Abdominoplasty - Tummy tuck
 

I'm just curious to know if anyone here has had or is considering having an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck). I'm definitely apple shaped and I've had 3 cesareans. I'm only 5 foot 2 inches and had huge babies. I was gestational diabetic with all 3.

I've seen a surgeon and for me to have the surgery done, I need to lose at least another 40 lbs.

I have a huge flap of skin that seems to get lower and lower as I lose the weight. My navel is 3 inches below where it used to be.

I'm just wondering how many of you have lots of loose skin that might make you consider this sort of operation. Am I the only one?

I know that my skin tone is gone forever in my middle. I was stretched to beyond what is normal. My stomach muscles (abs) are separated due to the big babies and would require stitching to bring them back together. I definitely want to have the surgery but it's very invasive. You get a scar from one hip to the other.

Would appreciate any input/experience that anyone may have on the subject.

Thanks!

Jessica

Jessica,
You sound like you've already done some research on this procedure. More than I've done. I know I asked about my tummy flap the last time I was at the doctor's. She said I'd probably have to have a tummy tuck to get rid of it after the weight loss. I'm hoping it shrinks up some, but we'll see. Just hoping, I guess...because I'm not very thrilled about doing surgery. I don't even like going to the doctor's for normal stuff. And having babies is the only reason I'm willing to go into the hospital, if I have a choice.

Just curious....the scar from hip to hip? Is it along the area where the C-section scar is? Sounds scarey! :eek: Victoria

I had abdominoplasty
 

and all I can say is be very careful who you have as a surg.
I had a Dr. who damn near killed me! I ended up with gangrene
and
\ had to have another operation to save my life. My scar is so large that I cannot wear pants with zippers because it rubs and bugs me. My belly button ended up way to low because they had to cut off so much bad and infected skin. I was in the hospital for a month.

Hi, Jessica

I have really been thinking about a tummy tuck... I have not talked to my dr about it yet. I have alot of saggy skin, and my belly button is not where I should be. I have been measuring it and its come up about an inch :thup: but I don't think the skin will shrink up. I have had 2 babies, one was a csec and the dam dr, cut me up and down through the skin and muscle. Thankfully he didnt cut my uterus the same way. So my belly is like a bum in the front because of the scar. *more info that you wanted lol*

The only way I would be able to do it is if it was covered under the medical program, and Im not sure if it is or not. I have heard from a friend who is having weight loss surgery that some of the people she has talked to did get their excess skin removed and ti was covered after they kept the weight off for 2 years...


Do you get "The Learning Channel" they have have a show called "A personal story" and they do tummy tucks and all sorts of other procedures..

Best wishes

even though
 

I am really obese, I have a flat stomach and will never gain weight there. Just be aware of the things that can happen. You will have little or no feeling above the scar line for the remainder of your life. Mine too was covered under health care. I had very large babies as well. I don't know if it would be covered under the current health care reforms though.
Good luck to you.

I have been doing some research in this area as well. I would very much like to have this procedure done when I get to my goal weight. I can't stand this apron of flab and fat. As large as I am, it is the one area that I obsess on. My wings runs a close second.

roll of flab
 

Hi everyone

My story is much the same....both girls were c-section,
both were big babies.

I also have a flap of skin that hangs over the incision line which thankfully is very low.

I went from 120 to 190 with the first,
and from 150-175 with the second.

I am not a hospital person and would not willingly put myself there for any reason I did not medically have to!!!!!!

I guess because its been there so long,,,I kind of accept it
as a "war wound" , and I do believe the whole area is shrinking, I just keep doing abdominal work and losing weight and walking and hopefully it will tighten up enough,,,BUT I won't lose any sleep over it if thats all I have left to worry about in the end. :p :wave:

Trying to figure this out....
 

I on my way to my goal.....at 54.5 lbs down i can already see skin flabbing!!!

I am trying to find out if i was to need surgery after if it would be covered by OHIP as it will be a 120+lbs weight loss.

Does anyone know???

A friend just had the surgery and it costed her over $5000 to have it done.

thanks.

I also have that flap and adoringly call it my pooch !
I had gestational diabetes (first baby 9lbs.13oz.) and was stretched to the limit.
The surgery is major ! The worst part is, if for any reason you gain weight it will all come back.

I can not tell you how many times I thought about this surgery. At 33 years old I should not have this belly ... but I accept it. When it hits my knees I may entertain the idea again. :)

I am all for supporting people who feel that's what they need to have a better self image. You obviously have done the research and are not going into this blind.
Good luck to you.

I have considered this surgury too...
Look on the net for before/after pics on Surgeons Web Sites.
Not many people realize the size of the scar. Take a look and see if you could live with that, it's like a big smiky face if you're nude, your breasts like eyes, your navel like a button nose, and a big huge smiley scar from hip to hip underneath. Which I'm sure would fade in time like my C-Sect scar has, but it will always be there!
I'm not trying to discourage you. If I had the $$ I'd do it in a hartbeat, but my family doc said no-one should seriously consider it without seeing photos of the scars.
Speaking of which I remember seeing a talk-show with this blonde barbie doll-lady who was addicted to plastic surgury and she wanted a whole BODY-TUCK which involved cutting all the way around her waist and pulling up her skin from there-down like PANTYHOSE and suturing all the way around her waist. Now THAT would be a scar! try explaining that one on the nude beach!

I'm 48 and 5'3" with a long verticle incision from 3 c-secs. I've gained about 75 lbs. above my pre-pregnancy weight. It may be because I am loosing my weight pretty slowly, but my pooch thing is livable and not as bad as I feared it would me.(Of course, I'll never go out in a bikini, but the verticle incision ended that dream years ago.) I read somewhere that you should wait at least a year after you've gotten ALL your weight off, before you consider a tuck. It helps me that my DH seems to LOVE my body, no matter how it looks, and he's the only one who knows what it really looks like. I guess a good old fashioned girdle might help, but I know that's not going to be a good solution for everyone, since we all have different degrees of "excess".

I haven't tried the Fat Flush thing that has you eating a certain way and doing the "skin brushing" to help your skin to tighten up, but some people have had REALLY good results with it, so I think it would be worth investigating and trying while you are waiting around to get to your one year post weight loss. It certainly won't hurt and it could definately help.

My arm flaps ain't pretty, but I try not to torture myself by looking at them!! I've seen what the scars look like from getting the flaps taken off, and I think I'd rather have my flaps!

I've researched the TT thing as well. My surgeon quoted me $5400 for the procedure. I too have separation of the rectus abdominus muscle called diastasis recti. I honestly think that no matter if I make it to goal or not people are still going to ask me, "When is your baby due?" I could just cry. Dh is NOT supportive at all and doesn't want me to do this. For right now I'm living with it. The scar doesn't bother me I just can't afford it.

I'm 29 with 3 c-secs too! Believe me that is the worse area that I worry about. Its a shame when I got my tubes tied this last go around that they couldn't have wacked off a little bit o' skin while they were sewing me back up. Oh well.

I researched it, had a Breast Reduction a while back and will be getting a Tummy tuck if I see the need for it when I reach my goal. As for having no feelings? That surgeon must have messed something up, because I have several friends that had the surgery and had never problems. There are also other options (Mini Tummy tuck or a Panni (panni they only remove the excess skin) or even Lipo) My bulge is just below the bellybutton and I am guessing I probably would be needing a Panni once I hit goal. DH is very supportive and with the Panni the scar would be a lot smaller, too. My BR scars have faded after 2 years so much that you can hardly see them anymore.

This is something I seriously want to do. I lost 132 pounds about 8yrs ago and my tummy went completely flat. BUT I have had a baby and packed on the pounds over the years. I am sure this is my last battle of the bulge I frankly refuse to do this again ever. I am scared since I have had the child 5 yrs ago and had lost all that weight before that my skin in my tummy and other areas won't snap back like before. If its not snapped back enough a year after my weight loss I will save up and get the surgery, would love to have my breasts lifted too LOL. I have noticed that they are umm lower than I would like :P