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Latest update, at the 5th week I still have some...
Latest update, at the 5th week I still have some soreness in my flanks and belly. I, not getting nearly as swollen during the day as I was. I have had two medical massages and I feel they really help. I will probably do 2 more massages over the next few weeks and call it good. I wear under armour compression garments when I walk, spanx during the day, and the regular compression garment when I sleep. I plan to stop wearing the garments in about two more weeks. I have tried a little jogging but it is extremely painful in the flank area, just gradually moving up little by little. Overall the results are great.
Thought I would share my experience as I found...
Thought I would share my experience as I found RealSelf forums to be very helpful.
I had decided to have smartlipo done months ago, did my research, and chose a very good, board certified plastic surgeon. I had stubborn belly fat, flanks, and hips. Mind you, they weren't that bad, but they bothered me while on the beach.
The cost was $5,500 for all areas. I met with my doctor for a consultation and he was interviewing me as much as I was interviewing him. I could tell he was making sure I was psychologically sound, he spent an hour with me, and acted in no hurry. He said I was an excellent candidate for smartlipo. We scheduled the surgery 6 weeks out. 2 weeks prior they had me come in again where I met more of the staff, all of them super accommodating.
I'm 5'9", 180 before surgery, I have a v shaped body, generally a 42 inch chest, 34" waist. Im in very good health, very muscular build, I don't smoke, and drink moderately once a week. I exercise 4 times a week for an hour. I eat healthy most of the time.
The procedure took 4 hours, I took a Valium and Percocet prior to the surgery and had my girlfriend drive me to and from the surgery. I got undressed, but they told me to keep my underwear on. They started on my stomach area first, and they made me comfortable with a pillow, and surgical cloth around my shoulders. They made two incisions under my chest, left and right, one in my belly button, two on my pelvis below the belt line. They locally numb these areas, and it does hurt momentarily, like a bite or a sharp pinch. The only discomfort I felt was really the wand along my ribs. I started to lose track of time at this point. The doctor kept reminding me to tell him if I was in any pain or uncomfortable. If he saw me tense up he would stop and talk to me.
After some time they had me roll over on my stomach, again making sure I was comfortable with pillows and such. For the back they made one incision at the top of my butt, just at the top of the indentation, and one on each side of the buttocks. Again, I don't know how long I was there, but my Percocet was wearing off, and I had more discomfort on the back than the front. Not pain mind you, but more discomfort of being conscious of the wand moving along my muscle wall and such.
In the end, they stapled my various incisions, except for the one in the belly button and the top of my butt, which they stitched. They put a compression garment on me as I sat up and I was a bit out of it, it took me about 10 minutes to get my equilibrium back to where I could stand and get dressed without fainting. I was able to walk out on my own to the car. On the way home I was very hungry because I hadn't eaten all day as prerequisite for the surgery. I craved licorice, lol, I guess for the sugar spike, water, and a protein drink. I didn't want to eat anything really solid because I had read about being nauseous afterwards.
I got home, put on some boxers, and left the compression garment on. I took a percocet, drank some more water and went to sleep right away.
Next day I was very sore in the abdomen, but I could walk around if I needed to. I relaxed for four days, got up, walked around, showered after the first 24 hours, and changed my dressings. I had almost no drainage after the first 24 hours, and just put bandages on. Swelling became progressively worse for the first week, dark yellow, brusing in a plum color. Thank god for the compression garment. Even though you could do things, I would recommend relaxing for 4 or 5 days, and here's why. After one week my major swelling decreased amazingly fast, and the bruising was non existent after 10 days. I was still swollen of course, but the pain was subsiding very quickly. I took Tylenol for the first week. I didn't use Percocet after the first 24 hours. I ate healthy, drank water, and avoided any exercise. I used cold compresses when convenient on my swelling, and I massaged my areas when convenient as well. I started using vitamin E on my pelvis incisions after a few days as well to reduce scarring.
After a week, I had to fly out for a day trip, I was terribly uncomfortable, and I had to make a presentation. I opted to not wear the compression garment for those 14 hours. It was okay, but I couldn't wait to put it back on for support.
After the first week checkup he told me I could start walking up to 5 miles a day, but not to do anything else exercise wise. Watch my proteins and again drink a lot of water. So I began that regime.
2nd week, 75% of the swelling was gone, no bruising. Areas worked on are numb, tingly, and fill with fluid by the end of work, making them itchy and swollen. I had a medical spa massage at the two week mark. She was gentle, and worked to pushed to break up the fluids. Said I would pee out the toxins. She said I would swell up again the next day, but it's normal. Sure enough I did.
3rd week, again the doctor said no strenuous exercise until 4 weeks after surgery, the body needs time to heal. So I just continue to walk, nothing strenuous. He told me I could now switch to an under armour compression top or spanx if I wanted. I found the spanx one to be excellent by this time in my healing. I finally felt good enough to have sex again, both from my appearance, and libido. I still run out of energy after a flurry of activity, so I'm not back to normal yet, lol. Again, the body really is putting so much energy into repairing itself, it's amazing honestly.
4th week, still swollen, but I can start to really see the results. No pain pills, still wearing the compression top. Still some lingering numbness, itchiness, heat. if I do feel much pain, I take Advil now. The Tylenol was starting to give me stomach aches when I occasionally needed it.
And that's where I'm at today. I plan to start lifting weights again next week.
A couple of things, the pain is more uncomfortable on my stomach than my back, I have had to adjust my sleeping habits to sleep on my back. Being swollen comes and goes, and it is less when I spend time laying down, gravity I guess. I interchange the compression garments. When I sleep I prefer the medical garment, during the day, I prefer spankx. Get a good doctor, honestly, don't go cheap on such a procedure. It's to big of a deal to clip a coupon, or be on a conveyor belt.
I'm very happy I did it, and even though it's hard to see the final result, it's better than it was. I wish I had done it sooner quite honestly. I would have seen much better results from my workouts if I had. I feel like I wouldn't have beat myself up so much.
My waist is already smaller, my stomach is flat, I have no irregular bumps. Very successful procedure from my standpoint.
Updates to come.
I had decided to have smartlipo done months ago, did my research, and chose a very good, board certified plastic surgeon. I had stubborn belly fat, flanks, and hips. Mind you, they weren't that bad, but they bothered me while on the beach.
The cost was $5,500 for all areas. I met with my doctor for a consultation and he was interviewing me as much as I was interviewing him. I could tell he was making sure I was psychologically sound, he spent an hour with me, and acted in no hurry. He said I was an excellent candidate for smartlipo. We scheduled the surgery 6 weeks out. 2 weeks prior they had me come in again where I met more of the staff, all of them super accommodating.
I'm 5'9", 180 before surgery, I have a v shaped body, generally a 42 inch chest, 34" waist. Im in very good health, very muscular build, I don't smoke, and drink moderately once a week. I exercise 4 times a week for an hour. I eat healthy most of the time.
The procedure took 4 hours, I took a Valium and Percocet prior to the surgery and had my girlfriend drive me to and from the surgery. I got undressed, but they told me to keep my underwear on. They started on my stomach area first, and they made me comfortable with a pillow, and surgical cloth around my shoulders. They made two incisions under my chest, left and right, one in my belly button, two on my pelvis below the belt line. They locally numb these areas, and it does hurt momentarily, like a bite or a sharp pinch. The only discomfort I felt was really the wand along my ribs. I started to lose track of time at this point. The doctor kept reminding me to tell him if I was in any pain or uncomfortable. If he saw me tense up he would stop and talk to me.
After some time they had me roll over on my stomach, again making sure I was comfortable with pillows and such. For the back they made one incision at the top of my butt, just at the top of the indentation, and one on each side of the buttocks. Again, I don't know how long I was there, but my Percocet was wearing off, and I had more discomfort on the back than the front. Not pain mind you, but more discomfort of being conscious of the wand moving along my muscle wall and such.
In the end, they stapled my various incisions, except for the one in the belly button and the top of my butt, which they stitched. They put a compression garment on me as I sat up and I was a bit out of it, it took me about 10 minutes to get my equilibrium back to where I could stand and get dressed without fainting. I was able to walk out on my own to the car. On the way home I was very hungry because I hadn't eaten all day as prerequisite for the surgery. I craved licorice, lol, I guess for the sugar spike, water, and a protein drink. I didn't want to eat anything really solid because I had read about being nauseous afterwards.
I got home, put on some boxers, and left the compression garment on. I took a percocet, drank some more water and went to sleep right away.
Next day I was very sore in the abdomen, but I could walk around if I needed to. I relaxed for four days, got up, walked around, showered after the first 24 hours, and changed my dressings. I had almost no drainage after the first 24 hours, and just put bandages on. Swelling became progressively worse for the first week, dark yellow, brusing in a plum color. Thank god for the compression garment. Even though you could do things, I would recommend relaxing for 4 or 5 days, and here's why. After one week my major swelling decreased amazingly fast, and the bruising was non existent after 10 days. I was still swollen of course, but the pain was subsiding very quickly. I took Tylenol for the first week. I didn't use Percocet after the first 24 hours. I ate healthy, drank water, and avoided any exercise. I used cold compresses when convenient on my swelling, and I massaged my areas when convenient as well. I started using vitamin E on my pelvis incisions after a few days as well to reduce scarring.
After a week, I had to fly out for a day trip, I was terribly uncomfortable, and I had to make a presentation. I opted to not wear the compression garment for those 14 hours. It was okay, but I couldn't wait to put it back on for support.
After the first week checkup he told me I could start walking up to 5 miles a day, but not to do anything else exercise wise. Watch my proteins and again drink a lot of water. So I began that regime.
2nd week, 75% of the swelling was gone, no bruising. Areas worked on are numb, tingly, and fill with fluid by the end of work, making them itchy and swollen. I had a medical spa massage at the two week mark. She was gentle, and worked to pushed to break up the fluids. Said I would pee out the toxins. She said I would swell up again the next day, but it's normal. Sure enough I did.
3rd week, again the doctor said no strenuous exercise until 4 weeks after surgery, the body needs time to heal. So I just continue to walk, nothing strenuous. He told me I could now switch to an under armour compression top or spanx if I wanted. I found the spanx one to be excellent by this time in my healing. I finally felt good enough to have sex again, both from my appearance, and libido. I still run out of energy after a flurry of activity, so I'm not back to normal yet, lol. Again, the body really is putting so much energy into repairing itself, it's amazing honestly.
4th week, still swollen, but I can start to really see the results. No pain pills, still wearing the compression top. Still some lingering numbness, itchiness, heat. if I do feel much pain, I take Advil now. The Tylenol was starting to give me stomach aches when I occasionally needed it.
And that's where I'm at today. I plan to start lifting weights again next week.
A couple of things, the pain is more uncomfortable on my stomach than my back, I have had to adjust my sleeping habits to sleep on my back. Being swollen comes and goes, and it is less when I spend time laying down, gravity I guess. I interchange the compression garments. When I sleep I prefer the medical garment, during the day, I prefer spankx. Get a good doctor, honestly, don't go cheap on such a procedure. It's to big of a deal to clip a coupon, or be on a conveyor belt.
I'm very happy I did it, and even though it's hard to see the final result, it's better than it was. I wish I had done it sooner quite honestly. I would have seen much better results from my workouts if I had. I feel like I wouldn't have beat myself up so much.
My waist is already smaller, my stomach is flat, I have no irregular bumps. Very successful procedure from my standpoint.
Updates to come.