Tummy Tuck and Breast Implant Questions

I had a tummy tuck 2 years ago.
Best. Decision. Ever.
No question. And worth every single out of pocket penny we paid.

I look like a million bucks. I realize I'm not supposed to say that...but I do.

Have you had a c-section? If so, it is almost identical in pain/recovery.
You will be very uncomfortable for about 3 days post surgery. Pain will be well managed, so that won't be much of an issue, honestly.
It will take about 1-1.5 weeks until you can completely stand up straight. And then you will need to sleep on a wedge/incline until everything relaxes enough for you to be able to bear weight and shifting in the area. That took 3 weeks for me. Again, not pain, just discomfort.

I had zero swelling, ever. Some of that is due to the progressive tension sutures my surgeon used, instead of drainage tubes.

Today, my scar is very light. My tummy is 100% flat, and I never, ever have to worry about "overhang" in my pants again. :) Nor any ab work, like crunches, etc... It's solid as a rock and absolutely beautiful!

I'm happy to share all the details of my recovery and procedure. Feel free to PM me.

I know someone who had just a tummy tuck. Her stomach remains fairly flat despite being about 75lbs over weight but now she needs a breast reduction. I want to ask a doctor if it is possible that since they sucked the fat cells out of her stomach that the fat cells redistributed and went to her chest. Her breast are the largest breast I ever saw and they were not always like that. ask the surgeon if that could happen.

I also had a great experience with my tummy tuck. Love it. The first few days of recovery are difficult, and not being able to stand up straight for a couple of weeks was the worst. But after that it's fine.

My main advice is to research your doctor WELL. Ask him/her if you can meet with one of their patients. Discuss all aspects of the surgery beforehand. A bad doctor can mess you up.

And yes, you will have a visible scar, but to me that's no big deal.

JC -- yes, once you have fat removed from one area, fat will redistribute to other areas, if you gain weight. In my case, when it went to my breasts afterward that was a good thing.

I have been interested in both but have not had either surgery. My tummy is bad enough that I might consider it in the future but my mom has had breast implants and I will NEVER do that. I know many people have been super happy with theirs, but just seeing what she has gone through is enough for me to say NO WAY.
She has had to have them replaced multiple times
She got a chest infection at one time and had to have one implant removed for about a year. During that time, not only was she lopsided but she had a drainage catheter most of the time. It was awful.
Her nerves in her breasts are all messed up and she cannot figure it out but her breasts itch like crazy ALL THE TIME. She has a hard time sleeping, it is so bad. She has tried a lot of different things but I have to wonder if she is allergic to them or if it is nerve damage.

My mom is not happy with her tuck, it looks bumpy on the top of the scar and the scare is very visible. Think about past injuries you have had, do you tend to end up with bad scars or do they tend to heal almost invisible?

I have one friend that loves her implants, another whose mother had lumps after one leaked and caused scar tissue inside her breast. It can go either way, but remember with implants it is not a one time thing, they do have to be removed or replaced eventually, and anything inside of your body that is not normally there can cause issues with scar tissue or leaking.

Just really think about your benefit to risk ratio. I seriously thought about a tuck, even met with the doctor and did the consultation, and then I realized that there is nothing wrong with my "mothers" body, I was not willing to risk incapacitation or death for a flatter stomach.

But, as far as recovery, from all accounts I have heard the recovery from a breast implant is less painful and much easier then a full reduction (which I had) and my recovery was not bad overall. There was discomfort for a few weeks, and it was hard not being able to pick up my kids, but after time the scars got less visible and I am happy with my overall results. I have heard recovery from a tuck can be really bad depending on how much skin is removed, but I have no first hand knowledge of that since I changed my mind about having it done.

I just had a full TT w/muscle repair in June. Recovery sucked in the beginning but i survived:). I was fortunate to have my SIL stay with me for 10 days and then i was on my own all day till hubby got home from work and took over. You will need 24/7 help in the beginning. I slept in a recliner for 5 weeks before i tied a rope to the bed post and used that to pull myself up. I didn't drive till 3 weeks post op but i couldn't sit up and look behind me so i stuck to back roads. I went through regret in the beginning but that is a very common reaction. The first few showers you will want someone to help you, my hubby got in there with me and was my nurse. Im 6 months post op and still have swelling and numbness in areas but i can wear my normal jeans again. You will live in yoga pants in the beginning. I chose not to do breast implants at the same time but every single person i know who just had the boobs done said it was easier than expected. One of my friends even went out to dinner the same night of her surgery ( she only ate a little bit of ice cream but she felt well enough to get out). Abdominal surgery is difficult but i must say, i am SOO happy i followed through with my TT! I also chose a surgeon that does the no-drain TT which i highly recommend, i could not bare the thought of dealing with painful drains during recovery. I say go for it, you'll go in at breakfast and you will be home by lunch:). Just know recovery will suck but the more help and support you have time will fly and you will get past it and enjoy your flat tummy more and more as the swelling goes away:).

My sister had a tummy tuck and breast lift.

This sounds terrible but I can't tell a huge difference 2.5 years later! When she had it done she couldn't stand up straight for over a week. I think she was in more pain than she thought she'd be.

If I'm going to go through all that I want to look noticeably different (like the first mom's response here).

If I did a tuck I'd also do lipo, though I've heard that recovery is rough. My sister did not do lipo.

I'm waiting until my youngest child is out of high school (couple of years to go). I won't risk my life for a cosmetic procedure before that, and even then I will be nervous.