Has anyone had or considered a tummy tuck?

D

DawnA

Cathlete
Hi everyone,
I am considering a consultation for a tummy tuck. I had been a yo-yo dieter for most of my adult life. I have been stable for about 3 years, but still need to lose 30 lbs. according to the BMI calculator. I lost 82 lbs. 3 years ago, and my stomach is a horror show. I have had 2 infertility surgeries, a burst ectopic surgery and 1 C-section. With the weight gains and losses, there is a huge amount of loose skin. I can actually lift it up over my pants when they are zipped! Not pretty. My ab muscles probably would not need tightening. I can feel how firm the abs are underneath and they feel really nice and strong, but I certainly can't see them. Has anyone had this surgery? I am leery of any surgery, but this would be so affirming of my hard work. Suggestions or comments either way are much appreciated.
Thanks,
Dawn
 
Hey Dawn,

A tummy tuck can be VERY DANGEROUS. My next door neighbor had one done a few years ago & almost died from an infection she received while in the hospital. I have another friend that had gastric bypass & then the tuck a year later. She did horribly with the bypass but flew through the tuck with no problem.

That being said, I can certainly understand the desire to have that excess skin gone. Have you done a search on webmd.com on abdominoplasty (the medical term for tummy tuck)? I would start there to do some research. You will probably find both good & bad medical info.

Good luck.
 
My friend had one last May. She says she would do it all over again. She was in a lot of pain for quite a while. She also didn't have full range of movement for a few months.

While she is glad the extra skin is gone, she is still not quite happy with her body cause she still wants to lose weight. In fact she gained some weight after the surgery. If you are going to be happy if you don't lose the 30 lbs then it is probably worth the money. But, if you are going to still be unhappy with your body I would try to lose the 30 lbs first.

I've never had the surgery though, so this is just what I see from being friends with someone who has. It's a lot of money, and it does a lot to your body, so make sure you really want it.

Andrea
 
I'm actually getting a tummy tuck in about two weeks. I've been looking into doing it for years and after quite a bit of research and a few recommendations, I've finally found a surgeon I'm confident and comfortable with.

I wear a size 6, but I carry most of my extra fat in my midsection, plus I have really loose skin and stretch marks (I have three kids).

Making the decision to get a tummy tuck wasn't easy and I went back and forth on whether or not to do it for years. It truly is a personal choice.

I'd be happy to let you know how things went once it's done.

Cheryl
 
I have an aunt that had one a few years ago. She's VERY happy with her decision. Looks great.

I've contemplated one, but I have 3 girls and have opted not to go the surgery route becuz of them.:)
 
Thanks for the replies. It's a very difficult decision to make. Cheryl, best of luck to you with your surgery. I will be thinking of you. I would also be very interested in how it goes, and how you do post-op. I'm sure being fit will make your recovery that much easier. I have made an appointment with a surgeon who is in Cincinnatti, which is 5 hrs. from here. She is a frequent guest on tv as an expert in womens plastic surgery, and has the #1 best seller about plastic surgery. That will be May 7th. I am going to try to make an informed decision.
Dawn
 
Kelly,
Thanks so much for that site info. I spent quite a long time looking at the photos. I'm amazed that some people will have major surgery for something that looks just fine to me. Mine looks so bad in comparison.
 
On the other hand, I was shocked at how little difference there was between the before and afters in so many more cases! I mean, some of these people are all lumpy and covered with cellulite, and then they spend, what, 5-10K and look almost the same!

But, also yes, DawnA, some of them looked fine beforehand.

What a scary and tough decision it must be to decide to invest in this. I am happy for those who are happy with the results, but how nervewracking to find a surgeon and do it!
 
Hello,
I am one of those who mainly lurks in the shadows of the board but this is a subject that i know all to well. I had a tummy tuck on 1/8/2001 and my only regret is that i didn't do it sooner. I had a full tummy tuck. TT's are not for weight loss, they are to address excess skin which i certainly had. Yes, it is painful, but nothing worse than childbirth and nothing some strong painkillers won't take care of. 10 years of therapy could not do for my self esteem what the tummy tuck has acomplished. Yes, it can be dangerous, just as any other medical procedure. However, many of the horror stories we hear are from people who did not thoroughly check out there PS (plastic surgeon) before handing over their money. Verify all credentials, check with the state medical board to see if there have been any reprimands, lawsuits, liens,judgements etc. Check with the county medical board and verify his/her credentials. Make sure that the medical facility is accredited, especially if you will be staying overnight. Find out how long they have been in business. Verify that they are members of all the organizations they claim to be. This can really save your life. Yes things can still go wrong, however doing your homework and a thorough investigation is the best thing to reduce your chances of an unhappy outcome.
There are two types of TT's. One which is the full "abdominoplasty" will address the loose skin above and below the navel. The other one i believe only addresses either the bottom or the top. Feel free to contact me directly w/any further questions. Best of luck w/whatever decision you make.
 
I had a tummy tuck four years ago after having twins in 1995. Once I had worked off the weight gain, I was left with a large amount of hanging skin. I could not be MORE pleased with the results. However, that being said, one must be so very careful with these decisions. I had to do a lot of research and checking around before deciding on the doctor. Make no mistake, it's surgery and it's a big deal. If anyone ever does any kind of plastic surgery, one place to be sure you check your doctor is the board of medical specialities. I believe it's www.abms.org.
Sharon from Houston
 
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