Tummy Tuck

I am thinking about checking into having a tummy tuck.  I have been at the same weight for about 2 years now and I cannot seem to lose any more.  I have two questions, I think I still have a good bit of fat in my tummy area, but it wont go away, not matter what I do.  Can I still have a trummy tuck with  that problem? I am 5' 5" tall and weigh 179 lbs.  all of my weight is in my tummy.  2nd question, how long does it take to recover enough to return to a desk job?  I cannot be off from work more than a couple of weeks.  Do you think I could do that?

Theresa

You can still have the tt, but your stomach may not end up as flat as you would like, but the excess skin would be gone. They may be able to do some lipo to remove the extra stubborn fat.
Congratulations on your weight loss and maintaining for 2 years, that is great.

I am going Jan 2 for a TT, breast liftw implants and I have been able to return to work in 3 weeks, I am 50% at a desk and 50% running around.

Good luck.

Bethany

Some of the belly fat/skin is part of your excess weight.  My PS said I'd lose in the single digits when he did my abdominoplasty.  He was right -- after the swelling went down I was down 7#.

I was about 25# from goal when I had my abdominoplasty.  I continued to lose 'til I reached where I am now and have been stuck there since May.  But I'm glad I lost that roll and had my thighs liposuctioned.  I wore a bathing suit this summer for the first time in many, many years and felt quite good.

I work from my home and I was back working several hours a day in about a week.  If I had a full-time job I could have returned after 2 weeks.

Compression garments are a split call but I wore mine for at least 4 months 24/7 and that seemed to help keep the swelling in check.

Sure you can do it before goal. I don't know many people who were actually at goal when they started plastics. I was 160 when I got my breasts done, then 165 when I got my TT (gained weight because, when recovering from breasts, I couldn't exercise for 4 weeks and stuffed my face with ritz crackers!). My goal weight is 152.

I have a little bit of roundness in my new tummy, below the bellybutton. Part of it is swelling and a gigantic hematoma, but I still have a little extra in the middle. I think it looks ok though. I think it makes it look more natural actually. Because honestly, when you're not fashion-model stick thin, you don't have a totally flat stomach. My roommate is a competitive athlete, but she does not have a 6-pack. She's toned but not skinny. And her belly has a natural curve, it is not stretched tight and flat. My thighs are still big. They'll always be bigger. So it'd look kinda funny to have this supertight absolutely flat tummy with chubby thighs. I'm ok with a little bit of pudge because it looks more natural. It doesn't hang down or swing around and make a slapping sound when I move, THAT'S what's important.

Oftentimes what happens is, you feel a lot more confident and motivated when you get that horrible wrinkly skin taken away, and you're reinvigorated, and you work out more and are more active because you feel better, so you lose the rest of your excess weight. If you need a small revision later, fine. It probably won't be a major surgery. You'll have already had all your muscle tightening done etc, all the really painful stuff.

I'm exactly 2 weeks out, and I'd be ok at this point to do half-days at a desk job. In another week I'd be fine to return fulltime. And this is after I lost half my blood post-op and had a blood transfusion. So I'm sure I'm a little behind on recovery. You'll probably be fine with 3 weeks, maybe 2. But be generous with yourself.

Thanks so much for your responses, I am going to make an appointment for after the first of the year and get the ball rolling.  I am nervous but so anxious.  My husband is fully supporting my decision, he says I have worked hard to get where I am and he thinks I should be able to be comfortable in my own skin, (Isnt he wonderful).   Thanks again.

Theresa