POSTED UNDER Drainless Tummy Tuck Reviews
5 Months and Sooo Happy! New Pics - Drainless TT with Diastasis Repair
UPDATED FROM momof3_dc
5 months almost to the day... A few thoughts to...
momof3_dcDecember 28, 2012
WORTH IT$9,250
5 months almost to the day...
A few thoughts to share:
- Still attached to my CG
- My right side is still more swollen
- I'm back to full activities, including snowboarding (and I am a beginner, so bending over, falling down, getting up, hard work!)
- My first full backbend in Bikram Yoga was at 4.25 months. I really felt the difference during this last month in my muscle control and confidence in using, flexing, stretching, controlling, etc. my newly positioned stomach muscles.
- I am wearing a silicone strip (1) across the incision nearly 24 hours. My scar is very flat. Massaging the scar, too, once a day or so.
- Got new underwear from Victoria's Secret - cheekies. They are a lot more comfortable with the edges being flat. I had other panties that used to sit under my pooch, so now, they are right on and under my scar. Bye-bye old panties!
- I still need to drink more water and watch my salt.
Other than that -- I am very happy I did the procedure!
Happy healing, everyone!
A few thoughts to share:
- Still attached to my CG
- My right side is still more swollen
- I'm back to full activities, including snowboarding (and I am a beginner, so bending over, falling down, getting up, hard work!)
- My first full backbend in Bikram Yoga was at 4.25 months. I really felt the difference during this last month in my muscle control and confidence in using, flexing, stretching, controlling, etc. my newly positioned stomach muscles.
- I am wearing a silicone strip (1) across the incision nearly 24 hours. My scar is very flat. Massaging the scar, too, once a day or so.
- Got new underwear from Victoria's Secret - cheekies. They are a lot more comfortable with the edges being flat. I had other panties that used to sit under my pooch, so now, they are right on and under my scar. Bye-bye old panties!
- I still need to drink more water and watch my salt.
Other than that -- I am very happy I did the procedure!
Happy healing, everyone!
momof3_dc's provider
UPDATED FROM momof3_dc
9 weeks PO: Everyday it's better, although...
momof3_dcOctober 3, 2012
9 weeks PO:
Everyday it's better, although swelling on right side above my incision is a bit annoying. Week 8 was great -- I got two massages; one of them was a lymphatic drainage massage. All of the gentle moving of the fluid and laying down was great. After the two days of massages, my belly button swelling went away! I also ate healthy (lots of leafy greens, less starch and sugar, etc) and drank water lots. Week 9 - the swelling came back near my incision, as I'm sitting at my desk more. :( Also been trying to not wear my CGs as much, but honestly, I love them. Love the support and just hate the yanking of all of the spandex on the non-Veronique ones from my doctor (think Spanx-like ones) when I have to drink sooo much water!
Still using the silicone strips religiously. Am thinking I need to rub the scar more. I have Mederma but haven't taken the time to use it much. It looks great on the surface, but towards the middle under the skin, it feels hard. Is that the tissue underneath healing back together? How's everyone else's around this time PO?
Amazed at how quickly time has flown by and I don't always think about the procedure. Like sliding into my car quickly with my purse, coffee, keys in either hand and realizing that I'm doing it without having to slow down or be deliberate about moving my body. That said, I'm excited that at 9 weeks, there's still more "healing" to go and that other things should still get better. Yay. Happy healing everyone.
Everyday it's better, although swelling on right side above my incision is a bit annoying. Week 8 was great -- I got two massages; one of them was a lymphatic drainage massage. All of the gentle moving of the fluid and laying down was great. After the two days of massages, my belly button swelling went away! I also ate healthy (lots of leafy greens, less starch and sugar, etc) and drank water lots. Week 9 - the swelling came back near my incision, as I'm sitting at my desk more. :( Also been trying to not wear my CGs as much, but honestly, I love them. Love the support and just hate the yanking of all of the spandex on the non-Veronique ones from my doctor (think Spanx-like ones) when I have to drink sooo much water!
Still using the silicone strips religiously. Am thinking I need to rub the scar more. I have Mederma but haven't taken the time to use it much. It looks great on the surface, but towards the middle under the skin, it feels hard. Is that the tissue underneath healing back together? How's everyone else's around this time PO?
Amazed at how quickly time has flown by and I don't always think about the procedure. Like sliding into my car quickly with my purse, coffee, keys in either hand and realizing that I'm doing it without having to slow down or be deliberate about moving my body. That said, I'm excited that at 9 weeks, there's still more "healing" to go and that other things should still get better. Yay. Happy healing everyone.
Replies (5)
October 3, 2012
Wow! You look great. Glad things went so well for you. My TT/MR is coming up in 2 weeks, on 10/19. We have a lot of similarities: small frame, I'm 5 ft 2 inches, 116 pounds. I'm also Asian. Did you have lipo of the flanks? Amazing the way you look at 9 weeks!!! Take care.
October 4, 2012
Thanks for taking a look and writing. LOL. It's that Asian body build: slight, but with padding. My husband and I joke that we're probably good in a famine ;-) not that hunger is funny at all. I do sometimes wish that I got some lipo, but trust my PS on what she recommended, since my torso also needs to match the rest of my body.
October 4, 2012
Wow u look great! U are tinie tiny!!
October 4, 2012
Aw, thanks. Some days not so tiny...esp those days I don't have self control over the sodium. Thinking I need to get some cute VS things, like you have. So many years I bought certain panties to "complement" shall we say the gut - go way under to not cinch the flab. Now that's problem I don't have any more. Gotta cover the scar, tho.
October 4, 2012
Yeah, time to go pantie shopping! Ive been thinkn abt a tattoo for the scar...think it will lighten up with time though. Gonna try and hold off as long as I can with the tattoo. Really havent seen any that I like. May try a temporary one first
October 4, 2012
You look amazing! It's nice to see how things come along after a few months.
October 4, 2012
I just read your profile and looked at your pics again. We are very similar in many ways. Both you and I are the same height. Your body is my "ideal" body. Slim, trim, fit, and not too chest heavy. I think the breast has to be proportional to the rest of the body to look natural, which it does on you. Glad to see that you were able to go back to a pretty active lifestyle (international travel, kids, back to work), by days 10 -14. I will also be very active with my kids (4 kids and all their activities) after my procedure, so something to remember as I plan my schedule. Plus, I also work part-time as a physician. I will be back to work on PO day 14. I hope I'll feel up to it. I posted my profile 2 days ago and you were nice enough to comment on it. I was surprised by certain comments from other people such as "You look good already, even before TT", or "My stomach was never as flat as your, even before I had children ". It started me thinking about whether I really looked as bad as I think I do. Do I really need TT/MR/lipo? But then I'm Asian, and most Asians are slim and trim, and I am thick around the middle, with no waist at all. So I think I need to look at myself in relation to my ethnic group. In the end, these are things that bother me and that's all that matter. I had 4 children after all and the body just can't bounce back easily. I should take some more pictures sitting down, and bending over like the way you did because you can really see my rolls at the waist. Did you say that you DIDN'T have lipo? If you didn't, I think your flank looks great. Glad that you took the plunge because now you get to enjoy your new body forever. I hope this will be me in a few weeks. Whenever I get sad or depressed in the next few weeks, I'll remember to refer back to your profile and pictures to give me some hope during the recovery. I hope you continue to get better and better. All the best to you.
October 5, 2012
Hi Momcathy,
From reading the posts on your page, it looks like you've decided on getting everything. Do what feels right. I was also thick in the middle with a short middle torso. It looks like your torso is longer than mine.
If you need to go back to work on day 14, just be sure to rest, rest, rest during the first 10 days. Just lying on the sofa when you might normally stand in the kitchen or sit at a computer will give you rest. Opt to also get quiet rest - like "mommy's going to take a nap" and go to your bed. I think your body will naturally channel a lot of energy to the healing during week one, but it's easy to get winded during week too. I also didn't realize how slowly I was walking (when I went back to the office on day 10 as compared to a normal pace. So, everything I did at work (and I have a desk job) took longer, a bit more effort and was more visible to people. Plan for it. While I do think my body bounced back pretty well, I was very deliberate and sensitive about the movements I made so that I could put the energy towards healing during the first month. I think it paid off.
Note that my experience is that sitting for long periods (in front of a computer) and driving tend to bend you in half and as such, it won't promote the swelling to go down. I did better sitting at an off-site conference during week 5 when I could lean back in a chair at my table for most of the day and stretch out my legs, rather than sitting forward.
Also, if you've been prescribed homopathic remedies or vitamins, take them. I think they really helped me. (arnica, bromelain, vitamin kit).
Good luck!
October 4, 2012
Just saw your pics and all I can is....WOW!! You look fabulous and I hope I look half as good.
I'm freaking right now because I pray I have a waist, some hips and a butt when the swelling goes down. Never had much of these things to begin with so I hope my doc didn't suck them all away with that lipo machine.
Your pics give me hope. Thanks for posting them. You look like a teenager!
UPDATED FROM momof3_dc
I'm 4 weeks PO. A few new pics. Feeling...
momof3_dcAugust 28, 2012
I'm 4 weeks PO. A few new pics. Feeling considerably better than 2 weeks ago. Standing and walking straight. Got a real spring in my step again. Unfortunately, feel hungry and gotta watch that, since I'm not back to exercising yet. (With 3 kids, back to school, a FT job with international travel, who needs an exercise regime?? lol)
My swelling is quite uncomfortable with I've just eaten or had a lot of fluid. It's remarkable how much it can go down and then comes right back 1 hour after getting up in the morning.
Started to try my bikram yoga poses again and so far, I can do the poses I want. I'm not looking forward to a super hot yoga studio room since I have no idea what that will do to my swelling, so I think it will be a few weeks before I do that!
And I started using the silicone strips two days ago. They go under my compression garments (I live in them), so no issues so far.
I've really been pleased with the progress!
My swelling is quite uncomfortable with I've just eaten or had a lot of fluid. It's remarkable how much it can go down and then comes right back 1 hour after getting up in the morning.
Started to try my bikram yoga poses again and so far, I can do the poses I want. I'm not looking forward to a super hot yoga studio room since I have no idea what that will do to my swelling, so I think it will be a few weeks before I do that!
And I started using the silicone strips two days ago. They go under my compression garments (I live in them), so no issues so far.
I've really been pleased with the progress!
Replies (5)
August 30, 2012
Yay! Looking great! Yeah - you did overdo it like me. It's so tough! yay for the Yoga! I have also been really hungry lately! Funny!
September 9, 2012
love your review, you sound like you breezed through. i hope i can follow your pathway. yohr looking great in the bikini too! im reading so many that are not very active and still taking alot of meds a month out...yikes...i dont want that to be me. keep drinking water, eating well, and yoga! congrats, you should be very happy.
September 9, 2012
Thanks so much. I am nearly 6 wks PO and feeling much, much better. I do think that a positive attitude, being healthy and knowing your body will help. I LOVE, love, love my CG -- but some people hate theirs. Good luck -- I'll check in and see about you soon.
September 11, 2012
CherylMN - Thanks so much. Everyday is a bit better! I started my scar therapy right at beginning of 5 weeks. I used mederma just once and started using the ScarFx silicone strips pretty much around the clock. At the end of the first week of using them, my PS said that my scar looked great. I wear them under my CG, which she wants me to wear for as long as possible and tight, tight, tight since I'm still swollen in the lower ab, so it's no problem to keep the scar strips on.
Replies (5)