2 year journey - finally complete

I'm 5"5 and 145 pounds. I'm healthy and 41 years old. Even though I work out 3 times a week and have a great personal trainer, I could not get rid of the 'donut' I had on the top of my stomach. My sides, hips, thighs and butt are still nice and shapely. But when I turned to the side it was a different story!

I never dreamed of lipo because I heard it was painful. Then I heard on the radio about laser assisted lipo and the DJ was raving about her results. I know I took a chance but I went to a laser lipo clinic where that is all they do. They've done hundreds of procedures and the docs put me at ease. great bedside manner and I felt I was in good hands. Most importantly, they did NOT talk me in to getting areas that I did not need done. That set my mind at ease because I'm not trying to get perfect. I'm just wanting to wear a 2 peice bathing suit and not have to worry about my belly spilling over the top.

Long story short, the docs were great. It took 1.5 hours and they removed 2,700 cc's of fat and fluid or whatever it is. That's like a 2 liter bottle of soda plus almost another 1 liter bottle. I had a lot in my belly. They did not take it all out because my doc said she did not want me to have loose skin. She said I'm active and will lose the rest naturally.

Did it hurt? Yes!! Stung like heck at time especially around my ribs where I have no meat. But it didn't hurt enough for me to say don't get it done if you want or need it. It's like a root canal. Stings when they give you the novacaine and here and there they hit an area which isn't that numb and you jump, but they stop and get you numb again.

It's been 7 days and the swelling goes down a bit more every day. I'm so excited to think that this will improve every day for the next 3 months. I'm happy now I can't imagine it's going to look even better :-) So far I have no loose skin, no unevenness, no lumps (but I do have swollen area in the middle that is still sore and will probably for at least another week), no major bruises. I did not leak beyond 24 hours. I feel my lower belly the most sore and can feel the skin tightening as the feeling slowly comes back from being numb.

Thanks for everyone who shared. It gave me so much information I was totally prepared for the proceedure and the after care. I did not take before pics but will load them when my doc sends them to me.

My advice is choose your docs carefully. I felt an immediate emotional attachment to mine and they are sincere. Don't be fooled by flashing advertising and a really nice office. Ask your docs to see pictures of lipo patients they've done. Ask how many proceedures like your's they've done. Some plastic surgeons do mostly breasts and regular lipo. Some do facial reconstruction and nose jobs. Every doc has their 'thing'. No one doc masters everything. they will tell you that but how can it be true? My docs do 3-4 smart lipos a week. The other 2 days they do consults. They don't do one a week, then spend the other 4 days doing expense breast implants, nose jobs, butt implants, regular lipo- all the stuff that makes the real money.

Would I get a touch up on some unperfect areas? Heck no!! If I can't get the rest of this with diet and exercise then so be it. But right now I feel like I have a fresh start.