I struggled with the decision for a tummy tuck because so many people kept ensuring me that I would "snap back". I had my daughter at 21 and the amount of stretching my stomach went through was unbelievable. I knew then that something was off when I was 6 weeks postpartum and called my midwife to ask her why my uterus was still enlarged. A few days later she informed me that I had a diastis recti and my muscles were separated. This created the "still pregnant" look which I've dealt with to no avail. Updated on 5 Dec 2017: The closer I got to surgery the more calm I became. It made no sense to stress and worry when I knew that God would bring me through this. I constantly prayed and "nested" my home. The only thing I purchased was gauze, stool softener, peroxide and alcohol, compression garment w/ underwear attached, girdle, and Mepitac Silicone tape. Updated on 5 Dec 2017: Vomit! Everywhere! From the moment I woke up to the nurse asking me which drink to choose: water or ginger ale? Because I could feel an episode of vomit about to come on, I picked ginger ale. Big mistake! I threw up immediately and continued to do so until 8pm that night. Getting dressed, on the way down the elevator, in the car, while talking to family members, in the living room! The anesthesia wearing off was unpleasant to say the least. Updated on 5 Dec 2017: Waking up and looking down was surreal! I had decided on a tummy tuck back in November of 2016 and to finally be on the flat side was a great feeling. Knowing that there was a journey to this point made the pain much more tolerable. I also had a coughing fit 3 days post op. I took my pain medicine, squeezed pillow close and hoped for the best. Updated on 5 Dec 2017: The belly button reveal finally happened and everything is healing as planned. I did not get the tape over my stitches removed as this is what's assisting in keeping them closed. At the end of next week it will be removed. My drains were removed and it burned. I was surprised to actually feel the drains moving through my body during the process. My scar is higher than I would like, but being 5'1 and having the bulk of my stomach in that area made more sense to have the scar there. It ensured less stretch marks and more skin removal. All in all I am pleased with the results and am looking forward to healing completely. Updated on 9 Dec 2017: The pain has subsided and I can finally feel my stomach again. Im starting to notice that type of compression garment really controls the amount of swelling that I have. I purchased a girdle size S from Walmart and the compression garment with the underwear attached. Sadly to say, the compression garment from the hospital has done the most in terms of back support and minimizing swelling. While the garments from Walmart do an excellent job at "shaping" me, they get a thumbs down in terms of swell control. One word of advice: be nice to yourself and take it easy. The hormonal spikes and lows will come and go so expect it! I questioned my decision on this the past couple of days but looking back on old photos reminded me that I did this for me and not for vain purposes, people or attention. I have always struggled with my weight Due to my extremely high metabolism. I am barely 5'2 and I weighed in on the scale at 106.6 this morning. The day of the surgery I was 112. But for some odd reason, when looking in the mirror I don't look "too skinny". I believe it's because the majority of my weight was being situated in my stomach around my abdomen because it was so stretched out. I am eating many small meals a day but today I will add in some homemade high calorie protein shakes to try and get me back up to 112. Updated on 26 Dec 2017: Hi ladies! I am loving the results even though I'm not fully healed yet. I have a baby 6-pack coming in and my sides are toned as if there was no tomorrow! My curves have definitely made their debut. My goal was to go for my 19 yr old body but this!!! It's much better than the body I had at 19! I'm loving it! I have resumed the majority of my day to day activities minus the heavy lifting. I have seen a huge reduction in the amount of swelling I've had, especially towards the end of the night. I have been wearing my compression garment at night but keeping the girdle on during the day. In the morning time I take it off just to see how long I can go without it but I notice that the back pain starts to set in after about 1hr and then I'll start to slouch. My next appointment is Jan. 9 and I will definitely bring that up. Updated on 15 Jan 2018: Hi ladies! I just had another post-op appointment and everything is looking amazing. The doctor checked me out and took after pictures which completely blew my mind when compared with before pictures. I am using Mepitac silicone tape on my scar and it is completely flat and much lighter than before. I was advised by the doctor that after three months to stop using the silicone tape because it won't make much of a difference after that. All in all I am beyond pleased with the results! I can't believe how good I look. My confidence is through the roof and beyond!! None stop shopping and I am fitting into shirts that are an XS. My high waisted pants and cropped shirts have finally made their debut!
I was extremely lopsided in my breasts as I developed and remember having a DD on the right and barely a B on the left. Insurance covered a Breast implant surgery in 1998 to try and match up my breasts. Over the years my natural right breast has gotten even bigger and heavier (now a FF Cup). It's now again about 2-3X the size of the implanted breast, which is about a DD :(. I'm having a breast implant removal with a lift and a significant right breast reduction to match whatever's left. I DO NOT WANT a breast implant or any implant(s). I want to be all natural and SMALL! It's been such a blessing that the state insurance is paying in FULL for this, so I have no cost that I know if and they haven't even told me what it would have cost being that mine is a special case. Updated on 8 Aug 2015: The smaller breast is actually the implanted side :( Updated on 26 Sep 2015: I'm reallynsore, but am so excited to see Updated on 8 Oct 2015: I'm approx 2 weeks post op and it just could not be any better!!! Dr. Gordon was able to take the breast implant out of my left breast and there was the exact amount of tissue to create a C cup. He then reduced the right breast down to a C cup as well and they look and feel amazing !!! I found out the surgery took approximately 6 1/2 hours, so it was no joke! I find that Dr. Gordon is very much of a perfectionist with his work and I am so grateful to have been referred to him. Updated on 9 Oct 2015: They're healing great! I'm using Emu Oil, Arnica Oil, and a natural scar lotion. I also need anti-itch lotion from time to time. Updated on 17 Nov 2015: Doing great, but my suture opened under my left breast and I have to go the the hospital and get it seen up :(. Otherwise, they're looking great and still so happy about my breasts! Updated on 9 Jan 2016: I think my breasts are relaxing into place and I think I'm almost at the final result most likely. I noticed that my huge right breast that was reduced to match what was left of left breast is actually a tad smaller than the breast they removed the implant from/only lifted funny enough. Since my Brest was reduced on my right only, I also have a pretty significant far pad off to the side (side boob), so I will probably need lipo on the one side in the future to even that out with my other side. I'm not worried about it right now. Just enjoying my new lease on life that Dr. Gordon has given me :) Updated on 10 May 2016: So, my breasts are pretty much healed and what I find funny is that my right breast (which was the extraordinarily large natural breast) is now actually smaller than my left natural breast (when the implant was taken out) lol! I was left with the dog ear on the right side where they took the majority of the tissue out (they didn't do a reduction on the left but only a lift once they removed the implant, whereas they did a pretty significant reduction AND a lift on the right-hand side). This will apparently be covered under insurance and we'll see what he says. :)
Thank you to all who post here! Every newsletter that comes to my email I go through completely. Reading all the posts has already helped me so much about what to expect, what products to use, everything. Will post pics as soon as I start taking some. Was always basically normal size, but on the fuller side i.e. 34B at 20yrs. Gradually grew with age. At 40 was a 38D or DD. Gained a lot of weight, like 40 lbs over a year and size finally went to a 44J. But, I was wearing 44-46DDD-H, depending on what size I could get and from where, i.e. Walmart DDD or online order G-I. Til got J. Would love to be able to buy bras at Walmart! No date for surgery, yet. Have seen my PS about what to expect, measurements and his photos. They will call me for surgery date in about 4-6 months. I am a disabled veteran (invisible disabilities), so VA will cover $ and procedure. Thank GOD! No more back aches, neck and shoulder pain, headaches, rolling over on my boobs in the middle of the night and pinching my nipples(LOL. that's just for the ladies who know), no more having my boobs be in the way of my arms while I drive!, no more wearing blouses/tops that fit my boobs but the shoulder seams are 2-3 inches below each shoulder, no more people making snide remarks close enough to be sure I overhear but acting like they are not, no more looking deformed in a turtleneck (only wore once out in public once and later saw a picture of myself! HORRIBLE. So, only wore under other things afterward). No more yeast rashes under the breasts! No more deciding whether to overflow the top of my bras or the sides of my bras. Back to those comments...no more "overhearing" i.e. you know the commenters really want you to hear, "wonder what THOSE cost," "who would DO that to themselves," "are those real," "WOW." And the gigglers, and the hysterical laughers. I will really look forward to being on here. You are all such wonderful, nice ladies who appreciate your bust, and even more so when they are smaller! YEAH! Updated on 12 Jun 2014: I'm not very good at taking "selfies" in the mirror. But, I tried and this is what came out. So excited to get the BR. Oh, I don't have deep shoulder indents, because I have always worn bras with support in the bands, and I don't tighten straps up real super tight. And, it shows, i.e. gravity wins! It is so good reading all of your posts. I have learned so many things. Have great ideas for post surgery bras, healing, meds. Just about everything is on here. Thanks, as always. Updated on 12 Jun 2014: Forgot to add the bra pics. Have bought these bras from Woman Within for years now. They fit the best and are actually comfortable. I'm thinking about buying some new ones in my new size when I get it. It's a front hook and has shoulder support bands in the back. But, no rubbing or pulling on the arms. Tried to get a pic of the cup size. Just didn't work well. Can not wait to buy beautiful new bras!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) Updated on 18 Jun 2014: Found this on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNo1_7f9pM0 Updated on 13 Jul 2014: For all those without weak stomachs, or creeped out by live surgery, I happened across this site. It has all kinds of surgeries. Not just BR. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/surgeryvideos.html http://www.orlive.com/chp/videos/breast-reconstruction-deep-inferior-epigastric-perforator-full-surgical-version-?UPDATEAPP=false&VIEW=displayPageNLM Well, that one is reconstruction. Close enough? Updated on 2 Feb 2015: Been offline for months. Put off BR. Have appointment to start over in March. Really missed some of you. Hope you are all doing well. Updated on 22 Apr 2015: ...to getting my BR. Just saw my PS, again, the other day. We are now moving forward with everything. I just have to wait to hear from the office, and see what we do from there. Updated on 4 Jun 2015: Unless something changes we're looking at July 8th. I am so excited. My doctor said I have "all the right reasons" for getting a BR. I tell everyone about this site. All the support and caring makes a huge difference in what to expect and what we might need.... I have loved it.
