Question:
How long can I expect to be off work following a lower body lift?

I'd like to hear from people who have had a full lower body lift - abdominoplasty, butt lift, thigh lift, hips . . . the works! I'm having one in ten days and I'd like to realistically know how long I can expect to be down. I'd also like to know about the pain. I had an open rny and that was some serious pain until I discovered the "joystick" and began pressing it every twenty minutes. Will this be better or worse than that? Does the pain last longer and is the recovery time longer as well? Thanks for any info you can provide. Traci - rny on 8/15/01 down 285 pounds and still learning how to maintain.    — Traci H. (posted on August 16, 2003)

August 16, 2003
I had a lower body lift with hernia repair in February and I was off from work for about 4 weeks. I could have used a 5th week off. I think I must have a pretty high threshold for pain because I didn't think it was that bad. It was pretty slow going though because my abdomin was REALLY TIGHT and swollen. Overall, the pain was much less than my RNY and the recovery time much faster. At the time I had lost around 160 pounds and my surgeon removed another 20 pounds of skin and fat. You're going to feel fantastic when you get the extra skin taken care of. Best wishes.
   — Pamela B.

August 16, 2003
Hey how much does something like that cost? That sounds good to me....
   — DBXX

August 16, 2003
I had the beltlipectomy (you know like the lower body lift without the inner thighs) and I didn't even feel like driving until week 5 and wasn't released for doing anything with abdominals for 8-9 weeks and really wasn't up to it anyhow. I was very surprised at how long I was out of commission. They did do a LOT of work to the muscles though and it was considered very extensive and I was also heavy so my recovery may have been somewhat long. That was my experience though.
   — Shelly S.

August 16, 2003
Danielle, I went outside the country to MX for my surgery as I was a total self pay. www.genesisclinic.com. Mine ran me about $5000 but included some lipo too. BTW, he just referred to it as an "extensive tummy tuck" then.
   — Shelly S.