I'm 37 yrs old I have three children 17,16,and 14. I'm a Army wife of 19 yrs,I had a terrible c section with my first child.. the military is not who you want doing any sort of surgery. Long story short after a long recovery from a hysterectomy with wound vac..not fun. I recently found out I have a hernia in my lower abdomen area NO surprise, after 2 surgeons refused to refer me for a tummy tuck to prevent future issues they wanted to put MESH thru my abdomen wall..that's when I decided NO NO NO to mesh. I'm planning on using Dr.Finger in Savannah for a tummy tuck. I'm 5 feet and I weigh 195 I've been going to the gym which I think made the hernia even worse..so I've had to stop going. Any advise would be helpful.. I believe [RS bleep] poor planning leads to [RS bleep] poor performance so in other words I want to be prepared.. I had lipo when I had breast reduction in 2004, I had quit smoking but gained 25 pounds which went straight to were I had lipo I don't want that to happen again.. i'm thinking protein shakes or Vi body may be my saving grace. any advise is helpful! Thanks
Updated on 20 Jan 2014:
I see Dr. Joel L. Shanklin, in Hinesville to get the dates together for my TT I'm super excited and nervous my mom and granny will be helping me thru the day while my hubby and 3 teens help in evening. should I start to buy little things now? if so what?! Are Spanx really needed?! Or can surgical band do the job?! I have an ice machine that you hook up turn on and it pumps ice to a thick pad thinking I can use that for a few days for swelling. Did anyone notice if there pants, sweats, undies, fit more comfy? Did anyone loss weight?! 5/8 pounds?!
Updated on 14 Feb 2014:
March 6th 2K14 super stoked super nervous I've been waiting years to do this and finally its all coming together the timing is working out. TT lipo of flanks n back its lipo w ultrasound thing not sure the name. Post pics as date gets closer
Updated on 17 Feb 2014:
I took pics today I'm getting so excited!! The PS is also going to do a little nip n tuck on my breasts. I had a reduction n lift 10 years ago my weight has been a yo yo you can see the corners of my breasts little extra skin
Updated on 17 Feb 2014:
Updated on 7 Mar 2014:
TT was yesterday spent the night now I'm back home I feel pretty good my back is achy n holy crap does it hurt to cough
Updated on 14 Mar 2014:
Went to one week follow up PS says not enough fluids have drained so I have to keep them one more week.. I wanted to cry so badly but I held it in, I know its for my own good. Just bummed me out
Updated on 14 Mar 2014:
Some recent pics
Updated on 19 Mar 2014:
I'm hoping my drains come out tomorrow I'm SOooo over them! I'm still so swollen in upper tummy area, I did not do lipo just str8 up TT weird thing is my pooping has been better now then ever, I'm not taking anything for it. I'm still taking my regular morning meds multi vitamin buspar turmeric twice a day and probiotic along with any pain meds I may need ( norco flexural) but the swelling feels like a muffin top but I wouldn't go back to all tha extra skin.. No way! I'm still confused on binders n what else I could be wearing.. Also I'm still so bruised in BB area I see doc tomorrow hope to get some answers
Updated on 22 Mar 2014:
Drains are out!! What a relieve I have had some low blood supply to my Belly button and below. I know part of that is my fault becuz I used ice the first cpl days off n on to help with swelling becuz in my mind I thought OK ice helps with swelling but I didn't think about not feeling how really cold it can get cuz I was numb but thankfully the great lady's on RS helped. So big thank you to everyone. All is well still tough to get out of my bed but I got a step stool next to bed big help! I'm craving fruits like crazy. Post pics soon happy healing to everyone
Updated on 23 Mar 2014:
17 days since surgery still can't stand up all the way. Things are getting easier day by day . Trying so hard to keep swelling down I've read some dr don't do binders some do I'm curious if anyone has experienced both or seen a difference, I wonder if my binder is to tight which could slow down blood circulation to my mid area
Updated on 31 Mar 2014:
I've had a set back my insitions aren't healing as well as I'd hoped I had this same issue 17 yrs ago w a c section and again 4 yrs ago with hysterectomy ended in a wound vac, I'm hoping this won't happen again I'm also hoping the twice a day dressing change wet to dry will help the pics aren't pretty but it's the reality of it I trust my dr I'm following his instructions I'm not a smoker and my activities are pooping,texting my hubby to wipe me, trying to eat high protein, wearing binder 24/7 sitting in reclining chair watching netflix I ordered all the movie channels I'm not much of a reader unless I'm on here! If anyone else has gone thru this or know anyone who has please share any advise thanks ladies
Updated on 10 Apr 2014:
I still have an open insition which is a big downer. My mind is way ahead of my body. Has anyone ever used coconut oil for scar treatment just curious. My doc says I got another six weeks before I'm closed up. I've tried a cpl things on that I wore before surgery and they don't fit anyone ever go thru that?! Also I love to lay out n swim in my backyard come June it's on!! Should I use a high sun block on my tummy area?! Even with the struggles I've had I'd still do it again
Updated on 10 Apr 2014:
Updated on 16 Apr 2014:
I've got five more weeks to go before my insition is closed days my PS I've been having a lot of emotional days like crying tired of feeling so down
Updated on 26 Apr 2014:
Things are really looking up I'm not 100% closed up but I'm getting closer n closer everyday is better n better I can't wait to feel 100% when is a good idea to start bio oil
Updated on 12 May 2014:
I'm doing much better I started excercising again on my gazelle n doing some arms. I'm almost closed I'm back out in the yard I haven't been able to mow or weed wack but I water flowers I can do more n more everyday. Everything I've been thru I'd still do it again my highs my lows no second thought.. and that's how I know it was the right thing for me. The side by side is same tank top just newer a year ago 9 pounds of skin n scar tissue n fat
Updated on 12 May 2014:
Recent pics
Updated on 29 Jun 2014:
Doing 100 times better not back to normal but normal is overrated ????
Updated on 18 Sep 2014:
Feeling better everyday the recovery has been harder then u thought I get so blotted after I eat but I'm working out more n my back pain is nothing like it was before the scar is ugly but there's far more benifits even w the scar I'd do it all again, except ten yrs ago
Updated on 27 Sep 2014:
Wow six months it's gone fast but I remember when it was going slow if you look back at my pic u can see the trauma my body went thru I knew this going into it. It was a risk I took and I'm glad I did it's so much easier to exercise so I exercise more now then before TT I feel better in my clothes it's still hard to believe I carried that baby belly around I had over 9pounds taken off no lipo. I feel I've lowered my risk to health issues as well I'm on a path to healthy one squat at a time!!