MUST haves for LBL, BL, Brachio

My surgeries (LBL, BL, Brachio) are scheduled for November 19, 2015 with Dr. Peter Fisher. Your help is GREATLY appreciated. I've seen SO many different lists that I don't really know where to start. I'd like your input on:

• a list of the items (compression wear, lifted toilet seat, walker, etc) that are a MUST HAVE (and where to get them)
• a list of vitamins/supplements that are a MUST HAVE (and where to get them).
• anything else that you think I might need to purchase and/or know.

Please and thank you.

Susie

I'm not sure how to advise you because I can't begin to imagine how I would have got along if I'd had both my upper body (arms) and LBL at the same time The doctor typically gives you the compression gear he wants you to wear. I needed the walker for about a day; the toilet riser is a good idea if you have typical low toilet seats. Getting up and down is an issue, believe me.

Vitamins: I kept taking my same vitamins and added a Vit C, bromelain/tumeric for swelling and arnica montana tablets for bruising/healing.

Other items that were helpful: wedge pillow, gel ice packs for itching/swelling areas, anti-itch cream (lots of it!), back scratcher, grabber device, dry shampoo, paper tape, t-shirts to wear under the abdominal binder (a must!).

Good luck to you!

Tracy,

Thanks so much!! I guarantee you I'm nervous about having it all done at once. In about a month, You may hear me saying, "Tracy, you were right. I was wrong and WTH - WHAT WAS I THINKING?!!" Watch for those posts. Haha!!!

Thanks for the input on what items/vitamins were helpful to you. That helps a lot. What kind of tape? Silicone? Best kind you found? My doctor is wanting me to use a new silicone cream he is using. And, what kind of compression wear did you have on your arms, if any? When I sent message to my surgeon, he said they would give compression wear, but to get Spanx that are just below the knee and come up to just under the breast he said to get them wh re they are a little snug right now Do you think those would have worked for your LBL?

Sorry so many questions. I start rattling / writing on and on when I get nervous and/or excited. Thanks for taking your time. Tracy, I'm very excited for you! It sounds like you're doing really well. I'm thankful. I'd love to hear more from you.

Have an awesome week.

Susie

I used DCGirl's list as well as some others - very helpful. To answer your specific questions:

I used paper tape to hold gauze over any areas that were weeping or oozing (basically happened after doc snipped some spitting sutures off of me). I'm allergic to latex and highly sensitive to the glue on most tape. There's all kinds of medical tape out there; I got a roll of it off Amazon.

I hated the silicone scar stuff my doc gave me but if your doc is giving you a cream to use for free then try that first. This stuff isn't cheap! I used ScarAway silicone strips that I got off Amazon too. Loved 'em!

I didn't have my arms done so all I had was an abdominal compressiong garment...and Spanx would not have cut it the fist 8 weeks, especially due to the muscle repair. Just not tight enough. I needed the support.

Tracy,

I've got a couple of questions:

1. Just went to Amazon to look for The ScarAway strips. There are several different options - Long, Casearan, etc. Which ones did you use?
2. Do I need the wedge pillow if I have a recliner?

Thanks.

Susie

My doc provided me my compression garments. For the first week after my LBL, I had this rectangular thing that had velcro so I would just wrap it around my mid-section and velcro it. I also had velcro Ace bandages for my arms.

One week post-op, my doc gave me a Marena compression garment that went from my knees to my shoulders. It had hook and eye closures in the front. Honestly, I don't think I could have contorted my body to PULL ON Spanx. That just sounds difficult lol. One week after my arm lift he gave me a Marena set of compression sleeves. I will be three weeks post-op for arms tomorrow and he wants me to wear them another week.

I am using a scar creme my doc gave me. I never tried silicone gel but others seem to like it!

Good luck!

I am with Tracy - I know quite a few people combine those procedures but my abdominal pain from the muscle tightening of my LBL made it SO hard to go from laying down to sitting up and it was only by using my arms that I could hoist myself into a sitting position! Good luck - others have survived having both at the same time so I am sure you will do fine.

Here is a link to my post-plastics "what I knew and wished I had known". http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/plasticsurgery/5309071/X-p ost-Everything-I-wished-I-had-known-and-everything-I/

To be honest, other than abdominal pain for a few days and sleeping halfway sitting up with a wedge pillow, I did not need a single thing that I didn't have at my house other than a lanyard and a stepstool by my bed to put my pain meds and water on for during the night (I couldn't reach the side table). I didn't need a recliner or a lifted toilet seat or a walker.

I am ten days post-op from an arm lift and healing well - so thankful all my plastics are behind me, and THRILLED with my results so far!

Good luck!

DC,

Thanks so much for the link. It was very thorough and gave me lots of good info. I'll tell you like I did Tracy. In a few weeks I'll probably be posting:

"WTH was I thinking?!! Shoot me now!!!"

I really appreciate you and look forward to hearing more from you.

Have a Terrific Tuesday.

Susie

Please see my profile. I listed everything!

I would add ScaRxtape to your list. It will help with keeping the scars to a minimum. I tell my patients to begin using it right after the steri are removed and continuously for a two plus month period. Good luck!