Post Op Review, the Good, the Bad & the Ugly! - Toledo, OH

I am 47, mother of 3 (24, 21, 17), 5’5 and currently 165lbs. My main purpose for writing this and posing my pics is for anyone who is in the recovery period and feel like they are the only one who hasn’t hit the flat side or they aren’t looking as good as everyone else.

After the birth of my daughter, I lost all my baby weight and was 120lbs but had the “flap.” Next came 2 more babies and each time I gained more and more weight. Fast forward to 3 years ago, I was 225lbs and I knew I needed to do something. I started exercising, hired a personal trainer and took an ongoing weight loss bible study at church. Slowly but surely I lost 60 lbs, yes it took 3 years, but I never tried the fad diets because I knew I would gain it back. I knew I had to change my lifestyle and that would take some time. I have wanted a tt for 20 years but decided at the beginning of my weight lost journey that 50lbs was when I would get it. June 2012, I hit my 50lb loss.

Jan 4, 2013 was my day, full tt with bl. I had a breast reduction when I was 18 and the girls needed an adjustment. I didn’t know about this site until a week after my surgery, so I didn’t even think to take before pics not to mention I didn’t know I’d want them to compare. Nothing bad has happened, no seroma’s, no infection, I’m very thankful for that, but recovery has been very frustrating. I had no idea how bad the swelling would get and how tired I would be. I think my PS did a great job; it’s just my body that is not co-operating! In all honesty, I think my expectations are just a little too high, after all I’m supposed to be superwoman!

My PS says I have visceral fat in my upper belly that exercise should take care of. I wish lipo could have taken care of that, but it took me many years to gain it, I can’t expect it to all go away overnight. I’m addicted to going to the gym now so I have confidence I can get that taken care of.

I haven’t wanted to post pics because I don’t feel my belly looks as good as everyone else’s, but I decided it’s important to put them out there because everyone won’t have the perfect body and we all recover at different rates. If putting my pics out there can help even one woman not feel so bad about herself then it is worth it.

I am so happy I got this done even if I don’t have a completely flat tummy. When I look at my before pics (that my PS took) and look at myself now, there really is a major improvement. I started back to the gym at 8 weeks which created more swelling but it has helped my emotional well-being and I know in the long run it can only help. The swelling seems to go in cycles, just when you think maybe the worst is over, it comes back. I made a conscious choice to quit fretting about the swell hell days, they used to really take a toll on me and I had to stop. Now I just keep reminding myself that it is all part of the process. This too shall pass.

I’m starting with my heaviest weight pic and putting the good, the bad, and the ugly! Between 8 & 9 weeks I swelled up and was distended; saw the PS and he said it is all part of healing. I also took some “suck in” and “normal” pics. I may not have a flat stomach but I look a hundred times better and better yet, I FEEL a thousand times better. So without further adieu, I am posting my pics (as I am cringing and my heart rate is going up!)