Breast Reduction: Forum

Post to Forum

Arnica Montana- Post surgery Swelling and bruising reduction

By Acs2656 on 01 Aug 2012

I just bought some on Amazon after question my Drs nurse about it and getting this email response "We do give this to our cosmetic patients to take. We have it at the office. ... If you want, you can stop by & pick up a box. It's an herbal supplement & is really called Arnica Montana. It dates way back to the stage coach days & probably longer. I had to laugh, my husband had on this John Wayne movie "McClintock". I particularly am not fond of Westerns but I let him leave it on. It is a somewhat humorous John Wayne movie & his real life son also played in the movie w/ him as his son! So his son was having this brawl w/ another cowboy in the dirt & his face got all beat up. John Wayne is looming over him, hands on his hips as the famous John Wayne stance & says "You need some Arnica Montana"!!! Well I just about wet my pants!!! LOL!!! That movie I swear is on some channel every other week. Watch it next time it is on! So yes, by all means take it. The Plastic surgeons did studies on it & they have proven it does reduce swelling & bruising. I wish the orthopods would use it. I understand that it does not interfere with any other medication that anyone would take except for Talwin (which is a very old pain medication which I swear never worked!). I don't think anyone ever prescribes Talwin anymore. Also L-Arginine (I think I spelled it right) is another thing that is similar. Well you did some nice research there." I didn't know if anyone was looking for more things to try. It has EXCELLENT reviews absolutely everywhere I looked, and since H (we'll call her H for now) seemed totally comfortable and aware of it, I am gonna give it a try, Has anyone else used this? I know you start taking it a few days before surgery and continue a while after. I am excited and hope it works well for me!

Comments (59)

Sort by

ToyaMD2013 9 Mar 2013

I'm experiencing swelling and some minor pain at the end of the day and at night. Can I use Arnica Montana after the procedure? I'm exactly 10 days post- op, I'm willing to try it if it will help. The pain is tolerable, I'm not sure if I overdid it. Yesterday was my first full day back into my normal routine and now I feel like I'm paying for it. I go back to work in another week and I need to be 100%, so if the AM is worth a shot I will try it. Thanks!

Colette9342 9 Mar 2013

The AM helped with my swelling post surgery and continues to help inflammation with my joints now. Can't hurt to try it.

ToyaMD2013 9 Mar 2013

Thanks, I'm going to go out and get some.

ToyaMD2013 9 Mar 2013

This stuff is great! I've taken 2 doses today and for the first time since my surgery I'm able to lay on my stomach. This AM is going to be my new best friend. Thanks guys!

Birch 4 Mar 2013

Thanks to everyone who shared their experience taking Arnica Montana before & after BR. I will definitely purchase some and use it leading up to & after my BR if my PS approves. My list of items to purchase before my BR in April is growing! :) As impatient as I am to have my BR, it has been good to have this time to research what others have done to ease the bruising, swelling, and discomfort of the healing process.

Acs2656 4 Mar 2013

I am glad you found this site and this post as useful as you did! I started this conversation just to seek info and to "blog" about my own experience with arnica, and I am so happy that it has become such a huge thing on here. We ladies have to stick together and help each other out with all of this.

Birch 4 Mar 2013

Thanks so much for starting this Acs2656. Yes, we do need to help each other out. I am so appreciative of everything others have taken the time to share. I did a bit more research on Arnica Montana after seeing this thread, and found source after source documenting the benefits of it's use. I will definitely be using it. Thank you!

soilschick 4 Mar 2013

I still use Arnica after my surgery. It has been very helpful with pain and aches from old work injuries.

Birch 5 Mar 2013

Good to know! Thanks Soilschick. :)

Colette9342 5 Mar 2013

I continued to use it too! I had stiffness in my knees and when I stopped Arnica for BR surgery the stiffness returned, I started Arnica again and no stiffness.

Birch 5 Mar 2013

That's awesome to hear Colette. Glad it is working so well for you. I'm looking forward to using Arnica Montana! I've been running and walking 6 days a week, so that should help me aside from the BR as well.

Heights2012 3 Jan 2013

Will 1 bottle of 250 be enough.. how many times a day and how many do I take at once? When do I start taking it if my procedure is 2/1 Also any recommendations to treat scars that I will be expecting w reduction

Colette9342 4 Jan 2013

I am not sure about the type you have because the AM that I used was in a tube about the size of Chap Stick with little pellets. I took 5 pellets 3x a day and the tube lasted about 5 days. There is a box with 3 tubes at Whole Foods which is the quantity that the manufacturer expects you to use. I started AM the day of surgery but ladies on the site have been told to start 1-2 days prior. I used the AM for about 5 weeks so I needed about 5 tubes. Hope this info helps! Best wishes for an easy surgery and recovery. Best C

Heights2012 4 Jan 2013

Thanks so much

soilschick 25 Dec 2012

I have taking Arnica for almost a week and noticed that it has helped sore muscles from work injuries. Mu hips and lower back do not hurt as much, sometimes not at all. Is this just a side benefit for me? I just drove 5 hours today and hardly any pain anywhere in my body. I feel great. I have been plagued by the hip/lower back pain for 8 years.

ryliek 26 Dec 2012

I would think that your positive side effects are from the arnica. Have you used/changed anything else along with it? I have been out of AM for a few days now and I can DEFINITELY tell the difference. I still have no pain (4 weeks post op) but my breasts have been super swollen the past few days. It's like they're filled with water. They're jiggling all over the place!

soilschick 26 Dec 2012

Not really, started using Claritin again.

amanda5376 2 Jan 2013

My PS nurse recommended Arnica to me today! Another thing I did not know about it, you can give it to your pets! She said I will be glad I took it, it does wonders for bruising and swelling. I had already ordered some and was going to ask to make sure it was okay, but before I had a chance she suggested it! I have high hopes for it :)

Colette9342 2 Jan 2013

I know what you mean about the swelling when I ran out of AM. I finally weaned off after 8 weeks without any swelling

Colette9342 16 Dec 2012

I have been using it since the day of surgery and I've had minimal bruising, just in the lipo area, minimal swelling. I ran out after about 5 days and noticed tenderness due to swelling almost immediately. Needless to say, I haven't been out since and am 5 weeks post op. I stopped pain meds 36 hours post op! I used topical Arnicare too, gel form.

soilschick 15 Dec 2012

I just ordered some from Amazon. I hope they work. I'm a big baby about pain

ryliek 15 Dec 2012

I have been taking it since about three days before surgery. I'm pretty sure it's the reason I could stop taking pain meds 36 hours after the surgery. I wasn't in any pain! If you are thinking about it at all, I would say definitely get some arnica montana. It's great.

ryliek 15 Dec 2012

Also wanted to add that I have no visible bruising. NONE :)

Fixmyface 15 Dec 2012

After I posted this, I realized that I posted on the wrong board. The discussion on bruising and prevention or getting rid of it caught my attention and so I replied then saw Breast Reduction lol...While I would like a breast reduction myself, I'm having face work done...I wonder if it would work equally as well?

ryliek 16 Dec 2012

LOL. I'm sure it would work for both cases. I think there are some offices that do face work that recommend it to their patients. I would imagine it works well for reducing swelling and bruising everywhere on your body.