No binder after LBL & TT?

My surgeon doesn't have a binder requirement for lbl & tt procedures. He said I was welcome to wear one if I choose, but he doesn't feel they are as needed as others. That it was more for comfort of patient and emotional security.

Well, that being said. I am curious anyone have a tt or lbl and not have to wear a binder? What was your experience?

I would like to go and buy one to have, so how do I go about figuring what size? I mean, if I fit in it now, will it still fit after the skin is removed. (There is a lot of empty stuff there)

Thanks for your input.

My doc has you use one for quite a while.  I hated it at first.  But when I was 2 weeks post op I had to have new drains put in and it made wearing it impossiable.  So I was out of it for a week.  I can tell you without a doubt, 100% getting back into it reduced my swelling and pain or discomfort.  It is magic for me in that way.I am 5 weeks now and love wearing compression.  I look forward to when I wont need it and I look better with it off in clothes even.  But I will be wearing mine until the swelling if pretty much gone and there is no more tenderness.

  Also, I had a crotchless one for the month post op and loved the feature.  Pulling up and down stuff over your incisions is really uncomfortable for the first bit.

Pre-op I was a size L, but they gave me an XL.  It fit with a little room pre-op.  Post op it was VERY snug for about 3 weeks post op.  Now it is a bit too big so I wear it for light compression and wear ones I have bought at department stores for heavier compression.

I would have gone crazy without it!  I really have not heard of someone not using it after an LBL.  The most important reasons to have one are to support the tissue in the correct position during healing because it is lifted off the facia all the way to your ribcage, and if you have liposuction, it is just as important to help the tissue readhere in the proper position.  Then there is the reduction of swelling.  OMG, the swelling I had if I didn't have a binder on.  Not comfortable at all.  I felt like Violet Beauregard, in Charlie & The Chocolate Factory!

As far as getting one for yourself, I feel certain that you can get one at the hospital or even at a good supply pharmacy, both of whom would fit you for it.  It needs to be SNUG.  If you are only having an LBL or TT, it is just a wrap around heavy elastic with velcro.  Nothing to step into.
Terri

Hmmm I would get one the size you are now but a little SNUG cause you have to account for swelling.  Make sure it is crotchless =)

Ms Shell

I had a friend who's PS didn't require her to wear one either, and she did just fine.  However, I would have gone nuts with out mine too!  Maybe it is just a security thing but I can't even imagine NOT wearing one.  For me, I had a ton of skin removed but only needed a basic TT.  I had that sucker on and felt comfortable with it, even though it was annoying.  I was given a stretchy velcro one that wraps around.  It's easy at first b/c you cannot step into and pull up the super tight underwear kind.  In fact, my husband had to wrap the one I have for the first few weeks.  Last week (at 4 wks post op), I was told that I didn't need to wear it anymore but it was my choice if I wanted to.  I went 2 days and swelled up :(  Not huge or anything, but the binder definitely helps you feel thinner.  I hated feeling swollen or bloated so now I've got it back on and I'd rather wear that than feel fat.  I've spent my entire life fat, I'm not going back now!  lol...  I don't plan to wear it forever though and I do take it off to sleep, or after a long day at work.  I may go a day withouth it but the swelling always goes back down over night.

You may just want to have one one hand just incase.  They had to do a lot of stomach muscle repair on me b/c my stomach muscles were completely separated and to the side (3 really big babies) so I needed that support to hold that in for a few weeks.

WOW - I would have gone nuts without mine!  It helped control the swelling - and when I didn't wear i****ch out!  I remember putting it on going "oh yea - feels SO much better". 

I had a size small and when the swelling went down and I still felt I needed some compression and it felt kinda big, I went to Kohls and bought one.  It was, of course, less compression but by then I didn't need full compression.  I ended up wearing it at night and not during the day.  My surgeon had said to do it the other way around, but when I did - I swelled up SO bad.    It worked for me. 

I had the one that was crotchless and went down the legs. It didn't bother my drains. 

Like the other poster said - its to help adhere your skin to your muscle/tissue. 

 I know I felt better with the compression. I was a size 4 pants before lower body lift and they put me in a size large at the hospital. After three to four weeks it really got loose.I wear dept store ones now if I swell. They are not major brands and were pretty cheap. I think about 20 was the most I paid. They have more give than the one from the hospital but still hold you in place.

My PS only requred that I wear mine for 2 weeks and I was sooooo glad to stop wearing it. It was irritating the stiches where they pulled my stomach muscles together and I was having horrible nerve pain and muscle spasms. It was worth the swelling to not have the spasms anymore.

I don't think i could do with out mine. I got two from my doc's office.  It just velcro and goes around, no pulling up or anything. I love it so much that i'm thinking of getting a corset when i'm all done healing :)