28 Years Old Mom of Two Girls. Wanting a Better Tummy - Myrtle Beach, SC

I am 28 years old and a mother to two girls ages 3 and 7. Before coming pregnant I was 165 lbs. While pregnant with my first child I began to swell more than normal and had a lot of fluid around the baby. I became 190 lbs at the end of my pregnancy. And Because of this people thought I was at full term and pregnant with twin at only six months. I was huge. The reason for the extra fluid was unclear and my baby and I were perfectly healthy. However my stomach suffered terribly. I than become very depressed. I hated my body and didn't care to do anything about it so I gained Weight and a lot of it. I was 220 lbs. finally I have had enough. I started to feel better and started to lose weight. I dropped just ten pounds before coming pregnant with my second child. Sadly the same thing happened and I had extra fluid around my baby making me huge. I had also peeked my weight at 245 lbs. while pregnant I had made a diet plan and exercise plan I would start as soon as my baby was born and I did. I went from 245 lbs to 175 lbs in nine months from diet and exercise alone. However my body was becoming very deflated, my boobs went flat my tummy just dropped and my face was becoming very narrow. I did not like the way I was looking, so I eased up on my diet and gained back 10 lbs. I held at 185 lbs for six months until we moved and the stress caused another 5 lbs. two year later, I am currently 190 lbs. and after seeing what my body looks like at different weights I prefer to be around 180-185 lbs. yes this is considered over weight for me but it's where I think I look best. I do not want to super skinny or have a body of a teenager. I want the body of a woman. A curvy strong woman but unfortunately with my hang and extra fat in my stomach I just can't seem to get where I want to be. My goal and wishes for my tummy tuck is to simply rid of my hang. Tighten the mussels that have been pulled apart from my babies and rid of some extra fat around my tummy.
I had my first constitution May 5th and the doctor informed me with everything he will do, can do and what I will look like after. He made me feel so comfortable with his skills and knowledge I booked with him the next day for my surgery ( currently booked for June 20th ) they are going to try and get me in sooner if a spot opens up. I have never been so excited to finally feel good about my body! His plan is a full tummy tuck and mussel repair with 360 liposuction and lipo in the trunk. This surgery can't come soon enough!

My tummy tuck was planned for June 20. I had my pre op and payment in place, everything was a go until I woke up in the recovery room unchanged. What a horrible feeling. I knew the moment I woke up they did nothing to me. I could still feel this god awful hang that was supposed to be gone. Instead of waking up changed, fixed and beautiful I only had a sore throat. What had happened while I was out for five minutes was not the doctors fault or even my own. I do blame the anesthesiologist. Why? Because 11 years ago I was in a horrible car accident. I was in a coma for a month and in the hospital for three months with surgeries for three years to fix all the damage. One of these issues could not be completely fixed, my throat. A breathing tube was forced in so hard it broke a cartilage ring in my neck and I was giving a trech ( plactic breathing tube that comes out of your neck ) I had to have this hole to breath through for three years after my car accident. The breathing tube that permanently damaged my air way was placed in because my lungs collapsed. The permanent damage had heeled it's self over time but I was left with a smaller air way than a normal person. Knowing this I informed my anesthesiologist so a smaller breathing tube during surgery would be needed. She did not listen, she tried a normal adult size as soon as I was put to sleep and it would not pass. Then smaller and smaller until she reached the smallest size which was a eight year old size breathing tube. I was so swollen by then from her forcing that tube that would not fix . I was getting close to needing a hole in my throat again just to breathe. So they quit and woke me up. I was so heart broken I could not stop crying for two days after. I saw my doctor the very next day which I couldn't talk to cause I couldn't stop the tears. Luckily my husband did all the talking for me. He thought I may have some scar tissue left over from pass surgeries and gave me appointment date and time with a ENT doctor in two weeks. Depending on how this will go or what he says I may or may not get the surgery. I was given my full refund and sent on my way. During my two weeks of depression my throat got worse over time. I could hardly breath. I struggled everyday and almost went to the hospital to have them open me up somehow. Luckily had having enough I started coughing, hard. In hopes to,open me and somehow it worked. My air way slowly began to open again. I saw the ENT Doctor two weeks later who placed a camera down my nose into my throat to have a look. The damage was below my vocal cords and a CT scan with dye was needed a week later. Which cost me another $400. After my scan I saw my ENT Doctor five days later. He had a look at my pictures and was completely baffled. Why? He told me this should have never happened! My air way is smaller, yes but not to the point where this should have been a problem if the anesthesiologist would have listened to me. He gave me the ok to reschedule my surgery and this time he will call my doctor and plan to be in the surgery room with me. The anesthesiologist is not allowed to touch my throat again and my ENT will be tubbing me. What a wonderful man and doctor. Because my surgery will now have two different doctor in place my date was as soon as possible for two doctors and they gave me July 18th. A horrible experience with a sweet new start. I pray they can do it this time and make me look beautiful. With two doctors on my side this time I have faith this will finally be a reality for me. Even though it should have never happened in the first place and I should be on week five of my recovery. I'm still a bit bitter over everything but yet happy I get a second chance. It's nice to know there are doctors out there that care about you even if it's a selective surgery. It may not be important to them that I have this done but it's important to me which made it important to him. Like

It's been 13 days from my surgery and I'm gonna try and post a couple of pic from the last two weeks. In hopes to help someone else I'll do a post later in detail of my experience so far

About me:

I'm 28 years old Female 2 kids via c-section ( currently 3yo and 7yo ) 5'4 165 lbs before pregnancy 185 lbs after my first child 210 lbs before my second child 245 lbs after my second child 195 lbs after a year weight loss journey 187 lbs after tummy tuck lipo and muscle repair ( as of day 24 post op ) I still want to lose more weight but my goal is to better tone my body I have no set number or goal. I'm learning to go for what makes me happy and feel confident rather than what the scale tells me. After all, at the end of the day it's just a number. Any questions feel free to ask

My dreams are taking shape and starting to become a reality even with swelling. I can not wait for my final results

Tummy tuck was on July 18th and today August 18, four weeks and three days later I finally had a great day. I felt great, I moved around great the swelling was minimal which is great. This has been a very long month but it will be all worth it in the end. I know more swelling and maybe some discomfort is still to come but today was a good day. The pic I'm adding was even takin at the end of the day when my swelling is at it worst !

Had some stitches that are popping out so I wrapped up to keep them from rubbing my clothes

Five weeks later and really starting to feel great, besides having a cold. I can handle the pain of coughing all day and sneezing but sadly all the coughing is making me swell even more. This cold and swelling needs to go

Takin at the end of the day on week five. Even with some major swelling the results are still amazing

Try this again

This is week five at the end of the day and even with major swelling the results are amazing

This is the first time I ever wore a bikini. I don't like the normal bottoms and the skirt bottoms stick to much so I paired a nice top and girl broad shorts. Even though I'm still swelling I love my results and I can't wait to see where I will be after all, the swelling is gone. But for now I need to work on stepping out side feeling all exposed ????????

I tend I also add a before photo so I can always remind myself of where I've been. If I ever have any doubts I can easily compare my two photos and feel much better about myself. Remember no matter what you do to yourself, you will always pass judgment and feel never good enough but remember you are and always was

My surgery was on a Monday so every Monday I'll try to due an update picture

Forgot to add the photo in last post

Fighting a cold and coughing a lot. It hurts like hell to cough and the coughing makes me swell. This cold needs to go now! Still looking good though

Crazy how times flys. Still have swelling everyday. This was a mid day picture after a bunch of cleaning and I'm swollen. It doesn't take much to start the swelling. Pretty much as soon as I start to get dressed in the morning it starts. I still have mornings where I wake up already swelling. I can't wait for this to end. I see the doc for an update in two days and will do after photos. Should be fun. I love showing off my new body

My pictures haven't been loading. Let's try this again

I've been cleared to do whatever I want ( workout) as long as I start easy and work my way back up, can't wait to get started! These before and after pictures was printed out for me by my doctor. He tells me my belly button will sink in more, I'm still swollen but in time it will go down and to wait till six months to really see the final results. Which will be December. The day after my birthday! So can't wait

Feeling almost 100% still swelling but not as bad and almost no pain unless I cough or sneeze

Swelling all week. Really bad at night and after meals but also have starting light workouts
Also had an IUD placed in five days ago

Still swelling a lot this week with only a 2 lb weight gain. Putting that one up to a lot of fluid intake lately. Getting close to that three month mark and I'm just so sick of the swelling. Doc said I'll swell for up to six months but I've had enough. Won't hit the six month mark till January.

New helmet and new motorcycle. Early birthday and Christmas gift from my one and only, husband. Completely unrelated to tummy tucks but just to excited not to share

I can not believe next week will be three months since my surgery. I feel amazing and sexy for the first time in my life. I love to walk around or sleep naked in front of my husband. Which he loves too. The pain is gone unless I sneeze that still hurts. And I do still swell everyday. Some worse than others. In fact some day I swell so bad I look pregnant again! But it passes in a day or two. Two weeks ago I got an iud and have been dealing with the cramps from that but it will be worth it. Five years of making sure nothing messing up my new tummy! Really looking forward to Christmas this year cause that will mark six months for me. When I'm told most if not all the swelling will be gone :) most likely I'll have to wait a full year before it's completely gone at my rate.

3 months already. Can't believe it. Time really does fly
My pain is pretty much gone. Sitting up and sneezing still hurts and oddly enough ever since week two, I've needed to stretch every morning more than normal or more than I ever would before. Almost like my body is making me and these stretches sometimes wake me up cause they hurt. Dunno what's that about.
Every morning ( almost ) I wake up fabulous and by the end of the day still swelling. I thought this would be gone by now but it's not. I still have swell hell days
I'm just now starting to sleep on my belly which is so wonderful cause I'm a belly sleeper
Not else really to report this week. Still swelling at night. A lot after I eat and pain almost completely gone. Loving my results so far

I update every Monday

Still swell everyday. Nothing else to report this week

Started an ab workout routine mid week this week. Last for a month. I feel like the swelling is slightly better this week but only slightly. Still pain for sneezing and now a weird pain and stress feeling while trying to workouts my new abs. Maybe it's just something I'm not use to being that my abs were so far out of place before surgery

Did some research and got an awesome and strong trainer on Amazon. Starting slow day one two hour and adding an hour each day ti wearing it until I'm at all day wear. No sleeping. Read that it's not safe. Going to an even better hour glass shape ?????

It's been a bad week. Bathroom remodeling ( stressful) speeding tickets and bad test scores coming home from my oldest child. But that's life. As for my tummy, swelling is still a daily thing but my new waist trainer is surprisingly helping a lot with that. The first day I wore my trainer was awful. Uncomfortable. Itchy, to tight. But after two hours day one then four hours day two I started to loosen up. I've been wearing it six days now and almost already ready to go to the next latch. Which is so crazy cause the day it was delivered I didn't even think I would be able to put it on. Happy I got it. Hopefully my bad luck has ending and this week will be better

Ps sorry for the dark lighting and photo. Was in the middle of remodeling

Just when I think it can't get any better, it does. I don't swell as much as I used to but I still do everyday. Some days more than others but at least I'm not going to bed looking like a beach ball anymore

Another week down and feeling fabulous! In the last three weeks I have lost 5 lbs, I'm aiming for another ten by feb. and since changes also seem to be slowing down I'm thinking when I hit six months I'll probably start updating monthly vs weekly
Happy healing ladies

Loving every moment of this. I'm fitting back into jeans I had before children. I couldn't be happier. I'm always going to be a thick girl but now I'm always going to be thick, flat and beautiful

The time really does seem to just fly by. I remember back in spring I told myself by Christmas I'll not only have the body I always wanted but I'll have the body I deserve. I gave my body to my husband then my children and then to myself. I worked hard and dropped the weight and still looked huge and flabby. ==============================================================================
Words can not describe how amazing it is to feel sexy to not be ashamed to take my clothes off to walk around with so much confidence and not to mention not having to pick up ,fold or pull around my hanging skin just to shave my girly bits. I hated working out running, jumping or anything that made that awful thing move. I'm just so thankful that it's gone. Even though I had that hang of skin for almost eight years, I'm starting to forget what it looked like to have it on me and it felt like to touch it. I will always remember the struggles of having it with moving my body but the feeling of actually having it is fading away. It's Both a good and bad thing. I always wanted to remember what it was like so I never return to that state but also forget because of the depression it caused. ==============================================================================
Swelling has dropped dramatically. I still do swell but it's not much unless I'm stressed. Stress cause a lot of swelling for some reason. But at least now I almost look just as good in the morning as I do at the end of the day. As long as I don't eat to much. This is not only wonderful for looks but sex is getting so much better too. Yes I went there. There's nothing like you husband feeling you up, down and everywhere while your doing your thang lol and Not stopping him from taking your clothes off, touching you or even leaving a light on. It's an amazing feeling to be so comfortable with your body and your husband. ==============================================================================
With the swelling going down feeling and looking better has some small negative effects. Negative only to my mind and in a way I thought never would bother me but somehow and sadly is dose. People or family reactions seem so change as your body changes. For the ones that know what kind of surgery you've had, your going to deal with a rather large rang of emotions and opinions. And for me before going into this I told myself I don't care what anyone thinks or says. This is my body I'm unhappy and I should do and will do whatever it takes to be happy. What dose all of this mean? Well, your most likely going to get people or family members that will stare at your tummy and you'll be able to see the facial reactions of: wow that looks good ( rare ) or disgust face. How could she go through with that and spend that much money ( common ) or an unsure face. Where you can see that they don't agree but also are thinking they could benefit from this surgery as well but won't admit it ( very common ) with each person you'll quickly learn how they feel about you now. I've had a wide range of things and with only a hand full of people. I've had the disgust looks and the laughing or snickering with someone when ever they hear or see something cosmic related. They will talk or laugh behind your back but loud enough for you to hear. These kind of people I believe truly don't understand what it is like living with all that extra skin or are simply jealous and need to find a negative in it. The ones that stare and have a wow look on there face are interesting for sure. As for you can tell they like the changes but won't tell you. After they closely examine you when you first see each other and then for the rest of the evening will hardly look your way. For the ones that give you the unsure look, they will most likely not look or talk to you about it. Maybe ask how you feel and that's about it. All of these I have experienced. You may not but this is how it is for some who have gone through a tummy tuck. The oddest treatment so far and is completely true was where in the beginning ( during swelling) she sneaked pictures of me ( I saw them ) would tell me to my face how good I looked but actually mocked me behind my back to her stick figure family and send them the pictures, funny thing was after the swelling was mostly gone the sneak pictures stopped, I didn't see anymore giggling over the phone lol she thinks I look good now , just wait until next summer. I'll see you at the pool. All of these things did happen and I've been thinking a lot about them this week because I'll be seeing my side of the family in three weeks. They haven't seen me since I've had this surgery. I told my mother I was doing it just in case and wanted to keep it a secret. So, naturally everyone knows. I hope my family won't be as judgmental but I kinda already know they will be. It's in there nature I guess. Time will tell and hopefully I will learn to care less and not get so offended. I think my problem here is, why can't they just understand the depression I had from it and how uncomfortable I was in my own body and just be happy for me that I took charge of my life and made the change. Of course that will never happen within my family. They are not happy unless you are unhappy. Hopefully the week will fly by. ==============================================================================
Sorry for the long post this week. A lot on my mind and if you have gone through this and are preparing to see family this holiday season, don't expect everyone to be supportive. Most likely they will act it but will say otherwise behind your back. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and trust me you'll get it. Either to your face, behind your back or gossiping with others. Hopefully you won't have a hard time like me. It's why I love this site, at least everyone here understands

Not much really to say this week other than it's completely insane I still deal with swelling. It's not bad and hardly noticeable to anyone but me. Even a small amount and I can fell this weird sensation almost numbing feeling. I hates it and I hate wearing compression garments. I don't wear them all day anymore, I take it off sometime after dinner when I get my comfy cozies on and go to sleep without it. Feels so amazing to get it off. --------------------------------------------------------- Doesn't seem like much its changing a whole lot now even though I am still losing weight. I'm still overjoyed with my results my only problem now is shirts. Long sleeve shirts or jackets, I live in the south and it doesn't get real cold compared to up north. And as I am getting ready for my trip I go shopping for jackets only to disappointed with my body again. I used to wear large to extra large shirts and with my new tummy I'm in a medium to small T's. The crappy part is my arms. I've always had huge upper arms since the first time I became pregnant and they never went down. So I got grumpy when I can wear smaller clothes and show off my body but I can't cause my arms won't fit in a jacket unless it's a large or even extra large. But some good news about sizes. I used to wear a large in Jeggings and I'm proud to say that I'm in a medium and I find myself even pulling these up all day. Lol maybe I'll try a small in a month or two. If you don't know what jeggings are they are basically very very stretchy jeans and are almost as comfortable as yoga pants. They come in XL,L,M,S and also have different leg lengths and cuts. Freaking love theses pants and hate normal jeans. Feel like I can't move in normal jeans yuk. Back to my arms, I do have them on my wish list to get lipo or even a lift but that's money I don't have yet, making goals! So, I guess I did have a little something to say this week haha I'm always a little slow at first but once I start typing I could go on forever:)

Oh the stress! A couple days left till Christmas and a couple days left till my trip to see family and so much to do. I really do hate stress. It makes it harder to lose any weight, my face will break out when it's normally always clear and the best part it make me swell. Like what the hell, I have enough to deal with the last thing I need is to feel uncomfortable. Oh well. Everything else is going good but one night I was actually struggling a little to pull my abs and get up so my husband helped me and not being a big deal when I was ready I just flopped back in my bed ... big mistake ouch! I don't like using my abs a whole lot cause it still feels like I'm going to pop something even though I know I'm not. My husband wants me so work them out more, he thinks the feeling will go away when my abs are stronger but if I don't feel comfortable with doing it then I should tell my doctor at the next follow which isn't till march. I'm going to plan on using them more and if they don't improve by then I'll mention it to my doctor. I'm just worried this feeling mite be the way it is now. My abs were pulled together by permanent stitches and I can feel them under my skin if I rub my tummy. They don't bother me it's just weird. Anyways have a great Christmas ????