Finally my Turn for a Review!

I've been stalking this site for years, and I finally took the plunge yesterday with 360 thigh liposuction. I am from the US, but I live and work in China where I haven't seen any reviews. However, after 3 consultations, I chose Plastic Surgery center in GZ because of their facilities, price, and how the doctor made me feel about it all. If you are in China I'm happy to give you more information about them. I will say that in China, long hospital stays are quite common. So it didn't surprise me when they told me I have to stay in the hospital at least 3 days after. I am one day post op and much better today than yesterday. When I first 'came-to' I was shivering and in an extreme amount of pain. So much that I was crying, but whatever they put in my IV took that all away and the pain didn't really come back until midnight or so. They gave me this pain button to push if I want more meds in my IV, but it hurts my IV site when I push it, so I tried not to all night. Beds are also really uncomfortable here, so I'm really looking forward to my own bed in a day or so. They gave me a catheter, I guess because it would have been too painful to try to walk to the bathroom. I'm nervous how that will feel coming out. Hopefully not too painful. I have what I believe was lipedema, and they removed 4L of fat from my thighs. I can't tell yet with the garment on, but the surgeon sent me a photo on the surgery table, and I can see a little difference there. Can't wait to see final results in a few months. I am nervous about the loose skin issue with so much fat being taken out. I lost 70 pounds in the past 2 years, so I debated on a thigh lift or not due to already having such a big weight loss. The doctor said we should try lipo first, and if needed it in a year or two we could decide then because it may take awhile to determine how well the skin will shrink back. Right now I haven't been out of bed yet due to catheter, but I think they will help me walk today. For some reason, I can't move my left leg very well. I have full feeling in it, but I need help to bend it. I will definitely upload progress photos as I go.

It is so nice to be home. The doctor told me it was risky leaving the hospital so soon. I stayed there 2 nights (3 days), and feel fine. I do think I will heal better at home because it is significantly more comfortable, and I'm surrounded by people who love me here. I'm gonna keep my reviews real for you because you need to hear the good, bad, and ugly if you're considering lipo. Remember, I live in China, and things may not be the same wherever you live. Before leaving the hospital, I did have to get the two tubes taken out of the incisions near my knees. One of the tubes wasn't painful at all to remove, but the left knee was quite painful. I had to yell at myself 'you've had two kids, you can do this!' while they were pulling that sucker out. I still have stitches that will need removing at the hospital in one week; also not looking forward to that visit. Here's some good news- finally today I felt like I could get in and out of bed by myself. It is still incredibly painful to do so, mostly because of the bending at my knees. They did some aggressive lipo near my knees, and because the tubes were placed there I think that area is just more sensitive. Plus, when I try to sit or lie down, the bruising on the back of my thighs hurts a lot. The other good news is that I washed my hair and face today. It felt so nice. I'm pretty hungry, which I find odd. Usually I'm not a snacker, but I ordered lots of fruits, veggies, and soups to avoid anything salty that will cause bloating. The only real concern I have at this point is my upper inner thigh is completely numb. But I still feel pain there. Just numb to the touch. And it's overly sensitive to the compression garment- to the point where I'm wondering if my garment is too tight and will cause necrosis (it's my newest thing to worry about I think- I'm a bit of a WebMD superfan). Because it's only that one area that is sensitive and numb, I was thinking of keeping the crotch area of my garment unzipped to allow more blood flow to that area. If anyone has experience with that, let me know if that's a bad idea or not. I have two stitches under my buttocks and it hurts to sit on the toilet. Take stool softener after surgery btw! For now, I'm just so super happy to be home and lying in a bed that isn't too short for my tall-ish body. Each day is ever so slightly better. Looking forward to a better tomorrow.

Slept okay last night and my pain is a little less today. It's still the upper inner thigh that is super numb and yet super sensitive to pain. It's weird. It also still hurts my thighs to sit on the toilet. I took my garment off for a minute today and my bruising is a lot better than I expected it to be! I'll post front and back pics in a few days. I feel worn down, like I'm getting a cold. Otherwise, feeling good.