1 Year After Tummy Tuck - No Lipo

I am 27 year old mother of 4. I was very thin when I started having children, and gained between 55 and 75 each pregnancy. I always dropped the weight pretty fast but my tummy was very unforgiving. Despite all the healthy eating and exercising I did, my tummy was still flabby. Not to mention how horrible my stretch marks were. It was embarrassing to me and even being naked in front of my husband. I was very self conscience and looking in the mirror at my tummy always made me feel sad. I told my husband for years I wanted a tummy tuck, and now was finally the right time! I went in for my pre-op and a month later got my tummy tuck! My family and husband has been very supportive through this. I decided on a tummy tuck without liposuction. I felt very selfish for spending so much money on myself, but I knew how much it would help me.

I went in yesterday morning and before I knew it, I was awake and crying because of the pain. The morphine was not working any better than the medicine to reduce nausea. The nurses were all very helpful in trying to get me to breathe and stay calm. Finally my pain and my nausea was under control and I was able to go home about 2 hours after my surgery. Walking from the car to the couch was extremely painful. My husband thankfully is a medic in the Army and has been able to help me. Blood makes me nauseous, so he has been emptying my drains. There hasn't been too much blood. My husband and I slept downstairs last night, but I had to come upstairs this morning so my little ones wouldn't be jumping all over me. I took each painful step one at a time, and after a few tears I finally made it. The pain meds weren't doing much for my pain and were just making me feel a little loopy. I started noticing that it was hard for me to breathe and my ribs were hurting very bad. I called the doctor and he said I could double my pain medication and that I could loosen my binder. The binder was too long for my body so my husband used some ace bandages instead. They seem to be working much better and I can actually breathe. I have a nasty bruise on my right side and some bruising in between my breasts. Not sure what they are from, but they don't hurt too much right now. I have been taking stool softeners, and am very nervous about when that time comes :/ I haven't really had much of an appetite. I have had a little bit of applesauce, some graham crackers, and a little ice cream.

I am feeling pretty positive about how I am going to look. I still have on all my bandages so I cannot see much, but from what I can see there are no more stretch marks above my new bellybutton :)

On day 5! The first 2 days were sort of a blur because of the pain medicine. I cried whenever I had to get up, and couldn't even walk the few feet to the bathroom without the help of my husband. 48 hours after my surgery I was able to take a shower. I sat on a chair and my husband showered me. I felt a lot better after that. My doctor told me to shower everyday, and it really has helped me feel better. Yesterday and today I have been able to move around on my own, and thankfully walk to the restroom without help. I am still in my bedroom so my sweet little babies don't jump all over me. I miss them. My husband brings them in to visit me though :)

I am only taking 1 percocet at night, the rest of the day I am just taking tylenol. My first post op appointment is Friday morning, and hopefully I will be getting these drain tubes out! I don't have much of anything coming out of them anymore, but they sure are in the way a lot. I look forward to tomorrow!

7 days post op! I went to the doctor today and got my drains taken out!!! I hate to say it, but it hurt so bad :'( Thankfully that is what I was expecting. After she pulled them out I was so dizzy and felt like passing out for about 10 minutes. But the good news is that I feel SO much better with them out. A lot of the pain I had was from those things, so now I am feeling much better. I can even stand up straighter. I didn't want any more percocet so the doctor gave me some lortab. I have only been taking 1 percocet at night, but there are times during the day when regular tylenol just isn't cutting it. I asked my doctor about the huge bruise between my breasts, and the lump that is there. He said that it is actually the stitch and those stitches dissolve over about 2 months.

I spent pretty much all day out and about. My hubby pushed me around Wal Mart trying to find me some comfy clothes I can wear for the next few weeks until the swelling goes down and my tummy is less tender. Being out all day did a number on me because I am so tired and feel completely exhausted right now. I am normally a very active person who doesn't really like to sit down. I usually spend my days chasing after my kiddos, playing with them, cleaning, and doing outdoor stuff with my hubby and kiddos. I also love running and working out. Having a treadmill at home is amazing. I would say that before my tummy tuck I was never bored and was always doing something active. So it is difficult for me to not be able to do much. I notice how tiresome everything makes me now. I'm hoping that fades quickly.

My husband has been absolutely amazing with taking care of all 4 of our children. He has even managed to keep the house clean! They do eat out a lot lol. He still comes to our room and visits with me and makes sure that I have everything I need. I could never thank him enough. My sister-in-law came to stay a few days and she has been such a help also. My hubby goes back to work on Monday though, and I am a bit nervous about taking care of the children by myself. My biggest thing is that I cannot pick up my younger children who are 3 and 1. I love holding them, and they are very use to jumping all over mommy. So I am hoping that I heal a little faster the next 2 days!

I am so happy about how my tummy feels. I just feel thinner. I weighed myself out of curiosity and I lost about 4 pounds since the morning of my surgery. Right now I weigh 135 and am 5'6". I really do not care about what the scale says though, what makes me happy is sitting in the shower and having a flat tummy, even with it being swollen. I am so excited to see how it is going to look in a few weeks when I can stand up straight and the tape finally comes off! I am curious to see my new belly button. I heard about putting a marble in your new belly button to make it look "normal" but I don't know how it works and all that. Any advice on that would be appreciated :)

Day 11! My hubby went back to work yesterday so I am back to being fully time mommy! I am tired, a lot. It seems like the more I do, the more I swell, and the more I swell, the more bent over I walk. I can walk better and can use my ab muscles a little more without so much pain. It seems to get a little better each day. Still, it was so worth it! I am still hanging out in pjs all day. I do try on some of my clothes once in a while hehe. It makes me smile :) Whenever I use to sit down I would have an arm holding my tummy to hold it in and to hide it from everyone. I don't have to do that anymore and it feels amazing! I know that the binder holds everything all tight during the day, but even when I sit down in the shower it still looks awesome. I am still waiting for my tape to fall off, which hopefully happens soon!!! Oh, and I sneezed yesterday. Worst pain ever!!!

The tape came off my belly button in the shower. I have to say that so far I am completely disappointed, and a bit upset with how it looks. I will post a picture of it tomorrow.

I admit, I did not do too much research on tummy tucks before I got mine. Does anyone have advice on things that work for making the scar look better? My incision is high so panties and bikini bottoms are not going to cover my scar. I am hoping that I can find something that works to lighten it up.

Also, what kind of pain should I be in after 13 days? I feel a lot of burning and tenderness about 2 inches above my belly button, and it feels like water is in my right side just below my ribs. My PS is out of town until Monday, and I don't see him until Wednesday.

2 weeks post op! Things have gotten better. Riding in the car is less painful, as is getting in and out of bed. I sleep on my back with just a few pillows behind my head/back. Walking is easier, and I am walking straighter. I can kinda blow my nose! I still get a little tired during the day, and am pretty emotional. I still have the rash from the tape and I still am not happy with my belly button. I am looking forward to the next few weeks when things get even better :)

It is the end of the 15th day. I sure hope what I am seeing right now is not what I will be seeing months from now. I am seconding guessing myself a bit. I know the tummy tuck was worth it, but was it really worth as much as I paid? I expected so much more. I expected a lower scar that was even on both sides, a way cuter belly button, and to not have any excess skin below my new belly button.

3 weeks post op now. This week was much better than last week for sure! However, I did way too much the past 2 days so now my ab muscles are burning with pain. So I am going to relax today. Everything looks much better and not TOO much pain. I didn't know that whole depression thing would hit me, but it did. I am good now though thankfully :)

4 weeks and feeling great!!!

5 weeks now!!! I feel wonderful :) I went in for my 1 month check up and he said everything is great. I am still a bit swollen but not too bad thankfully. I have been wearing my compression thing only during the day for a little over a week. I am going without it today and still feel great. Most of my energy is back so I don't get so tired so fast. My doctor had some scar medicine made up for me that I have been using twice a day. To early to tell if it has been working though. He also told me to massage my scar. It feels so weird where I am numb. I was cleaning my new belly button, and I can feel the inside of it! That was something that I was worried about before. I feel so confident now. I love being able to sit down and my tummy not hanging over my shorts, or bending over and feeling my tummy just hanging there. My shirts all fit so much better now! And, my boobs look way bigger!!! I was in a 36D, but had to go down to a 34D! My 2 favorite shorts fit so much better now also. It is just an amazing difference. However I still do not like the look of my belly button, and I have some excess skin left over below my new belly button. But it still looks so much better then it did before so I can't complain too much. I am still so happy that I did this, and thankful that my wonderful husband made it possible!

Doing great still! It will be 7 weeks as of tomorrow. I began doing cardio again. I started with walking a few weeks ago, and gradually did more based on how I felt. 3 days ago I finally ran on my treadmill again! I usually run intervals between 5 and 9.5, but I kept it under 6. I was really sore the next day! Yesterday I did the elliptical, again just taking it easy. Today I decided to go on a 5 mile bike ride with my 2 year old in his little seat on my bike. It wasn't as difficult as I thought it was going to be. I am just SO happy to be able to have enough energy! The BEST part is that my tummy doesn't jiggle when I work out!!! I just feel so happy! Also something I have been meaning to put on here is about having some intimate time with my hubby. I know I was supposed to wait 6-8 weeks, but we only made it 2 weeks. We were extremely careful for the first few weeks and all was well. I kept looking it up and no one said much about it besides to wait. My advice is to only do what you feel comfortable doing.

I can't believe it has already been 2 1/2 months! I am back to working out regularly and starting to work on my abs :) Running doesn't hurt my tummy very much but I have to be careful with most other exercises because my abs start hurting really fast. The past few weeks have just been amazing! I was so worried for quite a while, but I am so very happy about it now. I asked my doctor about the hard part on the top of my belly button and he said that it is a stitch! So over the next few months it should dissolve. Everything is just coming together so perfect. I have minimal swelling thankfully, and only pain when I work out too hard to stretch too far. I am so happy :D

Almost 9 months post op. Really there is not much to write about. I have never been happier and I love my new tummy!!! I have never felt more confident. Working out is so much easier. I also love trying on clothes :D I use to cry all the time when trying on new clothes, so it's a big deal to actually enjoy it! I still have a lot of stretch marks, so no bikini for this mommy. But that is more than okay :D

It has really been a year :) I am very happy and very thankful that I got a tummy tuck. I would recommend a tummy tuck to anyone. I would suggest that you talk more with your doctor than I did. I really should have asked more questions. My only regret is not getting lipo on my flanks. My tummy tuck has made such an amazing difference in my life!