Mary332

A Tummy Tuck with Dr. Shafer is Amazing - New York, NY

It really isn't as scary as you think. Just situate yourself so you have everything you need and know that every day gets better. Keep in mind that the recovery is long but you will not be in pain just inconvenienced. Stay positive and just stay focused on the fact that you will truly be so happy with your beautiful new tummy! Here are some things I bought prior that made my life easier! Bromelain and arnica. Great for swelling and bruising. I am still taking the bromelain and I am at 4 weeks post op because it helps with swelling. Buy Palmers coco butter gel or oil. I found it in bed bath & beyond. I love the gel. You will need it to rub on your tummy to keep the skin moist to help you also to stand up straight again. Tape and small gauze pads. When they take out the drains you put this on the site to keep it clean and apply pressure so it closes up nicely. Peroxide - need this to clean out the belly button area with a q tip. When I got out of the shower I would blow dry on low my stitch line, which my doc had taped and the belly button. Then I would use q tips to clean out the belly button area, then I would massage my coco gel on tummy then put back binder. My belly button healed amazing and I have heard a lot of people have issues with infections. Buy hibiclens. CVS I would only wash with this for the first 3 weeks. I also would squeeze it into my belly button when in the shower. Now I use antibacterial soap as I am at 4 weeks. I just looked at it like I didn't want any set backs since you have enough to deal with! I went to Marshalls and bought large size jog sets to wear after surgery. Comfortable loose and big. I also bought 2 xl (I wear a small) button all the way down the front night shirts. This is pretty much what I lived in the first two weeks as I had no desire to go out and just wanted to recover. It was confortable and easy to get on and off. Went to Macys and bought firm control high waist girdle underwear. I like them better then spanx. They are less money too. After 2 weeks I started wearing the underwear/girdle and when in the house I put the binder on top.When you go out its easier to wear clothes with the girdle. I also bought large size granny underwear to wear after surgery. Loose and comfortable. Also bought these in marshalls. Already threw them out! But they definitely served there purpose! I bought non salted crackers to eat the first few days so that I wouldn't take my meds on an empty stomach. I stocked up on yogurt and oatmeal. Try to eat as little salt as possible. Also, I took Milk of Magnesia the day before surgery and pretty much started with a clean slate! I then had gas x which you should take when you get home from surgery and with every meal. I do not recommend, like some suggested, to take the milk of mag every day after surgery because the first few days is difficult to be mobile and then the thought of having to run to the bathroom - ugh!. The pain meds def constipate you. So I waited until day three and just took a teaspoon. Had a bm with no problem and by day 3 I didn't need to take any pain meds so I had no issues after that. Well, thats all I can think of. Hope I was of some help. Just keep your mind on the prize (!) Good luck

OMG you are right that IS too cheap!!! I had a chin lipo done and my tummy tuck. I put down the wrong amount. It was more like $10,000 and then anesthesia was $3,500 because I chose to do my procedures in Dr. Shafers private surgical facility. There are 2 options. Hospital, which requires general anesthesia. and then Dr. Shafers preferred method is to give you twilight sedation, while asleep they then give you an epidoral. This makes all the muscles totally relaxed, which makes the sewing of the ab muscles that much better. General anesthesia wears off in one shot. With the epidoral and then the other slow relase pain meds Dr. Shafer administers right to the muscles, it wears off gradually just like your pain does day by day. Since I had the mini tuck first, with another Dr. down in Florida, the pain was terrible. With Dr. Shafer, it has been a bare minimal to none - I swear. His technique is just amazing. He is so honest and smart. I just went for my 3 week post op and everything (belly button, incision site - looks amazing. My scar is so flat and skin colored at 3 weeks!! Last time, it was thick and ugly and just wrong!!!! I am driving and doing mile housework and really feel great. The swelling goes down every day and my stomach truly looks amazing already. As for the chin lipo. I had the beginning of jowls and a sack under my neck. It wasn't very large but to me, it was awful. I went on several consults and different plastic surgeons wanted to do all kinds of face surgeory on me. 2 of the drs. I interviewed said absolutely not necessary to cut your face. Just a quick chin lipo and you will be amazed. One of the Drs. who said this was of course Dr. Shafer. My jaw and chin are so flush, I am shocked! It still is a tiny bit swollen but my husband couldn't believe it. He know wants to definitely get the same thing done. If you are seriously thinking of getting anything done, you should definitely consider going to see Dr. Shafer. I can't say enough good things about him!