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WHO AM I?: I am a 39 years old, never been...
WHO AM I?:
I am a 39 years old, never been married, and have no children. I workout 3-4 times a week, eat reasonably healthy (nobody's perfect), and do not have any major health issues. The big day is scheduled for Friday, May 18, 2012 for Tumescent Liposuction of the Abdomen, Flanks, Upper and Lower back. I could not be more excited at the prospect of having a smaller mid-section and how it will change my life. My whole world is about to change....from the way I dress, to increasing my motivation at the gym!!
WHY AM I DOING THIS?
I've never had a flat stomach. Even when I was a kid I had this round little belly poking out from my shirts. Through the years, no matter what size I was, my pouch was always there.
I originally looked into liposuction about 15+ years ago. Back then, the doctor told me I was an excellent candidate because of the "spare tire" of stubborn fat right below my belly button (thus my login name). However, she suggested that I wait since I would probably get married and have kids, making the procedure a waisted effort. Well...clearly that has not happened yet lol. Now over the past few years I have been able to add the cursed back fat to the list...making me feel like the hunch back of Notre Dame.
As a result, I've become the ultimate expert on how to dress my body. Sticking to A-line dresses, and wearing cute tops that are not designed to be tucked in...making sure the waist line of my pants sit at just the right spot, and eventually discovering the hiding properties of a good wrap dress. Things I avoid: sheath style dresses, anything form fitting, and I couldn't tell you the last time I tucked in a shirt or wore a belt for fashion purposes.
Seems like I've held in my stomach all of my life and I'm tired now. And as I write this, I wonder how many of you are nodding your head in agreement.
WHICH DOCTOR DID I CHOOSE?:
I made sure they were all certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Checked for any malpractice suits, and looked on realself and other sites for complaints, comments, etc. I liked the first doctor I spoke to...but I knew I needed to get more opinions before making a big decision like this. So I actually visited 4 doctors overall. One doctor in particular had a few negative remarks from last year (on realself and other sites).
The other things I liked about my doctor? His staff was just as informed as he was. The nurse came in first, examined me and predicted exactly what he was going to tell me...she knew he would recommend tumescent with general anesthesia (so it wouldn't hurt during) and other details. Also, he does all of his procedures at INOVA. And, he requires medical approval for anesthesia from my PCP as well as certain tests (CBC, EKG, etc) before the procedure. I like that attention to my health.
WHY TUMESCENT LIPOSUCTION?
I originally wanted laser or SMARTLipo due to its faster recovery time. However, my doctor told me he could be "more aggressive" with Tumescent Liposuction and probably remove "a good 10lbs". The prospect of this is amazing to me!! Whereas with the laser (or SMARTLipo) he would only remove about 3-4 pounds. Plus we talked about how i could go under general anesthesia, and wake up and it be 'done' versus having to be alert during the experience.
In the end, it was reading multiple responses from the doctors on this site to questions about laser vs vaser vs tumescent, that convinced me. The answer is always the same: "your results depend on the craftsman not the tool". I just pray I don't end up eating these words later.
I have found this site to be super helpful and plan "pay it forward" by posting my story. More details to come....Wish me luck!!
I am a 39 years old, never been married, and have no children. I workout 3-4 times a week, eat reasonably healthy (nobody's perfect), and do not have any major health issues. The big day is scheduled for Friday, May 18, 2012 for Tumescent Liposuction of the Abdomen, Flanks, Upper and Lower back. I could not be more excited at the prospect of having a smaller mid-section and how it will change my life. My whole world is about to change....from the way I dress, to increasing my motivation at the gym!!
WHY AM I DOING THIS?
I've never had a flat stomach. Even when I was a kid I had this round little belly poking out from my shirts. Through the years, no matter what size I was, my pouch was always there.
I originally looked into liposuction about 15+ years ago. Back then, the doctor told me I was an excellent candidate because of the "spare tire" of stubborn fat right below my belly button (thus my login name). However, she suggested that I wait since I would probably get married and have kids, making the procedure a waisted effort. Well...clearly that has not happened yet lol. Now over the past few years I have been able to add the cursed back fat to the list...making me feel like the hunch back of Notre Dame.
As a result, I've become the ultimate expert on how to dress my body. Sticking to A-line dresses, and wearing cute tops that are not designed to be tucked in...making sure the waist line of my pants sit at just the right spot, and eventually discovering the hiding properties of a good wrap dress. Things I avoid: sheath style dresses, anything form fitting, and I couldn't tell you the last time I tucked in a shirt or wore a belt for fashion purposes.
Seems like I've held in my stomach all of my life and I'm tired now. And as I write this, I wonder how many of you are nodding your head in agreement.
WHICH DOCTOR DID I CHOOSE?:
I made sure they were all certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Checked for any malpractice suits, and looked on realself and other sites for complaints, comments, etc. I liked the first doctor I spoke to...but I knew I needed to get more opinions before making a big decision like this. So I actually visited 4 doctors overall. One doctor in particular had a few negative remarks from last year (on realself and other sites).
The other things I liked about my doctor? His staff was just as informed as he was. The nurse came in first, examined me and predicted exactly what he was going to tell me...she knew he would recommend tumescent with general anesthesia (so it wouldn't hurt during) and other details. Also, he does all of his procedures at INOVA. And, he requires medical approval for anesthesia from my PCP as well as certain tests (CBC, EKG, etc) before the procedure. I like that attention to my health.
WHY TUMESCENT LIPOSUCTION?
I originally wanted laser or SMARTLipo due to its faster recovery time. However, my doctor told me he could be "more aggressive" with Tumescent Liposuction and probably remove "a good 10lbs". The prospect of this is amazing to me!! Whereas with the laser (or SMARTLipo) he would only remove about 3-4 pounds. Plus we talked about how i could go under general anesthesia, and wake up and it be 'done' versus having to be alert during the experience.
In the end, it was reading multiple responses from the doctors on this site to questions about laser vs vaser vs tumescent, that convinced me. The answer is always the same: "your results depend on the craftsman not the tool". I just pray I don't end up eating these words later.
I have found this site to be super helpful and plan "pay it forward" by posting my story. More details to come....Wish me luck!!
My procedure is in less than 12 hours and I can't...
My procedure is in less than 12 hours and I can't sleep!! I'm reading everything I can trying to prepare myself for what is to come. I keep reminding myself...it's a journey, not a destination.
Day 1 post op - saw my tummy for the first time...
Day 1 post op - saw my tummy for the first time after surgery. The big stomach is GONE. I cant believe it! I kept reaching down there to grab it but it's not there. There is a lot of swelling but that is to be expected, plus some bruising as well. The only pain is when I change positions (sitting to standing, etc). The next step is to put me in a compression garment, but based on the swelling the doctor decided to wait a few days. Targeting Tuesday.
Provider Review
The doctor (and his team's) attention to your health is great. I honestly believe I made the right decision selecting Dr. Bitar for this procedure. I'm also glad I decided to go under general anesthesia and do all areas at once. This way I did not have to undergo multiple sessions or risk experiencing any pain during the procedure. Lastly, it allowed him to be more aggressive and safely remove as much fat as possible...in my case a whopping 8lbs!! The only complaint is that you might wait a while for your appointment. But thats pretty typical for any doctor nowadays. Apparently he is in high demand, as he was recently featured in the Top Doctors issue of the Washingtonian Magazine.