I am scheduled to have a tummy tuck as well as liposuction on Thursday, February 24th. I am 31 and have two children and a step daughter. I having been contemplating a tummy tuck for 4 years. I finally made an appointment and scheduled it. I am so worried about my body having a reaction to the anesthesia and something happening to me. I don't want my kids to be without me. I am also scared about the procedure. I have 10 days to recover before I have to go back to work. I am a teacher. I am so nervous. My doctors office called me a couple of weeks ago and told me that they were closing because of heating/cooling issues in the OR at their facility. They called back a week later and told me that the heating and cooling issues have been resolved. I really like my doctor he has answered all of my questions and makes me feel at ease. I am just so nervous about this. I know I am making the right decision. I am just completely scared right now. Updated on 17 Feb 2011: I have added pictures of myself pre-tummy tuck. Ugh, how embarrassing. Updated on 20 Feb 2011: 4 days until the big day! I am experiencing an array of emotions. I am getting to the point now where I just cannot wait to see my new body. Now, I am starting to feel worried about the emotions I will feel afterward. Am I going to have feelings of regret? WHy am I going to experience different emotions? Updated on 22 Feb 2011: 37 hours Surgery time in hours now. My stomach is in knots. Trying to breathe, relax. I could really use a glass of wine right now, or the bottle :) How are you ladies doing today? Any advice on things that are working to keep you calm??? Updated on 24 Feb 2011: It's 4:20 am. I am getting ready to head out for surgery. Will update you all when I can. Oh goodness.....HERE WE GO! Updated on 25 Feb 2011: Surgery went great! I am home with my kids :) I am walking almost upright already. I have no drains. Feeling a bit of pain. I feel like I just got the crap beat out of me. I had a lot of Lipo done. Almost 2 liters. I also had a lot of muscle repair done. I am wearing the binder right now. It feels nice though. I feel like it is keeping me all nice and tight. I can already see the difference. I want to take the binder off, just to see the results. But scared it will hurt so bad to put it back on. lol I will take pictures and post them for you. Thanks for the support. So glad that this is all over :) Updated on 25 Feb 2011: Hello All, I am 1 day out of surgery. I haven't seen my results. I am wearing a binder. I took the binder of today and literally 10 seconds later I told my hubby to put it back on. I go to my post-op appointment on Tuesday. PS will take off my bandages and I will be able to see my results. I am so excited to see. I already feel like a new lady. As soon as I can post pictures I will. I do not have any drains. PS said I did not need them. Feeling well. Tired and just feel like I had the crap beat out of me :) I am excited to see what I look like for sure. Please ask me anything. Having gone through the surgery, I would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have. Updated on 26 Feb 2011: Today, I decided to stop taking the vicodin and switch to tylenol. I am not feeling a lot of pain right now. I just feel like someone punched me in the sides and in my stomach. My neck and chest muscles hurt really bad. But I think it's from trying to life myself up from the couch without using my stomach muscles. I have no upper body strength so this has been difficult. I also have not been able to go #2! UGH, I am taking a stool softner. I am hoping that I can go today :) I am having gas pains and bc I can't push (muscle repair) it hurts a lot. That is probably the one thing that is bothering me the most right now. I can't wait to see my new body. I am wearing the binder and I feel like a whole new me. I have a lot of dressings on my wounds. I don't want to take any of that off. My appointment is on Tuesday. I will let the doctor do all of that. I wanted to keep you all updated on my progress post-surgery. Please let me know if you have any questions. Updated on 27 Feb 2011: Its been 4 days since my surgery. I won't lie, I am so glad that surgery is over. I was so scared to get this procedure done. I am so so happy that this is not plaguing my thoughts anymore. The past month, whenever I was all alone with my thoughts I worried myself with the effects of anesthesia and the what if's. Today I feel a bit woozie. My head feels like it is floating. I ate oatmeal and a banana. I just feel strange. Not bad, just different. I still have not been able to have a BM. Perhaps that is what is wrong I am full of S#&T. ~lol~ I really want to be able to go potty. It's probably the most bothersome right now. The gas in my belly keeps building. I had muscle repair on my abs and also on my obliques. So trying to push gas out, is very hard to do. I have been sleeping on the couch since Thursday. I really want to sleep in my bead, however my bed sits about 4.5 feet off the ground. I cannot maneuver my body to get into bed right now. Ok, I am writing a book. I posted a picture of my tummy. Hope you enjoy and I hope I am helping by posting a daily log for you. Updated on 28 Feb 2011: Day 5.... Woke up this morning and helped my husband get the kids ready for school. Well I brushed the girls hair and out their hair in pony tails :) Went for a car ride. Was a little uncomfortable. Came home and my hubby washed my hair and helped me take a sponge bath. Took off my binder. A lot of swelling and I think I still have a fat pocket above my belly button. However, huge difference everywhere else. I know I am EXTREMELY swollen right now. When will the bulk of the swelling go down? In 6 weeks we are going to Kalahari indoor waterpark. I am so afraid I am gonna be a huge balloon by then as well. Feeling a bit of pain. Not much. I am taking milk of megnesia. Still have not had a BM. This is my second day taking the milk of megnesia. I am hoping it works miracles and can go potty. When will I be able to wear jeans? Right now, I feel like I am bigger than what I was when I went in. I know I am being impatient. This is day 5. I am just worried that I went through all of this and I am not going to be 100% happy. I guess I am having some different emotions right now. Updated on 1 Mar 2011: Day #6 Saw the PS today. He said everything is looking very good. I am feeling good. I just get SOOO tired after being up for a few hours. I get to shower today and I am so so excited about that. I feel like a new lady. I am already wearing shirts that I was steering away from bc they looked so terrible on me before. Today I wore my favorite red and white polk a dot shirt. It reminds me of the 50's :) Anyway. Feeling really great and so happy with my results so far. Updated on 2 Mar 2011: Today I am so so sick. I am very weak and nauseous. I am so scared that something is wrong. I have no energy and I am shaking. I have slept since 900 this morning. I tried eating oatmeal and thought I was going to puke it up. Slept all day. Woke up and had a bowl of sherbet. I feel terrible. I am not sure if it is the TT or if I am getting sick. Should I be worried about something? Updated on 5 Mar 2011: Today is day 9. I am feeling good, just sore. I went out for a beer last night with my girlfriends and it was so nice to get out of the house. When we came home, I had to take a pain pill. I felt very sore. Still very swollen, but I am happy with the results. I wore a tight fitted shirt last night and that felt pretty good to be able to do. I haven't wore a fitted tee in years. We are taking our kids to an indoor waterpark in April! Can't wait to rock out my new body :) Updated on 5 Mar 2011: I added some new pictures. Updated on 6 Mar 2011: Today I decided to weigh myself. Didn't know if I would lose any weight, but thought I would check it out. I have lost 5 pounds since my surgery. I went in weighing 143 and I am now at 138. I am so so excited about the weight loss. I was stuck in the 140's FOREVER! Such a great feeling. I feel good about my body, I am getting to my goal weight. WOW! What a lifestyle change. Last night my neighbor looked at me and said, "You are so Skinny!" I am not gonna lie, it is such a great feeling to be happy with myself again. I absolutely am 100% happy with this decision. It just feels so great to feel good about ME. I hated looking at myself in the mirror before my TT. I feel like a brand new person. Updated on 10 Mar 2011: I am two weeks post-op! Wow everyday you feel better and get stronger. I am back to work, however by noon I think I could crawl into the corner of my classroom and take a snooze. In the evening I am very sore. But more like someone is constantly pushing on a bruise kind of sore. I will take pictures tomorrow morning and post for you. The bruising has improved by leaps and bounds. I am feeling like myself again! I am so happy with my decision to get a tummy tuck. I feel like a whole new world has opened for me. It is a great feeling! Updated on 14 Mar 2011: Here are 3 week post-op pictures. Healing really well. Still very swollen on my right side. Riding in a car and doing things is getting much easier. Still extremely tired at night. Updated on 25 Mar 2011: I am one month out. I am now wearing size 6/8 jeans and feel amazing. I started working out on a treadmill. Just walking. But I feel amazing. Updated on 27 Mar 2011: I am one month and 4 days post op. I am living my life pretty usual. I am still wearing the brace, but because the swelling only happens in certain place, the brace becomes very uncomfortable. I am thrilled about the results. I have lost 5 pounds since the surgery and am fitting into my size 8 jeans quite comfortably. I was wearing a size 10. Some of my pants were 12's. I tried on a pair of my dress pants to day and they were HUGE on me. I find that I get full very quickly. If I try to eat like I used too, I feel very uncomfortable. Almost like I gorged myself. I hate the feeling. My belly feels like a 1000 pounds. I am finally now this week able to sleep on either of my sides. I haven't be able to do that at all. It stretched my side muscles and I had those repaired. It hurt when I tried to lay on my side. I am so thankful that I dont have to sleep on my back anymore. I havent gotten a real nights sleep in quite some time. So thankful that I can start resting again. We are taking our kids to an indoor water park the first week in April. I will be 6 weeks post op when we leave. I ordered a bikini from VS. Can't believe I am going to where a 2 piece out in public. I am anxious to begin running again. I started walking, but with a runners heart this has been difficult. In December I weighed 150. I joined WW and got down to 143 by my surgery. I know not a huge weight loss. More than the weight, it is just great to put on clothes and feel good about myself :) Updated on 21 Apr 2011: I have been really upset this week with my stomach. I so swollen so bad and it's like you can't even see a flat tummy. I swell up anytime I do anything. I try not to wear the brace, but if I don't I swell up. I am numb on my sides still. I guess I expected a miracle. I lost weight after the surgery, but now I have gained some weight. Which is frustrating. I joined Weight watchers again. The swelling a fat belly is making me sad. I know it can take up to a year, but I am so impatient. Updated on 27 Apr 2011: I see my ps in june. I am going to have to address some problem areas... Sigh Updated on 27 Apr 2011: Well I just broke down. I don't feel like my results are great. My right side is very swollen and looks like something is wrong. I am so sad bc my initial results were beautiful. The results now are far from. I have a fat pocket above my belly button. I can still feel the hernia and my belly hangs when I lean over still. I am just so sad. My hubby says I am swollen. But I dont think it is swelling at al. Updated on 28 Apr 2011: I added some photos. Yesterday was an emotional day for me. However, I am just very SWOLLEn on my right side. I bought a string bikini today. Never thought I would do this. Here are the newest pictures.Updated on 24 Aug 2011:It has been 6 months since my tummy tuck and to be honest I am not thrilled with my results. I see my PS on September 12th and I am going to inquire about getting more lipo. I was told that I would be extremely flat and that is just not the case. I will keep posting...Updated on 20 Sep 2011:November 11th, I am getting more liposuction done on my abdomen. Met with my PS and he is unhappy with the way my stomach looks as well. I hate to have to go through this again, however I am not happy with the results. :(Updated on 17 Oct 2011:November 11th I am receiving liposuction again. A bit disappointed but hoping it will help.Updated on 15 Nov 2011:Received lipo on Friday! I am swollen! My lower stomach...no more hanging, but worried still about my upper belly. We shall see.... How long will the swelling take with just lipo and no tummy tuck?
So far so good. I am really swollen and sore but I can already see that I am smaller where it counts. Updated on 25 Jan 2011: I am now about 2 weeks post op and I can REALLY see the beginning of my new body. The pain is way better and manageable with Extra Strength Tylenol. I still have a LOT of swelling to go down but I am very happy with the results so far.. NO MORE LOVE HANDLES! :D I will update again with more photos of all views when I am 1 month post op :) If anyone has any questions I would love to chat about it and help you.
Excited and Nervous, counting down the days until surgery. I have been stalking this website looking at all the women who have shapes similar to mine and overwhelmed by the beautiful results. Will post before pictures soon. Starting weight 263lbs, 5' 7", total weight loss 88lbs. I have been overweight all my life, I never felt it was a problem until my health started failing. I was diagnosed as being pre-diabetic, with high blood pressure and lymphedema in my lower left leg. I had a cancer scare so I had to get serious about my health. I had gastric sleeve weight loss surgery on 7.2.14 and will have plastic surgery on 6.24.15. I decided not to wait, its my choice, I want to see my results NOW. Stay Tuned. Updated on 12 Jun 2015: Updated on 28 Jun 2015: I'm healing and feeling better everyday. Updated on 30 Jun 2015: Very swallon, doctor happy with results. Bandages were removed from my arms and I replaced with compression garment. Belly button is off center because of swelling. Doctor says don't worry. Total of 50lbs removed, 35lbs from stomach, rest from arms. Ab binder rescued. I was cleared to take a shower but I still have the drain tube in. I think I will wait until jp is out. Very happy, pictures to follow soon. Updated on 2 Jul 2015: Ok a quick update, I'm 8 days post opt tt, lipo and arm lift. Total of 50lbs removed from my stomach and arms combined. Updated on 3 Jul 2015: Took my first shower, felt great. Found some hard lumps on one arm and on one hip and asking my side. Not sure what those are about. We'll get drain tube out on Tuesday. Updated on 4 Jul 2015: More tired than usual today guess a different part of the healing process. Updated on 9 Jul 2015: With garment off I don't look this good still swollen but in different spots. Pointed out the knots and he said that was normal to start massaging it. I can lightly rub my incisions during my shower. No more antibiotics cream or tape needed. Wearing the new compression garment 24/7. He was like why you take your drain out without telling me! I was like it was getting infected. He looked at in was like ok, next time call me I would have come and did it. I asked about my sides and he said its still too early but he thinks it will be fine just swelling. He did put a needle in my hip I was complaining about and no fluid came out so he said see it's swelling. So bottom line he knows my concerns and we will see what happens in November! Cause if I need revisions I want it during the holiday while I'm off of work. Updated on 11 Jul 2015: Feeling good, still wearing my compression garment, paying my results stay with the garment off. I found out I have a seroma, getting it drained on Tuesday.
