38 Year Old, 144 Lbs 5'5" Tummy Tuck with Flank Lips - Bethesda, MD

So I am now almost 16 weeks PO and I feel great. Hubby, kids and I just took a much needed vacay to Hawaii and I felt confident enough to post a bathing suit pic! Woo hoo! For those of you planning this procedure, or thinking about it, absolutely GO FOR IT! I would do it again in a heartbeat. I honestly thought the recovery took forever but looking back it wasn't bad at all!
So A few things I wish I would have known before surgery.
1. The swelling is rough. It didn't look so bad as it felt. Very tight. There was one day that I thought I was going to pop. It has SO much to do with diet. Everyone is different of course, but for me that was the longest lasting irritation. I still swell if I have too much sodium (even movie popcorn makes me miserable.)
2. My clothes wouldn't fit. And not in a good way. So due to the hip swelling, my clothes would feel tight and actually hurt, especially the ones that didn't "give." I did not gain any weight. In fact, the first month I was 10 lbs lighter than I was pre-op, but I know a lot of that was because I really didn't feel all that great and didn't
Go out to eat as much as I usually do. I'm now 7 lbs lighter than pre-op and have been that way since around week 6 I think. So pretty steady. My general rule was if it didn't fit in the morning with the binder ON, I wouldn't Chance wearing it and being miserable later when I would swell.
3. Invest in a comfortable wedge pillow for your bed. I used this through the 5th week and it was super helpful. Otherwise I felt really stretched and tight. Not comfortable while sleeping.
I attached some pics to show how things are going. Love my flat belly!!!!!

Had my 2 week check up yesterday. Last week I went back to work (probably a little too early) but I had a couple days where the swelling and sharp, sudden pains were brutal. Can't take pain meds because of work and because they make me feel superhuman so I end up doing too much and alas, the end of each day is worse than the one before. So I had stopped taking pain meds except right before bed, which suited me much better. Now I know my limits at least and will back off on the activity if I'm starting to feel worse. Dr T says everything I'm feeling is normal, and might get worse before it gets better. Ladies don't go back to work too early. Take the time for YOU. I wish now I had taken 3 weeks off. The world will not end with you not there. It is so worth it and helps in the long run! At any rate, I ended up putting the Vicodin away for a really bad day and now have Tylenol 3. Took 2 yesterday and it was like the perfect balance. Didn't make me feel drowsy or wired, yet took the edge off the pain. Today I feel great. I'm still pretty bent, especially at night, but look at these pics!! Love my new self. I'm still
Pretty swollen too so every day there's an improvement (and a new pain here and there but I can deal.) happy healing!! It's so worth it!!!

Also I'm down 6 lbs even with all the swelling. Back in the 130's finally! Whoop whoop!!