Shew....update. I've been MIA recently. Trying to play catchup at home and at work!
Back down to 130lbs. I never imagined it would be possible to carry 7lbs from water retention or whatever! I guess logically I should be 130 1/2 lbs post surgery so all is well.
Itchiness gone - I only took the pain meds the Thursday of surgery and Friday. Then just a couple of nights since then. I'm not taking anything right now except for Arnica Montana (an herbal supplement that minimizes bruising). Although, this week I have way overdone it and of all things drove two hours yesterday. You just wouldn't believe how much chest muscle it takes to drive! I paid the price and ended up in pain the rest o the day - worse than day 1 actually. Bandages are all off and the tapes fell off this morning. Everything looks great. My followup went well and I go back again on Dec. 23rd. I am wearing an ace bandage at night to push them down a bit. The doctor said my skin was so tight that it would take a few weeks for them to fall and the bandage at night would help keep them down
They look just fine to me. Even went bra shopping and threw away that damn compression bra. I think that by far was the worse part!
So in gidst, I have tips for any ladies who may go through this in the future. Some of these tips I didn't read anywhere before my surgery and I wish I had known better or at least listened to my inner voice and been more demanding of my caretakers.
1. If you have time the morning of surgery day - go get in some light cardio. It did wonders for my stress levels and I felt better knowing I wouldn't be in the gym for a few days post surgery.
2. Wash your hair the morning of if you can. You will go days (I went almost 5) before you can reach up to wash it. Unless you have a partner who is willing to lend a hand!
3. Buy several tops that are button up or zip up that will fit you post augmentation. Most of my clothes are fitten and I didn't have anything baggy or for that matter much of anything that zipped or buttoned. You will not want to pull anything over your head for several days.
4. Certainly have someone with you at least 2 days post to make sure you take in fluids and take your meds. Depending on how you react to pain meds you may completely be out for a couple of days.
5. If you can at all, alternate between pain meds and ibuprofen or your prefered pain releiver. You'll find that you really don't need the pain meds after a day or so. One time I had surgery and my "caretaker" kept pushing the pills on me and I stayed out for 8 days.
6. Try to get up and move around - or shuffle at least - your back will ache form laying so much (if you are typically active).
7. Have a Dr. Pepper waiting for you when you wake up from surgery. I swear it is a wonder drug. I have used it twice this past year post surgery and it was the only thing that got me up and going. The stuff they have at the hospital is god aweful. I thank my sister for that. She knew after my last surgery and I spit the RC Cola all over the nurse that it would take a DP to get me up. It worked, after a small cup I was up and about on my own!
8. Saltine Crackers did wonders for me. These are something I would NEVER eat but when you are taking pain meds you will want that salt and carbs on your stomach. I lived off of these for 3 days.
9. Ice, ice, ice. Ice, ice, ice. I can't say this enough. I bought some bags of frozen peas (advice from doc) and they worked great. I bought 4 bags so I could alternate them as they started to unthaw. One per breast! I even had the nurse bring me ice as soon as I woke up! I had very little swelling and the swelling I did have was just tightness - you couldn't see that they were swollen. I used them for 3 days and on the 4th day used heat as needed.
10. Even when you feel like going out - don't go out for long. I went out on Saturday thinking I was feeling great and ended up in bed after the fact with a heating pad for hours. Same on Sunday. We never learn do we?
11. If you have children that still need your attention and caretaking do them and yourself a favor and have someone watch them for the week post op. Yes, a week. I have a 4 year old and I arranged for him to be cared for until Sunday. I didn't realize how much chest it took to help him undress, dress, bath, get ready for bed, prepare food, pick up after them, get them in the car, buckle them up. On and on. If you have a partner that is willing to help with all tasks associated with their caretaking then that may be a win win. I wanted my son around but caring for him was the most painful parts of the day and I would spend hours afterwards icing or heating the pain. Even now, 1 week later, picking him up is out of the question and all the tugging and pulling that goes on is misearable. Yesterday after an entire day of being out and about I could feel tears from pain keep gathering in the corner of my eyes any time I had to move or while traveling hit a bump in the road. Ouch. Ouch. I'm still paying for that one.
12. Take Arnica Montana starting 3 days pre surgery and 2 weeks post. I have almost no bruising (other than one tiny spot) and I bruise easily!
13. I can't stress enough the importance of resting and not doing too much. I intentionally took the week off after surgery but I ended up working and having to do daily household tasks anyway and if I could do it over I would have refused to do anything. Just give your self time to heal. Don't push it even when you feel like you can. I'm a stubborn little gal and like to things for myself but it IS NOT worth it!
14. The doctor told me to keep the compression bra on until I went back for my checkup. I hated that thing. It pressed into my incisions, it held my breasts in and made my nipples sensitive. Every day I would take it off for 30 minutes or so and just lay - without anything on them. Ahhh....don't be afraid to do this. It kept me sane and everything was just fine.. They won't fall off!
15. I did start going back to the gym Monday morning for recumbant bike cardio. No pain and it was the best thing I could have ever done. I felt like I was doing something without any upper body movement that would cause pain. It was perfect. The favorite part of my day.
16. Enjoy them ASAP. Bed time activities didn't bother me at all ;-)
- Lastly, I have my diet layed out in my journal. I don't plan to lift until January so diet and cario are going to be key in the coming month! Feel free to take a look - it may not work for you (depending on how carb sensitive you are) but so far it has been perfect for me. I plan to retain my lean muscle mass and perhaps even drop a % in bf.
Thanks for everyones support! I appreciate your tips and suggestions pre op - Thandie - you were a great resource - many thanks to you!
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Crap sorry for the high jack.
