Finally Got my Lipo - Elk Grove, IL

Ok, so I'm married with 2 kids. Before having kids I was in pretty good shape, however my pregnancies were very high risk and I gained a lot of weight. I also had both my kids through C-section. I lost most of it, but those hard to lose areas impacted by genetics have been driving me crazy for years. After more than a year of research I finally decided on a board certified plastic suregon, Dr. Kagan. He made me feel very comfortable, didn't rush me out of the office, answered all my questions and his office staff was also very friendly. So my doctor decided that the best option was to have the tumescent lipo with ultasound. A week before my surgery, during my pre-op visit I received papers on things to know and do both pre-op and post-op. This was excellent as I wouldn't have known not to eat certain foods like tomatoes, apples and strawberries or have vitamin E before or after because it affects blood clotting. Some of the things on the list also affect your body's ability to recover faster and break down anethesia. When I arrived at the hospital, I put on a gown and they put an IV in for additional pain and what they called happy juice - morphine. I was also given a valum to help me relax. The doctor came in and drew over my upper & lower abdomen as well as my flanks and hips.

We then went into ambulatory care where there was 2 nurses present during the entire procedure, this was very comforting to me. I started laying on my belly and the nurse gave me morphine through my IV. I was awake but barely coherent, which was good. I didn't want to fell anything, as I've heard the tumescent liquid stings. After he did my flanks and hips the nurses drained me a little then helped me to roll over on to my back.

Then my doctor began doing my abs and the front side of my hips. Again I didn't feel much and the nurse kept checking with me to see if i needed more morphine. I just don't do well with morphine, it's too strong for me. After about 2 hours I was done. I recall the doctor saying stuff to me but I couldn't remember.

The nurses continued to apply some pressure at my incisions and stiches to help me drain as much as possible. I gotta tell you these gals were AWESOME. The one nurse, who's actually employeed with the hospital and not my doctor, has been working with my doctor on all his plastic surgeries for 20 years. I can tell you that in addition to have a good doctor it make a HUGE difference to have really good nurses that know what they're doing and care.

They gave me instructions on the dressings and explained everyhing about my compression garment too. They told me that this would get bloody with drainage, not to machine wash it. Wash the spots by hand and then either air dry or gently dry. They also said that Target has simiarl type garments in case I wanted another one. I was given an injection of Toradol through my IV which is a GREAT pain killer I didn't feel anything and it lasted almost 8 hours. I would recommend that everyone ask if Toradol would work for them after lipo or any other surgery.

So here I am 1 day post-op. I'm swollen and still bleeding and draining a little. I'm extremely sore, but nothing that's not manageable. I'm sure the soreness is from my body already trying to heal. I'll keep everyone posted as I progress including posting post-op pics. I have my follow up in 1 week, to see my progress and have my stiches removed.

so i'm a little past 2 weeks post op and feeling pretty good. I can see some immediate results mostly in my flanks, hips and bra rolls area. My abs are still swollen but I can see some results there too. I'm so far surprised that most of my sagging skin at my c section scar has begun to retract. I was afraid that once the fat was removed that it would sag more, but it really hasn't. I have noticed a bit of a lump/bump right above my belly button area. Not sure if that's do to the swelling,but I'm wearing my garment with an additional garment on top for extra compression. I'm also wearing my Topifoam between my 1st garment and my skin. The foam helps to improve eveness of the skin as it's healing.

Ok, so here are my 1 month pos op pics, granted they don't look as good as some that I've seen on here, but then again I wasn't as skinny as their before pics either. As you can see there's that lump in the middle of my abdomen that's driving me crazy. I'm really hoping it just goes away. Is there anyone else experiencing this issue?? My doc said if it doesn't go away in a couple of months he's going to do a local in the office and try and remove it with a syringe.

I know it's only been 4 weeks but I feel like I'm getting discouraged as my results aren't what I expected or what I see of others. I know I'm still a bit tender and that means I must still be swollen some, but I'm really hoping and praying that it goes down a lot more. I'm glad that I can start working out again and I'm hoping that helps alot.

Anyone got any feedback or advice?

Ok, so I'm now 6 weeks post op and most of the soreness and tenderness has gone away. I can say that I'm still a bit of swelling and I can see the shrinkage still taking place. Now that I'm able to fully start working out, I'm going to get going on that to help the process of shrinking my mid section along....LOL. It's hard knowing that final results take 6-9 months....ugh.

So I've been working out almost daily, just depends on my schedule. I've seen a bit more in the way of results. I still have that lump which my Dr will be tweaking in a couple of weeks in the office with a local. I'm really really hoping he'll be able to get that to go away, a little nervous about that. Went and saw my GYN for my annual visit and told him about the lipo. He said that I've always had slightly tipped organs which has made me look bigger during pregnancy than I really am. And after 2 kids with that in consideration your organs li9ke your stomach and what not also tend to shift for some women. So it's very possible that I'm just not one of those women who'll have totally flat abs. Talk about getting kicked when you're down. :(

I'm looking really pretty well in clothes, people keep telling me I look good and ask how much weight I've lost. It's looking in the mirror w/o clothes on that makes me still feel huge! I see all these post op pics on here and see how WONDERFUL everyone looks, just hoping I can get close to that point too!

So I've been working out on average 5 days a week and eating pretty well. I'm actually 9 months post op so this review is a bit late, but the pics were taken at 7 months post op. My Dr and his staff keep telling me my results are looking great. I was hoping for a bit more but it looks like I may need a tweak as I originally had thought. Most of the rolls on my back have gone and I'll admit the before and 7 mo pics are very diff. I'm not saying that I'm not happy with my results, I'm not 100% satisfied, I think I'm close though!

My side profile looks really good except that bump that he needs to take care of. It's just weird when I have a meal I swear I feel like I'm huge and my belly's poking out all over again. IDK maybe that's just me?! I would like to see a bit more shaved off on my upper abs and I think there's still some wiggle room on my lower abs, but doesn't see much and thinks it's mostly skin.

He did say however that he would be able to tweak on my love handles and hips a bit more. As far as the left over rolls on my back he's thinking just a wee bit as that's just the thick layer of the under skin that's folded from being like that so long. This is discouraging as I've seen tons of pics where it's been like mine or worse and then the after pics it's nearly gone. I guess I'll have to see.

The office manager still hasn't been able to set up my surgery time for my tweaking. She keeps telling me that she needs to go an schmooz (not sure if she mean the Dr or the hospital and ambulatory care).

Well I go in tomorrow for my tweak. I'm very nervous,not so much for the procedure since I know what to expect but for the results. I just feel that I'm so close to my end results and don't want to be disappointed. I'm really really hoping he can give me even a little more movement on my bra rolls, upper & lower abdomen. I know he said that was mostly skin that was left and not much left, but hey they little bit left may just be enough. He said he can do the lump and there was wiggle room for sure on my flanks and hips.

He did say that with a tweak the end results don't take a long as the 6-9 months as it does with the original procedure. That this time it should only be a few months.

I'm 2 days post op from my tweak and I can say the tweak overall was better, less bruising, less pain and less soreness and tenderness. He tweaked my flanks, hips and my lump. Even though I'm still swollen I don't see my lump anymore! Can wait to see my final results, I'm hoping and thinking they're gonna be great!