My journey through VASER Liposuction has definitely been a rollercoaster ride of emotions! I was going to cancel because I felt very vain and a little bit selfish. I went through with it anyway. My surgery was on April 10th with a very highly recommended and skilled certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Lucie Capek. At my pre-op, I was terrified after reading about what I had to stop and what I had to start along with aftercare and the, so I thought, long road to recovery. I signed the papers, paid the cash and went home. I was not myself. I was freaked out. So I started doing everything I was told to do. Go off birth control, start taking arnica, don’t drink alcohol….the day of surgery brought on a lot of anxiety. I was even crying in the waiting room to be called in, thinking about how selfish I felt. My husband was great and there every step of the way. I was called into the room.
Ok here goes nothing.
They started prepping me. When the Dr appeared and she completely put my mind at ease with her calming voice and demeanor. I was wheeled in shortly thereafter and received local anesthesia. I was out. I woke up in a LOT of pain. The nurse gave me two drips of morphine and tramadol. That took the edge off. When I got home, I ate a little something and felt “ok”. My surgery only lasted 45 minutes and I was told she got approx. 3lbs from me I believe. The drainage had also stopped after a few hours and it was super light. I was throwing up violently toward night time from the drugs so I switched to Tylenol. I had a really hard time recovering from the anesthesia. It took me about 4 days. The Dr said at post-op (recovery area) that I wouldn’t stop twitching. So they had to give me more. That was quite honestly the worst part for me. Day 2 I was afraid and freaked out to remove my dressings and garments. Once out of the shower I looked in the mirror and smiled. I had a flat stomach for the first time ever in my life!!! I couldn’t believe it. They say day 2 is what you should expect after full healing 6-12 months later.
Background history
42-year-old female. Work out 4-6 days a week. Had this stubborn stomach bulge my whole life. Have hired personal trainers and did everything right forever. It was still there. I considered lipo at age 27 with the same Dr. Decided against it and glad I did before babies and hormone changes etc. I’m now at week 4 and 3 days. Massaging daily and getting lymphatic massages weekly professionally. I cut out soda and all fast food, not that I ate it a lot anyways. I drink a ton of water a day and cut down to a low sodium, high protein, low carb diet more than I already was. I can actually see my ab muscles poking thru now! I went down to Marena garment and Spanx and wear them around the clock except when I shower. I am going to start Zumba again tomorrow and ease back into a workout. The swelling is probably the worst part of all of this. But water, the compression garments and being mindful of what you eat all helps. I will answer any questions or concerns. Pictures are pre-op and 2 days post op then and 3 weeks post. Will post more later on more of my experience!
Dr. C: I love everything that you’ve brought up in this first part. Guilt feelings are SO common, especially for us women who are often used to putting others first. My approach is always to say, if something bothers you enough that you think about it daily in a negative way, then let’s take care of it guilt free. You are wasting a lot of energy that could be directed toward your family, a job goal or hobby.
Anxiety, anesthesia side effects, and pain are often part of the process and this too shall pass – keep your eye on the prize!
Stomach looks amazing!!
1-month post-op
13 May 2019
Wanted to add some before and after pics. Still in such amazement almost 5 weeks post op!! I couldn’t be happier with my results.
Dr. C: So glad you’re happy already! This will keep getting better over 6 months. I see a little swelling here and there, which is normal
5 weeks post-op
1 Jun 2019
2 months post
And my hard work on my abs all of these years is finally starting to show! ???? I started back at Zumba 4 weeks post op and I’m back at the Orange Theory and have done 3 classes. I feel amazing and that belly isn’t getting in my way anymore. I’m still wearing my compression garments, especially during my workouts and when I sleep. The swelling is becoming minimal and workouts do cause a bit more swelling. I wore a bikini for the first time in a while on Memorial Day weekend and I’m feeling so confident! The lighting in my room is bad so the pictures don’t show my true pigmentation. But all the bruising is gone and my skin tone looks great!
Dr. C: Looking terrific for sure and your muscle definition is really popping. I love that you’re committed to doing your part with a healthy diet and exercise because that makes all the difference. Liposuction is not a weight loss procedure, but rather a sculpting procedure. It reveals what’s underneath, so a fit body shows better results.
One great thing about VASERlipo specifically is the fact that it’s ‘energy assisted’, using Ultrasound to break up fat, and heat to help tighten skin. It makes removing the fat easier and less traumatic, too. Check out our Liposuction page for more info!
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