Bye-bye, Saddlebags!

I'm a total pear! I've had heavy thighs since as long as I can remember (post-puberty). Even at my absolute thinnest, I will still have a lower bottom-half that is vastly out of proportion to the top. I do have stage 1/2 lipedema. My saddle-bags have bothered me the most, but I have chubby knees and inner thighs, too. Basically, my thighs are just large. I used to have breast implants to balance out the top, but last year I had them removed, and I don't miss them. (you can see my review by clicking on my profile). I love my small boobs, but now my bottom half looks bigger than ever!

I probably consulted with about 10 plastic surgeons for the lipo procedure! I just wasn't sold on anyone. At first, I didn't realize I had lipedema, and then I wanted to find a PS that had some experience with patients that have it and use a safer/gentler form of lipo (water or body-jet).

Anyway, it seemed like a ridiculous amount of consults, but once I had my consultation with Dr. Falcone, I knew she was the one. I had even created a spreadsheet to narrow down my favorites, with details including prices, etc. Haha! I am traveling to Philly (by train) from NYC to do the procedure. It will be my first time out of NY since the pandemic, so I'm not looking forward to the stress of travel, but it's only about a 1.5 hr train ride, so it's not terrible.

Looking forward to having lighter legs!

This will be a more brief version of the update that I just wrote out but lost after trying to upload a photo.. (RealSelf Admin - please create auto-save drafts! I know this happens to others, and it takes a lot of time to write out a review and then have to re-write another one. Many probably don't care enough to do it twice.)

I had my lipo procedure last Thursday on the outer thighs/saddlebags, inner thighs and knee areas. It was fine - not particularly pleasant, but not intolerable. I felt some pain at times, but mostly I was uncomfortably freezing my booty off (literally and figuratively, I guess LOL) . They have to keep it cold in the room to reduce risk of infection, but I was shaking and trembling so hard. The nurses did their best to pile warm towels on my upper body. I had Water Assisted/Body jet lipo - so there was water spraying, and water all over the place doesn't help when you're cold!

Afterwards I felt okay, but was immediately disappointed to know that she only removed 1.5 liters of fat. I was thinking, "Hey, let's keep going, I know I have more!" I guess my disappointment comes in doing so much research and seeing others removing 3-4 liters for comparable area procedures.

The recovery was not terrible day of and day after. Then day 3, feeling rather cocky, I went to work. All was fine, until I needed to urgently use the bathroom. In trying to squat on my still somewhat shaky legs, I pulled or tore some ligament or tendon in my groin/inner hip area and a bolt of pain shot down my leg. I knew I did something bad, and the next day I woke up and couldn't put any weight on that left leg without extreme pain. It wasn't the lipo areas that hurt, it was whatever stupid injury that I created by having to take a poo.

Day 3 and 4 were spent frustratingly on Couch Island. Today, I am back at work where I had to hobble in on a cane. I realize that my leg already has quite a bit of inflammation from healing, and then adding this freak injury on top of it has just made it really angry. Right leg feels fine, bruised a lot, but not awful.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to being able to walk normally again. I'm still disappointed that more fat wasn't removed, too. For all the pain and hassle and recovery, I wanted a more dramatic result. Immediately after my lipo, I found myself obsessively searching "lipo-revision".

I know I have some body dysmorphia and I'm swollen, but these still look like the thunder thighs that I've hated my whole life. Better, but not slim. I guess I will likely go do this thing again in the future, once this has healed.

I will post some actual After photos very soon!

I’m still hobbling around on a cane, but my left leg and hip are slowly feeling better and more mobility. You never realize how much you take your health and ability to move your body easily for granted until that changes. I sure won’t anymore!
Swelling and bruising are very present, and I’m still disappointed that my thighs aren’t smaller. The compression garment they gave me has zippers and hooks and they left stripe patterns in the bruise formation. So, I’m going to switch garments today.
I’m still disappointed my thighs aren’t smaller as a whole, but when I took these pics I could see more improvement than when I’m looking in the mirror. It’s weird , but when I look at them in person they look much larger!
I’m on the train to Philly for my one week follow up. My left hip and knee are throbbing. Despite these pains, the one week passed quickly.