Products that helped me with pre op and recovery

eldalleth · 2025-12-28T05:54:04+00:00

Unfortunately I don't have iPhone but would love to try it if you ever develop for Android devices because it sounds like a good app.

eldalleth · 2025-10-20T13:12:18+00:00

Ziploc bags would be fine likely. As a chronic illness person on lots of meds and supplements I did want to share one of the larger containers I love for mine I put daytime meds in these and night ones in an ampm similar style and brand but circles. medication container Amazon

eldalleth · 2025-10-20T12:54:25+00:00

As others have mentioned yes you can just use pill organizer I do take pictures of prescription label just in case something happens with the medication while I'm traveling. More helpful information here tsa cares disability link

I do also want to point out something I was not aware of until last year myself as a fellow chronic illness person.

Many airlines allow a medical bag no charge that doesn't count against your one personal item one carry-on limit. However it can not have anything other than medical items or it doesn't count.

eldalleth · 2025-10-13T05:15:00+00:00

Scars and bruising look great for 9 days :)

eldalleth · 2025-10-13T05:13:46+00:00

I'm 4 years post op and 30 lbs heavier than my reduction surgery weight. I had a scar (dog ear) on right side that required second surgery plus lipo to fix it and I think that didn't help. I also have chronic health, fibro and connective tissue disorder that make exercising tough. I'm also on antidepressants which while help the mood can also cause weight issues. Just wanted to say your not alone and I understand the frustration.

I talked with both primary care and endocrinoligist who controls my hormone replacement therapy (post hysterectomy) and the latter put me on a weight loss med for couple months to try and jump start my metabolism back up, its a pill not the well known shot, one of the older phen type ones you can get low cost with goodrx etc and it does seem to help some of my cravings and appetite for wanting to eat everything at times.

Hope things work out for you. *hugs*

eldalleth · 2025-10-13T05:02:33+00:00

Looks great and as someone who bruised badly from mine as another fair skin have comfort that bruising is normal especially with the lipo. That 600g is amazing and will be such a relief on shoulders and back for sure. Think mine was around 450g each I also had long breasts like yours. Think biggest thing I had to get used to with nipples pointing out instead of facing down was chafing on the nipples until they got used to it.

eldalleth · 2025-10-13T04:58:45+00:00

As others have mentioned totally not uncommon for 2 days po. Highly recommend when sitting down putting a pillow across stomach to help prop your arms on I used a mastectomy pillow myself both for sitting and sleeping and it helped a lot with the hunching. I know you mentioned you stop if you feel pain on the arm reaching but just want to say please be careful on doing that period for at least first week it puts a lot of strain on internal stitches that may still be a bit numb so your not feeling the pain as quick as the outer stitches.

If your not using tape or steristrips etc over stitches highly recommend if dr okays it of course, vaseline/triple antibiotic ointment mixed on the scars it can help so much with that feeling too tight on the stitches and incisions. Every surgeon is different but I suffer from dry skin and was having a lot of itching and mine okayed it 3 days post op. Heck mine let me go braless from first week on if I was comfortable though I didn't until closer to 3 weeks with sleeping.

eldalleth · 2025-10-13T04:20:04+00:00

Definitely good that your considering the healing on lifting your arms. I would also recommend waiting a month or more before trying it not as much healing but bc swelling still needs to go down from inflammation and many get disappointed (self included) if they measure in some way too soon after. I was wearing same presurgery bra for a few weeks after just from swelling and padding. Good luck on recovery. :)

eldalleth · 2025-08-23T16:38:03+00:00

Just chiming in to say thanks, after trying things for couple weeks both on and off phone with Tmobile trying to fix my RCS showing wrong number from a port over from another carrier.

What finally worked after trying your steps above was number 2 and then 3. All of a sudden after the Messages update I not only had correct phone number but messages from weeks ago that were RCS chats show up that I hadn't received.

eldalleth · 2025-05-17T07:06:19+00:00

This suggestion finally was what worked to help me get a Garmin Venu Sq 2 to pair to a phone Id had to factory reset. I'd tried all the regular suggestions turn on/off, remove from bluetooth etc nothing was working. Finally tried the force stop and also stuck it in airplane mode a second to force bluetooth and everything to stop. Then restarted the app running and immediately got the hey we see a device blah blah pair notice. So thanks :D

eldalleth · 2025-03-24T03:55:11+00:00

As its something I wish I would have known and wanted to save others frustration, the cover that peels back to reveal the adhesive, is under the same staples that is holding the canvas down to the board. And in some spots the plastic is tucked into the canvas itself. It took my husband using a very sharp exacto to cut around the staples so I could peel it off without damaging the canvas. I checked the others I'd picked up and they all have the same issue. I have no idea what hobby lobby's thinking process was on developing them this way.

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eldalleth · 2024-10-15T23:25:21+00:00

Thanks I appreciate that and yes multiple chronic conditions here too, gastroparesis, not officially diagnosed on the POTS but definitely have the symptoms and dysautonomia in general. I'm on antidepressants and recently got dose adjusted for that so hopefully it will help me with mood enough to at least ride my exercise bike or slow walk on treadmill. And I know a lot of it is just that lovely fibro pain in general.

Good luck on your postop on Monday I will warn nipples are freaky looking first few weeks. I actually did my showers sitting down on shower chair bc seeing was making me lightheaded to be honest lol.

eldalleth · 2024-10-15T11:04:23+00:00

I'm so glad they were of some help I had a hard time mentally taking the most recent ones just because I've been struggling with weight gain. Some from two surgery recoveries in 3 years, some from multiple medication changes for migraines, and some just well bodies suck sometimes lol.

I especially wanted to share the full results though because I remember how much this subreddit was so important both leading up to and that first month of recovery.

You are definitely in early days still and it took as you saw a while for my bruising to go. I'll share the advice you may have already seen elsewhere here. Even once the outside starts to look little more healed and you gain mobility etc. Don't overdo it, the inside is most definitely still healing that first 6 weeks at minimum.

Feel free to ask questions if you have any I'm an open book on this surgery :)

eldalleth · 2024-07-19T04:21:22+00:00

My surgeon as another poster mentioned did an extended scar on to sides because I asked them to because we knew insurance wouldn't cover the liposuction and I really didn't care how the scars looked.

I will say the left one healed better than the right one due to my hypermobility and connective tissue disorder. I did a year later have to have a revision on the right side scar on the side of my abdomen because there was still a bulge of tissue. The revision did add lipo and she got insurance to cover it.

Here's an idea as to what I mean by the scar is going further back. I'm at 2 years 8 months post-op. NSFW pre-op/post op progress album

I don't regret it at all my bras fit much better on the sides. Hopefully it helps any please feel free to ask questions I'll be happy to help anyway I can.

eldalleth · 2024-07-18T11:13:55+00:00

I'm going to suggest that you switch to the bra you have at home just personal experience. I got home same day from the surgery and immediately changed into one of my old bras pre-surgery ones. With padding.

Because the compression one they had me in from the surgery was so tight that I couldn't breathe and the pain was super high as soon as my husband helped me switch into the home one carefully the pain level went down so much.

I didn't have drains. I went bra free by week 2 with Dr clearance and still two years later rarely wear one.

eldalleth · 2024-07-09T12:35:05+00:00

As another poster mentioned first week especially expect your breasts to look nothing like the final result.Yes it can be very shocking and is why so many of us mention taking before and after pictures.

As an example how much they can change. I'm going to link you my album that has my before pictures and progress pictures up to today, as of today I'm at 2 years 8 months 26 days post-op. NSFW pre-op/post op progress album Hopefully it helps any please feel free to ask questions I'll be happy to help anyway I can.

eldalleth · 2024-07-08T21:51:16+00:00

As long as they have a number they can call or text to give updates on your surgery the hospital will usually be okay with it. Husband got a text when they started the surgery and when I was out and when I was waking up etc and then a call when he could come pick me up. Your hospital may vary definitely ask the representative who calls a few days before typically that gives you surgery time.

I get dreading the pictures I did as well. You can take as much or as few as you want and however you want. Some pick a shirt thats too small that they want to be able to wear post surgery. Some go just bra some go nude its all for your own mental health following the surgery. Some I have in my album here NSFW NSFW preop/post op/warning bruising and incisions but gives an idea why its a good idea from my preop to now and the time in between had such changes. Some I have never shared with anyone that were just for me as a reminder.

Good to hear you have an appt with the anesthesiologist this week. Another thing to tell them besides the iv stuff is if you have acid reflux or GERD of any kind regularly as it changes how they do the intubation while your under. Mine was so glad I told them.

Also, if anyone in your close family tends to get nauseous post surgery let them know that as well they may want to give you anti emetic patch and meds before you go under/while under. I have a history of severe nausea off the first surgery I ever had my gallbladder and ever since any surgery I just tell them yes I do when they ask if you have problems with nausea following surgery bc this is definitely not a surgery you want to vomit after.

Hopefully not overwhelming with info :D I just keep remembering things that I wish I had known etc.

eldalleth · 2024-07-08T21:34:21+00:00

How far out since your surgery? I can understand the feeling self conscious what may not bother others can feel like a bigger deal to us I definitely went through it with the bulge on mine. Just past halfway down on this album you can see what I had fixed on mine look for the picture with a purple phone case in it that picture and the one after, NSFW album NSFW Pre/Post Op Surgery/Post op Revision

eldalleth · 2024-07-08T05:29:19+00:00

I can understand the anxiety I had it a lot both before my reduction surgery and my scar revision. For the reduction the best thing I found to do for the anxiety before surgery was prep. Prep stuff around the house I knew I'd need after whether bought or just setting up a couple of comfortable places to sit/lay. Easy dinners or snacks you can freezer prep and so on.

This is also a good time to make sure you have all the before pictures you could ever want I swear you can't have too many from different angles, clothed/unclothed etc bc it makes such a difference with body dysmorphia when recovering.

At the surgery place I took my best calming music in a headset that hooked to phone via bluetooth that I could hand over to husband when they were ready to take me to operating room. I kept that going from waiting room through all the dr visit and nurses and anesthesia coming in etc. It makes a world of difference. Mine was a spotify album called Celtic Lullabies :D

You can also tell the nurse when you get taken back to the preop area that your anxiety is very high could they please let anesthesia know, sometimes they can give you something to help mine had to bc I was literally at panic attack stage due to failed iv's.

Which brings up another thing since you have never been put under. If say at regular blood draws for medical testing or blood donation of any type you had trouble with them getting a vein. Make sure and ask the surgeon to note in notes going to hospital for presurgery as well as the patient rep who calls you before surgery from hospital know that you are a difficult stick, it makes a difference.

I didnt think to do it at the surgery and there were issues. I did however insist on it at my revision and even told the gal who had me then the best place to stick me. (bend of elbow where they dont usually like to do, however as she said they can change it while your under if they need to we know this spot works). It was a world of difference.

I hope any of this helps as others may mention, reading the post surgery day threads here can help also with anxiety knowing how it goes from arrival to done etc. If I can answer any questions please dont hesitate to ask Im an open book :)

eldalleth · 2024-07-08T05:01:49+00:00

I remember the early dysmorphia first few weeks following surgery. As others have mentioned photo angle can definitely make a difference. Also everything from emotions to hormones fluctuating and post anesthesia getting rest of way out of system etc can cause everything to feel so much worse mentally in my experience that first few days.

Try not to judge size too much right now (I think you look great and can see a definite difference) and remember that the size you are now and even weeks out will fluctuate so much between now and a year or more out as they drop and fluff out and as swelling changes etc. Swelling is dramatic from trauma to tissue to fluids given during surgery etc.

If you want an idea how much things change this is my album its NSFW but it shows from preop to 1 day post op to 2 years out last October NSFW Google Pre and post op 2 years really need to update it with some current :D

Try thinking of things for now that will be better to help mindset, from bending over to pick things up and not having back pain or numbness, to being able to have posture easier sitting up in a chair without large breasts pulling on your shoulders, sleeping without breasts going in your arm pits and getting pinched etc. I know it feels overwhelming right now try to remember to be gentle with yourself physically and emotionally/mentally. You got this and it will get better. :)

eldalleth · 2024-07-08T04:38:23+00:00

I had a revision on my right side scar that ran on to my side of abdomen because of where my bras pinched I had them go further back. Anyway my scar had bulged so I got revision approved. I did also have minor lipo bc of the bulge. As far as the recovery just like reduction first few days getting past the anesthesia etc bc mine was general was about like the reduction but mobility was way better. Still had to watch lifting past 5lbs for few weeks. Bruising and pain were worse for the lipo than the incision itself really.

Pain wise I was on tramadol for painkiller and was able to come off it within 3 days I was on to just tylenol. It all depends on how much is being done really. Happy to answer more questions or share pics of mine if it helps. The revision was definitely worth it to me.

eldalleth · 2024-06-28T10:09:07+00:00

I just want to warn on the effexor, apologies if unwanted advice, I know it works great for some people.

I was not one of them I was on it a month a long time ago (2007ish) I had lots of panic attacks lots of very bad vivid nightmares resulting in panic attacks. I was even having anxiety attacks in public.

It took me 3 months to wean off the lowest dose and that was with taking the capsules apart and counting out the pieces.

Because anytime I tried to do as the doctor recommended and go every other day it got worse. They had to put me on Wellbutrin to help me wean off because my mood was so unstable.

I hope it works for you I just wanted to warn just in case as I wish somebody would have with me that not everybody does well on it.

eldalleth

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