How do you sleep after an LBL and BA?
I had my LBL and BL/BA as outpatient surgery. I've had quite a few surgeries so recovery wasn't new to me. But I have to say that I absolutely would have paid extra to have stayed over night - or even to have a 6 hour recovery period with IV pain meds. I told my surgeon at the second consult that she should absolutely offer that to patients like me with the longer surgeries (6 hours).
What made it bad is that I woke up in recovery with the shakes. My body thermostat is off since I lost weight and I have really low blood pressure anyway. It was bad enough that my teeth hurt and I woudn't let them bring my husband in because I knew it would scare him. The fixed it with IV Demerol and I felt wonderful - for a little over an hour. Then it was nearing the end of the day and they needed me to wake up and go. It was really, really unpleasant. If they'd let me have another 4 hours or so to does and slowly wake up I think it would have made all the difference. And I certainly would have paid for it.
When we finally got to leave it was later than we'd expected and we got stuck in rush hour traffic. I felt every mile in the uncomfortable seat. All I wanted to was to get to my moms with pillows and meds. It was such a long miserable ride. When we did get there and I was settled in on the couch I still couldn't open my eyes or talk much. My poor kids had to see me (we had thought I'd be home before they got home from school but my mom had to take them to her house). I had to concentrate really hard to speak to my 8 year old who was crying and scared. I tried to keep my voice strong and comforting for him, kept telling him I was fine.
My friend had a TT and BA the month before and had strongly suggested my kids not see me the first day. But we just couldn't avoid it. It scared them enough that in the 5 nights I stayed at my mom's they came and slept over on the floor next to me for two nights.
The LBL has never been that painful, there's a huge swatch of my body that's numb and I had both numbing medication poured into the incisions and the pain pump. The boobs were another story. I'm 5 weeks out and the muscle stretching, itchy and erect nipples and healing zingers still annoy me.
At any rate, it was the first day and evening I found most unbearable. Being forced to wake up when i wasn't ready, riding for over an hour in a car, trying to sort out on that first day where and how to sleep -- all those things I would have easily paid another $1,500 to avoid. I new from having my VSG in Mexico that hospital care after surgery just makes things easier. I'd actually planned to have my surgery with Dr. Sauceda for that reason.
Regarding my Mexico vs. Seattle decision... I don't regret my choice. I LOVE my surgeon here. My results are far above and beyond what I expected after looking at so many before and afters. And recovering just from the LBL and BL/BA has been challenging. I can't imagine how it would have been to have a long thigh lift and arm lift at the same time or having 10+ hours of surgery. In fact, I'm not even sure I'll do my thighs and arms at the same time during round 2. And I'm not nearly as much in a hurry for round 2 as I thought I'd be. The thing that keeps me ready to go for surgery early next year is how incomplete I look. I can't help but stare at my perky boobs and amazingly flat tummy and curvy waist and backside. Then there are my elephant thighs. I really want those done and healed by summer. Unfortunately, my husband got his boobs so he's less driven to support me on surgery #2. He says he barely even notices my tummy and waist, all he can see are my perky D's. I didn't even know he was a boob man ;-).
Ok, sorry for rambling... :-).
What made it bad is that I woke up in recovery with the shakes. My body thermostat is off since I lost weight and I have really low blood pressure anyway. It was bad enough that my teeth hurt and I woudn't let them bring my husband in because I knew it would scare him. The fixed it with IV Demerol and I felt wonderful - for a little over an hour. Then it was nearing the end of the day and they needed me to wake up and go. It was really, really unpleasant. If they'd let me have another 4 hours or so to does and slowly wake up I think it would have made all the difference. And I certainly would have paid for it.
When we finally got to leave it was later than we'd expected and we got stuck in rush hour traffic. I felt every mile in the uncomfortable seat. All I wanted to was to get to my moms with pillows and meds. It was such a long miserable ride. When we did get there and I was settled in on the couch I still couldn't open my eyes or talk much. My poor kids had to see me (we had thought I'd be home before they got home from school but my mom had to take them to her house). I had to concentrate really hard to speak to my 8 year old who was crying and scared. I tried to keep my voice strong and comforting for him, kept telling him I was fine.
My friend had a TT and BA the month before and had strongly suggested my kids not see me the first day. But we just couldn't avoid it. It scared them enough that in the 5 nights I stayed at my mom's they came and slept over on the floor next to me for two nights.
The LBL has never been that painful, there's a huge swatch of my body that's numb and I had both numbing medication poured into the incisions and the pain pump. The boobs were another story. I'm 5 weeks out and the muscle stretching, itchy and erect nipples and healing zingers still annoy me.
At any rate, it was the first day and evening I found most unbearable. Being forced to wake up when i wasn't ready, riding for over an hour in a car, trying to sort out on that first day where and how to sleep -- all those things I would have easily paid another $1,500 to avoid. I new from having my VSG in Mexico that hospital care after surgery just makes things easier. I'd actually planned to have my surgery with Dr. Sauceda for that reason.
Regarding my Mexico vs. Seattle decision... I don't regret my choice. I LOVE my surgeon here. My results are far above and beyond what I expected after looking at so many before and afters. And recovering just from the LBL and BL/BA has been challenging. I can't imagine how it would have been to have a long thigh lift and arm lift at the same time or having 10+ hours of surgery. In fact, I'm not even sure I'll do my thighs and arms at the same time during round 2. And I'm not nearly as much in a hurry for round 2 as I thought I'd be. The thing that keeps me ready to go for surgery early next year is how incomplete I look. I can't help but stare at my perky boobs and amazingly flat tummy and curvy waist and backside. Then there are my elephant thighs. I really want those done and healed by summer. Unfortunately, my husband got his boobs so he's less driven to support me on surgery #2. He says he barely even notices my tummy and waist, all he can see are my perky D's. I didn't even know he was a boob man ;-).
Ok, sorry for rambling... :-).
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