Tummy Tuck After 45kg Weight Loss. Melbourne, AU

Hi, not sure exactly how my belly button was stitched. It is still fairly tight/stretched as I am only 6 weeks post op, I think it will become a little rounder when the swelling resolves (I am still a bit swollen and tight, but am finally able to stand fully upright!). I was happy not having drains as I've heard they can be awkward/uncomfortable, although I know there are various opinions on this. I did end up with a small pocket of fluid (80mls) on my left side that needed to be drained post op. Reading various posts I think that this is quite common and can happen with or without drains. The procedure to drain the fluid was quite straightforward and I had very little discomfort. The first week to 10 days were pretty rough (& I was very swollen) but I feel great now and am so happy with the results. I am happy with my scar placement, I took my bikini bottoms in so Mr Bloom could mark out the insision and ensure that it would be low enought to be hidden. I didn't have any muscle repair and I'd say my healing is on par with most of the other posts I've read. Although I feel great now I'm glad I took 6 weeks off work (I rekon you need at least 4).

Thanks Sammy, sorry for all the questions but am looking to go in with Mr Bloom in March & the reviews are good but not really detailed & photos are even scarcer!

I know, I spent a lot of time on google before my op trying to find as much info as possible.
I really was impressed with Mr Bloom, he's a perfectionist and, with this type of surgery, I think that's a good thing (especially when it come to the scar placement, I have seen photos of some that I feel are too high). I change my tape tomorrow so I'll post a photo of my tummy scar without the tape, maybe that will help give you more insight. In saying that I am only 6 weeks post op so my scar is still raised and looks a bit gnarly (apparently it takes up to a year to flatten, thin out and fade).
There is no denying that the first week post op is a tough one but I can honestly say that I'm feeling pretty good now (about 80% there I rekon). I did have an arm lift done at the same time so my recovery may have been more uncomfortable compared to those who just get one procedure. Some handy things to have for the first week.....a little foot stool and cane to help get out of bed, that was pretty hard in the first week and I would take a pain tablet 20min before i had to negotiate my way out of bed. I also bought gel packs to freeze, wrap in tea towels and pop under my compression garment on my tummy (I found this was quite soothing and eased the discomfort). You'll also need a mountain of pillows for your bed as you'll be more comfy with pillows propping you up a bit and also under your knees. I wouldn't say I had any pain at all post op (the pain meds controlled that) it was really just discomfort as I was very swollen (unless you cough, sneeze or laugh which was not much fun for the first week!).
Even though the first week was tough I'm amazed at how quickly you recover and I do feel great now. I'm so happy with my results (I had a lot of draped, loose skin) and spend a lot of time marveling in the mirror. It is very much worth it, you just have to be patient with the swelling! Good Luck and I'll post tape free photos tomorrow.

Thanks Sammy. I've spent hours on this site & google researching, watching videos of the procedure (much to my husband's horror! lol) & learning as much as I can, but it's local info specific to this Dr that I'm more interested in now.

Good Luck with it all. If you have any other questions let me know :)

Sure, I had 2 surgeries at the one time, an arm lift and a tummy tuck. The total for both was $12,000 aud.