28yrs Old. 70kg, 178cm.. Lipo to Upper and Lower Abdomen and Flanks - Brisbane, AU

Hi all :)

I've been stalking this site for quite some time now and I just decided to bite the bullet and go for Lipo. I had a consultation at 18, but I couldn't afford it back then. Now I'm older and have a bit of savings I've decided it's my time.

I'm very Apple shaped and have spent all of my life feeling misshapen. Even as a child my mother had problems finding me clothes. I have 36in legs, no ass and go wide around my flanks and abdomen. I live in skater type dresses as finding trousers is a right mission. I look boxy and weird in them anyway. I simply can't wait to feel 'normal.' I can't wait to not stress to the point of tears sometimes every time I step foot in a clothes shop or a supermarket. I do try to watch what I eat(I know a lot about nutrition) and go through periods of hitting it hard at the gym, where I get good results in my arms and legs but not a stitch in my torso, it's incredibly depressing and I end up giving up. I've been a UK size 8, and a UK size 12. I swear the rest of me stayed the same, I only got fatter in my mid section lol. I have no idea what it feels like to not worry about my middle....urgh I CANT WAIT till it's just off of me!

I've done my research and a few arrows pointed to a Dr James Chen, of the Ashbury clinic in Brisbane. I met with him for a consult 7 weeks ago and I liked his mannerisms. He's very friendly and I felt instantly at ease. Most other places I contacted tried to get me to go with either Vaser or Laser Lipo and I know through serious research that it really isn't any better than the traditional method. Not for someone of my age anyway. One clinic atually kept contacting me to persuade me to spend an extra $3000 for Vaser and were trying to tell me that the tradition method had poor results! Needless to say I'll be giving them a wide berth. I really liked Dr Chen as he told me from the off that it wasn't nescessary for me to fork out more down on Laser, so that made me decide on him, he seems honest. He did try to persuade me to get my inner thighs done also, but I'm thinking he knew that I would see maximum results that way, as I do want them done too but unfortunately I can't afford it.

Call me old fashioned, but I think that a surgical procedure shouldn't be sold to you, it's invasive... I'm not buying a sofa.

Anyway after consult I got all booked in. It was an 11 week wait but after I got my bloods and everything done a few weeks afterwards they called me to after me a cancellation slot. So that was last Tuesday...and my surgery is tomorrow! I'll keep updating this with my experience

I have a confession that I've spent this last week eating junk food. I feel like that was a silly thing to do but my god it was amazing

Ok. I feel I done everything that was asked of me beforehand. Nil by mouth, including water, after 1.30am on the day and no smoking or drinking caffeine by 7.30 the night before. I washed at night then again in the morning with antibacterial body wash.

This morning I was late, forgot how ridiculous Brisbane traffic is! I was supposed to be there at 7.30 and I swagged in at 10 to 8, urgh. They were all ok about it, my nerves were shot though, I hate being late. Apart form that I wasn't nervous at all about it. The receptionist was just lovely :)

I got taken through to an office area with a bed in it and all my pre op literature was went through and signed. The nurse was called Maureen, we were having a chat at how we have the same body shape and just having banter. I get nervous in silence so that helped.. I was then given 10mg of diazepam which also helped ;) I was then put in sexiest gstring and gown you've ever seen, ha ha. I curled up and had a nap on the bed.

Dr Chen came in about 9.20 ish? Had a chat, marked me up and took some pre photos for his own records. I was then taken through to the theatre room. I made sure I had a pee first as that would be awkward needing one mid op I reckon. He washed me down with betadine and then got me to lie on the bed. It took a while to get me medicated to the point of fully out if it before he could start. I got a needle in my wrist that the twiglight meds were put into and then I remember him inserting the tumescent fluid. I'm not gonna lie that stung like a [RS bleep] but it passed quickly, and as the meds were kicking in more I generally didn't care. He then started the suction which I can't remember at the start but I remember one point lifting my head and watching him. I'm interested in that sort of stuff so it was fascinating. He asked the nurse to give me more meds at this point. I remember my arms being tied down, I think it's to stop you sitting right up...as I was obviously attempting to do. I remember being asked to move during it and a point at the end it was hurting as he was suctioning on one tiny area right in the centre but this is all I remember. May I add it was hurting but not horribly.. Kind of light a tight pulling. It wasn't a horrible experience and at this stage I feel I'd do it again :) I was helped into my garment after the nurse put some dressings over the cuts. She put on some mepore type tape over the incisions then some large absorbent pads. Then the compression garment.

Afterwards I was taken to a recliner chair and they called my friend to collect me. They give you cheese and crackers and a cup of tea normally but the lovely lady brought me through some CHOCOLATE MUD CAKE too. I swear that alone was worth the cash ????

This might not make sense as I'm still kind of out of it, I never realised how much until I just now realised I can't really remember my friend taking me home...

I came home and had a nap. They give you a plastic sheet for your bed and extra pads for the wound sites but I had already set up my bed with puppy training pads... so glad I did because I had lots of leakage, especially on my left side. The garment is made of neoprene, the stuff dive suits are made from, so you're left feeling comfortable and not soaked through... however the pads under the suit were soaking so I couldn't bear it any more and changed them all. At this point I'd say I was defo still numbed by the tumescent fluid so it wasn't sore. Just messy. I had on 3 nighties in 2 hours and i soaked them through, on my left side especially. I'm starting to think I fell asleep on that side.

As for how I feel... pretty damned good. I've been for a walk around, cooked a hearty dinner and done a wash load. It feels tight and slightly stingy, like doing too many sit ups. I took my antibiotic and decided to take 1 codeine phosphate tablet, just incase the pain kicked in later. But I generally feel great considering. Let's hope it lasts.

Now my nose got the better of me. I had to have a gander at it so I took the garment off my torso area to have a better look. I probably shouldn't have done that as I swear I started to swell instantly. I had noticed an improvement on leaving the clinic and was elated. I'll admit seeing the garment off and seeing my tummy I felt a bit disheartened, so I'm hoping it's just swelling. I'm not expecting miracles, I know I'll never have a flat tummy so I should just be patient

My flanks however... I'm in love. No more large weird slabs of meat hanging from my back. I'm so excited to see the finished product. I am concerned about the shape of the garment, it's bending at the sides where the zips are. I hope that doesn't leave a ridge.



Im now in bed, I've taken my antibiotics as prescribed and im feeling that it's starting to get more uncomfortable, like I'm bruised so I've taken 2 of the painkillers. They make me drowsy so hopefully I'll sleep soundly tonight. I'll post more pics etc tomorrow.