Has any female here had a tummy tuck that left them with a permanently protruding pelvic area? What I'm referring to makes it look almost like there's a huge bulge with clothing on (yes, almost as if it's a man, if you get my drift). The pelvis also protrudes out so much below the flat stomach that the normal pubic hair won't grow in properly, but instead gets bare spots where clothing constantly rubs against it (similar to men's knees and legs from rubbing against pants all the time). The PS (very highly regarded, by the way) said he left it that way because it was a "natural fat pad" and that he didn't want to do anything to it that would "desensitize" the area below. However, it was never like that before the surgery. The TT was done to a friend of mine a few years ago, and she hates this aspect of it. I said I'd try to get info from anyone who may have had a similar situation. I'd appreciate any comments or suggestions. Thanks. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

I had a tummy tuck/lipo done this past december and my stomach was flat at first. After a month, my pelvic area started to protude. My doctor aspirated old blood that had not drained many times but my stomach never returned to its former flat state. Finally, we went back into surgery and found that I had a bloodclot and excessive scar tissue that had formed in my pelvic area. I am now flat again and wearing a drain. I'm hoping this is the end of the complications because I was initially very happy with the results.

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I had a tummy tuck on March 22nd, 2001 and I am having some major problems. First, I developed necrosis (dead tissue and skin) at the site of my incison and the doctor had to reopen me and take out that dead tissue and restitch me. And now, my pubic area is swollen and protruding. I had the drains in for almost 2 weeks and after I had them removed (they weren't draining much anymore), I began swelling again. I've since had the doctor drain me with a big needle taking out quite a lot of fluid(between 50 and 30cc's) at 3 different appointments. It's still very swollen and I don't have much feeling 'down there'. Now my incision is bright red and infected extending downward into the swollen area. I'm taking antibiotics now to try to combat that infection. This has been one headache after another, and I'm wondering why did I put myself through this "elective" procedure!!? Any support at this time would help tremendously!!!

Dawn, I had a protruding pubic area before my surgery, you could pass me as a man in jeans too. I HATED IT! But when I had my full tummy tuck, my doctor did some lipo in the pubic area to even things out. It was the best part of the surgery. I hated that part of body for as long as I could remeber. maybe your doctor should of done the same. Check it out, it also inhanced my sexual sensation 50x's!

Hi, Bluejay. I'm glad to hear you got your "bulge" fixed to your satisfaction, and then some (lol). Love the comment about your sensation being so much better, especially since I've heard others say that their PS would never do lipo there for fear of numbing the area and losing all sensation long-term if not permanently. The PS that did the TT wouldn't do lipo on ANY part of the body at the same time, saying it was too risky. After the fact, though, my be a different story. Thanks for sharing, and ENJOY!! http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif)

How long were you all numb at the incision site and below? I'm only 5 weeks postop (and finally feeling normal).. but was just curious. Julie

I was only numb in the pelvic area for a few weeks, if that, and was never numb in the incision area. As a matter of fact, it hurt so much at the incision site for at least a month, and I would have preferred that it was temporarily numb. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif However, I was numb in the upper area, above the BB, for several months, but it was nothing that bothered me, just a strange feeling you get used to...unless you get a mosquito bite, and then you realize scratching the numbness doesn't help, haha. The upper numbness was totally gone in about a year, after the nerves healed.

I'M NEW TO THIS SO BE PATIENT WITH MY REPLYS.
I'M THE MOM OF 3YR OLD QUADS AND 2 TEENAGERS. MY TUMMY LOOKS LIKE A WATER BALLOON. I KNOW I AM GONNA HAVE A TUMMY TUCK ASAP, BUT AM AFRAID I WON'T PICK THE RIGHT PS. CAN ANYONE WHO IS HAPPY WITH THEIR EXPERIENCE, HELP ME OUT? I LIVE NEAR PITTSBURGH PA., ANY SUGGESTIONS? I HAVE TALKED ONLY WITH ONE OTHER MULTIPLE MOM(FROM LONG ISLAND), WHO HAD A TT, AND SHE WAS PLEASED WITH THE IMPROVEMENT TO HER BACK PAIN, LACK OF ENERGY, AND HER APPEARANCE. I'M EAGER BUT NERVOUS.

Dawn, Did I read you correctly? It took a YEAR before the numbness in your tummy went away? Say it isn't so! Or at least, tell me to what degree did it bother you after a couple of months?
I had lipo in my lower abdomin (from just above the belly button to about 2" above the pubic hair), 5 weeks ago. My tummy was hard as a rock and s-o-o-o-o tender and sore to the touch, up until about a week ago, when I began to get some feeling back. Now it's not as tender and I have regained flexibility. The best part of all is that now I can sleep on my side!!!
I wore a drain for 5 days but afterward my pelvic area (the 2" between where the lipo ended and my pubic hair begins)filled up with fluid. I had to go back to my ps three weeks in a row to have the area drained. It's finally stopped filling with fluid.
I still wear the girdle, cause my doc said to, and also cause I feel better with it on. I'm still a bit too tender without it.
My tummy is still hard as a rock and doesn't feel like "mine".
From your experience, at what point will I feel totally comfortable again? Yours took a year to heal, but were you uncomfortable for the whole year? At what point could I be comfortable in a bikini? How long before I know what I'm actually going to look like?

Bosin, don't panic! "It isn't so", lol. Actually, it took a good six months before my bb didn't hurt when anything pressed against it...even just the button or snap on pants, or a snug waistband. But other than that, the other discomfort was gone in less than three months. I've heard people say they were fine in two weeks...NO WAY, if you ask me. I don't believe it, lol. I was in serious pain for at least 3-4 weeks, and then suddenly everything started getting back to normal quickly. By 6 or 7 weeks, I was back to normal activity, although every so often I felt more tired than usual. As for the numbness in the upper abdominal area, it didn't bother me at all once the pain was gone after the first month or so. It was just a "curiosity", I guess I'd call it, that lasted about a year while it gradually subsided. There was no pain associated with it. The only thing I remember not liking was wanting to scratch a mosquito bite every now and then (which felt like I was bitten deep inside instead of outside, if that makes sense), and not being able to feel the relief of scratching it! Don't worry, the numbness goes away eventually, and I would say that at about the 2-3 month mark it won't even bother you any more. As I said, by that point it's just a "curiosity". If you're like me, you'll occassionally feel little pin-prick sensations...again, not painful or bothersome. The doc said that's the nerves healing themselves. Good luck, and don't worry, you'll be fine in a bikini before you know it. You're really at a good point at 5 weeks, because things begin to improve dramatically around that point. I'll bet you'll be surprised in the next few weeks. Good luck!

Hi! I'm so hlad you guys are here to talk about TT problems! :wave:I had a TT with out the muscles fixed, I can't have kids so they're great. It's been 4 weeks and my right side has had problems with creating too much fluid. I had the drains out a couple of weeks after and then had to come in everyday for a week to get it drained by syringe. He saw it wasn't going away so he put another drain in on that side. It's finally coming out clearer than before (it was still quite red) but I'm still draining about 40cc's in a 24 hr period! I also notice that the results now don't look as good as they first did. I'm more bloated looking than flat. Arrrg. Will I get my new belly back again sometime? I have to say it still looks a lot better than before surgery and it's tighter and smoother, but I just want to know what your experience has been.
Thanks, Gretchen