POSTED UNDER Drainless Tummy Tuck Reviews
Drainless Tummy Tuck No Muscle Repair with Lipo Today (Don't Chew Gum)!
ORIGINAL POST
Drainless Tummy Tuck No Muscle Repair with Lipo Today (Don't Chew Gum)!
Thoughtful4272December 18, 2019
WORTH IT$15,000
I have stalked this site for a while for advice, before/after pictures, reviews, etc. and thought i would give back to the community for curious minds.
So a little history on me:
-35 years old tomorrow
-2 boys via c-section 13 and 11 years ago
-Microdiscectomy about 2 years ago
-Drainless tummy tuck with no muscle repair and lipo to the abdomen, flanks (love handles, in case you don't know what that means like myself), and low-mid back (below bra line) done TODAY at about 11:30AM, done by about 3:00-3:15 and in recovery/out the door around 3:45 PM.
-5'1" and currently at 153 lbs. which seems to be my body's homeostasis. Haha. I work out about 5-6 days a week/30-60 minutes alternating distance running, sprinting, HIIT, yoga, weight lifting, etc. I've been doing this for about 2 years now, waxing and waning in exercise frequency ( I slow down a little about once a year when I go on vacation). I could probably lose more if I ate better (which is not a terrible diet, but I like to eat).
This is a procedure I've wanted, but didn't want the plastic surgery "stigma", taking time off from work, kids, !the cost!, and the thought of asking for help?!!. Well, I decided to put those thoughts aside and called the Maine Plastic Surgery Center. By the next month, November, I had a consultation with Dr. Weisberg. Everyone was very nice, the facility is modern and, both Dr. Weisberg and Dr. Daniel come with high praise from my research. I scheduled my surgery that day with Dr. Weisberg.
So today was my surgery, small hiccup in my start time and positioning as i was chewing gum this morning... i had no idea you weren't allowed to do this because i don't consider it a food, but it's not allowed after midnight the night before along with any other foods or liquids, so heads up if you're a gum chewer like me! Instead of being flipped to my stomach for the back and flank lipo, they did it while i laid on my side due to my increased risk of breathing issues because i chewed gum. 2 ladies came in the room and warned me that this is not the preferred method and results would not be the same as if i were to get it done while laying on my stomach because the areas are harder to reach. The other option was to cancel the surgery and reschedule. What?! I already felt so bad putting work on hold- arranging my work schedule to accommodate this for the couple weeks leading up to and after this procedure, having people run my kids around to practice, and my husband setting his work schedule aside and driving (about an hour and a half each way) then waiting around for 6 hours for the day, and again, the cost!! I paid about $5000 for this lipo procedure in addition to my $10,000 tummy tuck-i want the best i can get!... I admit I cried (I'm usually a pretty stable person) and felt so dumb... but ultimately decided this is happening today. Luckily, the nurse anesthetist or anesthesiologist that came in later was very reassuring and said she felt that lipo in side lying would still yield great results as Dr. Weisberg is very meticulous. Although i was still a little worked up, she really made me feel better. Once the waiting was over, everything was fast. Went to sleep, woke up with minimal to NO pain, drove home an hour and a half away, and am now on my couch 4 hours later with minor soreness. I woke up with some sort of body binder on and it has shoulder straps so it doesn't roll down and another belly band type thing over it. I feel very snug. Ha. It does have hook and eye closures at the bottom so you can go to the bathroom with getting naked, and i could see my incision after i pulled it up, so took some quick pictures.
So a little history on me:
-35 years old tomorrow
-2 boys via c-section 13 and 11 years ago
-Microdiscectomy about 2 years ago
-Drainless tummy tuck with no muscle repair and lipo to the abdomen, flanks (love handles, in case you don't know what that means like myself), and low-mid back (below bra line) done TODAY at about 11:30AM, done by about 3:00-3:15 and in recovery/out the door around 3:45 PM.
-5'1" and currently at 153 lbs. which seems to be my body's homeostasis. Haha. I work out about 5-6 days a week/30-60 minutes alternating distance running, sprinting, HIIT, yoga, weight lifting, etc. I've been doing this for about 2 years now, waxing and waning in exercise frequency ( I slow down a little about once a year when I go on vacation). I could probably lose more if I ate better (which is not a terrible diet, but I like to eat).
This is a procedure I've wanted, but didn't want the plastic surgery "stigma", taking time off from work, kids, !the cost!, and the thought of asking for help?!!. Well, I decided to put those thoughts aside and called the Maine Plastic Surgery Center. By the next month, November, I had a consultation with Dr. Weisberg. Everyone was very nice, the facility is modern and, both Dr. Weisberg and Dr. Daniel come with high praise from my research. I scheduled my surgery that day with Dr. Weisberg.
So today was my surgery, small hiccup in my start time and positioning as i was chewing gum this morning... i had no idea you weren't allowed to do this because i don't consider it a food, but it's not allowed after midnight the night before along with any other foods or liquids, so heads up if you're a gum chewer like me! Instead of being flipped to my stomach for the back and flank lipo, they did it while i laid on my side due to my increased risk of breathing issues because i chewed gum. 2 ladies came in the room and warned me that this is not the preferred method and results would not be the same as if i were to get it done while laying on my stomach because the areas are harder to reach. The other option was to cancel the surgery and reschedule. What?! I already felt so bad putting work on hold- arranging my work schedule to accommodate this for the couple weeks leading up to and after this procedure, having people run my kids around to practice, and my husband setting his work schedule aside and driving (about an hour and a half each way) then waiting around for 6 hours for the day, and again, the cost!! I paid about $5000 for this lipo procedure in addition to my $10,000 tummy tuck-i want the best i can get!... I admit I cried (I'm usually a pretty stable person) and felt so dumb... but ultimately decided this is happening today. Luckily, the nurse anesthetist or anesthesiologist that came in later was very reassuring and said she felt that lipo in side lying would still yield great results as Dr. Weisberg is very meticulous. Although i was still a little worked up, she really made me feel better. Once the waiting was over, everything was fast. Went to sleep, woke up with minimal to NO pain, drove home an hour and a half away, and am now on my couch 4 hours later with minor soreness. I woke up with some sort of body binder on and it has shoulder straps so it doesn't roll down and another belly band type thing over it. I feel very snug. Ha. It does have hook and eye closures at the bottom so you can go to the bathroom with getting naked, and i could see my incision after i pulled it up, so took some quick pictures.
Thoughtful4272's provider
UPDATED FROM Thoughtful4272
1 day post
Day After Surgery
Thoughtful4272December 19, 2019
More sore today, and i am swollen! Now starting to feel sore in the areas of liposuction which i didn't feel at all yesterday. I have not taken my compression garments off, but maybe tomorrow if i get the go ahead to shower. I feel like i might explode if i didn't have these things holding me in. Incision pain is minimal except the outer edges twinge sometimes when moving from laying down to sitting up. Hoping this swelling will start subsiding and not get worse. That's my biggest issue right now. Overall, I've been through worse, but typically my pain peaks at post op day 3-4 so we'll see...
Replies (5)
Philosophical7062
December 19, 2019
Hi there, I am interested in how it goes for you, please keep us updated. I live in Maine and have the same concerns that you mentioned. I have 3 kids and have been looking into the drainless option because of the supposed quicker recovery and no drains for my kids to knock around. Did you get muscle repair too? Good luck and when you feel like it, I would be interested in your progress. Thank you for sharing!
December 19, 2019
Yes, it's so hard to justify taking all this time to yourself, but ultimately it's a few weeks out of your entire life. Think of it that way :) i wouldn't want to deal with drains either. I just feel like it's an opportunity for infection (but I'm not a doctor, so that comment is baseless-ha!), and also something else to take care of which i certainly don't need. They told me they almost always do a muscle repair, but once he felt my stomach, he could tell I resolved my diastasis on my own. So no repair there! I will certainly keep updating. I've been inspired to be open and honest about this with anyone that asks because it has been hard for me to find info on the little details that no one wants to talk about!
December 20, 2019
How are you feeling today? Is the pain horrible? I had c sections too, is the pain similar for you to a c section? The surgeon I met with said I have diastasis of 4-5 inches so according to him I need the muscle repair. I had huge kids. I do feel like there’s more stigma in New England than elsewhere but what do I know since I only live here?! Is it freaky to see your body look so different? Your tummy looks great. Thanks again for sharing!
December 20, 2019
About the c section pain... i don't think it's as bad, but i think it's because i had no muscle repair with my tummy tuck. I imagine that if you do have it done, it would be just like it! (Except a larger incision)
December 20, 2019
I don't think the pain is horrible. I was totally prepared to be bed ridden for weeks after reading some posts from others. Today is post op day 3 and i just baked 3 batches of cookies for my kids Christmas parties this afternoon- no problem! I am laying down and icing as a preventative right now because I'm going to the school around 1:30. Regarding your diastasis, did you ever see a physical therapist for that? It sounds like a large seperation, so maybe not reducible on your own, but that would be a great start to see if it can start to come together. When was your last baby? Mine were big too (well, for me being 5'1") @ 8.5 lbs each. It is SO weird to see my body. Like I'm looking at a stranger. I am so pleased with how it seems to blend in though... just because i didn't lipo everything else, i was worried that my legs and arms and bra fat would look disproportionate.
December 21, 2019
I had a 10.7 pound baby in 2010 and twins which were 7.5 each (like a 15 lb baby) in 2015. I did do PT but honestly having twins and working full time etc has done me in so I haven’t kept up with it. According to the surgeon when muscles are that far apart they don’t go back together but it’s hard to trust that info from a surgeon.
December 21, 2019
Wow!! I feel like this would be a walk in the park for you. I agree that amount of separation would be extremely difficult to completely resolve on your own (I'm a PTA).
UPDATED FROM Thoughtful4272
2 days post
Swollen, but seeing results!
Thoughtful4272December 20, 2019
I've been using a cold pack and trying to use at least once every hour or two for 20 minutes at a time, which seems to make it better. Today's swelling is better than yesterday for sure.
Took my first shower (needed to wait 48 hours). It was the first time I've seen my new body full on. It's so weird to see, but I'm hopeful that I'm going to be stoked about the results once the swelling is gone.
Took my first shower (needed to wait 48 hours). It was the first time I've seen my new body full on. It's so weird to see, but I'm hopeful that I'm going to be stoked about the results once the swelling is gone.
Replies (1)
December 20, 2019
Did they tell u to use a girdle the next day? Some doctors say a few weeks. Just curious
December 20, 2019
When i woke up from surgery, someone had already dressed me! They put a body suit type thing on me for compression and another band that cinches around the waist with velcro on top of that. They told me to leave it on as much as possible, so I've only taken it off to shower and put it right back on. I should wash it... but it doesn't smell yet.
Replies (0)