KarenLR75

when did you have it done? I had some uneven swelling for the first six months or so. They look more even now. Also, I JUST noticed this morning that my skinny Zumba instructor has small batwings that swing when she dances!

Like, the outside of my arms look fine, but when I look at them from the inside they look droopy. Maybe it's the incision line really making it seem like more should be taken off because it's like a border line or something. I feel like everything below the incision line should go away. lol. They do dangle a bit when I wave, but also when I flex, my triceps are basically tight to my skin so I guess it's normal and I just need to tone and be patient.

Can you lay down for a while and elevate them with pillows?

That's pretty strange. Can you use a different compression garment? Do you have drains in? Sorry if this was addressed - I am lazy and don't want to re-read the thread. LOL

11 days post arm lift surgery. My lower arms are really swollen from around the elbow all the way down to, and including, my hands. And it hurts too. I'm keeping them wrapped up in the ace bandages. I don't know what to do to alleviate the swelling and the pain. Any thoughts?

I wished for awhile that he'd taken more off my arms, too, but my husband said if he had, they wouldn't really match my forearms and would look kind of unnatural. I think he's probably right. I'm pretty happy with them now.

Also yeah... a glycerin suppository should do the trick. If not, maybe a depressing trip to the ER for some manual manipulation or to see if you have a blockage that needs something heavy duty.

I didn't measure my arms until the trainer did it this past Monday, which would have been 5 weeks post-op. My last measurements were from June though so I don't really know exactly how much was taken off. My arms are 6" smaller than they were in June (16" to 10") and my waist is 8" smaller (36" to 28"). I still think my arms look droopy, though, and it is really bothering me. Two people have mentioned that they still look like bat wings. But clearly a lot was removed. The trainer and surgeon both said to chill out (LOL) and to work on bulking and toning my triceps and biceps and the surgeon was adamant about not taking off too much so it looked unnatural. But I am still going to whine about it. I'm still in garments at least another 3 weeks minimum.

I haven't been emotional, other than my tantrums about my arms not being EXACTLY super sleek. But really I have NO muscle definition. I just started 3lb weights on Monday so... with time I will get there. SIGH. IMPATIENT.

* TMI ALERT: look away if you have a tendency to get barfy or cringe *
I'm scared that all these measures I am taking are basically just making the "ready-to-come-out stuff" grow bigger and bigger but ultimately blocked by some immovable bit of plug out in front. Like what's gonna happen if there is a bunch of watery stuff in my intestines/bowels that insist on coming out but is physcally blocked by other matter?!?!?
I visit the toilet often with hope in my heart, LOL. Though I am very windy*, (Ha, @Arabesque! I got to use the term!!) that's all that's coming out down there.
I am not in pain nor am I so very uncomfortable, but I can feel my stomach bloating bigger and bigger with each passing day (though how much if this bloat is attributed to PS swelling, I don't know).
Mr. is out getting some prunes and prune juice for me. He has also agreed to help me with a suppository tomorrow morning if I continue to shoot blanks in the washroom till then (he must really love me, LOL).

I am sure you are miserable but be careful to not do something that would give you diarrhea. If ice cream works maybe just try a few spoonfuls, not a bowl.
Just in case the MOM. etc work too well have a few bananas (if you think you can tolerate them) on hand. If you end up with diarrhea eat just a few bites of banana and don’t forget yogurt to get your Probiotics back. The antibiotics from surgery have wiped them out too.

I'd personally roll the dice on another 4tbsp dose with a crap ton of water...but that's just what I personally do.

Get glycerine suppositories, have gloves standing by, hydrate like cray!!! I'm so so so sorry. This was my Christmas morning last year!!! Oh and also have a couple of Fleets enemas standing by JIC. ((hugs))

Had dose of MOM this am (about 5 hours ago). I just asked Mr. to to pick me up some prunes and prune juice, thx!
I'm contemplating downing a bowl of REAL ice cream...I haven't decided yet if feeling like death for a couple hours is worth it. Or if it will even work....

Do you think you can eat some prunes in addition to the MOM? I eat 2-3 occasionally and it helped and I tolerated it (no dumping etc).

Day 10: Still waiting. 😓😓😓😓😓😓😓😓😓

I seriously want this! LOL

Did ya have a big poo yet? I fear it will be RBB (Rosemary's Baby Bad). ((hugs)) #shudder

Poop-watch DAY 9 : So far, so NOT so good...
(Took MOM this morning...still waiting...)
P.S. I need that shirt.
P.P.S. Is that you in the pic holding up the shirt?!?

This could be the day?!

I didn’t measure anything, but I know I must be swollen. I put on pants over the compression garments and my belt didn’t tighten to the usual hole. It seems weird to be “bigger” even though I can look down and see that my tummy is flatter. My thighs are a little bruised and swollen as well. I really don’t see much difference there, but I could not see the difference in a lot of the before and after pics of other people.

Emotions-are in check because my adult children came home for the holidays and we have been busy and distracted. Prior to them coming home, I literally told my husband I needed to leave the house and go do something because I felt depressed. I tried walking on the treadmill, but the compression garment rubbed the incision area when I walked faster. It is doing better now, but I miss my exercise endorphins. I ate one cookie, a lemon bar, and a small chocolate during our Holiday meal and I felt like I was going to die. Started sweating and my heart was racing. I generally avoid all processed food and sugar, but I thought it would be okay to cheat a little. Took about 3 hrs to return to normal. Just one sweet treat every once in a while from now on.

For some reason I feel like the arm surgery would be the most painful I am hoping for a speedy recovery for all of you.

Today is 2 weeks since surgery. I will have my husband take some pics tomorrow after the kids leave and post some progress pics.

it's because of the swelling. You'll have pretty significant swelling off & on for the first three months or so. I agree with your surgeon - hide your tape measure!

Ok. so I finally took a good look at my tummy this morning after another unsuccessful attempt at Number-Two-ing (Poop-watch: Day 8 and counting... ).
So I know I'm bloated. I mean, I haven't pooped in 8 days, for eff's sakes. And I also know I'm swollen from the surgery. But my midsection is huge right now. My stomach was flatter when I walked into the operating room. Mind, you, it is now smoother and tighter, but man, it's also BIGGER.
Naturally, I did what my surgeon told me not to do: I busted out my measuring tape.
Now I normally take my measurements every Wednesday, but in the flurry of getting ready for surgery last Wed, I forgot to take them. So my comparison measurements are 2 weeks old.
RESULTS:
Calves remained the same: no change. I think I have those lovely leg massagers at the hospital to thank for this. Hip & Thigh measurements increased by about +1 inch. I'm still swollen. Fine. Boobs increased by +2.5 inches. Now granted they are also swollen, but they are also higher up now so my back is wider higher up. So i think this measurement can't really be compared to the old one. Fine. Arms remained the same: no change. Which is odd because they visibly look TINY to me. I know I am swollen there, and it was all just skin removed from that area so I sort of get it. Plus, I took the measurement with my garment on cuz its a pain to take off (unlike sports bra and ab binder). So judgement reserved for later. Fine, for now. BUT my Waist!!!! an increase of +4.5 inches!! WTF?!?!? I went from 25.5" two weeks ago to 31" !!!! And my drains were only producing less than 10mL those last 24 hours they were in !!! So there isn't THAT much Fluid left in me!!! And yeah, I haven't pooped in 8 days, but I haven't eaten much either!!! I won't fit into my pants for for the next 3 days of xmas parties!!!! And I have really cute pants!!!! Ahem. OK. Freak-out over. BTW, my fellow Winter PS patients, do you find yourselves a little more emotional than usual....???? @rs @sillykitty @okayestmom @mousecat88
P.S. This is exactly why my surgeon told me not to measure yet.

...off to google what an upper back lift and lower back lift entails...

Found out that the upper back looks good because the excess skin has slid to the lower back - looks like I have two saggy boobs in the back (to match the two in the front 🤣). I was hoping that skin could be taken care of as part of a LBL but the Dr said it actually needs to be part of an upper body lift. So for sure I'm going to want at least two more surgeries eventually - upper body lift including breasts (probably with implants), and circumferential LBL. Just not sure which would be my priority. I have plenty of time to decide since it will take forever to find the money.

I always wanted a son!! I value my 2 girls as well. That female in your life is simply an egg donor, not a mother.
If you ever miss having the actual 'role' of a Mom filled...message me..lol..my adult girls would love for me to focus some 'Mom energy' elsewhere...LOL
Seriously, I'm SO PROUD OF YOU and your ACCOMPLISHMENTS!!