Cicumferential lower body lift scheduled Feb. 12th--need advice

Hi Donna, congrats on your upcoming surgery.  I had a LBL with lipo on the outter thighs on 11/24, now 5 weeks ago.  I came back to work on Monday, I could have come back after 4 weeks, but we had the Christmas holidays last week so I just took last week off too.  I sit at a desk all day too so I didn't have any problems when I came back.

The relciner is a great purchase.  I slept in mine for the first 8-9 nights.  My hubby set his clock to get me up every 4 hours to take my pain meds, walk around some and go potty.  I could NOT get out of it by myself.  The handle to put the footrest down was too far for me to reach and I could not use my tummy muscles to pu**** down.  I had 2 pillows under my legs too keep them up like the surgeon told me to do.  I was quite a task to get me in and out of the chair, get all the pillows in place, cover me up, etc  for the first week or so,   When I did try to sleep in the bed I ended up getting up and moving to the chair or sofa during the night.  I had a hard time sleeping on my sides because of the pain in the outter thighs. 

I took demerol for the about 2 weeks then percocet for about another week, then started backing off them and by week 4 only took pain meds at night to help sleep.  I haven't taken any pain meds in about a week now.  I take miralax every morning, have been doing that for over a year due to surgery for colon cancer.  It did the trick for the bowel issues but for the first 2 weeks I also took colace 3 times a day to make SURE things kept moving. 

As for eating, my surgeon kept stressing how important it is to get sufficient protein for healing.  I had NO appetite for 2 weeks, it was a real effort to eat anything.  I would suggest you get some protein shakes or protein bars.  Or, make some protein balls.  I can send you recipes for theim.  Basically it's peanut butter, oatmeal and protein powder. 

I used a couple of small pillows to prop my legs up when I was trying to sleep on my sides.  They helped a lot to get comfortable.  I also borrowed a potty chair and sat it over our toilet, it was a lifesaver because it was higher and had handles to help me get up and down.  Since it sat over the toilet there was no pot to emply.  I used it for about 2 weeks.  

Good luck and keep us posted on how you're doing.

Alice 

Thank you for the detailed information.  The recliner I bought has power to raise and lower the chair--glad I purchased that!

Protein bars are always in my cupboard and are a primary source of my protein intake because I cannot do shakes or powders--they make me too nauseous. 

I am concerned about eating because I do not have an appetite now---if it disappears completely I am not sure how I will force myself to eat.  I don't want to be in pain AND nauseous!

I would love the protein balls recipes--maybe if the protein powder is mixed into something other than water it would not make me sick.  I am lactose intolerant and cannot do milk.  Soy milk also makes me sick and I think it is because it is high in carbs which break down into sugars---I just can't win, can I?

Here is the link to the recipes.  There are several.  I think the first on is the one I use.

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/NC/3715165/Who-invented-protein-balls/

Hi Donna;

Are you sisative to sugar? If so, it is probably your milk even soy milk has a lot of sugar. Most even soy and skim has about 11 grams of sugar per cup. I have to use Hood Calorie Count Down. It only has 3. Just a thought.

Hugs
Barbara

I have no heard of Hood Calorie Count Down---is that a "milk" of some sort or protein shake?  What is its base?  I will try to do a search on the internet to find out more.

Thanks!

It is a milk. I think it taste great. I have only found it around where I live at Hy-Vee Foods. You might ask your local grocer if they can carry it. It comes in White and Chocolate both regular and low fat. Good luck in finding it. Hope it helps.

Hugs
Barbara

try Papaya enzyme, natural,safe and affordable.......

Papaya enzyme--what does it do for you?

Aloha Donna-
Your concerns are valid and much the same as mine! (Circumferential LBL, BL/BA in 3 weeks).

Three weeks sounds early to go back- I've been told to take 8 weeks off ( work in a busy, busy emergency hospital) and not work out for at least 6 weeks.

Constipation- remember narcotics contribute to your constipation, so the Lortab and any narcotics they give you post op will contribute to that. Your Lortab use , if long term, might require you to be on higher doses of narcotics post op as your body is acclimated to it. Drink LOTS of water- it is your best friend to avoid constipation- and try to sneak fiber in with high protein meals- like chili with whole beans- edamame- natural peanut butter on your apple slices- pumpkin added to your Greek yogurt ( or are you so lactose intolerant that yogurt does not work for you?). I haven't had to use any laxatives for over a year now- but I make sure I get my 64+ oz water in every day (just as important if not MORE important than your fiber intake!).

Which brings me to a main concern- protein. You say you get 80-100 g per day in- are you actually tracking? It takes alot of nuts to hit that number! It's your best friend while healing. I get in over 100 g /day now just for workouts, and will up it to over 125g/day while healing. I have a very small sleeve and cannot do lots of dense protein at once- a few bites of fish, chicken or steak and I'm done- so every meal or snack I consume is protein laden and I eat all day long. And I still do the protein shakes - one per day. I will purchase the dreaded protein bullets or Isopure for recovery as I want to be certain I get enough protein in to heal quickly and keep my immune system as strong as possible to avoid infection.

If you have been working out  and doing resistance training, you will have some body stores of protein ( muscle) to bank on.

I purchased the temperpedic pillows (sculpted back, knee triangle and head pillow) for under $300 at the Relax the Back store- cheaper than renting a hospital bed and I figure I can pass them onto my WLS support group friends who follow! They will let you take loaners home and try them out for a few days before committing. The covers are washable. Getting up and walking often will help prevent clots and improve your digestion as well.

Bottom line is- I am no more competent to give advice than anyone else since I'm pre op as well- but you are approaching things in the right way. Are you on protonix or another proton pump inhibitor for nausea or just the phenergan? That seems weird so long post op.

Be well, good luck! XOXOLori

Lori,

You look great!  As for the amount of time taken off, I am not having the BA or thighs done at the same time.  My surgeon won't combine surgeries like that.  If I were, I would take more time off but I can't afford all of it at once anyhow.  My husband has been out of work for a year as of today so saving for this is a tedious process--this will empty our savings account for the lower body lift.

I have not been working out or doing resistance training for almost six months.  I just could not get in enough calories to have the energy to work out----and I was falling asleep on the drive home from the gym!  I was dropping more weight than I was comfortable with and got tired of people telling me I looked anorexic or ill. 

Temperpedic pillows sound great but I really can't afford them---I have a lot of "worn out" pillows from the bed that I can use to prop myself up with.  You are right--I probably don't get in 80 grams of protein a day EVERY day.  I don't do Greek yogurt---too expensive.  I get 6 ounce cups of Lite yogurt made with Splenda for 40 cents a cup at the grocery store so that is what I eat every morning of my life (God I get tired of that sometimes).  I probably eat cottage cheese for lunch or dinner at least four times a week--3/4 to 1 cup at a time with vegetables or fruit.   I do eat at least one protein bar a day--usually 15 grams or more protein per bar.  I can get these at 99 cent store for 59 cents each (Balance brand).  As for the nuts, I bought 8 pounds of almonds on sale last week ($3 a pound) and have been eating at least two large handfuls a day----of course I also bought cinnamon and honey roasted so I am getting sugar in as well--that makes me just a little nauseous but it does give me a boost in energy.

I know I need to drink more water.  Crystal Light used to help but now just doesn't taste right.  I am trying to drink a lot of hot tea or just plain ho****er but seldom get in more than four cups a day plus the two of coffee.  I know its not enough but if I fill up with liquids I don't want to eat.

I just take phenargen for nausea or use Tums.  I have never heard of protonix or proton pump inhibitors---if they are not prescription, my insurance won't cover them anyway.  It is all I can do to afford multivitamins, calcium citrate, and B complex----I buy those when they are buy 1, get 1 free in order to keep them affordable.  If I run out, I am out until they are on sale again.

"Natural" products cost way more than commercial--so peanut butter is JIF or store brand when on sale, yogurt I already told you, store brand cottage cheese, etc.  Basically my grocery list is made from the sales ads each week--even produce is not purchased unless it is on sale so my meals are planned around whatever I find cheap.  My grocery budget for the two of us is $125-$150 per month and that includes my vitamins and protein bars.  It's expensive to try and eat healthy!

Thank you for the good advice.  I will try to drink more water, get fiber in when I can, and get as much protein as possible.  Happy New Year and good luck with your own surgeries!