I did it! - Albuquerque, NM

Hello everyone, I'm a 25 year old mother of two boys a five year old and a one year old. A tummy tuck was always something I knew I would need since my first but I always thought it was unattainable. My husband and I recently decided to no longer expand our family, with that thoughts of a tummy tuck began to consume my mind. I'm scheduled for a tubal june 25 and I will schedule my TT four weeks after. I'm still shopping a around for the right Doctor. Good luck to all you future tummy Tucker's, it's time to reclaim our body's!

Hello everyone, so today I started my first official step of this journey.... I had my tubes tied! My husband and I knew we were done expanding our family after our second child, due to complications I faced during my pregnancy. I was diagnosed with incompetent cervix and was on bedrest for 6 months of my pregnancy. There were many times that I came very close to delivering my baby early. The thought of having to go through another pregnancy like that scared me to my core. During the pregnancy I became very depressed and anxious, I often resented myself and my body for not being able to "work" properly. After all of that I'm thankful to say that my baby boy was born a healthy little miracle. After much thought, consideration and time my husband and I knew we were done having children. I recently began thinking of permanent sterilization and decided to schedule my surgery for a tubal. Shortly after scheduling my surgery a light bulb went on.... I knew that if I no longer wanted kids I wanted a tummy tuck! I've met with many surgeons and I have a good idea of who I'm going to do my tummy tuck with so now all that's left to do is bite the bullet and schedule my appointment. ???? I will be scheduling my appointment later this week (once I build up the courage) and I plan on doing my surgery once I get the okay from the docs... Wish me luck!

Hello Everyone, I wanted to update you guys with my TT progress... I'm 4 days post op my tubal ligation and I'm feeling pretty good. I've stopped taking the pain pills. My only complaint is that Ive been so bloated and constipated.I started taking smooth move tea regularly and that seems to be helping( I need to start the laxatives ASAP after the TT). Now on to the important stuff :-) I've decided on my TT PS!!! This PS was not the doctor that initially thought I would go with. I really liked the first PS I chose because of his credentials and bedside manner. He seemed like the perfect doctor and I really wanted to go with him but I had to many unknowns and reservations. Although he seemed great I just couldnt get myself to fully commit to him, he wasn't able to show me before and after pictures and that just never sat well with me. So I decided to continue on with my search and the last PS I met with had great before and after pictures. He's nice (not as nice as the last doctor) and has great credentials (about the same as the first) but the deciding factor for me is that his vision meets my TT desires and I really feel He will give me the best possible results... He will include Lipo of the flanks and address the mons pubis ( I'm so afraid of having a flat tummy and a puffy mons) during the same procedure and at no additional cost. I'm ready and fully committed to my choice and scheduled my Surgery for July 31st and until then I will anxiously await. I want to loose about ten more pounds before then so ill be working on that, and getting my house and meals ready for my recovery time.

Im so excited for my surgery!!! I wish it was sooner but I need to heal from my last surgery before I can embark on my TT journey! My abdomem is very swollen from my tubal, but the only difference I've noticed with the swelling is that I can't suck it in :-( Ive looked bloated for the past six years!

Agh!!! I'm so excited and nervous I moved my date up a week! My surgery is no longer the 31st it's now on the 23rd! My pre op is still on the 16th but now that I moved the surgery date it seems so real! 3 weeks until the big day and I need to prepare and I dont nowhere to start....

Wow! Only 2 weeks and ill be on the flat side!! I'm so excited and nervous... the bad dreams have officially started :-( next week is my preop appointment.... This week I need to kick my weight loss and workouts into high gear! I still want to loose 10lbs before my procedure. My surgery goal weight is 135-130. So I decided to do the cabbage stew diet for 7days followed by a high protein diet untill my Sx. I need to start vitamins, although I don't know which ones to take.... And I need to get my house in order, cleaned, organized and meals prepared.... Wish me luck because I'm really lacking the motivation :-( if I could Id be on the Internet all day.

Hello everyone, I'm sorry I have been MIA, lets just say that things have been crazy and a whirl wind of emotions the past couple of days... Not to mention I've gained 3 pounds in the last week ( Im so disappointed in myself) but I just can't lay off the carbs my body is craving breads, potatoes and pasta like no other. Im chalking it up to nerves because I usually have control over my carb intake.. I need to accept that ill be going in to surgery a chunkey monkey :-( I've lost hope that ill loose ten pounds before the big day... On another note I've been a complete basket case. I kept going back and forth questioning myself and the decision that I made, I can't help but feel like I'm doing the wrong thing.. A few nights ago my husband put it all out there and shared his greats and concerns with me. The top 3 are financial, me dying and that I won't be content with the surgery and ill want more in the future..He also expressed how hard it's going to be for him to care for our children, me and the house... Lets just say I was pretty shocked and hurt to hear all of this ;-( After going back and fourth with my decision I decided to continue on with it (and he agreed) I went to my preop yesterday and I'm 6 days out....

Fears* not greats

Only 6 days left.. I'm paid in full and ready to go. I've started preparing my upper skin for surgery by applying lots of Aquaphor to the area. I'm trying to avoid extra stretch marks at all cost... Ill be be starting arnica today and loading up on tons of vitamin c... Wish me luck because I'm gonna need it!

I only have a few more days, so I decided to keep myself busy by painting my room.. I'm starting to feel like I'm nesting ;-)

Wow it's hard to believe only one more day of this crazy belly! I'm try not to think much about tomorrow or else ill drive myself crazy with the what ifs... I'm so exited to say good bye muffin top!

It's crazy to think that this time tomorrow I'll be on the flat side... I'm so sleepy but can't sleep :-( I have a busy morning ahead as I prepare for my surgery at 12. please keep me in your prayers tomorrow I sure could use it :-)

Headed over to the surgery center now. I'm not sure how I should be feeling, I almost feel like its not really happening and I'm dreaming the whole thing up. Wish me luck :-)

The first few days all seem to be a blur, all I know is that there was a few moments that I didn't think I was strong enough to make it through it but I did! It hasn't been a walk in the park but I'm feeling much better. I've been consistent with my meds and trying to stay on top of the pain. I had one brief peek at my Tummy when I took of my garment to wash it. I'm super swollen but its so awesome to see that I have a defined waist :-) I had my first BM and it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. So now I just relax and recover. The numbing meds are starting to wear off and my upper abs are burning!!!

So I've been in a fair amount of pain this past week. There's been a lot of burning and sore muscles.. One of my drain sites really hurts, an bit of movement and it hurts like hell ( i can't wait to get that drain out) the other drain is fine.... Last night was my first shower since surgery and it wasn't bad actually it was amazing!I had my best friend help me( my husband was to afraid ) I put a chair in the shower and showered that way. I was able to wash my hair as well without feeling light headed dizzy. or pain.. After my shower I slept like a baby! I'm getting around still hunched over and walking very slow, I have to stop and sit quite often. Swell hell is an understatement i feel like I look like the Michelin man. I know I need to be patient but everytime I look in the mirror I can't help but think that theses are my permanent results....

I'm in excruciating pain not from the surgery itself, but because of the drain site... One of my drain sites is enflamed and burning. It alamost feels although I'm being stabbed by a knife.. I'm very swollen and going in to the Dr. tomorrow I'm hoping and praying they will remove that drain

My drains were removed. I'm so grateful they're out and I don't have to deal with that pain anymore, but now I'm super swollen :-( I was able to get a look at my incision and its very low, my belly button is cute so now I just need the swelling to go down :-)

Hey guys, sorry I haven't been on in awhile. My life's been super busy and crazy. I'm recovering well and each day keeps getting better. Post op day nine was a huge turning point in my recovery and everyday I feel better and am able to do more. I'm experiencing some hardness under my scar in the mons pubis area, I'm going to see the ps tomorrow. I'm also popping quite a few stitches, so I'm thinking they will remove those as well. Other then that I'm feeling great, still swollen but that's to be expected. Can't wait till I see my final results!

Hey guys so I just wanted to do a quick update. I'm 4 weeks post op today. I'm feeling good I have the usual aches and pains after a long day, my itching has increased, I'm starting to be able to sleep on my sides and I still have the usual swelling still. This week I am starting to see a difference with my results. As each week passes I notice changes. Patience and time are the key to recovery,.

Seeing my before and after side by side is crazy! Ill take swell hell over crazy tummy any day!!! I can't imagine how I'll look and feel in six months :-)

Its so awesome to put an a pair of bottoms that at one point semi fitted (my pant were always big on the legs and butt and tight on the waist area) and now have them be to big!!!! I can't wait until I'm able to go clothes shopping ( ill wait a lil longer, until more of the swelling goes down).