Brachioplasty...recovery time and pain meds question.

I am having my "angel wings" removed next Friday, the 20th.  I'm also having the "bra fat" on the side and back removed.

I am self pay and the surgeon said this could be a day surgery.  I'm worried about pain management the first day or two.  If I come home that same day, all I will have is Tylenol with Codine for the pain.  I can't take hydrocodone, so that leaves out Vicodin.  Darvocet makes me itch all over.  I can't imagine having just Tylenol with Codine for the first few days.

Question 1:  What did you take for pain? 

Question 2:  Was your surgery day surgery?

Question 3:  What was your recovery time like?  Surgeon says I could go back to work in 2 weeks.  Does that sound right?  What was day one to day three like??  Did you feel like going to the grocery store at day 3-4???

Thanks for your help!

Brooke

Hi there,
I can help with these questions! First off, congrats on your surgery. I had this 18 months ago.

Question 1:  What did you take for pain? I took Vicodin. Tylenol would not have been good, I needed more of a pain reliever. My doc also prescribes Celebrex.

Question 2:  Was your surgery day surgery? I went in at 7:30 and was out at 1:00. It was a long surgery. I went home that evening.

Question 3:  What was your recovery time like?  I have had many surgeries. I am not trying to scare you because all surgeries are different for each person, but my arm surgery was killer. I have pics on my profile. I had the side boobs removed too. I did not go to the store at day 3 or 4. I was in constant pain. My arm pits opened and leaked. At night, I had to elevate my arms because my hands would become very swollen. I am now going in for a revision, getting lipo and may have to have a second arm lift depending on how much skin retracts.

HAve you had a tummy tuck? How did you cover from that?

I am not trying to sound scary.....everyone's experience is so different. For me, tummy tuck was a breeze and arms were tough!

Good luck! I have my revisions on the 20th too!

Thanks so much for replying!

I've had Vicodin for other surgeries and it gives me a really bad headache and makes me itch!  I just hope the Tylenol with Codine is strong enough!

I'm glad to know that you went home the same day...and made it!!  I will just miss the pain shots and/or the pain meds going through the IV! 

I'm sorry to hear you had a hard time with this surgery.  The more I read, I learn everyone is so different.  Some say it was a breeze and others say it is the worse.  I had a full tummy tuck about 15 years ago.  Believe it or not, my tummy is not that bad!  I do need a little revision, but I wanted to start with the arms first.  I had troubles with my TT...wound opened up, had to pack open wound for 8 months.  I don't remember that much pain, but it was a pain with all that packing!  

Good luck with your surgery next Friday.  I will be thinking of you.

Brooke

I think everyone is so different. It is amazing....some say arms were a breeze and they were back at work in a couple of days. I wish! 

I bet the Tylenol with Codeine will be okay. I say give it a try. Can you take any other pain meds? Maybe you can ask about Celebrex? I think you can take it with the Tylenol.

Good luck next week!

I had my arms and face done on Nov. 1st.  My arms were pretty heavy, he did a fair amount of lipo and my stitches go from elbow through and just below my armpit -- your incision may not be as long and you may not need the lipo.

I am still really really really uncomfortable 12 days later.  I am taking percoset every 4 hours.  Although it was "outpatient" surgery, I spent two nights in a 24-hour nursing care facility. I have been dependent on my husband for pretty much everything except pottying.  I can't drive yet because of the drugs. 

I was just laid off, so I don't have to go back to work on Monday.  But I don't think I would be ready for it anyway.

On the other hand, I have gone OUT on several jaunts -- shopping trips, walks -- I'm good for a couple of hours before I get exhausted.  But again, with the meds, I can't drive yet -- I'm just along for the ride and to get out of the house.

Hi Diana,

My arms are really heavy and I'm surprised my doc didn't say he would do lipo before the lift.  As far as staying overnight, they said I could stay for an extra $550.  Hmmm...I will just wait and see.  Those pain shots and IV pain meds might be worth it!  I am going to ask about percoset.

Good to know I might not need  help with the potty because I have no hubby!  My adult son lives with me, and he is a gourmet cook and will take care of the house for me. 

Thanks for your reply.  I hope you get to feeling better soon.

Brooke

The lipo may go without saying, though I would ask.  I clearly had some lipo below the elbows.  He didn't explicitly mention it to me ahead of time either.  Ask.

I would TOTALLY stick around for the overnight care -- it would be well worth it, even just for the ability to have the catheter in for an extra day.

I need help showering -- just a warning.  But if it were just my arms, maybe not -- the face and staples and stitches required help to wash my hair, so maybe you can manage that on your own.

I'm probably going to have to have some minor revisions to my arms when I go back for the breast lift and side boobage-ectomy (the side and back fat will be used to augment my boobs) in January, after I recuperate from the LBL at the end of this month.  UGH.

Hey there,
My arms are pretty heavy too.....My doc doesn't do lipo at the same time as the arm lift. I know it is every surgeon's preference, but he said he wants the lipo to really heal before he cuts out the excess skin. Some of the skin will retract. It may still be swollen. However, now I have to go back in and have them lipo'd to debulk what is left.

:-)

So your brachioplasty is/will be in three separate surgeries?  Lipo, then arm lift, then more lipo?  I could not do that.  That is just too much repeated pain.

Hi there,
No, I had the arm lift first. If you look at my pics, you will see that my scar spread. He said the weight of my arm pushed them down and they are big again....not as big as before, of course. So, I am having lipo Friday. We hope that the skin will go back, since I am young, but if it is hanging like batwings we will have to go in and remove the new excess skin. Does this make sense?
I know, pain pain pain!