6 Week Journal of My Tummy Tuck

Performing Doctor: Dr. Reisin, Star Plastic Surgery Novi, MI

Procedures/Cost with buy one get one free special:

Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) – $ 7,798.00

Suction Assisted Lipectomy Lateral Chest– $ 3,800.00

Suction Assisted Lipectomy Flanks – $ 3,800.00

Cost of surgery before special: $ 15,398.00

My total cost: $ 11,598.00

Things Needed Before Surgery:

• *** adjustable hospital bed- rental
• heating pad
• walker for 1st initial days of bending
• Spanx for after sugery
• garment provided by doctor
• shower chair
• toilet seat riser 4.5
• bed pads
• gauze
• comfortable panties
• ***body pillows
• comfortable blankets
• pain medicine filled before surgery – Percocet 10 mg, Valium 10mg, Docusate Sodium 100 mg
• favorite drink- for me powerade
• favorite drinking cup with straw, extra straws
• reading material, word puzzles or laptop for entertainment
• support system- my husband and bestfriend
• vaseline or foot cream- foot massages
• comfortable socks
• comfortable slide on shoes
• Gowns or sundresses that button or zip up
• Oversized or very comfortable pants or pajamas

Day Before Surgery Pictures:

My body magic girdle held in all that fat… lol

Morning of Surgery:

Getting prepared

Plenty of meds to get me ready

Ugh, disgusting

Marked up & ready to go

Outta there…

Wheeling me back

Day 1:

I’m in a lot of pain. I asked myself WTH was I thinking. This hospital bed is a lifesaver. It does help with some comfort. Plenty of green salads… The walker is helping as well. I am having a couple of episodes of anxiety attacks, 2 so far. I think it’s from the pain caused from walking to the bathroom. I also have cotton mouth really bad from the prescriptions. Dr. Reisen told my husband he took off almost 15 pounds of skin and tissue. And he was able to do so without having to put in drains. Wow!!! Thank God for that but this pain… OMG! OMG! OMG!!!

Day 2:

The pain is still there but I feel better than yesterday. I dread going to the doctor today at 12:30. I have to tackle these stairs. Dr. Reisen wants me to walk more upright instead of hunched over. It is so painful!!! I pray with every step. I continue rotating my legs to prevent blood clots and although painful I walk as much as I can around the living room area.

Day 3:

I’m walking around the house more. I’m itching in the liposuction areas and still in some pain… Getting plenty of sleep… My husband had to assist me with showering but the shower chair definitely helped. I’m exhausted now. Back to bed.

Day 4:

Coughing hurts so bad! I was finally able to have a bowel movement today. Yay! The stool softeners have definitely helped to make my stool softer. Thank goodness for that.

Day 5:

I’m tired of being in this bed. I’m moving around a lot better today than I did on yesterday. I am craving chocolate covered ice cream bars. I’m itching where the liposuction was done but overall it’s tolerable. Looking forward to better days…

Day 6:

I went into the emergency room with a fever this morning. I could not get comfortable. Panic attacks started and I feel really bad… I was at the hospital most of the day on an antibiotic IV. The doctor gave me more pain pills and additional antibiotics. Per the doctor, I am suffering from an inflammatory bacteria infection. I guess my body is trying to heal from the surgery.

Day 7:

In bed all day except for bathroom runs that hurt like hell… Each time I stand up, I have pain in my lower stomach and it hurts so bad. On top of that I have this constant cough and that HURTS SO BAD, OMG!!!! I spoke with my doctor and he recommended Robitussin DM. The cough medicine is helping me so much.

End of week 1

Side by side picture of my progress in the tummy area so far…Dr. Reisen said to give it 2 months for the swelling to go down more.

Week 2:

I am moving around a lot better this week. No more excruciating pain when I stand up only tightness in my stomach. Overall I am getting back to normal. Still very tired if I overexert myself doing too much of anything… To my surprise, I am not able to eat nearly as much as before. I get the feeling of fullness after eating half of my normal portion size. I’m very happy about that… I return to the doctor in 2 weeks for a checkup.

More updates and pictures to come from the liposuction and tummy tuck…

Week 3:

This week I am itching even more in the incision area. Yesterday I had a lot of energy and did some house cleaning. Big mistake! I am hurting a lot today. Back aches, stomach hurts and I was bleeding just a little in the area of the incision… Back to following the doctor’s orders… Good news with my clothes… All of my pants are beginning to sag so I’m not sure what my current size is.

Week 4:

I am starting to see the difference in my stomach area now although I am still swollen. I am still really sore in my back area but I am cutting back on pain medications this week. I am still sleeping on my back or my sides but I am a lot more comfortable this week than all of the previous weeks since surgery.

Week 5:

This week I am still feeling some pain in my stomach and especially my back area. I feel the pain mainly after house cleaning or cooking. I do have a lot more energy than I have in the prior weeks. My scars itch like crazy due to healing. Omg I’m ready to get past this stage. The garments help a lot. I have to stress the importance of wearing them. It not only helps with the swelling but it also helps me with the discomfort I am having in my back. I am still swollen in my stomach area but each week gets better and better. Oh by the way, my breasts and upper back look great from the bilateral liposuction procedures.

Incision in stomach area

Week 6:

My stomach has went down quite a bit this week. I am using a tighter garment made by Gold’s gym that helps with the swelling and also has back support. I’m so excited about the results so far! I am slowly getting back into my Zumba workouts. I feel scar tissue or something really hard on the inside of my stomach in the incision area and will get that checked at my next doctor’s appointment. Although very painful and a bit traumatic in the beginning (pain, panic attacks, tearful emotional spells, more pain and more pain), I have no regrets. I love the results I am seeing so far and look forward to the continued loss of inches within the next 4 to 5 months.

5 months after surgery:

I am continuing to lose inches in my stomach area. I am back to my regular routine with working out and I feel great. I am very satisfied with my surgery and my progress thus far. I think this plastic surgery can become addicting. I am actually thinking about having more surgery done.