OK plastics vets, give it to me straight...

How painful was your recovery? 

Was it better, worse, or as expected?  Had you known what recovery would be like, would you have gone through with plastics?  Would you have chosen a different procedure?

Of course experiences will vary with the type of surgery and each individual's pain threshold.  I'm interested in the experience in general for any type of plastics. 

The only part that was a real stinker was the tummy tuck.  I had that and a breast reduction at the same time in 2003.  The first time I tried to get out of bed, the abdominal pain was excrutiating, but as I lay on the side of the bed trying to get all the way up (I had to lie there close to an hour, as I recall, before I could try again!), I said to myself, "I don't care how much this hurts, I wouldn't wish that big ol' belly back for anything!"  And I meant it.  Each time I got out of bed, it was easier, and I've never looked back.  One of the best things I've ever done for myself.

That said, some folks have very little pain with the TT and more with the BR ... and I just had a brachioplasty.  I had no problems with the breasts or arms other than soreness which would be expected from having sliced skin, HA! 

Every one of the surgeries was TOTALLY worth it!       --Dorothy

I had my panni on Monday...so I am not very far out. When I woke up I was surprised it didn't hurt more. I had a foley so I didn't have to get up out of bed that night. They were giving me demerol because that has worked better in the past then morphine or dilaudid. Didn't matter when I got up the am it HURT....mostly just when I am getting up and down or readjusting in bed. Now it still hurts...up to a 7-8 when I move but when I get settled its o**** is helping a lot. I wish I had 2 of the large gel ice packs instead of one so I could always have one on it. The ice helps more than anything. Its a burning pain not a sharp pain and its in the middle not where the insision is which surprises me. It may be that it hurts where the drains are going into but I don't feel it on the outside. The doc said he really pulled it tight and thats how it feels...like my skin is being pulled. It even affects being able to eat esp with the binder on so I am glad about that. I was afraid being home I would eat too much. I am also going back to trying to 100g of protein a day to help with the healing. This procedure is the only option I had since it is the only one my insurance would cover. Would I do it over...YES...I am so happy to look at my stomach flat and I know there is swelling.....I had a breast reduction 9 years ago and I was totally happy I did that. The pain was worth getting those huge knockers off my chest. Now I need a BA LOL....but since insurance won't cover that I doubt it will happen!
Good luck to you!

I haven't ever experienced anything as difficult.  Not childbirth and recovery or my recovery from my WLS.

I WILL say the panniculectomy was easier by miles than the TT and BL - and doing the BL and TT at the same time..... chile - not neva no mo gin!!!!!!

Add to that the fact my surgeon ONLY allowed me ONE bottle of vicodin - I had to go to the neighborhood hustle man to stay sane......

howEVER - I wouldn't take any of it back for NOTHIN!

I had a LBL on 6/10 and BL/BA/Brachio last week.  The pain is less than I thought it would be.  I took pain meds for 5-6 days post each procedure, and usually on the last day it was just to sleep through the night as the recliner gets a bit old after awhile.  The worst part of the recovery for both procedures for me is just having to depend on others for my care, but what can I do?  I would not change a thing and have  no regrets regarding either procedure.  I plan on  TL next summer as well.

April

I've had everything but thighs and the worst was the LBL, but it wasn't bad.  I had the OnQ pump which worked for the first three or four days and I probably took a few Percosets in the first three or four days.  The incision pain was not bad.  The bigger problem was the soreness from the muscle tightening - felt like I had done 1000 situps the night before!  And of course, one can't stoop or bend for quite some time after surgery.  The bad part was the drains which remained in for 10 days/14 days. 

The breasts and face were about a 1 on the pain scale.  The arms were a little more challenging  probably about a 4 on the pain scale.  The LBL was about a 5. 

The absolute surgery I ever had was my hysterectomy - I put that at about an 8.5 on the pain scale - sure wouldn't want to do that one over again.

I had a hysterectomy & abdominoplasty together on Dec 12th, I was telling myself the pain would be horrible and it wasn't bad I was suppossed to stay in the hospital 5 days because of the hysterectomy but I walked as much as I could starting the next day and I was only in 2 days not bad at all.
March 30th I had butt , back & inner thigh lift done, butt & back didn't evenn know it was done, now the thighs were a different story I was in pain on the day of surgery. I only stayed overnight for those procedures.It was tough getting in the car to go home . I felt better every hr it was getting easier to move around. I would say the first 3 days were the worst.. I have a high pain threshold. I don't like to take Narcotics cause they make me tired & woozy which will  make me feel worse. I took tylenol for the pain
I would do it all over again in a heartbeat in fact I am having my arms done in Nov
good luck to you, you will be fine
Susan

It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be.  I had a LBL, breast lift, lipo and butt auto augmentation.  I had a pain pump which lasts abut 72 hours so I'm sure that helped.  The worst of the pain only lasted about 2-3 days but mainly just trying to get up and down or move.  As long as I stayed on schedule with the pain meds, I was fine.  To be honest, I thought the pain from my open WLS was worse.  I have no regrets either!

I was so happy to read your post. I just posted a question about a wedding scheduled only 2 weeks after my (moved-up) LBL and arms. I also had open RNY so now I can compare the acyaul pain. Thanks

I'm no good with pain so the realism is greatly appreciated. 

I have a lot of terms to look up from your responses since know squat about any of these procedures.  My ass is beginning to look like a sharpe's face, my middle hangs when I bend over and my inner thighs are bulging and sagging simultaneously, and of course the deflated breast. 

I've still got 50 lbs to loose so who knows how ugly it will get?  Thanks to  the powers that be for shapewear!  Thanks to all of you for sharing.