New to This Board...

Hello, all. What a wealth of wisdom I've found in you! I've been lurking for a while but now am faced with a situation for which I could use some advice. For those of you have had a lower body lift and a thighplasty (thigh lift) can you tell me about your experience? I am scheduled for both these surgeries, plus a brachioplasty (upper arm lift) on January 31. I have lost a little over 200 lbs. and have already had the abdominoplasty, tummy tuck and breast lift, all with fairly good results. I am terrified of this next round (the last of my reconstructive surgery). My plastic surgeon tells me I will be "under" for more than 8 hours and that I will be hospitalized for at least 4 days; he says the recovery is extremely painful. I would greatly appreciate your insight and advice. Thanks so much. Maureen

Maureen, I have no PS experience, Just excitement! I'm set for PS this summer. Have the greatest on the 31st! There are some folks here who've had PS and I'm sure you'll get some great experience to draw from. Just dropping in to welcome you to the grads board! Best Wishes- Dx

removing my bat wings was not painful to me at all and I'm the biggest pain woosie I know ..mine hung down so bad they'd bleed and be black and blue I always dreamed I was going to get them stuck in the car window... my thighs are next waiting on $$$$$$. Good luck Wendy

I had abdominoplasty with a belt lipectomy (I was cut all the way around) plus an inner medial thigh lift 10 weeks ago. The thigh lift is rough since the incision goes all the way around including having staples under my butt cheeks. That was the most painful part for me. I developed a seroma on one thigh incision that had to be drained 4-5 times before it went away. My left thigh incision didn't heal right and needs to be fixed. He says he can do it in the office, no problem. I'm not sure what a lower body lift is but I think it's similar to what I had done. I was using my arms alot to get in and out of chairs for the first month. I can't imagine having had my arms done at the same time. My husand literally had to lift me in and out of a chair for a few days. And I had the girdle type of compression garment that went from below my knees right up under my chest. It was extermely tight, crotchess and wherever there was no compression there was swelling. The garment and swelling were pretty bad too. But at 6 weeks when he told me I could take the garment off and the fluids dispersed through my body things quickly got better. Now I love my new body and have no regrets for having done it. It was the BEST money ever spent on myself. Good luck, Terry Coles 276/120