Although Katie was never “really overweight”, she had wanted to have a tummy tuck for a number of years. Being 6 feet tall and finding it tricky to lose her little belly even with an active and healthy lifestyle, having children just reinforced Katie’s resolve and she decided to do some research and it led to Katie’s “Trifecta”, three in one surgery!
Realising that word of mouth was usually the best way to get an idea of how good a surgeon was and what she could or should expect from the surgery, Katie joined online groups and started chatting with others who had already gone through the experience. She researched the procedures, different doctors and other patients’ experiences.
It was around this time that Katie decided she wanted to have not just the tummy tuck but a thigh lift and some liposuction too. She thought it would be great if she could have all three surgeries done at the same time. It would save her a bit of money and a lot of recovery time, not to mention less time off work and time away from her kids.
Katie says she consulted with a few doctors before finally settling on Dr Mark Hanikeri. “I had a few consults with a few doctors before finally meeting Dr Hanikeri. I felt comfortable with him straight away. He was very realistic, and gave me a good experience from the beginning.”
We asked Katie if she felt supported on her surgery journey. “Dr Hanikeri is a wonderful man. I cannot praise him enough. He and his staff were great. Not only was he able to make me feel comfortable before the surgery but post-surgery he was also fantastic. My wounds healed up perfectly; although I did have a slight infection on one side due to the stitches, I emailed Dr Hanikeri one Sunday night to ask him about it and he answered me back straight away!”
So how was Katie’s recovery? “Recovery was so easy. I couldn’t believe how easy it was. I had the surgery on a Monday and was out of hospital on the Friday. I was taking the normal painkillers straight after the surgery but having always been a lightweight with drugs, I felt a bit nauseous and generally unwell. I made the decision to try to stop taking them on the Tuesday, only a day and a half after the surgery. My recovery flew from there. I even walked out of the hospital via the stairs much to everyone’s disbelief! All 12 flights of them!! After I returned home on the Friday, I was able to do almost every day to day activity I normally do without any pain. There was a little discomfort but I wouldn’t say pain and that is without any painkillers!”
Katie says she puts her positive experience with her surgery down to the fact that she spent a lot of time researching Australian and overseas forums and websites to know the positives and possible negatives that come with surgery and the whole experience. It helps enormously to know what to expect and Katie says her online support system from the internet groups and Facebook pages helped her a lot. She recommends that anyone considering any surgery does the same sort of research. Katie, we here at the Hub agree wholeheartedly!
Katie says she now has a whole new lease on life. She says it took a little while to see herself as she is now, compared to what she used to be before the surgery. “It takes a little while for your mind to remember what you look like now. As you walk past the mirror you are reminded that you have shaved that little bit of fat off the outside of your thighs.” Katie says although she only had 500 grams liposuctioned off her thighs the results she can see are a massive change for her. “It encourages you to stick on your diet and healthy lifestyle to keep the feeling going,” Katie says.
“I did this for me” Katie says. She only told her mum, her partner and her best friend. Katie didn’t want it to be a big deal – it makes her feel great, and that is what it is all about.
Thanks for sharing your story Katie!
If you have any questions or recommendations, feel free to contact us here at the hub on [email protected]