re: update on arm surgery

Hi, just wanted to up date you. I saw my surgeon last Wednesday just five days after I had my arm surgeries.  He had to take out the left drain bulb as it was no long draining. The bulb was plugged up. This morning around 1am I had to go to the VA in Nashville as the right one was backing up into my arms. That is a pain I hope to never have to go thru again. I just about passed out it was so bad. Once the bulb got unplugged from a clot, it started draining and the swelling and pain went away.  The surgeon on call contacted the Plastic surgeon and he said to go ahead and take out the drain. It is still draining now just all over me. 

I measured my arms just prior to going to the ER and I am 5 inches less so far. He wants to see me tomorrow as the right one has an infection now in the drain area.  But the great part is where the stitches are, is already totally sealed over and they have disappeared.  It's only been 8 days and the cut from the elbows to the armpits are healed.  I am amazed how fast it healed.

I still have a lot of pain in the areas where they did the liposuction but where he cut off the excess skin afterwards is no pain.  I have to keep them wrapped tightly for another month or they will start sagging again. 

Just wanted to let y'all know that I'm doing fine, just have to continue propping them up. 

Have a great week,
Love Kathy

Kathy take good care of yourself and follow dr's orders. Thanks for the update.  Keep those arms up and I hope they get that infection under control.

thanks, I am following orders except when I am on the computer, then I have pillows supporting my arms. Hopefully, when I see him today, he'll allow me to start driving. Still can't do anything strenuous. Even just lifting a gallon of milk was painful and difficult. I certainly wouldn't want to go thru this surgery again, and would only recommend it to my worst enemy. It's that painful. 

Kathy - thanks for the report, as this is a procedure I hope to have after the first of the year. This helps me in my research! Would you mind sharing your surgeon's name?

I had it done at the VA Medical Center in Nashville. The Dr. is a Vandy Dr. on rotation. His name is A**** Patel. No kidding on the first name.  This is his last week at the VA. But he'll be back in March. He's wonderful.  But personally, really think twice about it. I know he won't do it after the first year. I'm four years out almost, he said that he would do it. The first 2 years your weight will go up or down until it stabilizes. That affects your arms. That's how mine got so bad. They were fine a year ago, this year they dropped more.

He liked my idea for compression. I took a pair of Trouser socks, not the nylon knee hi's as they're too thin, cut off the toes and put them on before using the ace wraps. So he took compression socks size small, so they would be tight and put them on my arms. I go back in a month. The cut is already healed. It's only been 10 days. He did a great job.

Hope this helps. The right arm doesn't hurt except a little sore in the armpit area, but the left side burns more because of the trauma to the nerves.  Really think about this, the pain is worse then the gastric bypass was. You can't use your arms at all for a week, they must stay elevated at all times. Even now mine are propped on pillows and have to be that way for the next month because of fluid build-up.  Other wise he said they would start sagging again. Just doing the dishes last night was painful. Today was the first day I was able to drive and they are letting me know they are sore, and the left one is burning.  I wouldn't have had this done if I had been able to continue working out with weights but I had neck surgery then broke my ankle and that put a halt on working out and walking. I just got out of a cast in August after 6 months.  By not keeping up on the excersizes with my arms, the new muscle turned flabby. I got where I couldn't wear anything except tank tops.  You may find you won't need the surgery, after 2-3 years from the weightloss surgery.

It's a longer process also then the gastric. They had to do liposuction then cut off the excess skin. That is very painful. I was given Fentnal and Dilaudid thru out the surgery to keep me pain free even though I was asleep. That's how painful we are talking. 

Kathy

Thank you so much for the information and for your honesty. I have heard of Dr. Patel. My boss just had her arms done by Dr. John Moore in Cool Springs, and he also did an excellent job. She too had issues with finding the right compression garments. He had an excellent "jacket" type thing she wore, but as she is single, she had no one at home to help her get it on and off! I think the trouser sock thing is a great idea, and it doesn't rub the scars like other garments do.

I plan to wait awhile as you suggest. I am exercising with weights, so it may make a difference. I rather doubt it, but I want this to be a last resort for me.

I was working out with weights so like I said it wasn't a problem. But when I had to have screws and a plate in my neck a year and a half ago, I couldn't work out using them. Then I broke my ankle and was laid up for 6 months. So all the muscle I had went to flab real bad. Couldn't wear anything with sleeves. Plus with them going to flab, I was holding in BO and staining my clothes. It then became a health issue. With my being almost 4 years out, there was no problem of getting them done. Any sooner and they would have just sagged again with the weight bouncing up and down.  Whatever works to keep the pressure on them, helps.

glad I could help. Anytime. Kathy