Tummy tuck

linda_333
linda_333 Posts: 14 Member
edited December 3 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all, I need your help! I have a loose tummy :( which really looks bad and I have tried dieting to get a normal and flat stomach, but I was not able to maintain my diet properly. So I am planning to do a tummy tuck surgery from McLan Clinic, Mississauga ( http://www.mcleanclinic.com/surgical-procedures/body/tummy-tuck-surgery/ ) and to start my diet after the surgery so that I will be more careful to keep my flat stomach. Would it be a good decision? Share your comments, please.
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Replies

  • Joanna2012B
    Joanna2012B Posts: 1,448 Member
    jemhh wrote: »
    I would not consider a tummy tuck until getting to a healthy, reasonable body fat level and staying there a couple of years to see how my skin recovered.

    ^^This!!
  • SophieSmall95
    SophieSmall95 Posts: 233 Member
    edited August 2016
    No credible surgeon would perform a tummy tuck when you still have significant weight you plan to lose, as it's a disaster waiting to happen. You won't get the desired results you want doing it this way, you will come out of this with a very odd looking stomach.
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,213 Member
    I have a friend who had a tummy tuck and from what she described there's a long and painful healing process. Dieting sounds far easier. Can you take whatever time you were going to take off work for the surgery recovery and dedicate yourself to diet and exercise to get in the groove? Although I'm a fan of slow and easy, living life as normal as possible, I know that removing yourself from your current bad habits/routines and pushing the exercise aspect can be a great springboard to success. Good luck, whatever you choose to do.
  • stephaniej2888
    stephaniej2888 Posts: 93 Member
    1st: if you can't maintain healthy eating before a tummy tuck then you won't be able to after. You need to focus on getting yourself healthy first and then if you still have loose skin you want to get rid of then it's your decision.
    How much would it sucks to pay all that money and go through all that pain just to gain that tummy back?

    2nd: have you done some research on the pain and scarring of a tummy tuck? I have looked into it before and decided "h*** no" lol
    First of all you have a scar from hip to hip....I think I would rather have a little tummy sag then that huge scar. Second the pain is excruciating from what I've heard. I watched a bunch of YouTube videos from people who've had them and they showed off there flat tummy with this huge scar and 90% of them said if they knew how much pain they would be in there is no way they would have done it.
    One girl got breast implants and a tuck at the same time and said the tuck hurt 10x worse than the implants and recovery was much longer.
  • cee134
    cee134 Posts: 33,711 Member
    lose the weight and keep it off for 3+ years. Alot of people end up gaining some to all the weight back after losing it. If you exercise and eat right, surgery shouldn't be required.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,030 Member
    If you didn't maintain a flat stomach, it was because you ate too much. Getting a tummy tuck won't solve that.

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  • Elise4270
    Elise4270 Posts: 8,375 Member
    edited August 2016
    I agree. Use the motivation to have the TT to lose the weight. The outcome is better, and what if you can't stick to your diet/ weight loss program? I've known a few that gained quite a bit after their TT, that's a lot of money and time to waste.

    I had a TT in 2013. I was within 5 pounds of where I wanted to be. I'm happy with the results, and glad I didn't start that frustrating journey with weight to lose. Post TT your focus is on healing, you can't restrict calories, and you can't do much exercise for some time.

    Realself.com has a lot of information if you haven't already found it.
  • stephaniej2888
    stephaniej2888 Posts: 93 Member
    davis978 wrote: »
    cee134 wrote: »
    lose the weight and keep it off for 3+ years. Alot of people end up gaining some to all the weight back after losing it. If you exercise and eat right, surgery shouldn't be required.

    Absolutely NOT TRUE!!! I agree with everyone here that the OP is not ready for this procedure and shouldn't have it. But who are you to tell people that surgery "shouldn't" be required.

    I was fat throughout childhood. During college, I lost half my body weight (about 150 pounds) and maintained for many years after that. I have a very significant belly apron of hanging skin that looks terrible, drastically limits the clothes I can wear, makes me feel terrible every day, and will never go away. No amount of dieting and weightlifting (which I do) is going to fix that. A lot of what skin looks like after weight loss depends on genetics. Thank your lucky stars that you won the genetic lottery and you don't need surgery, but don't you dare tell other people that they shouldn't need it either.

    I totally agree!
    My best friend has had 3 children and has worked out and lost the weight after all of them. She is 5'4 and probably around 130 lbs and it great shape, but still has what she calls her "tummy flap" because of her stomach being stretched out over and over again from pregnancy. She has tried for years to get it smaller or gone and no amount of working out has changed it. She wants a tummy tuck when they can afford one and I totally support her decision!
  • ryry_
    ryry_ Posts: 4,966 Member
    I seems like you would want to lose the fat before tucking things in or else you might just end up with the same problem
  • Elise4270
    Elise4270 Posts: 8,375 Member
    edited August 2016
    davis978 wrote: »
    cee134 wrote: »
    lose the weight and keep it off for 3+ years. Alot of people end up gaining some to all the weight back after losing it. If you exercise and eat right, surgery shouldn't be required.

    Absolutely NOT TRUE!!! I agree with everyone here that the OP is not ready for this procedure and shouldn't have it. But who are you to tell people that surgery "shouldn't" be required.

    I was fat throughout childhood. During college, I lost half my body weight (about 150 pounds) and maintained for many years after that. I have a very significant belly apron of hanging skin that looks terrible, drastically limits the clothes I can wear, makes me feel terrible every day, and will never go away. No amount of dieting and weightlifting (which I do) is going to fix that. A lot of what skin looks like after weight loss depends on genetics. Thank your lucky stars that you won the genetic lottery and you don't need surgery, but don't you dare tell other people that they shouldn't need it either.

    Ya I agree. I was never overweight and I needed a TT. I had one single pregnancy then twins that did it in. The doc removed 10.5 inches of skin after 18 years. It never goes away for some of us. I hated playing fat roll round up every time I sat down. It wears on you.

    Now if the OP wanted to have two surgeries, depending on the severity, and purpose of skin removal. Like people that have much to lose and the skin impairs their mobility, then sure, knock it out.

    I think the skin can take up to a year to recover, but during the TT, they stretch you tight (if it's cosmetic). So I think that the docs call when to do it. They are good with skin types, not a forum. :wink:

    OP, also know that with excess fat healing is harder. I believe there is more of a chance for dehiscence. You and your doc can figure this out. Good luck!
  • xmichaelyx
    xmichaelyx Posts: 883 Member
    davis978 wrote: »

    Absolutely NOT TRUE!!! I agree with everyone here that the OP is not ready for this procedure and shouldn't have it. But who are you to tell people that surgery "shouldn't" be required.

    I was fat throughout childhood. During college, I lost half my body weight (about 150 pounds) and maintained for many years after that. I have a very significant belly apron of hanging skin that looks terrible, drastically limits the clothes I can wear, makes me feel terrible every day, and will never go away. No amount of dieting and weightlifting (which I do) is going to fix that. A lot of what skin looks like after weight loss depends on genetics. Thank your lucky stars that you won the genetic lottery and you don't need surgery, but don't you dare tell other people that they shouldn't need it either.

    Cool story. But you don't know if OP has the same issue as you, or if she was just a few pounds overweight and could easily get rid of her extra skin, or if she's a 90-pound anorexic with body dismorphia.

    So depending on the situation, maybe she shouldn't need surgery.

    No need to get all aggro without all the facts, which none of us have.

  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    Oh and don't forget that the less fat you have the less is the chance for complications. Cutting out both skin and fat is harder and more traumatizing. Not to mention having less fat would improve the surgeon's ability to sculpt for best results.
  • cee134
    cee134 Posts: 33,711 Member
    davis978 wrote: »
    xmichaelyx wrote: »
    davis978 wrote: »

    Absolutely NOT TRUE!!! I agree with everyone here that the OP is not ready for this procedure and shouldn't have it. But who are you to tell people that surgery "shouldn't" be required.

    I was fat throughout childhood. During college, I lost half my body weight (about 150 pounds) and maintained for many years after that. I have a very significant belly apron of hanging skin that looks terrible, drastically limits the clothes I can wear, makes me feel terrible every day, and will never go away. No amount of dieting and weightlifting (which I do) is going to fix that. A lot of what skin looks like after weight loss depends on genetics. Thank your lucky stars that you won the genetic lottery and you don't need surgery, but don't you dare tell other people that they shouldn't need it either.

    Cool story. But you don't know if OP has the same issue as you, or if she was just a few pounds overweight and could easily get rid of her extra skin, or if she's a 90-pound anorexic with body dismorphia.

    So depending on the situation, maybe she shouldn't need surgery.

    No need to get all aggro without all the facts, which none of us have.

    Agreed. I don't have all the facts, and I don't know if the OP's situation is similar to mine. But neither does cee134, and that didn't stop him from saying what people should or shouldn't do. And that's the point. He didn't say "perhaps you won't really need surgery once you get to your goal weight." He made a blanket statement that everyone "should" be like him - lose weight, maintain, and not need surgery. And he's wrong. Lot's of people are left with the options to either have surgery or try to get okay with the body they have. The issue is not just his advice to this particular OP, but to all the other people who read this post and come away with the message that if they do need surgery after weight loss there's something wrong with them, because this guy says so.

    I don't think I got "all aggro." You are free to disagree. But, my post was not rude. There was no name-calling, or swearing, etc. I think it was a totally appropriate response to the comment which showed an astounding lack of both knowledge and empathy.

    It's not about you or other people. It's about the OP. It should be frowned upon to encourage surgery of any kind on MFP because there is no way we (MFP users) have all the facts.
  • davis978
    davis978 Posts: 103 Member
    cee134 wrote: »
    davis978 wrote: »
    xmichaelyx wrote: »
    davis978 wrote: »

    Absolutely NOT TRUE!!! I agree with everyone here that the OP is not ready for this procedure and shouldn't have it. But who are you to tell people that surgery "shouldn't" be required.

    I was fat throughout childhood. During college, I lost half my body weight (about 150 pounds) and maintained for many years after that. I have a very significant belly apron of hanging skin that looks terrible, drastically limits the clothes I can wear, makes me feel terrible every day, and will never go away. No amount of dieting and weightlifting (which I do) is going to fix that. A lot of what skin looks like after weight loss depends on genetics. Thank your lucky stars that you won the genetic lottery and you don't need surgery, but don't you dare tell other people that they shouldn't need it either.

    Cool story. But you don't know if OP has the same issue as you, or if she was just a few pounds overweight and could easily get rid of her extra skin, or if she's a 90-pound anorexic with body dismorphia.

    So depending on the situation, maybe she shouldn't need surgery.

    No need to get all aggro without all the facts, which none of us have.

    Agreed. I don't have all the facts, and I don't know if the OP's situation is similar to mine. But neither does cee134, and that didn't stop him from saying what people should or shouldn't do. And that's the point. He didn't say "perhaps you won't really need surgery once you get to your goal weight." He made a blanket statement that everyone "should" be like him - lose weight, maintain, and not need surgery. And he's wrong. Lot's of people are left with the options to either have surgery or try to get okay with the body they have. The issue is not just his advice to this particular OP, but to all the other people who read this post and come away with the message that if they do need surgery after weight loss there's something wrong with them, because this guy says so.

    I don't think I got "all aggro." You are free to disagree. But, my post was not rude. There was no name-calling, or swearing, etc. I think it was a totally appropriate response to the comment which showed an astounding lack of both knowledge and empathy.

    It's not about you or other people. It's about the OP. It should be frowned upon to encourage surgery of any kind on MFP because there is no way we (MFP users) have all the facts.

    You didn't just not encourage surgery. You said that surgery "shouldn't" be required, and you simply don't have anything to base that opinion on. The OP did not provide you with enough information for you to know that. I agree that it would not be a good idea for you to say "yeah, go for it" to this OP and I made that clear in my original post. But it's also not a good idea for you to tell people that they should or shouldn't need a medical procedure when you don't have enough facts to make that determination. Unfortunately, lots of people have a large amount of unwanted skin after weight loss. It's not uncommon.

    I disagree that this is just about the OP. These forums are a community. Many people read these message boards, so when you respond to an OP, many other people are reading your response and trying to understand how it relates to them too. I think it's irresponsible and sometimes hurtful to make blanket statements that include the words should or shouldn't. You might disagree with me about this, and that's fine, -- we can agree to disagree -- but I am still going to speak up when I see someone doing that. I don't think you intended any harm, but I do hope you will think about what it means when you use that kind of should/shouldn't language.
  • cee134
    cee134 Posts: 33,711 Member
    Should signifies something you ought to do or something that is a good idea or that something that may happen. Just like should not means you ought not or not advisable.

    I never said never, because I know there are cases where that may not be true.

    Thus my original opinion to the OP. "Lose the weight and keep it off for 3+ years." Because alot of times people gain back weight and if the OP gets a TT before she knows she can keep the weight of, it seems pointless. She doesn't even know if she needs one yet. Which was the whole point of me trying to encourage her to eat right and exercise.
  • Shells918
    Shells918 Posts: 1,070 Member
    stephaniej2888 wrote: »
    1st: if you can't maintain healthy eating before a tummy tuck then you won't be able to after. You need to focus on getting yourself healthy first and then if you still have loose skin you want to get rid of then it's your decision.
    How much would it sucks to pay all that money and go through all that pain just to gain that tummy back?

    2nd: have you done some research on the pain and scarring of a tummy tuck? I have looked into it before and decided "h*** no" lol
    First of all you have a scar from hip to hip....I think I would rather have a little tummy sag then that huge scar. Second the pain is excruciating from what I've heard. I watched a bunch of YouTube videos from people who've had them and they showed off there flat tummy with this huge scar and 90% of them said if they knew how much pain they would be in there is no way they would have done it.
    One girl got breast implants and a tuck at the same time and said the tuck hurt 10x worse than the implants and recovery was much longer.

    It is painful, for a couple of weeks. Not forever. My sinus surgery was more painful. My gallstones were more painful, and 2 weeks of pain were worth not having the fat overhang from losing 80 pounds. And my scar, what scar? It's barely noticeable, and it's below where any bikini I wear is. If you follow the after care instructions, your scar all but disappears. Everyone I know that's had a TT says it's totally worth it. It's who you know.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Shells918 wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    I would not consider a tummy tuck until getting to a healthy, reasonable body fat level and staying there a couple of years to see how my skin recovered.
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    Make the necessary adjustments to your behavior before the operation. You need to have the good habits implemented; and if you can't do it now, you can't do it afterwards either, and the suffering and money spent would have been for nothing.

    Flat stomachs aren't necessarily normal for women, though.

    These ^^^

    I got a tummy tuck after getting to 15 pounds above my goal. I hit my goal a bit later. If you're too heavy you may end up with loose bits that you could have had taken care of with a tummy tuck after weight loss. Loose the weight first, then get the TT. They will usually do some liposuction with it so you are flat and small. Also, as an FYI, you don't come out of surgery skinny. It takes months for the swelling to go down and for you to be able to stand completely upright. When all is said and done it's a great thing, but when I gained some weight back, my stomach looked weird and now my arms are heavy, which never happened before. The fat goes to different places.

    The bold is a good point. A TT isn't necessarily a faster way to a thinner look or flat tummy. There's certainly a recovery period for it and it's possible that, depending on how heavy you are, you could get a similar look in the same period of time without the surgery.

    I wouldn't ever tell anybody not to have a TT at all--I'd love to have one after hitting my bf% goal--but I think they are better done after losing the weight and not instead of losing the weight.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    Hold off on the surgery.
    You say your having trouble sticking to a "diet" now. Surgery won't change that fact. It could actually mean that the surgery will only result in a temporary "flat" stomach.

    If this is some super strict diet your trying to follow that promises a flat stomach as a result, then you might want to try a different approach.

    Do you still have fat to lose? If so, a tummy tuck now is a bad idea. If you continue to lose weight after the procedure there is a high chance that you will have the same problem again once you lose the extra fat.

    Get to your goal weight. Work at maintaining that weight for 2 years at least and see where your at. Your body might surprise you and then skin might tighten over time on it's own.

    I know how you feel wanting it to be gone. I have a little bit on my lower abdomen. If not wearing a compression garment of some kind while working out, any jumping/running/etc makes it bounce which is actually pretty painful. I'm giving it time and saving for the possibility of a tummy tuck at the same time. I'm not worried about a scar since I already have one down there from 2 C-sections. Point is though, I understand how you feel but it's in your best interest to wait until you have maintained your goal weight for awhile.
  • davis978
    davis978 Posts: 103 Member
    cee134 wrote: »
    Should signifies something you ought to do or something that is a good idea or that something that may happen. Just like should not means you ought not or not advisable.

    I never said never, because I know there are cases where that may not be true.

    Thus my original opinion to the OP. "Lose the weight and keep it off for 3+ years." Because alot of times people gain back weight and if the OP gets a TT before she knows she can keep the weight of, it seems pointless. She doesn't even know if she needs one yet. Which was the whole point of me trying to encourage her to eat right and exercise.

    Your original post was:

    "lose the weight and keep it off for 3+ years. Alot of people end up gaining some to all the weight back after losing it. If you exercise and eat right, surgery shouldn't be required."

    The first two statements are great advice. The third sentence is a falsehood and not something you can claim with any degree of certainty. The fact is, you don't know what another person's experience will be.
  • linda_333
    linda_333 Posts: 14 Member
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    Make the necessary adjustments to your behavior before the operation. You need to have the good habits implemented; and if you can't do it now, you can't do it afterwards either, and the suffering and money spent would have been for nothing.

    Flat stomachs aren't necessarily normal for women, though.

    I have tried a lot, but I couldn't. Thant's why thought of this decision. Thank you for the suggestion.
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