Compression Garments after surgery

Hi All,

I am scheduled for my abdominoplasty on Monday, and one thing I'm unsure of is compression garments.  I was told I should wear compression garments for some months after surgery to preven****er from collecting. 

I'm not sure what kind of garment to buy and how to size it.  My waist is currently 35 inches.  Do I buy a size to fit my current waist, or do I assume I'll be smaller due to surgery? or larger due to swelling? 

How about getting in and out of the garment when my tummy is fragile?  Should I get one with a zipper or hooks and eyes?  or will I be able to wiggle into one that doesn't open? 

Any suggestions and recommendations would be most appreciated.

thanks,

Carol

For the first couple of weeks, I wore the compression wrap that I woke up in from surgery. After the first 2 weeks I was allowed to wear a compression garment. It was not hard to put on (even ones that just pulled up). I was given one by the plastic surgeons office, but it was pretty uncomfortable. I went to this site: http://www.makemeheal.com. In particular, this was my favorite garment: http://www.makemeheal.com/mmh/product.do?id=93612. I got a size smaller that what I was at the time of surgery, but they do have instructions for sizing on the site. They are also great with allowing you to exchange an item if you need a different size (just make sure not to get anything on the garment). Hope this helps! Good luck on Monday! :)

~Dejah

I just wanted to say "good luck", Carol!  Here's to a speedy recovery...and I can't wait to see your results 

My doc uses the Marena garments.  If you call them, they'll help you figure out the size.  It's the hook/eye and zip version.  I wouldn't want to try to wiggle in and out of anything.  And it's crotchless which made things much, much easier during the early weeks post-op.

Best of luck!

Mine was included in my surgery fee. My surgeon knew what kind and what size to get. I usually wear a small and had a large compression garment. I'll admit that freaked me out...lol. My stomach was 4 inches larger immediately post-op due to swelling.

i wore THIS kind and loved it. It had hook and eye and a zipper over that. Easy to get in and out of.

Mine was included but I bought an extra one. I still wear mine from time to time and its a blessing. I don't think you will go home without one on? I haven't heard of anyone having a tummy tuck leaving surgery without one on. 

Hooks and things? No no, just Velcro, those ones seem to work well.

Good luck, keep us posted on how you are.

Annette

Good luck with your surgery.  I have read compression garments are good to use

How exciting, Carol!  Ironically I was just emailing about this very topic with a friend who wants an LBL later this year.  

My doctor sent me home from my LBL with an abdominal binder that I basically velcro around my abdomen.  At my week appointment, he measured me and sent me home with a Marena hook and eye closure thing that went from bra to knees.  It is crotchless but gives a horrible wedgie!  And now that I am 3.5 weeks post-op I am way less swollen and the garment is big on me.  I find the pull on Yummie and Spanx brand shorts that go up to the bra are the most comfortable and hold me in.  I have no idea when I am supposed to stop wearing them. I wear the shorts during the day and the wraparound abdominal binder to sleep.  I have an appointment at six weeks post-op so I will ask how long to wear it.

I would have struggled to wiggle into Spanx for the first two weeks but all of my incisions are closed and I can easily wiggle in and it keeps me held in quite well.

Good luck!  One amazing side affect I have found is that my metabolism is crazy fast.  An inadvertent plus :)

My surgery was on April 3.  I woke up from surgery with a compression wrap on.  Today I'm wearing a pair of spanks that I had bought several years ago, but that's only so that I can wash the wrap.  If you won't be given a wrap during surgery, I would find something that has no hooks and eyes or zippers.  You'll have drains to contend with, for one thing.  And the effort to pull on something that provides firm control will be more than you will want to deal with during the first couple weeks of recovery.  You might want to find out if you will get a wrap in the hospital.

I know I wore the one from the hospital for the first week or two.  Then I contacted Make Me Heal and they walked me through measuring and had a stage two garment there the next morning.  It was too big and they shipped another overnight and let me return the first.  My surgeon did not sell garments, but Make Me Heal really does a great job.

I never bought the silicone strips and wondered if that was a mistake.  I bought some cream from my surgeon that was about 50 bucks an ounce and then ordered cream from Make Me Heal. 

One thing I did was eat a lot of fresh pineapple after surgery and believe the bromide kept my swelling down.  Ironically I also lost about ten pounds during the month after surgery because I was not hungry at all and mostly lived on pineapple.