Compression garments, protein intake and vitamins post op to encourage healing......

Hey guys!!!

I'm working on constructing my post op plan and need some info from your experiences - I am having a anchor TT and mastoplexy.

I am not sure - my pre op appt is Thursday BUT.....

If you used compression garments post op - do you think they helped?
If you didn't, do you wish you had?
For those that healed quickly - did you increase your protein intake?  If so, how much?
Any special vitamin regime anybody followed?

I want to do everything I can to make this go around perfect, or damn near - so I appreciate your comments in advance!!! 

Up your B12 and Iron intake - good for rebuilding your cell counts and healing.  I doubled my B12 injections a month before surgery and noticed a HUGE difference in healing and energy - my surgeon said I was healing faster than almost all his patients.  (since your body flushes the excess out anyways, you dont worry about OD'ing on B12).

Cass

How much B12 do you normally take?

I normally take 1 ML of B12 a month. I started taking 1 ML every other week about a month before and still doing it after surgery.

Some people take B12 for fatigue syndrome and they take 1 ML every week - so I'm still taking half of them.

Cass

I have heard from others who have taken the ProCare supplement that it really helps with wound healing. (That said, I haven't taken it yet as I haven't had my PS yet -- but my PS highly recommends it -- even to patients who don't have surgery w/him.)

There are others on this board who have used the same PS that I am going with and thus have used ProCare (totalfreedom ,  w8'n no more and thegraduate120 are three I can think of off the top of my head) -- hopefully they will chime in on this thread with their experiences using it.

I take 80 mg of protein a day and I have been since 2 weeks pre-op .
yes I do feel the compression garments work they keep down the swelling and the keep the incision flat. my scars were amazing 8 days post-op  and they are not raised at all and I have olive skin which can make them darker & get keloids but they are perfect

I never thought I would say this.. I cannot live without my garment.

It is the kind that has the biker shorts and full bodice, zips on the sides with hooks also and go just under the breasts with bra straps.  LOVE it.. crotchless for peeing purposes.. atttttractive! :P

I am and have been at 120 - 140 grams of protein since 1 year out after RNY but I am a runner and a weight lifter and I swear this makes all the difference in my healing in the world.  

My vitamin regimen is based on my own research and I have my RNY surgeon and PCP (who also has had RNY) blessing on it.  My labs are stellar.

AM: syntrhoid solo - first thing when I wake up with nothing bu****er to aid absorption fully.

Before breakfast - 2 chewable multivitamins, 1 sublingual b12 (1250mcg), 800mch folic acid, 400mg magnesium, 10,000 units of dry D3, 1 calicum citrate with vit D3, 100mg of b1 (thiamine)

after lunch: 500mg calcium citrate with D

after dinner: 500mg calcium citrate with D

Before bed: vitamin C 500mg with 28mg of ferrous gluconate (iron) - do not consume iron with dairy products or calcium.  Calcium will win over iron every time.  Also no tea or coffee, steer clear for 2 hours before and after. Also take a colace (plain stool softner with the iron/vit c combo).

It is a lot of pills and a lot of thinking but I have been on OH a long time and my husband is 8 years postop and has been deficient in b12 and vitamin D now and has had secondary parahyperthyroidism and was leaching calcium from his bones to compensate his calcium level in his blood (calcium level appeared normal with blood draw but vitamin D level was in the bottoms and PTH (parathyroid hormone) was sky high) RED FLAG.  He now takes 50,000 units of dry vitamin D twice a week from vitalady.. www.vitalady.com) in order to keep his up.  We cannot absorb gel caps that are sold over the counter at most stores.. it must be a dry form of vitamin d 3..

Sorry i get wordy.. but that is my regimen and so far.. stellar labs and I am proud of them!

Melissa, just curious, what brand of calcium do you use?

thanks!

Bariatric advantage lozenges - they have all sorts of flavors.  I like the chocolate and the cinnamon the best but they have wild cherry and mint.

I start all my patients on ProCare nutritional supplementation.   This is because most patient will have deficiency of protein, amino acids, vitamin A, C, B1, B6, B12, folate, iron, zinc, selenium and a few other vitamins that are not so important.  I reviewed this topic in a recent publication for Plastic Surgery Journal titled: Nutritional Deficiencies of Post-bariatric Body Contouring Patients: what every plastic Surgeon must know.  You can read the abstract on my site: http://www.plasticsurgerybodycontouring.com/index.php/learning-center/articles-booklets/

All the mentioned vitamins are important in boosting your immue response and for optimal healing.  See: http://www.plasticsurgerybodycontouring.com/index.php/plastic-surgery/post-bariatric-body-contouring/consultation/

This is the subject of my follow up publication in Plastic Surgery Journal that came out in December.  The reality is that the doses needed for optimal healing are much higher than a standard multi-vitamin.  The doses needed can be up to 10 X higher.  In my pratice, I have been able to reduce my patient's complication rate by 1/2, using ProCare nutritional supplement.  This product is specifically formulated for the post-bariatric body contouring patient.  See http://www.plasticsurgerybodycontouring.com/index.php/learning-center/enhanced-recovery-after-surgery/



Best wishes,


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