell other women out there....WEll first off the pain is NOT excruciating, it is bearable and manageable with pain meds (DO NOT SKIP OR MISS DOSE!)I had a hernia repair as well as muscle repair, and I can honestly say that the most pain I experienced was the first night when I needed to get up to use the bathroom. However, I will say that it is very uncomfortable and without a doubt you will need much assistance.
You will be surprised at how much progress you will have in just one week. Patience is a virtue...that I'm not very blessed with..lol. But you will need lots of it. I really wanted to stand up straight within a week...but your body will let you know when it is ready. For me that did not happen until last week (2 weeks post op). But you will notice a little difference each day. But even today at 19 days I am not 100% straight...not noticeable to the public but noticeable to me. Sorry for the novel...but this is my first update since surgery so I don't want to skip anything.
The drains are another major discomfort, luckily mine came out at 6 days post op. For those that have them in longer....patience....because the fluid build up is a risk, so better to have the fluid drain. Especially because swell hell will come...lol...sounds morbid not trying to scare anyone. I am going through it right now.
Lots of swelling...especially if I slip up and eat something I am not suppose to.
My energy level is climbing each day...which is great because I go back to work on Monday. But my best advice to the ladies that are preparing for their big day is to stay positive, practice patience...each day gets better. So at 19 days post op I'm just hoping the swelling goes down....I hate the swelling!!

Okay so yesterday I made 4 weeks post op! Time really does go by fast. So let's see....I noticed that my swelling has gone down...considerably better than it was just a week ago. Although I know I still have some swelling, especially in the evenings. I went back to work and although I feel alot better i must admit I was completely drained by the end of the day.
Some of my complaints at this point are pretty minor but still annoying....sneezing is still a nightmare, coughing is a nightmare, my stubble growing back near my incision is sooooo very itchy... LoL..yes minor but annoying!
I feel so ready to workout but my ps is not giving me the okay, he said be patient and wait till my 6 week mark. So two more weeks to go. I'm still not lifting anything over 10 lbs including my 3 year old who weighs well over 10 lbs...lol. I also had a hernia repair so both ps and general surgeon want me to be cautious about lifting.
I'm still experiencing alot of tightness although not anywhere nearly as tight as it felt in the beginning. But if I sit for too long....it's like my muscle contracts or something. So I try to get up frequently especially at work. I also realize that I am not standing 100% upright. Im not hunched...I would say I am 98% upright. I can't arch my back...I guess if try hard enough I can but I don't want to force anything.
I am working very hard on my scar regimen. My ps gave me the okay at 3 weeks...so I purchased the silicone strips online and I bought pure vitamin e oil from the the vitamin shop. I've already noticed a difference.
Lets see what else have i noticed....well I've been able to sleep on my side for about a week now. But only my left side, for some reason the right side still feels uncomfortable to sleep on. This has made a huge difference....i know all of you ladies who are going thru the recovery process know what I'm talking about! Sleeping on your back for weeks really sucks!
Overall I am feeling great! Everyday I feel a little better than the day before. I am glad about my decision and can't wait to go bikini shopping something I haven't done since I was 18! I will post my 4 week pics later on.