First post-TT pic (might be too medical for some)

This isn't a great picture but this is the only real glimpse I've had at my new mid-section. This is from the night of surgery when they opened me up to change dressings the first time. I had my first post-op visit today and am healing well and I can't wait to really get some good pictures. I don't have a before to go with this one to give a good idea but they took off 6 lbs of skin/fat between my belly and side of chest. I wasn't planning on it but at the last minute my surgeon recommended we remove excess skin from my upper chest area, basically side-boobs. So those are gone and I know I'm going to be sooo happy with the results.

Looks awesome!!! How long had you been a 180 before surgeon would do this? How much was the cost and what did your insurance cover?

Thanks :) I hit 180 around December of last year. So I knew that if I maintained for 11-12 months I'd be ready for plastics. I tried losing more a few times but just couldn't eat little enough to make a difference. Eating healthy and staying at 180 makes me happy. My insurance did not cover any of it. I think my tummy tuck was supposed to come to about 6600 all things included (hospital, surgeon, anesthesia) but then I had a hernia repair that had to be added (which insurance DID pay for) and then they gave me a discount on everything so I decided to add in the side boob removal ;) So I think all in all I probably will pay close to 8000 but that's still a lot less than I could have done it where I'm from (Wash, DC)... I came to Alabama where my parents live.

Awesome! I'm sure you are uncomfortable now, but you are going to look great! I peruse the plastics board now and then. I'll be planning a tummy tuck once I can hang out consistently around the 190 mark -- not goal but might as well have a flat stomach anyway.

Take care  and here's to a speedy recovery!

You know, it's not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I am lucky in that I respond well to morphine and loritab, not everyone does. But I've been mostly using advil for pain relief today and doing well.

If you can stay at 190 I definitely say go for it! I realized that my belly was the only real problem I had with my body and I would end up torturing myself with diet and exercise to lose enough weight to ever make a dent in it. Now, problem solved. If I lose more, great, but the shape of my body is much more to my liking - or will be once I'm healed.

Wow, you look great!  So happy for you! 

Thanx for the pic.  Your TT looks good now and will really look good later.  Hope to be able to say the same when I am able to get ps.  Take care,
Z

Looking good.

Looking good!  I can't believe how small your trunk looks and I know there's a lot of swelling.  You've inspired me to start thinking seriously about having plastics.  Keep us posted.  I sure appreciate you sharing this with us. 

Lisa O.

Thanks! This picture is my little ray of hope that it will all look great in the end. Every time we take my binders off it's hard not to focus on what looks like the same old flabby belly. I'm definitely swollen, bloated, and very bruised. It is not a pretty sight! But I'm not even allowed to stand up or lay down flat yet so I know there's a lot more flab simple cause I'm hunched over.  

On the positive side, healing wonderfully, no complications, and all things considered more annoying itching than pain. 

Lisa, you should really go for it! Have a consult, many docs do them for free anyway. You've worked so hard and lost/maintained so well, I say, reap the rewards of that and enjoy life.  I was never going to feel like I'd actually lost all that weight if I had to look at that belly in the mirror for the rest of my life. 

One BIG tip for anyone thinking about a TT is to get a small unfill before you do. I am SOOO grateful I was on the looser side because of all the pills I now have to take and I barely have an appetite anyway but let me tell you, coughing, PBing, getting stuck, etc. will be your worst fear in the post TT days. I'm 4 days out and the worst pain I've felt is when I needed to hack some crud from my lungs.