post-arm lift

I am just over 3 weeks post-arm lift, BL/BA. Today, and occasionally, my arm pits scream at me. It's like someone took my arm and ripped it off my body. The incisions along the arms are just discomfortable, not painful. The doc has looked at everything and said the pits are fine and no infections or anything.

So has anyone else experianced this "arms ripped off" sensation? What did you do about it?  I've returned to work 1/2 days but It's bad enough that I will still miss work every few days.

Cass

Hi Cass,
Yep I know exactly what you are talking about.
My armpits were the worst....more painful for me than my Tummy Tuck!  The incision along the arm stayed sore for me for many months....it's the tension on an area that gets so much use...we are always reaching, pulling, graping, moving something.  I swear the arms were the worst surgery for me to date. I may change my mind after my inner thighs but so far the arms were worst.

Anyhow.... I found by seriously limiting how far I would extend or stretch my arms was the best way to reduce the pain in the pits.  I also kept the arms wrapped in a compression garment and that helped with the general pain I felt along the arms because it restricted the wiggle/jiggle from just moving the arms.  One more thing.......do not bend the arms and fold them under your head when sleeping.  I think that caused part of the thick scar I have at my elbow because it pulled on the incision too much (hurt too!) and stretched the incision.

Hope that helps some.
Hope you feel better and get some relief soon
TTFN
Ruth

I did a course of physical therapy on my arms.  I did special exercises and massage.  I think it really helped a lot.  I even used this little pulley type contraption at home.

Red

I'm a little over 3 weeks out, I had a LBL, BL/BA, and arms...The arms have been by far the hardest on me. If I lift too much or try to extend them too far I have pain in the armpit...they still don't feel like they belong to me...it's like someone elses arm have been sewn on to my body.

Debbie

Do you really feel the arms were WORSE than the LBL?  I was scheduled for a facelift with Dr. Agha on Sunday, but when I got to the Surgicenter, he decided I needed autoaugmentation of my cheeks, which would make the lower blepharoplasty unwise in the same procedure because of the swelling.  So he did my arms instead, which I wasn't quite prepared for mentally.

I would REALLY like to know whether that is a common experience that the arms are worst -- at the moment, I'm feeling kind of nervous about doing the LBL, because the arms are pretty damned uncomfortable.  However, if it is LESS bad than the arms, I think I can handle it.

Diana,

I think everyones experience is different, but for me the LBL was nothing...no real pain...I could stand up straight from day 1. The only real issue I had from the LBL was the swelling of my legs...I'm almost 4 weeks out and that is almost completely gone.

Take a look at the pics on my profile...I had a lot of skin removed during both my LBL and Brach...12 inches off of the width of each arm.

I would say don't be afraid of having an LBL ...I love my tight, flat stomach.

Debbie

In all honesty Diana, I thought the arms were a cakewalk compared to the abdomen. I had breasts, arms and belly done all at once, and didn't even notice the breasts-- arms were sting-y and painful, and the abdomen was sheer torture.

Red, I LOVE your avatar!

Isn't it really a shame my girls have so much stress in their life?

  Oh no!! I'll want to go back to kickboxing so badly after my surgery. Sounds like it might be a while. I guess better to know now.