I'm 5ft 9in tall. My pre surgery weight was 150.something (can't recall)
I do plan to come back and add some pictures, but a little background first. I was over weight for most of my life, but really maxed out in 2000 (214). I had one child a few years before that (230s). In early 2001 I made lifestyle changes and dropped almost 90 pounds and have kept it off ever since through diligence - maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Between my weight, my pregnancy, and my dramatic weight loss - I was left with a heap of left over skin and some of the highest stretchmarks around. I only wish I had pics of me leaning over to show the skin hanging because upright doesn't do it justice.
I bust my butt to stay in shape, I've ran a ton of half marathons and one full. I teach yoga as well as pilates and work a full time job. I don't eat fast food. I just kept reaching for something I couldn't achieve without the help of surgery. I couldn't see the results of my work on my torso because of all of the skin. I could FEEL muscle under there! My husband loved me heavy, loved me with extra skin, but saw my tears when I finally told him how I felt - and how long I had been holding it in. We made the leap. I will post more as soon as I can!
Updated on 1 May 2017:
Uploading these pics is difficult - hard to look at and very hard to share.
Updated on 1 May 2017:
I did cry tears of shock and joy - surreal.
Funny part - it hurt to cry so I kind just leaned over and teared up and sniffled - then snickered with my husband because everything I did HURT. Laugh, cry, cough...heh
Just relief.
Updated on 1 May 2017:
I am swelling quite a bit in my low belly. I got up and moving pretty early. It was so hard to get up when I got down - I didn't want to SIT! Needless to say, I know I need to give my body breaks to heal.
I just hope that low belly pooch goes away!!!
It is insane isnt it? The difference? It is still surreal.
Who is this person????
The Dr. is an ARTIST.
I was on the border of needing a lift with my augmentation. Look what he did for me. No lift and I'm SO happy. No extra scarring.
Anyone else out there have low belly swell like this?
Updated on 1 May 2017:
I was standing upright pretty much right away - well almost completely. My tail is still a little tucked, giving me a granny butt look. I feel tight and am listening to my body and working it out slowly.
Updated on 1 May 2017:
Still difficult to show/look at/share....
Updated on 2 May 2017:
I was SO scared about this surgery. I was certain something terrible would happen to me for being so selfish. Spending that much money on myself, even though I've SAVED and WORKED.
Then I realized that my self image was so bad that I somehow convinced myself that all of these miracles I see happen on this site weren't for me. That I wasn't good enough for that. That if I did this for me then OF COURSE something terrible would happen. I would leave my husband behind, my son... I may die. Wrong. I realized that it was ridiculous to think that. I just got tired of my head playing tricks on me. This was all MY doing in MY head. Of course I am good enough for this! I bust my ASS! Of course, I knew nothing was guaranteed, but I know I take care of myself, I'm healthy and absolutely strong enough to withstand surgery. My husband and son (of course I didn't talk to my son about the BA haha!) were SO incredibly supportive. I drilled them constantly on if I was being selfish. I love them so. I got that last sweet smootch from my husband right after the good drugs kicked in and I stopped shaking from nerves. Then I went off down the hall hoping I'd mutter something ridiculous and funny while doped up. That's all I recall.
I will forever have the image of my husband walking to me from down way the hall (I just happened to be lined right up to the walkway in postop) with bags in hand and I knew I made it and it was over.
So here are my two week pics. I still can't believe it's real. This was as soon as I got up and took my binder/garment off. I put my binder back on over my garment to help with swelling. It seems to be smaller today. I will take another tonight to see how the AM vs PM swelling goes.
Updated on 2 May 2017:
...was 147.something
My weight can fluctuate that much from just water from day to day - heck AM to PM - but I can't help but wonder how much skin was removed. I can't wait to see that post op report!
Updated on 9 May 2017:
So I saw the Dr yesterday and all is well! I was cleared for lots of things! First and foremost - sex - which caused some big time swelling, but it will go away, and it went away quite a bit when I got up for these pics. I can untuck my tail bone a little more. I asked about heart rate/exercise/lifting more and he said to listen to my body 100%. Walk as fast as I can for one mile and see how I feel the next morning and go from there. I will swell, but as long as there is no pain, it's all ok.
He removed the steri strips from under the ladies and they seem fine. Lefty is a bit more tight and needs more tlc/massage. No more real underside pain, just all over extreme tenderness - especially in the nipples. I know they're not perfect, but I am so happy with them. I can ecstatic that he did this and was able to bypass a lift.
He noted the low belly swelling and said that it is indeed annoying, but it will go away. My drain holes look great, now they are just superficial wounds. I feel just about myself again, I just fill up fast when I eat/drink. My measurements are about the same, as is my weight. Still going to wear the spanx for another week. He wants me to definitely wear it when I attempt any type of exercise.
Glue is coming off in chunks now and the scar being revealed is almost nonexistent so far. I just don't know what to think about that. I'm sure there is a lot I can't see right now because I know my skin doesn't do well with scarring - obviously!
I am so ready to hit the gym hard and heavy but I know better!!!!
Updated on 12 May 2017:
The glue on my navel came off all at once last night (with my garment as I peeled it off after teaching hot yoga). I didn't take a pic, but I will do close ups at my month pic post.
I have a normal looking belly button. Sounds like no big deal - but man. It IS a big deal!
<3
Updated on 16 May 2017:
It's been 4 weeks already and I've progressed quite a bit. I still feel right upon waking or standing. I'm lifting more weight at work, but listening to my body. Same goes for teaching yoga, just listening to myself. I'm not 100%, but I'm so much better. Beginning this morning, I'm using a compression garment that is more like undies, not under my ribs. I still wear the full on kind when I'm teaching. Im going to begin more of an exercise routine soon, but a lot of what I do involves core - so I'm standoffish. I will try for more cardio type stuff in the coming week. I am on my feet almost constantly and my swelling has seemed to have gone down quite a bit. Still some residual puff in the bottom abdomen. Lots of my glue is coming off and it looks good so far. Puffy and high but I know it will come down. One of my sides is fairly flat in the scar. You can see in the front pic my sides are still even. It seems that my right side is less swollen than my left, but I'm being super picky there heh.
My nipples are even, but one breast seems to be a tiny bit larger. ZERO complains as I was looking for normalcy and slightly asymmetrical is fine by me! They were like that to begin with and I'm still ecstatic that I only have the underside scars. They are relaxing quite a but now and getting more bounce. I am at a 36 C or D depending on brand and I feel so much more in proportion.
My belly button is normal and relaxing. It was super tight and long, it's coming into it's own! He did an excellent job with it. Sex life is headed back to normal, but husband gets nervous about hurting me - says I'm like a china doll right now. I kinda feel that way too...but my worry about messing things up is all but gone now. I am in jeans today for the first time since surgery - my presurgery jeans. My weight hasn't changed much from the last weigh and am looking forward to toning up more soon. I am floored that I can see some of the definition in my abs that I've worked so hard for! More of that to come for sure!
Updated on 23 May 2017:
All this time I've been waiting for residual swelling to go away and I've found so much more! I've been tight and worried so I haven't kicked up any real exercise to speak of. I've resumed all other things. I was on my feet last Saturday from 5am until about 11pm, so that may be contributing to what I'm experiencing now. Yesterday an area above my navel was protruding somewhat, a firm area. I got upset and nervous. I've got a couple of emails out to my dr. I can kind of still see it in my pics from this morning but since being on my feet, I can see it more right now. It was a fairly large even I hosted in my home, some drinking and high sodium foods were involved, but I kept iot within reason.
:( I'm sore in that area also.
My weight is still at 149. I am also about to start my period, which may be contributing also. I'm sure I'm a little backed up too. I will see what the Dr says. I'm not scheduled to see him until June 9, but this may be reason to go sooner. damn. I'm headed out of town this weekend on a camping trip and I don't want to be worried! I've kept my garment going since I've been so active and on my feet.
I've been massaging Palmers Oil on my belly and all of my incisions. Massage does feel nice.
Updated on 23 May 2017:
My incisions look fabulous. My sides are so even and smooth. The incision is just a thin maroon line that runs hip to hip. No complications with the healing there at all. My breast incisions are a little lumpy, but from what I read - that's normal. They are still sore, which is probably due to my period. My belly button looks nice also.
Updated on 30 May 2017:
Whoa, 6 weeks! So all of the swelling was due to my being on my feel nonstop. I was up at 5am and has a big party I was hosting. Tons of cleaning and prepping and before I knew it, it was 1am and guests were leaving. Since I wasn't terribly swollen the next day, I thought that was that. Apparently it took a couple of days to really get me. The Dr's office said to put the binder back on snug, chug water/electrolytes, and get of my feet! They know it's hard for me to sit still. They wanted me to call back the next day. It was significantly better the following day and just about back to normal the next.
So that's the key to my swelling. If it pops up awful, that is the route I take - water and sit.
The pics taken this morning show pretty flat front. That was 5am this morning and it's 3:15pm and my lower belly is pretty round. It's ok though, I know it'll go away.
I went without any compression (aside from high waisted yoga pants) all day yesterday while driving and shopping. I did pretty well. I went on a 3.5 hour driving trip out of town with my husband for memorial day weekend with friends. It consisted of alcohol, food, and kayaking! I wanted to hike terribly, but I knew it would be a bad idea. I only kayaked lightly. Alcohol was in moderation and I pretty much carried a gallon jug of water around with me (with electolytes) and refilled as needed. I think finally getting through my period helped with the swelling significantly.
I'm still hanging on before I get serious into my work out - because my work outs are pretty serious. I need to make certain I am 100% healed in there.
I think I can go ahead and clean my bathroom mirror though - heh - sorry that laziness shines through in my pics!
My incisions are looking good. Thin maroon lines still! No complications to speak of aside from the insane swelling I can get so easily. I'm looking forward to not wearing any compression at all anymore!
Updated on 7 Jun 2017:
I took these yesterday on my 7 week PO day, always a Tuesday. Just got busy and couldn't get to posting. I'm sure you've noticed that I've been meticulous about posting in the same spot, in the same positions, and at the same time of day. When I was researching pre op, I wanted to see details like this, so hopefully it's helpful to someone out there.
All is well. I was pretty puffy here, but not too bad. I'm not panicked about the puff coming and going like I was in the beginning. I'm a little more puffed right now, today - it's 1pm and I FINALLY kicked up some cardio last night. I did a short spin class for myself in a heated room on one high gear non stop. I'm sure it was too much, but I miss cardio. I kept it short and the puff today isn't awful. I'm chugging water and taking it easy today.
I've been having a tiny issue with the BA. The skin underneath is SUPER tight, like you can see the skin pulled taught if I put my arms up and it LOOKS like it's pulling. I researched it and all I can come up with is Mondor Chords? It is painful, but I see my surgeon Friday so I'm not worried.
Everything else is fantastic. I'm wanting to get some core work in, but I am waiting for my appointment Friday to talk - 8 weeks is Tuesday so maybe?
My scars are smooth, well the BA scars are bumpy lumpy. I massage the Palmers Oil I've been using in the morning and at night. I officially stopped with the compression garment to see how everything goes without it. I still won't lay in my stomach, too weird.
I am easing back into heated yoga. Stretching my legs/hips mostly now that raising my arms seems to hurt so bad.
I am hoping to start jogging soon, but right now I'm really digging the spin class.
I do feel super tight in my middle, but I supposed that's to be expected - that's what I wanted right!? It's pretty pronounced after sitting for a long while or upon waking. I am very aware of my posture and do my absolute best to be upright, shoulders back, and tail untucked.