Body contouring recovery time

[ClareLynn 153]

I would like to get extensive body contouring now that I've lost 170lbs and seem to be in a stable spot in my weight. What I'm most concerned about is how long I would need to take off from work though. I would like to get an arm lift, breast lift, Tummy Tuck and thigh lift, which I believe would be 3 separate surgeries (combining the arm lift with the breast lift).

The recovery time sounds a LOT longer and rougher than the actual weight loss surgery so I'm having a hard time gauging how long I'll be needing lots of help at home, when I could go back to doing my WFH office job, and when I would actually feel better after surgery.

I went to real self and they said
* Tummy Tuck - 2 weeks until back to work, but ideally give yourself more time and 6 weeks to fully recover
* Arm Lift - 2 weeks but really it sounds like 4-8 before the incisions are mostly healed
* Thigh Lift - 2 weeks until back to work and 6 weeks until fully recovered

I am not a fast healer and have chronic pain/disability from other illness, so it took me 5 weeks to get back to work from my SADI.

I'm worried that this would be like 3 months of time off work total and I'd have to split it up a year for each surgery just to get the time off. Am I looking at this all wrong or are these surgeries just that brutal to recover from? 😬 I don't even know how to start explaining that much time off to my boss either.

[summerset 5,261]

8 minutes ago, ClareLynn said:

Am I looking at this all wrong or are these surgeries just that brutal to recover from?

IMO they are.

However, everyone's different. I had lower bodylift and was in no way "recovered" after 4 weeks. I went back to work, yes, but I wouldn't have called that "recovered". Should have stayed home for another week.

[ClareLynn 153]

Thanks, it helps to hear someone else say that these are a big deal.

[catwoman7 10,871]

recovery was much harder and longer than it was from my RNY, but I would say the three months you mentioned is an exaggeration. Well, I may have had some discomfort for that long, but I could have worked. I retired before I had my plastic surgeries so I don't know exactly how many weeks it took, but I was pain or had some pretty significant discomfort for probably three or four weeks - at least with the lower body lift. Arm/breast lift wasn't as bad - but you're not supposed to reach for things for awhile after having an arm lift, so it could be a problem if you have to reach for things at work (this was hard to do - I caught myself reaching a few times when I shouldn't have been....). I didn't have a thigh lift, so I can't address that one...

[The Greater Fool 1,952]

My abdominoplasty and associated recovery were both ridiculously and significantly rougher than my RNY, which was open. I had heard this was the case but I didn't believe it would be as rough as it was.

I had the abdominoplasty at UCLA and spent two weeks there before going home to Las Vegas. I went back about 3 weeks later to get the staples and drains removed. I didn't really work in that period, though I did some remote stuff for a couple important problems. After the staples and drains were removed I improved dramatically and quickly.

That is the short, sanitized version. The long version really only applies to me and would scare the carp out of anyone contemplating this.

Good luck,

Tek

[kristieshannon 1,545]

I had my surgery (tummy tuck w/muscle repair, breast lift & augmentation and arm lift) all done in one surgery. I took three weeks off work and I work as a nurse. I still had some minor discomfort when I went back, but nothing that Tylenol didn’t help with. I was on light duty though-no heavy lifting for 6 weeks due to the arm lift.

[ksgypsy 51]

I had a lower body lift, arm lift and breast revision on January 25, 2023. My Surgeon implants a pain pump (a medical device he invented) in the abdominal area that lasts about 3 days after surgery so I really had much less pain than anticipated. I feel pretty good so I constantly have to remind myself not to do too much and jeopardize my recovery. My main area of soreness are my arms. The itching is the most difficult issue I'm having. My Plastic Surgeon, Dr. John LoMonaco in Houston, TX, co-wrote a book on plastic surgery specifically for bariatric patients. "Bariatric Plastic Surgery: A Guide to Cosmetic Surgery after Weight Loss". I found it on Amazon/Thrift books and it's a great resource! If you're researching Surgeons, I highly suggest you check him out. He is a truly gifted Surgeon who specializes in Bariatric Patients, and in addition is an excellent human being! Best of Luck!

[Tomo 1,137]

I had a lower body lift, arm lift and breast revision on January 25, 2023. My Surgeon implants a pain pump (a medical device he invented) in the abdominal area that lasts about 3 days after surgery so I really had much less pain than anticipated. I feel pretty good so I constantly have to remind myself not to do too much and jeopardize my recovery. My main area of soreness are my arms. The itching is the most difficult issue I'm having. My Plastic Surgeon, Dr. John LoMonaco in Houston, TX, co-wrote a book on plastic surgery specifically for bariatric patients. "Bariatric Plastic Surgery: A Guide to Cosmetic Surgery after Weight Loss". I found it on Amazon/Thrift books and it's a great resource! If you're researching Surgeons, I highly suggest you check him out. He is a truly gifted Surgeon who specializes in Bariatric Patients, and in addition is an excellent human being! Best of Luck!

Congrats!

How long was your hospital stay? I'm thinking of having it all done at once, if and when, i decide to do it. Thanks

[ksgypsy 51]

12 hours ago, Tomo said:

Congrats!

How long was your hospital stay? I'm thinking of having it all done at once, if and when, i decide to do it. Thanks

I was in the hospital one night. Checked in at 5:45am the day of surgery. It lasted @ 7 hours. I was feeling good the next day.Physical therapy walked with me & I had relatively little pain. After Dr. LoMonaco checked me out, I was discharged @ 3pm. Pain levels are very individual but mine really never went above a 4.5/5 and I have walked 3 times per day for 15 minutes with little discomfort since leaving the hospital. I wanted to have an inner thigh lift at the same time but Dr. said it would be too much so I may do that later. Good luck!

[ClareLynn 153]

I just scheduled an extended Tummy Tuck for this August with Dr. John YS Kim in Chicago. It's pretty far out but August turned out to be the best time for me to take off work anyway.

I asked him how long before I would go back to work (desk job) and he was pretty confident that it was 4 weeks minimum. If I can go back sooner, I will but I managed to get the time off so if I need it I have it.