Has anyone had a tummy tuck after weight loss?

FitOldMomma

Definitely thinking of it. But going to wait at least one more year.
I lost my weight pretty slowly- it took three years. The loose skin really showed up with the last 40 pounds gone.
Not only the stomach area, but my chest...oh jeeze, lol! Oh, and the ever so lovely 'bat wings'.
But no matter what, I LOVE how I feel being fit and healthy. Thank goodness for push up bras and spandex.

On a serious note...I've read that a tummy tuck is one of the most painful surgeries to recover from, but that it also produces the most satisfied patients.

A pal of mine who has lost 150+ pounds is going to Mexico City next year for a 'Mommy Makeover'. A very reputable clinic. Anyways, for $10,000 she'll get the loose tummy skin removed, breast lifts + implants, and both upper arms done. Perhaps I'll see how her experience works out and then consider that.

Smart idea to start saving the $ now. Great incentive.

haviegirl

FitOldMomma wrote: »

On a serious note...I've read that a tummy tuck is one of the most painful surgeries to recover from, but that it also produces the most satisfied patients.

Re the pain factor: my experience wasn't that I was in a lot of pain. I do remember being in the recovery room and needing to cough, and that was excruciating, but it was just that one time. Once I got home, I took a pain pill every four hours pretty much around the clock for three days, but by the fourth day I was stretching the time between to about six hours, and I took my very last pain pill on day ten (only took two pills on days eight and nine). I did take ibuprofen during that period, as well, and maybe stayed on that for a week after the pain pills.

It's not pain, it's discomfort, LOTS of discomfort. You can't stand upright for a week, so my back got really, really sore. It's hard to move (I had a breast lift at the same time, so I had limited use of my arms at first) and I found I just plain got stiff and sore and it was so hard to reposition myself in bed. If you have drains, they come out below your suture line, out of the mons pubis if you're a woman. When they get tugged on (inevitable), it hurts, and the exit sites themselves are very tender. You will become very protective of that area! The suture line itself is not painful, in fact, it's mostly numb, especially in the center. My belly button area didn't hurt at all. I remember burning pain just below my breastbone--I think it's from the stretching. That only lasted about a week.

It's no picnic. It was a bigger deal than I thought it would be. But so far, so good. I'm dealing with fluid accumulation issues now (seroma) and it's a hassle but not painful. And it's getting better. Hopefully I'll be released from compression garments next week!

haviegirl

youdoyou2016 wrote: »

I'm curious about the cost. I know it's different depending on where you live, but does anyone know or have a sense of the expense?

For full tummy tuck, breast lift and augmentation (with silicone), the cost was $12,250. If I'd chosen saline implants, it would have been $1000 cheaper. I live in the midwest.

MyLovesMyLife

haviegirl wrote: »

youdoyou2016 wrote: »

I'm curious about the cost. I know it's different depending on where you live, but does anyone know or have a sense of the expense?

For full tummy tuck, breast lift and augmentation (with silicone), the cost was $12,250. If I'd chosen saline implants, it would have been $1000 cheaper. I live in the midwest.

Where in the Midwest? I live in Nebraska.

itsmyvwbeetle

I had a tummy tuck. Best decision ever. I have pics of before and after but I am not gonna post em on here. Mine was $7,000 (my surgeon is in Osage Beach, MO). As for recovery, super easy, no issues at all. I have had 5 c-sections so that could be why. I went dancing just 10 days after my tummy tuck. The only part that sucked was getting the drainage tubes out. Other than that brief time of pain everything was completely manageable. If anyone wants to see pics feel free to message me.

MyLovesMyLife

itsmyvwbeetle wrote: »

I had a tummy tuck. Best decision ever. I have pics of before and after but I am not gonna post em on here. Mine was $7,000 (my surgeon is in Osage Beach, MO). As for recovery, super easy, no issues at all. I have had 5 c-sections so that could be why. I went dancing just 10 days after my tummy tuck. The only part that sucked was getting the drainage tubes out. Other than that brief time of pain everything was completely manageable. If anyone wants to see pics feel free to message me.

Do you have just the 5 kiddos assuming singletons? Sometimes I think I'm going to need a tuck after 7 babies.

haviegirl

MyLovesMyLife wrote: »

haviegirl wrote: »

youdoyou2016 wrote: »

I'm curious about the cost. I know it's different depending on where you live, but does anyone know or have a sense of the expense?

For full tummy tuck, breast lift and augmentation (with silicone), the cost was $12,250. If I'd chosen saline implants, it would have been $1000 cheaper. I live in the midwest.

Where in the Midwest? I live in Nebraska.

Omaha. Message me if you want to.

itsmyvwbeetle

MyLovesMyLife wrote: »

itsmyvwbeetle wrote: »

I had a tummy tuck. Best decision ever. I have pics of before and after but I am not gonna post em on here. Mine was $7,000 (my surgeon is in Osage Beach, MO). As for recovery, super easy, no issues at all. I have had 5 c-sections so that could be why. I went dancing just 10 days after my tummy tuck. The only part that sucked was getting the drainage tubes out. Other than that brief time of pain everything was completely manageable. If anyone wants to see pics feel free to message me.

Do you have just the 5 kiddos assuming singletons? Sometimes I think I'm going to need a tuck after 7 babies.

Yep I had 5 big butt boys lol. Plus I just kept getting bigger with each pregnancy.

MyLovesMyLife

itsmyvwbeetle wrote: »

MyLovesMyLife wrote: »

itsmyvwbeetle wrote: »

I had a tummy tuck. Best decision ever. I have pics of before and after but I am not gonna post em on here. Mine was $7,000 (my surgeon is in Osage Beach, MO). As for recovery, super easy, no issues at all. I have had 5 c-sections so that could be why. I went dancing just 10 days after my tummy tuck. The only part that sucked was getting the drainage tubes out. Other than that brief time of pain everything was completely manageable. If anyone wants to see pics feel free to message me.

Do you have just the 5 kiddos assuming singletons? Sometimes I think I'm going to need a tuck after 7 babies.

Yep I had 5 big butt boys lol. Plus I just kept getting bigger with each pregnancy.

Lol. Ditto. I gained -100 lbs with my first and never lost more than 70lbs but then gained once pregnant

itsmyvwbeetle

Exactly. I went from a good 175 to a good 301 then 276 and holding for a couple years. Ouch!!!

rikkejanell2014

haviegirl wrote: »

I had a tummy tuck and breast lift/aug five weeks ago. I have had weekly doctor visits, plus one extra to have fluid aspirated from my lower abdomen. I also had three drains immediately after surgery, two removed at the two week mark, and the third stayed in until the four week mark. Trust me, this is not an easy recovery. The first two weeks suck. (I do know that some surgeons do "drainless" tummy tuck. Mine does not.) As in all things, YMMV.

Would I do it over again? I think so. Ask me again in a month, when my incisions are more fully healed, when I'm not wearing an abdominal compression garment and sports bra 24/7, and when I'm back up to full strength and stamina. My clothes fit very nicely already, and I do like that!

I'm really considering getting a tummy tuck next year in March. I have lost 45 pound. I have about 20 more to go. I have alot of skin on my tummy. It makes me uncomfortable and i would love to get rid of it. I'm a little nervous but i think I will be much happier. The more I lose the more skin hangs. I've also had 4 kids so that has taken a toll.

MoiAussi93

IremiaRe wrote: »

Trinan71 wrote: »

boricuabeauty24 wrote: »

I have allot of loose hanging skin on my lower stomach. Definitely planning a full tummy tuck. Idk if anyone is in Fl. Orlando area but I've been researching surgeons there & found a list of Orlando surgeons that are very highly rated & legit 100% & charging $2,000- $4,000 for full tummy tuck not the mini.

Who are these surgeons? I will be living in the Tampa area soon.

For real! I would gladly make a little vacation trip to FL for that kind of savings!

If you would consider traveling, you should look into Brazil. Plastic surgery is extremely common there and I was told they have more plastic surgeons per capita than anywhere in the world. I don't know anybody who has had a tummy tuck specifically, but I used to work with a woman who went to Brazil for plastic surgery and met another who admitted the same over drinks. I also knew one who went to Iran (this was a surprise to me, but it is supposedly very common and cheap there and the doctors are very well trained...or so I've been told.)

karahm78

I'd be wary of going outside of the country.... even if you were able to find a reputable doctor and facility, you would need to travel home afterwards and potentially long flights, handling bags, etc. I'd also be worried about how you would pay if things went wrong, most likely the cost for emergency recovery or transfer to home for care would not be covered under insurance.

thepawn1

I'm planning on doing this soon, I've lost 155lbs and have a bit of excess skin as well as untreated gynecomastia from my teenage years.

itsmyvwbeetle

thepawn1 wrote: »

I'm planning on doing this soon, I've lost 155lbs and have a bit of excess skin as well as untreated gynecomastia from my teenage years.

Good luck! I hope you have an easy recovery. I love mine!

briannadunn

I am debating doing this or some other type of surgery, after hundreds of pounds lost and gained and 5 kids, my tummy is a wreck. Still got 120lbs to go.