Just Got the Procedure Done and Plan to Document my Progress! - Portland, OR

My body type: Slim and overall I have a fast metabolism. However, the extra fat I have I carry in my tummy and chest. 112.5 lbs.

I got CoolSculpting done on my abdomen and love handles (a total of three treatment areas). I wanted to get it done on my upper tummy, on that roll caused by my bra wires, but the technician talked me out of it because she thought the treatments we were doing would smooth out that area as well. So that was nice of her to save me some money – and we’ll see how it turns out. She said if I still want that area done in a couple months, I can come in and they’ll do the treatment “at cost.”

I’d like to say upfront that I’ve done a lot of research on this and I’m prepared for the ups, downs and in betweens. A little discomfort, swelling, and temporary weight gain are small prices to pay (in my opinion) for a flatter tummy. So what if I’m a little bloated for a month in the winter? I’ll survive (and so will my boyfriend, who will be the one hearing me whine about it)…

So with that said, here begins my diary.

I paid: $600 (per area) x 3 = $1,800 total

My experience during the procedure:

As I suspected, I’m a good candidate for this. A good candidate has grabbable fat. I mean, a handful. If you don’t have anything you can really grab off your body (can’t really be mixed in with muscle) than there isn’t anything for the machine to suck in, and therefore this treatment isn’t for you. Luckily for me (or unluckily, depending on how you look at it), I’ve got a handful of grabbable fat on each love handle and on my abdomen. So the machine had no problems.

The office I went to had comfy pillows to lean on (which is a MUST because you’re sitting in an awkward position for 45 minutes on each side with love handles). And the actual procedure isn’t bad, just a little uncomfortable. But the massage after is painful, as other people have described on this site. But for me, the worst part was the ten minutes after the massage of each area. The technician describes this part as being like an ice cream head ache (brain freeze), extremely painful but extremely temporary. I think that’s an accurate description. I guess this is the part where your fat begins to thaw from the freeze (ew!) I went from nauseous to terrible pain (like HORRIBLE cramping) to no discomfort at all in ten minutes (for each area). I was at the treatment office from 6 pm to 10 pm, but it was pleasant because they brought me dinner, chatted with me and I watched Netflix on an iPad that was provided for me during the treatment. I also downed a glass of wine with my dinner, which helped with the discomfort for obvious reasons.

(01.29.2013) - Day 1 (day after the treatment):

How I feel:
I slept fine last night – didn’t wake up with any discomfort. I’m a little sore this morning but it’s not interrupting my routine for the day (at my desk job). Honestly, I’m less sore than I would be had I done a bunch of sit-ups the night before. So this is totally bearable. I do feel a bit of a tingling/ iching sensation. I’m also fairly numb in the areas I was treated. I’ve sort of massaged my tummy a bit, and it aches but doesn’t really hurt. The skin is sensitive. But like I said, it’s totally bearable. Thus far, it seems like I have it easy compared to some people.

I don’t work out regularly, so I don’t have plans to work out today. But I do plan to try to work out later this week because it’s supposed to be helpful for this process. I’ll let you know how that goes.

How I look:
Slightly swollen in the areas I had the treatment done. It’s not noticeable to the point that anyone but me would see it. I probably wouldn’t go trolling around in a binki right now (not an issue because it’s mid-winter, but you know what I mean)… A little redness. No bruising yet (knock on wood). I didn’t even try to put on my jeans (I’m assuming they’d still fit?) and opted for comfy cotton pants instead (thank god for a casual office environment!)

My weight this morning: 113.5. I gained a pound, but it’s hard to tell if that’s from the procedure or just normal weight fluctuation.