Hi-Def Vaser Lip 360 Abdomen - Lots of Specifics ;)

I have continued to get weekly lymphatic massages and I’ve sized down in the compression garments.
I still have soreness and a bit of numbness. I also still have certain areas that are specifically swollen, raised. But nurses and medical massage therapist say that’s all normal.
I will say about compression garments - the two brands I’m using: Marena and Bonito are both great, but fit differently with sizing IMO. Bonito runs a bit bigger for me.
Also I tried the Marena brief style and leg holes are too uncomfortable for me. I was in a M brief. So I’m back to the covered thigh/leg versions.
Also Deirdre Sours who owns Bonito - will help you with sizing and education around compression garments if you want it. Her customer service is top notch.
I’ve probably over-bought compression garments in search of the perfect one (low back & comfortable legs). But it doesn’t exist for me lol
So I’m happy rotating between a couple of my favs. And adjusting my clothing choices accordingly.
Happy to give more specific anyone wants to know.

Every day there is noticeable improvement in pain and less numbness.

I’m obsessed with my results.

My nurses at Restora have been so incredible patient and responsive. There were some days I e-mailed a question every day and Kacie would always get back to me within hours. I never had to call. And Katelyn I’ve been seeing in person for drain removal and checkins. Love her too for being excited for me and being thorough in her responses to my questions at both drain removal appts.

You don’t realize, maybe, how much communication you’re going to have with your Drs office - so make sure you not only trust them but like them :) IMHO.

I only wish I could hang out with Dr Reid more bc he seems like the coolest, most level-headed person. Plus how can you not love someone who safely makes you skinny. I appreciate his education around true body contouring and sculpting VS just de-bulking. I know I have more results to look forward to seeing in the coming 4 weeks, and beyond. I posted below - but if you are hungry for more info check out his Instagram past QnA posts + IG Stories/highlights.

Massage:
I was nervous about the massage and covid but just make sure your therapist is taking all the precautions you need to feel like it’s the safest situation possible. The massage was both enjoyable and slightly painful but the kind of pain that feels like someone gently pressing/touching a bruise on your body. It’s not fiery pain. And he really does do a lot to make it quite enjoyable.

Garments update:
I posted below. So check that out if you’re curious on this. But an update: I ended up cutting the legs/thigh area off my surgery garment bc I didn’t have lipo there. and it was a relief to have less coverage. I ordered a “Brief” style post surgery garment From Marena and looking forward to having the variety. Again check with your SDR/nurse first. But you may want different styles/brands just to mix things up.

Lumps/swelling:
I do have swollen areas, some are visibly lumpy. My nurses explained its totally normal at this phase. And just to keep up massage and compression. They also said, and I have been doing this, to place foam (drs office gave me some) on entire area or on specific areas where there is swollen tissue. If it fits and is comfortable.

This will be more of an overview leading up surgery and up until now, 9 days after surgery. I've divided it into sections. I'm in Texas. #weareamask
***Research***
*There are different kinds of lipo + skill sets. And then there's so many different kinds of marketing terms to describe them on various Dr's sites. There's a video here on RealSelf that covers various types that is a good starting place (I believe under the general Lipo section).
*I also dove into the internet and took notes on everything to stay organized. This is how I prepped for my consultations with two different doctors.
*Don't expect your Dr or the Dr 's office representatives to tell you everything - they only have so much time and every patient's needs for info is different. I wish my Dr's office offered a one-pager or had a set of links they could send you at least to help you on your research journey. There is a lot on their website. But I wanted more, lol ... I might be out of the ordinary patient profile! So... I found a lot of videos from my Dr on IG, and other parts of their website and other places... but I had to poke around a lot. Also, some of the info doesn't come until you've booked surgery in a patient portal... I'd rather just have it all upfront.
****Desires****
At first, I just wanted "standard lipo" whatever I thought that was. I just wanted to de-bulk my front abdomen. But after spending time reading and researching and watching my Dr's videos on the procedure (ahead of our consult) I realized that if I was going to go through all this, might as well do it all the way. Which meant doing a 360/or my entire midsection front and back. I'm a small person and you don't realize the impact on your overall look by lipo-ing some fat out from your flanks. (I hate this word btw. Sounds like a steak, gross, lol)
***Goals***
Originally I was considering cool sculpting, then talked to a trusted family member who had lipo and is also a Dr and realized that for the "results" I was looking for lipo was more dependable in delivering results and by the time you've done several cool sculpt sessions - you've paid for half of surgery. Also there are some complications with cool sculpt - do your research - nerd out on it with a cup of tea!
***My misc. recommendations - take or leave'em***
1. Get 2 or more DR consultations. They are worth the cost if they do charge, in the long run. What one Dr says may alert you to something you didn't know you needed to ask about or consider.
2. Why anyone would do lipo without full/GENERAL anesthesia is beyond my understanding. My Dr. doesn't even offer that as an option. You will read about bad experiences on here with twilight sedation or less... you get what you pay for and why would you want to go through this very intense procedure awake at all? Ok. I'm done.
***Surgery + COVID***
I'm not going to lie, having surgery during Covid was a bit anxiety-inducing. But I thought my Dr's plan of quarantining before surgery and after for a set number of days sounded solid. I quarantined before surgery longer than they requested for my own sanity. I also got tested for covid to be sure I didn't have it. It sounds like no one knows the impacts of surgical recovery and covid (should you catch it while you're recovering), b/c covid is still so mysterious in many ways. So it's not something you wanna mess around with. My Dr. also put me on a special set of immunity-boosting vitamins pre and post-surgery. I was fine being super locked up for a while. I mean, where the heck do I need to go in this mess anyway? My husband and I went as far as deciding not to have contact w/ each other a couple of days after surgery too, and sleep in different beds, so that he could still go to grocery store, etc. and lower my risk of getting covid even further (from getting from him).
***Surgery + Recovery***
I'd read a mix of reviews ranging from "feels like a hard workout" to "this is most horrible thing ever". When I woke up after surgery I was NOT prepared for that pain. That may be the most pain I've ever had, that I can remember. For comparison: I've had other surgeries, but never broken a bone or given birth. So back to waking up... my whole abdomen was on fire when I moved. If you don't move and are just sitting. It's fine. Lol.
Over the course of the last 9 days, every day there is a noticeable improvement in pain levels. I think I stopped the pain killers and muscle relaxers after full 3 days post-surgery. Now I'm just on Tylenol when I go to bed really (starting day 4-9).
For me, the pain was NOT like a "hard work out"... it was worse. Maybe now, at day 8 and 9 it feels like a tough work out.
I work from home, no I could have gone into an office after this (see drains too below). I was away from work for 4 days plus the surgery day. I wish I'd taken off one more day, too. I couldn't feel pain when I was sitting, just getting up and down, but my brain was still so foggy from the post-surgery meds. And I was tired AF.
Most liposuction, from my understanding, does not require drains. I think b/c of all the fluid required for Hi-Def Vaser Lipo, especially if you're doing 360 lipo - you need them. I got two which sounds standard for my type of surgery.
If someone hasn't warned you they are a pain, consider this your warning. That being said - I did eventually get used to them. You have to be careful, they sometimes itch, look gross, etc... But I'm grateful to have modern medicine that allows us to heal properly and safely. I hope to get one out at my follow up, which is 11 days post-surgery b/c of my quarantine. The next one probably won't come out for another week. If you are a details person like me, ask all the questions on specifics/expectations, otherwise, you may be stuck wondering or worse, assuming.
I don't know how you'd go into an office with drains still in. Maybe once I only have one it'll be easier to hide. But I'm a short, smaller sized person and there is not a shirt baggy enough to hide them. Think about this in your recovery plan! Esp if you may have drains for two weeks or so.
I was not clear on what the heck a "garment" was at first. And when I hear "girdle" I thought of something from the early 1900s. And I have a graduate degree and wear Spanx on the regular. But essentially I think it's just surgery nomenclature for super-duper Spanx :)
***My garments***
*Your surgeon will place you in one. I'm lucky that I liked the one (for most part) my Dr's office put me in. It's Marena brand. It is one-piece with straps that go over your shoulders included. The only reason I don't like it, is because I've got boobs and the straps don't allow room for them on the sides, but you don't really notice it after wearing it for a bit. KEY with this garment there are NO SEAMS really. You don't want a garment with seams that will mark and rub you.
*I also bought two garments from Bonito. Which is where my Dr's office directed me to buy from. I bought two: 1 to rotate with the Dr's garment, and 1 to wear in "phase 2" of my swelling/recovery process. If you go to Bonito's website - it will explain the whole "phases" situation. It's definitely another chapter I'll save you from here.
*You'll have to wear the garment 24/7 for 6 weeks. This might shock you, it shocked me... But they are quite comfy and b/c you can't go anywhere anyway, if you're in a hot region, you don't have to worry about overheating b/c you'll be indoors all the time. I think the comfort comes from the fact that you do have pain and sensitivity, so the garment is like a "safe, protective hug" around you.
I'm only 9 days out, so I know that it's at least 4 more weeks before I see 60-70% of my results due to swelling. I can see more results in real life than you can see in these photos. But I'm only sharing to show you that even though I'm swollen, I still can start to see the results! Even my husband noticed.
*Finding the confidence of going to the bathroom while wearing my garment for the first few times... it's a weird feeling that I did not trust... but eventually found positioning and confidence to go with "intention" so I didn't have to worry I might need to change my garment after! :)
*Forgetting I'm wearing underwear over my compression garment, and peeing on my underwear, lol
*Getting my drains, compression garment and cami-bra completely tangled up on myself haha
*Putting Aquafor (from a tube) on my toothbrush instead of toothpaste (thankfully caught it before putting in my mouth)
*Putting on my garment inside out and then having to re-do the whole thing - it's a process! so not that funny, but kinda.
I'm into the details and specifics, can ya'tell? :) Hope this was helpful. Feel free to leave Q's and I'll try to answer them from my experience/research.