Opinions please

I am scheduled for a tummy tuck on Sept 25th and a breast reduction and lift on Oct 29th.  For some reason I was thinking that the tummy tuck would be an easier surgery to recover from but from what I've been reading the breast reduction seems to be quicker.  I am scheduled to be back at work on Oct 5th from the tummy tuck.  Does this seem reasonable?  I know alot of it has to do with general health and your age.  I'm in excellent health and well I'm not exactly a spring chicken but I don't have one foot in grave either.  My job is an office job with little to no lifting and I will be able to wear comfortable clothing since I don't see the general public, just have to talk to them on the phone.  Please share your experiences and thoughts.  Thanks Lori

Lori,  The tummy tuck is the tougher surgery to recover from by a long shot.  I've had an LBL and a BR/BL in separate surgeries.  If you are fit and in reasonably good health the only big problem with returning to work 10 days PostOp from a TT is if you still have your drains in.  For me, I had my two front drains (that would be like your TT) in until day 14, and that's about average for most people.  I also have a desk job and went back to work on day 15, the day after I got the last drain out because it was really hard to wear clothes with the drains.  If you absolutely have to be back to work, I'm sure you could find some clothing work-arounds but I was able to take the extra time and did so.  Donna

Thanks for your reply.  I guess I'm just going to have to wait and see how I feel I guess.  I really need to go back to work as soon as possible.  We have recently downsized- alot.  Plus my short term disability pay is really awful.  Even if I go back just for a few hours a day and can supplement with PTO time.  Again thanks for your input.  Lori

Again everyone heals differently.  I had a LBL and a felt fine after two weeks. Due to my job I had four weeks off. I overall felt fine, I was just tired and worn out at the end of the day.  I only had 2 drains for my LBL and they were removed at 6 days post op.  I also had no complications or healing issues with my LBL.  Good luck on you decision. 

Thanks- this feels like it's happening so fast and now I am scrambling for info!

I'm scheduled for a tummy tuck, breast lift with implants and inner thigh lipo on August 24th; I'm a slow healer so I am taking off  work eight weeks.  The doctor suggested eight weeks because I'm having three procedures at the one time.  By what I've read it's hard to recover from tt, but everyone is different.  Good luck with your decision.

Sherline

if yo don't mind my asking, how much is this running?

If your asking me, I'm not sure that you are, but so far I will have to pay $900.00 for the vertical cut part of the tummy tuck plus the binders and the co pays on the prescriptions.  I've been told the binder for the tummy tuck is $110.00 and for the breast reduction it's $40.00- if that's all I end up paying I'm going to hurry up and get it down before the insurance company changes their mind!

As long as you're asking . . . .

You wrote: I am scheduled to be back at work on Oct 5th from the tummy tuck.  Does this seem reasonable? 

My guess is .... no.  Everyone heals differently and every surgery is a little different, but elevem or so days is not a lot of time depending ... of course ... on everything.

The mastopexy (breast reduction/lift) is the easiest surgery I have had, bar none. Not so much as a twinge, and I went from a 48H to a 34C.

The abdominoplasty, though? Jeebis cripes, that one's a doozy. I had mine June 24th and could not make the car trip home for almost a month, let alone go to work. I am 10 weeks out now, and still am a bit skeptical about work, so no way in hell I'd do it in 11 days.