What's your BEST advice for TT/LBL in 1 week ?
Hello ladies (and gents?) My name is Carolyn ... I am so incredibly excited for plastics but also a little nervous. I know everyone's different but was wondering how this has been for all of you - even if you had another procedure, e.g. @ 1 week prior how did you prepare for being @ home (I live by myself but have lots of people coming over to do various things ... lol.)
When did you start taking short walks for exercise or walking the dogs?
Were you hungry and what did you like to eat
?
How long were you on pain meds?
What was the worst for you???
In a way I feel like I know all of you from reading your posts but especially b/c we've all had WLS. I barely remember WLS but do remember being very nervous before and pleasently surprised after.
Thanks!
When did you start taking short walks for exercise or walking the dogs?
Were you hungry and what did you like to eat
? How long were you on pain meds?
What was the worst for you???
In a way I feel like I know all of you from reading your posts but especially b/c we've all had WLS. I barely remember WLS but do remember being very nervous before and pleasently surprised after.
Thanks!
Hey Carolyn,
I'm four and a half weeks out post TT/lipo/muscle tightening/panni/BA/lipo of "side boobs". Had breast lift back on April first. The hardest part for me was day two. I didn't spend the night in the hospital, but day two was the worst. I went home with two drains and on lots of pain meds. My husband was home with me for the first week. He was amazing, kept me on my pain meds every four hours and that was perfect. The recovery has been better than I even expected. I get tired easy an only need pain meds once in a great while, usually after working most of the day (desk job, sitting upright for long periods of time).
Before surgery I cleaned my house top to bottom. Scrubbed floors, did all laundry, washed windows...all stuff I am still not doing yet, due to the amount of bending. The first week or two I had NO appetite so make sure you are keeping good high protein snack foods around. I even did protein drinks again just to keep up my fluid levels and get the protein I need to heal quicker. Have Benadryl on hand, the itching from the healing and wearing my binder 24-7 drove me crazy. Till my Dr. told me to take Benadryl every six hours and that worked great! If you can get an extra binder that helps too. So I can shower and change into a fresh one and wash the other. Lots of pillows, or a wedge pillow is great. Still not sleeping flat either.
I can walk like around the mall or museum but with in a couple hours am pooped out. I have to wait till my six week check up before I get the go ahead on exercising and lifting. On a five pound weight restriction right now. Still really swollen but my breast have been a piece of cake! Not a pain, problem, or issue since day one. The TT has been a longer recovery than I thought, but not hard.
Hope this helps, and hope I answered some of your questions?! Best of luck to you and can't wait to hear how it goes for you.
I'm four and a half weeks out post TT/lipo/muscle tightening/panni/BA/lipo of "side boobs". Had breast lift back on April first. The hardest part for me was day two. I didn't spend the night in the hospital, but day two was the worst. I went home with two drains and on lots of pain meds. My husband was home with me for the first week. He was amazing, kept me on my pain meds every four hours and that was perfect. The recovery has been better than I even expected. I get tired easy an only need pain meds once in a great while, usually after working most of the day (desk job, sitting upright for long periods of time).
Before surgery I cleaned my house top to bottom. Scrubbed floors, did all laundry, washed windows...all stuff I am still not doing yet, due to the amount of bending. The first week or two I had NO appetite so make sure you are keeping good high protein snack foods around. I even did protein drinks again just to keep up my fluid levels and get the protein I need to heal quicker. Have Benadryl on hand, the itching from the healing and wearing my binder 24-7 drove me crazy. Till my Dr. told me to take Benadryl every six hours and that worked great! If you can get an extra binder that helps too. So I can shower and change into a fresh one and wash the other. Lots of pillows, or a wedge pillow is great. Still not sleeping flat either.
I can walk like around the mall or museum but with in a couple hours am pooped out. I have to wait till my six week check up before I get the go ahead on exercising and lifting. On a five pound weight restriction right now. Still really swollen but my breast have been a piece of cake! Not a pain, problem, or issue since day one. The TT has been a longer recovery than I thought, but not hard.
Hope this helps, and hope I answered some of your questions?! Best of luck to you and can't wait to hear how it goes for you.
Elle
Well, it's been several years since my tummy tuck but I distinctly remember that the surgery totally wiped me out energy-wise (as opposed to the RNY). If I had to do it all over again, I would have supplemented my protein and iron intake a lot more than I did.
I came home with an On-Q pain pump attached to me, when that ran out of juice, I stayed on Percocets for about a week. Constipating as hell -- so I also took stool softeners. Slept quite a bit due to the drugs making me drowsy, and just being totally wiped of energy. I had a recliner situated in the living room where I slept for the first couple of days post-surgery. Was up and around by day three but kept overdoing it, which made the swelling worse.
Wore a binder for about three weeks -- loved the support it gave me -- but HATED the itchy feeling.
-
BJ
I came home with an On-Q pain pump attached to me, when that ran out of juice, I stayed on Percocets for about a week. Constipating as hell -- so I also took stool softeners. Slept quite a bit due to the drugs making me drowsy, and just being totally wiped of energy. I had a recliner situated in the living room where I slept for the first couple of days post-surgery. Was up and around by day three but kept overdoing it, which made the swelling worse.
Wore a binder for about three weeks -- loved the support it gave me -- but HATED the itchy feeling.
-
BJ
Two weeks ago this evening I was up pacing and nesting in my house as I left my house at 5 am for abdomenoplasty, inner thigh lift, and outer thigh lipo. (I too live alone...I do live on the same 10 acre horse farm as my Mom, but no one in the same house and I had friends coming by to do whatever I needed.)
Food - 1) I purchased yogurt to help with the probiotic/antibiotic situation. 2) I purchased some ready to drink protein shakes because I would not be able to make them and would have to "train" someone. 3) The only food that I have REALLY wanted was Watermelon and fresh cut fruit. 4) Fresh tomatoes also became a craving for me. (I have not eaten tomatoes in quite a while so this was a surprise.
House Prep -
1) I cleaned top to bottom (scrubbing, etc.), but arrange to have someone come in every few days to dust, mop, and vacuum (I have a dog so she does shed.), but when all I could do was lay around I noticed all the things that needed to be cleaned. Knowing that someone was coming to do it made it easier
2) Arrange a few locations where you can recline and prop your feet up. (I used a recliner for the first week and a half with lots of pillows under my legs.) I had a really hard time raising my feet onto the pillows that first couple days.
3) Rent/Borrow/Purchase a raised toilet seat! It has been a lifesaver. (I had c. diff 2 days out from surgery and have had diarrehea for 8 days, so there were times that I fell asleep on the toilet and it was comfortable enough that I did! :-)
4) Rent/ BOrrow/Purchase a walker. I don't think I could have gotten out of my car without it when I came home. I still take it with me in case I can not get out of a chair somewhere I just needed something to lean on or pull against.
5) Arrange a location, near where you will sleep that you can set your pain meds. I slept a lot the first few days, but I would magically wake up every 4 hours for pain meds. The bad part was I was terrified to move b/c it hurt terribly badly so I would wake up and take my pain meds before trying to move. Then after 45 minutes I would get up go to the bathroom and walk around the house for a while.
6) Dog walks - I am 2 weeks out tomorrow and have not taken a dog for a walk on a leash b/c I am afraid they will pull (I have golden retrievers that I show in obedience and agility.) Yesterday was the first day I actually went for a walk (w. my dog but off lead on the farm). I am still bend over at the waist so long walks kill my back.
7) I still can't reach the floor so I count on using a grabber or salad tongs.
Supplies
1) I am living with Icy Hot b/c my back is killing me from being bent over. The spray was wonderful to start, but the patch is better now.
2) Maxi pads to go across incisions that are draining.
3) Drainage gauze (available through medical supply) - these are not required but they made it easier to change the dressing around the drains.
4) Paper Tape - Because the dressings were on for a while the transpore tape caused an allergic reaction.
5) Saltines - I know this is not recommended post RNY, but I needed something in my stomach with pain meds and other things made me nauseous.
6) If you happen to be someone who still struggles with nausea, it will rear its ugly head, so be prepared with whatever meds you take.
7****!!!! I have fallen in love with ice bags I got from Wal-mart $12. Ther are ACE reuseable and they freeze quickly, purchase a couple so you can trade them back and forth. I don't have an ice machine and I couldn't reach up to empty the ice trays so this was super easy.
Clothes - None - Just kidding! I would highly recommend satin nightgowns as it was cool, comfortable, and I could use it to slide into places!
Wow! I am sorry to have written so much. It is all still very fresh and I can't sleep!!!!!
(I am only able to sleep about 4 hours for the past few days.... not sure where that is coming from!)
Best Wishes!
Food - 1) I purchased yogurt to help with the probiotic/antibiotic situation. 2) I purchased some ready to drink protein shakes because I would not be able to make them and would have to "train" someone. 3) The only food that I have REALLY wanted was Watermelon and fresh cut fruit. 4) Fresh tomatoes also became a craving for me. (I have not eaten tomatoes in quite a while so this was a surprise.
House Prep -
1) I cleaned top to bottom (scrubbing, etc.), but arrange to have someone come in every few days to dust, mop, and vacuum (I have a dog so she does shed.), but when all I could do was lay around I noticed all the things that needed to be cleaned. Knowing that someone was coming to do it made it easier
2) Arrange a few locations where you can recline and prop your feet up. (I used a recliner for the first week and a half with lots of pillows under my legs.) I had a really hard time raising my feet onto the pillows that first couple days.
3) Rent/Borrow/Purchase a raised toilet seat! It has been a lifesaver. (I had c. diff 2 days out from surgery and have had diarrehea for 8 days, so there were times that I fell asleep on the toilet and it was comfortable enough that I did! :-)
4) Rent/ BOrrow/Purchase a walker. I don't think I could have gotten out of my car without it when I came home. I still take it with me in case I can not get out of a chair somewhere I just needed something to lean on or pull against.
5) Arrange a location, near where you will sleep that you can set your pain meds. I slept a lot the first few days, but I would magically wake up every 4 hours for pain meds. The bad part was I was terrified to move b/c it hurt terribly badly so I would wake up and take my pain meds before trying to move. Then after 45 minutes I would get up go to the bathroom and walk around the house for a while.
6) Dog walks - I am 2 weeks out tomorrow and have not taken a dog for a walk on a leash b/c I am afraid they will pull (I have golden retrievers that I show in obedience and agility.) Yesterday was the first day I actually went for a walk (w. my dog but off lead on the farm). I am still bend over at the waist so long walks kill my back.
7) I still can't reach the floor so I count on using a grabber or salad tongs.
Supplies
1) I am living with Icy Hot b/c my back is killing me from being bent over. The spray was wonderful to start, but the patch is better now.
2) Maxi pads to go across incisions that are draining.
3) Drainage gauze (available through medical supply) - these are not required but they made it easier to change the dressing around the drains.
4) Paper Tape - Because the dressings were on for a while the transpore tape caused an allergic reaction.
5) Saltines - I know this is not recommended post RNY, but I needed something in my stomach with pain meds and other things made me nauseous.
6) If you happen to be someone who still struggles with nausea, it will rear its ugly head, so be prepared with whatever meds you take.
7****!!!! I have fallen in love with ice bags I got from Wal-mart $12. Ther are ACE reuseable and they freeze quickly, purchase a couple so you can trade them back and forth. I don't have an ice machine and I couldn't reach up to empty the ice trays so this was super easy.
Clothes - None - Just kidding! I would highly recommend satin nightgowns as it was cool, comfortable, and I could use it to slide into places!
Wow! I am sorry to have written so much. It is all still very fresh and I can't sleep!!!!!
(I am only able to sleep about 4 hours for the past few days.... not sure where that is coming from!)Best Wishes!
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