Here I go again.....2 weeks from now I'm back in surgery
on 3/10/10 9:17 pm - West Central FL☼RIDA , FL
Thanks for the vote of confidence....I think as long as I go into it knowing what to expect I'll do ok. It just dawned on me with having the arms done I may need a button down or zipper night gown and I believe I have one tucked away in a drawer....it should work fine.
Thanks for input!
Hope your arms are feeling better with each passing day....
TTFN
Ruth
on 3/10/10 9:20 pm - West Central FL☼RIDA , FL
CRAZY crazy having all this done......
Two weeks is fast approaching! I know you must feel good about being done for awhile. I am having those same feelings myself. I'll try to answer your questions.
How bad is it?
It was the hardest of the procedures I have had. They are long incisions which causes more tension than a shorter incision. More area for sutures to spit and just more to care for (bandages, neosporin...etc)
How long before you can get in/out of bed by yourself?
I spent the first 3 weeks in a recliner. My bed is very high and I couldn't stretch my legs like that.
I couldn't rely on my arms since I had them done at the same time.
How long before you can sit without pain (like sitting on the toilet)?
After about day 4 I was able to sit more comfortably. You have to go slow, even bending to sit causes a pull on the thighs.
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How about clothing....is it better to wear nightgowns instead of pj pants??
I had gauze and maxi pads taped all over my incisions and I wore the compression girdle that was open in the crotch. I did not wear panties. I didn't want my butt exposed to everyone...lol so over the girdle I wore a pair of loose fitting jersey type exercise shorts. They also helped to hold the gauze and pads in place.
Did you wear a below the knee garment when you left surgery......If so did having the garment rubbing on the incisions hurt??
My garment only came to the tops of my knees which was ok for me since my incisions didn't go all the way to my knees. You will probably have one that goes over your knees. You won't want panties rubbing your groin incisions for awhile. There were times the garment rubbed there and keeping a maxi pad taped there can be challenging.
If I plan to stay doped up for 2 days will I be ok or at least better by day 3?
You'll be better by day 3 but I strongly suggest sitting a lot with your legs up. Take advantage of being waited on if you can. The up and down and up and down is hard on the incisions that first week. Rest as much as possible. Pedal your feet a lot to keep the blood circulating and use the ice packs as much as you can.
How bad was the swelling....did it stay localized to your legs or go to the butt and tummy??
I did not have much swelling in my thighs and I don't remember having any go to my butt or tummy. I used the ice packs a lot.
Did you have your arms done at the same time? I'm having a revision to my arms and I'm hoping it won't make it impossible for me to move on my own within 3 or 4 days (or maybe 5).
How difficult is it having your arms done at the same time as the legs??
Yes my arms were done at the same time. It was difficult for me. Everything was just done slow and deliberate. Reachng down to release the lever on the recliner was hard and it hurt for a few days. I needed help placing a pillow behind my head. I felt like a mummy. I needed help wrapping my arms at first.
One of the most challenging and tiring things is the time and effort involved in just showering and redressing all of the incisions and getting dressed again. It would literally wear me out. I would have to sit and take breaks. Having someone help you hold pads in place while you wrestle to get back in your garment really helps. My husband was a Godsend and I took full advantage of his willingness to help me. I am normally very independent but with those 2 surgeries I needed and appreciated all of his help. You already know to have things in easy reach. I had a side table with all my necessities beside me. I had a chair with my laptop sitting on it. I just tried to stay immobile for the most part with the exception of the things I HAD to do. I think it really helped in my recovery.
Renee
I
My DS SW/263 CW/136 GW/150
on 3/10/10 9:12 pm - West Central FL☼RIDA , FL
Thanks all the great information.
I'm going to really try and stay immobile for the first 5 day. Thankfully I do have Matthew here to help me and he has been a real champion with all these procedures but I think this is going to be the one I really need in to do more during that first week. Normally by day 3 being home I am up and doing all the cooking and even start sweeping/vacuuming and laundry. This time the floors can wait.
You know I'll think of more questions as it gets closer.
I have my pre-op appointment tomorrow....so I'm starting my list....LOL....I think Arlene is used to seeing me walk in with my note pad now....
Thanks again for sharing
TTFN
Ruth
Unless your arms are a piece of cake, you will have NO problem being immobile for 5 days! lol I was cooking by this time with my LBL. At least when you can use your arms and legs you can putz around the kitchen. I just cooked an easy dinner last night (baked chicken) but I had to have help getting the pans, putting the pan in the oven, reaching for spices, etc. No one cooks in my house really and I was tired of sandwiches and take out and leftovers so I wanted a nice homemade meal. I can reach up pretty well but not well enough to fully extend since my incisions goes so far down.
What Renee said about the showering and rewrapping really is a chore. It didn't take me as long this time since I'm wearing my garment so not as big of a job, but I swear it took me almost 30 minutes to get wrapped with the first shower. I'm not showering everyday for that reason. It's such a hassle. And yes you will be walking like a mummy which isn't so bad at first, but I'm tired of it now!
Honestly this was the most painful of all my surgeries and I also have a high tolerance for pain.
I slept on the couch for the first 5 days then moved to my bed. Never had a problem getting on or off the couch or in bed. I also had my breast done at the same time, not the same as arms but still couldn't use them as much b/c the implants were under the muscle.
Sitting upright I'd say it was about a week before there was no pain. Lounging on the couch not too bad. Sitting on the toilet was about a week before I was somewhat comfortable. Even after that it was still tener and you just have to be careful when sitting.
I wore pants the entire time. Never bothered me. It might be because the compression garment is covering everything so having loose yoga pants or pj pants didn't feel any different.
My compression garment went to my knees, not below. The garment was so tight/fitted that it didn't rub the incisions. I had zippers on each side so they were able to loosen up when taking them on and off.
I was on my pain meds religiously for the first week. After the first week I was able to taper off a little bit. By the time I went back to work at day 13 I was completely off my pain meds. Maybe took on at night or took a valium after a long day at work.
My swelling stayed in my legs the entire time. However it did travel down to my lower legs and feet once I went back to work. Told my surgeon that for the first time in my life I had cankles. I'm 4 1/2 months out and still have some swelling in my left leg. Not as bad ad before where you could look at my leg and see the difference but still a little bit. Some days are worse than others. I tried wrapping my lower leg w/ an ace wrap thinking that some compression would help the swelling early on. I was right it did help the swelling in my calf but it all went to my foot, couldn't get my shoe on.
I would say stay on a schedule of taking your pain meds early on, even in the middle of the night. You don't want to get behind in them cuz it will hurt and making sitting on the toilet even worse. I also didn't start on the stool softeners right away cuz I never had an issue w/ constipation but I wasn't on my pain meds that long for my previous surgery. Needless to say I got a little stopped up and that's the last thing you'll want to have happen when your thighs are done.
Good luck and hope you will have an easier time than I did. It hurts at first the but results are definately worth it. I was feeling pretty normal by week 3 where I was going out to the club and doing normal activities.
Sonya
on 3/10/10 9:13 pm - West Central FL☼RIDA , FL
I'm a bit apprehensive but I feel better being more informed.
Thanks!!!
Ruth
How bad is it? I really had no pain issues with the thighs or arms except tenderness at the drain site and pain where my arm compression garment dug into my armpits before I found a new style.
How long before you can get in/out of bed by yourself? I had to have help swinging my legs in for about the first 5-6 days. Then I could sit on the side of the bed and bring one leg in at a time. If your bed is really high, you'll need a stool. If you are in a recliner with a handle, you will probably have a hard time pulling the handle at first. At 3 months out I can just now acutually kneel on my bed to get in, but this just started. Before that I had to sit then swing one leg in at a time.
How long before you can sit without pain (like sitting on the toilet)? About 5-7 days, just squatted over toilet or if I had to sit, lowered myself down with one leg out straight. Glad the compression garments had opening so I didn't have to take that down.
How about clothing....is it better to wear nightgowns instead of pj pants?? A gown that zips or buttons might be easiest to get into by yourself. I did wear sweat pants and a v-neck stretchy pj top or tank top with zipped hoodie, but I had help to get in and out of it for the first two weeks.
Did you wear a below the knee garment when you left surgery......If so did having the garment rubbing on the incisions hurt?? the incisions were covered with gauze and the garment was tight enough that it didn't rub. It acutally feels good to have the garment on because it helps with the swelling and keeps the dressings in place.
If I plan to stay doped up for 2 days will I be ok or at least better by day 3? I had narcotics through my IV at the clinic for the first 3 days and by then the pain was very tolerable and then it was just the drain insertion sites. They didn't hurt enough to be on meds but were very uncomfortable.
How bad was the swelling....did it stay localized to your legs or go to the butt and tummy?? Not to butt or tummy, but my feet were really swollen and so were my hands. I'm glad I didn't wear my rings to the hospital. You might want to take flip flops to the hospital. I could hardly get my tennis shoes on to come back after day 3. I was also pretty swollen in the crease of my leg and used ice packs there to help bring the swelling down. You will probably want to stay in bed more with the thigh surgery than with any of your other surgeries. I did leg pumps while in bed to keep the circulation moving. I kept my legs elevated on pillows after the second week and that seemed to help with the lower leg swelling. I would get up at least every hour to move around and take a little walk inside the house--we had snow on the ground, so I wasn't going outside.
Did you have your arms done at the same time? I'm having a revision to my arms and I'm hoping it won't make it impossible for me to move on my own within 3 or 4 days (or maybe 5).
How difficult is it having your arms done at the same time as the legs?? It is more difficult to move around just having the thighs done. I was able to move around quite a bit by day 5 or 6. I was not up cooking or cleaning for a good 4 weeks and then just enough to get by. I don't know that the arms made it any more difficult. except for getting clothes on and dealing with any drains you might have at first. Showering was a long ordeal with changing the dressings. I would shower, dry off, lay down a while, then get up to do my dressings and put on my garment. The garment is nice because it helps keep the dressings in place.
Hope this helps. Lin
