Fat Grafting, pros and cons
Comments
-
BB - you should turn a corner on the abdominal discomfort at about the 1-2 week point. Bloating and swelling can last a while. I would wear compression as many hours a day as you can. My first PS instructed 24/7 for 8 weeks on the compression, my current PS is more casual. I found that compression actually made me feel better, and it does work to minimize firm spots and lumpiness at the donor sites. Glad your surgery is behind you, it is tough to do multiple procedures simultaneously
0 -
SpecialK, thank you again.
My PS is very relaxed, but I'm wearing my spanx now 24/7. Still have pain, but every day it is getting slightly better. Still very bloated.
0 -
BB, my ps also said compression was not necessary because the Lipo wasn't considered "high volume". I felt much more supported and less jiggling and pain with the abdominal binder or spanx on. Ps also stressed massage and ice to the abdomen. I took 2 weeks off work, although could have made it back a little sooner. Ice massage helped so much. My ps said that it is virtually impossible to hurt the abdomen, so massage to keep everything soft. (But leave the breast area alone, no ice, no massage). Just let the little fat cells find a home;)
0 -
Kingster, massage your belly? No way I could do it right now, it still hurts too much to even the lightest touch. How soon did your PS tell you to massage? My PS didn't say anything about icing either.
I was advised to leave my breast area alone, not even wear a bra.
0 -
BB, I started massage the next day. I got a little ice pack that you would put in a lunch, and ran that over my stomach (over a thin tank top...as per md orders). The ice really helped with swelling, and the massage prevented unwanted hard lumpy spots from scar tissue. It hurt and felt good at the same time. I kept ice on my abdomen when I was sitting watching tv or whatever. At my post op appt the next week he told me to not baby it:/ I was miserable for a good week, then it got better. I felt hard ropes under the abdomen for months, but kept massaging as much as I could. It looks good now though;)
0 -
It's been a couple of weeks since my fat grafting, I thought I'd give a little update.
Even though the PS didn't tell me to wear any support garments, his NP mentioned that some women liked wearing Spanx, that they felt better. So, I did wear my Spanx slip 24/7 for 2 weeks and it did feel better.
Most of the bruising is gone, as is most of the pain. I can move around comfortably and I only experience pain when I have to engage my stomach muscles very strongly. I still have a little bloating in my belly, but no longer resemble Buddha.
The swelling of my breast has gone down and I can already see a couple of divots, one of them is above the implant. Overall it looks much better than before, but this one divot will need to eventually be filled in, so i foresee another fat grafting in 3 months - I'll find out more in 3 weeks when I see the PS. Yesterday the NP removed my stitches, gave me an OK to start wearing a bra and to go back to walking on my treadmill. She also told me to massage my belly to get rid of the lumpiness.
Overall, I think I bounced back quite quickly. This week I'm still working from home, but I'm planning on going back to the office next week.
0 -
BB - yay! Sounds like progress. One thing I like to assist with massage is the massage bar by Lush - it is like a bar of soap but with body temp leaves a soft film and allows massage of skin with less friction. I first became aware of it at physical therapy when my PT used it for myofascial release massage after my hip issue. I would advise getting the little tin to hold them in - otherwise they can get messy! I have the Percup and Pearl ones - love them! Here is a link:
http://www.lushusa.com/Massage-Bars/massage-bars,en_US,sc.html
0 -
Thank you, SpecialK. These soaps look yummy, some of them look good enough to eat. I'll look into it, I just won't know which one to pick.
0 -
BB - the massage bars are like a solid oil bar, which is why I recommended the little metal case for them. I like the Percup because it is coffee scented and the Pearl because it is mildly rose scented. They last a long time also because you don't need much to massage effectively with. When you touch your skin with the bar your body temp allows the bar to glide across leaving a film of oil and then you stop with the bar and just use your fingers/hands. My PS advocates digging into the skin as aggressively as possible and firmly rubbing in areas that have any firmness or lumps at the donor site - the massage bar makes that easier.
0 -
My fat grafting isn't scheduled until August 2 along with my exchange. I had oopherectomy and salpingectomy 4 days ago complete with laprascopuc exploration and abdominal washing. I am so sore. I put a binder on today and it has helped a lot. Bb-your description sounds like what I'm going through. My stomach is huge and bruised . I can't even imagine having fat grafting at the same time. Now I'm worried it will be this bad in August again. Ugh.
0 -
BethL, hang in there. I turned the corner at the first week mark and from then on every day was much better. You're almost there.
0 -
It has been 23 days since my surgery. I felt like I was healing nicely, there is barely any bruising left. Most of the pain is gone. I mostly feel it when I'm massaging out the lumps in my belly.
It does look like I absorbed some of the fat in my breast and most likely I will need another fat grafting in the future.
I am concerned today, because this morning I noticed a large area of redness on my belly. I think it is a little bit swollen. No fever, no real pain. My husband's first impression was that it was just skin irritation (he's a retired podiatrist), but a few hours later it looks even angrier.
I had another doctor appointment today in the same hospital, so we just went to my gynecologist's office without am appointment. He'll see me shortly. I hope it turns out to be nothing, but I am freaking out a little bit now.
0 -
BB - I also hope it is nothing, but glad you are being seen. What looks like fat absorption can also be reduction in surgical swelling - it does take a bit to see what the end result looks like - that is why most PS will wait about six months between FG. Keep us posted.
0 -
According to my gynecologist, it does not look like infection. To him it looks superficial, vascular. He told me to put some Cortaid on it and thinks it will just go away, but says to "keep an eye" on it and if it spreads then I should see the PS.
0 -
BB - glad your GYN thinks it is not a serious problem!
0 -
Thank you, SpecialK. I hope he's right. I do have tendencies to panic.
0 -
BB - if you use the topical and see improvement that should be an indicator - and I imagine you will see that improvement fairly quickly. If it was an infection it would be unchanged. You are not alone in the panic department - happens to all of us at one point or another!
0 -
BB, - seems your dr agrees with your husband's opinion, so that's good!
(As for panicking, - I think we're all in the same boat!)
0 -
I'm having fat grafting to my radiated breast on Aug. 4. I hope to fill the lumpectomy divot and heal the hard, tight breast tissue and the muscle damage that developed after radiation therapy. My scars are very tight as well. My PS is going to place about 200 cc into the breast and muscle. I'm small breasted, 34 B. I keep wonderIng if this will be too much at one time and I'll lose most of it. I'm also worried that if I need a second fat transfer I won't have enough to give. My thighs are the only donor sight I have left really. I had a tummy tuck 2 years ago with liposuction to my back and flanks.
Do you ladies have any suggestions for care after surgery to help maintain the grafts? My PS said that he didn't want me wearing a bra for 6 weeks. This will be a challenge since I'm a full time professional. I usually wear really shape revealing clothes. I keep hoping I can find a way to cover the girls without having to invest in a lot of new clothing. Any suggestions are welcome.
0 -
hi all,
Was just wondering what questions I should be asking PS regarding grafting and other information I should know. Any input would've appreciated. Thanks
0 -
suz - not too much on how to maintain the grafted fat - it either stays or doesn't. Most PS counsel not to wear anything restrictive or tight on top - but I whink you could wear a camisole as long as it isn't too snug. You may also be able to use the modesty panels from inside a bra and attach them to your clothes or camisole if you are worried about nips showing. Some people have tried eating an angiogenic diet - with the thought to eat foods that help form new blood vessels and may assist the fat in doing so and thus "take" and not reabsorb. I have never seen a PS advise this though, seems to be something that some patients have decided to try. The advice I would give is not to be too active - I have had fat grafted 4 times, one a year after initial exchange to add fat above the implants to soften the look, twice for improving skin integrity after a tear during a repair surgery and eventual loss of that implant, and just recently after new exchange to fill out some scarred areas - and this was the advice each time. Since the fat is new, too much calorie burn may endanger it.
izzy - ask your PS what garments they recommend - if any, for both the donor site and the location where the graft is put. Ask if you will have restrictions on activity, for how long, and what kind. I was advised to wear compression at the donor site 24/7 for 8 weeks, no lifting over 5 lbs. and no gym for 8 weeks - only walking. I would ask what has been the PS experience with how many times grafts need to be done - the usual answer is often more than one. Ask if there are any supplements they would like you to take, or not take.
0 -
Thanks SprcialK, that's pretty much what my PS said. I'm taking just over two weeks off from work and loading up on books to read. I will miss the workouts though! I want this to be successful and will make sure I follow my surgeons orders to the letter. I will look into modesty panels. I've never heard of them before.By the way, I am taking Pentoxifilne for the radiation damage and it is helping. I'm hoping it helps after the fat grafting as well.
0 -
suz - the modesty panels are those thin foam disks that come in bathing suits and bras like the Genie or Coobie. Here is what I mean:
Wishing you the best on your upcoming surgery!
0 -
Question: Did anyone go off their hormone therapy before and after surgery? And for how long?
My MO said that there was no need to go off it at all and my PS said he wanted me off it for one week before and one week after surgery. I know that estrogen is helpful in healing. I'm considering staying off of it for a full month. I want my new fat to have the best chance of surviving.
0 -
suz - I always do, and usually do the week before/week after. This last time I stayed off longer as I had developed a trigger thumb and switched manufacturers so wanted a complete washout before I switched. My PS wants me off all supplements for that same time period so I just stop taking everything.
0 -
Suz-Q, I also was off the week before and week after. It does affect blood clotting and I take baby aspirin with my Tamoxifen, so that's another reason I wasn't taking it around the surgery.
0 -
Thanks Ladies, Right now I'm rather nervous about surgery tomorrow! I know everything will go well, but still I'm anxious
0 -
thanks, SpecialK. I appreciate the input.
0 -
Hello! I am scheduled for implant exchange next Friday, August 12 with fat grafting liposuction. Can someone tell me what the best type of Spanx are to get? What style?
Thanks!
0 -
What has your PS told you will be your donor sites
0
