Post Op Supplies for Brachioplasty and Upper Back LIft?

Hello! I'm having brachioplasty and back/bra line lift in a few weeks (Jan 12). Cant wait!! Looking for ideas of what kind of supplies I should have on hand. I'm thinking I should get one of those telescoping grabbers. I understand I wont have any drains. Any recommendations for clothes? what will be easier to wear? something baggy and button down?

Any other tips?

I had the extended brachioplasty and mastopexy 3 months ago and the most useful thing I bought, was several woman's adaptive tee shirts They snap at the shoulder and drape around you to make it easy to get on and off.  They run small, so if you get them keep that in mind.  I just bought the cheapest I could get and they served me well.  Here is the web site if you're interested...

http://www.silverts.com/show.php/list/women/tops/need-adapti ve-clothing

The nurses that helped me dress after the procedure loved them.

Thanks for sharing your experience! It's great to hear that you found a helpful solution for dressing after your surgery. Those adaptive tee shirts sound like a great idea, especially with the snap at the shoulder. It's always good to have comfortable clothing during recovery. rice purity test for students

Front closure sports bras were a life saver for me when I had my upper body lift 4 months ago. I would highly recommend the jockey brand without the underwire, obviously. I would recommend also getting a fluffy bathrobe so you have somewhere to tuck and clip your drains - I put mine into the pockets. I was not in any other sort of compression garment but all surgeons requirements differ. I would be happy to send you a before-after as well if you would like to see it. Good luck!

Someone told me these ideas and they were great.

1-put things on your counter that you will need so you do not have to reach for anything

2-I had help bathing for the first 2 weeks.  I put a folding chair in the bath and showered (I did not buy a shower chair for such a short term need)

3 - I used the front zip bras - Walmart $12-13 bucks each.

My ideas:

1- I had the extended arm lift - from 3 inches below elbow up into the arm-pit (all underarm hair follicles were removed, and down my chest wall for 4-5 inches, and bilateral breast lift.  I could not bend my elbows to eat for several days.  I got some bar-be-que forks and log handled wooden spoons so I did not need to be fed.

2 I suggest investing in a second set of arm compresssion sleeves - I still wear mine a few days a week, so the second set was good.  Marena and some of the other companies have good sales.

3- I had to sleep sitting up and I LOVE my electric recliner.

Good luck - I am so glad I had this done.

Thank you all for the ideas, these are great! I cant wait :)

Also be prepared to have very limited arm motion for some weeks.  Took me a couple months before I felt somewhat normal.  I only needed someone to stay with me and help for about a week, limited help with meals another week, week three I went back to work.  I found after the first couple weeks that ibuprofen worked and dropped the pain meds.  Advil PM was very helpful at night and I slept in a recliner for about 6 weeks.  Tried to go back to my bed but found that the recliner was more comfortable.   My emotions were all over the place, I think that comes with the surgery and pain meds.  Be good to yourself.

Congrats and good luck!

I had mine 7 months ago and I am so glad I did it. Love my results and I feel like so much better in my skin.

I would suggest lots, and lots of bed pillows. They are good for supporting you when you sleep but they also protect those areas when a pet jumps on your lap or standing up from a seated position. ;)

Be sure to drink lots of water. It felt like it helped in my healing although I hated having to go to the restroom more. 

Also, if you have access to a walker, it was great for the first week or two.

The front snapping sports bra was a must for me. I just now am feeling comfortable in a regular bra again. Another good idea was to have plenty of quick meals at the ready. You won't feel like eating or moving so be kind to yourself.

I had my breast lift and arms done at the same time. My PS had me in a compression garment for arms and breasts. I took it back when I had my upper body lift and wore it for 6 weeks.

Anything in cupboards that you might need - put on the counter. I also had ointment and gauze for the stitches until they came out.

I had a few super big tshirts from my heavy days and they were easy to get my arms and head in and then off.

Hello Mary,

I am having the same surgery as you next month (UBL/brachioplasty) and am looking for advice. Do you have any tips/tricks that worked for you that you'd recommend? How was the recovery? Did you sleep in a chair or in the bed? Any special advice for using the toilet and/or shower? Did you use a cane or walker? My biggest concern is bathroom stuff and getting in/out of bed. How did you manage getting up? Plus, it's fairly likely I'll be on my period that week also. Many thanks!