Tickle Lipo - Tumescent - Gold Coast, AU

First impressions & Initial consult .....
I phoned two surgeries and found the staff at GCPS to be the easiest to speak with. I had my initial consult with Kellie (nurse) and Mark Doyle. Mark didn't say much at all. I had no questions - he kept saying questions will be answered by Kellie. Kellie showed me a powerpoint slide show - mostly the same stuff that is available on their website. And then told me to read the medical consent website at home. My questions were answered with the expected we can't assure you of any result (I am mostly concerned about the likelihood of asymmetry, mentioned ALOT in the risks and in the presentation with Kellie) and the possibility of loose skin (requiring a tummy tuck to fix - I don't have loose skin now, so it's a fear). Mostly the info provided in the pack, on the website and in the presentation with Kellie is all about money and financing, and not the procedures, which I found really strange. I guess potential clients are more focussed on that perhaps? Personally I think that's the least of my concerns!! I saw a review/comment by a Brisbane patient on this website and she ended up needed a 'reverse' tummy tuck as her skin all puckered, I'm afraid of this happening to me. I don't "hate" how I look. But for all my exercise (I'm 47kg) I cannot get rid of my belly.

I have watched a few tickle lipos on youtube - fairly easy going looking procedure. I saw a lipo on telly years ago and that looked thoroughly brutal.

From reading this and other websites I gather I'll be pretty sore for 1-2 weeks which will be challenging with a 2.5yr old and 10mth old!!! No "time off work" for me....

Cost is for up to 45mins of tickle lipo charged in 15min increments. About AUD$4000 and they recommend various supplements pre and post opp which add up to another $200+ so I've included these in the total cost too. On the website it says it's usually 1-2hrs procedure - I guess because I'm small it won't take as long. I really am using this as a sculpt and contour not as a weightloss solution. I suspect I'll only "lose" 200-500g :( if that!?!? I'll ask after the surgery....

Once I was paid up and booked in, I started to get horrendously nervous and filled with anxiety - "will I regret this?". So I headed back to Dr Doyle and his nurses today for a thorough Q&A session. It was absolutely worth it. In preparation I wrote down every question I had - two A4 pages. Dr Doyle smiled and we just went through every one of them. And none of his answers were flippant or patronising. He was very factual and reassuring. And his nurses who I spoke with, both who had tickle lipo were excellent resources, one of them even showed me her 1 day and 1 week photos.

I won't post his answers as I'm sure some of them are specific to him (experience, practice) and to me (my age, size, amount of fat to be removed) etc.

My questions were - to help you think about questions you might like to ask.

Am I a good candidate for this procedure?

What kind of outcome do you think is realistic for me to expect from tickle lipo

Will you ‘draw on me’ or something so we are both clear about what is and is not going to be removed/sculpted?


How many tickle lipo procedures have you done in this office now?

I’ve been shown a few ‘before/after” shots – are these of tickle lipo specifically, do you have others of your recent work?

How common has asymmetry been for tickle lipo patients with you? (a percentage? A number.)

How many patients returned to have their asymmetry fixed (a second op)?
And how did that go?

Given I’m a mother to a toddler and baby – how should I expect my recovery to be? What can I do and what do I realistically need to avoid to expect or help get the best results?
Should I be massaging or going to a massage therapist? Lymphatic drainage? Anyone you recommend near me?

Painkillers after surgery –

Numbness,Bleeding, swelling, bruising, being “fatter” for a long time, hard lumps and bumps…
How can I expect my body to look over time? Can you show me photos?
- In the next few days/week
- In the next month
- 2 months
- 6 months
- 12 months
- years

When would I expect numbness to cease?

Will I need antibiotics afterwards?

Please tell me after the surgery how much was removed.


Silicon gel sheeting
- When can I put this on my c-sect scar again (after the cortisone)?
- When Can I put this on the lipo incisions?

What if the compression garment isn’t fitting smoothly – I’m a bit concerned because I’m short, I’ve heard if it’s not smooth it can cause problems for the skin and appearance.

Aftercare
Do I shower with the compression garment on?
- How do I dry it?
- How long before I can shower without the garment on?
- Will I have a drainage tube? And when will it need to be removed?

Are the sutures dissolvable?
OR When do I book in to remove them?

Should I wear a bra on the day of surgery? Will that be uncomfortable going home? Or wear a non-wired bra instead?



What are my options if I am dissatisfied with the cosmetic outcome of my liposuction?



Exercise
When can I start training again?
What about weights/gym workouts?

And core exercises specifically, when can these be resumed?

Do I need to fast beforehand?

Can I still have surgery with a cold? (As I have developed a cold 7 days out!!)

Had the "tickle lipo" today. I was a bit nervous, I thought I wasn't, but my upset tummy and sticky clammy palms belied the truth! The set-up was straight forward - I was weighed, then Dr Doyle came in and marked "with a purple pen" where on my abdomen was to be re-sculpted. The nurses then got me all set up - with sticky surgical sheets down my sides, across my pubic/hip bone area and across my chest under my bra line. Dr Doyle explained everything he was doing as he went along.

First the anaesthetic where the two incisions would be made (at the ends of my c-sect scar). A bit stingy as expected. Then the incisions. No pain, but I could feel it happening, as expected. And then the anaesthetic and saline liquid solution was put in. This was the most uncomfortable part of the procedure for me. The best description I can come up with is that it was like having DOMS (sore muscles from exercise) and then someone coming along and prodding you all over your already aching body. Mostly it was really uncomfortable pain. Occasionally (and mostly on my left side for some reason) it was painful - but achy jabby pain, not sharp cutting acute pain. Hope that makes sense. I also had on top of all this a sensation of "fullness", which I suppose is exactly what was going on, but I felt like I was being blown up like a balloon which made it feel like there was less room for all this jabbing. Weird. At the same time I knew it wasn't going to be for very long. I had a squeezable foam ball to clench onto for the more painful parts. The short version: this part hurt, a lot. Perhaps an 8/10.

On to the suctioning part. This was not tickley at all for me. The only time I laughed was when I heard the suctioning, it is quite amusing listening to the the gurgling noises. A few spots I felt a painful burning sensation, but these tended to pass quite quickly as Dr Doyle moved on. Any discomfort in this part of the procedure I was well prepared for mentally and it went exactly as I was expecting. :)

For me, the most uncomfortable part of the procedure was the anaesthetic.

It's now 90mins post surgery and clearly I feel well enough to sit at a computer and type this "review".

The support from the staff and Dr Doyle so far has made for a positive experience for me. Hopefully I'll have a great before/after photo to add in a few months time.

For now, my measurements:
There has been some swelling as totally expected, which may remain this way for a couple of months :( but there you have it ...
Pre-procedure 1hr after
Under bust - ?? - 70.4
Waist - 65 - 64.7
Belly Button - 71 - 79.5
Belly (5cm) -77 - 81.3

I will find out when my sutures are removed (two incisions only) in about a weeks' time, what quantity was removed.