Question:
Liposuction After Initial Tummy Tuck?

hello everyone. My question is. Im 2 months post-op from my tummy tuck, i have a vertical and hip to hip cut. My lower ab is awesome, no problems what so ever. My upper ab is where i have issue. My stomach is where all my fat was from the beginning of WLS and all, that is where the fat was. I gained 5lbs since my surgery and i feel that all that weight went right to my upper ab (above belly button). I wanted to know if lipsuction along with exercise would be a good idea. The surgeon did not do lipo at all on me in the intial surgery because he said i didn't need it and i think he should of done it. What is the differnce between general and local anathesia? He said he could do something right in his office. thank you all in advance for your answers. 260/160/145-150    — sexysag37 (posted on June 19, 2005)

June 18, 2005
I can't answer anything as far as PS but I can tell you the difference between general and local. General you are completely out. Local is they put you in twilight so that you are not fully out and you may even remember parts of the surgery, you won't feel any pain but you may recall parts of what is going on. Local is less evasive then general. There are less complications with Local but unfortunately not every surgery can be done under local. Good Luck. Denise
   — dlryanoates

June 19, 2005
Well Rita, liposuction is a good option only if you understand the basic principle of how a fat cell works. It principally stores fat (in the prescence of insulin) and if you are not exercising much, i.e. walking 3 to 4 times a week if you are on maintainence, more if you have not reached your goal, and following your reduced animal fat consumption nutrition then your other remaining fat cells will start to store fat as well. Your body preferentially burns carbohydrate and stores fat. So life habits need to be changed to address this. Exercise is a key component in your weight loss progrom along with adhering the dietary regime that your Doctor set you on. Don't forget your vitamins and mineral supplements either. As for gaining 5 kilos, that is pretty normal after say 5 years, so if yoiu are putting on weight now before the 5 year mark is up, then you might just reconsider going back to basics. Try reading Dr. Terry Simpson's book "Weight Loss Surgery, A lighter Look At a Heavy Subject" and his other book "The last 30lbs" You could find all the support and some of your answers there. Congratulations on having come thus far. Enjoy your journey.
   — Lise K.

June 20, 2005
Hi. I like what Gina and Lise have to say...a body fat scale may help guide your dieta nd excercise program. That being said, upper abdominal fat can be an issue after the tummy is flattened. We cannot do a lot of lipo up there because of blood supply issues. A touch up like this may well be done under local in the office without too much issue, but it depends on the amount of tissue to be removed. Try the nonsurgical route....thats the key to a long-lasting result.
   — DrL

June 20, 2005
Hi, A clarification on local vs. general. General anesthesia is when they put you to "sleep" (actually you are unconscious rather than asleep). Local anesthesia is simply numbing the area to be worked on. Local is usually safer than general as the amount of anesthetic in your circulatory system/nervous system is minimal... the local medication only affects the area that it is injected into (ever had a cavity? that's local they inject you with). Sometimes with local they give you a sedative to help reduce your anxiety before, during, and after the procedure... but this is not always the case. I have had several procedures done with local but with no sedation or IV... you remember it all unless they specifically give you a hypnotic drug, such as versed, but that is usually the exception rather than the rule. Good luck, sid
   — mrsidknee