From start to finish Dr. Weintraub was a knowledgeable and steadfast professional during my mommy makeover journey. After my second and last child I suffered from constant back pain, abdominal weakness, incontinence, chronic sciatica and several other postpartum issues. After considering a full mommy makeover for over 2 years I immediately knew Dr. Weintraub was my top surgeon based on her bedside manner, direct communication and ability in setting realistic but optimistic expectations of this major surgery. I am ecstatic with my results which involved an extended abdominoplasty, with about 3lbs of skin removed from my abdominal area, full muscle repair which was the magic behind the tummy tuck because my muscles were so severely stretched out Dr. Weintraub applied extra plication techniques which ensured the best results, along with 1lb. of total breast tissue removed and lipo along my back and flanks. While recovery was tough at certain points, there were no complications and Dr. Weintraub and staff were extremely responsive and thorough in follow through. If you’re considering the surgery, get it done you won’t regret it and Dr. Weintraub is worth every penny!
I have been considering a tummy tuck for several years. I decided to pull the trigger and interviewed 3 very capable surgeons. I met Dr. Lim and decided to choose her given her methodical approach. I am glad I did. The results have been outstanding. The recovery has been without any complications. Dr. Lim says that is because I am a good patient but I believe it has more to do with her ability as a plastic surgeon. I can highly recommend her technical and artistic skills.
Went in for my surgery yesterday at 1pm, my surgery started at about 2pm ad I was in the car headed home at about 3:40pm. I wanted a really natural look and was debating between 250cc and 275cc pretty much up until right before my surgery, but Dr. Lim assures me the 275cc would be perfect for my frame. I'm sooooo happy with my results, it's only been 18 hours since I got out of surgery and they already look so natural! Thank you so much Dr. Lim! Trying to sleep last night was pretty awful because of all the back pain and pressure, my bandages were very tight especially because of the swelling. And I did throw up at about 2am. But I took the bandages off at about 9am and I already feel soooo much better. Updated on 19 Jun 2020: Very minimal bruising, only around the incision site. I forgot to mention I’m 5’5” and I weigh about 135 for reference. I feel better than yesterday, i can lift my arms higher and go to the bathroom by myself now, hoping tomorrow gets even easier Updated on 30 Jun 2020: Went for my post op appointment yesterday, she took the tape off of my incisions and said I could start using scar cream, also told me I could start massaging and using lotion! Updated on 6 Dec 2020: Loving my results so far! No complications or issues. I did notice my right breast might be dropping slightly faster than my left, but It doesn’t really bother me. I find that I’m still a little restricted at the gym, just listening to my body. Overall, still the best decision I’ve ever made.
I'm very happy with the procedure done by Dr Lim and staff at Duet Plastic Surgery. They were recommended to me by a Kaiser plastic surgeon, whose opinion I trust. I highly recommend them to others. Dr Lim is a fantastic listener. I met with several doctors in the area, and besides Duet's glowing credentials, I heavily weighed the doctor's communication skills - their ability to listen and understand my wants and concerns before offering options. She was always calm and intently listened. It was confidence-inspiring to talk to her while feeling heard and not rushed. Background: I'm an active rock climber, /completely/ flat chested, and just wanted the tiniest something to feel feminine. I had 200cc saline previously but always thought they felt large on my frame. I was very embarrassed by them and would only wear clothing to hide them. After explant, I was unfortunately also dissatisfied by being completely flat, so I decided to do the procedure again after 2 years. I had concerns about notice-ability, impact to my strength, BAD, and safety. Other doctors immediately suggested silicone 200cc without much perceived thought, citing the base width diameter of my chest. Based on our conversations, Dr Lim suggested 125cc saline, which is the smallest possible volume for saline. Even though the diameter is very small, she thought it would still look realistic and it met my concerns. Yes, they don't look perfectly real (fat has a droop and movement different to implants) and I don't love that I have implants, but given the cost-benefit analysis, I'm sincerely happy with my results and decision. I'm back to sending climbs outdoors, and don't feel self-conscious about notice-ability. Besides my happy decision with the doctor, the staff is wonderful. Jolie makes scheduling easy. The staff is very welcoming and sweet. This wasn't a factor in my decision, but it felt great to support smart, capable women.
This review is for Duet Plastic Surgery, specifically Dr. Angelina Lim, who performed my liposuction procedure in October 2018. Before choosing Duet Plastic Surgery, I did a lot of research about plastic surgeons in the SF Bay Area looking at primarily reviews and cost. All of the top surgeons who had good reviews were charging anywhere from $10-12k for liposuction. I found Duet Plastic Surgery who had great reviews and went in for a quote. They quoted me $8300 for the front and sides so I went ahead with the procedure. Throughout the entire process, Dr. Lim and team were highly professional, knowledgeable, very communicative, and a joy to work with. It's been about a year since my liposuction and I am very satisfied with the results. I would highly recommend Dr. Lim and team!
Fantastic, the team is always friendly and help to make you comfortable in every way possible. They explain the procedures and the pro's and con's ahead of time. They always follow up to make sure everything is going well.The fraxel procedure is the 5th different treatment I have visited Duet for...I had breast augmentation almost 10 years ago, botox on a regular basis and did some cheek filler (once) and the skin pen. I am loving the results of the fraxel procedure. It took years off my skin and gave me a glow back!
I received a Fraxel Dual laser treatment at Duet Plastic Surgery a few weeks ago, and let me just say, WOW! I am in my mid-40's and I've been noticing over the years that my skin was getting more pigmented with brown spots, fine lines and overall a dull appearance. When I say my dermatologist a few months ago, I was also told that I had some "actinic keratosis," which is scaly, peely skin that can turn later into skin cancer. I went to Duet Plastic Surgery to see what the doctors recommended, and she recommended a 1927wavelength Fraxel Laser treatment to address my pigment and other concerns. The doctor said I should do 2 -3 treatments spaced a few months apart. I did my first treatment 2 weeks ago and I am BLOWN AWAY. Things were just as the doctor said. I went in for the treatment and spent an hour with numbing cream on my face. It was relaxing and pleasant. Then, I went into the laser room, and had the treatment. I felt no pain at all. While the laser is going, there is cool air gently blown onto your face, so it's not uncomfortable even in the slightest. The laser itself took about 15 minutes. I had the 1927 wavelength, which is used for pigment and actinic keratosis. The other wavelength you can have is 1550, which is good for deeper lines and to tighten skin. (You can have both wavelengths at the same treatment if that is right for you. The doctor will recommend what is best for your skin issues.) After the procedure, I looked pretty normal, maybe a little bit pink. The next day, my skin felt smooth and tight, and looked still normal with a bit of makeup on. By the second day, my skin looked "bronzed" and started to feel rough, almost like fine sandpaper. And then the peeling started. On day 3, I really peeled. The bronzed areas basically rubbed off and underneath, I had smooth, beautiful skin. By the end of day 4, almost all the peeling was done and I honestly couldn't believe how beautiful my skin looked. All the pigment was gone, my areas of actinic keratosis were smooth and perfect, and my skin glowed. By day 5, I went back to work and looked amazing. I could not be happier I did this Fraxel treatment. I am excited for my next one to see even more improvement. Here are my overall impressions: 1) Do the treatment on a Wednesday so you have the weekend to peel. You'll be good to go by Monday. 2)It is painless 3) You can Fraxel other parts too (like your hands or your chest. I'm going to do that too!) 3) The doctor will tell you which wavelenth (or both) is right for your skin concerns. 4) I can't think of a person over 25 who wouldn't benefit from this treatment. Thank you Duet Plastic Surgery for my beautiful skin!!
This review is for both the Duet Plastic Surgery Practice in general, and Dr. Weintraub more specifically. Everything about this practice is exceptional. From the convenience of the location, the hospitality and professionalism of the staff, the quality of the facilities, to the actual procedures and final results. Like many, I performed several months of research and consults before settling on Duet (and Dr. Weintraub), and I am so very satisfied with my choice. Scheduling the appointment was easy. As soon as Dr. Weintraub entered the room for the initial consult, she exuded a relatable warmth that put me at ease. She took the time to get to know me, my motivations for seeking the procedures I was interested in, and genuinely showed interest and cared! She invests in her patients. Not only that, but she is Stanford trained, and articulated with such ease the details of the procedures and how they would impact my appearance based on my physiology. And after I had the procedures, everything she said in the consult was spot-on! The day of the operation: everything went so smoothly and was straightforward. All staff/surgeons in the OR were so friendly and professional, and the facility was very clean. It is in the same complex as the Duet practice, super convenient. Billing: easy and straightforward. Post-Op support and visits: Dr. Weintraub provided her number and said to call at any time with any questions or concerns. She called to check up on me within the first 24 hours after surgery and had me send her photos of the surgery area to ensure everything looked appropriate. I looked forward to the post-op appointment, since I so enjoy speaking with Dr. Weintraub, both as an exceptional plastic surgeon, but more importantly as a truly kind-hearted person! The post-operative results proceeded right on track, exactly as Dr. Weintraub had informed me. As an example of her attention to the most minute details and her eye for precision/symmetry: We were taking my "after" photos in the exam room, when she stopped and adjusted a frame on the wall next to me, that was apparently off-centered. I say 'apparently' because it was utterly indiscernible, and this is coming from someone (me) who is a bit of a perfectionist, highly detail-oriented, and has a keen eye for symmetry. She executes her surgical work and treatments with that same level of exactness. I could not be happier with my decision to choose Duet Plastic Surgery, and Dr. Weintraub! Procedures performed: - Breast augmentation - Mole removal - Lip filler
Let me tell you all about myself. I'm 56 and I live in the Silicon Valley area, California. I've had two daughters through normal vaginal births. I don't smoke, I don't drink, and I'm generally healthy. I run a small business from home (I work from home). Until recently I never considered getting any sort of major cosmetic surgery. But the effects of menopause changed my mind. I'm 5'3" and spent most of my adult life in the range of 125 to 135 lbs. I wasn't happy with the way my belly looked after two births, but it didn't bother me *that* much. I figured maybe I'd get lipo one day. My bikini days were over, but that didn't matter to me or my husband very much, because I looked OK in clothes. Other than the belly, I was happy with the way my body looked. I have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis (auto-immune thyroid disease). That alone messes up your metabolism. Even though my thyroid is stable from taking Synthroid, my age and the disease makes it harder to lose weight. And in addition, I'm on a small dose of Lexapro for mild depression (a common result of thyroid disease), which probably also slows my metabolism somewhat. As I entered my late 40s and early 50s and started to go through menopause, my body began to change. I gained weight, and no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't lose it. My Endocrinologist told me this would happen, but I didn't want to believe her. Oh, I'd go on a diet, watch my calories, etc and lose 5 to 8 lbs, only to gain it all back when I got sick with a cold, or was on vacation -- and the be back at square one. And mind you, I wasn't eating like a crazy person on vacation, just sensibly with a few desserts here and there. I always walk a lot of vacation, but that exercise does't seem to balance out anything. Over the years, I tried Atkins, Weight Watchers, just watching my calories with MyFitnessPal -- but it was futile. So by the time I hit age 55, I weighed an average of 147 to 149 lbs (with a high of 152 lbs after being in Spain for a month on vacation). And most of that extra weight is in my midsection. My miserable fat menopause belly! Uugh, some of it is now even under my chin! I always had a nice sculpted chin, but not anymore! I hate how I look in pictures now! I look like a fat version of the woman I used to see in the mirror! When I say "fat," I know that for some women, even 152 lbs is a goal weight. But you have to understand that I was a skinny child and a thin adult. I never had a problem with my weight or my body image. I never had an eating disorder. I was just normal and happy with the way I looked -- until I hit my 50s. I exercise regularly, but I can't do crazy workouts because I have orthopedic problems and I need to be careful. I have two herniated discs in my lower back and two in my cervical spine. I learned the hard way that I should not lift anything heavy, and certainly not twist and lift at the same time. I've had more than my share of mind-numbing pain from back and hip problems over the years. Through trial and error I have learned what works and what doesn't. Nowadays I do regular stretching, foam rolling and Tai Chi. I get aerobic exercise on a stationary bike, walking, and swimming in the warm months. I stay as active as I can within boundaries. I have found an acupuncturist, a shiatsu massage person, an active release therapy person, a terrific physical therapist, and incredible doctors that I trust. I'm no stranger to surgery -- I've had six of them: 2000- Right foot - removal of extra Navicular bone and re-attachment of mis-attached tendon (congenital defect). 2003 - Left shoulder - removal of painful calcium deposits. 2008 - Sinus surgery to remove benign growth. 2012 - Right hip - torn Labrum (cartilage) - repair and removal of bone spur. Early 2015 - Left shoulder again - Frayed Rotator Cuff - repair and removal of bone spur. Late 2015 - Left hip - fraying Labrum (cartilage) - repair and removal of bone spur. My body just loves to grow bone spurs! Not to mention a period of time in around 2005-2006 when I badly hurt my back lifting things I shouldn't have been lifting. I was exercising a lot at the time and was very strong -- but that didn't matter. I was in agony for months. Years later an MRI revealed that I had ripped my Gluteus Minimus, which explained a lot of things. At the time however, no doctors thought to do an MRI of my hips, only of my back, which of course revealed only the herniated discs (which had been there for years already). So now I understand why it took so long for me to feel better. That period of years was truly miserable, with cortisone shots and lots of fruitless physical therapy. So my dears, I'm no stranger to the OR, and I'm no stranger to pain. When I learned how to control my fears and pain through meditation, I learned the phrase "Suffering Is Optional." Think about that: yes, you may be physically hurting, but your EMOTIONAL suffering is OPTIONAL. Learning that was a game changer for me. So, knowing all that about me -- now I'm thinking about getting a Tummy Tuck done, which will be my first ELECTIVE surgery. I was hoping that just Lipo or CoolSculpting would do the trick for me, but apparently not (according to the many plastic surgeons that I consulted). I don't take this decision lightly. I worry about how doing this may effect me emotionally and physically. I am not sure whether it will be good for my back (repairing a small umbilical hernia and tightening the abdominal muscles) -- or will it be bad for my back -- or have no real effect on my back? I worry about being bent over for a while and not being able to do my trusty pelvic tilts and hip flexor stretches. Obviously, I have a long list of questions to ask my plastic surgeon. My husband and two daughters (who are now young adults) are very supportive. They know how miserable I've been in the past 7+ years -- having to constantly buy larger pants because of my stupid belly, having to buy shirts that aren't too tight at the belly. Hating the way I look in photos (when the hell did I turn into a double chinned thick-wasted middle-aged woman????) I have bins and bins of "old pants and old shirts" that I don't want to throw out -- hoping that one day I might fit into them again IF I COULD JUST LOSE THE BELLY! And lord forbid that I forget and put a certain shirt or pair of pants in the dryer -- they will shrink and then they'll have to go into the "well maybe I'll fit in to this if I can lose a few pounds" bin. After all I've been through with back pain, hip pain -- hell just pain and frustration in general -- I'm excited about the prospect of being able to wear nice clothes again, ditch the granny panties and LOOK the way I FEEL -- which is NOT middle aged! I'm also scared. From what I've read, this is all very normal. I should mention, of course, that my plastic surgeon is going to do a little lipo under my chin along with the tummy tuck. I had explored getting a neck lift, but it's very expensive (the facial surgeon I would want charges $25k), and I don't think I need anything that complicated done right now to my chin and neck -- if ever). I am just beginning to explore this forum and this website, and I'm grateful that it exists. Now that we have paid off our house and paid for our girls' college, it's time to spend some money on something that will make a big difference in my personal happiness. I'll upload photos along the way. Please stay with me on my journey; I need and appreciate your support. Updated on 11 Jun 2017: After researching Tummy Tucks a little more carefully, I realized that there were important questions that I needed to ask. My choice is between two very highly rated plastic surgeons in my area. I like both of them, but there is a significant price difference between them. "Dr. A" will charge about $11k for the Tummy Tuck plus a little Lipo under my chin -- and can do everything (herself and her surgical MD partner). She has been doing plastic surgery for about 6 years, but has an excellent pedigree. Her surgery center is also right across the street from a major highly respected hospital where she has admitting privileges. Her consultation was free but she didn't go into a lot of details. I think I spent about a half hour with her. "Dr. B" The other will charge $14k , which includes the services of a separate (but also highly rated) general surgeon who will fix the umbilical hernia. She and her surgery center are a few miles closer to my house than "Dr. A," but neither one is very far (within 10 easy miles). The advantage of "Dr. B" is that she is older than I am and has many more years of experience than "Dr. A" (which might account for her higher price). She spent a lot of time with me (more than an hour) explaining the surgery in great detail. I liked her a lot (I paid almost $200 for her consultation, which accounts for the amount of time she spent with me). I want my husband to meet both doctors and get the opportunity to ask questions. I value his opinion, and I think that ultimately he can help me decide which surgeon to go with. I also have some very important questions to ask them about how this surgery might affect my back, and what to expect during the healing phase. I might also possibly consult with my orthopedist. I just don't want to do anything which would mess up my back. My situation can be a bit tenuous sometimes -- for instance, if I do a lot of bending over, or things that involve a lot of twisting -- I have suffered for weeks or even months until my muscles or nerves have recovered. I've read that repairing the abdominal muscles might actually strengthen my back, and that makes sense to me. But my body has sometimes defied common sense. So obviously I'm hesitant. Things are good for me right now. The last thing I would want is to curse the day I decided to have this surgery. Anyway, we're seeing Dr. A on Tuesday. We won't be able to see Dr. B until the end of June. At that time, I'll make my decision, possibly with the help of my orthopedist. Every time I get nervous about this, I think about all of the clothes I'll be able to wear again. Since I decided to look into this, not a day has gone by when I haven't seen a woman or a piece of clothing and thought, "After this surgery, I'll be able to wear that again!" or "After this surgery, that will look good on me again!" Is this mere vanity -- not wanting to look like a thick-waisted middle-aged woman when I don't feel like that -- when I don't FEEL like what I see in the mirror is the "real me?" I feel lucky that at my age, I have the ability to think about the whim of cosmetic surgery when other women are facing necessary surgery to save their lives from horrible diseases. I'm lucky; I'm blessed. Updated on 14 Jun 2017: My husband went along with me yesterday to talk to Dr. A. I had a long list of questions, which she answered to my satisfaction. I also got a peak at the operating rooms from the reception area (they were in use, so of course I couldn't go inside). Everything about Dr. A's credentials, manner, experience, and surgical facility is great. I feel very comfortable with her, and I feel that she is more than qualified to do my surgery. We were going to also see Dr. B in a couple of weeks, but we have decided that it won't be necessary. We like Dr. A very much. One of the things I like the most is that she doesn't pull so tight that you're bent over for a long period of time after the surgery. She has 10 years of experience with this and said that she does, on average, 2 to 3 Tummy Tucks per week. That's over 100 per year for many years. That's the sort of experience I'm looking for. Before I plunk down my deposit, I want to get an opinion from two of the orthopedists that I've seen for my back problems. I just want to get their assurances that tightening the ab muscles won't be detrimental to my back. Everything I've read has said that it will probably be beneficial in the long run, but I want to dot all of my i's and cross all of my t's before fully committing to this. Nevertheless, I'm extremely excited at the prospect of losing this ugly belly and being able to wear normal clothes again -- and not look so matronly anymore. There is a risk that the small amount of liposuction she'll do on my chin may result in some loose skin. Every single plastic surgeon that I saw was willing to do some lipo under the chin for me, so I think the risk couldn't be that bad. The submental skin is still very thick and healthy, so hopefully it will bounce back. I don't really want to have to get a neck lift, but I'm not ruling it out for the future. The doctor who would do it (the best in my area) would charge $25k, and it's a 4 to 5 hour operation, so it's not the sort of procedure I would do on a whim! I'll continue to update this as things progress. Updated on 8 Nov 2017: Well, it's time to write an update. My surgery is next Wednesday (Nov. 15th). I went for my pre-op last week. My husband went with me as another set of ears. I pretty much know the pre-op drill -- no taking NSAIDs or fish oil for a week or two before, etc, etc. All of my labs are done, EKG is done, all fine. For the record, I went with Dr. A. This procedure is costing just under $12k. We're using CareCredit to make payments with no interest for a year. The only thing that I wish was different right now is...my weight! My husband and I had a long trip abroad last month and I gained a couple of pounds. Then I had to travel again, across the country, to see my elderly mother last week. I had hoped to actually lose a few pounds before this procedure, but it is just impossible because of the travel and jet lag. Since most of the weight is in my belly, perhaps it doesn't matter. But I'm not happy that I'm at the top of my weight range right now. I do plan to go on MyFitnessPal again after the dust settles and get this under control again. (I'm only about 20 pounds overweight, total). Anyway, the "scared" part of this is starting to happen. I've kept it in the background for all of these months, but now it's really starting to emerge. Almost every night for the past few nights my Tummy Tuck has crept into my dreams. Last night I dreamt that I was in a clothing store but wouldn't buy anything because it would all fit me differently "afterward" and I didn't want to waste my money. In my dreams I keep telling various women that I'm getting a tummy tuck. I suppose it's my mind's way of dealing with the reality of the situation. This procedure makes me nervous mainly because it's the first elective cosmetic surgery I've ever done. And it's a long surgery (at 3 hours, I think the longest I've ever had), and I keep thinking about the big scar I'll have and all the pain I will probably be in. And how doped up I may be. And worried about how being bent over for a while may screw up my back for while. And (God forbid) something going wrong and dying on the surgery table. Or not being anesthetized enough and being conscious during the surgery (has never happened, but it scares me anyway). I will talk to my anesthesiologist about that last one, for sure.... But overall I REALLY DO WANT TO DO THIS! I keep thinking about what it will be like a year from now, when everything is healed nicely and I get to wear some of my old pants, etc. Or some nice new ones. I look at my belly and feel kinda sad, as well. Do I really want to lop off part of my "history" for vanity? The belly that stretched out when I had my kids...etc, etc. I'm a sentimental person at heart, so I think about this sort of stuff.... It's just scary, ya know? My mind keeps flip-flopping between "Wow, I'm going to do this!" and "Oh my God, what the hell am I doing!!!!!??" I know from reading other posts that this is normal. I'm glad that I'm on an SSRI (have been for years), because I think it's keeping me from totally freaking out. Still, tonight I find myself needing to take a small bit of Lorazapam because I'm just wound up too tightly. Of course, my back is acting up again. I don't know whether it's from stress or just a coincidence. It started hurting (a twinge in the mid-back) about a month ago and seems to come and go. I keep doing my stretching and foam rolling but the pain keeps coming back. If I had more time I would get some acupuncture or a shiatsu massage to get rid of it -- I think it's a trigger point. I do have a massage scheduled for Saturday, but it's just a relaxation massage. Maybe I can have them work on that spot on my back a little bit, as well..... I run my own internet business, and there are a lot of loose ends to tie up in advance of my surgery. It's a small business, just run by me and my husband (a fulfillment company ships the products but we do everything else). When you have a business like this, there is never really a day off, even on vacation (we manage it remotely when we travel). But with Black Friday and the other big holidays coming up, there's a lot to do. I've done most of it, but of course two wonderful new products just came out that I need to put on the website (and all the work associated with doing that). My "To Do" list seems never-ending. In a week I'll be all drugged up and won't care about any of it, LOL! So I'm trying to think of all the stuff that really needs to get done while I'm in the not doped up or in pain. On top of all this, we discovered today that the hot water heater in our house is either malfunctioning or totally broken. The plumber is coming on Thursday to diagnose the problem, but if it needs to be replaced, he can't do it until Friday. So tomorrow I need to go to the gym so that I can take a hot shower. Uugh!!! Well anyway....I have full confidence in my doctor and her team. I just can't believe that I'm really going to do this! I'd sure like to hear from other women who have done this. Please re-assure me! I need some group support! Sometimes lately I feel like I'm going to jump out of my skin! Thank you! Updated on 10 Nov 2017: My TT surgery is on Wednesday (Nov. 15th). Getting pretty nervous! Would love to have a few surgery buddies online! Anyone?? Updated on 24 Nov 2017: Wow, what a journey this has been. My TT and submental chin lipo went well. I believe that I was in the operating room for about 3 hours. Of course, I don't remember any of it. My last memory was when the anesthesiologist said he was giving me some happy juice, I kissed my husband, and they began wheeling me into the OR. Next thing I knew, they were telling me it was all over and that it went really well. I'm very thankful for that!!! The first few days were spent at home in a drug-induced fog. Of course, I had re-arranged the bedroom the day before so that it would be convenient for me to reach certain things, etc. I had plenty of pillows to be in the elevated position with pillows under the knees. And yes, that is definitely the way to sleep after a TT. I'm still sleeping in that position and probably will be for another week at least. My husband has been an angel -- keeping track of my meds, as well as the fluid that came out of the drains. We decided that he would keep the drugs and administer them to me, which was a good idea. Because even if you THINK you're going to remember when you took something, you might not (and it did happen once or twice). It also enabled him to keep a log to show to the doctor on our subsequent visits. I have been taking 1 Percocet every 5 to 6 hours, and sometimes one extra-strength Tylenol about 3 hours after taking the Percocet. I took Keflex (an antibiotic) every 6 hours for a week. If I began to feel anxious, I took a half to a quarter of a Valium (wow, that is strong stuff), and it mellowed me out and enabled me to sleep (and gave me very interesting dreams). Half of the time, I would wake up and not know where the hell I was, LOL. But of course within a minute or two, the realization that I was recovering from surgery sank in again. I also took a stool softener, which is crucial. Surgery freezes up your intestinal track, and it seemed to also freeze up my bladder a bit. The first few days after surgery, it seemed to take forever for my pee to come out. I couldn't seem to push internally very well to make my bladder empty. I sat on the toilet a lot longer than usual waiting for my bladder to empty completely (necessary to avoid a UTI). However, after about the third day my bladder seemed to be back to normal. I had no trouble passing gas, but poo-ing, well, that's another story. Narcotics are notorious for constipating you, and I was taking Percocet every 6 hours. Of course I was very nervous about having a bowel movement. I had some very strong stool softeners, but opted instead to take weaker ones a couple of times per day. The last thing I wanted was to cause diarrhea. Well, between that and a little magnesium glycinate, I FINALLY pooed on the third day after surgery. What a relief THAT was! It was a struggle to reach around to wipe myself, but I managed it. It was one time I really wished I had a bidet, LOL, but wet wipes sufficed. My husband said he would wipe me if necessary, but really I didn't want him to have to do that if I could help it! Anyway, I have been regular since then, having a bowel movement daily. Phew! Getting in and out of bed was very difficult at first. I needed help for almost the entire first week. This meant calling for my husband or daughter if I had to pee. The first day or two after surgery I seemed to need to pee a lot, which was really annoying. I assume its because they pump you up with IV fluids during surgery. I also made the mistake of eating some soup on the second day. So I was constantly calling for my husband to help me get in and out of bed for the first couple of days. Near the end of the first week, I began to get a little strength and mobility back and could manage to get in and out of bed by myself. One thing I'll tell you -- if you have one of those beds which is high off the ground, you will need to re-think where you will be sleeping. My bed is only a tiny bit higher than an average metal bed frame and it was challenging. I couldn't imagine trying to do this with one of those really high beds. The day after surgery, we went back to the doctor's office for a post-op check. That was challenging. I took a pillow to hold on to in the car, and we shoved a small pillow behind my back as well to make the 30 minute car ride bearable. My surgeon checked my drains and gave my husband further instructions for taking proper care of them. The drains needed to be emptied every 24 hours, and the fluid had to be measured in a plastic cup they gave us. Bleh, gross! The fluid is a watery bloody red with a little yellow mixed in. Uugh. Like I said, my husband is an angel; he didn't complain at all about doing this for me. The tubes need to be "stripped" once a day to prevent buildup of proteins that might block them. This involves taking an alcohol wipe and pulling on the length of the tubes. Let me explain about the drains and the tubes. There were two silicone tubes, which came out of the front of my pubis (pubic hair area). The tubes apparently went up into the sides of my abdomen. They were stitched into place at my pubis and covered with gauze. Each tube was attached to a silicone bulb about the size of a medium lemon. The bulbs were clipped on to my corset garment. So you're walking around bent over with these gross bulbs hanging from your corset with reddish yellow liquid sloshing around in them. Needless to say, I wore a sweater over it to hide it. Who wants to look at that??! The tubes only hurt when my underwear pulled on them -- not a pleasant feeling -- like your pubic hair being ripped out or something. Obviously I went to great lengths to ensure that they were as comfortable as possible, but as the week wore on I began to really hate them. The first tube was removed 5 days after surgery. Holy hell, did that hurt. I felt like I was going to pass out in the doctor's office and reflexively yelled "F**K!!!!" LOL. The second tube was removed 2 days later. That didn't hurt quite as much, but still evoked another hearty "f**k!!!!!" from my mouth. The doctor said that there wasn't really anything she could do to make it hurt less. I had taken a Percocet one hour before each tube removal. But it's over, and the tubes and bulbs are gone now, thankfully. I've gone through a lot of pairs of underpants which have been stained on the front with blood and fluid. The first week after surgery, take my advice: only wear old crappy clothes you don't care about. Or go out and buy some loose crappy underwear and dark sweatpants you won't mind messing up. Because you probably WILL get blood and fluid on them, hard as you try not to. Even now, with the tubes removed, one of the drain holes is still leaking yellowish fluid. In addition to a gauze pad, I actually put a panty liner on the inside front of my underpants. That has worked very well to solve the problem. Now...as to straightening up -- well, that is going to take a while. They did the full procedure on me: tummy tuck with lipo, fixed the umbilical hernia, and shored up my abdominal muscles. My entire front midsection is sore, tight, and frankly weird feeling. I look down and it doesn't look like me (but in a good way). My doctor humorously called it my "alien belly," and she's right, that's what it feels like! As if I got a transplant of some other woman's belly, LOL! My god, it is FLAT! My navel is cute again. My pubis is pulled back up to where it belongs. But it's all very bruised, hard, weird feeling, somewhat numb -- the feeling is very disconcerting. I try not to think about it too much because frankly it makes me feel anxiety to dwell on it. I know that as time goes on, it will feel like it's "my body" again. The incision looks good, although I think it might scar in one small place. Not sure what to do about that yet. Once that drains were removed, it was easier to get around, and I find myself able to straighten up a little bit more. I will probably be bent over for the better part of a month -- it will take weeks to be able to stand up straight again. This is not so much because of the incision, but because my belly is TIGHT and there are stitches underneath for the belly button and ab muscles. (The stitches are all self-dissolving; none of them will need to be removed). I know that a lot of women complain about their lower back aching. Well ladies, I've been through some very hellish back pain in my life and this is NOTHING compared to what I've experienced in my past. The corset helps to support the back muscles. I find that I can only stand and walk around for just a few minutes before my lower back begins to ache (especially on my left side, which is historically a place of pain for me because my left piraformis muscle tends to get tight). I can sit and do the "figure 4" stretch with my legs, which helps. Other than that, the doctor has advised me NOT to do any mobility exercises for several weeks. I've found, in the past couple of days, that I'm able to straighten up a little more, and it's putting a little less strain on my lower back. Nevertheless, I need to stop and sit down after a few minutes. I've only gone out of the house to go to the doctor's office. One thing that feels really good is this: I crawl onto my bed and stay there on my hands and knees (feet hanging off the side of the bed). I rock gently back and forth and side to side. It seems to take some of the pressure off of my lower back. I've been doing this a couple of times a day. What else can I tell you? Oh yes -- obviously I'm not eating a lot. I nibble on low-salt crackers or cookies, string cheese, a little fruit, a little yogurt, etc, throughout the day, and have very small meals. If I eat too much I begin to feel ill because my midsection is so tight, and because of the corset garment squeezing me. Regarding my submental chin lipo -- that has been easy to deal with. I'm wearing a chin strap, and will continue to for another week. The results -- wow, I'm so pleased! I'm posting a photo that I took a couple of days ago, compared to one I took in April. My neck is bruised but that's fading. The area where she did the lipo is sore and a bit numb, but every day it's feeling better. So....one week down! My doctor told me that after next week I can wear Spanx when I'm inactive. But if I'm going to be active (I guess not just sitting around at home), she wants me to wear the corset garment. Yes, I hate it, but I can tolerate it for a few weeks. I didn't go through all of this expense and trouble to be stupid about after-care. I'm mainly been sitting/lying around watching TV and movies, anyway. Please feel free to comment or ask questions. I'll continue to post updates. I'm not posting photos of my belly yet. Maybe in another week or two. It's still too "Bride of Frankenstin-ish" for my comfort. Updated on 25 Nov 2017: Things have been going pretty well. I'm totally off the Percocet (narcotic) now, and only taking Tylenol (Acetaminophen). I'm still logging what I take, because I know that nobody should ingest more than 4,000 mg (4g) of Tylenol per 24 hour period. I only had the 500-mg-per-pill Extra Strength capsules (which you can't cut), so I had my husband go out and buy a bottle of the Regular Strength (325 mg) pills. That way, I can really control how much I take instead of being at the mercy of 500 mg capsules. So far, I will say that one 500 + one 325 (total of 825 mg) every 4 to 5 hours seems to be doing the trick pretty well. There have been a few times that I've felt bad and have added a bit of Valium or (yesterday), took a small Ativan instead of Valium, to help me relax when I was feeling some anxiety. I already had the Ativan before this operation. I take it once in a while to help me sleep. You need to be careful with any of those "Benzo" drugs because they can become addictive. So I try to only take them when absolutely necessary. The anxiety mainly comes from the physical feeling of the surgery. Not the pain, but the weird, sickly, other-worldly feeling of my tight midsection. What I've found is that I eat too much at one meal, that sensation of fullness seems to trigger a lot of unwanted sensations. It's a very visceral thing and is rather beyond my control. Being too full makes my belly feel more tight, more weird, makes if ache a bit, and just freaks me out. I get the heebie-jeebies, so to speak. I try very hard to control my thoughts and feelings, but sometimes it just gets overwhelming, and I find myself with my head in my hands, telling myself to breathe and relax. That's when I just try to take a nap, or if I can't relax, I take something to help me relax. That strategy has worked very well. Take a pill and chill out, LOL. The site (little hole) where my second drain was removed is still leaking yellow red fluid. I keep gauze wrapped in a couple of soft tissues over the area. Sometimes I have also put a mini pad in the inside front of my underpants. I emailed my doctor and she said that it was OK, and that the fluid should be subsiding soon. It's just annoying to have to keep tabs on it so that it won't stain the front of my underpants or pants. But it's better than getting a seroma. Every day I'm standing up a little bit straighter. I would estimate that today I am about 70% on the way to standing up straight again. I'm not pushing it. I do challenge myself a tiny bit here and there when I feel up to it, and have found it to be worthwhile. I've noticed that every day I have a bit more mobility when it comes to twisting or bending or standing a bit straighter. And that's good, because this experience can do a real mind f*ck on a woman, I think -- lead you to believe that you'll be bent over like a granny forever. I know that won't happen and I'm always telling myself to be patient with the process. You may wonder how it feels. Well, at first I was terrified of ripping my stitches; everything felt very tight. Now, 10 days in, it's more a feeling of pulling on my facia or skin -- from right below my breasts down to my pubis. It doesn't hurt per se -- it's just a strong pulling sensation. I've found that it's harder to straighten up after I've been sitting or lying down for a while. I try to get up and walk around for maybe 5 minutes every so often to help with muscle flexibility. Speaking of muscles, my back isn't aching as much. As I am beginning to stand straighter, that ache in my lower left back is subsiding. I still can't overdo it. I can really only walk around or stand for maybe 5 minutes before I really need to sit down again. I can't wait to get back to some real exercise, but that will be weeks down the road. I hope to begin wearing my Spanx after the middle of next week. As I said in an answer to a question a couple of days ago -- yes, I had some Spanx-like garments (which I hated wearing, so they mainly just sat in my drawer). But most of them are medium control and only go up to the mid-waist. I need something high-waisted that is firm control. So I ordered a few pairs. I think the plan is to wear the Spanx during the day and the corset at night for another week or two. Then I think I'll be switching to just the Spanx at some point. Before this surgery, the doctor told me that some women want to wear the corset or Spanx for months after they are required. I found that weird. But now I understand. Your belly doesn't feel like yours. You're worried about your stitches. You're worried about how it all feels. Somehow the feeling of compression helps, if only psychologically. I have finally been able to sleep lying on my side (mainly on the sofa, for a nap). I find that hugging a small pillow to my chest is comforting in this position. Last night I fell asleep like that in my bed, but I came to regret it. I woke up on my back in some pain, which was truly awful. I can't really sleep on my back (think about it -- it's like standing up -- which I can't do -- I can't straighten up all the way yet). I was overdue for Tylenol, as well. So I managed to prop myself up, eat a couple of crackers (box was on the bed), and swallow 2 Extra Strength Tylenol. Went back to sleep in my usual propped-up-pillows-under-knees position and felt OK when I woke up an hour and a half later. So.....lesson learned, I suppose. I'll only sleep on my side while napping on the sofa from now on -- at least for a while longer. I've spent my days watching the many movies I had saved on my DVR over the months. Most of them are classics I'd never gotten around to seeing, such as The Manchurian Candidate (loved), All About Eve (loved), Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf (great acting but tedious script), The Best Years Of Our Lives (liked a lot), The Astronaut's Wife (stinker), and more. I guess after I finally empty the DVR, I'll go to online streaming. We apparently have fiber cable in our area and my husband is eager to make the switch from our old DVR system. But I told him he had to wait until I was done watching all these movies, LOL! One thing that I have found immensely helpful during these 10 days: having sweaters with two-way zippers. They can zip up from the bottom or zip down from the top. I've never been a big fan of the two-way zippers before, but it has been great to be able to zip my sweater up from the bottom when I go to the bathroom, for example. I would recommend getting one or two of those if you don't have any already. Because I've had a "belly" for so many years, most of my underpants are briefs. But right now I don't want to wear underpants which go all the way up to my waist. I still have a few bikini-types, and I find myself wanting to wear those. They're easier to deal with beneath the corset because they sit so much lower on your abdomen. Oh yeah, one other thing I keep forgetting to mention: coughing and sneezing are excruciating, so you don't want to do either! I go to great lengths to avoid them. Holy sh*t, the first time I sneezed (about 5 days ago), I thought I would pass out from the pain (and I was on Percocet at the time!). And coughing -- well at first everything is so tight that I just couldn't inflate my belly enough to cough out well. It really HURT LIKE H*LL! Now that I'm 10 days in, it isn't as excruciating, but I still try to avoid it. OK, I have The Man In The Grey Flannel Suit queued up on my DVR and it's time to eat a little something for dinner. I hope that my ramblings are helping someone out there. Feel free to comment or ask questions. I'm not going anywhere, LOL! Updated on 26 Nov 2017: Before this surgery, I suffered with back pain on and off. For years I took Ibuprofen or other NSAIDs for it. Well, my stomach is no longer happy with that arrangement, and my GI doctor told me to try to avoid them. So when I was suffering from a really bad muscle spasm in my lower back last year, I got a medical marijuana card at the encouragement of my 20-year-old daughter. It was a revelation. In the process of getting my medical marijuana license, I got advice from an ER doctor who knew a lot about using cannabis for pain and anxiety. I was astounded that you simply buy it online and -bing- it's delivered to your door hours later. Holy crap, wow! I don't smoke (never have), so the advice was to use tinctures under the tongue and topical rubs. What has helped the most for back pain is an 11:1 tincture (that's 11 parts CBD to 1 part THC). I use it under the tongue and also as a topical rub (it's made with olive oil). I also have some 1:1 rubs. I don't like the feeling of getting high (it causes me to have anxiety), so I stay away from anything that is high in THC (and the doctor told me to avoid Indica strains if I ever do smoke or vape or have edibles.) Once I accidentally took too much of a 1:1 tincture and a few hours later it hit me like a ton of bricks. I quickly googled "what to do if you get too high" and learned that fresh citrus juice helps nullify the effects of the THC (the element that makes you feel high and spacy). So I quickly whipped up some fresh lemonade, guzzled it down, and viola...10 minutes later felt much better, LOL! Lesson learned! Well anyway, I have a variety of all sorts of things here at home now, but I'm not sure where to start. So I emailed the doctor who helped me last year and I'm waiting for his advice. I have some bottles of THCA and CBDA tinctures, but I'm not sure if they'd be more effective than my trusty 11:1 tincture for this sort of pain. When he replies I'll let you all know what he recommends. I suppose I'm lucky to live in a state where medical marijuana is legal. My daughter knew a lot about it because she has used it here and there for anxiety (and sometimes just for fun). I don't have a problem with it. She's an excellent student and a good person, and I've never thought that weed had negatively affected her life (if I did I would sit down and have a talk with her about it). I should probably clarify: she has a medical marijuana card, too. Anyway -- one piece of good news......I've taken barely any Tylenol today and the pain is quite bearable. I was able to cook myself some French toast for breakfast! I did have to sit down couple of times in the process, but I think that I'm doing quite well, considering! But I want to try adding some marijuana to the mix to see if it will help with the soreness I feel in my torso from the liposuction. My sides are still quite bruised and sore. Stay tuned.... Updated on 30 Nov 2017: I had my doctor appointment today and we discovered that I apparently had some buildup of fluid low in my abdomen. The hole where the last drain was removed last week had continued leaking up until just a few days ago. I was afraid that when it finally stopped, there might be some fluid buildup -- and there was. It was difficult for me to discern that this was happening. It's not like I had a big lump or anything. My entire belly is tender and hard, so it wasn't obvious to me -- but it was of course obvious to my doctor. So.....she took a large syringe and a needle (stop here if your squeamish...) and stuck a hallow needle into the incision site in my pubis and removed about 1.25 syringes of fluid and a little bit of blood. I didn't look. In fact, the entire time I was standing, slightly bent over a table, breathing deeply and trying to distract myself. I expected the worst, but the entire area down there is still very numb, so all I felt was a tiny bit of pressure. Nevertheless, I could feel and smell myself sweating....I was so scared of pain and that I might pass out. But that didn't happen. Instead, I closed my eyes, did some deep meditative breathing, and (for lack of anything else to think about)....started singing the ABC's song under my breath, LOL. The entire thing was over in about 2 minutes. What an ordeal, though. It was so stressful for me, mainly because of the fear. Phew, so that's over....and she advised me to wear Spanx now in addition to the corset, to give my lower abdomen as much compression as possible. She said that closing down the space with compression will help prevent the fluid buildup. So I'm wrapped up tighter than a....hmmm.....can't think of an analogy......just wrapped up really damned tight down there..... The awful truth is that it's unknown whether there will be more fluid buildup, so when I see her next week, I might have to go through that again....and possibly a few more times, until my body stops creating the fluid. So, I can't take any NSAIDs until this is all finished, because NSAIDs cause fluid retention. Bleh. At least I have Tylenol and my Cannabis products. After that awful appointment, my husband and I went out to lunch. I came home, had some ice cream (needed some comfort food) and I took a very long and deep nap on the sofa. My lower abdomen feels a little beaten up right now, but I assume that feeling will pass in a couple of days. It just kinda feels like one step forward two steps back. But perhaps that's the way it will be for a while. It's a process. One thing I can say about this.....it's not for sissies, and it's not for the impatient. Updated on 1 Dec 2017: Last night I put on a pair of firm control, high-waisted Spanx (with a hook and eye crotch -- I think they call it OnCore) that my doctor said would offer good extra compression. In pants (before this surgery) I have worn a size 10-12, leaning more towards the 12. I've never liked wearing shapewear so I'm not very used to it. The Spanx that I bought is a size Large, which I thought would be correct. Maybe I was wrong. I wore the the following last night: a pair of simple bikini underwear, the Spanx (which were very challenging to wriggle into), a t-shirt, and then the velcro corset that I've been wearing from the beginning. All together it was tight. REALLY tight. But I figured that if I gave it a few hours I would get used to it. I popped two extra strength Tylenol and went to bed. About 5 hours later, I woke up in pain. I tried adjusting things, took more Tylenol, and fell back asleep. Then I woke up two hours later still in terrible pain. That was it -- the Spanx had to go! It was sheer torture. I managed to wriggle out of them without hurting myself and just sat there for a while, feeling like I'd been run over by a truck. My entire torso hurt, and the tightness of the Spanx made my still-bruised sides ache the way they did at the very beginning after my surgery. For the first time since my surgery, I sat and cried a little. Do I regret doing this? Maybe a little bit. It's a hard road to walk at times. But I know that I wanted to do it SO MUCH, and I would have been miserable if I hadn't done something about my belly and my chin. So here we are....no going back..... I know that you need extra compression to help close down a seroma, but I just couldn't stand the Spanx torture. Finally I pulled myself together. I put my t-shirt back on, then the corset, and made sure that the corset sat as low on my belly as possible. I'd already taken a lot of Tylenol, so I turned to my Cannabis tinctures. I re-read the email from the doctor who had given me the medical marijuana license (I don't know if I'd mentioned this previously, but I contacted him again last week for advice for this post-surgery pain and he emailed me back with a treatment plan). I decided to try the CBDA tincture on his suggestion. I put a total of 25 drops of CBDA oil under my tongue for 90 seconds, then swallowed. About 45 minutes later, I was feeling very relaxed and managed to go back to sleep. Not having the Spanx on was a great relief. CBDA is another derivative of CBD. Cannabis is made up of two compounds: CBD and THC. It's the THC that gets you high. CBD alone doesn't get you high at all, but it does make you very relaxed and also has very powerful anti-inflammatory properties. I figured that if I couldn't take NSAIDs right now, maybe the CBD would help to some extent. All I've taken today has been CBDA tincture and I've had a very good day, relaxed at home, watching movies (today it was Petrified Forest and The Grapes of Wrath -- the DVR is really getting cleaned out now, LOL!) Tonight I'm going to take a 3:1 tincture that the doctor recommended in his email (that's 3 parts CBD to 1 part THC). I also have some topical rubs, which I might try on my sides. What I've read is that for CBD to work best for pain, you need at least a little THC. Today I haven't worn the Spanx at all. My bruised sides just feel waaay too beat up right now for it. I do have a pair of Spanx-like pants, but they don't have a crotch opening. It doesn't make sense to wear them over the corset (too bulky), so they really should be worn underneath everything. And because they are also high-waisted, I would need to take the corset off every time I need to pee -- which is very cumbersome. When I woke up today, I just pulled the corset a little tighter and all day long, made sure to keep adjusting it so that it's as low on my abdomen as possible. I do have another larger size of those same Spanx coming in the mail tomorrow. They are size XL. I'll see whether those are as intolerable. What I would really want to get is something like.....I don't know....a Spanx-like smooth corset with a velcro closure in the front (like my current elastic corset) that also has a detachable crotch part. Something like that would be really helpful. I don't think anything like that exists. Is my abdomen "better" after she drained that fluid yesterday? Truly I don't know. I couldn't tell that there was a problem to begin with. But I do expect that she will probably need to repeat the draining procedure a few times more. I was reading about seromas last night on the web and it scared me a little -- I wouldn't want this sticking around and getting worse. I really want to follow my doctor's instructions. I am gong to try the new Spanx tomorrow. If that doesn't work, I suppose I'll just have to use those other ones that don't have a crotch opening. They're pretty tight, but not as unbearable as the Spanx I wore last night. Before I go, I want to mention that I found a really good way to sleep that has helped my back: lying flat on my back, but with 3 pillows under my knees. It puts you into a sort of "Z" position. I have been in this position in the past when my back muscles were spasming -- it takes all the pressure off your back. OMG, it felt incredible! I could actually sleep pretty well this way. And in the morning I noticed that I could stand up a little straighter, and that I could walk around longer before my back started hurting. I asked my doctor about it and she didn't have a problem with me sleeping in that position at this point (2 weeks post-op). The way things are going, I anticipate that I might be able to walk totally upright in about 2 more weeks. Fingers crossed! Updated on 5 Dec 2017: I finally got the new larger pair of Spanx (XL instead of the L that I had tried) It's about a quarter inch wider, and is quite bearable to wear. So, for the past several days I've been wearing the new Spanx (high waist OnCore style with hook and eye crotch closure). Wearing it with the elastic corset seemed like overkill (plus it was reallllly uncomfortable), so I figured I'd try just wearing the Spanx (with a pair of regular bikini underwear beneath it). That worked out really well, but as the days went on I could see and feel that the very lower part of my abdomen was getting a bit puffy looking, and soon it started to ache. So I contacted my doctor and she suggested that I come in for another drainage session. This time, I took 2 Tylenol an hour beforehand. The drainage didn't hurt at all because my lower abdomen is still totally numb. I just felt some pressure here and there, and maybe a momentary sting. She took out about 15cc of fluid, which she said wasn't bad. She agreed that I didn't need to wear the corset anymore (yeaaaaaa!), and that I should concentrate on compression in the lower abdomen. So, I'm still wearing the Spanx, and over it, I'm wearing the other solid-crotch shaper I had, folded over to make a bikini-type pair of underwear. This adds a lot of compression to the lower abdomen, and I hope it does the job. I also have a diuretic pill that another doctor had given me for another issue -- I only took a few of them and have most of a bottle left over. I asked the doctor about this. She said it wouldn't hurt to take them, so I'll try taking one every day to see if it helps to eliminate some of the fluid accumulation in my abdomen. Of course, it will make me pee more, but that's the trade-off, I suppose. I'm just at home, so it really doesn't matter that much. I have another appointment with my doctor on Friday, and I suspect she may remove more liquid. But she didn't seem too concerned. She said that I'm doing well, and that she didn't anticipate many more of these drainage sessions. The only problem I have with the Spanx is that, because they are high-waisted, they exacerbate my upper reflux problem (LPR). I have to be careful not to eat too much at one meal, and I've taken Zantac from time to time if necessary. I'm trying to remember not to eat anything 2 to 3 hours before bed. Things are starting to get slowly better for me. I am now standing about 85% straight (although it takes a while to straighten up fully after I've been sitting). I have noticed that I can now stand at the sink to wash my face and brush my teeth without feeling the need to sit down because of back pain. My back really isn't hurting that much, but I haven't been standing or walking that much. I get up and walk around the house every hour or so. I still haven't been driving. I'm fortunate to work from home, so there is no pressure to get "back to the office" or worry about what coworkers think of me. I'm not walking really well -- still kinda shuffling a bit because of being bent over and all the compression around my middle. This makes me feel vulnerable and protective of myself. I think that by next week I may be ready to start going out on my own -- perhaps a simple small trip down the street to go to lunch or something. I haven't driven my car since the surgery. If it wasn't for my computer and the movies, I'd be going stir crazy. I have noticed that as I start to try to straighten up, I feel a pulling mainly at the very top of my abdomen -- right in the middle, below my breasts. It feels like an elastic band is being stretched. Sometimes it also feels like an accordion is being unfolded. She said that this is all perfectly normal, and that at this point there is no harm in trying to stand up as straight as I can -- I'm past the point of ripping stitches, or whatever. That was good news. I will work on that in the days to come. Another thing I've noticed is that I need to work on the side-to-side movements with my abdomen, such as twisting or stretching to one side. I'll slowly see if I can improve that, too. Updated on 16 Dec 2017: It is now 4 weeks (and exactly one month) since my surgery. Things are going well, but sometimes they are frustrating. I am posting a before and an after photo! I think she did a really nice job, although when I look at the After photo, I can barely believe that it's my body, LOL! I can now stand up pretty much straight, although I still feel a tremendous pulling sensation at the very top of my abdomen (in the middle of my torso, beneath my breast area). This last little bit is keeping me from being 100% straight. Every day I'm working on it. I stand up and tell myself, "OK, shoulders back, chest out, chin up!" But it's hard, especially if I've been sitting for a while. I don't dare hunch over much, because that makes it REALLY hard to straighten up again. This area at the top of my torso is really stubborn, and I don't know how long it will take for it to get normal again. So, this week I decided to get a new strategy. When I sit, I need to sit up very straight, or even sit leaning slightly back over a pillow. This stretches the abdominal area slightly. Sometimes it gets quite uncomfortable, so I need to either stand up or lie down flat (or with my knees up/feet on the floor or sofa). I'm trying to stand and walk more. In fact, I'm writing this standing up, with my laptop sitting on the breakfast bar in my kitchen. I've had to stand to work years ago when my back was giving me trouble, so I'm no stranger to it. Speaking of back trouble, I haven't really mentioned how much my back aches. Well, I've had my share of really horrendous back pain over the past 15 years. So this is NOTHING to me. It's just tightness. And I know what to do for that. Now that I'm 4 weeks out, the doctor said that I can do some gentle stretching. So I have restarted my regular stretching routine. Most of it is done lying on the sofa, bed, or floor. I do slow pelvic tilts (cat/cow type). Then I shift my knees side to side (loosens up the hips). Then I do a hamstring stretch. Wow, were they tight the first time I did it! Then I do the "figure 4" stretch for the hips. In about a week I will add in another hip flexor stretch I know. I tried to do the Child's Pose stretch, but it wasn't very comfortable. I'll work on that later. After a little time on the heating pad, I then go over the wall and do my calf stretches and my quadricep stretches. All of this makes me feel SO much better. Tonight I'm going to also try getting back on my foam roller. I think that at this point I can get on and off the floor OK. I have discovered that the heating pad makes things a lot better for me. I have a really good moist heat heating pad by DJO Global (I've also had one by TheraTherm). It's large and I can lie down on it for a half hour. I makes a LOT of difference. I've also put it on my front, to see if it helps to loosen things up. I'm still not sure about that. Speaking of lying down, when I sleep now, I don't have any pillows under my knees. I was using one pillow between my knees when I lie on my side, and that same pillow beneath my knees when I lie flat. But now I don't use any pillows. It helps to stretch out the abdominal area, especially when I'm flat on my back. I have also begun doing my gentle Tai Chi routine, which consists of about 50 or 60 simple rhythmic movements. I've been in a Tai Chi class for several years, so I have the routine totally memorized. The only thing I can't do well are the movements that twist the torso, and the one movement that arches the back with my arms out to my sides (that one is almost impossible -- my torso is SO tight!) But I'm happy that about 95% of my routine is do-able. It's good for my physical health and my sanity. I finally began driving my car again, and went to my doctor appointment alone this week. I still have a small seroma, but it seems to be shrinking. This time she only drained 11cc of fluid after a week. So, I'm making progress with it. I am keeping a folded up washcloth shoved into my compression garment to put extra pressure on the area, which is just above my pubis. Still, I really hate going in to get it drained. It doesn't really hurt (although once in a while I feel a little sting or some pressure when she's draining it). I just want everything to heal already, and when she goes in there an pokes around, it irritates everything all over again. I make sure to take Tylenol before the appointment, and for a day afterward. Something about having the fluid drained makes me feel quite beaten up for about 24 hours. Speaking of pain relief, I have been actively using my Cannabis tinctures and topicals. My favorite so far is a 3:1 topical (3 parts CBD to 1 part THC) which is slightly "medicated" with essential oils. It's called "Releaf Balm" by Papa & Barkley. I don't know if it's available outside of Northern California. But if you can find something like that, I highly recommend it. It's made with coconut oil and beeswax, aromatic essential oils, and Vitamin E. When my torso and back begin to feel uncomfortable, I spread it all over, underneath my compression garment. The essential oils create a cooling sensation which feels really good, and within the hour I'm feeling very relaxed. I have also used my trusty 11:1 (11 parts CBD to 1 part THC) tincture called "CBD Therapy Deep Relief Oil" by The Farmeceutical Co, and "CBDA tincture" by Treat Well (they also make a 3:1 tincture I sometimes use). CBDA is another derivative of CBD. It's fairly new. Of course, I don't go out when I'm using these. Depending on the amount of THC, these products can make me a bit loopy. The CBDA and 11:1 tincture just make me very relaxed -- but I certainly don't want to be driving a car under their influence! If I'm going out, I just take 2 extra strength Tylenol. I like to play it safe, just in case. I mainly use the Cannabis products at night when I'm home -- or when I know that I'll just be staying home. This week I've also begun taking Proteolytic enzymes. I already had Wobenzyn N and a bottle of Bromelain. I take them together between meals. It's a bit of a pain in the ass to remember to take them. I'll see if they begin to help me free up my movement. My only concern about them is that they might thin my blood, which can be a problem with the seroma. If that seems to be the case, I suppose I'll have to stop taking them until my seroma is fully resolved. Overall, my doctor says that I'm doing very well. I AM frustrated by the fact that my torso feels so "stuck. She didn't have much advice for me besides "walk." So I posted a query here to the doctors who frequent the forum, and one of them gave me an excellent answer. I do have a rolling-pin type massager called a Tiger Tail, which I have been using for back massage. I'll try it on my abdomen, as long as it doesn't hurt! BTW, I also have been using a long handled massager by Wahl for my back and shoulder blades. That has also really helped to take the edge off, sometimes. LOL, my adult daughter looked at it, turned it up the highest speed, raised her eyebrows and said, "Wow, you could really damage yourself with this thing!" (wink wink) ;-D Anyway, here is what one of the doctors (from Scottsdale AZ) on the site said, which I think is extremely helpful: "Ok....awesome question and thank you for asking. So scars take 12 months to remodel. What that means as when collagen is laid down initially it is done in an extremely disorganized fashion. That is why they feel thick in the beginning. Over 12 months the collagen is becoming more organized into nice flat sheets. That is when scars soften and the swelling goes down. So now imagine, the surgeon lifted all of your abdominal skin off of the muscle pulled it tight and put it back down. So now the entire undersurface of your skin is a new fresh scar sticking to the underlying muscles. It will take that 12 months to soften and reorganize. What you can do to help that process is to foam roll, or use a rolling pin to kneed the abdomen. It will take weeks to months for you to see improvement not days. You have to stick with it, be patient and do it daily for a few months. You will see improvement. I also do agree you need to stretch and hold poses that will stretch your tummy like cobra pose for yoga. Try to hold for 2 mins at a time. If you do all that stuff, stretch, roll and be patient you will find things will improve drastically in a few months. You look awesome!!! They did a nice job! 57 (Fist Bump)" So.....at one month post-op, I'm making great progress but am also very frustrated with my torso feeling quite "stuck." I guess it will just take time for my body to feel totally normal again. I'm trying to be patience, but between the compression garment and this torso tightness, it feels like I'm locked into a scoliosis brace 24/7. When it becomes too much for me, I just take some Tylenol or use some Cannabis and try to chill out and distract myself. Oh yeah, one more thing I want to add....I wore jeans for the first time since before my surgery. LOL, my butt and thighs haven't gotten any smaller (I'll work on losing weight after I'm given the OK to exercise again). But with my belly now flat, it felt like my pants were going to fall off of me! Wow!!! :-D Updated on 23 Dec 2017: Five weeks post-op - that first 6 week goal is within sight! I saw my doctor this week, and she removed only 7cc of fluid from my lower abdomen. This time, it wasn't very pleasant -- I'm starting to regain feeling in the region again. I didn't actually hurt, it just stung sometimes and was just overall not pleasant. But she feels that I'm making good progress, and doesn't want to see me again for two weeks. After she drains the fluid, I keep pressure on the area for a few days with a folded up washcloth. I usually just stay home when I'm doing that, because I have a big bulge down my my pubis which looks like....well, lol.....I don't want to walk around looking like that in front of other people! It gets uncomfortable to have the washcloth on after a few days, so then I remove it. But this time I'm going to try to keep it on longer to keep the pressure on the area. I really don't want to do very many more of these drainings. I really want to encourage the area to close down already. In terms of mobility, I'm doing better. I can slowly begin to feel the "glue" under my skin beginning to break down or soften, or whatever it does. I still have a long way to go before I feel totally unstuck, but I know that there are some movements I can do now which were impossible a few weeks ago. So yes, I'm making progress albiet slowly. If I'm sitting around at home, I make sure to get up once an hour and walk around the house for a while. Do some light chores. Anything except sitting. Sometimes I lie down with a heating pad. Sometimes I use the long handled vibrator on my back (and lightly on my abdomen), and massage myself with the Tiger Tail. All of this helps. Today, I actually didn't take any pain medicine. Going out and walking around (to a store, for example) is still quite arduous. Staying upright and walking around for 30 minutes at a time (or more) is challenging and exhausting. It helps to be able to sit down for a few minutes here and there if I can. But still -- I have noticed that it was easier this week than last week. It's easier to stand totally upright with my shoulders back and chest out. Sometimes lately I have even waken up in the morning surprised to still feel the gluey feeling in my midsection. So, things are
Dr. Lim was my surgeon for breast reduction with implant replacement and lift. My Specs: 5'2" 107lbs 34E to 34C through this surgery My Results: I feel as though my body has returned to its teenage form... seriously. My nipples are cute and perky, my size is full and naturally rounded, and I don't have to wear these crazy wired bras. I can run again and have no more back pain. This has moved my day to day life from miserable (chronic back pain) to peaceful. I love bikinis again! The Process: I had my surgery in June of 2016. I met with Dr Lim twice before to discuss the surgery and size desired etc, but emailed many times before and after surgery. She is extremely responsive and detailed in her responses. She's also very realistic in responding to my requests. The day of surgery things went very smoothly. I had already picked up my prescriptions. My mom was super late picking me up but the staff there never made me feel like a burden. My nurse was just the sweetest most comfortable man!! The first week was tough but with round the clock meds and my Dr answering all my little quirky questions I knew I'd made the right choice... and once I saw them I knew for sure!! Other Services: I also had Miradry done just yesterday and so far so good! Not too bad on pain - ice packs and ibuprofen do the trick! And so far already no sweating in 90 degree sunshine! Can't wait for swelling to go down so I can shave and see if I've also benefitted from a reduction in hair growth!