I was very tiny my whole life even after getting married and our first child. It wasn't until our 2nd child 18 years later that my weight really become a problem for me. I am 4'11 1/2" and weighted 204 which is to me not pretty at all, I was always talking about how fat I was because that is what I felt people were thinking anyway. I knew I had to find me again before it ruined everything Updated on 29 Jul 2016: I want to update because I did leave out something very dear to me. My Mom and I had planned on getting a Tummy Tuck together (our bodies were alike). she wanted to see me little again LOL but December 20, 2010 we were told she had cancer and May 26, 2011 she lost the battle but gained eternal life with our heavenly father. I know she would be very proud that I did it as I am. Having my tummy tuck was the best decision I ever made for me. I am now 4 weeks post op and still very swollen in the upper part of my stomach which could still take 3 to 6 months or longer. They removed 10 pounds of pure fat from my stomach and with just that gone I feel so much better. Updated on 29 Jul 2016: just a few pictures to hopefully show just how big my belly was and then after the surgery. I will still post the best pictures later
I found this site prior to setting the date for my surgery. When I look at the pictures and reviews I think "How could that person not be happy with that result?". I want to share my experience so that maybe it will help other ladies with their surgery as well. I had surgery on 10/9/2013, it is now 10/12/2013 and yes I am glad I had it done. Sore and bruised as heck but I know the end result will be worth it! I am fortunate that my insurance covered the procedure and my secondary insurance picks up the copays. On a side note I had an awful spider bite October 2012 and got MRSA, the MRSA manifested itself again a few months ago and I went through an agressive treatment to be rid of it for good. I used a nasal ointment, antimicrobial baths, and an oral antibiotic. I had to have the boils cut out, which left a large open wound that had to be packed to heal from inside to out both times. I healed quickly and with very little scarring. My upfront out of pocket had been met because of this and the doctors did not feel it was an issue as far as having another surgery. I go for a follow up 1 week post op next Tuesday and will post new pictures and hopefully will continue to heal. Updated on 23 Oct 2013: Well here I am 2 weeks post op and still so happy I did this. It has been fun trying on some of my clothes to see how different they fit. It has not all been easy, but not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. The thing that had me most concerned was basically my nipples were black, they look like all the tissue had died on the ends. As it gets better it reminds me of a smashed fingernail type bloodclot it sloughs off as time passes and heals. At 2 weeks I feel good, definitely not 100%. I have a very physical part time job and take care of the hubby and house ( Taking care of him is my full time job!), so I am going to ease back into work next week. Happy Healing to those going through it, and if you are considering it, go ahead it is worth it! Updated on 29 Oct 2013: I thought it was time for new pics so the ladies going through this know what to expect. I am having a good day and headed to do grocery shopping. I still have out of sort days, both physically and emotionally. Thankfully I have has no problems with incisions, extreme swelling, or anything for that matter. Feeling blessed! Updated on 3 Nov 2013: Just wanted to say that now that I am coming up on 1 month post op I still could not be happier that I did this! I went shopping today with my sister and a lady in the department store was shaped much like I once was and we were in the bra section, she mentioned she could never find a bra in a regular department store, always ordering online. That was the start of our conversation, I told her about this site, my surgery, gave her one of my old appointment cards and reccomended she go see my surgeon for a consult. She said she had wanted to do it for a long time, her husband was reluctant to have his playground messed with. I ended up showing her my pictures in my phone and she was amazed! Her husband then walked up and me being as open( and crazy) as I am asked her if she wanted me to show him my pictures. She said "sure, if you are comfortable doing that I would love for him to see the result". By the time we finished talking she hugged me and promised to keep in touch and let me know what she decided. I could tell having a frank conversation with her husband and him seeing that there would be plenty left for him to play with, and making his wife happy changed his perspective. I really hope she can have this life changing surgery. My nips are almost healed all the way, still very red. My incisions are flattening out nicely, I know they will keep changing for as much as a year. I saw my daughter in law for the first time since the surgery and she thought they look like "young boobs". It has been so worth all the discomfort!
Well, I am planning to have a tummy tuck with lipo to my flanks and anterior and posterior thighs. I have confidence in my doctor since he did my breast reduction years ago. I do not have an expectation of perfection but honestly I think most people's bodies are just fine, my own included. What bothers me the most and is leading me to pursue this surgery is that I am often asked if I am pregnant by well-meaning (albeit thoughtless) people. It is uncomfortable for me and them. I like wearing fitted clothing. I am comfortable in it, I just want my belly bump gone. Updated on 19 Jun 2015: Scheduled for Friday, June 26. Nervous to see what my results will be, but excited! Updated on 25 Jun 2015: I started my prep for surgery this morning with an antibiotic and no coffee. Not gonna lie, no coffee is tough, but I want to be healthy, so...no caffeine. I should probably warn my family not to talk to me today! Updated on 26 Jun 2015: Had my tummy tuck/lipo today. Had to stay a long time in recovery because I could not "void" (I.e. teetee). Like four hours!! Anyway, I am home now and as comfortable as can be expected. Updated on 29 Jun 2015: I went to the doctor today and since I was not draining much, he took both drains out. It hurt a smidge to have the stitch cut on each and the pulling out hurt for just a second. Not terrible. However, I had taken 2 hydrocodone a before the visit and after the first drain came out, I turned yellow and my blood sugar dropped due to the "trauma". My doctor have me sprite and I was fine within 10 minutes. I really like that my doctor is very matter of fact and has good attention to detail. I feel as though he is taking very good care of me. Over te weekend, I had some questions, so I called the office. Te doctor on call was Dr. Lober. I feel that he was very attentive to my concerns as well. I am pleased with my progress. Updated on 30 Jun 2015: So, yesterday at my doctor's appointment, I got cleared to take a shower today. I feel like a new person. I am wearing regular clothes and look pretty g9d. My legs are super swollen, however, so I will definitely not be trying on my jeans or anything like that any time soon. Very happy with my progress so far! Updated on 30 Jun 2015: When I take my binder off (shower or bathroom visits), I turn yellow and just about pass out. I just had my 3rd episode of the day. It is miserable! Updated on 30 Jun 2015: So everyone knows what pain meds do to you, right? Well, prior to my surgery, I went and asked my pharmacist what to take. She recommended docQlace. The dosage is 3 a day maximum, so I would take one every other dose of pain meds. Today is day 5 post op, and it just did the trick. Absolutely no pain. I remember what going was like the first time after my csections, and that was awful. I am so glad I asked. Hope this info can help someone else as well! Updated on 2 Jul 2015: I was having a strange symptom where it feels as though an elephant is stepping on my chest. I have to breath deeply in order for it to relax. I called my nurse and she said to gontonirgent care to get checked. I did and they advised me to go to the hospital for a ct scan. I went and they tried four times to get an iv in me. Apparently I was dehydrated, although I have been drinking a lot of Gatorade/water. Anyway, they finally got the ct scan and there was fortunately no clot. They wanted to do the test out of extreme caution. It was a very frustrating evening with lots of tears. Fortunately, my husband is awesome and stayed with me the whole time, saying the most supportive things and encouraging me to stay and get the test done when I really just wanted to check out AMA and go home. I got really good, very sweet care. I had a very hard time getting over needing these tests to make sure I had not injured myself by getting this tt and lipo. I feel totally fine now and am grateful the experience turned out positively. Updated on 2 Jul 2015: Hi - okay, so I went to my ps today for my second follow up. He took the stitches out of my belly button. He also changed the tape of my incision. That actually felt quite good. Turns out I have thrush in my mouth from the antibiotic. I can barely eat/swallow, so I ate ice cream for lunch. It was the only thing that did not hurt. Doc gave me a prescription for a pill that should clear it up pretty soon. All the best and happy healing! Updated on 8 Jul 2015: Okay, so 12 days post op is sooooo much easier. I have been on Advil for a few days now. I was really scared about making the transition from narcotics to OTC meds, but since it gives me the freedom to drive, I am happier. Not that I leave the house much, but knowing I can is a big mental step. I have been getting out every morning to walk a little ways and. That is good. I went to the doc yesterday for my third post op appointment. I have had my drains out since day 4. I never really drained much. Don't know why. If I knew, I would share! I am still not able to cook much because I have a family of 5 and cooking for them results in things too heavy for me to lift. This 5 pound limit really limits what I can fix! The strangest thing for me now from these procedures is that I know that I am now a skinny person. I went in to this surgery a size 12, and even with all the swelling, I have a size 8 skirt that fits. I have not been able to wear that skirt in at least three years. When the swelling goes down, I imagine I will be a size six. My husband told me I really was the perfect candidate for this surgery since my stomach from the twin pregnancy really made me look and feel large. I am only down about 4 pounds, but the body sculpting has made a huge difference. My doctor really is an artist. I am not sure how it happened, because I did not get any lipo on my back, but my back roll by my bra is now gone also. It might be because I told him to extend my incision (since it will always be hidden so I did not care how long it is). It took care of a few extra stretch marks also! Anyway, I am very happy with my results and I hope you all are happy with yours as well! :-) Updated on 12 Jul 2015: I think I may have jumped the gun, butt I got a pencil skirt today that looks phenomenal! So excited! I also got a gray blazer. Pretty excited about that, also!
