I had a tummy tuck AMA

[TedIsINNOCENT]

I wish I'd had someone to ask questions to before I'd had it done so feel free to AMA.

[Thatsnotmyotter]

What made you decide you wanted it done?

[tedx]

Where did you get it done?..

How did you measure before and after?

How much did it cost?

[Caribbeanescape]

Are you glad you had it done?

[TedIsINNOCENT]

I had 2 c-sections, a hernia and a tummy muscle gap (diastaisis recti) so it was already a mess. Didn't think it could be worse! I've spoken to lots of mum friends who have that little skin pouch and not one of them has managed to get rid of it. The only solution to all my problems at once seemed to be surgery.

[HollowTalk]

She's already had it,

[fudesina]

Oh I need one of these! No sections for me but last pregnancy as ruined my body. My DR has closed but it still not the same. Have loads of excess skin plus a hernia.

Was it painful? What the recovery time like and goes it look back to how it was before?

Dud you have pelvic floor issues with the DR and if so did it help?!

[TedIsINNOCENT]

In terms of pain I was under general anesthetic so the operation itself was actually no pain. Afterwards they gave me IV morphine which was really effective. Liquid morphine was provided afterwards on demand so I could manage the pain myself. They also advised ibuprofen and paracetamol which I needed for about 2 weeks afterwards. It depends on how little your children are because mine are 3 and 6 which means they are fairly good at doing things for themselves. That helped with my recovery time. I was off work for 6 weeks partly because like a c-section they advise not to drive for 6 weeks and that's my only method for getting to work. If you're able to work from home you might be able to do at least a half day's work from 2 weeks onwards. I did get very tired though so needed afternoon naps. I was lucky and didn't have any pelvic floor issues. It looks like I haven't been pregnant! Yes I have a scar under my pants but other than that my profile in tight dresses etc is lovely!

[TedIsINNOCENT]

Where did you get it done? I had it done via a referral from my GP privately in a Nuffield hospital local to me which is good because I was in for 2 nights. I had to get there really early in the morning and obviously couldn't drive home so needed to get a taxi there.

How did you measure before and after?The best thing to do is take before and after photos. They draw on you to make sure they know where they're going to operate on so it looks like an autopsy! My after photos straight after were grim but they do get better within a couple of weeks.

How much did it cost? Some of the work was covered by my health insurance so it's hard to say how much it would have cost without the hospital stay covered by the other parts of the op. The part I self funded was £1900 but research I had done to be operated on at that hospital was £4500!!

[TedIsINNOCENT]

@fudesina I have friends who have had vaginal births who have shown me their pouch and it's not a million miles away from how mine was minus the scar!

[TedIsINNOCENT]

@Caribbeanescape oh absolutely! It went as well as I hoped and it's a much easier healing process than expected!

[robindeer]

Could you share the pics?

[TedIsINNOCENT]

@robindeer Apologies but I wouldn't be comfortable as they would be of my naked body (scar just above my pubes) and that's not a sight anyone else needs to see!

[robindeer]

Totally understandable Ted. I realised this week that (after a very similar history to yours) I have those apron folds either side and I can't imagine how I would ever get rid of them!

[TedIsINNOCENT]

@robindeer I was warned I might have little extra bulges at the side/ends of my scar which would need a second op but it was smooth there so didn't need one. If you do want it done you should be within the normal BMI range so you get the best results. The surgeon kept telling me I was young and slim (late 30s - young ) (BMI of 24- so not that slim!) so I'd be most likely to get the results I wanted.