Post-Op Clothing

Options are always best!

Agreed with posters who mention:

• cotton tank top/camisole under your compression garment/binder. Helps so much with the irritation those garments can cause.
• 100% agree about the first time you remove the binder/compression garment. Make sure you are sitting or lying down during removal and for a bit after. the BP drop is real. After both my surgeries I almost passed out after the initial removal, make sure someone is nearby.
• wedge pillow so you can sleep in a reclining position. I did not buy or rent a recliner. Had a step stool by the bed to get in/out and was quite comfy using that wedge pillow. Also put a pillow under my knees.
• I used a walker instead of a cane. It helped me to have something to lean on when doing my 'walk, walk, walk' several times daily to keep the blood clots at bay.
• Toilet riser can help, for sure.
• The drains can be annoying but are not painful. I did used maxi pads to cushion them from the pressure of the garments/binder and this along with the tank tops helped a lot. I kept them pinned up high to prevent any kind of pulling on the tubing.
• I bought cheap soft sports bras at Target for after my BL. They fit nicely over the bandages and no irritation.
• Buy a second compression garment so you have one to wear while the other is being laundered.
• Easy to button tops/dresses will be very convenient. so much easier to get in and out of with a circumferential incision. No bending/pulling up required. Plus you can just lift the skirt when going to the loo and trust me you'll want to do what is easiest.
• Non-clothing advice: use help when it's offered, especially the first couple weeks. To get in/out of bed, on/off the toilet, toweling off after shower, even to distribute meds or bring food. The less strain you put on your body, the faster you will heal. this is doubly important because of the pace of your surgeries. Hard to do at first, especially when you're very independent, but leaning on help those first weeks will set the pace for better healing and minimize the chance of over doing it and impacting an incision or getting a seroma, which can create a setback.

Very excited for you. Good luck!