TaTaTummyAndTaTas

Hi Cupcake... I didn't mean you were scare mongering just that in general it sounds like scare mongering. Back when I started researching getting a tummy tuck there were a lot of similar rumours and nothing came of it so I was trying to say that it would be worth looking into as this could all just be based on rumours.

Hi mum05! That was with Dr Mark Moore in Adelaide and yes it was with PHI. I'm not sure what he charges now but that was the approximate fee in July 2014 when I was deciding which surgeon to go with. I also understand that he is considered around the world to be one of the best (does a lot of pro bono work as well). When I was looking his prices were designed to stop people taking risks with overseas surgery (not my opinion just what came up when I was researching).

The medicare item number used for my abdominoplasty was 30177. This item number is still listed on the Medicare Benefits Schedule on the Department of Health website. Sounds like scare mongering to me but to be sure send an email to Medicare or go in and see them

natz351 something I recently learnt was that if you ask the nurse to put a cold gauze (my nurse just wet a gaze with saline) against the site as they pull out the drain your body can't recognise the difference between pain and cold so you don't feel it. I had a tummy tuck/BR/BL 6 months ago and the drain removal was not fun... This time I had a backlift/wedge lipectomy and when the drains were removed using this technique I didn't feel a thing (and there was 30cm of drain in there!!). Good luck. I didn't have any discomfort or restriction with the BR!

I'm so sorry that you are unhappy with your results. I know this isn't quite the same but I had a BR/BL/TT in November 2015 and within about 2 weeks I knew I wasn't happy with the results. I spoke to my PS and we discussed my options. I also saw a second PS to get a second opinion and to obtain options from the second PS point of view. Both agreed that a revision to my BR would significantly compromise the results I have now (I was a 10G and the revision only got me down to a 10F but I got a freaking awesome lift and awesome shape just they are still massive which is what I wasn't happy with) so I decided to leave well enough alone. With regards to the TT I knew I couldn't live with the results I had so I had a revision (upper abdo lipo free of charge from PS) and a wedge lipectomy/back lift (I had to pay for this as it was basically to fix the back because the front had made my sides/back look ridiculous). I AM SO HAPPY I HAD THE REVISION! It cost me money but I feel a million times better about myself and I am happy. I knew from the minute I saw the results that this was what I was wanting when I had the first surgery. I guess what I'm saying is trust your instinct and have a conversation with your surgeon. Not all procedures go to plan but there is usually a way to get the results you want. Good luck with it all.

It is 100% worth it. I had a TT/BR/BR in Nov 14 and a revision/back lift/wedge lipectomy 28 July. I freaking love love love my look. It is worth it! I didn't need button up shirts. T-shirt nighties will be fine. I slept in our recliner lounge the first night but found it really uncomfortable so I made a pillow mountain on the bed. You will need to sleep in a V pattern and slowly flatten out. You normally wear the compression garment for 6 weeks round the clock... Post that it is normally only at night or if you feel you need it... Shape wear is normally sufficient at this time Good luck!

Hi mum05... I would recommend the full suit for either a TT or a TT & BR. It is so much more comfortable. With a traditional binder which I had the first time I found that it rode up - this hurt my BR as it was pushing on the scar and it meant that the compression wasn't sitting properly on my hips. It also didn't give me any compression on the top of my thighs where I also had a small amount of lipo... And it really shows under clothes so was quite noticeable for the 6 weeks that you wear it non stop. The full body suit that I have now is more like shape wear and provides a lot of support and hides perfectly under my clothes This is the one that I have - http://breastcarewa.com.au/female-post-surgical/surgical-garments-for-women?product_id=66

Hi bubbles89! Who are you insured with? A number of PHI companies have recently changed their policies so it might be worth re-confirming with them that you are covered. Reading that email though it seems that you would be covered with mid level hospital.

If you can afford it I would recommend getting a body suit rather than a tummy binder. The tummy binder rides up and it put a lot of pressure on my boobs and the incisions. This time around (revision on tummy and a back lift/wedge lipectomy) I got the Marena body suit and it has been sooooooo much better. I found the KMART crop top bras really good and for $4 you can't go wrong haha I haven't seen the best and lest ones so can't comment.

I had a breast reduction 6 months ago when my son was 2.5 and my daughter had just turned 1. I wasn't able to lift them for 6 weeks. Truth be told I was lifting them sooner than the 6 weeks but I definitely wouldn't have been able to lift them in the first 2 weeks. Its also really difficult to hold them away from your body (for example to lift them out of something or to lay them down in the cot). The biggest risk is that you will open up your wound and/or get a hepatoma (you can see some real horror stories on Real Self). I would strongly recommend that you talk to your PS about the realistic time frame that you can't lift your bub and then see if your parents/partner/friends can come and visit to help you out for that period of time. Good luck

I totally skipped past the part that said the $12,900 was for the BA and TT... That makes way more sense to me now!! Probably should make sure I'm reading posts properly before commenting haha $12,900 seems like a great deal!

I had a full TT and BR/BL in Nov 2013 and I just got out of hospital this morning for a revision (upper abdo lipo) and a wedge lipectomy/back lift (essentially fixing up the back side!). My experience with the full TT was really good. I was in hospital for 5 days. My PS gets all his patients up and moving the day after surgery... So for me that meant every hour doing 1-2 laps of the ward. This really helps with the stiffness and your confidence with moving. My drains were removed on day 5 prior to discharge. I'm not going to lie... That hurt. However, today when my drains were removed my nurse told me a tip... Get them to apply a cold compress (just gauze in cold saline is fine) at the same time as pulling out the drain. Your body can't distinguish between the cold and pain so doesn't have time to react. Honestly did not feel a thing today when my drains were removed! So wish I'd know this trick with my full TT. Don't underestimate the impact of fixing your tummy and what that does to your love handles and your perception of other parts of your body. It made my love handles become extremely noticeable and with the scars it kind of made them square off. Whether this happens to you or not probably depends on how much fat you have on the back of your sides. So for me from the front I looked good but from the side and back not so much. My PS was also not able to do much lipo to my upper abdomen otherwise it would risk the blood flow (I did have extensive lipo to my lower abdomen, front sides and my hips/tops of thighs). So this surgery I had 800ml removed from my upper abdomen and I had my love handles fixed. So far I am freaking loving my new look. I was driving after 2 weeks and other than being on light exercise (just walking) as recommended by my PS I was pretty much back to my old self. A third week off work if you can manage it would probably be ideal. Swelling - Oh my god the swelling... I took Bromelain, Quercetin and Arnica Montana supplements and had very little swelling the first 6 weeks... But after that (and really when I stopped the supplements) the swelling set in. Even now 6 months on I still have days where I am really swollen. My PS has said this can last for up to 12 months. These are some of the things I can think of off the top of my head but if you have any specific questions I'm happy to answer them

I have top level PHI with Defence Health. I believe Medibank and Bupa changed their policies nearly a year ago but I didn't know they stopped covering this surgery all together!

I had no idea TT's in Thailand were so expensive! ($12,900 AUD plus flights)! I was lucky and had PHI so I know that helps but for the TT I was out of pocket $10,000... And when I was looking I went with a (comparably speaking) more expensive PS. It could be that I have a totally unrealistic expectation of going overseas for surgery but I always thought it was half the cost of having it done in AUS! When I was looking Dr Mark Moore in Adelaide was the most reasonably priced and had the best rep. I didn't go with him because I'm a worrier and thought it would be better to be in familiar surroundings and be able to get to my PS for check ups or freak outs haha I was in hospital for 5 days and went home pain free with no pain relief. Over the next week if I over did it during the day then I needed panadol in the evenings but otherwise remained pain free. Probably the worst thing was the first 4 days until I straightened up. I would recommend making sure you get up and moving as soon as possible. The day following my surgery (I had a TT and BL/BR - just over 6 hours in surgery all up) I started with regular laps of the hospital which really helped with the straightening up. Lying/sleeping is the hardest thing ever for about 2 weeks...But thats probably because I'm a side/tummy sleeper so sleeping on my back in the v position was not comfortable at all!! Good luck with your choice... It was the best thing I've done and you won't regret it

Hi button! So good to hear from you... And to hear that some of the girls from the Nov/Dec 2013 thread are back going for their revisions! I too am going in for a revision on 28 July. I have a bulge in my upper abdomen so am having a revision to remove the excess fat further with lipo. My PS took as much as he safely could without compromising blood supply at the time but it wasn't enough to give me a smooth flat look. Hopefully the lipo will be enough to correct that as my skin was pulled quite tight. I have everything crossed (and heaps of faith and trust) that it won't make my skin go all saggy again... Gah! I'm also having a back lift at the same time to smooth out my back and remove my love handles. Unfortunately getting my tummy tuck exacerbated some love handle issues and made my body a funny shape. Hopefully this will give me the smooth blended look.