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

I had a hard time with my compression garment the first couple of weeks, too (actually, even longer since I had some issues off & on with my incisions), so I wrapped my arms up in ace bandages instead.

I'm going to ask about using ace bandages instead of that dang garment.

7 minutes ago, rs said:

In the waiting room at Dr appointment now. Definitely going to ask about ace bandages. Looking forward to getting these drains out too. 

Just came home from mine. Drains are out!!!!! OMG they felt weird coming out.

Off to a long awaited shower.....??

Just came home from mine. Drains are out!!!!! OMG they felt weird coming out.
Off to a long awaited shower.....[emoji1373]

Enjoy your shower! On my way home now from my appointment. I hardly noticed the drains coming out. Biggest win: He's ok with ace bandages instead of that God awful garment! Yay! I have one on each arm plus another one for the side boob and under arm area which goes all the way around my chest and back. So much better!

2 hours ago, rs said:

Enjoy your shower! On my way home now from my appointment. I hardly noticed the drains coming out. Biggest win: He's ok with ace bandages instead of that God awful garment! Yay! I have one on each arm plus another one for the side boob and under arm area which goes all the way around my chest and back. So much better!

Yay for Ace Bandages!

(Though I'm the opposite, am so much happier with a garment + sports bra than the bandages, lol).

And yes, the shower was heavenly...for the most part. Mr. insisted that he get in the shower with me after he heard my surgeon tell me at our appointment today to be careful, as I may get lightheaded with the temperature changes and/or the removal of my compression garments. So I had company for my first shower in 5 days. I think I would have preferred to stand in there alone for like an hour. On the bright side, I had someone to wash my hair and other hard to reach areas.

Did he say how long you have to wear the bandages for?

11 hours ago, catwoman7 said:

11 hours ago, okayestmom said:

Thank you for posting your experiences. I am currently recovering from Tummy Tuck and inner thigh liposuction. My surgery was December 11th. I had a drain, but it did not collect any fluids and they removed it at my first follow up appointment. I have numbness around my new belly button, but I am kinda glad because it doesn’t hurt. Do you have any numbness? I know it was listed as a possible side effect.

yes - I was completely numb from navel to pubic bone for the first year post-surgery. My sensation started to come back after 12 months, but definitely not all of it (yet). I'm probably still a good 50-75% numb. I understand that some people never get their sensation back - and for others they do mostly, but it's not uncommon for the numbness to stay permanently along the incision lines.

Ok, so yeah, I am definitely numb or something along my tummy incision line. When I touch it, i feel the sensation somewhere else. Like further up my abdomen and deeper inside. I've read @mousecat88 describe something to the same effect, and my doc says it happens, so I'm not worried. Just weirded out.

My arm incisions are numb as well, but don't have the phantom-sensation feeling.

My boobs are not numb. And my nipples still have sensation. Both of them. BONUS.

On 12/19/2019 at 7:39 PM, rs said:

@ms.sss did you have an extended arm lift where the incision goes through the arm pit area and down the side to about the bottom of the bra line? That's what I had. Maybe that's why I have drains there. Also maybe why I have the full compression garment instead of just ace bandages. Jealous, TT also? Eventually I want everything but I just can't spend that kinda money right now. Hoping to do so over the next couple years.

Ok, and I finally have a definitive answer to this question.

I have a line from my elbow to the bottom of my armpit (from the arm lift), and then another line down my trunk with the starting point at the highest part of my side-boob and along the under-boob (from the breast revision reduction/breast lift)....so two unconnected lines.

...though I still haven't seen it myself. My surgeon used his finger to show me where the beginning and end lines were.

2 minutes ago, ms.sss said:

..though I still haven't seen it myself. My surgeon used his finger to show me where the beginning and end lines were. 

This actually brings me ask another question...for those out there who had arm lifts? Can you see your incision line when you look down?

@rs ? @mousecat88 ? @catwoman7 ?

Edited to add: Actually, I guess i could see at least part of my line if lifted my arm and twisted it outwards...so the question above is for when your arm is just in a normal resting/hanging position...

Edited December 24, 20196 yr by ms.sss

16 minutes ago, ms.sss said:

This actually brings me ask another question...for those out there who had arm lifts? Can you see your incision line when you look down?

@rs ? @mousecat88 ? @catwoman7 ?

Edited to add: Actually, I guess i could see at least part of my line if lifted my arm and twisted it outwards...so the question above is for when your arm is just in a normal resting/hanging position...

No - I can't see it at all unless I'm standing in front of a mirror and lifting my arms. If my arms are down, you can't see them at all.

1 hour ago, ms.sss said:

Did he say how long you have to wear the bandages for?

@ms.sss ideally he wanted the garment on for 4 weeks, so I'm sure the same for the ace bandages. I am definitely happier with them compared to that garment, but they seem to come unraveled at the bottom of the arms after awhile. Gotta figure out how to make that not happen. I brought the dumb garment back home. I may get gutsy and try it again in a few days. Maybe it'll be easier when the swelling is decreased.

38 minutes ago, catwoman7 said:

This actually brings me ask another question...for those out there who had arm lifts? Can you see your incision line when you look down?

@ms.sss I don't see the incision lines from the front with my arms down by my side. However I had my husband take a picture of the back view with arms down by side and I can see part of the incision on my left arm. And I'm not happy! Both he and the Dr said to wait until the swelling is all gone and healed. I sure hope they're right because I get very upset every time I think about it! I don't want to post pics because it really bothers me. Except for that I'm been happy with the surgery. Arms are definitely slimmer which is awesome. And side boob seems to be taken care of.

Day 5 Update:

P.S. I haven't taken any pictures yet. I missed my chance after my shower today as I forgot and put my garments back on. I can't really see much of the incision as they are covered with steri-stips anyway, but I'll try to remember at tomorrow's shower time...

On 12/22/2019 at 5:36 PM, rs said:

On 12/22/2019 at 3:23 PM, ms.sss said:

What other procedures are you looking to get?

Circumferential LBL which will include TT, lower back skin, and butt lift. Probably a breast lift and might need implants too because I pretty much have nothing left after WL. Good news is that this extended arm lift has helped with side boob and actually it seems as if upper back skin is better so shouldn't need to combine breast lift with upper back lift. Depending on how LBL turns out then maybe inner thigh surgery.

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.

Edited December 24, 20196 yr by rs

4 minutes ago, rs said:

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 with the 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.

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

7 minutes ago, ms.sss said:

Day 5 Update:

P.S. I haven't taken any pictures yet. I missed my chance after my shower today as I forgot and put my garments back on. I can't really see much of the incision as they are covered with steri-stips anyway, but I'll try to remember at tomorrow's shower time...

Thanks for the update. And the tip about Benadryl. I haven't had much itching (yet). I wonder why.

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.