56 Year Old, 3 Kids, Post Menopause, Upper and Lower Abs, Comparison to UltraShape

Preamble
I tried UltraShape last year this time and it was successful (lost 1 .56 inches in 6 weeks while it had taken me over 6 months to lose an inch with diet and exercise). The only downside is that it didn't take much weight fluctuation (about 8 lbs) for the fat cells to come back bigger (known risk). I had lost 20 lbs in about a year (186.2 down to 166.2) and have regained 14 (weighing in at 180.2 the day of the Coolscuplting). I'm a little under 5'5", am busty and in good shape for my age. I work out with a personal trainer 4x a week for an hour each day. My ideal weight at this point in my life is under 160. Would love to get back under 150 but it just ain't happening.

After UltraShape my waist was 36.5 inches. It is now 37.25. I recommend having someone take your measurements rather than just looking at yourself in the mirror or taking the measurements yourself. The fat around my waist feels softer after the UltraShape. So not only is my waist bigger than it was because of the regaining of weight but my clothes fit worse than they did when I was heavier. I tell you all this because I'd like to compare the two procedures while I also give you feedback on coolsculpting. I originally didn't want to do coolsculpting because I read the reviews and my doc told me the risk was that that stick of butter look that you get when they remove the applicator sometimes doesn't go away (rare risk but risk nonetheless). If I could find a painfree way to get similar results I was going to take it. Now that I have a daughter who is getting married in 9 weeks, I figured I'd try this procedure knowing that I was cutting it close in terms of getting results. (Last year it was another daughter getting married that trigger the decision to try UltraShape.)

Both procedures are very dependent on eating healthy, exercising and avoiding alcohol. One complaint I have is that while my UltraShape doc gave me pamphlets on this and the technician and the doc really emphasized it, the Coolsculpting doc did not. Be sure to look up what foods to avoid and what you should eat to aid in helping your body get rid of the dead fat cells. That's cricitcal. It's not about just drinking a lot of water.

Day 1 (procedure)
I had a total of 4 core applicators (2 on top and 2 on bottom). Each applicator was applied separately for 1 hour each for a total of 4 hours. I didn't mind the suction or the freezing until the area was numb. After each hour I took a short break (less than 5 minutes and once to go to the bathroom) and then had them apply the next applicator. The massaging after the removal of each applicator didn't hurt at all. After the procedure I was tender around the edges of where the applicators had been and there was numbness.

I'll post pictures when I get the chance.

Day 2 (Thursday - 1 day post) - Not much to report. Puffy stomach, tenderness around the edges of where the applicators had been placed. Numbness in the places were the applicators had been placed. I worked out and wasn't bothered at all, even when I did ab work.

Day 3 (Friday - 2 days post) - I felt a few twinges. Wondering if this the beginning of the shooting pain that people are talking about. The twinges don't hurt and don't last very long. It's a pulling/tingling sensation. Feels like someone zapped me with a very small dose of electrical current. Just to be sure, I started taking Aleve. (I don't like pain.) Wearing Spanx definitely helps. It's annoying to have clothing rub up against the areas and it's a slight irritating feeling and it keeps your belly from jiggling around and that can be a little painful. I did a 45-minute HIIT class and I was totally fine.

Day 4 (Saturday - 3 days after procedure) - starting to feel more of the twinges so took some Aleve but it's still not painful. The numbness is still there and the Spanx helps with not finding the numbness irritating. I think the twinges are part of the process of the numbness going away in certain areas.

Day 5 (Sunday - 4 days post) - I had a 1-hour workout with a personal train, wore the Spanx and was fine. I noticed the puffiness of my stomach really for the first time today. I'm going to get myself measured on Tuesday to see if it's just my imagination. I took Aleve again because I was paranoid about the twinges turning into shooting pain. I found that when I don't wear the Spanx, I feel slight cramping that feels like mild period cramping. I don't feel that when I have the Spanx on. Each day, I rup baby oil on my stomach to check where the numbness still is and to massage the fat. Pictures soon.

Day 6 (Monday - 5 days post) - A few twinges but otherwise I feel okay. It definitely helps to wear the Spanx. It's the rubbing against the skin and the belly jiggling that causes the irritation and twinges, respectively. I still took Aleve in the morning just to be sure. I took a HIIT class, wearing the Spanx, and didn't experience any twinges or pain at all.

Day 7 (Tuesday - 6 days post) - I had a personal training session first thing in the morning. I had her measure my waist to see if my perceived bloating was a figment of my imagination. It is! My waist is the same size as it was on the day of the procedure (before the procedure) (37.25 inches). I tend to think that the swelling is real but it subsides after a few days and what people are feeling is really the numbness that makes you feel puffy. There's no doubt in my mind, by the way, that the twinges and increased pain that people experience is just the numbness wearing off which will vary in intensity by person depending on where the applicators were placed, their size and the length of the treatments. Today was the first day that the twinges/pain bothered me and I think I understand why. While I wore the Spanx, I had on jeans that were snug around my stomach. It was not a comfortable feeling. Wear lose clothing or yoga pants! As the day wore on, the discomfort became more uncomfortable. Took another Aleve before going to bed because I heard that the pain has kept some people up. While I was more uncomfortable today, I wouldn't say that the pain was even close to debilitating. Mild shooting pains and irritation where my jeans snapped.

I'm waiting for the doctor's office to send me the before pictures and then I'll post the before and after pictures. I'll post pictures periodically.