1 Week Out from Hernia Repair, Anchor TT, BL, Arm Lift--VERY Swollen Hands

Hello! I had a hernia repair, anchor tummy tuck, breast lift, and arm lift on Oct 24, so I'm 8 days out. It ended up being a 7 hour surgery instead of 5 because the hernia repair was more extensive than expected. They removed the old mesh, sewed up the hernias (there were 2), brought the fascia together at the top (severely extended about 3 inches on each side), took care of adhesions, and pulled the muscles together in my lower abdomen where they split from pregnancy. They had to put in new permanent mesh but they inserted it under my abs. The PS was able to do the corset stitching he wanted to do. Three nights in the hospital instead of 1 because it was difficult to get my pain managed--again because of the hernia repair. He removed 4 pounds of skin. I'm recovering well I think, tired, occasional pain and the expected swelling. I'm also really bruised.

The girls looks good--perky, full, and where they're supposed to be. He was able to keep me as a C cup. They look very natural and I don't think I'll need implants. The drains were removed two days after surgery. I'm surprised how ropey the incisions feel under my breasts. Will they eventually lie flat?

My tummy is so flat but also swollen. I have an area at the top of my stomach right below and between my breasts that will need revision--it's a small roll and bubble of skin that is a result of some anchor stitches from the mesh. I still can't believe this is my belly, with no pooch! My hips and thighs are quite swollen too, all the way to my ankles. I had the drain removed yesterday. The incisions for the TT lie flat. Wearing the binder 24 hours a day for another week.

My arms look good. They'll look even better when the swelling is gone. I'm wearing ace bandages 24 hours a day for compression for another week. My arms are still quite swollen, especially at the elbows, and my hands and fingers are like fat, fat sausages. Is this normal? Stitches will come out today (arm pits). Again, the incisions seem really ropey right now. I'll need a revision to remove more excess skin next to my breasts and extend it further to my back for a back lift. I'll also need more excess skin removed next to my arm pits. I'll do this with the second round which will be a thigh lift and lipo on my hips.

I'm wearing my binder, bra, and ace bandages (only removing for showering--whicb feels so good!), drinking lots of fluids, taking bromelein and arnica montana, eating a healthy balanced diet with high protein, limited sodium, elevating. Anything else I can do for the swelling, especially in my hands? Anything else I could be doing one week out? Thanks for listening.

Jennifer

Hi.

Hand swelling is from the IV fluids you got during and after surgery and general fluid retention after surgery plus the arm and or chest bandages. Your weight may be up due to swelling and as you start to urinate a LOT you will get rid of that fluid naturally.

DO ask your surgeon about loosening those bandages and work hard on keep your hands above the level of your heart by placing pillows under your elbows.

Hope this helps !

Thanks so much for your reply, Dr. LoMonaco! Your explanation makes perfect sense and is very helpful. I did have lots of IV fluid starting with 4 liters (or bags maybe?) during surgery. I assumed my weight must be up so I've been kind to myself and not stepped on the scale.

I see my surgeon later today and I'll ask him about loosening the arm wraps. I'll make sure to elevate my arms better, plus stop doing so much!

Thanks again!

Hi Jennifer:

So glad that you are doing better.  I would not worry about the little pinch/roll of flesh at the top of the FDL cut.  I had the same thing and thought I would need a revision.  Somewhere between 4 - 6 months it finally laid down flat and all the puffyness went away.  I am flat between my breasts where this was located.  You should be too!  I can't wait to see your arms.  I really want to get mine done too!  Just got to find me a sugar daddy somewhere or rob a bank!

Hi Tess! Thanks for the reassurance . It's amazing what has changed over the past week, I can't even begin to imagine 4-6 months from now. I'd post some photos if I knew how. Right now I can't figure out why posts I've typed and go to submit somehow disappear before I can do so! I've got to switch from this iPhone to my hubby's Kindle. Then again, it might be my sausage fingers. I know what you mean about the money--not yet sure how I'll finance the thighs but i know I'll need it to be done for so many reasons.

I was going to tell you that I had the same issue with my hernia surgery too!  I just had the hernia repair and the FDL TT and I spent 6 1/2 hours in surgery alone for that.  I don't know what I would have done if I had scheduled arms and breast too!

Surgeon said this can happen with upper arm surgery, that they try to avoid the lymph nodes but some disruption may occur. My lymphatic system needs to work out some new routes for drainage which may take a little time. In the meantime, I need to continue to use the ace bandages to wrap my arms but go from wrist to upper arm and also not wrap as tight as I have been. Continue to elevate my arms when seated, raising my hands higher than my elbows to direct fluid flow back. Not to do so much and elevate more. Continue to elevate while sleeping, too.

You were a C cup before your lift? Wow, I was a D and after my lift I am a B. and mine do not look perky or full or where they are supposed to be. the worse thing is I still look saggy because my nipple/areola complex isn't high enough on the breast. Dr. Capella will have to revise them and I cannot wait for implants so I am rid of these breasts.

I would have hated to get all that muscle and hernia repair with my arm lift. My arms have been the worst part of my recovery with this last surgery. I could not have imagined that combined with the pain of the darn tummy tuck I had previously.

Yup, when they were gathered up in bra I was a C cup. Without the bra, they looked liked two dachshunds running down a hill. Dr Jeffries thought I would end up a B but he was able to take care of the stretched out skin without removing any breast tissue. They may not be really full on top but I love that they are up where they're supposed to be and the nipples are where they are supposed to be. Maybe I'm still swollen and maybe they'll drop some. I hope not because implants aren't an option for me, breast cancer history with grandma and mom had double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. Doctors say I would be fine and i would just need additional and different monitoring but I'm just not comfortable with this option for me. I do like the look and feel of the new tear drop implants. I think I would have had a hard time going from a D to a B even though my torso is bow smaller. I hope you recover well and quickly and are able to do the revision and implants soon!

I opted to do my arms with my TT because Dr Jeffries said it would be I'll advised to do my arms when I do my thighs and therefore he wouldn't do it. And I couldn't afford three surgeries. Honestly, the most painful part has been the hernia repair. When they put in the mesh under the muscle, they stitched up through the muscle and it's still quite sore all around the edges. Still end up having to take pain pills and a muscle relaxer towards the end of the day. I'm able to stand up straight and I don't seem that swollen although Dr Jeffries says I am. Haven't had the courage to weigh myself yet.

If I had your family history I would not implants, either. So I am very glad thwt you turned out to be a C after your lift. I am not wild about getting implants from that perspective. I try to keep chemicals out of my life as much as possible. I will go with saline but the shell is still silicon. Vanity won out in the end! I want beautiful breasts.

i plan to get the implants during my final surgery next year. I generally like to space the surgeries 6-mos apart so that I am able to see everything that might need a tweak. Before that it might be too soon to tell... Although I might be able to get away with waiting only 4 or 5 months. If I waited 6-mos for the final surgery, the implants and the face/neck lift, I always could go to him sooner and have the nipple areola complex moved in his office, as well as have some scar revision. Then I would not incur any OR and anesthesia costs. The only pain of it is that he is out of state so I have to pay travel expenses, which are not cheap.