After living with a belly most of my life I finally decided to do something about it. Yes I am a bit overweight, I've never been slim always heavier and more muscular, but it's only the belly that bothers me. I'm healthy and reasonably active and plan to be more active and outdoors once I'm on the flat side. I find the belly is a barrier to movement - so I want it gone! I'll be having some work done on the overstretched muscles, hopefully that will give me back decent shape. I've asked about minor lipo to go along with the TT but still awaiting confirmation on that. I'll be ok either way. It's been a very quick process and in some ways much better because I would more than likely have chickened out if there was a long wait. After having so many abdominal operations I know what the recovery is like and am really not looking forward to the pain. I was glad to see quite a few women my age having the same op, and some excellent results. I'll post more info later, apologies for the poor quality images :) Updated on 30 Oct 2014: Obviously I'm not 180 kg :) but still a little overweight, nothing was mentioned about my weight when I spoke to the Dr so I figured it wasn't an issue. Also the weight to height ratio only works on averages and so far I've never met an average person! The best way to judge, I think, is how you feel and what's normal for you. I've always been heavier (not fatter) with lots more muscle than most of my friends (from good sturdy stock!). My concern now is that my shape has changed even though I'm eating well and getting out and about regularly. I've been told that my hormones are to blame and that I'll just have to either put up with it or eat less. Neither option works for me. One week to go :) Updated on 10 Nov 2014: Five days and feeling almost normal again, still stiff when I start moving and getting up out of bed or chairs means lots of arm use rather than abdomen but i'm definitely on the slide to home now :) I ca honestly say that I know I'll still see a much more improved profile over then next week or two, theres still a fair amount of swelling so even from those original pics you can see a huge difference - and it's only going to get better. Unfortunately I had a vertical cut as well which I can see was the better option - I have a very high belly button and have had many surgeries previously so the Dr wanted to make sure I was not going to have problems later by taking the slightly softer option. I heal well so I'm still hoping to wear a bikini at Christmas (I'm in Australia so it's hot then) even if I do have a slight scar. Keep up the good work guys and stay positive. Updated on 24 Nov 2014: Silly me went back to work today thinking I was able to do a full day's work... I fell into a heap just before lunch and limped through until about 3 then decided I needed to go before I was too zonked out to drive home. I am sore, tired and wishing I made more use of the brains I have. I'm posting a couple of pics so you can see the extent of the swelling compared to earlier shots. I'm sure a slow day at home tomorrow will ease the problem, it's just frustrating that I can't make it go away! Haha As you can see the dressings were removed (three days ago) I now have a muffin top (again) and my side view shows clearly the amount of swelling is much worse than even a week ago, also my feet were little puff balls... my sandals made interesting patterns - sigh - that'll teach me! Updated on 24 Nov 2014: I was hoping a nice long sleep would fix the extra swelling, but no. I can see the upper area is better than it was yesterday but the lower area looks even worse! Everything is slipping lower even my feet are still swollen. It is very warm again today so that may be contributing to it all. Ah well looks like the air and sofa will be my friends again :) Updated on 1 Dec 2014: Even though I've had another week to heal I still don't feel totally ready to be at work. I repeated a similar pattern to last week - hit a wall at about 11am and just about drained by 3pm. I took a break and recovered well mentally and got my energy levels back but swollen almost everywhere again! I'll post images a bit later. Unfortunately I can't take any more time off and there's a big job that I need to complete before the Christmas break. So the pressure is on! I'll have to remember to put my feet up when I'm home and relax as much as possible on the weekends. I'm more concerned that the swelling is actually fat deposits which I'll still have after the swelling has gone. I'm not sure how the other pre/post/menopausal ladies are coping but I find the fat impossible to shift now and will be incredibly disappointed if the fat is still there. Updated on 2 Dec 2014: I posted a couple of days ago about going out socially for the first time since the surgery. Here are a couple of photos :). We had a lovely night and I even had two drinks, didn't chance the dancing but thoroughly enjoyed myself. Updated on 11 Jan 2015: I've just passed the two month mark and I'm still having issues. This week has been particularly difficult. I've had to take painkillers several times a day and have suddenly had bleeding from my bb which had previously healed well. Swelling has also been a big issue :( I'm hoping it's just the high temperatures and humidity for the swelling but the bleeding is a definite worry. Going through my images I can't see a big change from week 1 PO. I will be seeing my dr next weekend so hopefully I'll be better informed and hopefully reassured too. Updated on 17 Jan 2015: Finally got to see the Dr, it seemed to take ages to come around. I took in a list of issues I was concerned about - and my husband for moral support and back up questions :) The BB bleeding was minor and he said it was a stitch that was coming up and nothing to worry about (phew). The soreness, which I was concerned was a lot for the length of time since surgery, he said wasn't particularly unusual and that I should just do what feels right for me. Wearing the supporting garment when I need to especially when exercising. He also confirmed that the bulges were still swelling but that there are two types... one is the tissue and one is the underlying muscle. I have both to a fairly large degree. He also explained that he had done substantial work on my muscles so that it was likely that the swelling would be around for a few months yet but that I would have a flat belly - eventually! I also had lipo on my inner thighs, this wasn't the result I was hoping for and he agreed that it wasn't the best so we'll look again at the next appt in April and if it is still not resolved he'll look at doing a revision. So, the twinges and pains I felt, he said, were nerves regrowing and that I wasn't doing anything to hurt myself but if I felt sore then I should take painkillers and wear supporting clothes. Now I'm feeling much better about things and with the end of christmas eating my swelling has gone down a bit too! Happy healing ladies! Updated on 27 Jan 2015: when I spoke to my dr he was very happy with my progress. He made a comment earlier that I make good scars, so I wasn't too worried about them. The lipo on the other hand isn't something I had any real experience with personally. So I assumed it would resolve quicker than the scar but apparently not... He will be re looking at the lipo - I had inner thighs done, for mobility rather than look! Hopefully he can fix the little pockets of fat at the top. I just hate that feeling when I walk, I've always had it for as long as I can recall. In the heat here it can be very uncomfortable and sometimes rashes appear from sweating and rubbing. At the moment the rubbing still happens but only at the very top - so fingers crossed that will be fixed in April. Updated on 6 Feb 2015: Wow, time has flown. It's hard to believe it's been 3 months but the calendar doesn't lie. So not much of a change visually, still plenty of swelling each day but I have noticed other changes. The sharp pains have all stopped and I'm not taking painkillers anymore. The biggest change I've noticed though is that I can sleep on my side without a pillow to support my tummy. My energy levels are pretty much back to normal. It's lucky they have because it's been madly busy at work. Also the weather is a little bit cooler recently so I think that helps too. How are you all finding things at this 3 month stage ladies? Updated on 2 Apr 2015: It'll be 5 months next week and there hasn't really been any change in the last two months. The scar is a little lighter and all fully softened. The very firm seemingly permanent swelling below my bellybutton is still there but ever so slightly less firm, there is also a patch just above my bb that is firm but not as noticeable. What I do find is that I still can't wear jeans or tight clothes around my waist. it's fine standing but I can't sit with jeans, the area around my waist and just below is still far too tender to have any pressure on it. I'll be seeing my Dr next weekend so I'll ask him about it. How are you other ladies going? anyone else having this issue? Updated on 4 Oct 2015: Hi Ladies, Well it's getting towards a year now and to be honest there's been very little change since the early days after the initial swelling went down. I've just returned from a 5 week european holiday where I was doing a fair bit of walking, which means a bit better toning in the thighs and butt :) but still the swell is there... I am waiting to see the Dr to organise a re-vamp and see what he can do. It's disappointing because I'd hoped to be finished with surgery - I've had so much already. So my question is... how is everyone feeling about the results after almost a year? is anyone planning a re-vamp? (hopefully free from your Dr). Updated on 14 Oct 2015: I'm not entirely sure I've dealt fully with this emotionally but I've made the decision to get back the boobs I used to have. About 8 years ago I had a breast lift, after three 18 month sessions of breastfeeding my boobs were like empty stockings - not socks... I could almost tuck them into my waistband! That was great except since then I have lost a fair bit of weight and so they're 'flat'. I've been sort of ok with them because I'm saying to myself that they're in the right place at least - on my chest - and look a bit perky, or rather they did before the weight loss. Now that I've recovered fully from the abdominoplasty I'm feeling more myself again... and noticing that the boobs just aren't doing it for me. I've been thinking about this for years really but was never able to justify doing it. I still can't really, except that I want to feel good about myself and this is step two, belly then boobs :) I've thought about the usual arguments - beauty is from the inside etc. I've never needed anyone to play devils advocate - I can do it myself well enough! My husband hasn't said much about it but he was very supportive of the previous surgery so I'm not worried. To be honest I'm more concerned about other people's reactions, especially at work, it's not the kind of place where it could be talked about. Updated on 19 Oct 2015: Finally, almost a year (minus a week) later I'm going to get the TT revised so that I'll have that flat stomach I was promised. I have to say that even without the revision it is so much better than it was, and I feel stronger than I ever did. I'm not entirely sure yet what the Dr has planned, I see him on Thursday so I'll have a definitive answer then. I'm hoping he'll do a little lipo to fix the fatty roll above the scar rather than anything too drastic. I'll also be having a lipo re-do on my inner thighs where there is a bulge at the top part - on both sides. He did explain that he was erring on the side of caution because I have fine skin and bruise easily, I'm hoping this will fix things finally and then no more surgery. Yay! Updated on 22 Oct 2015: Met with my Dr this afternoon and he is doing a small revision of the TT scar with some lipo to even everything out. The result from my TT surgery was great, the bulge is fat... so he'll fix that as well as a couple of other spots :) Also with the BA he's said he'll do a little bit of lipo along my sides/under arms to smooth things there as well. So all going well the lumps and bumps will all be where they're supposed to be after next Friday! Updated on 5 Nov 2015: It's a week since the revision of my TT and added augmentation. The revision has been great, very little discomfort, some bruising and swelling but no pain. I'll post pics when the swelling gets a bit better. The augmentation went really well, I'm finally back to my original sizing and feeling much more womanly... Weird really, they're just boobs, but the emotional reactions we have are strange, not logical. Even with the bruising and swelling and soreness, I still feel so much better about myself. Now that my belly is finally almost flat (and will be totally flat when the swelling goes down) the muscle repair has been fantastic. I hadn't realized how vulnerable it made me feel until it was fixed. So I'm feeling strong, womanly and just a bit sore :) look out world! Updated on 7 Nov 2015: Unfortunately there is still the morning swell but still much flatter and smoother than previously :) the irritating lump has gone and the original TT scar has been tightened up. You can also see the vertical incision for the augmentation. Everything still swollen and bruised but feeling pretty good already. Updated on 30 Nov 2015: What a lovely problem :) now that the swelling is lessening I've really noticed the difference in my clothes. I still have the action man bulge :) but that's slowly flattening too. I've had to tie up my waists on my pants just to keep them up and my skirts now sit on my hips. Having a flat lower belly is such a different feeling, I hadn't realised quite the change it would make. I'm a pretty stocky, muscular build and have never had a flat belly - it's amazing!
