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Lisa M's Big Tummy Tuck Adventure

Hi.  I'm Lisa, and here's my tummy tuck story.

The big decision.  
I'm 46 years old and have never been very happy with my body.  About 15 years ago I decided to have liposuction on a couple of fatty areas on my back/upper hip area.  Even though my stomach was pretty flat at the time, my plastic surgeon suggested doing a little liposuction on my lower abs as well.  So I went along with it and I was happy with the liposuction results.  About five years later I had a breast reduction. I think that the lipo and breast reduction were the cause of a new problem ? fat on my upper abs.  As I gained weight and that new fat was trying to find a home, it was turned away from my lower abs since the fat cells were gone.  Then it probably tried to go to my breasts, but the fat cells there were gone too.  So it camped out on my upper abs.  I gained around 30 pounds over the years and my body became very out-of-proportion.  Even when I lost most of the excess weight, much of the fat on my upper abs remained.  When I lost more weight the skin on my upper abs became somewhat loose.  Enough so that even though I was at a decent size for me (size 10, 5'8", 155 at time of surgery) I didn't look good in a two piece bathing suit.  And, more importantly, my clothes just didn't fit right.  If they fit my waist they were too big for my hips and if they fit my hips they were too tight in the waist.

Plus I had a roll of fat hanging over my waistbands ? not attractive!  I used to constantly walk around the office grabbing that fat roll!  I was also very unhappy with my droopy upper eyelids, so I decided to have them done and at the same time have something done with my upper abs.

.

The consultation.  
My sister had had some cosmetic surgery and was very happy with the surgeon, so I went with him.  I went in to my consultation requesting liposuction on my upper abs, but the PS said that I wouldn't be happy with that since it would just cause more loose skin in that area.  He felt that I needed a full tummy tuck (w/muscle repair).  Well, that day I made the commitment to have the TT and an upper blepheroplasty at the same time.

He said it would require a night's stay in the hospital.  The total cost would be $8,850 including the hospital stay and anesthesia.  The doctor's fee for the abdominoplasty was $5,000 and I was given a $700 credit for having two surgeries at the same time.  I hadn't really wanted to have the surgery in the summer (not able to swim, having to wear a binder) but once I made the decision I wanted it done ASAP.  My surgery was scheduled for three weeks later.

Surgery day.  
Everything went quite smoothly on surgery day (7/11/03).  I was nervous but excited about what was about to happen.  I had told my plastic surgeon that I'd rather not have general anesthesia if possible.  I was afraid of general mainly because of the risk ? what a bummer it would be to die from cosmetic surgery!  He had said that was fine and that I'd have an epidural and a local for the eyes.  But when the anesthesiologist consulted with me prior to the surgery, she suggested general because it is very safe for a healthy person and it would be just as risky to keep me awake for such a long surgery.  I agreed to the general, and am glad I did.  The doctor preferred that I be awake for the eyelid surgery so that I could open and close my eyes for him, so we agreed he'd do that first with me awake and then I'd go to sleep for the TT.  I can remember him working on my eyes; it was really weird since I knew what was going on but didn't care at all.  Then the anesthesiologist told me I'd be going to sleep, and I was out immediately.  When I woke up I was in the recovery room and feeling fine.  But then came the dreaded feeling in my bladder!  Uh oh, I was going to have to get up.  It took two nurses to get me up and get me to the bathroom, but it wasn't too painful since I had help.  The pain came later when I was in my hospital room, the next time I had to go to the bathroom.  The problem was mainly that no one was helping me to get up or instructing me on how to do it.  The nurse just stood there and watched.  I tried once and I've never felt such pain ? my whole body started shaking.  (By the way, this was with me on IV pain killer, percoset and a pain pump.)  I tried again and tears just flew out of my eyes.  This was the worst pain I've ever experienced.  I was pretty much prepared to wet the bed since I couldn't get up and I knew I wouldn't even be able to use a bedpan.  Finally another nurse took pity on me and showed me the best way to get up and I was finally able to do it.  I was pretty much out of it for the hospital stay and slept most of the time.  I can't imagine having that surgery and not spending the night in the hospital.  I was on a liquid diet the first day, but could have regular food the second day.

The recovery.   
The next day, my sister picked me up and took me to her house, where I stayed for three days.  That was a really good plan since I don't think I could have taken care of myself at that point.  She fed me and gave me my medications.  The only time I got up was to go to the bathroom and getting up remained quite a challenge.

Occasionally my sister would help me get up, but I knew I had to learn to do it myself, so I got up most of the time on my own even though it wasn't easy.  I had one drain and was able to empty it myself (there's only so much my sister wanted to do!)  Thank goodness she had a recliner, where I spent all my time.  It would have been very difficult to be in a bed.  I had my first follow-up visit with my PS four days after my surgery.  My sister drove me there and the bumpy roads were not fun.  The doctor said things looked fine, except that I had developed a couple of large tape blisters.  That was actually a relief since lately every time I got up I had a searing pain that felt like a piece of tape being ripped off of my incision.  I was terrified that my incision had ripped open.  But it was the blisters ? they were very painful.  The doctor removed my pain pump, but said that the drain wasn't ready to come our yet.  He asked if I wanted to see my stomach before he put the binder back on, but I quickly said no to that ? I just wasn't ready to see it.  He gave me the go-ahead to take a shower which made me happy.  I had left my car at the hospital so I drove home from there.  Driving was fine (but I was really scared about what would happen if I should get in an accident).  I made sure I didn't take pain medication that morning until I got home so that I could drive.

Home sweet home.  
I live alone (with two cats) so I was now on my own as far as my recovery was concerned.  I pretty much stayed in bed (on my back, head and legs propped up with pillows) for a week.  Only got up to eat, drink and go to the bathroom.  I slept most of the time the first couple of days since I was still on percoset.   The problem came when I went off the pain medication.  It was more uncomfortable than painful, and I just couldn't sleep since I am a side sleeper.  The binder was driving me crazy (the doctor advised wearing it over a soft t-shirt, which did help a bit).  Of course it was still rather painful when my 20 lb. cat jumped on my stomach (I let out a blood curdling scream), and coughing and sneezing was terrible.  I can't imagine someone having this surgery and then getting a cold; I'm not sure a person could survive that!  I still hadn't taken a full shower (after five days), since I was scared to remove my binder and was still afraid to see my stomach.  But I finally bit the bullet and took the shower since I just couldn't stand my greasy hair any more.  I hooked my drain on to a chain around my neck while I showered.  What a lovely accessory!  This was the first time I'd looked at my stomach and I was pleasantly surprised.  I had a belly button instead of the horizontal slit I used to have!  The day prior to my second follow-up I almost accidentally ripped out my drain which really hurt, but it stayed in, thank goodness.  I went to my second follow-up appointment on Day 6.  Everything looked fine and the drain was removed (no pain) and so were the belly button stitches.  (The main incision was closed by tape, which eventually fell off.)  By the second week I was doing pretty well.  It was still a challenge getting up and down and I was still hunched over, but I felt pretty good (except I wasn't sleeping very well).  A friend came by to see me and was really shocked by the size of the incision ? she said my doctor lied when he said it would be like a c-section scar!

Back to work.   
I went back to work on Day 17.  I was still pretty hunched over and my eyes were still a little bruised and swollen, but I was really sick of being home.  Daytime TV was eating away at my brain.  During the day at work I traded my binder for a one-piece body shaper.  By the end of the day for the first week I was pretty uncomfortable and very hunched over, but it wasn't too bad.  It was nice to be around people again, and of course everyone wanted to see how I looked.  I had not kept the surgery a secret at all.  I think everyone was pretty impressed.  The eyes got the most attention of course, and they do look so much better than they used to.  But people have also noticed that I look shapelier.  In fact, when I went to my third follow-up appointment on Day 21, even my doctor was surprised at how much my waist had come in.  He gave me permission to go swimming the next week (well, I wasn't really able to swim, just gingerly get in the pool and lay on a float ? the kind with a raised back).  When my dad and sister saw me in a bathing suit they said, wow, you have a waist now!  (btw, I felt secure in the pool since I wore one of those body shaper  bathing suits, which was tighter than my binder!) 

The results.
Well, it's only been a month now, but so far I'm thrilled with the results.  After week three I was finally able to sleep on my sides, so now I'm sleeping just fine.  And I'm standing up straight now.  The first day that I could stand up straight I raided my bathing suit drawer and tried on every two-piece bathing suit I have.  None of them had been worn even though I'd had them for a while -- I kept buying them and then realizing that I couldn't go out in them.  Now they look great!  (I don't look like a supermodel, but I look pretty good for an old broad!)  I haven't weighed myself, since I don't want to be disappointed if there's still swelling and my weight has gone up temporarily.  Plus I don't really care about my weight, just how my clothes fit, and I already went out and bought a couple of new suits, and I needed a size 8!  I'm not sure how swollen I am at this point, but even if this is the final result I'm happy -- I have a whole wardrobe in size 10 so I actually hope I don't get too much smaller!

I'm still wearing support garments during the days and my binder at night.  My doctor has given me the go-ahead to give up the binder, but I'm just not ready yet.  I'm listening to my body, and it tells me when it's ready for each step.  I'm massaging the incision every day with Vitamin E lotion.  It looks pretty bad, but I know it will look much better with time.  I really do feel better about myself now.  And I can't wait to start exercising.

I've never liked exercise, but now I'm really excited about starting when I'm able (a couple more weeks).  I think it's because now I have the potential to look pretty good and I didn't feel like I had that before.  I do have the occasional 'what have I done' moment when I think about the money and the scar and how my stomach wasn't that bad compared to lots of other people, but I'm sure I'll get over that when I'm all healed.  All-in-all this was a very positive experience.  

~Lisa M