Breast Reduction Surgery Soon -- Many Questions

[IcanMakeit 1,319]

I decided to go forward with breast reduction surgery even though I'm still 13 lbs from my goal weight. My plastic surgeon told me, in the first consultation, that it would be better to wait until I was done losing weight before getting plastic surgery. But right now my back is killing me and it keeps me from exercising like I need to. I can't wait any longer.

The tentative date is Dec. 1st (pending on insurance approval). I have some questions that I hope some here will be able to answer.

1. What is the minimum amount of time I should plan on staying home from work? I need to minimize it because I had WLS this year and used up all my sick time. I'll be using vacation for this absence.

2. I have some large flaps of loose skin/fat under my arms that make me wear much larger clothes and bras than I otherwise would. I want to do something about them at the same time. My doc recommended Lipo, saying she'd rather not give me more scars, if I don't have to have them. But I'm afraid that once the fat is removed, the remaining loose skin will look even worse than scars. Has anyone else had lipo in that area? What was the result like? The lipo will cost about $2,000. If I decided to have the skin removed instead, I wonder how much more it might cost?

3. I thought I was willing to live with my bat wings, but now that I'm having surgery anyway, I'm beginning to consider getting my arms done as well. I haven't discussed it with the surgeon yet, but I'm wondering how complicated the procedure is, what the recovery is like, and how much it might cost.

Thanks for any advice and information.

[Scamp 207]

If you can get two weeks off work you should be OK- It depends on how you are really - I was fine after my surgery - No pain or anything but you still hafta take it easy.

The scar goes right through your armpit so does remove some of that skin. Talk to your surgeon and he may be able to revise the surgery to accommodate the excess skin that you are having problems with.

I had my arms done at same time as breast reduction and it went great - COMPRESSION garments will help you to be protected through this time - My compression garments were from Design Veronique and they were worth their weight in gold (It was a bra and sleeve type thing)

My arm skin broke my heart to be honest - After losing so much weight then having arms twice the width of anyone else because of the skin. I am soooo glad I had them done! And the Boobs - WAHOO! Love em!

I did not have any Lipo with my surgery, so not sure about that...

Good Luck

Edited October 30, 2014 by Scamp

[IcanMakeit 1,319]

Thanks for the info. How much did the brachioplasty cost (for both arms)?

[Scamp 207]

I am in the U.K. so I don't think it would help you any - LOL

Edited October 31, 2014 by Scamp

[AvaFern 3,516]

I had a breast lift and augment as well as an abdominoplasty done in August, so not quite the same thing as breast reduction, but the lift surgeries are a little comparable. I did not have any pain and I was only on pain meds for three days. I had surgery on a Wednesday and worked a full day at home at my desk from Sunday forward, so two weeks would be more than enough recovery time. Also, don't worry about not being at goal weight. I was concerned because I was not at goal weight and the general idea is you should be within 15% of your goal. I went into surgery at 153 and I am 137 now and the girls do not appear to have been affected by the extra loss at all.

As for lipo- total waste of money. I had Lipo on my hips, thighs, and lower back, and the only place I notice a major difference is my hips and I think that's partially from the abdominoplasty. I would have been super upset if I had only had lipo done as was my original plan. The lipo on my thighs made them extra saggy, which was the idea since we knew that I was going to have the thigh lift done later and the more fat that was taken out earlier, the better result in my next surgery. Past that though, I kind of hate lipo. Of everything, the stupid incisions for that were the most annoying. I have one that still pangs a little when I twist the wrong way and my entire lower back was numb for 6 weeks for a very minimal result. For 2K I would probably just spend a bit more to have the skin cut off- that has so far been the best results from my experience.

Like Scamp said...new boobs are very much a WAHOO! Lol, I still love them and it's been two months. I have my brachioplasty and a groin incision thigh lift at the end of November, so I can appreciate your anxiety. I really was back and forth on getting my arms done, but have decided to go for it.

Good luck with your procedure!

[MarieMarie 346]

I had a breast reduction done 15 years ago. I have been a happy person since. I highly recommend it. I took 2 weeks off work as I had a very physical job but in reality it was a vacation as I felt great after.

[IcanMakeit 1,319]

Thanks for all the replies. For some reason, I didn't see any notifications and thought my questions had gone unanswered.

I think I will take @@AvaFern's advice and talk to my doctor about going ahead and cutting off the flaps that are attached to my breasts and sides. I kind of wondered if that wouldn't make more sense when the surgeon suggested Lipo, but I think she knew I was concerned about cost and was trying to accommodate my budget. But what good is "cheaper" when you don't end up with what you want?

And @@Scamp gives me just the push I need to talk to the doc about brachioplasty. It might be that she won't be able to do my arms at the same time because the breast reduction is going to take 5 hours, but I should at least ask.