OK plastics vets, give it to me straight...

When I had my TT, I expected the pain to be absolutely excruciating and, to my surprise, it wasn't as bad as I had anticipated!! I guess if you expect the worst and it's not that bad, then you are pleasantly surprised!! Don't get me wrong, there was some pain, but nothing that drugs and pampering from my DH couldn't fix. I figured that the pain REALLY was worth the results. Wouldn't have changed a thing; in fact; I'm looking at having my face done. These plastics get addictive!! LOL

I consider myself a semi-vet  now with two rounds of surgery under my belt and although I expected pain I was extremely pleasantly surprised to find that I experienced very little pain in both instances.   And it can better be described as discomfort. I did not take more that Tylenol after leaving the clinic.

My first round was a LBL, BA/BL, brachioplasty, medial thigh lift. The second round was a full thigh lift w/lipo, revision to my arm lift with lipo and lipo to my tummy. I would do it all over again without hesitation. My recovery was better than textbook.

I always have to give my kudos to my surgeon Dr Francisco Sauceda. Love Love him! You ROCK Doc!

Did your doctor have a lot of experience with african-american patients?  Was scaring an issue?  You said you love your doc... How did you find him? 

I am interested in plastics for the future but I have a long way to go before I am there.  I am trying to do some research now so that I can make an informed decision.  I appreciate any additional insight you can provide.  Thanks...

Hi Antoinette,

I'm always asking you about something when you post because I'm considering Dr. Sauceda! Can I ask, did you plan for the two surgeries? Why did you decide to have the full thigh lift after  having the medial? Why did you need an arm revisision? Were you able to have lipo the first round, but didn't, or did he think it would be too much at one time? 

Thanks!!

Hernia repair/abdomioplasty: Oh holy hell, somenoe shoot me. Scale of 1-10--- first week's an 11--- still a 5 at a month out. I know abdominal pain--- have endometriosis, had an open obstruction repair, gallbladder, ovarian cysts removed etc...and this was worse than all of them combined.

Brachioplasty: Mine was huge, Mid arms hurt now at about a 7, at a month out.

Breast lift: Cakewalk. Never even twinges-- maybe a 1.

Lower face lift: First 3 days--- owwww- maybe an 8

Upper bleph-- maybe a 4 for about 4 days

Lower blephs-- about 7 for three days, then better-- I have a bad stitch so my left one hurts even 2 months out.

I had a breast reduction and a tummy tuck. As soon as I was wheeled out of recovery, I expected huge pain but I didn't have much. For 3 days I felt little pain (well medicated on Vicodin every 4 hours). After those 3 days the pain got worst. I guess the anesthesia wore off completely plus the OnQ pain pump that they put in was never unclamped and the med was never released. The BR became sooooo painful, throbbing pain. The TT was numb, no pain, but then the mons pubis became so swollen that it created a blister the size of a half dollar!! Turns out that some fluid had collected inside from the drain site and got infected. When my Dr. removed the tape, it poured all over!!, made a small hole in my TT incision.  That whole area became so sore.

Now 4 weeks out the incision itch and becoe a little sore. I keep them moisturized with vitamin E oil and a lotion that has vitamin A and D. I get little "electrical" shots kind of pain in the breasts sometimes, the nerve endings are trying to regenerate I guess.

Its too early to say if I would do it again because I still can't wear my regular clothes or move freely without some sort of tugging. Plus I'm still wearing a binder and sports bra so I'm not "normal" yet.

I had an abdominoplasty and breast augmentation aka as a boob job- have silicone implants

Basically I hurt from my chin to the top of my legs- my pain level was high- higher than my open RNY surgery. I believe it is because Dr. W. went in with a coat hanger ( and dug out 2 spots for my boobs - under the muscle. I went into this surgery clueless- I don't know where I thought he would put them... but, I did not believe him when he said all the xtra skin around my middle would be gone either...

To quantify my pain tolerance, it is high, BUT I have never given birth- a big difference.

Having plastic surgery was the 3rd best decision I have made in my life.
1. marrying my husband
2. having WLS
3. plastic surgery 01/08

my recovery time was normal- I did end up with a "dog ear" a little portion of skin that does not lay flat (I think of a dart in a dress)on my right side
My surgeon did a revision on that side and it is perfect- completely flat... and my kickboxing buds call me dolly!

good luck to you