TT- Lifting Restriction and Swelling Question

Hello.  I am one day shy of being two weeks out from a full TT and had two hernias repaired at the same time.  I am feeling pretty good.  I do have a couple of questions for you. 

What were your lifting restrictions if you have had similar proceedures?  I have a 4 month old baby and its killing me not to pick her up.  My plastic surgeon says my lifitng restrictions are more so becasue of the hernia repair. 


Also when did your swelling go down enough that you could start to wear your pants again.  The swelling is on thing that I was not prepared for, I have been living in sweatpants, and I go back to work next week so I am not sure what I am going to wear.

Thank you for your help.

I had a LBL with umbilical hernia repair and arm lift - so I'm not sure if my lifting restriction is just due to the arm lift or not - but it's nothing heavier than a jug of milk.

My swelling went down immediately after I left the hospital and within the first week I could wear the same size pants I wore before surgery only this time I had room to hide the drains. I'm very, very careful to limit my sodium to the minimum and while I am swelling, it's much less than what my surgeon sees with their other patients. I'm watching not only sodium in prepared food but also the sodium level in food itself - for example dairy products have a lot of salt so if you eating cheese and yogurt etc. you are eating lots of sodium.

Swelling is a bear!  I went through "swell hell" for a couple of months - but after about a month learned to control it a little by wearing my garmet at night and not during the day (when I went back to work) - then I'd be swollen again by night.  I'm 11 months out from my TT and STILL swell on occasion... but not terribly.

I think I was in my pants about 3 weeks after my drains were out. 

I had a 5lbs - 6 week lifting restriction.
I am one year out tomorrow and I still swell occasionally if I've worked 4 - 12 hr shifts.
I wore my garments all day and at work and never when I was home for 6 months, it helped.

You just have to find what works for you.  Decrease your sodium intake, increase your protein and fluids and wear a compression garment - either at night or during the day.,

Thanks. I think my swelling is normal, but still I know I would love for it all to be gone so I can see the true results!  Patience was never one of my better qualities. I wear my compression garmet all the time day and night.  I moved out of the one they gave me for the surgery and have a more comfortable and amazingly enough tighter spanx I wear. My surgeon said that was o.k. 

Would love to hear from more people about their lifting restrictions.

Thanks,

Kim

Hi Kim,

Every physician has their own weight lifting protocols and you are best to speak with you plastic surgeon about them. It is always difficult telling patients with little children not to lift them. I will often limit patients to lifting nothing heavier than a gallon of milk for the first 2-3 weeks and up to 4 weeks with a hernia repair. After that I allow a gradual increase in weightl lifting and by 6-8 weeks I allow patients that have not had a hernia repair return to normal activity.

The seliing is normal postop. You should continue to wear some type of compression garment fro a minimum of 4 weeks. I often (as suggested by one of the other replies) have patients wear Spanx becuase they are comfortable under clothing.

I hope that helps!

I have a good friend that had a hernia repair and she lifted her son too soon and ended up with another hernia. She waited until she was at goal weight and had the 2nd hernia repair in conjunction with a tummy tuck. She feels certain it was caused by lifting too soon. Be careful!