Slim Lipo to Abdomen, Flanks and Lower Back - Boston

I'm 5'6 and 135 lbs. No matter what my weight has been (as low as 100 lbs, as high as 180) all of my weight goes to my mid section. I can remember being 10 years old and having friends suggest that I try doing situps to "get rid of my gut" despite being otherwise skinny. As an adult, I'm neurotic about working out, eating healthy but despite all of this, my spare tire just doesn't go away. I've never had children but have often been mistaken for being pregnant both in the form of outright questions and the little things- like when someone gives up there seat for you on the subway! People always say I'm so tiny- I wear a size 4 pant but having such a huge belly has always bothered me and restricted the kind of clothes I could wear (baggy black tops a must). Every day of my life I get upset about this. I've never been able to wear a bikini and to be honest, I don't think I ever would even if I could- I'm not looking to be perfect- I just want to be in the range of normal for someone of my height and weight. This has held me back for so many years from so many things- especially relationships. I just could not fathom the idea of letting someone see me naked- and so I've never really dated. I'm hoping maybe I'll feel more confident after this :-)

I had my consultation in June and scheduled my slim lipo for later this month. The doctor was great about setting expecations with me. She was honest and said that what I really needed was a full on tummy tuck because she is concerned that since I gained weight (and lost it) once before, my skin elasticity may be compromised and can't promise how well it will "bounce back". She said if I'm not ready to go down that road, she did feel that slim lipo could offer a 30-50% improvement. While I considered the full tummy tuck, I decided to go for the lesser procedure due to cost (it was about double the price); the scar, the recovery and the simple fact that if I one day to decide to have children (I'm 32), it does not seem to make sense to do the fully tummy tuck yet. Furthermore, it seems like if I have the lipo now of my entire mid section now, any future tummy tuck will be "less work"- i.e. mainly to address skin.

I'm a little nervous about the procedure- my preop is next week and I'm pretty sure I'm having general anesthesia (the surgery is expected to take about 5 hours!) In the end though, I figure I can't look any worse than I do now- even with no skin retraction :-)

I found everyone elses reviews and experiences so helpful to me, so I figured I'd document this in case it helps anyone else. I'll keep this updated as I go through my journey!

Got home and was so preoccupied with the nausea I decided not to take the narcotics that were prescribed, the pain from the surgery itself was bearable so I took extra strength tylenol. I'm a side/ stomach sleeper and this was not an option, so I dosed off for about an hour and I woke up feeling much better- no headache, fear of throwing up again. I was not tired at all but I was also in no condition to do anything requiring mobility. 3.2 liters removed! wahoo, the swelling is unreal- I mean, I was prepared for it and I read everyone else- but my biggest sweatpants aren't going over the swelling. Moving from sitting to standing, especially lying down to standing is the worst and 2 days later still is. The night of surgery a friend came over to supervise me and when I got up to to the bathroom,I realized that my black sweats were soaked with drainage (imagine how swolen you'd have to be to not feel that happening, thats me). I went to the bathroom and it was gushing from everywhere...this is not the kind of draining I was prepared for! I thought it would be managable but this was like niagra falls- and messy at that since I could not bend over to pick/ mop up. Friend went out to the store and bought me depends, which she lined with maxy pads, sad as it sounds this was the only way we could contain the draining- I just didn't realize it would be so much at once. I spent the next 24 hours in my lovely diaper, because now definatley nothing I owned was going over the swelling AND the diaper. HAHA, what a sight I was. Didn't get much sleep on night one, I just wasn't tired and I couldn't get comfortable.

Day 2: Woke up, sore, again only taking extra strength tylenol. Made coffee took my arnica, bromelain, vitaimins, antibiotic and had breakfast. After all this I sat down to read a book and suddenly had a racing heart beat and starting shaking like crazy. Temp was ok, didn't feel dizzy just really weird. Mom called the doctor and they got me in that morning. Took all my vitals and said that my heart rate was resting in the 80's right now (I'm normally at 65 or so) but temp was ok and this was all normaly after surgery. It was suggested (and I think this is probably fair) that perhaps I had a bit of an anxiety attack combined with the lidocaine still in my system. Went back home for the day, laid on the couch and didn't really move again. I was able to get some sleep because I figured out a way to get on my side. Slept from about 8pm-8am. Much needed. With all of the rangling around I tried to do to avoid disturbing my mid section, I really hurt my neck! I should have installed bars above my bed or done upper body strength training.

Day 3: Shower day. I feel more mobile today, it still hurts to go from sitting to standing and my heart rate still feels a little high (about 75) but I'm making progress. I'm still the size of a house, unable to wear pants because anything tight would just be too painful. I did get to see my first glance at the product however- and its pretty. Even swollen and bruised and extra skin, its little- and I know its going to get better! Everyone says that this is where you pass out- when you take the garmet off for the shower, right? So I take it off sitting down, feel fine. Get in the shower, take the shower head off, ease into it, feel ok. Shave, shampoo, start taking my bandages off (there are a lot). All ok- I don't get them all off. Step out of the shower and omg, I'm going to pass out! Just hit me like a ton of bricks, I managed to get a towel around me and collapse on the sofa. Here I was thinking I was doing so good...but i guess this is normal. Anyways, just writing this was exhausting so I need a nap now and will write more later. But I must say, I'm envious of all you ladies who got this done and were out and about the next day! I don't think I'll be going anywhere for a while, except bed.