Brazilian Butt Lift: Stories

Hello BBL ladies. I am scheduled with Dr Pantoja July 2012. I am fully packed with all the normal necessities. I am not looking forward to a Summer recovery, however they say there is not time like the PRESENT time so I am getting the show on the road after 5 long years of lurking on MakeMeHeal website. I think I am to the point where I have information overflow. I think I know it all and am counting on a PAIN IN THE ASS recovery literally. LoL!

About Me: I am Five Foot Three Inches approx 140lbs. I am not horribly shaped But I could definitely use some contouring. My #1 priority is to get rid of the love handles + stomach. Being able to fat graft to the a$$ is just an added benefit as far as Im concerned. I will post pictures a.s.a.p.
Im nervous about the drains, well actually more so grossed out by them as Pantoja doesnt use bulbs at the end :(.I'm Googled out on all the hardships of 1. Seromas 2. Scar tissue 3. Blot clots 4. massages etc. Everything up under the sun... On another note I am not scared or nervous about the "actual" surgery! I have had a breast augmentation in which case I only vaguely remember recovery. I do remember feeling like I was hit by a semi truck & even the simplest of tasks were beyond difficult like buttoning my jeans.
I imagine the lipo recovery being magnified x10 as far as pain/discomfort. However I do remember having to ween off the pain meds because by the time I even considered stopping taking them I was addicted (horrible withdrawal headaches).

Packlist: Maxipads for incisions, Neosporin, Stool Softener, Funnel, Couple light thin dresses, yoga leggings, Tank top, T shirt, extra Vedette garment (black), rx Percocet pain meds, rx Phenergan nausea med, Epifoam, Benedryl for sleeping, rx Soma muscle relaxant, few dvds........... It seemed like so little but it stuffed into my carry on suitcase.
I will be recovering at Grace Recovery house. Wish us luck and send your prayers!

I had surgery 5 days ago with Pantoja in Tijuana, MX. COST WAS $3500. Included bloodwork, EKG, OME NIGHT stay in clinic and LIPO TO FULL ABDOMEN, FLANKS, BACK, & transferred 800cc into the buttocks. The first night I WOKE up from surgery I thought something went wrong amd i didnt have surgery because I was in ZERO PAIN. I guess i was still under the spinal block because Dr Pantoja confirmed I indeed had surgery 4hours prior. LoL. He is a sweetheart. The language barrier was a bit nerve racking but Nadia was able to translate everything. 5liters was removed and 800 transferred into the buttocks. The drainage is DISQUISTING as so many other girls have explained before. My night nurse Susie had to change my chucks and padding 3x. I felt so bad cause i knw she was trying to NAP... MY SURGERY started at approx 1130 & ended sometime b4 3.. Day two as f*ck. I have been on my butt simce DAY 1. I know enough ladies that have had this surgery to know its not going to make a difference. Either the fat will stay or GO REGARDLESS of if u sit or not. So for all you preSurgery girls, domt get too hyped up on NEVER EVER SITTING ON your butt for weeks an months! Its a myth..... plus it will be impossible to find a comfortable position. Sleep??? Huh..Hardly... its harrdddd to fall asleep and stay sleep.. Every movement you make or want to make is ONE HELLUVE task.
Day Two I got dizzy and almost panicked BUT WAS told to lay down. Its normal. They made me sip orange juice an take a few butes of a fiber bar an within 20 minutes it was over. It happened when the nurse was washing me. I felt sooo dirty after being soaked innall that dluid the previous night. I started seeing black spots, then my hearing went out, closed my eyes and felt TIPSY so IN MY MIMD IM like OK INKNOW IVE READ ABOUT this as a result after surgery on about 75% of the reviews Ive read but STILL i was scared..Wheeewww!! But i was standing up changing the garmet, being washed BUT MY FRIEND told me to kinda rub my stomach an i tjink the pressure I placed on my stomach got my BLOOD TO FLOWING an my body didnt like it, because i was PERFECTLY fine prior to pressing my stomach. But on another note I HAD BEEN standing there for like 20 minutes, garmet free so idk.
Anyhow day two my friend arrived. She spent two days in Pantojas clinic she had a TT... AN she had the same episode as me after trying to go #2. Hers lasted significantly longer an I was neevous all over again.

I had no issuss going #2. I didnt take any laxatives as Nadia told me not to prior to surgery and I plain out forgot after surgery. I went fine on day 3 an 4. It was difficult to wipe. Took about 20 charmin wipes. I couldnt bare having someome else wipe my a$$.
Day 4 i had THE lovely lymphatic massage from Mary Bay. OMFG i couldnt shattered all my teeth from the pain. That right there is pure agony! She has you lay on each side, then sit on your but at the end an she drains you. So gross....an IDK why everyone says they feel much better after the massages.. Sh*t i felt the worst after the massage an all my lipo'd areas were hard an hot when I woke up the next morning... That was my worst day. So idk how sold I am on getting any more of those anytime soon. I did find someone local who does them for $60.....

Rewind-- drains came out day 3. No pain at all. Your skin is numb an sensitive its weird... its sooo sensitive to touch an its a mixture of weird/slight pain and discomfort when i pull my EPIFOAM off my skin when changing my garmet. You can buy epifoam from BIODERMIS dot com.. If youre getting a tt you cant use it. Or you can on your back I suppose... Its designed to help your skin reattach to the muscle.... Right now my skim its kimda loose an my stomach looks gross... I am having a hard time imagining ill ever be normal again. Recovery is harsh and everything is inconveinant..

If youre scared about Mexico dont be. Its nothing like you expect... These offices look so damm modeen you would think you were on an episode of the JETSONS. THEY are fancy. Nurses are attentative and everyones hospitality is awesome.
I am going to load pictures of Grace recovery house neighborhood (looks like a resort). An a fww pictures for now cause right now you cant see much with all this swelling an with the garmet on...
I am getting by fine on Motrin and am taking 1 levoflaxin 750 mg every 24 hours......

I ONLY SEE AN AREA TO POST VIDEOS not photos?????

8 days Post op - My back area above the butt BURNS like crazy everytime i move an especially when I stand up...Its like a burning tearing sensation. I stopped taking Pain Meds yesterday and Being thatbI amnoff them Ibsee they didnt help anyway for the constant discomfort youre in. On another note the skin on my abdomen is not as sensitive as it was BUT its still sensitive. NOW MY SIDES FLANKS AREA AND my upper back hurt more.. I think my upper back hurts because i didnt wear the straps on my shouldees to the garmet last night an my back may have needed the compressiom .. Maybe it swelled. idk but its sore today... Its all bearable.... The worst part of this recovery is sleeping. Omg its such a nuisance.
I did lightly massage my belly last night and it did smooth some of the lumps out....
Ill add a few new pics week by week.. My sides, back, crotch are sooooo darn swolllen it font make nontypa sense

Day 9 - my back an sides still burn like crazy. Every time I habe to stans up or move it feels like a mixture of someone blow torching my back an tearing it! Unexplainable feeling. It hurts but its not very very inconveinant and it makes you not want to move period. Once Im up an walking Im fine. I STILL walk like a turtle! My crotch is still swolen.

I had my boyfriend massage me an OMFG it was harsh. Man hands and they domt understand how tender and how painful it is BUT he made me suck it up an take it. Tears was falling lol i couldnt help.it. whew! My skin felt so raw afterwarsa but it defiitly loosened the hard knots up..... Anyhow at day 9 I feel like its day 3 all over an I have to return to wotk Wednesday. Man!!! I just want my body back. I want my love life back. I wanna get my cupcake on cause npw I domt even wanna be touched. I am going to try the arnica gel an see if that helps.......
I reccomend taking off as many weeks possible for this procedure because you will be everything but comfortable afterwarda

38 days POST op.
EXCUSE all the typos above I was using my phone to update. SMH

My Measurements are still the same. I havent lost any volume or projection. I still sleep on my back and sides and am slowly transistioning onto my stomach as I used to sleep pre BBL. My stomach was very very tender up until the last few days so I am taking advantage of that. It is stil difficult to get comfortable in the bed, especially with my hubby in bed with me. They dont understand the level of discomfort we're experiencing so I just kinda ride it out :)

I have slacked on the massages period. The ultrasonic massager I purchased from Ebay didnt work. I keep forgetting to bring it with me to work so I can remember to ship the piece of sh*t back to the seller. By now Im not even sure it would make a difference if I use it anyway. I just purchased the bio oil (walmart) and have startred self massaging. Im not to sure if there is a specific massage method or what but I rub it out and when I am done I am looser. My stomach and flanks are still lumpy. My low back is still swollen as well but not much, I can feel the tissue build up so I need to massage that area. That swell is not visable but the belly is a work in progress and I'm trying to be patient. In pictures it looks flat but really its not "yet". Every doctor response including Dr Pantoja say wait the 3 months before I start complaining LoL.
This healing process is just that ----- A PROCESS!

I have been horrible with changing my eating habits. I have not gained a pound but eventually I prob will at this rate. I check the scale daily.
I stopped wearing my Faja - Marena (M) for about a week at around week 3 because I was tired of the garment leaving indentions in my skin. SIt was uncomfrotable being without it. These girdles/garmets provide serious level of support in comparrsion to how a newborn likes to be swaddled in a blanket. ANyhow somewhere along that time of being out of my garmet I purchased Maximum control Spanx from Target. They go up under your breast line as a panty. They dont roll down, it has a rubber grip at the top. If you decide to purchase spanx pay attention to the tag because there are different levels of support they come in.

I also purchased the squeem compression vest from Ebay. This damm thing makes me itch for whatever reason. I think my torso may be too short for it because it really digs up under my breastline bad and you can see the snaps/clasps through your cloths. Its not all that camoflauge. I didn't like it. Waste of money for me. I am back in my Marena and am looking for a seamstress to bring the sides in versus spending another $100+ on a smaller garmet.
I also purchased the Vedette thong (prior to surgery) and OMG whoa. This thing goes on like a damm glove. You will need to take breathes in between taking it off its so snug (like roll it off hahahah). You have to step into it. No clasps. I wear this if I am going out an want that extra support or on weekends and I learned to wear it with some regular undies so the f**king thong doesn't rip me in half.

I plan to go back for the round 2 I swore I wouldnt do for addtl lipo to areas I didnt have Lipo'd = arms, armpit area, upperback and waist. I want to achieve the smallest waist my frame will allow. I have even considered a TT or a mini TT as I may end up with some loose skin. Im not to sure though about that. NOt too worried about that. I am still not 100% normal. I would say I am about 60-75%.

Any questions ask away....

10 weeks update: I am probably about 80% back to normal. I wouldnt say 100% because I still itch, the top of my butt/low back is still sore, my stomach is still lumpy. Omg the itching is insane.......I Would assume the lumpyness is potentially scar tissue forming or from reading other peoples reviews, maybe pockets of fluid which is all a result of haddcore traditional Lipo. I have continued to massage these areas by hand and with the homedics precision massager. That thing is NOT FUN. ITS way intense. However, I am still being patient and Dr Pantoja said be will laser the scar tissue if need be. I am still very satisfied and comtent with Dr Pantojas work. HE IS A GREAT dr and will deliver what you request. F YOU ever feel dissatisfied Post Op just take a look at your pre-surgery pics and see what a great distance youve came....... i stopped consistently wearing my garmet at approx 3 weeks. NOW i go between my faja/marena garmet, thong vedette and assets maximum control spanx. The garmets are a hassle but when I do wear them I am smoother! I use bio oil for the past month and I believe it does make a difference. THE BOTTLE suggests two months use to see a result. I PURCHASED it at Walmart. ITS KINDA PRICEY..

Round two:: I said I absolutly would never do a round two based on the pure inconveinance of recovery. HOWEVER Now I will definitly be back for a revision and I am sticking w/Pantoja. I want my arms/armpits done. I DID NOT GET aggressive enough lipo in that area..

7 months update. Nothing has changed measurement wise. Recovery is now a distant memory. I am booked for round 2 June 10th. I am on the cancellation list for March as well. I will be getting addtl lipo to the axilla (armpit area), upper back, waist and abdomen. I will probably get chin/cheek lipo as well. Any questions just ask.
Things I will do different round 2.
I will be staying at a hotel either City Express (1 block away) or Real Del Rio. I will not be alone. I will stay approx 3 days versus 4. I will take the vitamedica packs or whatever its called I see so many ladys post. Now I have to find where I can purchase it.