Any advice?

Hello everyone! I just scheduled my tummy tuck and arm lift for July and a breast/back lift in August. Does anyone have any tips or advice? I'm looking for information on how to heal quickly, what to do on bed rest, etc. I wrote about my decision here if you want to check it out. Thanks in advance! 

Don't rest in bed if you want to heal quickly, getting out and walking and doing things helps healing.  I took 12 days off for my tt and neck lift, and walked and did as much as I could.  For my arm lift and neck revision I was out of work for a week or so.  I am not one to baby myself though.

Just give yourself enough time to recover as well as make sure you are off all ASA products/herbals and be in the best health that you can! All these will optimize your surgery/healing/recovery! Good luck!

Up your protein levels.  I went to the same level I was as for WLS, 80-120g a day and most days over 100g.  I also went back on the zinc to get my levels to high normal.

Hi and congrats on your progress !  Of course, follow you doctors advice on activity level.  Overdoing it and putting too much stretch on your incisions too early can cause problems.  For the backside, sittionga ll the way down can be an issue at first, so ask about a toilet seat riser. I provide an electric lift chair for my patients if they want to load it up, or they can be rented for under $100 a month.  These are a huge help for folks who want to be more independent early and may not have help 24/7.

On nutrition, watch out for "silent anemia" and check your iron levels well before surgery as these may be quite low even without a noticeable anemia. On your protein, you do need supplementary amounts but I dont like to make a recommendation in terms of how many grams per day.  Try eating 90g - 100g...it's a lot and I have found it may cause patients to take in fewer amounts of other macroeconomics you also need to heal.  So my recommendation is to eat balanced meals, up your calories by 10 to 20%  during the first month of healing, and be sure at least 20 - 30% of your calories are protein. Resist the urge to "stick to your routine" because you are eating for recovery, not for maintenance. 

If you do not take in enough carbs and just eat protein, your body will produce the  carbs it needs for energy from protein and other sources by a process called gluconeogenesis. This is counterproductive to healing.

Hope this helps !

Dr L

PS email me at [email protected] and Ill mail you a free copy of my book:

http://www.amazon.com/Bariatric-Plastic-Surgery-Cosmetic-Weight/dp/1886039925