38yo Tummy Tuck, Lipo on Flanks

I was recommended to Dr E through my friend who had a perfect tummy tuck. I went to her back in 06/19 for a consult. The consult went on for about 1 hour and she was very thorough. She took before pictures of me and then I scheduled my tummy tuck for 11/19. But then I had come into a major project at work so I had to push it back to 1/23/2020. I really thought I could lose weight with the time difference. But alas, the time came and I didn't get to lose a single pound. I weighed in at the hospital at 172lbs.

I sat on the hospital bed and when Dr.E came in, she started to draw on my body. Everything went smoothly and I am completely a nervous wreck. Dr.E held my hand and said I'll do great and a few hours later, I woke up in the recovery room all bandaged and garment up.

First night at the hospital was very comfortable. They gave me morphine till the next morning and it helped numb the pain a bit. Then when I finally had to get up, the pain wasnt bad. Walking was hard being hunched over. The back pain was unreal from being hunched and probably from lipo. Dr.E came with her NP and they put new dressing in. I can finally see my privates again!!! no more belly gut in the way of my private!! I was sooo happy even though everything was still numb and I'm still really groggy. I went home that evening cursing at every bumps on the road.

I had 2 drains in and the output was good. The compression garment held everything in place which made it comfortable to walk. However, the back pain makes it hard to stand straight and/or sit. I laid inclined on the sectional and slept for the next week like so.

Here is the before pictures

Hunched over to walk and everything just feels really tight. Most of the midsection is really numb. Sleeping inclined for the past week. Very swollen but I can see my hooha again!!! The drains came out already because she used a high tension girdle stitch that would lessen the amount of fluid. However, I'm so stiff! Only took tynenol after I left the hospital.

This past week I was battling the itch!!! I was Soo itchy I started to cry. So Thursday the NP finally took the tape off the incision!!! They gave me a new compression garment that's zipperless and the itchiness went down almost immediately. Make sure you get a compression garment that's open crotch. It's a lifesaver!!! The one they gave me is a step 2 marena recovery short length compression garment. It feels sooo comfortable!! But on top of the compression garment, they also require me to wear a binder which is annoying. They said after another week, I can start the scar cream (brand: silagen) which they gave me for free. It's a silicone based gel and you're supposed to massage it into the scar (close wound) twice a day. So I'll report back as I use it to let you know the effectiveness.

Still can't stand very straight, but as you can see, things are looking better and better!