Found out last month that both @rs and I had Arm Lifts scheduled for the same week, just two days apart. @rs got the deed done yesterday, and I'm heading in for it tomorrow morning. We thought it would be fun/interesting/just-something-to-do to start a thread where we both could post to document our progress for a one-stop view of two different experiences of the same procedure.

So here we go!

@rs @ms.sss

8 minutes ago, ms.sss said:

My forearms, wrists and hands were pretty swollen and moderately sore immediately after surgery...am 9 days post op today and they have almost gone back to normal size, and no longer hurt. I can see my knuckles and tendons on the back of my hand again.

Were they they same way when you were using the garment? Or have they gotten worse? (This may mean your ace bandages are wrapped to tight).

...also elevation helps: keep your forearms/hands higher than your heart. I found this was easiest achieved in a reclining position with your hands on a long pillow across my body.

The swelling has been worse with the ace bandages. The drains were removed the same day I switched from the garment to the bandages so maybe that is a factor also. I just forced myself to put that stupid garment back on to see if it'll help. Cried like a baby putting it on. My arms are so sensitive to even the slightest touch. I'm now lying down with arms elevated on pillows. Hopefully all of this will help.

Edited December 26, 20196 yr by rs

1 hour ago, rs said:

The swelling has been worse with the ace bandages. The drains were removed the same day I switched from the garment to the bandages so maybe that is a factor also. I just forced myself to put that stupid garment back on to see if it'll help. Cried like a baby putting it on. My arms are so sensitive to even the slightest touch. I'm now lying down with arms elevated on pillows. Hopefully all of this will help.

yes - that is most definitely a factor. Drains keep fluids from accumulating there.

1 hour ago, rs said:

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?

yea -- elevating them is about all you can do. Swelling happens - and it sucks...

2 hours ago, rs said:

The swelling has been worse with the ace bandages. The drains were removed the same day I switched from the garment to the bandages so maybe that is a factor also. I just forced myself to put that stupid garment back on to see if it'll help. Cried like a baby putting it on. My arms are so sensitive to even the slightest touch. I'm now lying down with arms elevated on pillows. Hopefully all of this will help.

You may want to snap a pic or two and shoot them over to your doc so he's aware of what's going on.

The elevation will help you hopefully! It could just be post-op/drains out stuff or it could be a lymphedema issue and you might need lymphatic drainage--it will be super painful at this point.

I have stage 2 lymphedema from BC so have to wear a compression sleeve and glove all day every day until night time. It's a very tight garment and takes getting used to. I also keep my arm propped up all day above my heart on 2 big pillows to encourage it to drain back into my chest and trunk and then at night it's propped up on pillows whenever I'm in a chair and or laying down.

By staying on top of it, I keep it from getting out of hand, but it can quickly go back and get cellulitis. Super painful and glassy almost transparent skin, swelling, leaking of lymph fluid. It gets hot to the touch and brite red. Is yours doing anything like that?

If you do not know how to wrap your arms for lymph compression or don't have the proper tools, you can totally make it worse and trap the fluid in your arms/hands as the girls already mentioned. It might be time to ask for a consult to a lymphedema specialist to help you with wrappings and lymph drainage. ((hugs))

Edited December 26, 20196 yr by FluffyChix

3 minutes ago, FluffyChix said:

It gets hot to the touch and brite red. Is yours doing anything like that?

@FluffyChix no they aren't hot or red. They seem to be doing better since I've been elevating them and I now have the original compression garment back on. I will continue to monitor and call the Dr if it worsens. Thanks for all the good info.

1 minute ago, rs said:

@FluffyChix no they aren't hot or red. They seem to be doing better since I've been elevating them and I now have the original compression garment back on. I will continue to monitor and call the Dr if it worsens. Thanks for all the good info.

Yay! So glad to hear on all of that! The confusing thing is that a compression garment will not take OUT the lymphedema, only keep it from getting worse--as long as it's properly fitted. So the elevation will be the thing that helps you and it sounds like it's doing it's job. Also stay away from any high salt meals. It will make it worse as well.

It's very good that gravity is affecting it! ((hugs))

Hand swelling comparison Day 1 (morning after surgery) vs today, Day 9 (they are almost back to normal, but not quite)

One of my nurses in the hospital joked that my left hand looked like a blown up surgical glove.

Edited December 26, 20196 yr by ms.sss

2 minutes ago, ms.sss said:

Hand swelling comparison Day 1 (morning after surgery) vs today, Day 9 (they are almost back to normal, but not quite)

OMG!!!! ((hugs)) Terrifying! So glad they are almost back to norms!!!

Holy hell @ms.sss. That swelling is mind boggling. I would have been freaking out. So happy they’re deflating. Is your swelling like this too @rs?

While I’m enjoying poop watch 2019, I know it’s hellish for you. Fingers crossed for some movement soon. I love how supportive your husband is. Volunteering to insert your suppository is way big love.
PS - Happy to share the ‘windy’ quote. ??

1 hour ago, ms.sss said:

Hand swelling comparison Day 1 (morning after surgery) vs today, Day 9 (they are almost back to normal, but not quite)

One of my nurses in the hospital joked that my left hand looked like a blown up surgical glove.

1 hour ago, ms.sss said:

Hand swelling comparison Day 1 (morning after surgery) vs today, Day 9 (they are almost back to normal, but not quite)

One of my nurses in the hospital joked that my left hand looked like a blown up surgical glove.

Oh my! Glad they are better! As much as mine have hurt they haven't gotten as swollen as yours were before. Goodness.

Holy hell [mention=352077]ms.sss[/mention]. That swelling is mind boggling. I would have been freaking out. So happy they’re deflating. Is your swelling like this too [mention=334772]rs[/mention]?
While I’m enjoying poop watch 2019, I know it’s hellish for you. Fingers crossed for some movement soon. I love how supportive your husband is. Volunteering to insert your suppository is way big love.
PS - Happy to share the ‘windy’ quote. [emoji12]?

No, mine never got that swollen in the hands. Most of my swelling seems to be around the elbows and the forearms. Hands too but less so.

31 minutes ago, rs said:

Oh my! Glad they are better! As much as mine have hurt they haven't gotten as swollen as yours were before. Goodness.

I didn't have drains in my arms...so there was that.

@rs You are a trooper. There is no way I would continue to put on garments that made me cry I'd become a non compliant patient very fast!

@ms.sss Holy he!! ... that swelling would have scared the crap out of me. It is surreal! As far as swelling and the mindf*ck, I get it. I was hoping to be able to wear cute, fitted clothes sooner. But between the raised incision and baby pot belly, I feel very ugh. I haven't even tried on any real pants or jeans. I might for today's lunch plans, we'll see how ambitious I get. I didn't take any measurements pre ps, so that was dumb. I didn't expect my waist to change much though as my excess skin, fat was below my waistline and on my lower abdomen. I wish I had my hip and thigh measurements though.

I can’t tighten my belt to the pre surgery notch and my thighs are still swollen as well. I am putting up my two week pics though. Once I figure out how to do it. I do have a little line below my new belly button where my old belly button used to be. Also, I am not leaning to one side, I am just not symmetrical. Made me laugh pre surgery when they were letting me know one of the things that could go wrong is not being symmetrical. I was like well, I am not symmetrical now, so I don’t see the big risk. No bathing suit so rolled shorts seemed classier than underwear...5’5” 144 pre surgery. I haven’t got on the scale since surgery. I did do a dexa scan which I am going to repeat in April just to see the differences.

Forgot to add that I am 49 years old.