Medial thigh lift: four weeks post op. . .

Had my 4 week post op visit in Seattle on Monday. Everything is healing nicely and doc doesn't want to see me for 6 weeks. I do have a bit of redness in the area around my groin incisions so he put me on a maintenance dose of antibiotics which is fine with me. I still have about 3 lbs of fluid accumulation from the knees down. It is so very painful. I've never retained fluid much before even during pregnancy. I had no idea how painful this can be. I'm still sleeping with feet on 4 pillows at night and that helps  the fluid retention. I'm taking 2 pain pills per day and still seem to need those in order to function during the day. I can already tell a lot of difference in how my pants fit in the upper thigh area. No longer have "testicles" sticking out and my pants fit much better all over. Not noticing a smaller size  yet; just fitting better in my current ones.

Hope you feel better soon! I can't even imagine with the fluid retention in that sensitive area.

This is the one surgery I want to do the MOST - I am hating the way my thighs look - but also the one I am most scared of, lol.

LMAO "testicles", I haven't heard of it described that way, hilarious!

I'm totally dreading a thigh lift, if I decide I need one. (I'm greedy, I KNOW I'll want one as soon as my tummy and arms are fixed). I've heard it's the most painful. But it's worth it in the end.

I'm so sorry you're still in a lot of pain. It's good to hear your experience though, because then other people having this surgery won't go in with false expectations, they'll know what to expect.

Did your surgeon recommend any kind of lymphatic massage to help with the swelling? Maybe you can't do that because of the incisions. But if he's ok with it, it might really help.

Good luck healing. Keep us posted!

I do feel MUCH better than I did the first 2 weeks post op! Compared to being hit by a truck that's a great improvement. I thought I was prepared for this one too as I'd had both knees replaced and a lower body lift. I think because of the location of the incisions and the swelling that this was much more difficult. I would do it again. Almost glad that I didn't know more than I did tho it would have helped me be better prepared for the week immediately post op. I just keep reminding myself to "keep my eye on the prize!"

Hi Karen - I'm so glad you're feeling better and so appreciate your bluntness about this procedure.  I was on the fence about the medial thigh lift and now after TT/LBL I know I'm going to have it as part of phase 2 - breast lift and medial thigh hopefully together.  Do you know what all the swelling is from? Also (if you don't mind me asking... ) do you also have incisions on your inner thighs or just the groin area.  I don't know a lot about the procedure b/c I thought I might be able to avoid it but after the TT/LBL I want my wrinkly thighs fixed too... oy vey (I'm 50)

Come join us on the Over Fifty Forum. We have a great support group of "seasoned women" and once and a while a brave man. I've met a lot of these people in person from all over the country. I think it's now listed as "Weight loss surgery for those 50 and over" not to confuse it with BMI of over 50. I'm way way over 50... . 62 as a matter of fact.

My medial thigh lift involved long incisions up either inner thigh from knee to groin area and then out about 7 inches on each side.

The doctor said the swelling is "normal" and just takes a long time to be reasbsorbed. Sleeping with my legs elevated above my heart helps. There is an excellent video on OH about this surgery if you are sure you REALLY want to know exactly what is involved. I thought perhaps "ignorance was bliss" but you need to be prepared. I need to have arms and breasts reduced also. It will probably be a couple of years before I do that. Seems like it takes that long for the memory to fade!

My brother referred to my grumbling about my ugly thighs following my lower body lift as "kind of like painting one room in the house isn't it?" Sad, but true. I'm sure you know exactly what I mean! Best wishes

Thanks for the resources!  I'm going to force myself to watch that video, and the painting analogy -too true!

Karen, glad to hear your last couple weeks have been better.  Two pills a day sound great!  We're just going to put you in bed with your feet up and make you stay for a while!  LOL

Can you educate me.  I ask the last surgeon I saw about a thigh lift.  He drew kind of a triangle patern on my legs and said that the scars would be up at the top and in the crotch area.  What would this be called?

Thanx, Jenny

Jenny, I'm not sure about the different kinds. Mine would be more of a "T" on each inner thigh. My surgeon did say that he is a bit like a tailor. He starts out with a "pattern" but then improvises a bit when he gets further into the actual thigh lift. You might look on line under "types of thigh lifts" to see what you can find. With mine I know that he pulled skin tight after liposuctioning fat out. When he brought the skin together he cut off the loose baggy skin and sutured the newer, smaller thigh area together. Much like I saw in the video that is on OH.

Thanks for posting this Karen.  I am now discussing thigh work with my PS and he told me that I would be a candidate for just having an incision on the inner thigh starting at groin to knee.  He would pull the skin tight and remove all the excess.  He also said the scar would be minimal after healing.

He thinks the groin incision with just lifting the skin and removing is not what I need.  So I am wondering if you would not mind sharing how your procedure was done.  You can PM me if you would like.  

Carla