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

53 minutes ago, FluffyChix said:

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

* 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 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.

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.

On 12/23/2019 at 7:59 PM, 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 my incisions lines unless I lift up my arms.

16 minutes ago, mousecat88 said:

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.

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.

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?

3 minutes 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?

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

Edited December 26, 20196 yr by mousecat88

3 minutes 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?

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

5 minutes ago, catwoman7 said:

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.

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.

1 minute ago, mousecat88 said:

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.

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!

1 minute ago, catwoman7 said:

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!

Just 5 weeks ago... lol. They look even... they just seems dangly. Like I was hoping when I wave they wouldn't wave along with me... but they still do. But then my trainer was like "yeah, you need to tone up". So he has me working on "bulking up my muscle" to fill it in.

14 minutes ago, mousecat88 said:

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

Drains have been out for 3 days. I was having issues with the original compression garment so I switched to ace bandages several days ago, with my Dr permission. I just now pushed myself to get that old garment back on to see if it will help. Hurt like a mfer to get it on. My arms are just so sensitive to even the slightest touch especially in the extra swollen areas. Plus I'm just a baby, with a very low pain threshold lol

19 minutes 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?

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.

21 minutes ago, Orchids&Dragons said:

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

@Orchids&Dragons good suggestion. I haven't been doing much elevating.

Yeah, my surgeon said I could take the garment off for a few hours if my forearms got swollen (they never did, but it was an option). Maybe just leave the bandages off for a while to allow some circulation back into your hands and lower arm and then re-wrap a bit looser. Sometimes by the end of the day I freak out having something so tight on my upper arms that I just rip the thing off and sleep without it on. Feels good, man. lol.