49 Yrs Old, Smart Lipo on Full Torso - Minneapolis, MN

For a few years now it's been impossible to lose fat for me. I work out 4-5x a week, had a PT for a year. Lost some pounds but not the fat, esp upper abdomen. I'm determined to go into my 50 th year looking as fit as I feel, so I looked into smart lipo. I had my procedure yesterday. Sorry no pics yet, but I can already tell the change in my size, and how flat my upper and lower abs are. I will say, the upper abs, side area and back were easy. My upper abs, the fat was compacted, and very difficult for Dr. B to remove, but he knew how important that area was to me. He had to numb me up extra and he came at it from several angles, but he did get it flat! Thank Heavens. That's the area that is so uncomfortable for me, and no wonder now that I know how compacted/dense it was. No give to it! He took out 3300 cc total. He's gave me a bonus and did my whole back at no charge too. He's been obese, he does this for the right reasons, and he's good. It's 5:30 am right now, my procedure started yesterday at 2 pm. I slept some but at 4 am just couldn't get comfy anymore so I'm up now. I'll sleep during the day. Have to go back in at 2 for my one day post op. I did vomit right after surgery and then 3 more times, but I do know that vicodaine does that to me. Right now I feel ok, comfy as lomg as I'm resting, and im just using ibuprofen now. Doc said bed rest for today, and that's fine with me. I did take/ am taking arnica Montana to help with bruising, but he had to be pretty aggressive with that upper abdomen area, so I expect I will see bruising there, certainly.

I just wanted to post this since others postings have been so helpful and informational for me in making my decision. Prior to surgery I was 164; I lost 8 pounds between September and now in preparation for doing this. I will continue as soon as I can to work out and focus on losing another 15 is my ultimate goal. That would be 149, post healing and swelling. I'm 5'4".
I'm already very encouraged by what I see in the mirror with the cn on. So flat! During the procedure at one point I felt my tummy and felt the hipbone area and how there was that indentation and then flat across. I haven't felt that since childbirth 12 years ago! And the gal who was assisting at one point sai, oh you've got a tiny little belly button now! So, even though at this point I haven't really seen myself without the cg (they got me into that immediately) I have confidence in a good result as things heal up. Ok, I think I'll dose a bit now! I'll post pics when I have some.

Wow. 3300 cc's out at 49 years old is a bit exhausting. However, I did manage to teach a class all this last weekend, both days, 9 AM to 6 PM. I won't kid you, I was tired at the end of it. Fortunately, I own my own business, so I have scheduled some much quieter days in between teaching days (like today). I am posting my 1 week photos below. I started self massage a few days ago and today I started using the roller pin as I'd read others saying. Wow. That works! I did it for 1/2 hour this morning and it was pretty amazing. I've gotten those roller-coaster bumps and at first, the roller pin wouldn't roll all the way up & down because they were so dramatic. By about the 12 minute mark, I could roll all the way up and then back down. By the 30 minute mark, my belly was dramatically flatter and more even, and I had to pee like crazy (I think it works the lymph tissues in there too). While it seems weird, I would recommend it for everyone who has this procedure. Many thanks to the folks who've mentioned it here in their reviews or I would never have thought of it!

I am so happy that I didn't get any loose/extra skin effect from this procedure. I didn't think I would because I bounced back so well from pregnancy, no stretch marks, etc. I do see I have one new stretch mark, below the bikini line, from this. I'm using Mederma (sp?) scar gel on the incisions and on that new stretch mark. I am also using lavender, roman chamomile essential oils in my massage oil twice a day, plus vitamin e. I'll post updated photos at the 2 week mark. I don't feel like there's enough day to day change to warrant daily pics. Next week's pics will reflect several days of roller-pinning twice a day, so that will be interesting.

Sooo, yesterday went really well. I had energy like I haven't had in awhile, swelling was very under control. Focused on a lot of water (I alternate tart cherry juice and apple cider vinegar in my water to help decrease inflammation and retention). Then at the end of the day my back started to hurt like it hadn't before. I mean really it hurt bad, like something was wrong. My husband was worried, but I was pretty sure I was just fatigued, and it was a new "phase" of the healing process. So I just had to give up and go to bed. Listen to your body, right? I did sleep without my cg last night (even though I'm not supposed to yet) because I felt like it was adding to the discomfort across my low back. I got a full night's sleep for the first time since the surgery (I've been waking up around 4 am or so every night so far), so it must have been the right thing to do. When I woke up I was sleeping on my back. I ran my hands across my hip bones and lower belly and it was sooo nice and flat. I could even feel the definition of my hip bones and that's the first time I've had that since right after the surgery (before the swelling adventure began, LOL!). Today was a pretty good day. Saw several clients and so was in the office all day, still chugging down water like crazy. This evening I'm resting and taking it easy, since I have to teach all day tomorrow and Sunday again (but after that I get 2 weekends off, yay!). My 2 week exam is on Monday, I'll post updated pics at the 2 week mark. I have to say the degree of difference between the roller coaster hills is diminishing--in other words, things are leveling out, getting flatter. All in all, happy so far and encouraged. Oh, and I started weighing myself again yesterday morning I was 163.2 (Yay! Under my pre-surgery weight) and this morning I was 162.3 - almost a pound down in a day. Must be all the peeing. I'm also focused on a very vegetable based diet along with all the fluids because I know I can't work out yet and like others have said here, I want to make sure I don't gain any weight in this interim period before I can hit the gym again. I would like to lose another 15 or so pounds total, and I would LOVE to see that come off in the next 4-5 months in time for summer :-) I should also mention that I have these little zingy feelings in my lower belly and across the sides of my waist --MAN, is that a tender area or what? No massage today, I gave my body a day off. I think I'm still seeing the results of all my massaging efforts from the last 3 days and it's probably time to give my body a chance to just heal in peace. I'll probably get back to massage Sunday evening again. Good old rolling pin!