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*Treatment results may vary
Day 2 post op.
So much more pain than I anticipated. And I thought it was going to be awful.
Hi RealSelf Community, I am a new user, new to...
Hi RealSelf Community,
I am a new user, new to cosmetic surgery (and surgery in general). I have a full abdominoplasty with muscle repair and tumescent liposuction scheduled for a week from Thursday, and I am extremely nervous. Over the last 10 years I have lost weight and went from an all-time high of nearly 200 lbs to my current weight of just under 150. I'd ideally like to be 130, but for the last 3+ years I've been just hovering around the same area or going slightly up (metabolism, my thyroid, and adrenal glands are not on my side). Regardless, I have never had a normal looking stomach - I have skin and fat that hangs and makes my lower stomach look way larger than it actually is. When I'm bent forward (or in push-up or plank position) it hangs in a droopy line down the center of my abdomen. When I'm standing, it pulls all the skin down around my navel and I have never actually been able to see my belly button because its hidden in all the skin. In addition, even though I have no children (and do not plan to), I have diastasis the entire way between my abdominals (worse at the bottom portion). I have worked hard to be fit, have defined muscles in the rest of my body, but have never been able to wear a swimsuit or show my stomach for my entire life. Because I look "fit," I have actually had people ask me if I have 6-pack abs! Ridiculous, since little do they know how bad the situation is! I am sick of hiding behind clothing, only wearing high-rise pants to hold it in, wearing spanx or control top tights under every work outfit, always planning my gym outfits to make sure I'm totally covered and held in place (I am a fitness instructor so I have to stand in front of large groups of people and teach). I've spent my entire 20s crying every summer wishing my stomach would look different, thinking somehow I could fix it myself and wear a bikini. I don't want to waste my 30s too, so I'm taking this terrifying journey.
I have never had a job where I have been able to take time off, but now that I do, I started seriously considering this surgery (only pretty recently). Everything worked out for me to be able to do it after I had my consult - the available surgery date from the doctor was my ideal date, and I was able to get the things covered that I needed to for work, classes, etc. The stars aligned so I took a personal loan (I do not have the money to pay for this I am by no means wealthy), scheduled the date, and made my payments. My pre-operative testing at the hospital was last week Friday, and my surgery date is just 8 days away.
The thing I am most worried about is the pain. I have never had surgery at all of any kind, and have never been under anesthesia. I also have some digestive issues and IBS-C, so I'm constantly constipated and I take a couple different herbal laxative supplements daily to be able to go. I've had to stop all supplements and vitamins, so I'm already struggling a little bit, and I'm worried after surgery I'll be a nauseous, constipated mess and in extreme pain like I've never felt before. I'm also considering calling my surgeon and asking if I can pay extra to have Exparel added to my procedure in the hopes it provides a little bit of relief from the pain. I just hope its not as bad as I think. Any advice/comments/recommendations/positive vibes/questions are greatly appreciated, and thanks for reading!
I am a new user, new to cosmetic surgery (and surgery in general). I have a full abdominoplasty with muscle repair and tumescent liposuction scheduled for a week from Thursday, and I am extremely nervous. Over the last 10 years I have lost weight and went from an all-time high of nearly 200 lbs to my current weight of just under 150. I'd ideally like to be 130, but for the last 3+ years I've been just hovering around the same area or going slightly up (metabolism, my thyroid, and adrenal glands are not on my side). Regardless, I have never had a normal looking stomach - I have skin and fat that hangs and makes my lower stomach look way larger than it actually is. When I'm bent forward (or in push-up or plank position) it hangs in a droopy line down the center of my abdomen. When I'm standing, it pulls all the skin down around my navel and I have never actually been able to see my belly button because its hidden in all the skin. In addition, even though I have no children (and do not plan to), I have diastasis the entire way between my abdominals (worse at the bottom portion). I have worked hard to be fit, have defined muscles in the rest of my body, but have never been able to wear a swimsuit or show my stomach for my entire life. Because I look "fit," I have actually had people ask me if I have 6-pack abs! Ridiculous, since little do they know how bad the situation is! I am sick of hiding behind clothing, only wearing high-rise pants to hold it in, wearing spanx or control top tights under every work outfit, always planning my gym outfits to make sure I'm totally covered and held in place (I am a fitness instructor so I have to stand in front of large groups of people and teach). I've spent my entire 20s crying every summer wishing my stomach would look different, thinking somehow I could fix it myself and wear a bikini. I don't want to waste my 30s too, so I'm taking this terrifying journey.
I have never had a job where I have been able to take time off, but now that I do, I started seriously considering this surgery (only pretty recently). Everything worked out for me to be able to do it after I had my consult - the available surgery date from the doctor was my ideal date, and I was able to get the things covered that I needed to for work, classes, etc. The stars aligned so I took a personal loan (I do not have the money to pay for this I am by no means wealthy), scheduled the date, and made my payments. My pre-operative testing at the hospital was last week Friday, and my surgery date is just 8 days away.
The thing I am most worried about is the pain. I have never had surgery at all of any kind, and have never been under anesthesia. I also have some digestive issues and IBS-C, so I'm constantly constipated and I take a couple different herbal laxative supplements daily to be able to go. I've had to stop all supplements and vitamins, so I'm already struggling a little bit, and I'm worried after surgery I'll be a nauseous, constipated mess and in extreme pain like I've never felt before. I'm also considering calling my surgeon and asking if I can pay extra to have Exparel added to my procedure in the hopes it provides a little bit of relief from the pain. I just hope its not as bad as I think. Any advice/comments/recommendations/positive vibes/questions are greatly appreciated, and thanks for reading!