“Six months post Tummy Tuck”

In my late 30s, two kids, a 16 yr old and 6 yr old. Been wanting this procedure for years! Just can't get rid of the sagging skin. I thought I had taken care of last minute things but seems never ending. I need to be at hospital by 6am. Honestly don't think I will be able to sleep.

My day was spent seeing the doctor and registering at the hospital. I was not happy when the PS told me I'd be wearing the drains for nearly 12 days! No showers! How are we supossed to feel clean or wash our hair! lol. I need more than a sponge bath!

Updated on 21 Jun 2011:
Ok ladies. 5 days post op and I am glad to say that the pain is somewhat subsiding. I don't understand how some say that it's not as painful as they thought it would be. In my case it was more so than I thought. I was about 120 lbs pre- surgery a size 5, don't know what to expect after. I have no desire to take off binder to look. All I care about is the pain to go away. My 16 yr. old daughter is a Godsend. She's always been a wonderful daughter, but she has just been remarkable at caring for me. My husband went back to work Sunday (24hr shift) and is working 18 hr shifts for the next 4 days. So SHE is all I have. My step-son takes my 6 yr old to camp and is in charge of him when he gets home. Today my daughter cleaned me up with a sponge bath in tub (i sit in bench in shower) She also washed my hair (for first time since before surgery). I sat in the bench by sink and leaned back and she just figured a way to wash it and dry and and put it up. I feel clean for once in 5 days. The whole process took about over an hour. It made me so happy that i felt clean that I wanted to cry, but knew it would hurt if I did.

Updated on 22 Jun 2011:
6 Days Post-Op. I could not get comfortable at all last night at bedtime. I sleep with two wedge pillows at and incline and they put a flat pillow on top of that--then my feet are propped up. I struggled to get to sleep for over hours because of a pain on my neck. Don't know if it was really that or mere anxiety. It's difficult for me to even nap during the day. What I've noticed these last couple of days is itching sensations under my binder. Is this normal???? I'm scheduled for my first follow up this coming Monday to have drains removed. The amount that comes out is very little now. Does anyone know if my dressings need to be changed? Honestly, I'm scared to have anyone untape anything and re-do. My husband wants to do it but I told him to wait until late tonight when he gets back from work. Don't know if it will be painful because it WAS when they changed it before I was discharged.

Updated on 23 Jun 2011:
One week since my surgery. Today is one of my better days, that is when I am NOT having these random muscle spasms. They come out of nowhere and frankly scare the crap out of me when they come. I don't sleep well because of them. One of the tubes connected to my drains is really bothering me. I cannot wait for them to come out. Monday cannot come soon enough. I am walking a little better, however, still hunched over but taking bigger steps. I make sure to walk every hour on my bathroom trips. I put on my FITFLOPS for the first time today (got them the day before surgery) and OMG--it is so much easier on my back when I walk in these! Who would have thought. I bought them through Zappos.com and they have overnight free shipping! My daughter shampooed and conditioned my hair today, so that was a treat! She also shaved my legs. I always seem to have a better day on the days my hair is washed. My daughter has been amazing! Thank goodness my husband got home at 4:00 today, this way she could finally make it to cheer practice.

Updated on 24 Jun 2011:
Felt better today until about 3pm. It seems like very day around the same time I get more swollen and more muscle spasms and pain. I even walk more hunched over during that time. It disapates around 9pm. I can never nap because of this. It's frustrating, when I get the feeling like I am dosing off, the spasms come! I am so sleep deprived. I am more swollen today than any other day. feels so hard and tight. My parents will be coming tomorrow for one night. I'm not sure they will understand whey they see. They think PS is just crazy and don't understand why I wanted it. But hopefully they will be supportive.

Updated on 26 Jun 2011:
Have my first follow up tomorrow since day of surgery. I cannot wait to have these drains taken out. So scared of how much it will hurt. One already hurts so bad--feels like it is jabbing into me. I have had my fill off pain! I want these bandages off, the drains and this binder. Hopefully, I will be able to walk a little straighter. My parents stayed another day, which was a great help and they will be taking me to my appointment tomorrow and leave town shortly after that. This gives my poor daughter a break. BTW---I still itch so darn much! Why is this?

Updated on 29 Jun 2011:
13 days post op today. I had my first follow up with doc on Monday and had my drains removed. Did not hurt as much as I thought it would. What hurt more was taking he dressings off! The nurse measured me for my compression garment and she insisted I needed a small. Small did NOT FIT. She got a medium and that too was EXTREAMLY tight. She had a hard time getting me into it and she called someone else to help her. It was VERY uncomfortable and very difficult to move. I wore a medium for 2 days and called them this morning to ask for a large . I bought two packs and OMG it felt so much better. It still feels tight but not unbearable. The brand of this garment is ISAVELA. They obviously come in too small. I'm happy with my scar which is very thin and low. My daughter and husband think I look tiny, but I don't see it ...all i see is swelling. I have noticed that I have little lumpy areas when I took my garment off this morning before my bath. Is this normal????

Updated on 6 Jul 2011:
Walking better bust still slow. I still feel like I am not able to drive. As it is , when I'm in the car, I can still feel every bump and it's still hard for me to get into the car. I called up my PS to ask about how swollen I was above the pubic area and about some lumps on each side of my waist and he examined me. PS said the swelling and mushy feeling was normal but not enough liquid that needed to be excised. And in regards to lumps, he suggested I NOT wear my garment while I sleep. The areas that are lumpy is the same area where the garment bulges in a wrinkle, which is what he noticed. I went to grocery store with my daughter yesterday and the walking was good for me but it really exhausted me. In the evening, I felt good so I decided to make dinner (with the help of my little one handing me all things that were too low for me) and when I was done, I felt the worse I have felt in days!!!! I got what seemed like 3X swollen and my lumps seemed bigger. I did not feel well. What I did was in the late evening--I took off my garment and took a hot shower and just stood there for 30 min and gently massaged those lumps.

Updated on 18 Jul 2011:
I'm a little over 4 weeks post op and doing much better. I went to see my PS today and he said everything is healing as it should and is normal, despite the swelling and little lumps. He didn't find any lumps but they usually come around at the end of the day--my mornings are my best. I'm walking much better but I cannot walk at fast pace, if I do--I will swell up and feel a ball building up above my belly. When I feel like that, I know to take it easy. My family and I leave to Disney World this week and I'm not sure I will be able to get on rides that do lots of movement. I still hurt with bumps when we drive.
I tried out some of my clothes a couple of weeks ago and nothing fit! All was too big. All my clothes were 5/6 so I needed to buy new shorts and tops since I needed them for our trip. I was shocked to see that I was fitting into size 0 and 2. Haven't fit into that since
HS. I still can't believe this.
The only thing I don't like is how swollen I look below the BB--right above pubic area. It only looks somewhat flat in the morning. But Doc says that this is normal and will take the longest to go down.

I now believe that what I did is worth it.

Updated on 22 Jul 2011:
5 Weeks post op and off to Disney World tomorrow! I hope I can handle all the walking--may need to get my hubby to wheel me around.

Updated on 20 Sep 2011:
Am now 3 months post op and finally happy with my body and results of Tummy Tuck and i just found out that I have multiple fibroids in my uterus and my ONLY option is a hysterectomy. The fibroids are so large that they have made my uterus over 10 cm and therefore a vaginal hysterectomy is highly unlikely, therefore will be done through the abdomen! I am so disappointed and may seem vain but am concerned that it will totally ruin my TT! I have already seeked a second opinion and I was told the same thing. Has ANYONE experienced this????? If so, please send me your experiences.

Updated on 7 Jan 2012:
It's been a little over 6 months and boy it has been quite hectic. Just when I was healing and heading back to norma activity, I find out that I need and abdominal hysterectomy. Well, it's been nearly 3 months since my hysterectomy and thank GOD....everything when well and the doctor was able to do it vaginally. I feel 100% healed and have hit my fitness activity full force for nearly 6 weeks! I feel great! I am not able to do sit ups yet and will not push to do so either. I hope to get back into weights soon to build some muscle. I do recommend to everyone to keep a tally of what you eat and the amount of calories you consume. We want to protect the investment we made to make our bodies look better right???? There are many free phone aps for this --so try it if you have not already done so. I will say that I still wear my garments a couple of times a week for a few hours. I feel as if it helps, especially after strenuous excercise. I still go to my monthly maintanence for my endermology sessions so that helps too. I found someone who does it for $45 a month so that is affordable for me.