General questions

I will be having abdominoplasty and brachioplasty done on June 4th at the same time. I was wondering how much help I would need at home? Also, how long did it take for you to become mobile? How hard was it getting in and out of bed or sitting in chairs? I need all and any input you can provide to assist me in making preparations. Thanks in advance for your input.

I would personally recommend quite a bit of help. I had a LBL with auto buttock augmentation and I needed assistance for the first 4 days just to get up and down from my chair. I eventually improved with the assistance of a walker. However I have read that the arms are quite a difficult recovery so getting up and down obviously is dependent on arm strength which will also be sore. Blessings on your upcoming journey!

Since you are having surgery to your arms (which you would normally need to help you get up and down) as well as your abdomen (which has muscles you would normally use to be mobile as well), I would recommend that you have help available to assist you in getting around, bathing, preparing meals, lifting, reaching, etc.  Having your arms done and your tummy done at the same time presents the challenge of having both upper and lower body operated on which limits your ability to rely on the other half of your body to get around.  It's not impossible, but I would recommend you have someone reliable around for at least the first few weeks.

After having my abdominal muscles worked on I can't fathum having both tummy and arms at the same time.  My doc will refuse to do both b/c he says you need one or the other to help assist u with your recovery.  He truly thinks docs do a disservice to their patients when they perform both.  He says its "Nuts".  I donno hunny, I will be honest, I suspect u will need A LOT of help.  I use my arms for everything right now.  It isn't easy getting up and down after my abs worked on and I use my arms hard core to assit me.  I just can't fathum.  Sorry to be brutally honest, I just told Shari in an earlier post the same thing.  Good luck my dear and have lots and lots of help if u do both.

I had my arms and LBL with anchor cut both done at the same time and it wasn't bad at all. I did have a lift chair that was my grandmothers and that helped alot. I didn't start sleeping in my bed until week 2 because I have a 4 poster bed and it is really high off the floor.

My husband was home with me 5 days then he went back to work. I know you go to the gym alot and I lifted weights before surgery too and I think that helped alot. I was able to use my arms right after surgery to drink water and the next  day to feed myself. I even pulled my self into my truck when I was leaving the hospital and it didn't hurt my arms at all. Three days after surgery I was washing my hair in the sink and blowing drying it by myself.

Good luck with your surgery June 4th, did you decide to use Dr Morales?
Debi

Yes I decided to stick with Dr. Morales. His work is pretty good and alot of the staff there recommended him. I know two of his patients personally and they are very pleased with the results. One is four years out and her skin is still tight. I will talk to him to make sure he isn't going to be too conservative with the skin. Thanks for sharing.

Be sure to ask if he is going to tighten your stomach muscles and do any liposuction, I didn't get either and was expecting both. I wish I would have chosen another surgeon now but it's too late and I can't afford a revision.

Do you have any fat on your lower arms? I do and Dr Carpenter wouldn't go past my elbows and I wish I would have found a Dr that would have, Dr Carpenter left fat at my elbows the same size as my lower arms but made my upper arms small so it looks funny and my arms are still giggly. I'm very disappointed.