Three Procedures at Once - Am I Nuts?

OK, heres the thing...I can't afford two trips to hospital plus recovery time away from work.  

I'm having Monday AM --- tummy tuck (anchor cut), upper thigh lift, AND upper arm lift.

My doctor is well known across the country and I'm only getting him b/c of a mutual friend.  My insurance doesn't cover anything, another reason for all at once.

My question - who out there has gone though this much at once, and how much P-A-I-N

I've been told this will be about 7 hrs of surgery and I am quite terrified at this point.  Also, my siter will be with me for about 8 days -- will I be able to manage by myself after this (I am a widow with no children, etc. to provide assistance)

Susie 

I'm there with you....having upper arm and saddlebag lipo, abdominoplasty and thighs (not a lift-total cut from knee to crotch)--on the 22nd. I'll be in surgery 3 hours..but only because I will have 2 surgeons working at the same time.

Yes, we're crazy!! Embrace it and best of luck to you!!

Hi there - I gave my opinion on this to a couple ppl yesterday...

I understand the money issue and getting done as much as you can at once, I was on this line of thinking myself when I first went in to see my doc.  Unforutnately my LBL took 7 hours alone so I couldn't have more if I wanted to.  He is very meticulous and takes his time and does 3 layers of sutures so I am sure that has a lot to do with it, plus I had a lot of excess skin.

However, I can tell you without a doubt I am using my arm muscles A LOT after this surgery since my abs had taken a beating with the tightening etc... My doc refuses to do arms and abs at the same time regardless he says u need one or the other and any surgeons that allow this are simply nuts.  Now again this is his opinion but now that I am postop I can see why.  If I didn't have my arms I'd be in a world of hurt right now b/c I really need em.

He tends to do two phases for best results cosmetically and for the pt's comfort.

Phase 1: Lower body/abdominal

Phase 2: Upper body - arms/boobs and face if needed.

He will however do boobs and and lower body if it doesn't exceed the OR time of 6-7 hours max he prefers the pt to be under, any more OR time than that he worries about postop complications such as deep thein thrombosis (DVT's) or pulmonary embolisms (PE's).  Clots in the legs or lungs basically from being under for so long.  He very much pushes walking immediately following surgery as soon as the patient can tolerate and 4 times an hour if handled.. its quite the workout.

Anyways, I am getting off track.  I would highly suggest u rethink the arms and tummy at the same time as I am typing and one week out of surgery I just can't fathum it and never would do it perosnally.

That's my honest opinion, others may disagree with me. 

Edited to add: I am in great physican shape, I run and I am a weight lifter (large weights) and I still cannot forsee them together.  Maybe I am a wuss in regards to surgical procedures but wanted to add that tid bit in there.  I was in tip top phyiscal shape prior to my LBL and would still not do it.

Good luck.

Hi Susie

I can't talk from experience yet because my tummy tuck (anchor ) plus breast lift is scheduled for June 29th.  My doctor had no problem doing this all at once.  I wanted my arms done at the same time which he was not willing to do.  He said what i am having done will be about 5-6 hours and he thought that was long enough for me to be under and him not to be a tired surgeon.  I am going back in september to have my arms done.  The surgeon said i would have NO problem being back at work within 2 weeks and says i will have surgery the monday come home on the tuesday and should be able to take care of myself by the wednesday.

I totally understand you wanting to do as much as you can because everyone hates the recovery and  the thought of going back under again.  My only thought is please make sure its not to much for you to recover from considering you will have stitching on the upper and lower part of your body. I think i have seen a lot on here that have had arms done with lower body so good luck on your decission.

Wendy

In talking to a number of surgeons they all recommended NOT doing the arms with any lower body stuff.  The reason being it's hard enough doing the arms alone ( I know, I just had mine done 6 weeks ago) and to add on top of that not having full use/strength of the legs and or stomach makes it much much more difficult.  I suppose you are at greater risk of injury or popping a stitch too.

I asked each surgeon if it was his wife or daughter going for surgery would he do the LBL with the arms or the Inner thigh with the arms and they all said no.

I totally understand wanting to combine surgeries to reduce cost and save time. I am paying for everything out of pocket too.  I wanted to combine them the same way but it didn't work that way. Before I really started to investigate and understand plastics I actually thought I could go in and get the WHOLE BODY done at once......SILLY ME!   HOWEVER I am planning on having all my lower work done at one time (LBL w/butt lift and inner thigh lift).  It's a lot and most surgeons I've talked to won't do it but there are plenty who will and I believe I've found one who has a proven track record of doing it safely and with great results.

The pain will pass fairly quickly.......whether you have one or two procedures you load up on drugs so it's not too unbearable but I do think it will be very difficult for you to manage on your own.  Of course this is just my opinion.
Best wishes to you!
Keep us posted!!
Ruth

Although I wouldn't necessarily recommend it, I had a lower body makeover (tummy with full anchor cut, LBL,  butt w/augmentation, lipo, thighs), including arms, all at one time.  The arms did hurt, because you HAVE to use them, especially with the belly/thigh thing, but it is manageable.  You will be in pain that first week, so be sure they give you good drugs.  Just be VERY careful with movement.  You will get a technique for getting up and down, in and out of positions with the least use of any one specific  body part.  At 8 days out, I was pretty self sufficient, but you can hire a nurse or someone to come in once a day or 3 times a week, whatever, because there are gonna be things like grocery shopping, cleaning up around you, etc. that are NOT going to be doable for the first 2 weeks.  Baring any complications, if this is the only option money and time wise, it is doable.   I'm 51, but was lifting, doing aerobics and protein loading before surgery.  I think this was a big part of me being able to take this much surgery at one time, although I think having Dr. Agha as a surgeon helped too. 

I had a total body lift on 3/11/09.  This included thigh lift with lipo, lower body lift, back flanks removed (whi*****luded the incision from below my breasts to the middle of the back on both sides) and a breast lift.

Pain was minimal.  In fact to minimal that I forgot many times I just had major surgery and sprung a leak.   I am glad I did it all at one time.   The 12 hours of surgery was worth it.

Second round scheduled for 6/15.  Breast aug and brachio revision.

Let me add:  I was running 3-5 miles a day before my surgery, high protein diet (lower carb) and took all my vitamins.

Good Luck!!

Congratulations on having such a successful surgery.  Twelve hours is a long surgery!
I'm glad you said the pain was minimal....I'll be having the LBL w/butt lift & Aug and the Inner Thigh lift in a few months.

Best wishes on your upcoming breast and arm revision!
Ruth

I'm doing my upper half-- brachioplasty,mastopexy and abdominoplasty-- all at once, but I'm not sure I would do upper and lower body at once-- hard to get around.

Hi,

On 12/29/08 I had LBL/TT/upper thigh lift, Butt Auto Augmentation and Breast Lift.  I was going to have breast implants too, but Dr did not want to go over 7hrs. As it was I think i ended up at 7.5 hrs. I cannot imagine having my arms done at the same time.  I used my arms ALOT even though I had 24 hr care for the first 11 days.  I kept saying, I am so glad he did not do my arms. (I was marked just in case he had time)

Having what I had done I thought I would be back to work in 4 weeks.  Ha!  I went back part time after 6 weeks and did not feel mentally or physically with it until 8 weeks out.

Others have faired better.  I am 52 years old, but was in great physical shape.  Lots of weight lifting worked with a trainer, excellent core strength.  Past surgeries were great/easy.  However with the number of procedures my body just needed time to recuperate/heal. 

Everyone experiences their recovery differently.  i would say you can be on your own in 8 days, but may need some assistance for a few hours of errands, as kathy suggested.

Not trying to scare just be realistic.  Take good care and ASK for help!