Hello RealSelf family. How are you all doing? Am a mother of 3 boy and I breast fed all of them for more than 1 year and am left so deflated which I don’t like but I loved that I breastfed all my babies so no regret on that but am ready to get my body back to how it used to be though it can’t be perfect but it will definitely be better.Am so excited to start a review on my breast fat transfer procedure cos I have been waiting to do this. I was supposed to get it done with my tummy tuck last September but my husband was not in support so I let it slide then but now my mind is made up and my surgery is in one week. I tried to get used to my breast shape but no way cos it’s not working for me at all. I love boobs. So am hoping and wishing that my PS will give me a better looking boobs and a small waist with a very flat stomach. Am going with my doctor who did my TT. Doctor Andrew Hodges, MBChB, FRCS. He is greatly talented. He knows what he is doing and very sincere. I recommended him to a friend who is very pleased with her Brazilian butt lift. She looks beautiful. If I was a big Booty fan, I would have done that after seeing her results and her skin is so smooth and normal, no lumps or lose skin. Anyway back to me. Am very grateful to my surgeon cos my stomach is better than what is was before my TT. Am scared and excited at the same time bu I know it’s just nerves. I can’t wait to get it over with. I gained one weight am I want to maintain it but I want my ps to give me a smaller waist cos am struggling with the waist of my skirts and pants. Updated on 2 May 2019: Today is the D-day and am all set to go. I was asked to be there by 10am. Am so nervous right now but I know everything will go well. Am also worried about what the staff will think of me but anyway who cares. It’s my body and I have a right to be happy. When I had my tummy tuck. I was supposed to do my fat transfer but changed my mind last minute but I remembered the anesthesiologists asking me what fat is there to transfer which I felt it was uncalled for and embarrassing though I guess he was joking and he meant well. Well all am thinking about is going under and waking up but I know I will wake up cos I have a great surgeon and am healthy. Am also praying for my results to come out great. Am not looking for perfection but a relatively good outcome. I just want a full breast cos my upper pool is empty so I have to wear pushup bra with additional breast pad to fill my bra which am so very tired of and also, I want a very flat tummy and a smaller waist to define my contour cos I don’t have wide hips and big butt which am very ok with but a small waist will work my magic. Good luck to everyone having a surgery today. Updated on 2 May 2019: Everything went smooth. I will write in full details. Writ now am so exhausted. Am in bed ready to sleep. My doctor is a genius. I will write more about him later too let me rest. Updated on 2 May 2019: I arrived at the hospital and did some paperwork of payment receipt and consent forms, then I was sent to my room. Ordinarily, I was to spend a night but I told my doctor I wanted to go home same day and he was fine with it. First he works on children with some disabilities first before adult surgeries and that is a plus for him cos most times the families of these kids can’t even afford to pay the bills but he still puts them first and as far as am concerned, that is honorable. So he came after 12noon and marked me up. I told him my expectations and he listened. He didn’t push me but focused on my insecurities and that attribute of him always blows my mind. Like I sad before, all the doctors I have met before are very indifferent about what you want but rather focus on what they want to do cos they feel like gods and treat you like you don’t matter. My doctor is Andrew Hodges and he is the best doctor as far as am concerned. He worked on my friend and she is so very happy cos she has curves now and by the way, she never got bruises and at first we wondered if any work was done but the aches came the next day which answered our questions and we actually saw the good results. Most people don’t talk about their surgery but am always telling people and even advising them to try surgery cos my tummy tuck was excellent and with my fat transfer, it will be another great news cos I have 2 people waiting to see my waist line and boobs. They will be coming to visit tomorrow just to see. Thanks to my doctor for being the best. Lots of love to you from me and my family. Updated on 3 May 2019: So let me start by describing how yesterday was after the surgery. After being marked up, I was escorted to the theater by a nurse and Iv was placed on my hand and some round patches placed on my back. Edison my anesthesiologists told me to relax and think positive thoughts as he placed the oxygen over my nose and mouth. All I could do was pray to God to make it back from the other side it’s always scary. After then, I was knocked out next I knew was waking up in a room and we were 5 in the recovery room. I was very happy to be awake and I asked for water and slept again. My PS came and told me how many cc he got but I can’t remember much now. He said he got 20 from my tummy and 80 from my flanks and back and the rest from my thigh but I forgot how many he put in but I will ask him. when I woke up I was ready to get going but had to wait for the nurse to wheel me out but I was the last to be taken out so I guess I came out of surgery last. When I got to my room, I was too excited to see my boobs so I went to the mirror and I was excited. I was feeling drowsy but I couldn’t sleep cos of too much excitement. I didn’t feel any pain or soreness so I was able to move around, packed my bag and as I was getting out my compression garment to wear, my friend came and she helped me. Am sure the nurses would have helped but they thought I was asleep. Imagine their surprise when they realized I wasn’t. I called my drive to come pick me up and we went home and straight to my bed. I was so strong cos I arranged my pillows myself, the only challenge was my boobs cos they felt heavy like it was going to fall of me. I was waking up every 2 hours to pee and drink more fluid. Today I feel so sore but it’s manageable cos I can get up and into the bed myself but the soreness is real. Standing up and lying down is so painful but once you move, ‘‘it’s better. I actually fixed my breakfast and made my protein shake. I have been moving about and am hoping to go back to work on Monday. So far so good, am well. I hope tomorrow will be better. And sleeping in my back is not a problem cos that’s my sleeping style. Let me attach some before and after pictures. Updated on 4 May 2019: I woke up with a lot of soreness on my back and thigh. I was able to stand up and lay down myself but it was painful but as the day progressed, it got better. The pain has lessened greatly. I wasn’t wearing a supportive bra as recommended by my ps cos I fear it will affect my results but standing and laying down puts pressure on my breast and as well caused pain so I decided to wear my genie bra and am praying it doesn’t disturb the fat. The bra is not tight but snug. I took pictures I sent to my ps and he said it was fine. My appetite wasn’t as good as yesterday but I made sure I ate even when I didn’t feel like it. I have been taking my vitamin c, A, probiotic and my multi vitamin. I also added fenugreek cos I heard it helps with breast enlargement. I don’t have much bruising. Non on my breast but I have on my thigh so am using anica cream. So far so good, am doing very well. Am looking forward to going back to work on Monday is am bored stiff staying home and laying about. Updated on 5 May 2019: I had my bath for the first time today and it felt soooo good. I didn’t want to struggle with my compression garment cos I didn’t want to stress my kids and don’t want them seeing me butt naked. My husband works out of the country so I chose to wait till I felt better. So I woke up this morning with minimal soreness compared to yesterday. My legs is really bruised and painful to touch but I had to massage it and applied anica cream. My boobs still look the same and I have some weird feeling in my breast but maybe is the fat settling in. It’s also getting softer and less painful to the touch. I haven’t had issues with bowel movements cos I have been going daily. I guess it’s the fruits and fluid intake. My appetite it’s really poor but I still try to eat something. I hope my protein shake will help too. I feel so much better today and I will be going back to work tomorrow. I hope and pray my day goes very well. Here are my boob pictures. I don’t want to get so attached so that I won’t be depressed but I love the way they look. I will go back for another fat transfer if it loses so much. Bruising is not so bad. Updated on 6 May 2019: So I woke up feeling better today so I went to work. Everything was going smoothly but after 2 hours of standing, I started feeling kinda of weak and my lipo areas on my thighs started to hurt and feel very heavy so I had to sit and raise my legs for about 30mins and I felt better. I guess my weakness was due to lack of carbs. I suddenly started struggling with my appetite the past 2 days so I have been doing more fruits, fluids and protein shake. During the course of the day, I realized my bruising has moved to my lower thigh which wasn’t the case before and darker too. So I left work 2 hours earlier and went for a massage which was sooo painful but I survived. Got home, had my bath and straight to bed with legs propped up. Pain has reduced a lot but I feel it when I sit but moving around I not n issue. My right flank hurts a lot when I touch it or try to sit own or stand but the compression garment holds it together but when I remove it, it’s as if the spot is on fire. Am still on my pain Med.(ibuprofen). My boobs still look great. Fingers crossed. I believe tomorrow will be better. Updated on 7 May 2019: It’s another day and am thankful and grateful that I did this but the pain is still there. I stopped taking my pain meds. I went to work again today and it wasn’t easy coz I had a lot of errands to run, went to the salon to wash my hair then back to my work place. I know am pushing myself too much but I can’t afford to just stay home doing nothing. I felt so winded today and my appetite left me completely so I went and bought a multi vitamin that will make me eat so I did have a good lunch and am hoping to have a good dinner too. My bruising seems to look worse now and sitting and standing haven’t become easier either. My boobs still look so good and am happy with them but who knows what will happen later. I have this weird sensation in my breast that feels like strings from my arm are connected to them and it’s kind of pulsating and vibrating. Has any ever felt like that? please share. Here are some pictures. Updated on 10 May 2019: I think I spoke too soon that my soreness/pain was improving, I was so wrong cos day 6 was so difficult for me. I woke up feeling ok, got ready I went to work but 2 hours at work, my entire system flipped. I was nauseous, dizzy and so fatigued. I couldn’t eat anything and my body was trembling within. I couldn’t even tell what was going on with me and I was so scared I had to leave work early. I had a little bit of chills, I was so restless and hungry but nothing was good to eat. I was able to drink lots of water which kept me hydrated. I managed to drink protein shake then took Tylenol pm and slept. Day 7. I woke up with no chills and a little bit of energy so I went to work again cos I had an appointment I couldn’t cancel so once I finished, I went straight to the hospital cos I got so worried. I was feeling dizzy and I feared I might faint cos inside my body was all shaking and I couldn’t breathe well at this point, I feared for my life. The doctor did blood and urine test and everything came back negative.i was super healthy and right there , it dawned on me how stupid I have been. All I needed was to give my body a break to rest instead I was running all over the place like I had no surgery. My body was just telling me to slow down but because am a work junky, I pushed too hard and I paid for it severely. When I got home from the hospital, I was in so much pain so I ate and tookTylenol and off to sleep. I made sure I took so much fluid but the down side was waking up every 2 hours to pee. Day 8, I took a chill pill. I decided to forget work and take care of me. My appetite somehow came back to me. 6am, protein shake and nuts, 8am I ate watermelon and pineapple, 11am I had a cup of rice porridge, at 1pm, I ate chicken sandwich with chips.4pm, more fruits and banana smoothie. I have also been consuming a lot of fluid and peeing too. My thighs and flanks are swollen, stiff and very painful to touch but I must say today has been the best since the last 3 days. I have been trying to massage myself but it hurts so much. On a lighter note, my girls are still popping. Am till very happy with the look and feel. I have lost some volume, I guess the swelling is going down. An praying to maintain the fullness cos I don’t want to go back to my deflated breast. I will add pictures later. Updated on 11 May 2019: Updated on 16 May 2019: Finally I made it to 2 week and sincerely it feels like forever. It’s been quite a journey. Waking up everyday not sure of how the breast will look like. Am just focused on my breast always and it’s so stressful coz you have to be too careful not to jeopardize the result. I resumed work fully this week and it was actually ok. Everything is back to normal now. I started driving but I keep worrying while going over humps and bumps and my seatbelt is a nuisance cos it presses down on my breast so I have to hold it off with one hand whenever I can. Bruising have reduced so much and soreness has subsided too. I actually have been wearing heels to work and it doesn’t hurt. My lipo areas are hard so I try to massage it twice a day. Now to the main deal which is my breast, it has softened up, dropped to a natural shape and it has also lost some volume but I must say it still looks great. I was measuring 34 around breast before surgery, after surgery I measured 38, right now am measuring 36.5. Am hoping for a good retention. Fingers crossed. Here are some pictures Updated on 16 May 2019: Updated on 23 May 2019: Hello realself family. I am very excited to write this review cos everything is going great. My bruising have all cleared. My breast have dropped into a natural slope and still very full. Am still maintaining same volume which am so happy about and am praying it remains here. The only challenge I have is fitting into my fitting dresses and blouses cos the bust area is so fitting so I have put them aside for now till after 3 months so I don’t squash the fat. My lipo areas are getting so much better cos it is softening up and the pain is gone when sitting or standing, I feel it only when massaging them and it’s just a little soreness. My incision sight are healing so well. Am now going through a phase of boob greed cos I love what I see and believe it can be better. A little bigger and more fullness on the top and cleavage. Let me see how my three month goes. I love RealSelf cos it helped me a lot through my journeys. Here are some pictures Updated on 29 May 2019: Hello RealSelf family. Everything has been going smoothly. My lipo sites are looking good and no pain unless I press on them. I am so grateful that I have no lumps and bumps any where. My breast has now softened and the feel so good. I tried on a bra that I had to pad always and my girls were looking so beautiful. Very full in the bra. I love my results so far and am hoping to maintain it here. I will b seeing my ps tomorrow to discuss my results so far. I haven’t seen him since after the surgery cos I couldn’t go and he was traveling so I opted to wait Till he returned is I was ok. Am only is disappointed with my tummy cos it’s still not as flat as I want them and my right is still more raised than the left. It really bothers me a lot. Here are pictures. Updated on 29 Jun 2019: Hello RealSelf family. Hope we all are doing great. I haven’t been updating cos I wanted to wait till 8 weeks to see what I retained so far and am excited to tell you that I m still at 36. I was a 34 before surgery. I can’t express my happiness enough cos it’s mind blowing. I have started wearing a bra since 8 weeks but very lose so as not to compress the fat for now. No push up bra but just a thinly lined one. I no longer use my silicon pads to fill my cup cos my boobs are enough to do the job. I started doing long brisk walking daily for the 2 weeks and I do 8 kilometers. Areas where fat was taken from are very fine, no dents or lumps though still a little sensitive when I rub it hard. My right lower back is still numb but every other donor sites is fine. So far, am very delighted with my results. Am waiting to hit my 3 months mark then I can relax. Here are some pictures. Updated on 27 Jul 2019: It’s been quite a journey getting to 3 months and I felt it took forever to come. I am very pleased with my breast and am contemplating is I should go ahead with my second round or I leave it cos I really like my size so much. No more pain or tenderness on my liposuctioned sites. Scared are also healing well too. I am very happy with my results cos my bras fits perfectly well without having to pad them. My boobs just fill the cups on it’s own which is sooooo awesome. Here are some pictures Updated on 23 Sep 2019: Hello everyone, am so sorry I haven’t updated for awhile. I made it past 4 months and so far, am still pleased with my results although I lost volume compared to how it was at the beginning but I still love my results. The best part is that my donor areas and my breast have no lumps or any unevenness. My doctor told me that if I want it fuller, then I should go for a second round and am actually considering it cos it will give me the look I had in my earlier weeks after the transfer. Am not certain if I will go for round 2 but I will update you all. Good luck to those who are considering to go for surgery and to those who have done surgery.
Am going to be Andrew Hodges doll soon. Wow, I can’t believe I made it here. Am a mother of 3 kids with diastasis recti. After my last child, I realized that something was odd with my stomach. When I lie on my back, I see movements around my belly button and sometimes a protrusion. Then I went for scan and found out my stomach wall was separated. I tried so many exercises but it got worst. Finally I I settled for surgery but I chickened out twice but now am ready to do it. I meet with my PS today and he answered all my questions and my heart is at peace. All my fears gone though my only worry is pain and recovery but am good to go.Updated on 25 Aug 2018: Am really glad to be here. I have been reading people’s reviews and now am writing mine.i work out a lot but as I was on the thread mill, I remembered my ps being worried about getting enough fat to transfer to my breast cos he said I have very little fat to harvest and he can’t do a Lipo on my stomach cos it might affect the healing of my tummy tuck so the only place he can get fat from is above my butt which will have an upside for me cos my butt will be well defined. So should I stop working out to avoid losing fat?Updated on 29 Aug 2018: I made payment on Monday so there’s no longer room to chicken out which gives me a mixed feeling. Am really very excited to get it over with and I know it’s what I want but am just a little scared which I think is normal for everyone I hope. Am only worried about recovery and what to tell people when they ask me what’s wrong with me cos in this part of the world, cosmetic surgery is considered vain. Anyway, I don’t really care much about what they will say cos it’s my body and my choice. I remember sharing it with some friends indirectly and they all frowned at it so no telling anyone. Even my husband is not jumping for it cos he thinks am good like this and that my diastasis is not a big deal that I can’t live with. He is just scared about the surgery and what the outcome will be cos he has heard so much about botched stories.Well all in all, am ready to do this. I believe am in good hands with my doctor. ????Updated on 29 Aug 2018: Updated on 31 Aug 2018: I can’t really explain how am feeling now cos am anxious, scared and excited all at the same time. My surgery was supposed to be on 6th September but my PS suggested Tuesday which is 4th. At first I was shocked, then I panicked but some how I am happy cos I want to really get it over with cos I have been reading a lot of reviews , some are fascinating and some scary so I want to do it and stop worrying about the downside. I asked my PS is umbilical float could work for me and he said yes but now I want to settle for the vertical incision he first recommended. I read a review about someone not happy with her float and I have decided to follow my doctor’s approach cos I believe strongly that he knows best and will make the best decision. I also expressed my fears about the pain after and he told me it will be controllable which is a great relief for me. Anyway am ready to do this despite my emotional roller coaster.????Updated on 3 Sep 2018: Today was supposed to be my day of relief from all my nervousness but lol and behold, it won’t be happening. I had a horrible day yesterday, we were forcefully evicted from our work place cos the place was sold to another person unknown to the original owner. This was done by his daughter. Where I live, anything goes especially if you are connected to the powers that be. No one questions you cos you can bully and intimidate people and get away with it. That is exactly what the new owners did, no notice of any sort and we truly can’t do anything about it cos the law is definitely on their side os they are the rich and powerful and being a foreigner here make it even worse for people like us. Any way I told my PS to cancel for today to reschedule me when I have sorted myself cos all my stuff is in a so disorganized state. I need to put things in other cos my staff can’t handle the situation alone. I hope my new date will be soon cos my PS will be traveling and I need him to have time to run checks on me before he travels ???? Am really traumatized from yesterday and not being able to get my surgery done today. I hardly slept last night.Updated on 4 Sep 2018: Yesterday was rough but today was much better and the most exciting part is that my new date is this Thursday 6/9/2018. I would have been over the anxiety of my procedure by now but it’s ok. My PS told me that I can leave the same day if I come in early and I wouldn’t mind that cos our plan (I and my husband) was for the kids to spend the night at home with the nanny and she is new so it will really be awesome ???????? if I can go home same day not minding that I paid for a night. Am really excited and nervous but I have faith in God and my PSUpdated on 5 Sep 2018: Right now, the reality has set in and am a little jittery. It has been a very long day for me cos am so not settled. My mind has been filled with a lot of thought both good and back but more of good. My husband is even more scared but we talked it over. I had to call up my friend who was worked on by Dr Andrew Hodges years back and she is very happy with her results. She told me not to panic and surprisingly I wasn’t scared until today but I guess it’s the nerves getting to me. I was thinking about a movie I watch years back called AWAKE, the man had a heart surgery and felt all the pain cos he was only paralyzed by the drug and not asleep so I dreamt I had similar surgery ????. I woke up this morning so scared. Well anyway, in the next 24 hours, it will be over and with good result. I know my PS won’t fail me. I will give you all my updates.Updated on 5 Sep 2018: I have arrived at the hospital, did my blood work and now waiting in the room till my PS comes for me. I arrived later than I was supposed to. Am so scared right but I have prayed to God for his protection. I don’t remember being this scared when I had my appendix removed but right now, am freaking out, I guess cos I now have people am responsible for( kids and husband) kids are 13, 11 and 9 years in age. Wish me luck guys. And I will update you when I wake up from surgery that’s if I have the strength to type. Good luck to anyone having their surgery today. God’s speed to us all.Updated on 6 Sep 2018: Surgery went very well and my cut was so thin from what I saw yesterday and no pain around it. My major area of pain is where the muscle was repaired and my back and also I have this tightness like am wearing a corset and I find it hard to breathe properly but am so happy cos the sight of my tummy look awesome. I haven’t slept much cos I have been drifting in and out of sleep. Thanks to my husband who has been rallying around me since after the surgery though we had a big argument about the fat transfer so I ended not doing it. It was my fault cos I didn’t tell him. He has never supported me on the breast enlargement so I thought I could get away with it????. He has always said he likes my boobs like that so for peace to rain, I had to scratch that one off. But am truly happy with my result so far. I will send pictures later. By the way I forgot to tell you how scared I was the whole of yesterday especially when I entered the theater. Seeing all the gadgets phew I thought I will pass out but the team were so great. As they were talking with me, I didn’t even know when I was knocked out. And I was so happy when I woke up cos I was so scared of dying????. Thanks Doctor Andrew for being such a great Doctor. I will definitely recommend you to anyone who wants to do a plastic surgery. ????????Updated on 6 Sep 2018: Still in pain though very mild but I struggle to breath cos of the tightness Updated on 7 Sep 2018: I had good appetite after I came through from the theater by I was advised by the nurse to go light so I was on tea then lots of milk. Felt a little nauseous at first but it subsidized after. Then coughed a little too but everything has settled. I got pictures my PS took immediately after the surgery. Updated on 9 Sep 2018: This is my 3rd day after surgery and I am so happy I did it. No regrets. Yesterday was good though I had lot of discomfort and pain but the pain was manageable I promise is that was my major concern before surgery. DR ANDREW HODGES is the best plastic surgeon. He performed a drain-less TT and I am not swelling. Which m happy with an I pray it continues that way. He advised me not to buy a recliner and am not regretting it cos m comfortable on my bed. I sleep with 3 pillows below my feet and 3 under my upper body and a neck roll pillow. I have no problem sleeping on my back cos am a side and back sleeper. My appetite is great although am not doing carbs yet cos I don’t want to have trouble with bowel movement. Am eating lots of fruits and protein and I drink lots of fluid which makes me pee a lot and I get to move out of bed often which almost landed me in trouble this morning cos I was so pressed that I needed to pee and in the process of leaving the bed, I exerted pressure on my stomach muscles which was so painful but I took my pain killers which helped. I had a bowel movement yesterday which was awesome with my meds, all thanks to the fruits and fluids. Anyway, so far so good, am great. I only feel time is moving sooooo slow. Am used to being up nd about. This bed business is driving me nuts. Am trying to watch TV, listen to my kids stories that they have told over and over. My husband gets to stay home with me for 2 weeks which hasn’t happened in a long time cos he works outside the country. It’s been a great bonding for us, a lot to talk about. Well bye for now. Will post pictures next Friday when I see my PS cos my incision is covered with dressing. To avoid infection. Updated on 10 Sep 2018: Hi everyone. I hope you are all doing great? I wanted to give a.m. update on how my day for is going. It’s been a boring, tiring and stressful day for me not because am in pain. No pain at all but my upper abs was stressing me and my back was hurting from hunching over. The muscle that was repaired from my Diastasis Recti was just stiff, I felt I needed to stretch to relief myself from the tension so I had to walk around more today to reduce the tension cos it helped. When I sit or lay down, it gets so tight but when I stand or move it relaxes. Then my other stress today was dealing with my compression garments. I had to change into 4 different ones cos I thought that was what was making me restless until I realized it was the muscle pulling and because I still have no feelings there cos of numbness, it took me forever to realize my problem. On a lighter note, I had no pain today so didn’t take any pain killers and I had another normal bowel movement. I can stand upright now after I consulted with my PS though not straight but much better compared to my 45 degree position from fear of opening my incision. Am wishing the days will go by so fast so that Friday will come cos that’s when I see my PS hoping he will remove my dressing cos the nurse covered more than half of my tummy and it’s so uncomfortable together with my numbness which makes is so weird and irritating. Nothing seems to interest me. I was hoping to watch lots of TV and read books but no way, all am thinking about is this dressing coming off. I haven’t been able to have a proper bath but just sponge cleaning which is so annoying cos I don’t feel fresh. Sleeping at night has been good but I wake up 2 to 3 times to pee cos i drink a lot which I like. So far, I haven’t felt swollen or maybe I don’t know what being swollen feels like but am very flat so far from what I see. Anyway, am happy with myself and my PS. He is awesome ????. I gaining my strength back. Alright cheers for now and I will send pictures later to see if there is any swelling but I pray it’s not there cos I feel good apart from discomfort.Updated on 11 Sep 2018: Hi everyone. Today was much better. I slept well and I was able to move around more. I had lots of tightness today but I think it’s cos I ate yoghurt cos I get bloated whenever I do eat it but hot drinks helped. Had a BM which seems not to be an issue and a so thankful to God. I have this burning sensation around my incision and I hope it’s normal. So far so good am feeling better though I move like a snail ????. It feels like my legs are attached to my stomach (kidding). I also noticed that when I take of my binder while standing, it feels my stomach will fall out.let me add pictures I took today Updated on 12 Sep 2018: Hello real self sisters. How are you all doing? Day 6 I will say was very good so far cos there is no pain at all. I tried to walk upright a little more but my abs muscles are so tight. It was easier when I woke up, my steps improved and I was able to move around the house comfortably but after few hours, all the muscles tightened up and I was doubled up and my steps went back to snailing ????. The more effort I made to straighten, it got worse. I had to lay down for some good our before it relaxed a little but till right. I felt itching and burning sensation on my incision and BB but it subsided. I get to see my PS on Friday. Hopefully movement will get better. I might be needing that muscle relaxer. Alright everyone cheers and good luck to everyone going in for surgery tomorrow.Updated on 13 Sep 2018: My period started today and it was so stressful and annoying cos it gave me so much cramps and waist pain. I was praying it delays till after my dressing was removed. It explained all my cramps yesterday cos it usually starts a day to my period. Anyway that basically it. I feel better in terms of strength coming back but I am so bored I feel like counting my hair strands. My dressing is all I think about is I need it removed. The nurse placed it so high and it restricts me from standing upright cos it pulls my skin when I try and I don’t want to touch it to avoid any excuse for infection. I had a peep on my scar from the part that came off and it looks great. My son took a picture for me. I will share better pictures tomorrowUpdated on 14 Sep 2018: I saw my incision today an I was pretty scared cos it gave me a fright a bit. It looked weird seeing the cut but my doctor said it was healing nicely. And he said I can now sleep on my side but I doubt that cos it was so uncomfortable when I tried it. I have a vertical incision cos I didn’t have enough lose skin and he needed to place the incision low which I like cos I hate the high ones I see. Today, there was no pain at all and I improved on my posture while standing and walking. I feel I have fluid around my belly button but am not sure cos I noticed some wobbly movement when I got home. I will call my PS tomorrow to tell him. Let me post my scary pictures of my abs. He said it’s very fine though and healing very well. The black line next to my belly button is from the tightness of the removed dressing Updated on 18 Sep 2018: So today is my 12th day after surgery and I feel am almost back to myself energy wise. I work up feeling strong and motivated. I saw my PS last Friday so hen I got home, I felt I had fluid below my B.B. but I wasn’t so sure if my mind was playing tricks on me. Later that night, I was so uncomfortable and restless so I took a closer look and I was indeed right so I made a video around 1am cos I couldn’t sleep then I sent it to my ps and on top of that, I was struggling to breathe so I thought I had a blood clot my I spoke to my ps and he told me it was nothing of such but I could go and see a physician close to me cos the hospital is far from me and also he wasn’t in. I quickly went to a hospital to be on a safe side. Had an X-ray of my chest and did some blood work to check my oxygen and carbon dioxide level and my results came out fine which was a relief. The breathing problem was as a result of my compression holding to tight and pushing the fluid which made it hard to breathe and hurts my back too. So first thing Monday morning I went and the fluid was drained and it measured 60cc. Right there in the hospital, I tucked myself into another firmer compression garment to avoid or reduce another fluid buildup and I am not going to remove it till Friday when I see my ps. It was really uncomfortable yesterday but right now, it feels comfortable. But incision is looking great and I feel great too. Am more upright walking but when I move a lot, my abdominal muscles tightens and I find myself hunching over. Sorry for such a long post. Good luck to anyone have surgery and quick recovery to those who have had.Updated on 18 Sep 2018: Updated on 21 Sep 2018: Hello RealSelf sisters. How are you all doing? I had an appointment with my PS today and he told me everything was healing nicely and there is no more fluid. I was so happy to hear that cos the fluid thing was not funny at all. My incision looks great apart from the point of my vertical T which hasn’t closed fully but it’s just a facial wound which wont take long to close. The only thing I am not happy about is my belly button position cos it’s not in the middle. It was a little tilted to the side but am being hopeful test it will balance as the skin loosens up. Otherwise, am very fine now, I can now walk upright. Am about 95% upright. My energy is back to what it is. I have itchy below my incision. I can now sleep on my side comfortably but my abs muscles go crazy at night but there is not pain. It actually feels like there is a baby moving in my tummy. I will post some pictures later cos I couldn’t take any at the hospital cos I wasn’t so excited about my belly button. Cheers to you all. And enjoy the weekend m. Xoxo.Updated on 22 Sep 2018: Girls, now I know what swell hell is. It’s crazy cos it feels like you’re about to pop open. I noticed it today cos I went out with my son and I exacted myself so much trying to keep up with activities and now am regretting why but am glad my son had a great time. Right now am wearing a spanx and a binder. Updated on 27 Sep 2018: I can’t believe I made it to 3 weeks cos days felt to be moving so slow but yes I made it and things the really turning around for good. I resumed work on Monday and it wasn’t easy cos by midday I was so exhausted so I had to look for a corner to take a short nap, luckily am self employed. Tuesday and Wednesday was same story . I set out in the morning upright but but midday am hunched over then by 4pm when am leaving work, am practically bent over. Today was a different day altogether, I got to work in great spirit and left same way. No problem at all but as soon as I got home, I went straight to bed for an hour nap. I have no pain but just muscle tightness but I still force myself to stand upright though I get scared sometimes of opening my stitches cos I skin is tight but I know it not happen, it’s just my mind playing tricks on me. Am suffering from itching around and along my incision line so I just rub on it slightly and it helps ease it. Am really happy with my results though am still swollen but I see a bright future. My PS is great. Am happy it’s his work. An looking forward to wearing my fitting dresses without worrying about any bulge. I will post again soon. Updated on 1 Oct 2018: Am so excited I made it this far without any major issues. Am looking for to making it to six weeks but it still far ahead but I will get there. Nothing much has happened, am just going through my days as usual but the only difference is that my energy level is very good now. I woke up at night to pee and I was so upright but as my day progressed, I was a little hunched over cos my abs muscles became so tight and I had swelling too. Itching still continues but am trying to cope with it. My PS said I can leave my incision open now but I told him I preferred to cover with a steril strip till 5 week or when when the little opening on my vertical T closes which might be by this weekend cos is almost closed, it’s just left with a very tiny wound to heal. Then main reason am covering the rest of my incision is cos my pant makes it uncomfortable and I feel it might scratch my incision. Any way by end of this week, I might remove the sterile strip and leave it open.Updated on 5 Oct 2018: Hello everyone.hope you all are doing great cos I am. Everything is going sooo smoothly now. I feel much better and my incision is healing so well. Swelling is improving too. Am I happy with my procedure, yes. But I hope it gets even better when the swelling is gone. The only challenge I have is my compression garment squeezing me. It presses on my belly button and my vertical incision so I decided to place sterile strip on it to see if it can hold it apart. But am planning on buying a new garment cos I don’t want this one ruining my results. My incision is dark but I know it will lighten cos where I had appendix before turned to my skin color and I haven’t started scar treatment yet. Truly, the scar is the least of my worry, being flat is my ultimate goal cos my incision is well covered by my undies. And another challenge is still itching above my pubic region but I just try not to scratch it but rather massage it lightly. Happy healing all real self sisters.Updated on 12 Oct 2018: Another mile stone for me and am really excited for the journey so far. It seemed it will never come but am here now. Everything has been great. A lot of progress made. I feel very ok. No more feeling of exhaustion and fatigue. I still hunch over towards the end of the day or when standing up after sitting for long. Swelling is still there but no so bad. My upper abs muscles tends to tighten or bunch together when I overstretch myself. My inly concern is where I have my vertical incision cos it a little pressed in but I feel it might be from swelling and compression garment. My horizontal incision is very low that my under pant covers it well. My incision is dark but I know it will lighten up with time. Here are some pictures.Updated on 21 Oct 2018: So I made it to 6 weeks and am thankful to God for my healing so far. Things was going well till my 5th week when I noticed my incision opening a little which freaked me out so much but I made up my mind to stay positive and face it head on so I bought an antibiotic ointment that I used on it and also covered it with small cotton wool to avoid being scratched by my pant and after one week, it closed up and am so so relieved. Another thing I have noticed is that I have 2 line crease on my tummy, one on my vertical T incision and another close to my belly button. Again I have decided to be calm as healing is still going on and I will also address my concerns with my PS to see how best he can take care of my problems. Right now he is out of the country so till he returns, I will try to be cool. My belly button is still off center. Swelling is still a thing for me but am coping. This journey is not for the faint hearted, it requires a lot of emotional and psychological strength. Am hoping for the best at the end of this journey. I attached some pictures.Updated on 26 Oct 2018: Hello my real self family, how are you all doing. Am still amazed about the fact that I got the surgery done. I want to thank my doctor Andrew Hodges for doing a great job on me and I will definitely recommend him to whom ever is interested getting work done. I have every reason to be happy and grateful cos my stomach is now flat and I see good definition on my waistline. Am still recovering so I know things will continue to get better but even if it doesn’t, minor touch up can be done to fit things up. My healing has been going well though I have some small opening which I suspect was spitting sutures but it’s all healed now. I still swell at the end of day but am not really worried cos it’s part of recovery. My only worry is my belly button and vertical incision which has a crease but am still hopeful or good outcome. Getting in and out of my car is really a big hassle cos my car is low inside and also turning around in bed is not so easy but I try. Another thing that am worried about is my body long to stretch but I really resist it to I don’t want to compromise on my results but I guess m just being paranoid. Anyway, am happy. Here are some pictures m.Updated on 11 Nov 2018: Am doing great so far but am just worried about my crease between my belly button and my vertical scar. Am still hoping it gets better but am truly happy I got this surgery done cos am flatter. I still have some swelling left and some pain left but it’s getting better cos sneezing is no longer scary. My right side above my incision is more swollen than the left and it’s hard above and along my incision so am hoping when it softens, it will be flatter. Am using Mederma cream on my scar and it seems to help lighten the Dark pigmentation around my Incision and also my vertical incision which was depressed is raised. I got a new faja from Ann chery which really helps with the swelling.Updated on 1 Dec 2018: It’s always exciting crossing over to a new week. So far so good, am happy with my results and everything is going great.having this procedure is the best thing I have done for myself. Am no longer scared of going under the knife ????. On another note, my stomach still feels a little soar and uncomfortable when I round or massage it but I know healing is still going on. If I fo without my compression for few hours, I find myself bending over and my mid section feels like it will fall out. I have started exercising but not crunches or any abdominal exercises yet. Here are some pictures Updated on 1 Jan 2019: Hello Everyone, this is my fourth month for surgery. Hope your year took off well? It’s been awhile since I updated although it was on purpose cos I want to be giving monthly updates. I am happy with my procedure for sure and I have no regrets. I will do it again if need be but anyway there is no need for another tummy tuck cos my doctor fixed me up real good. I still feel some discomfort and irritation when I rub on my tummy and my lower belly is still numb but I know it’s normal so am not worried. I was having big itching problem on my incision line but I didn’t realize it was on the incision cos of the numbness. I was always scratching it thinking it was on the skin below it until I realized the middle of my incision scar was a little raised so I started using scar away silicone sheet during day and a mix of vitamin A and E oil and the itching has stopped. Am now praying for the raised skin to settle. I have stopped wearing my compression garments for over 2 weeks now and I feel ok though I have discomfort sometimes but it’s rare. My right lower belly is slightly higher than the left so I spoke to my PS about it and he thinks its a minor correction required but since I want to do my fat transfer to the breast, he said the lipo will correct the unevenness. I want my waist contoured to give me a defined and smaller wait and it will give me a Better hip and butt definition cos am so very okay with my size. Am not a fan of big Booty. So I will be starting another review soon on dat transfer cos I need to go up on size.
