Extremely Happy with Tummy Tuck! - Winnipeg, Canada

After 15 years of wanting a tummy tuck, I finally did it!! Being single and scared to show my mummy tummy , I felt I had no other choice!

My surgery was July 25th and I was home in four hours! I had no drain tubes which was a plus!! Everyone I talked to who had tucks all had drains. I still have to ask why I didn't.

My before picture was taken night before my surgery and the after photo was taken nine days after. I am still very swollen but the results are amazing!!! Cant wait to see what it looks like even a month from now when swelling is down more!!

I did have a blister form above the new location of the belly button due to the seam of my compression garment landing in that spot. It did break and is showing as a light patch above belly button, but is blending already

It's been two weeks today since procedure and I feel great!! I was off pain meds only two days after surgery! I have been eating lots of pineapple, cherries, blueberries and grapes to help reduce swelling. Also took Arnica tablets prior to surgery and there was no bruising!!!

Sept 16/12

Well it will be 8 weeks this week since my tummy tuck and still really happy with it. my weight never changed the first month, as it was mainly skin that was taken off and the swelling compensated by adding weight. but as the weeks go on I am now down 6 pounds as the swelling continues to go down, lol, slowly. though my swelling is very minimal due to the Smart Lipo Dr. Lockwood used instead. as well I think I gained some weight from sitting at home bored. My stomach did expand a little and the stretch marks above the incision got longer a bit. So really have to watch the diet after and not get into bad habits.

I find as I do activities, I can be "harder" in the stomach area from swelling some days compared to others as I do irritate it. But I know i am still in the healing process. but absolutely no pain and scar is healing well. I have been using pure Lavender Oil on the scar and it's healing fast. in Photos is still shows up, but when looking at it closely, scar is nice.

and I love my belly button! lol, most scary thing I think when people go in for tummy tucks, how is the belly button going to turn out! and Dr. Lockwood has been amazing through the whole process, a surgeon that truly cares, you're not just a patient but a person!

will up dated photos!!

well it's been 13 months and I am writing to say I am still extremely happy with my tummy tuck. I had issue with weight gain for the first year, it seems like my body just wanted to store fat no matter what I did. I had gained 15 pounds which was very depressing. so if I have any advice to give, it would be to be very careful with what you eat the first year!! I have a few added stretch marks because of it which over all, is still better then the before pics, but it should never have happened.
Dr. Lockwood continues to be amazing for ongoing follow ups. I had some fat pushed back in the muffin top area due to the Tummy Tuck and he went in and lipod it out. so happy that was done and not painful at all! Took this new photo this morning out of the shower so it's the most recent. weight i gained is started coming off right after the one year mark, so happy with that! still work in progress, will post another picture shortly!

I was just sent a message about if I needed my stomach muscles tightened for my tummy tuck. The answer was no, because of working out I had very tight muscles and my abs were back to normal. Now in the before picture of the night before my surgery, in my black shorts and purple top, it looks horrible, but it's a close up. All that skin was actually tucked into my jeans all the time. I'm attaching a before picture taken 3 mths before my tummy tuck where I was in jeans and tank top......it looks no where near the night before picture, different angle and yes, all the skin tucked in. My results are still the same, my stomach flat as a board 3 years later, very happy.

So it's been 5 years later and still very happy with tummy tuck. I'd probably be happier if I had not gained weight!! But lesson learned!! I realize when you gain weight after a tummy tuck, it goes to other areas of body where fat cells need to be filled (most tummy ones removed during surgery). So now I have BIG hips and cellulite butt I'm working at working off. Had gone through some stress and did stress eating so weight came on. Won't do that again. At 46 it's not easy. But here's my new picture, 46 yrs old, 5 years after surgery and 16 pounds heavier (but not for long)!! :).