Mommy Makeover - a few questions

[Jennifer Flynn 1]

Hi!

i'm scheduled for my mommy makeover (tummy tuck, Lipo and breast life - no implants). I have a few questions for the veterans, so any advice is greatly appreciated:

1) Should I rent a recliner? Rather than plop on my couch or bed with lots of pillows?
2) How much weight did you lose from the procedures?
3) How many days until the pain subsides?

4) Did the procedure help you continue to loss wait (i've read some studies where this continues to aid weight loss)

I'm so so so excited, so I would love to hear your stories.

Thanks again!

[AvaFern 3,516]

Hello!

I had my mommy makeover at the end of August. I had Tummy Tuck, breast lift, implants, and Lipo on my hips, thighs, and back. So, to answer your questions...

1) Should I rent a recliner? Rather than plop on my couch or bed with lots of pillows?

I wouldn't bother with it. I was sleeping very comfortably on pillows after the first two nights. I had purchased a wedge from Amazon to put under my head, so it simulated a recliner, but it wasn't really needed after the first two days. I used about 4 pillows under my head and two under my knees for the first week, and that was more than comfortable.

2) How much weight did you lose from the procedures?

The day of surgery I was 153, immediately after surgery I was 161 thanks to all the Fluid, I balanced out at around 148 a week after surgery, so I'm guessing I lost maybe 5 pounds from the procedure. Then because I couldn't work out and my compression garment made it hard to eat I dropped down to 137 by last week, which is about 7 weeks post-op.

3) How many days until the pain subsides?

I was lucky in that I really felt very little pain. I took my Percocet prescription every 4-6 hours the first 3 days and I didn't need anything after that point. I felt a little twisting every once in a while if I moved to much, but overall the pain I read about online was not at all what I experienced.

4) Did the procedure help you continue to loss wait (i've read some studies where this continues to aid weight loss)

I'm not sure yet. I've lost weight because I've probably lost some muscle and because I knew I couldn't workout for a few weeks so I was really careful with what I ate.

I've been very happy with the procedure. I ended up developing a seroma that is refusing to go away, but it's really not a huge deal. I have the rest of my procedures (thigh lift and more lipo) in November, so at that point the doctor will just stitch my seroma closed. I was afraid it was going to be the most painful experience ever, and it was not at all. The Percocet those first few days is likely the reason for that, lol, but I was walking a few miles at a time the second week after surgery without any pain, which was nice. Sitting around all day gets boring.

Good luck with your procedure!

[NewLife'sGr8 241]

If you don't mind sharing, what's the tally for all your procedures, combined? A ballpark figure would be nice to know.

Why didn't you go for the full body lift & chose separate procedures at different times?

I'm contemplating possibilities right now, gathering data. I appreciate your informative posts.

[AvaFern 3,516]

No I don't mind, feel free to ask anything you want!

My first surgery was the Tummy Tuck, breast lift and augmentation with 400cc silicone implants, and then Lipo on my hips, thighs, and lower back. The cost for that was almost exactly 20K. If I remember the breakdown correctly it was 11K for the abdominoplasty, 8K for the lift and augment, and then $1500 for each area of lipo. I think I got a multiple procedure discount so the grand total was $19,999.

That procedure is a 6 hour surgery and adding the thigh lift would have put me over the amount of time a plastic surgery patient is allowed to be sedated in my area. They do longer surgeries for reconstruction, but 6 hours for an elective procedure is the cap.

My next procedure is the groin incision thigh lift, which will leave the scars in the groin area, but not running down my legs. My doctor felt my knees were not as fat as I think they are, haha, and that my legs could be fixed without the longer scar. I may have more lipo on my lower back- I haven't quite decided on that yet. My next procedure is 6K for the groin incision thigh lift and $1500 extra if I want to do more lipo on my back.

I chose not to do the full body lift because I didn't want the scar on my back and because I don't really mind my saggy butt that much, lol. I don't love it, but there is nowhere near the amount of extra skin in my back area than there was on my stomach, so I just decided to leave it alone for now. I really dislike the batwings I have on my arms, but the only way to fix that is with the scar to the elbow and I didn't want to do that just yet. I'm holding out hope that I can tone my arms up a bit more and that skin won't bother me as much.

[NewLife'sGr8 241]

Thanks again. That was really informative & helps me get a little closer to making a decision for my own needs.

You & I were at similar starting weights, though I was 25-20lbs heavier. You're at my approx. goal weight now, So I'm assuming we have similar sag-issues. Everyone's different though; body type, exercise history, personal stories re: how we got there, and then here from there, etc.

That's a huge investment at mid-life, closer to retirement than when I was in my 20's.

Did Ins. cover any of it? Most of it?

Thankfully, my banding was paid by Ins., minus co-pays, so I'm not complaining. It's just that I've seen so many posts rattling off multiple expensive procedures.... it makes me gasp & wonder, with this economy, how do they afford it?

My other concern is that I've heard the full body lift is one of the most painful a person can go through. I imagine the full TT w/lift & augmentation is too. I've been through so many surgery

ies over the past few years- some very painful- that I'm a bit hesitant to go through it 'electively', even though I know the pain subsides & is soon forgotten.

Lastly, is 400cc a C cup? Not sure what to do there. I like my relatively small breasts, except for the bit of WL sag. I'd like them to be more shapely but avoid going for the big "watermelons". I'm a petite 5'2". I have no clue how many cc's are small or big; whether to go for saline or silicone, to place under the chest muscles or just under the breast apparatus'.

I'd want my butt lifted with a brazilian butt lift. I always had a nice full "Latina" butt that went flat with the mass WL. I have those bat wings too. Hoping exercise will help too.

[AvaFern 3,516]

@@NewLife'sGr8

To answer your questions (I think you were asking me!)... my insurance did not cover my sleeve or my plastic surgery. I paid fully out of pocket. I would agree that it is a big investment- I'm 30, so I felt a little guilty about spending on that money on myself, but I feel so much more confident now.

As for the pain, I can honestly say I felt next to none. I was on Percocet for the first 3 days, every 4-6 hours, and after that I didn't take anything because I really had no need to. I watched the surgery on YouTube beforehand and I thought the pain was going to be excruciating, so I was very relieved when it wasn't at all. I had a worse time after the sleeve because I felt so sick the whole time- compared to that surgery my 6 hour plastics procedure was cake, lol. I was walking several miles at a time by the my second week, so fortunately I didn't have much of an issue with pain at all.

400 cc's the size of the implant, which totally varies in what cup size you get afterward based upon what size the girls are to start off with. I was a 36DD before surgery ( a very saggy, hanging, flat, DD) and after surgery I am now 34DDD. Trying to figure out what size you are based on the implants seemed impossible. I also thought DDD was going to be absolutely massive, but I love my new boobies. They are so nicely shaped and perky that they really don't look all that large at all. I chose sillicone because it has a more realistic feel and I went under the pectoral muscle because again, it looks more realistic. I wasn't crazy about saline because if one ruptures, you instantly have a flat boob, which can look like a deformity until it's fixed. The new sillicone implants are insured for up to 10 years, but if one does rupture, it stays in place...it doesn't ooze around or all over your body like they used to. I figured if I had an issue with one I would want to have a few months to prepare for surgery to fix it as opposed to having a saline implant rupture and be stuck with an obvious problem until it could be fixed. Your surgeon will be able to provide you with a lot of answers during your consultation.

[NewLife'sGr8 241]

Thanks for the info again. SO helpful!

I realized we're of similar height as well so your info on 'ending boobie-size, post implant" was extremely helpful. If you've always been a DD, then DDD isn't too far of a stretch for you. I'm happy for your improved body & self-image. SO important!

We differ a lot on originating boobie sizes though. I'm 36B. If I went in for a fitting, I might be a 34B now. At my fattest, I was a 38B-probably needed a 40B but couldn't go there. I've always been B, fat or skinny, always a B.

I Can't imagine being a DD or DDD. (with my warped sense of humor) I can picture myself toppling over at inopportune times as I try to get used them. hahaha

Then again, you probably can't imagine being a B-cup! You'd probably be like, "Where's the beef?" LOL

I suppose that conversation is best left for the Plastic-Man, as well as the over/under pec & saline/silicone debates.

I didn't know silicone had come so far in respect to being auto-insured, not as leaky, and if they do leak, the goo now won't attach to organs etc. THAT was my greatest concern with the implants. Thanks for picking up on it & easing my mind.

I'm 50, & this big multi-surgery expense will take a good long time to recover financially from. I have to ask myself- is it worth the investment? Will I get good return on this investment? I'm leaning towards yes.

I've been single for a long long time. Put off dating to raise my kids in a safe secure environment w/out revolving door of men in & out. Now, I feel very unattractive with this saggy baggy skin. Outwordly, I look good, with clothes ON! lol I keep thinking what it'd be like ... errrr....SURPRISE! with this sag-skin. I remember on Oprah, someone showed their post WLS skin on-cam, and everyone gasped... repulsed.

Right at the time I was ready to date to meet someone for LTR, I got injured. The next 4-5 yrs I blew up like a balloon from reduced activity & went through this WLS banding adventure while at same time, going through 7 other surgeries. oof!

Now, I'm thinking I'm too old to meet anyone I'm attracted to for LTR so what diff would the Plastic surgeries make?

Then again, I KNOW I'd feel better about myself regardless of love life status. I also know that when a person feels good about themselves, they're more likely to attract someone.

I appreciate your honesty & help as I ponder possibilities.

[AvaFern 3,516]

@@NewLife'sGr8

I thought DDD would make me look ridiculous, lol, but fortunately they're not as monstrous as I imagined. I actually wanted a C cup and in hindsight I'm glad the surgeon was as knowledeable as he was. If you do decide to go for it, the surgeon will have a good idea of what results you want and how to attain them. I almost asked him to go to a smaller implant the day of surgery and I'm glad I didn't.

On another note, I can appreciate the difficulty of meeting someone, but why not just get the surgery for you? This is going to sound horrible, but I will admit, I totally walk in front of the mirror every morning now, naked, and think, girl you don't look half bad! Get the surgery because it will make you happy, not because of what anyone else might think.

[NewLife'sGr8 241]

AvaFern

You are SO right!