my tummy tuck story, done on 23rd april 2011 - London, UK

i am due to go to highgate hospital in london tomorrow. is anyone on here due for surgery then? i have to be there for 2pm with op scheduled for 3pm. i have wanted to do this for so long, i am 49 with two grown up children and i have hated my stomach since i have had them ( although they were worth it ) now its me time but i am so scared.

have not had too long to worry about it tho as i only decided to go ahead last week and had my consultation. i have added my before pics already as i would love to see someone elses results that have a similar stomach to mine. i am also having liposuction on my hips :)

well hello, i am now home and on day 2 post op. its been a bit difficult as my husband is working away but i am managing with ready meals. i dont feel too bad , but am finding my lipo sites actually hurt more than my tummy tuck.roll on day 3 for hopefully more improvement. the nurses said it looks really good, and the surgeon has said he has took 3 kg of fat off my stomach and has taken away 80 per cent of my stretch marks, i could not of dreamed of more and cant wait to see the results and my new tummy button woo hoo. thanks for all your messages and i will post again tomorrow as i am really tired now x

day five post op nearly over yay, the days are going so fast. pain is pretty much under control, and all in all feeling ok, was a little bit tearful this morning, but putting that down to being stuck indoors. i am so looking forward to next week when maybe i can walk across the road to my shop lol...exciting stuff huh! iam going to my doctors for my check on tues so hopefully i will be able to see my results so far...i can see what you american girls call your..is it vjay area lol, well i had lipo there and it is looking good in the lady garden area haha. i am so glad i tried climing the stairs on day 2 to go to bed as i sleep so much better there rather than on the recliner, and the tip to have a step up stool to get into the bed has been wonderful, so much easier,although i wish i had a headboard to pull myself up on. i am sleeping half sitting up propped with lots of pillows and a pillow under my knees. has anyone got any tips on how to make it easier on yourself to get out of bed, all tips of any kind gratefully received, well ladies will update tomorrow which will be day six post op hooray x

day 6.....feeling pretty good today and can stand up much straighter, been for a little five min walk and going to go again later. i slept the best last night since my op so things are defo going up hill, have added a couple of day six pics, although i am still binded it will give some idea. well all excitement going on today, i live right on top of a green and they are setting up a party, there are going to be 185 children and a lot of adults, i have a ring side seat from my recliner lol...not much rest for me today :) x

i have got to day six post op and struggling to pick up anything i dropped on the floor...so frustrating! then it hit me...bingo! i have one of those dust pans wirh the long handled brush, now i simply sweep up what i have dropped into the dustpan, genius! i am sooooo pleased with myself hahaha and it makes my days so much easier!i have retrieved so many things today that i have had to do without for the last few days, one of them being my hrt lol x

day 7....and two hours away from the start of day 8 yay!! today has not been too bad, although when i woke this morning (very early) i had a bad pain under one of my ribs, i think its from a lipo site but not really sure, it could be where my binder is so tight, also noticing that about every 20 mins or so i get a short sharp gasp of air being forced out its very strange, has anyone else had that. ? my surgeon said i must take ten deep breathes every couple of hours but sometimes with the lipo sites being under my ribs and the tight binder i find it hard to do these breaths to fully expand my lungs, maybe this is why i am getting these little gasps...trapped air maybe. feeling more and more better as the day has worn on. my ps has said that i must keep the surgical stockings on for two weeks....did anyone else? i really would love to take them off. well i think now i am a week post op the worst must be over and now i must concentrate on taking a couple of short walks a day.

well i am now on the eve of day 8 and i feel great, hardly any discomfort at all, just goes to show when you get yr first week under yr belt you are nearly home and dry, and just to think only last night i was still in discomfort, and this time last week i could not or did not know how i would feel in just a week. caught a glimpse of my new belly button today and i love it!!!! it is oval and nestling nicely against a very flat tummy...i am estatic!!

day 9 ! my new pics are up! i am beyond thrilled with my results so far and i know they are going to get better with time, i am one very very happy lady, i would like to thank my darling husband for making my dreams come true...i love you dave xxx and also my wonderful surgeon mr azah aslam of harley street (highgate hospital, london uk..you are one of the wonders of the world in my book!!
i am feeling very well today and am going to go for a walk, i must start to tone my legs to go with my new fab body!
for any of you ladies that are pre op and have doubts like i did....dont....you will not regret this and it will change your life, and for those ladies which are at day 3 or earlier, i know you are thinking..maybe...why did i do this to myself, just you wait till u get to day 9 you will be estatic, i certainly am :) life is good!

day 14..woke up feeling really tired today and a bit stiff. my sleep pattern has gone to pot so thats probably why...or maybe its a classic case of getting worse before you get better.the last couple of mornings when i woke up mt muscles in my tummy have decided to do a little stretch..like the are yawning, i have no control over this, its very strange. i had muscle repair and tightning..is this normal? has anyone else experienced this? well tonight i am going out for a little while for the first time, really looking forward to it. will try and get some two week pics up today or tomorrow.

day 16..now i know what the girls were saying about swell hell lol, fine in the morning but as the day goes on its swell lol..but loving it as the days of recovery are going quick...one thing if anyone else has had it, when i wake up in the mornings my feet are uncomfortable, sort of achy on the soles? can any one reassure me please. seeing my nurse tomorrow to have the final dressing off thank goodness, i have not had a proper shower for 17 days!!! i am doing the three part wash thing, hair leaning in the shower, then feet, then middle body..its a chore alright, i cant wait to just get in there and put the jets on! bliss.i am now going to try to upload my 14 day post op photo, it would not let me on the day for some reason...well good luck to any tummy tucks tomorrow..chrisy will be thinking of you x

my day 14 pics are up...this is the start of the new happy me!

day 19....well i have been a bit poorly the last three days, i have an infection :( the nurse took a swab the other day and it came back with normal bacteria,it worsened yesterday so she took another swab today, just to be on the safe side.when i got up this morning my dressing was soaked i stood up and a redish brown liquid was dripping...i was terrified! but the nurse has assured me its the infection and its better out than in! oh but the shame..i had to take the dressing off as it was dripping and i knew i would need a new one on but didnt have one, so i thought what can i use? then it struck me the only thing i could buy at 7.30 in the morning that was pretty much sterile would be sanitary towels. the shop is only a short distance from my house so i stuffed a load of tissue down the front of my knickers to stop any drips..but just as i entered the shop it started dripping down my leg and my dress was soaked! and it smelt sooooo bad!i was mortified and didnt know what to do, but decided to grab the sanitary towels as i really needed them, and didnt have anyone at home to go to the shop for me.. and quickly pay..big mistake, it started dripping more...right in the sanitary towel isle! gross! talk about being mortified with the liquid being reddish brown it was awful!! truly the worst morning of my life...i dont know if anyone noticed...but knowing my luck it will be on cctv! grrrr..moral of this story, never have a tummy tuck if you have got to look after yourself like i have been doing, dont get me wrong i have done pretty good but there have been times when i have been soooo frustrated!all seems to be under control now so hopefully i am on the mend again :)

hi everyone, i have not updated for a while as i have had a few little complications. i have had a seroma which is hopefully nearly under control. i am five weeks post op tomorrow and last fri i had an app with my ps who felt the need to put six stitches in my incision. i am still bandaged but am happy with my results so far. i have swelling on the hips due to the lipo and a little puckering to one side of my scar, but i know this will even out as its still very early days. there is only one thing i would change if i could go back, and that would be to have my surgery nearer home so i could get to my aftercare more easily, this in no way is anything against my surgeon who i think is brill. my tummy button is lovely and has healed great. so pleased i have had this done even tho i have had a few traumas on the way but i am getting there and it is all worth it to look in the mirror and see what i see. i am posting a couple of pics that were took at four weeks post op..i can see things taking shape and i cant wait for the swelling on my hips to go down and to start some sort of exercise instead of just gentle walking...i am actually craving my wii fit! lol