Hey guys I am starting to reserch plastic surgery and just looking for people's experiences. Overall I would like arms, breast lift, thigh lift, and my pani(sp?) removed. I'm concerned about the pain an length of recovery.

The pain is for real and the recovery is long. The tummy tuck has the hardest and longest recovery. If you have muscle repair along with the panniculectomy (most people do), the pain is incredibly intense in the early weeks. But even if you don't have muscle repair, the incisions take a long time to heal and fade (took about 2 years for mine to fade to their lightest) and the phantom itching/pain and numbness can last about three years or so.

That all being said, I am a little over 5 years out from my plastics and they were WELL worth it. Yes, I had a miserable few months (actually had a complication that meant I was in some pain until 9 months out), but that's a distant memory now. My stomach is still tight and flat and I am happy every single day that I had my plastics! Depending on your age, a few months worth of misery can bring you years and years of joy and confidence. Well worth the trade-off in my book!

The pain is for real and the recovery is long. The tummy tuck has the hardest and longest recovery. If you have muscle repair along with the panniculectomy (most people do), the pain is incredibly intense in the early weeks. But even if you don't have muscle repair, the incisions take a long time to heal and fade (took about 2 years for mine to fade to their lightest) and the phantom itching/pain and numbness can last about three years or so.

That all being said, I am a little over 5 years out from my plastics and they were WELL worth it. Yes, I had a miserable few months (actually had a complication that meant I was in some pain until 9 months out), but that's a distant memory now. My stomach is still tight and flat and I am happy every single day that I had my plastics! Depending on your age, a few months worth of misery can bring you years and years of joy and confidence. Well worth the trade-off in my book!

Thanks. I know it will be worth it, just as the sleeve itself was. I'm not as concerned with the pain, I have a good pain tolerance. I'm more worried about how much time off of work I will need.

Has anyone had insurance cover any of their surgery? I could probably get documentation that I have skin irritation from my doctor

and if anyone is in new jersey and can recommend a plastic surgeon for a consult that would be awesome

The pain is for real and the recovery is long. The tummy tuck has the hardest and longest recovery. If you have muscle repair along with the panniculectomy (most people do), the pain is incredibly intense in the early weeks. But even if you don't have muscle repair, the incisions take a long time to heal and fade (took about 2 years for mine to fade to their lightest) and the phantom itching/pain and numbness can last about three years or so.

That all being said, I am a little over 5 years out from my plastics and they were WELL worth it. Yes, I had a miserable few months (actually had a complication that meant I was in some pain until 9 months out), but that's a distant memory now. My stomach is still tight and flat and I am happy every single day that I had my plastics! Depending on your age, a few months worth of misery can bring you years and years of joy and confidence. Well worth the trade-off in my book!

Thanks. I know it will be worth it, just as the sleeve itself was. I'm not as concerned with the pain, I have a good pain tolerance. I'm more worried about how much time off of work I will need.

I had a breast lift with augmentation, extended tummy tuck, and all-over lipo done at one time. I was originally scheduled for four weeks off of work, but ended up taking more than that. Mostly due to soft-tissue swelling in my lower back that plagued me for months. I worked half days for a while upon returning to work. My recommendation would be to plan for 6 weeks off of work, assuming no complications. And depending on how much you have done at one time.