Question:
Lower Body Lift 2/18, Pain Issues, How Long Until I'll Be Pain Free?

I had a LBL on 2/18 and am scheduled to go back to work on 3/10-that's three weeks. I was really hoping to go back part-time this week but I can still barely sit down. I do admin. assist. work. Are there any hints you can share with me to make going back to work easier? I am still not able to sleep in my bed as it is to hard-I sleep on the den sofa. I will need another surgery in a few months to complete the LBL by doing my INNER thighs as they were impossible to remove at one time. Has anyone down there inner thighs with a breast lift and small implants? I am 54 yr. and really don't want implants but the Dr. said I have no breast tissue left-it's just an envelope of skin so he recomends implants (my gynocologist does too). So I am looking into this. Any suggestions, websites, photos or personal stories to assist me. PLEASE RESPOND here or my home email: [email protected] THANK YOU!!!!!    — Donna B. (posted on March 3, 2003)

March 3, 2003
I would like to ask you a few questions about your surgery, as my doctor wants me to split my lower body lift into two surgeries. Could you e-mail me, as I would like to ask them personally. Thanks.
   — sheron H.

March 3, 2003
My profile has my old e-mail address,sorry about this. You can e-mail me at [email protected]. Thanks so much!
   — sheron H.

March 4, 2003
Donna, another week will make a difference, although I would recommend Tylenol for the first week you're back at work. My outer thighs bothered me the most when sitting. Wear your compression garment as this will keep you more comfortable. I used pillows underneath me on my bed. I arranged two next to each other (sitting in the middle where they met) and two behind me to get comfortable in bed. I had the breast lift with my LBL, so I don't see why it couldn't be combined with the inner thigh surgery.
   — mom2jtx3

March 4, 2003
My tummy tuck was unusually extensive and more like the lower body lift in that my incision also went around my backside at just below the waist and tightened up all that skin. I also choose not to do the thighs at that time, instead opted to lipo my backside so that when the skin was tightened it would be tightened after that was removed. Still my surgery was long at over 6 hrs. I think how extensive it was had an affect on my healing - just to let you know and not freak you out. Anyhow, I stayed at the clinic for almost a week after my surgery using a hospital bed and after going home I was sleeping in a chair for a couple of days. When I moved to my bed I used a TON of pillows propped behind me and beside me and used some under my knees as well. To position myself because I felt like I was "stuck" in that pile of fluffy pillows, especially without being able to twist or bend well, I used a handle on a rope suspended over my bed. It worked great. I also kept the phone next to myself in bed in case I got stuck and couldn't get up. I'm not sure how much work they'll do on your tummy but they did a TON to mine and I couldn't use those muscles at all. I did have a lot of pain still and was still taking pain meds when I went home and probably up until week 2 or a little longer. I know for me, my drains were still in until week 3 and I definitely wasn't up to doing anything at that point. In fact I didn't even feel up to driving very far until right at week 5. I was very unprepared for how long and to what extent I was out of commission, so to speak. But when I felt better I knew it and just had a ton more energy. One thing I suggest is that you definitely wear your binder all the time. It will help a lot. And if you don't already, get an extra so you can change. I had my surgery in June and was soaked from wearing that hot old binder all summer and so changed it OFTEN. As for later surgeries, my doc suggested I have my arm lift done at the same time as a breast lift. I guess they compliment each other very well. So thats something to consider if you think you'll need/want your arms done. I'm sure they could do the thigh lift instead. It would be nice but I'm unsure as to if they can do all 3 at once though. Hope this helps so you don't feel that being in pain or having difficulty moving is unusual, or that you're the only one. I totally feel for you. If you want to talk you can email me.
   — Shelly S.