PICS- 5 days post-brachioplasty
More pics in my album. Sorry the sizing is weird.
I maintain that this has been the easiest of my plastics so far. Days 3 and 4 were the hardest, that's when the swelling set in and the bruising started to surface. It is much worse in the left arm and the bruise is traveling down my forearm towards the hand. It's surface bruising so I think it's just blood that is working its way out. It stings though.
The pain on days 3 and 4 was such that I took half a pain pill each evening, but could've probably done without. Right now the biggest annoyance is the ITCHING!!! All up and down the incision it itches like the dickens. Benadryl helps in that it puts me to sleep and I don't itch in my sleep, but doesn't really alleviate the actual symptom. Putting a cool pack on the arm for 5 mins at a time seems to help temporarily but I don't want to impede healing so I limit that.
The amount of skin taken from the actual armpit was really minimal, and there isn't much tension there, so I pretty much have full range of motion. I can brush my hair. I don't wave my arms above my head or anything. But it feels normal, aside from the 'swollen sausage' sensation in my arms. Still sleeping in a recliner with pillows under my arms. Though, I think the swelling in my elbow is because I tend to shift a bit at night and my upper arm kinda slips off the pillows, so only my forearms and hands are elevated. This makes it so that my elbows are at the lowest point, which is where swelling would localize. I have to wear thick gloves on my hands when I go to sleep because they FREEZE!
Picked up some arnica cream at Whole Foods today, am going to see if that helps. Oh, also ran into Fabio ("I can't believe it's not butter"- yes, THAT Fabio) there. He was hawking some protein powder. We chatted for a few minutes and I got a photo with him. Yes, he is really that handsome in real life. He looks DAMNED good for 53!!
Doc said I'll be able to drive my car at 1 week post-op. Haven't seen him for my followup yet because he's out of the country but I see him at 2 weeks post-op.
I maintain that this has been the easiest of my plastics so far. Days 3 and 4 were the hardest, that's when the swelling set in and the bruising started to surface. It is much worse in the left arm and the bruise is traveling down my forearm towards the hand. It's surface bruising so I think it's just blood that is working its way out. It stings though.
The pain on days 3 and 4 was such that I took half a pain pill each evening, but could've probably done without. Right now the biggest annoyance is the ITCHING!!! All up and down the incision it itches like the dickens. Benadryl helps in that it puts me to sleep and I don't itch in my sleep, but doesn't really alleviate the actual symptom. Putting a cool pack on the arm for 5 mins at a time seems to help temporarily but I don't want to impede healing so I limit that.
The amount of skin taken from the actual armpit was really minimal, and there isn't much tension there, so I pretty much have full range of motion. I can brush my hair. I don't wave my arms above my head or anything. But it feels normal, aside from the 'swollen sausage' sensation in my arms. Still sleeping in a recliner with pillows under my arms. Though, I think the swelling in my elbow is because I tend to shift a bit at night and my upper arm kinda slips off the pillows, so only my forearms and hands are elevated. This makes it so that my elbows are at the lowest point, which is where swelling would localize. I have to wear thick gloves on my hands when I go to sleep because they FREEZE!
Picked up some arnica cream at Whole Foods today, am going to see if that helps. Oh, also ran into Fabio ("I can't believe it's not butter"- yes, THAT Fabio) there. He was hawking some protein powder. We chatted for a few minutes and I got a photo with him. Yes, he is really that handsome in real life. He looks DAMNED good for 53!!
Doc said I'll be able to drive my car at 1 week post-op. Haven't seen him for my followup yet because he's out of the country but I see him at 2 weeks post-op.
"The greatest challenge to any thinker is stating the problem in a way that will allow a solution." -Bertrand Russell
5'9 HW: 297 GW: 160 CW: 161
5'9 HW: 297 GW: 160 CW: 161
Beautiful job on the arms!! You are going to have arms to die for when it's all healed up :)
www.sexyskinnybitch.wordpress.com - my journey to sexy skinny bitch status
11/16/12 - Got my Body by Sauceda - arms, Bl/BA, LBL, thigh lift.
HW 420/ SW 335 /CW 200 
85 lbs lost pre-op / 135 post op
~~~~Alison~~~~~
Fabulous results!! And they will keep getting better. Glad you're doing well. My arms went from 12" to 10". They were my favorite surgery because they made the most difference. My old-lady arms bugged the bejeezus out of me.
Laura
Laura
Laura in Texas
53 years old; 5'7" tall; HW: 339 (BMI=53); GW: 140 CW: 170 (BMI=27)
RNY: 09-17-08 Dr. Garth Davis
brachioplasty: 12-18-09 Dr. Wainwright; lbl/bl: 06-28-11 Dr. LoMonaco
"May your choices reflect your hopes and not your fears."
Aw thanks! My PS said I'd need only a week off of a desk job, which is what I have. I took 2 weeks off anyway, just to be safe. I could've definitely gone back to work after a week though.
"The greatest challenge to any thinker is stating the problem in a way that will allow a solution." -Bertrand Russell
5'9 HW: 297 GW: 160 CW: 161
5'9 HW: 297 GW: 160 CW: 161
sweetummies
on 6/23/12 11:07 pm
on 6/23/12 11:07 pm
Wow - thank you for posting this. Glad it doesn't hurt as much as it looks like it would. Looks like you will have fabulous arms! I am not done loosing, but already researching as I know I want my arms done. There are some tops I simply can't wear due to the circumference of them and I don't feel comfortable in sleeveless. Reading about other's experience with surgery helps, so again - thank you!
Tess
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