Plastics at 5'4" and other questions

**DISCLAIMER** I am the first person to admit that I am in no way ready to have plastics right now.  I've just been thinking about the future and figured there's no time like the present to get some answers!

1 - If you're around 5'4", what was your weight when you started pursuing plastics?  What was your weight when you actually had surgery?  What did your weight end up being after your body recovered and everything?  Did you purposefully lose any more weight after recovery from plastics?  

2 - I'm assuming I'll need at least two days of surgery between arms and chest and abdomen and thighs.  If you had multiple rounds of plastics, how much time did you need to leave between surgeries?

3 - What was your "stay at home and don't do much physical activity" recovery time like?  What was your "I can't even focus to do work/school from home on my computer" recovery time like?

Thanks!  

If would help if you stated what procedures you are interested in.

I'm 5'3"

I wanted arms and breast lift.  I needed a full arm-lift - from 3 in below elbow up through arm pit and 4 in down side of chest. My scars are each about 20 in long.  And a breast lift - with lipo from my saddlebags - no implants.  

It was a week before I could really do anything.  I had 5 ace bandages on my arm and could not bend my elbows- I had to be fed for a few days until I found out that I could feed myself with a barbeque fork (18in long) or long wooden spoon until I could bend my elbows. No computer.  My thighs were very tender from lipo.  I could not lift more than a glass of water for a few weeks.  It was a time of watching TV and talking with friends on the speakerphone.  I fought swelling for 2-3 months. 

The recovery is longer than for WLS (RYN).  As you could figure out because plastic surgery is much longer than WLS.

The best thing I got was an electric recliner.  I had to sleep sitting up and the elec recliner allows you to make a very small adjustment which shifts your weight off of the spots that are numb.   

If you have fat transfer - to the breast or butt - they do not want you losing more weight for while after plastics - you will lose the fat from the places where they just injected it.

I looked into plastics just about a year after WLS, when I had gotten to my dream goal weight of 145.  I had the arm and breast lift 7 months later in July when I was a 135-140.  I am now at 138.6.  

If you want to have fat transfer, you need to have some fat left for them to work with.  It was funny the dr took both of his hands and kneaded my saddlebags to estimate how many ccs he could suck out.  He thought he might not have enough - I knew I still had plenty to suck out.   Even though I really did not lose any weight from the plastics, I dropped a size because I did not have to get oversized pants to fit my saddlebags but were too big in the waist and simialrly for tops.  I could get tops that fit my body rather than be big on my turso so I could get my arms into it. 

Good luck - make sure your dr has a good discussion with pain management.

I don't really know specific procedures, since I'd imagine some of that will depend on the surgeon and what he determines - that's why I just said "arms, chest, abdomen, and thighs."  

That's interesting about fat transfer - this is something I know nothing about.  

From your experience, it seems like I might want to take 4-8 weeks off college.  This is definitely something that will take careful planning for timing for me!

I gave you the full run down to give you some things to think about.  Like Laura said, you can have a consult now - I had one by telephone (you email pics without your head showing) and it was very helpful in terms of what an knowing objective person would recommend.  I'm glad I did not wait any longer for my upper body work.  I did need the summer to recover and why wait.  I should not have gotten the facial PS I had done. 

I needed the summer to heal.

Do you know who you want to use? You could go for a consult now and see what the surgeon has to say. They all seem to have their own schedules as to what they do together and how long between surgeries (I have seen as little as 3, but more often 6 months between). I had my arms done as soon as I got to goal because I hated them the most and they were all I could afford to have done at the time. I really did not think I could ever get anything else done. I did get my lbl/bl a few years after I reached goal, thanks to a bit of good fortune and a guardian angel. I could kinda function after 2-3 weeks. Thankfully I was off work for the summer and had 7 weeks to recover. I felt pretty good by 7 weeks out.

Good luck on your fact finding mission. Plastics is the fun part!! 

I'm 99% sure I'll be using Michaels since he seems to be very well regarded and is in close proximity to me!  

In the 2-3 weeks you could "kinda function" - do you think you would have been able to take an online class that was reading and writing?  Or would that have been too taxing?  

Thank you.  I am excited to think about it - I'm hoping to meet with the surgeon after I get to 150 or in early June, whichever comes second.  That first consult is sort of my AA graduation present to myself.  :D

Who is the other big name up near you? Isn't there someone else? My brain is not working right now. You may want another consult, just to get a feel for different plans.

Yes, I could have taken an online class at 3 weeks out. I was on heavy duty pain meds for 2 weeks, but after I was done with them, my brain mostly worked. I did take a lot of naps the first 3-4 weeks.

That sounds like a great graduation present!!

Maybe you're thinking of Capella?  He's about 5-6 hours away from me, I think.  So he'd be the other person I'd consider seeing.  (I think he's 2-3 hours from my mom and recovering with her is certainly an option if it comes to that.)  Scheduling a consult with him would probably be worthwhile, just to see!  

Thanks for the information!  I can definitely fiddle with my schedule to get 4 weeks off easily, 8 weeks off with a bit more challenge if necessary.  Lots of flexibility if I need it!

That's it. Capella. I think you should see both.

I'm 5'3" and was about 170 or so at the time of my plastics. You can't really go by weight as everyone is different. I have about 130 lbs of fat free mass so it was a good time for me to do it.

I broke it down into 2 different procedures that my Dr was good with. The first round was LBL and arms. I did have a recliner but found I couldn't sleep well in them at all. Ended up on the couch w/ pillows under my knees. Had  a shower chair and that was a lifesaver as I almost passed out in the shower the first time. Thankfully my mom was there (she's a registered nurse). She stayed w/ me for almost a full week and did most things. I was able to feed myself and most normal things. Once she went home she just made sure things I needed were at waist level so I didn't have to reach very far. I was out and walking a few blocks by one week out. Once a few drains came out I was at the gym walking on the treadmill. Back to work full time @ 4 weeks.

Second round was about 3 months later & did full thigh lift & breast lift w/ implants. Way more painful than the first one because of the thighs. Didn't have much activity due to that but was back to work full time after 10 days.