TT w/Muscle Tightening and Lipo Recovery Time

I have a consult in December for plastics but I'm too anxious to wait so I'm posing my questions here.  Thanks for listening.

I'm curious as to the recovery time for a tummy tuck with muscle tightening and lipo.  I know it's different for everyone based on their health situation but I'd like to get an average.  I only have 2 weeks vacation and didn't know if that would cover these procedures as I don't want to wait until June when I get my new vacation allotment.  I don't think I can use my sick leave since these are elective procedures and not necessary medically necessary.

I'd love to hear how everyone's recovery was from recent years.

Thanks

Once again, it depends on how drastic of a "tummy tuck" you're going to get.  Are you simply getting a mini-tuck?  A hip-to-hip tuck? An extended tuck? Or a 360 degree lower body lift? 

I had the full body lift with muscle tightening on July 8th and I absolutely had to have two weeks and was still iffy after that.  I didn't go back full-time until 3 weeks after the procedure and I still wasn't standing perfectly straight.  But I had a desk job and muddled through.

Unless your employer has different rules than mine, you can use your "vacation" time for whatever you want.  And sick time absolutely can be used for elective procedures.  I can use my sick time to go to a doctor's appointment, a dentist appointment, etc. but those aren't medically "necessary".  It's a medical necessity that you stay home and heal and all doctors will give you a signed note saying so.  Do a closer check of your office policies - talk to your HR person about this.  

Thank you Tracy,

I definitely have more research to do as I don't know which procedure would be best.  I don't believe I would need anything larger than a hip-to-hip if even that.  My problem is mostly and Panni and upper belly for lipo.

I know my vacation time can be used with no problems.  Our sick leave policy is more restrictive.  It specifically states that elective cosmetic procedures do not qualify.  I hope to have the surgeon write a descripted note on why this procedure would be necessary - I'm keeping my fingers crossed as I would prefer to have at least 3 weeks to recover.  I also have desk job but don't want to pu****

I appreciate your response! 

Can your doctor call it "reconstructive" surgery instead of "cosmetic"? Do you have rashes or back pain from the excess weight? I would approach it that way.

The first time I ended up in the hospital with infections 3x and was out of work about 3 weeks, and then I had a wound vac for the incision for two month (approx).  Second time around 3 weeks and I was back to work, but I had drains in and they are not fun!  It's hard to hide them when they are hanging by your sides unless you can wear a tent type dress but they unhook and fall out (not pretty).

Good luck.

JA

Yikes - that does not sound fun. 

Thank you for the reply.

I took off 8 weeks, but had the whole enchilada done.  Lower body lift, breast lift, arms and small thigh.  Dr Sauceda wrote it as reconstruction surgery and I had no problem getting Calif disability for the 8 weeks I was off.

I encourage my patients to take as much time as they can off but a two week period should be adequate. You may, in the unusual patient, still have drain in place but that can be easily hidden. The pain should definitely have subsided. Many of my patients are able to start walking(and I encourage that) within days and be driving their cars within the first week. Everyone though is different and this is the average times.