Did your LBL turn out the way you expected?

Ok, I feel the need to ask this question - my main concern for having a LBL was not my stomach at all.  I had a little loose skin but after having three kiddos it didn't bother me at all.  My major trouble spots were my saddle bags  - very very noticeable and the fact that my skin around my hip/butt area moved everytime I took at step - a lot of loose skin due to the fact that I gained/lost most of my 100 lbs. in the area between my waist and knees.

I'm 13 days out of my LBL and I'm not sure that I am happy with the results.  My stomach is beyond tight but since it was never an issue and was never brought up to my ps as an issue, it's ok.  I was very forthright with my PS about my reasons to have this surgery and the fact that the loose skin moving was a biggie!  My saddle bags are improved but there seems to still be a lot of loose skin in my hip and butt area.  I'm noticing it now more since the swelling apparently is going down.

If this is my end result, I might be thinking that spending over $12,000 on this surgery (and I'm self pay) was not the best thing to do.    I don't mean to put a damper on anyone else's surgery decisions but am wondering if I am the only one feeling this way after an LBL?

Gracie150

My saddlebags are now tight but still large ecspecially from behind but I am enjoying the tightness.  He's telling me he needs to go back and concentrate more on the thighs.  But like you the saddlebags are what was bothering me more than the stomach. 

Since my incision opened in the back and we are still packing it twice a day at almost 3 months I don't know I can handle more incisions.  I think I'm going to research lipo which for some reason my dr. seems reluctant to do.  

My main area of concern was the exact opposit of yours, my Stomach.  It was so large, it spilled out of the leg holes of my underpants and would slap my thighs when i walked so that I had bruises all over the front of my thighs.  It also pulled my center of gravity forward and made the arthritis in my spine and hips worse (becuase of the poor body mechanics).  My surgeon told me he was not going to make things as tight as he could because of the arthritis.  So he only took 80% of the loose skin that he could have taken (Still that was 16 pounds).

I am 3 weeks out today and I still have a lot of swelling (7-8 pounds of swelling) but I am happy.  The skin does not spill through anymore, and I have not gotten a bruise from walking in 3 weeks.  I still have some looseness in my outer hips but I think it is just from swelling.  I know that my surgeon told me not to determine if I was happy or not until 6 months had passed (that is how long he expects it to take for healing  to be complete)


I know it is a lot of money to spend (mine was $16,005) and not be 100% happy.  I imagine that as more swelling goes away and more healing occurs, some of that loose hip and butt skin you have will go away as well, but I would bring up your concerns at your next follow up and see what he says.  It never hurts to ask, and he may even be willing to do a revision and tighten things up more or at least explain why it is the way it is.

I am one week out and so far am 110% satisfied with my lbl and bl (pics on profile password: abc123). My surgery exceeded my expections by a lot. My saddle bags are gone, but my thighs are still a bit of a mess. A lbl can only do so much. I may look into an inner thigh lift in the future, but maybe not. I'll see how I feel in a few months.

Laura

You're still fairly newly post-op, so give it more time.  Did he do any lipo of the thighs with your LBL?  (My PS did.)

I still have jiggly thighs when I walk (mostly inner, but jiggly all around).  I expected that, though, as the LBL can only do so much to help the thighs.  Did you discuss a thigh lift with your PS? 

I'm sorry you feel that way.  :(  I'm one week out and I had complications and a lot of pain and I'm still totally happy, but I guess it's because my main concern WAS my midsection protruding a lot :(

I hope things improve for you...

I'm extremely happy. I had a lot of junk in the trunk area and once I had my LBL I really had nothing back there. Was a little worried that I would be just flat as a board but was happy that it was tight and no bumps, lumps or things buldging or moving about. The good news was about 6 months post op things kinda moved around and I do have a round butt again but in proportion to my body and not Bertha hitting people when I walked by. Only thing I would probably change is where my butt meets my thighs but I think that's a different procedure altogether.

I had mine done on  june 20th and I'm pretty happy with it. He did lipo the thighs and waist and my stomach is flatter than it's ever been. I developed some necrosis which is disappointing, but it's minor compare to what others have gone through. My hubby says I look tiny and I can't wait for these drains to come out so I can get a better idea!!
So far it's been worth the 13,000 I paid out of pocket. Now I have to get the inner thighs and the boobs and I'll be happy!