1 week post TT Questions
Reggie
I had a LBL in June of 08 and at first had a design veronique garment that I got from my surgeon. For my second stage, I ordered from Make Me Heal, and bought 2 different garments. Here are the links to those
http://www.makemeheal.com/mmh/product.do?id=10016&procid=11& catid=55
and I also had the stage 2 garment that comes in this kit
http://www.makemeheal.com/mmh/product.do?id=10233
this is the stage 1 that I got from my surgeon
http://www.makemeheal.com/mmh/product.do?id=10214&procid=11& catid=55
Because of the amount of swelling and complications that I had, I began wearing them at 3 weeks and wore garments from 2 days after surgery on June 9 08 to Mid December. Then I had thighs done Jan 31 and went back into compression. I've learned to live in compression garments!
As for pain meds, I took them with the LBL for about 2 weeks. Once the rest of the drains came out at 3 1/2 weeks, I was doing good, no pain, no issues. When the complications began - thats another story.
For this arm/flank surgery, I've used more pain meds than I would have expected. I'm 25 days out and felt like a failure today for needing 1/2 of a vicodin. My skin felt like someone had scraped it with sand paper and I was very tender on my sides, armpits and down my arms. Don't know why, but it was a really bad day. I had been taking 1 vicodin per day at night to be pain free while sleeping. I had a badly puckered area in my armpit and it felt like tearing open when would move at night and I would wake up. On Monday, my surgeon was able to see a suture and cut it, and the pucker relaxed over a couple of hours. The majority of pain was gone in that arm and I had increased movement. Had not taken narcotics since Sunday night. I thought I was off of them until today. You will have good days and bad - let your self heal and be comfortable. It really isn't a race to be off of them, but just pace yourself and if you can try another type of pain releiver if your doctor gives the ok.
Hope that helps,
Reggie
Best wishes,
Natalie
Reggie, I just wanted to say congrats on your surgery! I'm just a little over 2 wks. out and have just stopped taking my pain pills. I definately needed them at night for a while as I started getting what I call "twitchy". It wasn't real pain just this really restless, achy feeling that wouldn't let me sleep. I'm still getting that to some extent but have decided to go ahead and get into my usual night routine with some melatonin that helps me sleep. DH still wants me to take a pain pill, but I'm stubborn!
Take them as long as you need to, dear, everybody's experience is so personal about this. We all feel pain differently. No need to hurt! You can't heal properly in so much pain.
Hope you feel better soon!
Bonnie
Congrats on your surgery!
Revision Band to Sleeve scheduled 10/29
Reggie