Tumescent Liposuction: Stories

I'm 22 years old, 5'5, and have been stuck at a solid 140lbs for the past year and a half. I will be having my flanks and outer thighs ($3000) done as well as getting saline implants ($5000) (natural, perky, athletic... nothing huge).

After reading a million reviews on this site, I am also going to ask about getting lipo on my lower abs. I don't want to go through all of this recovery and work only to still be uncomfortable with my body, especially if I start gaining weight in my belly even more after the surgery. I'd always been around 125lbs, then I got engaged, and everyone tells me that I "came into my 'woman' body" during the stressful wedding planning time. Large, bulgy thighs/saddlebags run in my family; every girl on my mom's side has been cursed with them, and I've had them since I turned 14. I haven't worn shorts since I was in junior high, and I have never in my life worn a bikini bottom without board shorts. I know I'm not what most would classify as "overweight" or even "thick", but I've just never been happy with myself and it's become SUCH a distraction in my life. I can't enjoy my day to day life with my husband because I'm busy feeling inadequate and unattractive.

I finally decided, after obsessing for years and researching procedures, that liposuction was the best solution. Now I am scheduled for my procedures in 4 weeks... and have been pretty much living on this website ever since I confirmed the appt haha.

I'm very nervous, very excited, and very hopeful. I'm worried about the pain, but I have an amazing husband who I know will take care of me. My only other concern is that my rampant cellulite will look worse after the leg lipo :/ My doctor flat out and honestly told me, if this would be devastating to me, that I should not follow through with the lipo. At this point, I think it's worth the risk. I will definitely update after the appointment and hopefully be able to get some pictures up!!

My pre-op appointment is tomorrow, and I'm going to be asking about getting Coolsculpting done in my flank/abdominal areas instead of liposuction. Being that I don't have an extreme amount of fat over those areas (they're just very resistant to diet and exercise), I've gathered from many reviews and Q&A's on this site that there is a big chance I'd have rippling with traditional lipo on these areas. Also, I have scar tissue from a hernia repair that could be troublesome.

I'm going to request the Coolsculpture be done a week or so before the invasive (outer thigh tum. lipo and BA) surgeries so that hopefully all of my results will develop together and I won't have to wait until I'm recovered to go in for the Coolsculpting.

LESS THAN 2 WEEKS TO GO....

...and I'm absolutely terrified :| I seem to have a habit of after making a large cosmetic decision (usually to chop all my hair off or dye it a crazy color) suddenly, I love everything about it as is. This is happening with my surgeries as well. I feel great about myself all of the sudden and am wondering why I am going under the knife. Part of me wonders if this new-found confidence is from the fact that I know my body will be changing soon, though and I think I'd regret canceling the surgery.

I am mostly worried about the lipo that will be performed on my flanks. I know it is necessary to achieve a smooth curve from hips to thighs (since he is also doing my thighs), but when I pull back my fat on my flank area, I go from curvy to straight and square... I don't like it!

My biggest fear: I will go from my VaVaVoom curves, to straight and square. I know my saddlebag/thigh area is definitely out of proportion to my body, but I don't want to lose my womanly figure if TOO much fat is removed from my flank area. My large set bottom half sets me apart, I just want it a TAD smaller.

I have voiced my concerns a number of times to my doctor, but I am still worried. Hopefully this will subside?

LESS THAN 2 WEEKS TO GO....

...and I'm absolutely terrified :| I seem to have a habit of after making a large cosmetic decision (usually to chop all my hair off or dye it a crazy color) suddenly, I love everything about it as is. This is happening with my surgeries as well. I feel great about myself all of the sudden and am wondering why I am going under the knife. Part of me wonders if this new-found confidence is from the fact that I know my body will be changing soon, though and I think I'd regret canceling the surgery.

I am mostly worried about the lipo that will be performed on my flanks. I know it is necessary to achieve a smooth curve from hips to thighs (since he is also doing my thighs), but when I pull back my fat on my flank area, I go from curvy to straight and square... I don't like it!

My biggest fear: I will go from my VaVaVoom curves, to straight and square. I know my saddlebag/thigh area is definitely out of proportion to my body, but I don't want to lose my womanly figure if TOO much fat is removed from my flank area. My large set bottom half sets me apart, I just want it a TAD smaller.

I have voiced my concerns a number of times to my doctor, but I am still worried. Hopefully this will subside?

So it's 3 days after my lipo on the outer thighs & flanks. I feel amazing and can't believe how little pain I've been in! I also got breast implants and those hurts like 10x more. I'm already off of all narcotic pain relief, and only took 1000mg Ibuprofen today. It feels similar to a hard workout the first few days but now it doesn't hurt at all unless I bump the incision sites.

The results so far: Though I could tell a slight change when I got home, I'm afraid I asked the doctor to be too conservative. When I explained not wanting to lose my curves, I'm pretty sure he thought I meant in my thigh area too :/ This was my fault in communication, though.

I CAN see a difference in my flank area, and I know there is swelling present now at day 3. Also, I'd have no issue going back to get the thigh area touched-up to get the results I want now that I see how little I hurt and how well recovery has been going. I'll continue to update with pictures and info :)

ps: I LOVE the garment I bought and would strongly recommend it! Marena Body Suit with Short Legs & Suspenders. Got mine on ebay for $50, but they're ususally $98

5 days out now, and I will admit I'm a bit more sore than I was earlier as I un-numb and swell. Still completely tolerable though. I've started doing castor oil wraps on my bruising underneath my garment (no where near the incisions) since it promotes lymph drainage. Hopefully that will help. Now, here's a few tips for prepping for your surgery.

THINGS TO DO BEFORE LIPOSUCTION:

PREP YOUR ENVIRONMENT:
My hubbs and I spent the week before my surgery cleaning out every nook and cranny of the apartment so I'd have a peaceful & clean place to heal. All laundry was done, bedding was washed, dishes put away, and drawers were organized so I had nothing to worry about besides myself.

PREP YOUR MEALS:
We made sure to stock up on healthy fruits and veggies for me as well as things that would be easy on my tummy if I were too sick to eat.
I even prepped a weeks worth of homemade freezer meals for the hubbs so that I didn't have to feel guilty about not making dinner and included a few soups for me.


SET UP COMFY SPOTS:
I set up a soft area with plush pillows and blankets in both my living and bedroom so I could quickly be comfy. I lined everything with towels and leftover puppy training pee-pads we had and it worked great! Honestly, I thought I'd be sitting a lot more than I ended up since I was up and around the second day.

SET OUT YOUR NECESSITIES
I also put all items I would need access to (medicines, books, toiletries, comfy clothing) on my bedside table or set out in the bathroom so that I wouldn't have any bending, squatting, or reaching to do. I also had BA though, and wasn't allowed to reach above my head.

DRINK YOUR WEIGHT IN WATER:
Drinking as much water as you can get the day before your surgery (up until your cut off time). I also made sure to eat a diet heavy in Anti-Inflammatory foods the month before to help purge sodium and such from my body and stimulate lymphatic drainage. Research ways to support the lymphatic system as that's how your body gets rid of the fat after lipo.

THINGS TO GET BEFORE YOUR LIPO:

COMFY, GOOD QUALITY COMPRESS. GARMENT W/ LARGE "POTTY" OPENING
I bought a Marena from ebay for $50 and it was SO worth paying a little extra for the brand that I have a second on the way from the actual site for $100. A big "potty hole" is key! You don't want to be wrestling your garment all over or trying to go through a slit when you're swollen and coming off of pains meds!

-Desitin/Diaper Rash Cream
Seems odd, but this has been a LIFESAVER for the chaffing in the nether region as well as on my arms from my BA bra. Worth it!

-Moist Bathroom Wipes
Another one that makes you think "yeah, right" but after a few times of trying to potty through your garment unsuccessfully, the last thing you need is to be sitting with your own urine in your garment against your skin before you're allowed to shower

ARNICA MONTANA & PRE/POST-OP VITAMINS
This is a homeopathic remedy for bruising and swelling. I bruise so easily, so this was a must for me. Don't bother with the expensive brand they try to push at the Dr. office though. I got mine online for $8, just make sure it's 30x. Post-op vitamins also seem to be crucial to helping me heal. My skin even looks radiant since I began my pre-op regimen 3 weeks before my surgery. Focus on amino acids like l-arginine & l-glumatine and immune system building blocks like manganese, vitamin C ad zinc.


So there ya go, just a few tips that I feel like really helped me heal as far and as comfortably as I have been. Everything has been right where I need it, and I've been able to focus on taking care of myself. Granted, we don't have children :)

10 Days Post-Op aaaand I just finally let myself hop on the scale.

BEFORE PRE-OP DIET: 143lbs (diet of clean food; high fiber, low sodium, LOTS of water)

NIGHT BEFORE SURGERY: 138lbs

TODAY: 130lbs!!

I was never told how much he removed during the lipo, but obviously he did something! I'm very excited to keep on with my new clean diet and I cannot WAIT to exercise again!

My bruises are now just an ugly outline of the giant ones that were there a few days ago. I've been continuing my daily castor oil wraps and the hubbs has started to use my cellulite roller (handheld massage tool with metal ball bearings on it for deep tissue massage) to target a few hard spots. I could do it myself, but to push as hard as needed when it hurts so much to do it, so I just turned it over to him.

The change in shape is most noticeable in my hips for sure, and I'm sure if I'm still swollen in the legs but there's a small change there as well.

I depressed myself by trying on clothes I thought I'd be able to fit into again... I don't :/ But I have to remind myself that I FEEL great about how I look and I shouldn't let some old pairs of pants bring me down! My "fat pants" are fitting comfortably now, and I'm not bulging out of the clothes I had been wearing the last year anymore. So that in itself is incredible to me!! I'll post some pictures as soon as my hubbs is able to take a few more!

Well, I'm 5 weeks post-op and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat!!

I'm 12lbs lighter than I was pre-op (partly due to my new, healthier, low-sodium diet) and I fit into pants that I haven't worn in 2 years!

I'm still using a deep tissue massager on my areas a few times a week just to help with circulation, but my swelling seems to be completely gone.

Sadly, my cellulite returned after the swelling subsided, but lipo isn't a fix for cellulite.

I feel awesome!! I have a tiny pooch on my lower belly that Doc said wasn't suitable for liposuction, so I'll be trying CoolSculpting on that. So excited. With my new results, I'm so motivated to get toned and tighened!