Advice Tummy tuck and breast lift

[QuaintMauveCrow]

I am having a consultation soon to book a tummy tuck this year, very excited! It’s been a long 16 years of waiting to be able to afford it and finally keeping off 60lbs of excess weight!
I have found a surgeon who’s work and reviews are excellent (Prof Whittaker, based in wales & London)
I am 35 and have two children at home ages 17 and 3 and lots of support from friends and family to help during the recovery process but
i would love to hear people’s experiences,
good & bad and recommendations for items that help make the recovery easier please 😁

I am also considering have a breast lift at the same time so any experience of this greatly appreciated, thank you lovely ladies!
(posting in AIBU as I couldn’t find a suitable place to post)

You've been waiting for this since you were 19 OP!
For heaven's sake why?

It would seem since first child.

I don’t have any personal experience of this but I do know Charlotte Greedy (Mrs Greedy on instagram) has had this done under him and she looks amazing for it. She’s done some you tube vlogs about it and the recovery. Worth having a search for them. I also know he’s done reconstructive surgery for several people who have had bad experiences in Turkey and he’s done his best for them, he seems like a good surgeon. I would love to have this done but I have complex health needs and the recovery scares me to be honest!

Well yes I saw that.
But at 19 for heaven's sake. That's so sad.

Not me, but my mum had similar. She was in her 50's though and had a breast reduction and then 5yrs later a tummy tuck. She was so pleased with the results and has no regrets. For recovery, I think she used one of those long pinchers to get things off the floor because bending over was tricky. There are cheaper ones online, but the link is to show you what I mean.

www.screwfix.com/p/gardena-11700-20-leaf-grabber/207CG?tc=GC3

She had a shower chair already and found that good to sit on. You can pick them up from charity shops often.

Years later she had hip surgery and bought a device to put socks on, but it was next to useless, so consider what slip on shoes you have. Those step in sketchers might be an option or elastic laces to convert your current shoes to slip on ones.

I know it sounds extreme! But full disclosure, I had my first daughter when I was only 17 and after lots of complications it left me with a very badly damaged stomach area. It was very physically and psychologically damaging and not something I have taken lightly!
edited to say, I think it’s best to air on the side of non judgemental caution when making comments about someone’s experience,like saying “how sad” or despairing of it with no insight whatsoever. It’s a little bit rude.

I'm no expert but I'd say you're already going about it the right way but using a carefully researched UK surgeon rather than one of those Turkish surgery packages. Best of luck, I hope it goes smoothly and you have an easy recovery, and get the result you're hoping for.

Thank you @Pepperedpickles i will definitely be looking at that her videos later!
I had read some really great reviews about his work, and part of the reason it’s taken me so long to do it is raising enough spare funds for someone really reputable, it’s a big risk after all but hoping the results will be worth it 💛

Thank you @SpaceRaccoon I appreciate your well wishes! X

No advice OP, but well done on your weight loss! Wishing you great results and healing.

Thank you @7238SM great advice and a good excuse to order a new pair of crocs 😂 the stick idea is 100% on the list now!

do you mind me asking how your mum found the recovery process, particularly in terms of how much help she needed for everyday tasks and for how long?

I've not had a tummy tuck, but I had a breast lift and implants 8 years ago ( I'm 62 now).
A practical tip I would pass on is to avoid wearing clothes which mean you have to lift your arms up to put on and take off, so wear button up shirts, and vest tops that you can put on by stepping into and pulling up.
How exciting for you: sending all good wishes to you.
Any pain or discomfort will get better each day, and will be well worth it for the result you want.

I have had both, first couple of weeks was brutal and I needed a lot of help. After that it was ok. I took 6 weeks off work but ended up having 12 as my wound got infected. Still worth it though!

do you mind me asking how your mum found the recovery process, particularly in terms of how much help she needed for everyday tasks and for how long?

Happy to answer anything I can help with/recall. Mums surgeries were 15 and 20yrs and she lives abroad. She has also had lots of other surgeries since, hips/knees so its therefore tricky to recall which surgery was which. 😬

I'd ensure you have someone to help with the 3yr old and especially no lifting them up. I can't recall, but mum couldn't drive or lift say shopping bags for a period of time. Batch cook and freeze beforehand for easy meals. I'd write out a list of questions and ask the surgeon/specialist nurse about recovery times. Do you have a partner or live with another adult? They might not send you home straight away with only a 17yr old at home. In saying that, mum stayed in hospital a few days after each op due to drains/dressings etc so wasn't sent home the same day.

I have factored in needing 8 weeks off work and 3 weeks from university but maybe I’m being a bit optimistic, I’m basing that on how well I recovered from my c section and other abdominal surgery, but infection was not an issue and something I should definitely factor in!
do you mind me asking if you had an implant with your breast lift and your thoughts on the scarring please?
I am undecided on the breast lift, and have seen amazing but also not so great results without implants & my preference would be not to have them (I love how they look on others) because I think it will cause me anxiety 😅

I had reduction and uplift, but my scaring is awful and I regret getting my boobs done. My scarring for TT is great and I don’t regret that

Thank you so much, even after a lot of hard work I still can’t quite believe it’s going to happen! It may sound ridiculous to some, but the chance to feel comfortable in my body will be life changing :)
great tips! How did you find the scaring and overall end result of your breast lift?

Thank you for your reply @Newyearnewmewoooop
this is sort of where I’m at….
no matter the level of scarring, the tummy tuck will be worth it a hundred fold to me
But I wouldn’t feel the same way about the breast lift

I’m delighted with my breast implants and lift. I have a “ lollipop “ scar, ie around areola and a vertical scar to underneath breast crease.
This isn’t as bad as it sounds: it’s a very faint white mark.

Thank you @Jackiepumpkinhead 💐

I have seen some amazing results, something to really consider for sure.
my c section scar healed beautifully and I would be more then happy with the same results after a breast lift!
happy to have the option and I’m hoping to use the digital imaging at the consultation.. my friend did before she booked and it was amazing to see what the result could be exactly to your body!

I’m an anaesthetist in central London and regularly look after people having this kind of surgery. I’d strongly caution against having abdominal surgery at The Cadogan Clinic (I see that’s one of the places where the surgeon you’ve found works).

@Walnutair thank you for your post, yes it is…. I am open to any advice and happy to receive a direct message if you don’t want to elaborate on the thread

batch cooking, yes hadn’t thought of this!!! It’s literally going to be like all the prep I did for my last c section. I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of it like that before!
i have two great friends that are going to stay with me between them over the first week, extra time at the childminders available if needed and although I’m conscious of not putting upon my 17dd she is a very lovely & helpful extra pair of hands!
my family will also help & I need to lock in some solid plans for transporting my youngest to and from childcare and also potentially a cleaner for a few weeks 😳

Can't comment on the breast lift, but I had a tummy tuck OP. You can't really lie flat after so I bought one of these wedge things for the bed: https://amzn.eu/d/0j1hnxzs

I don't remember the recovery being too bad. The worse thing is because you can't stand up straight for the first few weeks, it makes your back really sore! But it was definitely worth it for me - I had really bad diatasis recti and a pouch of loose skin. So much happier with it now.