I am 29 years old with one superb 5 year old son. My highest weight was 354, about 8 years ago. My lowest was 235, about a year ago. I’m currently around 265. I low carb dieted-no surgery. I carried the majority of my weight in my torso and belly, and am hoping for a Fleur se lis abdominoplasty with mons contouring. My consult is the 29th with Dr. Arrington!
Updated on 29 Mar 2018:
Had my consultation today!! Dr. Arrington was warm, kind, professional and obviously knowledgeable and confident. I was worried I would feel put off or uncomfortable and I was quite wrong! He was very easy to talk to and honest about the fact that I had skin that was ready to go. I’m so excited to have set my date!!!!
Updated on 9 Apr 2018:
Some continuing photos of my before body-skin, fat and all!! Still amazed this is even happening. I’ve been googling OBSESSIVELY trying to find more plus size women who’ve had this done WITHOUT additional procedures....I’m not getting breasts or butt done! Just tummy tuck and frankly I’m terrified i won’t get the result I want if I DON’t end up with an additional vertical incision....the Dr said it may be necessary but he won’t know for sure until he gets me on the table. In the meantime, I’m focusing on my protein to get into the habit of extra protein now, as it’s encouraged after surgery. I’m also trying to log steps and WALK-my surgeon said that’s the best thing to do leading up to surgery and then as soon as cleared post operatively. I’m nervous, excited and VERY impatient!!!
Updated on 26 Apr 2018:
Counting down!!! Tightened the reigns on my diet to get off as much extra weight as possible before surgery. More before pictures! Jut pulling skin to imagine what I’ll look like pot op!!
Updated on 14 Jun 2018:
I’ve been researching, exercising, shopping for post op necessities, and trying not to get my hopes too high! My EKG and blood work are perfect. I go Monday morning for an airway check- I didn’t realize this surgery was intubated! Attached are some more before pictures-including of my two piece dream swimsuit. I hate looking at these pictures but I can’t WAIT for the “afters”!
Updated on 21 Jun 2018:
Here are my last “before” pictures. Surgery center told me to arrive at 7:30 for prep and then surgery is at 8:30. I will keep you all posted!!! ??
Updated on 21 Jun 2018:
Hey guys!!!
I’m home! I’ve been home since about 3. My surgery was 3+ hours long. The doctor didn’t do a vertical incision but told my fiancée that he didn’t need to once he got me on the table! He removed over 12 lbs of skin and lipo’d my hips to the tune of 2 or 3 liters, if I recall correctly. I’m relatively alert and my pain is moderate c/o Percocet, lol. I’ll keep you posted!
Updated on 22 Jun 2018:
Had my post op appt this morning. Got my first look at my new body and actually got my binder removed since it was too tight! Still have my drains, but my dr approved me going to shape wear since my swelling was so severe. I anticipated this, as I’m prone to swelling anyway.
Just getting out of the binder and into something that is still supportive but not uncomfortable has made major difference in my swelling! Things are settling down little by little. Haven’t been able I get great pics but I’ll post what I have!
Updated on 23 Jun 2018:
HEY GUYS!!
No lie, my first day or two, I panicked a little. I know, I know! Swell hell, major surgery, giving the body time to adjust and heal, etc. but I was so worried I’d stay lumpy! Here you can see my progress-swelling is slowly going down! I can’t believe I’m this small, and that I’ll continue to shrink!!
A few more details-I don’t know if I mentioned, but the surgeon didn’t feel the need for the FDL style, with secondary incision. Honestly, I’m grateful because even if I still have some laxity I think it will be minor compared to where I was before but more importantly, healing through the hip to hip incision is hard enough. I’m so grateful for Dr. Arrington holding firm to his expertise and medical experience and not doing more than my body can handle. Now, initially he’d mentioned I might not get a belly button, so I got rely preparer not to have one. Because he didn’t need to do the secondary incision, I still have it! It’s crazy! I can’t REMEMBER being able to fully see my belly button or anything. Can’t wait to see how everything settles.
Pain wise, I’m managing really well, c/o of my meds. I’m handling all of this far better than I ever thought I would! It’s amazing what you can get through and handle. I sleep on my couch with an ottoman to keep me reclined and with LOTS of pillows. I have a fabulous fiancée who is taking perfectly attentive care of me. This morning I was able to get up, wipe myself down (no shower yet ????), brush through my hair and braid it! Felt so great to be a little fresher faced and mobile. That being said, that was enough motion for me for the next hour or so-it wore me out!
Stay tuned!
Updated on 23 Jun 2018:
Here’s a comparison shot-1 day pre-op and 2 days post op!!! WOW!
Updated on 24 Jun 2018:
More pictures! A little nervous about the look of my torso so far but for such a big change there’s what must be lots of swelling and I am getting comfortable with the fact that I still have work to do. Overall I’m so much happier so far!!!
Updated on 27 Jun 2018:
Hey guys! Yesterday the selling was AWFUL-my skin felt ready to split! My incision and belly button are still totally numb-my pain is from the hips, where my dr was aggressive (appropriately so!) in lipo to make sure my proportions were correct. 12 lbs of skin, and then additional liters of fat from the hips that equaled 4 more lbs!! So between the bruising and swelling, it is VERY uncomfortable. However, that’s the worst pain I can complain of! I’m actually going on over 8 hours off my pain meds. I don’t like the way the Percocet makes me feel! Beyond tired, just quicksand sucked under into unconsciousness. So my dr cleared me for Motrin to wean myself off and I’m rocking and rolling with that! Here are some more pictures.
Updated on 29 Jun 2018:
Mostly pictures today guys. Saw my surgeon and he said everything looks awesome. He said he would see me again Monday and hopefully take out the right drain then so long as the output continues to decrease. I slept in my bed (with about a million pillows) last night and it was great but different. Yesterday, alllll my swelling settled south-pubic bulge, upper thighs, even my calves and ankles. After sleeping in my bed, it all came back to the middle so my belly appeared bigger, waist to hip ratio reduced, etc. both were PAINFUL bouts of swelling. I ordered a faja-like garment off of amazon and it will be here tmw. Because it compresses from knees to armpits, I’m really hoping it helps. I’m totally off pain meds, and my only real pain is the swelling....if I can get a good garment I’ll be pain free :) stay tuned!
Updated on 4 Jul 2018:
Sorry it’s been a while, things have been a little crazy! Monday I saw my surgeon and given that my drain output was good, he removed one. I was so excited! It felt super weird, but wasn’t technically painful to get it out. He was very pleased with how my healing is going.
Monday was also my son’s birthday (he turned 6) and I did A LOT that day. And by a lot, I mean too much. An hour of grocery shopping, baking, sculpting, and frosting a cake from scratch, wrapping presents, straight out to birthday dinner with family. I was so exhausted, overextended and uncomfortable I went to the bathroom at the restaurant and just cried. The next morning, I woke up with a fever of 101.4. My incision looked fine...no extra redness or tenderness out of the ordinary.I also felt pretty crappy, and hoped it was a summer bug. Through use of Tylenol and ibuprofen, we got my fever down to 99.9, but couldn’t break it entirely. Last night I went to bed and was either teeth chatteringly freezing or pouring sweat by turns. This morning, with a temperature of 103.5, my heart sank. I did notice some redness near the pubic area of my incision, but that’s where my compression garment stops. I left a message on my surgeon’s urgent message line and when he called me back, we discussed and agreed it sounded viral and to be seen tmw due to the office being closed for the holiday today. I was feeling reassured....until I went to use the restroom and saw the area of redness I’d seen earlier was reaching higher toward my belly button, and hot to the touch. I immediately called my surgeon again, and I’m now on an antibiotic and will be seen either tmw or Friday morning.
Updated on 20 Jul 2018:
Hey guys! Fighting the infection was a legitimate battle. I’m in the clear finally! On my last day of antibiotics, swelling is still present but slowly diminishing. I’ve got the all clear from my dr to do mederma and scar massage on the parts of my incision that are fully healed. I still have two areas of scabbing on my right side and one leaking area on my left from the first drain removal/fluid build up plus the infection. All in all I’m doing really awesome!! Can’t wait to have the energy and be cleared to work out.
Updated on 2 Aug 2018:
Infection thoroughly gone! It’s been an emotional ROLLERCOASTER, and has made me confront a lot of body dysmorphia and mental issues with food, but I have never regretted my choice! Still can’t believe there’s swelling that will still go down!
Updated on 10 Sep 2018:
They’re not kidding when they say this is a ROLLERCOASTER. I’m just now finally starting to love my new body and get the hang of it. Coming up on 12 weeks post op and I still have some numbness below the bellybutton and I still swell when I’ve been on my feet all day at work. Still TOTALLY worth it!
Updated on 6 Dec 2019:
Some updated photos since it’s been so long! While all of my swelling in the incision area resolved, it then migrated to the extra skin in my thighs. I’m working on a lymphedema diagnosis but STILL would do it alL again!