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Liposuction swelling - how is your recovery?

By Tom at RealSelf on 29 Jan 2010

What are you doing to reduce swelling after liposuction?

View 33 doctor answers to Liposuction Swelling - How Long Until It Goes Down?

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michu 12 May 2013
I'm day 16 after inner/outer thighs and inner knees. Days 5-10, I had AWFUL swelling above the back of my left knee. Made it really challenging to resume light activities. Sitting at work really exasperated it. The swelling is much better now and most bruising is gone. I have some hard lumps that i massage daily (this REALLY helps!) and some numbness and tingling/burning (mostly on inner thigh area). I can kneel for brief periods of time and go up and down stairs with a little stiffness. Have used Arnica orally and topically since 3 days before surgery. Am still in the stage 1 compression garment (which is falling apart and too big for me) while I wait for the stage 2 garment to arrive in the mail. I tried wearing compression running pants for a day, but after sitting through breakfast on a wooden bench, my legs started to swell and the stage 1 garment was quickly put on. This has been a much slower process than I had anticipated. I'm relatively fit (can easily run a 5k and do 20+ burpees on demand) and am a fast healer with, what is normally, a high pain tolerance. But, heck if the past 2+ weeks haven't sucked. I don't do well feeling like an invalid. All that being said, I can see a very positive change in silhouette already. Saddlebags and inner thigh fat deposits i inherited from my maternal grandmother and have had since age 12 are gone. I am excited for the rest of the swelling to go down, as it can only get better from here on out :)
Scooterboot1 7 May 2013
5 weeks PO TT and Flank Lipo
Annie T 30 Mar 2013
Andrea, the first few weeks can be really tough. If you just accept it as part of the long process, it will help. I live in a very rural area and didn't have benefit of massages or other help, and I really struggled with a balance of pain, meds, nausea and swelling. I'm ten months out and very glad I did it. I have an overgrowth disorder that causes my fat to keep growing on one side of my body, so I have to do this every two years or so. Each time is worse because of the scar tissue. Yet, it is what I need to do to stay in balance and not throw off my back too much. I have some continued numbness in a few areas that have had multiple surgeries. For most people, that numbness will fade and become a thing of the past. Keep drinking lots of water, wearing your compression garment, moving slowly, eating healthy and pampering yourself with sleep and good care. Take care.
Andrea8645 30 Mar 2013
Thank you! I can't believe you have to go through this so often. You are awesome. Yeah, the pain meds really threw me off for a bit. I am eating good and drinking lots of water. Sleeping is difficult for me because I already have difficulty sleeping. Even before the surgery, it was rare that I slept through the night. On average I wake up about 3-4 times a night. I have tried not drinking anything past 8:00, etc. I don't really like sleeping pills and think I am going to try melatonin. I'm glad to hear you are doing well at ten months and will keep you in mind when I need a positive boost. Take care. :)
Annie T 30 Mar 2013
Andrea, I've been totally pain free at least six months if that helps. Take care!
Andrea8645 29 Mar 2013
I am Day 7 and looking for the light at the end of the tunnel. I had lower abs, flanks (majority of lipo here), inner and outer thighs. Finally starting to get excited to see the final results but feel like they are so far away. The swelling is so strange because I have a lot of loss of sensation. So when I try to feel how swollen I am with my hands it feels weird. There is a constant pins and needles sensation around the saddlebag are that drives me nuts. My inner thighs are sore and huge. Oddly enough the lower abdomen is not so bad. The first couple of days it felt like I was ripping the skin off my abs anytime I moved but now it's fine and there is hardly and swelling. It is FLAT! The thing that is the most surprising for me is my emotions. I feel like i have extreme PMS. I read that for women we store estrogen in our fat and when it is removed can upset our hormonal balance. My poor boyfriend...Does anyone know when you can sleep on your tummy? Can anyone farther along offer words of encouragement about the weeks ahead? I am excited about the final result, just a little impatient I guess. Hehe...
Brendaann 29 Mar 2013
Just stay calm and enjoy this recovery. You will get a little better everyday. The main thing I can recommend is to wear your compressin garment at all times. It is crucial for RESULTS!!!!! Also drink plenty of water,not just fluids, I mean WATER. I drink a gallon a day anyway,but just keep yourself hydrated with water. I felt super swollen for about a month and then I realized the lipo was the best thing I've ever done for myself. I was OT over weight just had fat deposited in my tummy I couldn't get rid of. My stomach is flat and I have no rolls. I'm lovin every second of pain and swelling I had to encounter,. Good luck to you. It is worth it I promise. If you don't eat healthy noes the time to start. Let me recommend the Eat Clean book by "Tosca Reno". You can get it on amazon or any ook store. It is amazing.
Andrea8645 29 Mar 2013
Thanks for the info and encouragement. I'm glad to hear you are happy one month out. I do eat well but have heard the first few months post lipo are really important regarding what you eat. I will check out the book. Thanks!
believenow 25 Jan 2013
Today had another massage. Plus she gave me Lipo cream with all kinds of oil including arnica and V-K which will help a lot in healing. You use it 2x a day. I actually am feeling a bit better. I walked slowly through home depot for about an hour...yikes.. We have to fly home on Sunday and I am freaked about sitting in a plane for 6 hours. I will be walking the aisles a lot. Swelling am freaking about !
believenow 24 Jan 2013
Update went for my 1 week Dr appt. Yikes...Great nice professional Dr ina gorgeous cancun hospital. He has his own office and nurse. He told me I had a small seroma on the right side and took out 2 syringes of liquid. 40CC. The third one I screamed. All the stitches out. He told me to wear my compression garment 24/7 for 1 month. Absolutely. Then the best to have ultra sound massage 10 but I can only fit in 2 before we leave. Had to adjust my meds for the 3rd time...ugh..I dont do well on meds. At the spa I strip down and the poor little Mexican girl. Sooo gently she massaged my whole body even the Va jay jay..ultrasound and gel... It was so hard to get the compression garment back on and I laid in the car and slept all the way to Tulum.Today I feel a bit better but the pain meds he gave I had nightmares. So I might just try Advil now but lots of meds for swelling and inflammation. This is a huge test of my endurace.
Shellshocked 24 Jan 2013
Sounds like you are getting the royal treatment. Great!
believenow 22 Jan 2013
Thanks ladies. The poor little mexican nurse looked and gasped at my Va Jay Jay and ran and got a pad. I stuffed it in and compressed it. So no hanging just rock hard solid with so much swelling. I guess when men get it done their testicles swell up like golf balls and turn black. Mine is swollen so much I cant get my legs together. I see the Dr tomorrow and maybe has some idea. I have been icing with peas. My back is more sore today and of course the inner thighs are like rocks...oh we hope this is worth it and I know you do forget about pain...yikes
believenow 22 Jan 2013
I had lipo full abs, whole back upper and lower, inner thighs. I take arnica 4x a day but still lots of bruising and swelling, Day 7 today. My right legs swells more than left and my Va Jay Jay is so swollen and hard I cant sit on the toilet. I use peas to ice , I can see huge results but still so swollen. My Dr used stitches to close as he said little scarring. I go tomorrow for appt. Didnt think I would feel so sore . Meds they gave me made me feel real sick for 3days after. So we had to change it all. I was very depressed at first and thought what did I do to my body. I am 60years young. But day by day tiny little by little it gets better. He said after 1 week I can go to my stage 2 garment. Yahoooo..
milenia25 22 Jan 2013
The day after the surgery, the dr. came in and told me that I needed to keep my Va Jay Jay restricted inside the garment with the use of a sanitary pad. She stated that it can grow in length down to the middle of my thighs if not held in properly. The nurse at the recovery house confirmed it. You might want to take that into consideration. The swelling goes down and the bruising disappears little by little, day by day. I'm going into my week 3 and still have not changed my garment to a smaller one. I know I should do that by the end of this week but it's like starting all over again with the discomfort, difficulty sleeping, palpitations, etc. We will be okay. Just can't wait til these 3 months are over.
Shellshocked 22 Jan 2013
I'm freaked about the va ja ha swelling now after reading that. OMG I'm really swollen there too. Today I have a fever 103. Seeing dr at noon I'm 12 day out. I can move a lot better but my tummy and back swelling is huge. Bruising is way better. Maybe looks like I was hit by a bike instead of a train. My upper back has no bruises or swelling. I slept on my tummy last night too. Ahhh. Tell me about the stage 2 garment I'm wearing a spanx that goes just below my knees.
milenia25 22 Jan 2013
Wow...This surgery is a lot more than expected although we know a few months from now we will forget the pain, depresssion, desperation we are suffering now. As far as the Va Jay Jay, yours is swollen. It hasn't grown just begin putting pads once you're swelling goes down to keep it in its place. I'm sorry about your fever. I hope you get better soon. My back was extremely swollen and numb. The swelling has gone down but not entirely and the bruising is still there. Feel better.
Shellshocked 22 Jan 2013
I can't wait to forget about all this.
Annie T 22 Jan 2013
Day by day, you'll get there. Thinking of you.
Shellshocked 24 Jan 2013
Thanks Annie, today day 14 I feel human, the flu has passed also and I can move much better. My swelling is good only really at my tummy and lower back. Bruising is fading really well. I heard day 14 was a great milestone and it feels like it!!!!
Annie T 24 Jan 2013
Keep moving, it helps even when you don't want to. Nothing strenuous and first, but to keep everything going. Sleep, move, water, take this time to pamper yourself. I remember friends offering to visit and turning them down because I just wanted to crawl in a hole for a while. Take care.
mommyES 18 Jan 2013
I had a full tummy tuck with muscle repair and liposuction to my hips and thighs (a bit on my back, too, to even out the results from my tt...no muffin top, lol). My surgery was Jan. 2. I feel like I'm in total swell hell right now. Someone please tell me it's going to get better!! I'm scared and feeling kind of depressed, too. My stomach looks great. Nice and flat and perfect. A bit of swelling there but not too bad at all. My hips and thighs are another story! They are super swollen. Even bigger than before my surgery. Right now, the only pants I can wear are a pair of old sweats. I desperately need real pants so I can venture back out in the world, but the swelling is killing me. I don't even know what size I would need to accommodate the swelling! I wear my compression garment 24/7. I tried moving to a stage 2 CG today (16 days PO), and it was much too snug. I managed it for about 5 hours before resorting back to my stage 1. I drink LOTS of water and monitor my sodium intake very carefully. I need some reassurance this will get better. How long will I be super swollen like this? It's making me wish I'd never done the lipo. I've been badly bruised, too, but it's starting to fade, finally. Oh, and the pain from this lipo has been much, much worse than the tummy tuck! I'm feeling so down right now. I want the swelling to go away. :( I want pants that I can actually wear. :( how much longer will I be this swollen? Anyone?
Brendaann 18 Jan 2013
I promise you the swelling WILL go down. When Zi had my tummy lipo I didn't think it would ever go down,finally about 3 weeks it started to go down. Yes,keep drinking plenty of water. I can't stress to you enough how much water you need. My stomach is totally flat,I'm also doing the eat clean way too. If you want more info on that go to the eat clean diet on Facebook or just reg Internet. It's not a diet it's just a way of life. Good luck!
Annie T 18 Jan 2013
I was 7 pounds above my pre-surgery weight after my surgery with swelling. They took about 10 pounds with the surgery, so that means 17 pounds of swelling. My skin was so tight and I felt awful. It all takes time, you'll get there. A small amount of exercise helps, lots of water, sleep, compression garment, and massage if you can get it. Take care.
Shellshocked 18 Jan 2013
Mommy ES I so hope it gets better quickly for you. I wish I knew a schedule of projected recovery that sure would help to feel more normal. There has to be an end in sight for the swelling. Best wishes it will get better.
Shellshocked 18 Jan 2013
Annie how long until you saw results? With all the extra fluid? On me they took out 9.5 lbs yet added 12 pounds of fluid. And I'm so swollen at my lower back and tummy. It feels like lead. The results are not really appreciable yet.

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