“SmartLipo Triplex (Abdomen and Flanks) - Washington, DC”

Hi. I'm 5,2' 140lbs. I have always had a stomach even when I got down to 120 a few years ago. I kept exercising and dieting thinking the more weight I lost, the more my stomach would look better. I was wrong. I just lost my breasts, hips and butt and looked like a bobble head. My ideal weight is about 130ish and I'm working towards that again. I've been thinking about Lipo for years and have finally decided to do something about it.Updated on 15 Dec 2011:I had a consultation on Tuesday Dec 13th. I was told that I was a good candidate for SmartLipo. I was able to schedule the surgery for next Friday the 23rd! That way I only have to take off Friday and I won't have to go back to work until Tuesday because of the Xmas holiday. I'm so nervous. I called yesterday to see if I could cancel it. The receptionist was so patient with me. She suggested I come back in to speak with the Dr and pick up my prescriptions. I decided to tell my mom today and thought she would be completely against it but surprisingly she was ok with it. I'm even driving to NY next week so she can take care of my dog until I feel better. Telling her made me feel better. The two things that concern me is the pain and the results. I'm so worried about the lumps I keep reading about. Ques? When all is said and done, are the lumps better than having a big stomach? Should I buy the Arnica gel and Bromeline that everyone talks about? I'll ask my Dr. tomorrow. Also the compression garment on his website looks like one of those workout wraps. That doesn't look like it will hold me in tight enough. I saw one that looks like it will do the job. It zips in the front but on the side so it won't interfere with my belly button. He plans to make the incisions there, in the middle under my panty line and in the back through my tattoo so I don't have and scars. Should I buy one on my own or just use the one provided? See below for my before pics and a pic of the garment.Updated on 16 Dec 2011:12/16/11







Just got back from my 2nd consult and I feel much better. I wrote out a list of questions and he answered them all. He kept telling me that he feels that I am a good candidate and that I shouldnt worry. He also said that in all his years he only had to stop a procedure once because the patient couldnt take it. He was honest and said that he doesnt know if I will get completely flat but I will be happy. He said that 50% of his patients come back for a touch-up and we can talk about that if the time comes. I could not see myself doing it twice but you never know. Its 500 dollars for the touch-up. He wants his patients as happy as possible. He said that if I follow his after care then I should be ok. He says to wear the compression garment for 3 days straight, no showering or changing of gauze or anything. He suspects I will drain for about 6 hours and he just wants it to go into the garment. Kinda nasty but I'll do what he says. I got my prescriptions for Diazapam (Valium), Cephalexin and Acetaminophen. He says I can take the Valium on my way to the office since someone will be driving me. He also gave me a precription of Diflican since I am prone to yeast infections from antibiotics. I asked about the Arnica and Bromeline and he said he didnt have a strong opionion either way. That if I go out and get it then its ok but not to go out of my way. Thank goodness I got my cycle today so I'll be all set for next Friday. 7 days to go!Updated on 19 Dec 2011:4 more days! I am soooo nervous and excited and SCARED and ARGH!!! LOL I didn't sleep a wink last night. I'm having dreams about the procedure. I need to get it over with. I bought Arnica gel and pills yesterday. I hope they help. When should I start taking the pills? Before or after surgery? I also bought tons of Smartwater, vitamin water and Sobe life water. The ones that are 0 calories. I'm worried I will be immobile for days! That reminds me, let me go fill these precriptions and get some Tylenol. I added better before pictures.Updated on 19 Dec 2011:FYI Tylenol Extra Strength Caplets have been recalled.Updated on 22 Dec 2011:Just added my final before pictures. Its much bigger than it looks. Tomorrow is the day!

Updated on 23 Dec 2011:
So.....















A bit of disappointing news...















I'm all done and actually in the office. I really hate that I cant rely on people. My friend and coworker is just letting my cases hang. I'm feeling ok. Numb but not numb if that make sense. Not loopy by any means. I will give a complete break down of what happended but I will say that I did not finish the procedure :-( I'm so upset. Was actually crying in the room. I feel like a failure. It started to burn and I couldnt take it. He said that we will schedule it so I can be sedated. I do no want to go back. He took out 900 cc's but says he can get out another 500. He cant do the IV himself so I have to wait 3 freaking weeks to do it again I'm so freaking (wanna use another word)upset at myself. We tried twice for him to finsh and I just couldnt. I'm leaveing work. Feeling nauseated. going home to lay down.

Updated on 24 Dec 2011:
Day 1 (day of surgery)











I got up at 6:30 and took a shower. I washed with dial and just let it sit on my body for a while. When I dried off my skin was dry. I lotioned everywhere except my stomach and back. My friend drove me to the Dr. office. When I got there I paid the rest of the money and signed the consent form. The assistant took my meds and gave me 3 Vicodin, 1 antibiotic and 1 tylenol codine. Then I went to the procedure room to change.











I took off all my clothes and put on the paper socks, panty and hair net. The Dr came in took pictures and marked my body. I think the meds started to kick in because I don't really remember the markings. I laid on the table and the nurse washed off my stomach.











The Dr came in and asked if I was ready. He said there was going to be 5 entry points. Two in my back, one under my panty line and two in my belly button. He gave me numbing injections in those places. That didn't hurt. Then he made the smalls holes and I don't recall that hurting.











Now he needed to inject the numbing solution. He very slowly inserted the canula, that was a weird feeling. I wouldn't say pain but I felt it. He did that all over my stomach then turned me over and did my back. If I had to estimate, that took about a half hour.











Then he left to let me sit and numb up. I used my phone and turned on Pandora. Sent a few pics and text messages. I was wondering why I wasn't loopy. I felt regular. The Dr. Came in and started the laser. We talked about what he was doing. I was waiting for the fried chicken poping sound but I didn't hear it. I asked him and he said he heard it and didn't know why I didn't. I had to turn a few times and holding my phone trying to listen to music and talk and listen to him was too much so I told the nurse to put my phone away. Not sure how long the laser laster but it was a good while. I felt a few little zings of pain but he added more numbing.











After the laser he gave me a 10 min break. He came back and started the suction. At this point I was excited since this is the fat removal. He started and I was fine. Again a few zings but he would just numb it again. After about a half hour or so it started feeling like it was burning. I said it was burning and the Dr looked puzzled. He was like are u sure its burning because it was the suction and not the laser (the laser is hot). I told him that when he put in the canula and moved it back and forth that's what was burning. Like friction. He numbed it some more but asked that I try to stand it as much as I could because he was getting low on the numbing solution and wanted to save it for the really hurtful parts. I tried again but we had to take a break. As we were waiting for me to relax I asked for another Valium and tylenol and he didn't want to put too many meds in me. So we tried again. 1 minute into the suction I asked him to stop. He told the nurse to give me a Valium and pain meds. They were in my purse and the nurse left to get me water. When the nurse came back, he said the Dr looked at my pain meds (tylenol codine) and said they were not the right ones. He gave me the Valium and something else. So we waited 5 min or so and he came back in. He turned my over to do more of my flanks. That was a breeze. We went back to my stomach and it was a no go. I just couldn't take it. So the Dr said we should stop. He said it would be best to sedate me so he doesn't hurt me. I asked if he was gonna do that now and he said no. They need an anesthesiologist to do that and I'd have to come back. I started crying. I really didn't want to come back.











So the Dr took out 900 cc's total from my abdomen and flanks. He said he could get another 400 out of my abdomen and 200 from each flank. He said I will look better if I don't do it again but its not going to be the results I was looking for. The soonest the other Dr is available is Jan 11. I'm disappointed that I didn't finish and I have to reset the healing process. :-(

Updated on 27 Dec 2011:
Added pictures

Updated on 27 Dec 2011:
My one week follow-up is on Friday the 30th. She thinks she can get me in for the second procedure on Jan 5th instead of the 11th. I'm going to discuss doing it again under local. Its going to look so much better once he gets the rest out.

Updated on 27 Dec 2011:
FYI I'm 32 (33 next month) with no kids in case anyone was wondering.

Updated on 28 Dec 2011:
Today has been a swelling day. I feel so bloated. Called the Dr and they say I need to eat more greens. I haven't been. I really don't want to take any more laxative stuff.
I'm very stiff and tight since its swollen. Can I use a heating pad?

Updated on 30 Dec 2011:
Had my follow-up today. He says that I'm looking good but I'm not at the best I could be. Another 400 cc's can come out. He says he finished my back so I'm about 2/3 of the way done. I can either be awake or asleep. I told him being asleep scared me but he says its very safe. The only difference will be that he can't stand me up but he would be able to sit me up. Says its not much difference. He wants to do it sooner rather than later so I don't develop scar tissue. Since me back is done he will have more fluid to numb my front if needed and it will be quicker. My concern about being awake is the pain of numbing me since Im already sore. He says it will be bearable. So with all that said I'm doing it awake again. He says the pharmacist must have given me the tylenol because he would never prescribe that. I told him the Vicodin he gave doesn't help. He gave me percocet (sp) for this second round. The procedure is on Tuesday the 3. Happy New Year!
He says the BM issue is common. (I went a smidge yesterday) He doesn't want to give me a prescription for anything just yet. Told me to buy magnesium citrate as another try. I actually have a bottle in the house and totally forgot about it. If I don't go by surgery he will give me something else cause that's when I start the antibiotics again. Hopefully after this second round I can give this a thumbs up. He mentioned a touch up if I'm still not satisfied and I'm not trying to hear that. Told him he needs to put his foot in it this time cause its the last lol. (Dont hold me to that though lol)

Updated on 1 Jan 2012:
Happy New Year everyone! I'm 10 days post and feeling fine. Yesterday was the most swollen I have been. My lady parts puffed up quite a bit and my stomach looked like it did in the beginning. I went to lunch with my friend and her daughters and they asked their mom if I had on a girdle lol. I should have worn a loose shirt but I wore that same grey sweater in the picture below. Not a good look lol. But I woke up today and the swelling went down a lot. I was like OK it looks good again. The numbing is almost gone I think. I'm feeling this tightness that I'm not sure is soreness or numb. I tried to push my tummy out but it hurts a bit to do that so I'm not sure if I look good because I'm kinda being forced to suck it in a bit. Since I know I have another surgery on Tues the tummy that is still there doesn't get me down. But its so much better. If I had to live with these results I would still say it was worth it.

Updated on 3 Jan 2012:
Its time for round 2! Its a different feeling than the last time. Sorta doesnt feel like its happening again. I'm at work now and I feel like I'm gonna step out for a bit to get a bit of plastic surgery real quick lol. Not as dramatic of an event as it was the last time. I'm hoping to be more drugged up this time. He needs to get every bit of fat he can get out so I can be done with this. Weighed in at 137.5 this morning and actually feeling great. Doesnt really hurt anymore. This is day 12 and day 1! See you all on the skinny side!

Updated on 3 Jan 2012:
In the car on my way home. I swear I'm not doing this shit ever again! Now that I got that out, it wasn't too bad. The numbing hurt like shit. He asked if I wanted to stop and go under general but I was like we're NOT stopping again. So we got through it. He got me numbed up really good. I sat there for a while talking to the nurse. Then we started. Not bad at all. Only once did I scream and we had to stop to add more numbing solution. The receptionist said later that she beard me lol. He kept count of the cc's for me so I knew how much longer. 100, 200, when we got to 300 I kept telling myself to fight through it and it would be over soon. I managed to say "think flat Dr." through the gauze pads I was biting on and he said I'm thinking flat and smooth. He was great. Once it was done I was so relieved. My belly button hurts really bad. That's where the incisions were. They gave me another pain killer before I left and I'm feeling better.
OK I'm home now and in the bed watching CNN eating soup. I'm better prepared this time. My bed was all made up with the pads and towel. I bought a bed tray late last night because I had trouble sitting up eating last time. This is helping. Everything is within reach and I shouldn't have to move but I am able to if needed. My girlfriend took the wet puppy pads and gauze that they put under my garment and cleaned me off. I have maxi pads on my front and a change of clothes. I'm aOkay right now :-)

Updated on 4 Jan 2012:
Day 2 is pretty much the same as day 2 the first time. Woke up a bit nauseated because I didn't eat much the day before and took meds. That passed after I had some crackers and canned fruit. I called in sick and worked from home today. I will probably go in tomorrow. It just hurts when I get up. The blood rushes to my stomach but once I'm standing for a few minutes I'm good. My stomach in the garment looks pretty much the same as it did before I went in. I'm sure its just the swelling. Won't be able to look until I'm able to shower on Friday. I drained a bunch yesterday even leaked on my floor and socks while changing the pads but it all sealed up late last night. Thank goodness I didn't have to be opened up in the back this time. Cleaning the front was fine. But I feel its closing too fast and not letting it all drain out. I don't know.

Updated on 4 Jan 2012:
Day 2 is pretty much the same as day 2 the first time. Woke up a bit nauseated because I didn't eat much the day before and took meds. That passed after I had some crackers and canned fruit. I called in sick and worked from home today. I will probably go in tomorrow. It just hurts when I get up. The blood rushes to my stomach but once I'm standing for a few minutes I'm good. My stomach in the garment looks pretty much the same as it did before I went in. I'm sure its just the swelling. Won't be able to look until I'm able to shower on Friday. I drained a bunch yesterday even leaked on my floor and socks while changing the pads but it all sealed up late last night. Thank goodness I didn't have to be opened up in the back this time. Cleaning the front was fine. But I feel its closing too fast and not letting it all drain out. I don't know.

Updated on 5 Jan 2012:
Day 3. Weighed in at 136 today. Go me! I'm at work right now. Feeling fine just walking a bit slower. I think since they took out a smaller amount my recover will be faster this time. I still look round. I kinda was expecting it to be flat this time from the start since the beginning is usually the indicator of what it will eventually look like. Patience is a virtue.

Updated on 5 Jan 2012:
Day 3. Weighed in at 136 today. Go me! I'm at work right now. Feeling fine just walking a bit slower. I think since they took out a smaller amount my recover will be faster this time. I still look round. I kinda was expecting it to be flat this time from the start since the beginning is usually the indicator of what it will eventually look like. Patience is a virtue.

Updated on 8 Jan 2012:
Day 5 (day 17 from the 1st time)
I'm still doing ok. Healing very well. I've started the massage. I hope that helps with the small lumps that I'm starting to feel. I think there is a difference just not as dramatic as I thought it would be but that's ok for now. How does that work? Do you just wake up one day with a flat tummy?? Happy healing everyone! Adding new pics.

Updated on 8 Jan 2012:
Forgot to add that I weighed in at 134.5 this morning! I have been going back and forth between 136 and 139 and it was a shock to see 134.5. Probably because I pooped LOL. I do not think it is because of the surgery. I haven't really been eating large meals. 130 here I come!

Updated on 11 Jan 2012:
I had my 1 week follow-up yesterday and he says I look great so far. He assured me that I am still pudgy because of the swelling and that the fat will shrink in the coming months. I surely hope so. I am very satisfied BUT you know we are all looking for perfection. I want it flat as a pancake. I go back to see him at the 1 month mark and then at 3 months he says we will be able to see if I need a touch up but for now he thinks I wont need one. I've been doing fine. Itching at night but nothing I cant handle. I will start back at the gym next week.

Updated on 16 Jan 2012:
This itching at night is driving me crazy. Going to try benedryl.

Updated on 16 Jan 2012:
This itching at night is driving me crazy. Going to try benedryl.

Updated on 8 Feb 2012:
Had my 1 month (1 and a half months since the first time) check up and that was pretty much a waste of gas. He looked at me for 5 min and said to give it another 2 months then we'll see if it goes down much more. So in other words I'll be having a touch up in April sometime. I should just schedule it now and put in a few days vacation. Do you hear my sarcasm? He asked what I thought and I was like uh its not what I thought it would be by now (FYI I leave for my vacation in a week and it is what it is) I look good in my clothes but I'm not that great looking in a 2 piece. Again I'm not complaining. Its a lot better and I've lost some weight but its not flat and I don't see it getting flat in 2 months on its own. I do know its still a bit swollen because my skin and tissue feel "squishy" if that makes sense. His last words to me were "we'll get there". Are you kidding me? Anyways. Well as far as how I'm feeling, I'm still sore on the sides but its not bad at all. I've only been without some type of spanx top twice. I don't like feeling clothes on my skin. I've tried sleeping without it twice and that was a no go as well. The good thing is that its not hard or lumpy at all. There are a few divits and dents but nothing noticeable to others. I usually wake up flatter and puff up later in the day. My main concern now is maintaining my weight. I've lost like 7 lbs but its like I'm up and down 4/5 lbs every other day. Maybe that's part of the healing. I would be completely happy with my weight if my stomach was flat. I can see myself falling back into losing tons of weight to fix my stomach and that's the worst. Stay tooned!

Updated on 6 Mar 2012:
Hey ladies!!!

Sorry I've been MIA, I was on my vacation to Trinidad. I had a great time! I'm doing ok. Its been 2 months now and I'm still not 100% satisfied. This trip was supposed to be my reveal. Don't get me wrong, I wore a 2 piece and it was fine just not perfect. I took pics and I swear you can make anything look flat if you suck in hard enough and turn at an angle. LOL See pics below. Dont be fooled, I'll show you it all let out. As far as healing, my back and sides are still hmmm sore is not the word butwhen I move in a certain way it hurts. Like my skin is ripping. Its still numb as well. I still wear the spanx shirt to sleep because it hurts not to. I go back in April for a follow-up. I hope everyone is doing well!