Always hated my body, dumped my BF of 7 years, lost 85 lbs, met the man of my dreams and decided to finally get the body I earned. Most pain I’ve ever been in but here finally at day 5, I’ve never been more thankful to Dr. Williams and his team.
I’m 39 and had two kids. My first I was near preeclampsia and swollen and got most of my weight gain and stretch marks. 10 months later pregnant again. My stomach never recovered. Stretch marks above my belly button and even before kids, I’d never not had a pouch even though I’ve always maintained a healthy weight. I’m 5’8” pre kids 150-160. Post kids maintaining about 167 a size 10-12 or large bottom and smaller top, medium or size 8 on top. Hippy. I’ve thought about a tummy tuck for nearly 10 years. Dressing for work and changing several times because my pooch shows in everything. When COVID canceled our international travel plans and working from home became normal I jumped at the chance to get this done. Dr Williams was personable and answered all questions. I’m very happy with the results. Two weeks tomorrow. I’m most impressed with his staff especially Polly, his main nurse. She is there for me every day. I can call and she returns the call within minutes or answers! No question is too small. Such amazing support. The hospital staff were equally amazing. I haven’t had much direct contact with the doc himself but his work speaks for itself. I put $10k to cover ALL costs, prescriptions, supplies, fees, all of it. I’d say the procedure & Lipo was more like 9k.
After my twins were born last year weighing 7lbs5oz and 7lbs12oz (yeah!) I realized real quick that my body was completely wrecked. I started working out and eating clean but my stomach muscles were torn so far apart that I couldn't even physically do a sit up. I could feel my abs at the top but there was truly nothing I could palpate whatsoever under my belly button. So...I made the decision to have "mommy makeover" Updated on 1 Mar 2016: Not sure why, but my original post didn't include the majority of what I wrote. I'm still in the midst of the post anesthesia/Percocet/Phenergan stupor but I'll try again. So, I had my "mommy makeover" on Monday which consisted of a full tummy tuck with lots of muscle repair, and breast lift with augmentation using 325cc Mentor high profile silicone implants. I won't actually get to see everything until my first post-op appointment Thursday when they remove the compression garment and all of the dressings. It's killing me to not know what's under all this but I can tell just by feeling that it's going to be a huge difference. My stomach is completely gone!!! I only have 1 drain which surprised me, why do some have more than others? I hadn't really planned to post pics on here because...embarrassing! But I know how much it helped me to see similar body types go through the same thing as me. (I'm 5'6" and 160lbs, btw) Right now I'm in some pain but nothing I can't handle. This pain pump and Percocet are my friends! Will update again Thursday once I finally see the big reveal! Updated on 2 Mar 2016: My pain pump is draining...I sure am going to miss this thing! Feeling so much better today though and can actually get up on my own and walk to the bathroom hunchback style. My kids think it's hilarious that I'm walking around like a little old lady. :) Updated on 4 Mar 2016: It's amazing what difference a few days can make in the way you feel! I'm so much more human than I was just 48 hours ago! Had my first post-op appointment yesterday and got the pain pump removed and finally got to see everything. I am so pleased. I'm still pretty hunched over and the implants need to drop but I'm happy with how it all looks at this point. I just cannot get over my stomach...is this for real?!! They said I'm doing great and I think a lot of it has to do with my amazing husband being so wonderful and helpful, and the fact that I've been eating super clean and healthy and drinking a TON of water! I'd guess probably close to 100oz a day. I just can't get enough! I keep 2-3 big bottles by me at night and whenever I wake up at all just to stir, go to the bathroom, take meds, etc, I chug some water. And all through the day I just drink, drink, drink like its my job. I'm looking forward to getting my first shower today- yay! Oh, and I finally popped for the first time today too- yayyyy!!! Will include some pics from yesterday's appointment. Happy healing! Updated on 5 Mar 2016: My dr told my husband after surgery that he had quite a lot of work to do on the muscle repair- I believe it too. I'm still not able to stand up straight, but it's not to do with the tension on the incision, it's because my abs feel so tightly contracted. I can deep breath and try to relax as much as possible and it helps a little but I'm still not able to get upright. How long did it take everyone else to stand upright? Updated on 6 Mar 2016: Switching out to a different bra because the one I've got on right now is just too tight, you can see all the lines from it in the one pic. My dr's nurse asked me where I got my good bra (the one I'm going back to) because it's nicer than a lot of the ones she sees, and I'll pass it along to you all too- Zulily.com You have to keep an eye out since their deals change every few days but I've seen them on there multiple times listed under "post-surgical wear" in the women's section. Price was very reasonable too. I'm loving how my incisions look! I think he did a great job. Just can't wait for implants to drop now so I can see how they'll really look! Updated on 9 Mar 2016: I know some people have a lot of fun with "prepping" and feel good to be overly ready for anything...I get it. But I found that I needed so much less than I heard was necessary. So here's my recommendations for the first week: #1) WATER! Lots of it! Drink, drink, drink to flush your system of all the toxins, help with swelling, keep those tissues hydrated, and help avoid hard bowel movements. #2) High protein/ low sodium diet (not pictured) - I see so much emphasis put on iron intake and yes, that's very important to help with anemia, but remember that your body needs PROTEIN for healing. I eat protein with every meal, snack on nuts, and add in a protein shake daily as well. I also did a lot of food prep ahead of time and froze multiple low sodium soups that I made with whole ingredients. Low sodium helps with swelling, as most know. #3) Stool softeners! - I mean, does this need an explanation? ;) #4) Dry shampoo and a peri bottle (the kind you use after having a baby) - I couldn't take a shower for a loooong 5 days after surgery and would've felt really gross had I not gotten myself at least cleaned up every day. My kids thought the dry shampoo was awesome and helped me use it, and the peri bottle was so perfect for rinsing off my lady parts after cleaning off with a soapy washcloth every day. #5) Back support pillow- I have a recliner and two seats of our couch recline which is awesome, but this pillow allowed me to sit do many other places in my house...the bed, in my kids rooms to hang out and read to them at bedtime, different positions on the couch, etc. So that's it. I know some people rave about walkers and female urinals and so on, but for me personally that would've been overkill. I'm only a week out so obviously more may come up as things go, but I keep feeling better and better so I'm hoping the worst (which really wasn't that bad) is in the past! I feel good, really good. No pain meds for days now and I'm honestly not even that tired and drained like I was expecting. I go back tomorrow and hopefully get this drain removed and cannot wait to be able to stand up straight!! That is my main hindrance right now and it's driving me bonkers! Will update more tomorrow probably! Updated on 11 Mar 2016: 11days post op and feeling really good! Had another appt yesterday and dr was running late in surgeries so I just saw his nurse Polly, who is wonderful and fully capable of making sure everything is going well. She decided to leave the drain in for now, which is fine. It's annoying but I'd rather deal with it than a seroma. And she removed all the stitches she could see in my belly button...couldn't feel a thing. She also gave me a band to wear to help get the implants to drop- the left one def has started but the right is still high up, you can see how they look lopsided in the picture because of it. No worries though, they'll fall into place soon enough. Tummy feels really good now, I can laugh and cough well enough and even sneezed for the first time the other day and didn't fall apart. I'm glad it didn't happen any sooner though for sure! I love my incisions. There's still some definite bruising and swelling you can see but I think it's beautiful how he made it so perfectly straight and symmetrical on the sides where it comes up a little higher. I really think it's going to be great once it's healed. I'm standing straight enough now that I felt comfortable going out in public for the first time yesterday! With a baggy shirt and my hair down you really couldn't tell my shoulders were still a little hunched. Went out to lunch and on a quick grocery trip with my husband before my appointment. I started my period yesterday and after all the extra walking and the higher sodium intake from lunch than I've been used to, I was REALLY bloated and swollen last night. It was almost comical. I got on the scale for the first time expecting a ridiculously high #, but I was actually down a lb from the day of surgery. Either my scale is broken, lol, or it's just from all the muscle I had built up wasting away from not using it. I feel like that's pretty quick though, so who knows. Next appt Tuesday with fingers crossed for the drain to be ready to come out!! (Oh, this is kind of weird- look at that bruise in between and slightly under the breasts. It's from the coil of the pain pump catheter! Funny looking!) Updated on 15 Mar 2016: I knew it. I knew the ball was bound to drop at some point, everything was going much too well. So I went in this morning for a follow up and to get this nasty drain out and the nurse pulled on it ... and then stopped and said she'd have the dr do it because it wasn't coming. Dr came back in and pulled on it for a minute but it was not budging. I have to go back Thursday to get it removed with local anesthetic because the scar tissue has grown around the dang thing. I'm a little nervous about whether the extra trauma of getting it removed is going to put me at higher risk for tissue death/necrosis, but of course I didn't think to ask when I was there. I was in a little shock. Pretty sure he said it's the 2nd time in 21 years that he's had it happen...I'm so special. Ha! So me and my drain are back home again for now. Ugh. Updated on 17 Mar 2016: Went back in this morning, he numbed me up a little and made a small, maybe inch long, incision a little below the tt incision so he could go in and free up the drain which was caught on a stitch. Drain came out, stitched back up and out the door. I had dreamt up every horrific scenario possible the past couple days worrying about it, so the actual event was pretty anticlimactic. Glad it's over though! And so happy to be free of that drain! Go back again in 2 weeks. Thanks everyone for all the well wishes! Updated on 20 Mar 2016: I can't believe I've made it this far! I remember thinking that by about 3 weeks out I should be feeling pretty human, and I am. I'll tell you what though- that little inch long incision he had to make to get the drain out hurt worse than anything else so far. So weird. Feeling much better now though. I've noticed more swelling since having the drain removed, but no "waving" or anything that makes me concerned about a seroma, probably just my body trying to absorb the extra fluid the drain had been taking care of. Plus the extra insult of the new little incision. Aaaaand I may have been slacking a little on the low sodium thing...I NEEDED some salt yesterday! Omg, potato chips never tasted so good. Oops. Overall I'm really happy. I do question sometimes whether I like the high profile implant or wish he'd gone with a lower profile for more width, but it's still so early in the game to be worrying about end results. One day at a time. I go back to work tomorrow, just a 4 hour shift, and then another 4 hours on Tuesday. Being PRN is great for the flexibility. I'll be off until the next Monday after that and then I'll be doing a few 8 hour shifts before going back to my regular 12s. I miss my job. It's been nice to have some time off to concentrate on my healing, but I love what I do and am anxious to get back. So here's some pictures! :) Updated on 30 Mar 2016: Anyone else's newsfeed totally screwed up on here? Peoples names are showing up different and updates are showing as being posted an hour ago when they were from 2 months ago, and things showing up multiple times. Love this site but it seems like it's always messed up. Anyway, I'm a month out now! Yay! Saw the dr yesterday for a follow up, he clipped some spitting stitches under the areolas and said everything looks to be healed great. I can start working out again slowly and increase it steadily over the next few weeks. I did a slow 15 mins on the elliptical this morning and wanted to do more but am afraid of overdoing it so I stopped there. He assured me that it was okay to shave around the incision and alright to use lotions, etc. I've been so high strung about any bacteria being anywhere near it that I've been hesitant, but I took the plunge today and finally shaved and used my coconut oil/Shea butter blend I make (hence the greased look in the pictures.) He said to massage the belly button to help with the redness. I asked about the lack of side boob that I kind of wanted but he said he felt like they looked appropriate on my body and they may fill out a little more over time but I think this'll be the overall shape I'm left with. I'm good with it. I asked to see my before pics and it really is a huge difference! Why did I not take my own before boob pics? I'll see if I can get a pic from them to post next time I'm there. So anyway, I'm super happy and feel great. Love the good Dr. Love his nurse. Go back in 6 weeks! Updated on 5 Apr 2016: So, at my last appointment I asked how much longer I had to wear this awful thing...and I got a little sassy pants with him when he said until my next appointment SIX WEEKS from then. Something along the lines of "Are you kidding me?!!!!" fell out of my mouth. Kill me now. So he says I can try a store bought type but that he wanted to be super tight still. I've now bought 3 different things and hate them all. Nothing gives me the compression I apparently DO need (I believe it now that I've gone a full day or two without it...guess the dr knows a little something) like the actual post surgical garment. It's gotten too big now though! I guess since I'm now swelling as much lately (maybe?) and it just being stretched out. Thankfully I have a talented mother-in-law who can sew, and I was able to have her actually take it in for me! I told her I didn't care how it looked, just wanted it functional. I could grab handfuls of it and that's clearly not tight enough. So voila! Problem solved. The piece of fabric she cut off ended up being almost 4" wide and it feels so much better now! Yay! I've been working out more too and that makes me feel good. I did 15 mins on the elliptical the first time but have done 30 mins the past few days. Only getting in 2 miles in that time so it's pretty slow. And I keep my hands on the stationary hand grips in the center instead of using my arms too, so it's mainly lower body. Just glad to be doing SOMETHING at this point. No real changes physically I don't think. Just enjoying each baby step back to normalcy! Updated on 16 May 2016: I just had to count back on the calendar to find out how many weeks out I am...funny how you think in days in the beginning, then weeks, and then you start feeling totally normal again and lose track completely. Had a follow up with the good doc last week and all went well. My breasts are perfect as far as I'm concerned. I think they've either filled out more on the sides or I just care less about that because when I look at them now I feel like they're just right on my body. He gave me the go ahead to wear real bras so I went and got sized finally and came out with a few 34DDDs from VS, which of course are really DDs everywhere else. My belly is flat as can be, but there is still some loose skin left over on the sides. He recognized it right away and said he wanted to fix that in the office with local anesthesia closer to 6 months out. My belly button is still really hyper pigmented, you can't see it as well in pics, but he said he could use a laser (???) to lighten it up in the future. No clue what all that entails. I've been taking my measurements all along and have officially gone down EIGHT inches in my waist since the day before surgery! It's crazy! I've gone down 2 pant sizes also from a 12 to an 8, and I bet I could squeeze into a 6 honestly but it'd be tight and I'm not about to be that uncomfortable! I've been working out harder lately, even straight abs and it does still hurt at first but gets better as I go. Chest exercises just feel too weird so that's the one thing I don't really do. So, I'll include some new pics. Next appt not until August and we'll figure out when to fix those sides then. Updated on 8 Aug 2016: 5 months out and feeling great. Overall very happy with my results though the sides will require some tweaking in the fall. I can't pinch any skin at all on the front of my belly, but there's quite a bit still on each side that he's going to fix. Thankfully that can be done in the office with local anesthetic so it's not a big surgery. Unfortunately they said I won't be able to exercise for a while afterwards and will have to wear compression again...both of which give me anxiety just to even think about! Just temporary though, I keep telling myself. My left breast did start to bother me a little, I thought at first that maybe I just pulled my chest muscle because it felt sore a lot when I would lay down or would move a certain way, but it didn't get any better with rest. I also noticed a bubble at the bottom and to me it feels like the implant is sliding down, there's a weird little dip above it too so the breast does not look round and normal at the bottom. I tried to get a picture but I'm not sure I did it justice, my selfie skills are lacking. He said we'd keep an eye on it for now but he felt like it was more related to the scar and the crease. He did do a steroid injection into my belly button because it's formed a hypertrophic scar. Not sure how long that should take to work but I haven't seen much difference yet at 5 days post. He said he may do another next time I come back also. Go back in 3 months and that's probably when I'll have the revision done as well. Updated on 10 Mar 2017: Hit the 1 year milestone! I'm really very happy with my results, I think the dr did an incredible job and I've worked so hard to get the most out of all this work by eating right and exercising every day. I do have some discomfort in my left breast fairly often, especially if I go any length of time without a supportive bra. Dr thinks it will improve with a couple weeks of 800 mg ibuprofen bid, so fingers crossed there. My belly button is still somewhat of an issue. It has flattened out considerably after the 2 steroid injections he's done, it's almost too thin now but he assures me it will fill back in. And he again mentioned using the vbeam laser for the coloring of that scar. I go back in May and I assume that's when he will do that. My sides...I hate. I've read that it can be a common problem after tt surgery for those of us who've lost considerable amounts of weight and have loose skin in more than just the front part of the belly. So, no ones fault, just my dang body. Dr says I could be a candidate for coolsculpting, (not sure how I feel about that as I don't really know anyone who's had it done) or said that I could technically do a lateral thigh/butt lift if I really wanted to, in order to get rid of the skin, but that he didn't necessarily recommend that for me. I did have a small revision in November of the dog ears at the end of my tt scar, which is why the sides look so much darker than the rest. What a big difference a year makes!! So glad I went through with this. It seriously has been worth every penny. Updated on 18 May 2017: Had another appointment this week, dr decided no laser for the bb scar. Wants me to use Curad strips instead. Bummed that after all this I'll still have another summer of no bikini because of that scar. And still no official after pics...moderately offended but okay. I'll do my own because I think it's a pretty incredible difference. (Excuse the RS screen shot, I deleted the original pics off my phone) Still some discomfort in the left breast. I've been eating a paleo diet for a couple months now though and have seen some improvement, not sure if it's related to that or just plain old time. Asked again about my sides which I absolutely hate, and again he said lateral hip and thigh lift would be the only way to get rid of all the extra skin. I really don't feel like going through another big surgery though at this point. He said to come back in the fall. I did not make another appointment though, going to see how this bb and the left breast do and go from there...
These might be a little gory, so sorry. I have plastic bandages so I can shower. Not that I can just let the water run all I want. "Get in and get out" is what the nurse told me. Another huge advantage is that the skin around the incision is all taped together which should really help minimize scarring. Aslo, it's sealed from infection. The biggest downside is the itching which only started at about 1 week. Also, I'm not crazy about seeing bloody gauze every time I check out the ladies. Since I traveled quite a way to my surgeon, he put these on so I could wait 2 weeks before my first post op appt. Looking forward having the plastic bandage off but not looking forward to the process of taking it off. Next Wednesday is my 2 week and I'll let you know.
Hello curious people. I had my mommy makover yesterday afternoon. My procedure took 5+ hours and included a breast aug and lift and a tummy tuck. I don't remember anything about the surgery which is nice! When I woke in recovery I was anxious to see the results but the bandages will keep me in suspense. I am about 30hrs out naw I am In pain but not unbearable. I have a horse voice from anesthesia and I was pretty nauseous for about 12 hrs. The pain meds are working wonders but it is hard to rest comfortably. I will see my dr (dr. Williams in Cincinnati) tomorrow am so hopefully I will get a peak at my new body. I'll post pictures then. I know this sight was a blessing for me in my decision making and comfort level so I hope I can do the same for more women Updated on 20 Dec 2013: Today I got to see myself naked! My tummy is flat as a board and would rival my 20-something figure that I am sure I took for granted. I have three beautiful children (5, 3 and 1) and I wouldn't trade them for the world but I also didn't want to cash is my "sexy" when I became a Mother. My body is pretty swollen and the dr taking off the tagederm wasn't pleasant. He did remove the On-q pain pump which was providing numbing mess to my abdomen. I was able to tell when the pain ball ran out of juice but a little extra Percocet seemed to take care of the pain. As for the body, what can tell now is that my breasts are closer in size to one another than before surgery. I think the belly button is a bit junkie but my surgeon hubby swears it will look great. I did have a full lift so I have a vertical scar from my nipple down and one under my breast. I also have a small vertical scar just above my pubic bone because I had so much scar tissue from three c-sections. Pain wise, today is a little worse than yesterday, mostly in my lower back. I am sleeping w a heating pad and trying to move around as much as I can. I have a few pictures to download and I will post them shortly. I hope this helps all u beautiful ladies trying to reclaim Your SEXY! Updated on 22 Dec 2013: I am 96 hours into recovery now and I am still pretty slow moving. I did have a BM today which was a little unpleasant but not as bad as I has anticipated. I am still very swollen and afraid to look at myself with any critical eye. The pain is subsiding hour by hour now and my appetite is returning. My back is still tremendously sore and I am wondering if muscle relaxers may help some. I will call the drs. office tomorrow to ask. Anybody out there try them for a sore back? I am going to take some more pictures tonight but I don't want to post the after shots until I am confident that I am happy with my results. As always, hope this is helpful! Updated on 25 Dec 2013: I am now 7 days post op and I am still pretty sore. I am also depressed at this point because I am not feeling the way I thought I would be and I don't think my body looks very good at all. I still have my drain as a daily reminder of my "recovery" and I have stitches that need to be removed. I started muscle relaxers and they help tremendously with the aches and pain but they make me feel drunk and spacy. I am so ready to get on with my life! any advice ? :( Updated on 30 Dec 2013: I am headed back to Dr. William today to hopefully remove the last of the belly button stitches and the DRain! So excited for the dc of the drain, I am over it! It looks like my vertical belly incision may not be healing as well as I had hoped, the site is seeping something unmentionable. Anybody out there have a wound healing problem? I am overly anxious and concerned about pain and scarring... I am going to post a few pictures today from 7 days out. I am mostly back to normal on the swelling and I weighed myself today. I am about 2lbs under my pre-surgery weight which is fabulous! My breasts look good and the horizontal incision is healing nicely. I feel fine except for some vertigo that I think is related to a sinus issue. I am off all pain meds except some Motrin twice a day that the dr recommended. I am sleeping in my bed again on my side and I am relatively comfortable. I have some issues with my arms going to sleep cause I am not moving around much in my sleep. I am going to ask the Dr. today about returning to lifting/exercise and maybe even sex! Ill keep you all posted, sorry for the TMI! Updated on 8 Jan 2014: Hello out there. I am three weeks post op today and I am back to work and about 75% of my normal functions minus exercise and sex :( I am exhausted at the end of 6 or 7 hours but managing. I am back to carrying my 1 year old (don't tell me PS). I can't stand having to rely on the rest of the world to take care of her. I am still on the fence about my results, I have a little swelling/fluid build up after the drain was taken out last week and I am still not standing straight. My breast are very different sizes and my dr. hubby had to remove a few stitches that didn't reabsorb in my nipple and under the breast incisions last night. I have a few spots on my many incisions that aren't healed yet and my vertical incision is oozing and gross under the steri-strips. I am trying to get back into regular clothing or at least what is ok with the CG underneath. I have two pairs of jeans that I can tolerate for a few hours - the waist band is right at the vertical incision and it hurts if I am moving too much. The CG causes me problems with shirts also cause it is too big (or I am too short torso) and I have to fold it under my sports bras. Any body out there have advice on the BA - should I keep in the sports bra to try and move the implants towards midline? They are also crazy different sizes so I feel like I want to squish the left one! My tummy is flat but I am sure the vertical scar is going to show and I am not yet arching my back so I must still need to stretch the skin a little more. My main complaint now is dizziness, no pain left but I saw and ENT and he suggested Vestibular therapy. the Therapist believes I have created an inbalance from sitting in a recliner immobile for a week and from walking hunched over. I am retraining my brain to manage my movements in space. It is nauseating and very frustrating! Anybody else out there experience this? I would love to hear some related stories if you are willing to share. Misery loves company!
I am a 45 (almost 46) year old mother of 3 beautiful children ages 10, 8 and 7 who started this journey 5 years ago with initial consultations with plastic surgeons. I have loathed my lower abdomen my whole life (even when I was at my lowest body weight of 118 lbs). Actually the only time I have loved my belly was when I was pregnant with my 3 children. After my last child weaned I started exploring the idea of the Mommy Makeover (tummy tuck, breast lift and augmentation). Finally after 5 years of consideration, waiting and paying off other debts I have decided to take the plunge and seek the assistance of a plastic surgeon to correct what CrossFit cannot. I promised myself that I would not undergo plastic surgery until I had done all that I could do to get in the best shape possible. I was introduced to CrossFit in October 2011. Since that time I have lost 30 pounds and decreased by body fat percentage from 35% to 20%. I am 5'4" tall and now weigh 137 pounds. I am very excited about the results but quite dreading the recovery. I am definitely going to miss my CrossFit workouts and CrossFit family. Not looking forward to the recovery and restrictions I will have and definitely not happy about the fact that I will lose some strength and endurance from not being able to workout. I am also worried about how things will function around my house and my 3 children. We are so busy with school, sports and activities and I hate that I will have to rely on friends and family to perform the daily mom duties I have. I have a wonderful husband and mother who are going to take care of me after the procedure. And last, I worry about not being at work. I am a physician in a very busy Obstetric practice and will have to take off 3 weeks for my recovery. I hate that this may be a burden to my partners. However, I am super excited about how I will look and feel about myself after this makeover. This website has been so helpful with easing my fears and anxieties as well as motivational with all the fabulous "after" pictures. I do not have any before pictures at this time but will post them as soon as possible. I can't wait to start posting comments and pictures and possibly help others with their journey as I embark on mine. Updated on 6 Oct 2012: Post op day 0......went to surgi center this mornin for a 8:00 case. Had addominoplasty, bilateral mastopexy and bilateral silicone, submuscular implants. Home at 2:30pm! Surgery went GREAT! My biggest fear was post op nauea and vomiting. Took Emend capsule before surgery, have scopolamine patch on throughout and can leave on for 3 days if desired. Using Zofran dissintegrating tablets if needed. Pain is very manageable. Have on On Q pain pump, anesthesia did a tap block and will take Percocet 7.5mg as needed. Sitting in a recliner now which will be where I camp out for the next several days. Coughing really hurts and hoping to avoid sneezing but it is ragweed season and we live in a high allergen area. AUGHHHHH! Have a 36C zip up sports bra from JC Penney. ($15) and a compression garmet from Design Veronique ($75). Those all stay on until my first post op appt on Tues Oct 9th. Also have one drain in which my PS will eventually remove. Overall I am doing really well. Have stayed awake all day so hopefully I can sleep tonight. Will keep posting updates as I recover and some pictures as soon as possible. Updated on 6 Oct 2012: Post op day 0......went to surgi center this mornin for a 8:00 case. Had addominoplasty, bilateral mastopexy and bilateral silicone, submuscular implants. Home at 2:30pm! Surgery went GREAT! My biggest fear was post op nauea and vomiting. Took Emend capsule before surgery, have scopolamine patch on throughout and can leave on for 3 days if desired. Using Zofran dissintegrating tablets if needed. Pain is very manageable. Have on On Q pain pump, anesthesia did a tap block and will take Percocet 7.5mg as needed. Sitting in a recliner now which will be where I camp out for the next several days. Coughing really hurts and hoping to avoid sneezing but it is ragweed season and we live in a high allergen area. AUGHHHHH! Have a 36C zip up sports bra from JC Penney. ($15) and a compression garmet from Design Veronique ($75). Those all stay on until my first post op appt on Tues Oct 9th. Also have one drain in which my PS will eventually remove. Overall I am doing really well. Have stayed awake all day so hopefully I can sleep tonight. Will keep posting updates as I recover and some pictures as soon as possible. Post op Day 1: Spending most of my time in the recliner. Every 2 hours I get up, use the restroom and walk around my house. Taking Percocet 7.5mg every 4 hours for pain. I don't like pain medicine but my PS and all my friends who have had this done said to take it and keep moving. The breast pain is nothing compared to the abdominal soreness. My drain is draining bloody fluid which my kids love to help empty and measure. My little boy said "I want to drink your blood!" Spoken by the son of a true vampire fan :) And very appropriate for Halloween. My implants were 304ml silicone implants. I had strict instructions that we were not going for [RS bleep] star or stripper boobs. Just wanted to get back what I had before my weight loss. Measurements the day before surgery were 16% body fat (started at 35%). Body weight 137 (started at 162). Through CrossFit and a clean diet I have lost 36 pounds of fat and gained 11 pounds of muscle. I am very thirsty so I'm drinking lots of water. Have eaten a bit of food but I have no appetite. Drinking protein shakes too. Overall things are going way better than I expected. Updated on 6 Oct 2012: Post op day 2 - Pain pump is working. It is much more deflated today so that's a sign that it is working. Slept better last night than night before. Drain output is bloody fluid and total output since surgery is 440ml. Pain is manageable. Spend most of my time in the recliner but I am getting up to restroom and to take small walks around my house. I have no appetite for solid food but drinking plenty of water and protein shakes. So far so good..... Updated on 8 Oct 2012: Post op Day 4 - Forgot to post yesterday. Yesterday was a day of accomplishments - walking around more, pooped twice, off Percocet and using XS Tylenol for pain and appetite back so enjoyed a nice lasagna meal brought to me by a friend. My pain pump is empty so I'm anxious to see how that affects my level of pain. Pain is manageable unless I have to cough and then it is excruciating. Have to say that may be the worst pain I have ever had and I had natural child birth. Still sleeping in my recliner but able to sleep a bit sounder and for longer periods of time. Drain output is decreasing. Hardest part is sitting around doing nothing and feeling helpless. My boobs feel enormous and I'm hoping and praying that is just from swelling because i absolutely did not want [RS bleep] star boobs! :0 Starting to feel a bit of the post op depression. Not sure if it's due to feeling helpless or just worried about how I've altered my body. Updated on 9 Oct 2012: Post op Day 5 - Went for my first post op visit today. I'm doing great. Got my pain pump catheter out and bandages off. My JP drain is still draining 75-100ml of bloody fluid per day so it will stay in for another week. Given permission to shower in 2 days. Can't wait for that! It felt so good to change my bra and garment. Have to stay in my bra and garment 23 hours a day. I am amazed at the results so far. Both tummy and breasts are swollen but they look GREAT! I can't believe how flat my tummy is! Breasts still feel a bit big to me but they look proportional and in their proper place. Not released to drive for another week :( Overall, I feel really good, pain is totally manageable and only severe pain is with coughing/sneezing. Only posting pictures of my tummy because my profile is not anonymous. Updated on 9 Oct 2012: Post op Day 4 - Forgot to post yesterday. Yesterday was a day of accomplishments - walking around more, pooped twice, off Percocet and using XS Tylenol for pain and appetite back so enjoyed a nice lasagna meal brought to me by a friend. My pain pump is empty so I'm anxious to see how that affects my level of pain. Pain is manageable unless I have to cough and then it is excruciating. Have to say that may be the worst pain I have ever had and I had natural child birth. Still sleeping in my recliner but able to sleep a bit sounder and for longer periods of time. Drain output is decreasing. Hardest part is sitting around doing nothing and feeling helpless. My boobs feel enormous and I'm hoping and praying that is just from swelling because i absolutely did not want [RS bleep] star boobs! :0 Starting to feel a bit of the post op depression. Not sure if it's due to feeling helpless or just worried about how I've altered my body. Updated on 10 Oct 2012: Post op day 6 - Feeling a bit under the weather today. Just tired, no energy and now having diarrhea. Not sure if diarrhea is due to antibiotics or vitamin supplements. I usually don't take any supplements except Calcium and Fish Oil (no fish oil before or after surgery) but started taking Vit C, Vit A, B complex, Zinc and Magnesium to promote wound healing. Might just be too much new stuff in my system. Best part of today was getting to take my garment off for an hour. Felt so good to "air out" and my mom rubbed some lotion on my back. Second best part of the day was getting back into my garment because my belly is definitely happier with that compression. :) Can't believe I'm through the first week of recovery. Updated on 11 Oct 2012: One week post op- Can't believe it has been a week! Slept much better last night and overall feel better than yesterday. Got to take my first shower this morning and it was both exhilarating and exhausting. Felt so good to have hubby dry off back and scratch and rub lines from my compression garment. Did a few dishes and walked around the house. My back really starts to tire out after a few minutes of being upright. Overall, feeling well and looking forward to going with hubby to pick kids up from school and take them for school picture hair cuts :) Updated on 17 Oct 2012: Post op Day 13 - The past few days have been miserable for me not because of surgery pain but because I have contracted C diff diarrhea from being on antibiotics for a week. On Flagyl now for the C diff and hoping to feel better soon because the past 3 days have been horrific. And I was even eating yogurt and taking ProBiotics!! Absolutely the most painful diarrhea I have ever had. I feel like I have been in labor for the past 3 days. :( Now onto better things.....My breast incisions look great and are healing nicely. My right implant is riding high so yesterday my PS did some manipulation - OUCH! - and instructed me on massage/pressure technique to get the implant to settle in it's pocket. Tummy Tuck is doing well. Hoping to get my drain out tomorrow at my 2 week check up. I'm still getting up to 75ml of fluid on some days so it might need to stay in for a bit longer. Forgot to share my drain tip - when taking a shower loop the drain handle through a shoe string and tie around your neck. That way you don't have to deal with placing drain on shower shelf or feeling like you have to hold on to it. Going to try to post a video I did. The angle of the camera makes my hips look wider than they actually are. Got on scale today and weighed 133#. That's 4# down from day of surgery but I know some of it is due to water loss with diarrhea. Updated on 19 Oct 2012: 2 weeks post op- Overall doing well. The most significant set back has definitely been the C diff diarrhea but that is starting to improve. Still have my JP drain because it is still putting out up to 80ml of fluid daily. Got my stitches out of my belly button yesterday. No sweat because that area is still very numb. Right implant still riding high so I'm keeping up with my "massage" treatments. Left breast is fine and no massage needed. Lower abdomen with normal amount of swelling and lumpiness. Nurse instructed me on scar massage. I am also to place a folded pillow case on my lower abdomen under my compression garment to add a little compression and help prevent seroma formation. I decided to overcome my modesty about breast pictures and post mine. I so appreciate the pictures I have been reviewing on this site and how helpful they have been that I felt I should do the same for others considering this surgery. As far as activity goes I am able to fix meals, drive kids to and from activities, sit through a soccer match and do light housework. I am trying not to over do it but that is very hard because now that the diarrhea is better I truly feel fine. Belly is tight but no bad pain. Breast pain is absent except for right nipple burning especially after massage. The limiting factor is that my back gets so fatigued if I try to stand for too long. Some people go back to work after 2 weeks and I guess if I had a desk job that allowed frequent breaks and possibly time to recline for a bit that would be possible. But my job is more physically demanding than that so I have another week to recover before I go back and I am very thankful for that especially considering I still have my drain. Highlight of my day was receiving a very generous Victoria's Secret gift card from my fellow CrossFitters. Can't wait to go shopping! Updated on 23 Oct 2012: Post op Day 19 - Recovering from the C diff colitis. Abdominal cramping and bloody diarrhea gone. Now just with diarrhea but able to get up and around and out and about. Running at about 50% right now. Able to do household chores with frequent periods of sitting down due to back discomfort and fatigue. Over weekend did some fun, normal things. Went to my CrossFit gym's Barbells for Boobs event. Raised money for low income women and men to get mammograms. Great program sponsored by Reebok. Of course I didn't do the workout but I was able to take pictures of the event. Was also able to go to my daughter's soccer game and then took my other daughter out for a mommy-daughter evening of dinner and seeing The Blue Man Group. After all that activity I was beat! No bad pain just fatigue and back soreness. As I get tired I notice I start to walk more hunched over and have to remind myself to stand up straight. On Sunday night I was able to go the Bengals game with my husband and some friends. Hubby was very good about parking close to stadium and making sure that I didn't overdo it. The Bengals looked pathetic and lost to our arch rivals The Steelers which in some ways is much more painful than the burning pain I have in my right nipple :) I tell my friends that being a Bengals fan is like requesting to be waterboarded. Aughhh! Overall I feel like I am doing well. Belly soreness is totally manageable and the most severe pain I have is the burning in my right nipple which is always worse after I do my breast massage or if I reach with my right arm. It is a fleeting pain but really hurts when it happens. I still have my JP drain and output is around 65ml per day whether I sit all day or am a little more active. Supposed to go back to work this Friday for my first 12 hour shift and they really want the drain out before I return to the hospital due to risk of infection. However, output is high enough that my chances of getting a seroma are very high. Decisions, decisions. Going to try again to post my video today. No new pictures to share at this time. Thanks to everyone for their tips on recovery! Updated on 24 Oct 2012: Praise the Lord my drain is out! Went to PS yesterday and despite the high output he pulled the drain (actually his wonderful nurse did it and the pain was totally manageable). The drain had been in for 19 days so my body had tried to incorporate it into the skin and subcutaneous tissue so I think I had a little more discomfort than some but nothing I couldn't handle. He put me on Ibuprofen twice a day to decrease inflammation of rectus muscle that may produce excess fluid and cause a seroma. I feel sooooooo much better with that drain out of my body! Not sure if it is mental or actually that your body produces an inflammatory response to the drain but either way I'm amazed at how much better I feel today. I slept all night in my own bed for the first time in 19 days as well. It's much harder to get up and down from bed than from a recliner but it felt so good to be in my bed. I'm a side and belly sleeper so sleeping flat on my back is a bit harder for me. I did sleep some on my right side but my belly and boobs like me flat on my back. I liken it to trying to sleep during the last weeks of pregnancy. Uncomfortable at times and definitely hurts to change positions and get in and out of bed. Overall, I think I'm recovering well. I'm doing the daily breast massage to help right implant drop down and using Palmer's cocoa butter to massage my scars. I go back to work for 4 hours tomorrow and then a full 12 hour shift on Friday. Hoping I continue to feel better and have a bit more endurance. I've been a little laxed in my diet over the past 3 weeks so planning on getting back on track as I return to work. Thanks for all the well wishes and happy recovery to all! Updated on 28 Oct 2012: 23 days post op - Survived my first shift back to work. I was wasted after the 12 hour shift but no major issues other than fatigue and sore back. I thought I may have been developing a seroma. Have been using a folded up pillow case under my compression garment to help prevent/resolve. It really seems to be helping. Today belly was much less swollen than after my shift Friday night. Incisions looking better every day. Breast swelling seems to be gone and I really love the appearance of my breasts. Sleeping is still an issue. Lots of tossing and turning to find a comfortable postion. Actually went back to the recliner last night at about 1am because I was uncomfortable and having reflux issues. Dying to get back to exercising. Can't stand not going to my CrossFit box. I feel like I'm losing muscle strength and endurance every day that I worked so hard before the surgery to achieve. So hope it doesn't take forever to get back to my baseline. Updated on 9 Nov 2012: 5 weeks post op - Doing great and almost feel normal. Day to day activities are fine. My belly occasionally feels tight but no pain and breasts are totally pain free. Have been back to work full time for the past 2 weeks and each shift gets easier. Visit with PS went well this week. He is very pleased with recovery. My right implant still rides just a little high so one more week of the band and then I'm going to burn it :) Tummy is healing nicely. I still wear my compression garment because I just feel better with it on. My PS says I'll probably feel that way for another 6 weeks or so. I still use a pillow case for extra compression when I work but take it out otherwise. I recovered completely from the C diff colitis and am off my Flagyl. I still take Ibuprofen twice a day for inflammation related to my procedure. I'm sleeping much better. Still have to limit myself to my side sleeping rather than tummy. I tried rolling onto my tummy last night and it was just too uncomfortable. The best news is that I was released to exercise and return to CrossFit. I can do all the aerobic stuff I want and as far as weight lifting I have to keep it at "50% of my previous level". However, I don't think my PS truly understands how much weight I can lift. Prior to surgery I could dead lift 225# and overhead press 110# so I'm thinking that 50% of that is still too much to be doing at this point in my recovery. So I've just been scaling the WODs to where I feel like I'm getting a workout but not straining. I'm amazed at how much endurance I've lost after being sedentary for 5 weeks but I'm hopeful that it will come back quickly. For all you CrossFitters out there we did "Karen" yesterday and instead of using the 14# wall ball I used an 8# wall ball. My time was slow (11:59) but I completed all 150 :) Not released to do any type of sit ups or straight ab work for 2 more weeks. Running, rowing, jumping and squatting is fine. Push ups are a little uncomfortable so I did them on my knees and took it slow. There are no words to describe how great it was to be back at my CrossFit box. I have missed those workouts and the community there so much! My workout buddies surprised me with a generous gift certificate to Victoria's Secret and I can't wait to go shopping. My PS says 2 more weeks in my sports bras and then can get some pretty bras but no underwires for a few more weeks. Overall I am feeling great and LOVE my new body! My breasts look amazing, even better in person than the pictures and my tummy just keeps looking better each day. Updated on 19 Nov 2012: 6 weeks post op - I can't believe it has been 6 weeks! I am feeling really well. No pain at all just the tight sensation of my abdomen and mild discomfort if breasts get smashed during sleep when I reposition myself. I still can't lay comfortably on my tummy/chest. Mainly due to breast discomfort. Good news is I am done wearing the boob band :) Bad news is that 6 days after I finished the Flagyl my C diff colitis returned. Started having crampy, bloody diarrhea again. Now I'm back on Flagyl for another 3 weeks. It wasn't as bad this time and has turned around quickly. My CrossFit work outs are going well. I was actually able to do overhead squats and pull ups with a band this week (prior to surgery I was doing unassisted pull ups but just don't feel strong enough to try those yet). My weight is fluctuating between 128-133 depending on how much I'm swollen. The swelling is variable and some days I have very little and on other days my tummy is really lumpy. I finally went shopping for some new jeans because I don't have a single pair of jeans or pants that fit anymore. I was hoping for a size 6 (last October I wore a size 12) and was astonished to discover that even those were too big! So for the first time in my adult life I am wearing a size 4. :) Happy Thanksgiving to all and I must say that this year I am very thankful for my supportive husband and the excellent team of doctors and nurses who have helped this dream of a Mommy Makeover come true.
Hello everyone! I am scheduled for a tummy tuck on April 5 and soo very excited! I am a young 21 yr old mother of two children, a 4yr old and 2 yr old. The two pregnancies left my stomach with saggy skin and stretch marks everywhere! I feel like getting the surgery will improve my self esteem drastically.My surgeon seems great. He said that he does 1-2 tummy tucks a week, so he is very experienced. I will be posting pre-op pics soon. Updated on Mar 21, 2010:I have now added some before photos. I am 5'5 and 142lbs. I have 2 weeks until my surgery! I am so excited but also nervous!! I have my pre op appointment on the 30th and my Surgery on April 5th. I feel like I have chosen a good PS and just hope that everything goes smoothly.Does anyone recomend anything to use on the TT scar? I bought some mederma but didn't know if the strips would work better or maybe something else. Updated on Apr 7, 2010:Well I finally got my TT!!!!After reading many stories on here I thought the pain was going to be much worst. When I woke up from surgery I was in a lot of pain so they gave me morphene, but afer leaving the hospital it hasn't been so bad, I just take my pain meds when I get uncomfortable. I also take an antibiotic 4 times a day and meds for nausea meds when needed. After taking a nap or sitting down too long my back starts hurting. When I walk around it helps alot and I also got some pain relieving lotion from walmart called Aspercreme, and it works great. I use it on my back and neck.My mouth was extremely dry after surgery and the next day. So the best things to have is bottled water, fruit, popsicles, and salads. I brought almonds, special K granola and crackers but I couldn't eat it because it made my mouth even more dry.I am very swollen, but I think the compression garment is helping a lot. My Dr. told me which one to order and I love it, fits great! Although it was a bit pricy, over $100. It's hard to tell if I am complety happy with the results or not because I am so swollen, but I think the turnout will be good.I will be posting post op pictures tommorrow! :) Updated on Apr 9, 2010:I added some Post op pics just to kinda show how my recovery is going. I am still very swollen and can't stand up completely straight but it is getting better. I am just ready to be active again but I know this will take time. Updated on Apr 22, 2010:I am 2 weeks 3 days post op today and I FINNNAAALLY got my drain taken out! I was soo glad to have it removed. I also got the stiches or whatever their called out of my belly button. My belly button looks 100xs better now that there out. I can now start putting my mederma on. My Dr. told me to take it easy for at least another week and then I can slowly start back to exercising again. I will probably just start out by bringing my dogs on a walk or something light at first and then building myself back up.I will be posting updated pics soon! :)Also, my Dr. prescribed motrin to me and said that would decrease the swelling.
After 4 children and being a mother for 27 years I decided at the age of 43 to have a tummy tuck. I'm 7 days post op and feeling good. I can't stand up straight yet and have some swelling which is uncomfortable. I was so happy to find this site to see how others were feeling and how their healing had progressed...I see great improvement due to a massive amount of lose skin and stretch marks. I've always maintained a slender figure being 5'8 and 145lbs people thought I was crazy wanting a tummy tuck but I was so embarrassed to show my tummy. It's hard being patient and waiting for the final results...I have a way to go but don't regret it. I was wondering what's the best way to heal quickly? Should I stay off my feet as much as possible or resume as much physical activity as soon as possible? Are there certain tings I can do to alleviate the swelling other than the binder? I still have my drain in place and will have it removed on my next visit in three days.Any advice is appreciated. I'll load some pic's after the drain is removed.
