Low volume lipo (600ccs') to hips,under bum inner & outer thighs, and knees.
Photos are of day before surgery and 4 weeks post op

Recovery Journal

11/1/02:

I was in for surgery at and home by 2:15pm!!!

I think Dr. Rex was very aggressive under bum and inner thighs as they are VERY sore!!!

11/2/02.Post op day #1:

Well, today was a bit rough as I was just exhausted from not being able to sleep last night. My plastic surgeon switched me from percocets to vicodins (those percocets just got me all wired) and also added valium for night time.

The pain yesterday was less than today.

I am extremely sore under my bum, hips and outer thighs are beginning to be sore. However I am able to get up and WALK AROUND. Still have help with the kids but I can get my own food and drinks.

Very thankful for that 2 liter plastic cup as there is NO WAY I could sit on the toilet!!

I am lying down for an hour or so and walking for 10-15 minutes, I am aware rest is very important but also know walking is good for circulation . Bruising at this point is minimal, swelling seems moderate, and all and all I feel okay.

Day#2...(11/3/02):

Getting better by the hour! I am sore, but it only feels as if I took a good fall down some stairs, I am mobile, getting put on vicodins rather than percocets helped allot!

Lipo to hips, i/o thighs, are uncomfortable so long as I take my 1 vicodin every 4 hours although not under my bum! I CANNOT SIT AT ALL!!!!!!! I will have tomorrow off as well and then I go back to teaching aerobics on Tuesday, no legs for me though! Revision to FTT scar is doing just I have had absolutely no oozing at all (Praise the Lord, that was a big fear of mine pre op), have been able to do laundry, cook, get up and down, DO NOT GET ME WRONG...I am in some pain but not like a FTT or BA. Just VERY sore, like I had a bad fall.

Bruising isn't so bad and swelling is moderate (I guess) you be the judge... the photos are posted.

Day #3...(11/4/02):

Verbally taught 2 aerobics classes, drove kids to and from school, drove to and from gym to teach, rested in-between (driving in there car is VERY uncomfortable). I was pretty sore but as long as I laid down with my feet up for an hour or two several times throughout the day I was okay. Still taking 1 vicodin every 4-5 hours (trying to stretch them out now) bruising is setting in, swelling is minimal (I guess). I am off to go rest.

Post op day #6 finds me off my meds, unless I over do it then a vicoden at night is needed, Advil would probably work too! The one limitation I do have is bending over but that is from my FTT scar revision.

I am up and around but do still require rest a few times a day (laying down with my feet up). I can be up and active for a good 4-5 hour stretch (with garment on..my plastic surgeon does not suggest them,I like them!) then I need a good 1 or 2 hour rest. I guess I am 70% back to myself, I am able to get my daily functions with the kids done and verbally teach my classes.

1 week.....post op visit...
(11/8/02)Post op day #7:

WAHOOO!!!! Those staples are out!!! The ones under my bum were SO AGGRAVATING!!!

Plastic Surgeon says I am very swollen!!! It may be odd that this makes me happy BUT think about it??? I will shrink,shrink,shrink!!!! I was so excited I just stared at those photos I posted for while, this will be SO COOL!!!!

Dr. Rex was impressed with my bruising, he looked all through my chart to find the cc amount and the nurse never wrote it down!!! He is thinking 600cc's but was not sure that was right as he did 3 lipos before my post op. Oh well, bummer!

My revision to the FTT incision came out very nice, I think I was so used to the FTT scar the extension didn't really phase me.

My Plastic Surgeon said I can go back to instructing my aerobics classes, weight training, and cardio on Monday (This will be post op day #10) as long as I listen to my body. I am glad for swelling as it will be a gradual weight loss appearance. Your class knows your body head to toe as the see it in spandex for 1 hour several times a week!!!!~smile

Oh ya, I asked him if he minded that I wore a garment and he said no, He said studies do not show they make any difference in the end result, so I will continue to wear mine while working out or bring up for long periods of time and take it off when I rest or at bedtime!

Post op day # 8 (11/9/02):

OH MY WORD! Tonight the bruising and pain is certainly on the high side! Yesterday (1 week post op) I was on my feet with garment on from 6am-9pm (had a death in the extended family no time for putting my legs up), felt a bit swollen and took meds all day. I slept with my legs elevated was up with garment on for 4 hours, rested with legs up for 2 hours, then up again for 4 more hours and the pain set in! I went to lay down with legs up, dosed off and woke up in PAIN!!!!!!

Day #10..(11/11/02): finds me well on my way to recovery! I taught and DID a 45 minute kickboxing class and then did 20 minutes on the treadmill. I felt a bit swollen but nothing major, I did wear my garment until I got home.

I did rest with my legs up for the better part of the day and took a nap (pretty sure the class exhausted me, either that or the fact that I still do not sleep well at night, I did only get 5 hours of sleep last night).

Post op day #11: finds me active, off pain meds, very tolerable pain, still in need of a bit of rest, minimal amounts of swelling, decent amount of bruising, and best of all well on my way to recovery!!!

Post op Day #12:

I physically taught 2 body pump classes (skipped abs, and did the first few and last few sets of squats) as well as 20 minutes on the treadmill. I feel pretty good, definitely swollen, nothing major, garment does not feel too constricting. All I required for rest today was about two hours and now as I sleep I think I will elevate my legs.

Post op day #13:

I am so thrilled!! I kicked mine and my aerobics classes butts this morning!!! I worked up an incredible sweat and did 15 minutes on the treadmill!!!!

I am SO JAZZED!!!! I am feeling so much more like myself! I am wearing my garment for classes and during the day, I take it off at night.

Post op Day # 14 (2 weeks post op!):

I did my entire kickboxing class plus 20 minutes on the treadmill and needed to rest with legs up for the better part of the day.

Post op day #15:

I physically taught 1 body pump class early am and 20 minutes on the treadmill, didn't rest with legs up until 2&1/2 hours later, when I did I rested for about and hour and a half, picked the 4 kids up from school did all the mommy stuff and after dinner went and physically taught another body pump class (I skipped abs in both classes and kept squats little and not deep). Went home rested and slept with legs up.

Post op day #16:

Today is certainly the peak of my swelling so far. I taught 3 aerobics classes today, volunteered for lunch and recess duty, and did errands. At 2:00 I laid down with feet up before getting the kids and teaching my 3rd class and dosed off, I woke up feeling pretty tight and could feel the swelling starting in.

I took a percocet I had left over, and off I went, well GREAT idea (NOT!), I physically taught my entire 3rd class and am now more swollen than I have been since surgery!!

For all pre-lipo people DO not let this scare you. It was an easy recovery and a speedy one at that.

Post op day #17:

I taught 2 classes today 1 kickboxing at 6am (did it all!!!) and then weight trained biceps. Went back at 5pm this evening and killed my class in step, kicked my own butt too!!!

3 weeks post op:

I guess the worst is behind me?????? I am feeling 100% me again!

I have resumed all normal activities as a wife, mother of 4, business matters, physically teach all seven of my aerobics classes per week,have gone back on proper diet, as well as extra cardio and all weight training. This is done without even Tylenol and no resting during the day!~smile I do wear my garment when working out, and just to be kind to my body at the end of the evening I elevate my legs.

I am very happy about this speedy recovery and am looking forward to the final results!!!! My lesson at this point is to take care, I am still recovering even though I feel good and my water and sodium intake are very important.

I felt so good that this last week I slacked off and my swelling certainly is showing that.

I will post 4 weeks post op pictures tomorrow so you can see edible changes!!! My husband noticed a change in my physique at about 3 weeks (YIPPPEE! He was so sweet with his compliment!) and people at the gym noticed post op week #4!

Hope this helps! Feel free to post or e-mail me I am here to help and support in any way I can.