I had an abdominoplasty ("tummy tuck") in 2006. I thought I'd share my experiences. First off, I went to a very, very good plastic surgeon. Very reputable. If you are EVER considering major surgery, please know who is going to be working with (well, on) you. It's essential.
My surgery went well. Was I in severe pain after the 4 hours of operation? Absolutely. Was I struggling to get out of bed for the next 2 weeks without wanting to cry? **** yes. Was "getting up to go the bathroom" pretty much the worst experience EVER?
Yes.
I had "tubes" coming out of my upper pubic area to drain blood/liquids for 2 weeks. It was gross at first. I was hunched over when I walked. I had a full waist support wrap-around thing. The scars looked scary and I wasn't sure if they'd ever fade. The pain/discomfort lasted about 3 weeks, but lessened considerably in the 3rd week. I have a scar that spans above my pubic area hip-to-hip, and a small scar circling my "new" bellybutton. Over a year has passed... and honestly, the scars are nothing. They're there, but they aren't horrendous, the ones closer to my hips are barely visible, and I know it's weird... but I am actually proud of them!
I am so happy that I did it. I can wear pants now without that awkward bulge. It costed money, the recovery was very painful for a short period of time... but it was all worth it.
If anyone has any questions, ask away!