I've just had my arm reduction done. I'm laying in bed with my arms propped up on pillows as we speak! Feeling pretty damn comfy too :) I have been struggling with my weight from 15 years of age. Sadly from crappy diet growing up and I didn't know any better with what was good and what wasn't, etc. Since 15 years of age, I have ever exposed my arms. Not even to my friends and family. Besides my mum sister and after a long time of confidence building up, my partner. I Always cover up each summer, even on 42 degree days, feeling like an absolute idiot, making me so depressed, on top of that being so bloody hot, feeling extremely uncomfortable and trying to never leave the house, yet that is impossible when you work a full time job and have adult things to do! I have sadly contemplated this surgery since 2003, with still having emails I sent out for quotes to surgerys around Adelaide & Sydney. Finally I'm 29 and summer just been I just knew enough was ENOUGH! Could not mentally deal anymore, sick of bloody wearing clothes to cover up, sick of being so uncomfortably hot, sick of needing to be boiling hot in my own home when people come into my room or I leave my room, needing to chuck something on to just go to the toilet so no one see's my arms!!! Sick of shopping for clothes skipping 90% of them cos they have to have long sleeves!!!!! And still then, trying on long sleeve tops, shirts and even jumpers and them fitting my body perfectly, but way too tight on my arms, looking like a fat bloody turnip. It dampened my mood instantly 100% of the time. The rest of my body isn't that bad, yeah I have a little extra on me, but I'm comfortable other then my abnormal arms. I wear a size 12 bra/top - if it goes over my arms so normally a 14/16 to fit my arms.. And I wear a size 14 pant. So I'm comfy with the rest of me. I'll wrap this up, but anyone in my situation and contemplating whether to get this surgery done will know 110% exactly what I am saying and know what I've been through. This surgery cost me $5,300, but you know what, I'd rather pay that to make me happy, make me look great, but overall my mental wellbeing. Every single cent will be worth it after my recovery, even if I do have scars, they are my scars, no one else's, no one else's business but mine. At least I will soon be able to wear what ever the hell I want and not need to worry about long sleeves nor if my arms are gonna fit or not. And OMG, summer, bring it on - when normally I ABSOLUTELY DREAD the thought of it coming on, even dreading warm days in Autumn! I have the cooler Autumn and Winter to heal now and I'll be ready for summer for the first time in my entire life. Bring it on. Do it, do what is gonna make you happy, you have to! Finance isn't easy, but make it happen, I was in so much debt myself but I built myself out of it cos I was so determined to do this and now look what I have done. I was so overwhelmed/happy this arvo I cried happy tears ?? All the best to anyone in my situation, I know exactly how you are feeling and what you have been through. Go for gold :) Updated on 10 May 2016: Thanks everyone! I had a bit of a hiccup! A few hours after writing my review after getting my surgery done, I had to rush into emergency as I had a hematoma on my left arm, the pain was absolutely excruciating, worst I've had in my life, mind you this was my once much bigger arm.. My surgeon was available on the phone 24/7 and met me there straight away... My dressings came straight off and out came the stitches too! Getting the blood squeezed out of me was pretty painful but the stitches getting cut open felt the worst!!! I was so upset as I've been waiting for this surgery for so long and now couldn't believe this was happening! I ended up being taped back up, going home for a couple hours sleep, then scheduled in to be cleaned up and re-stitched with a drain in me within 6 hours. All went well, it's now 25 hours since that happened & all is great. I've already had my dressings all changed, drain is out and have my tubey grips on! Feeling so weird having small arms, lol... He said the left arm will be swollen for longer but that's ok with me, he really done a fantastic job. Little bit sore today but doing good! So right arm is post op 2 days and left arm is post op 1 day!!! Happy days!!! I have added follow up pictures for you to have a look at, for 2 days after surgery it's looking pretty damn good!!! Updated on 16 May 2016: I'm doing really well. It's just 1 week post op now and I am really happy!! I can now put both arms down by my side, when I couldn't even close to straighten my arm out after surgery (obviously) I walked into the airport dropping my partner off (flies interstate for work for more weeks then being here) and I felt fabulous... Walking walking walking, sitting, saying goodbye, then walking back to the car (I am not driving still) and then I knew I had over done it, the pressure in my arms, I knew I had to get home, get into bed, lay down and elevate them propped up on 2, sometimes 3 pillows each side. I woke up at about 5am and was a little sore when normally I wake up feeling great.. So took an endone and went back to sleep.. Feeling better now, but defiantly going to be a in bed watching movie day today, I have to stop thinking I'm better and can do things, I'll only do damage so I have to stop getting ahead of myself!!! Which is easy for a lot of us to do! I have the rest of this week off work, surgeon visit Friday for new dressings, then see what he says about me returning to work the following week.. Working full time hours Monday-Friday, plus driving 40 minutes to work and 40 minutes back from work might be too much for me, as I'm on my feet all day and haven't drove since surgery, but see what goes... Need to pay the bills! But I know my health is extremely important first of all. Don't want anymore hiccups! All else is well, I'm so happy with my results im so lucky and best money I could ever spend in my entire life is still a 100% big green tick :) Tried a few nice tops on that I have still sitting in their bag with tags on in hope I'll be able to wear them one day.... So exciting, I look normal now and feel so free. Will upload more pics soon. But you can see why I'm so happy with my results looking at these pics I'm uploading now! Thanks for reading, all the best with anyone going through any healing or about to go through with surgery! It can be a rocky road, but each day gets better and positive thinking! Take care everybody :) Updated on 25 May 2016: It is now 16 days post op, but these pics are 2 days and 10 days post op. Things are going really great, the arm I didn't have complications with is fantastic, causing me no grief at all, feeling almost normal! Yet I still know not to push myself, so I am taking it easy as I know I am still fresh and healing obviously. My left arm I had the little hiccup with is doing well, yet it's giving me a little bit of grief, just a bit more swollen and I do need to lay down and elevate it after being out shopping or to the chemist etc for a couple hours.. I'm currently sitting in the hairdressers with foils in my hair writing this (first time in a year since I've been!) and having my arms down by my side feels fine, yet I can feel just a bit of pressure/swelling around my elbow area of my poor left arm. It's all good though. I'm on nurofen and panadol which keeps me comfortable, if I don't take it sometimes it's discomforting, not in pain just tickles of it and uncomfy feelings with it. It's been one week since the 10 days post op pic tomorrow, I'm getting my dressings changed then, so will take more pics and update again to then show 17 days post op! I cannot believe it's already been that long, yet it feels like forever ago! I return to work on the Monday coming, so I had 3 weeks off of work and muchly needed that. Any less would have been no good. Yet again - If I wasn't for my arm that had second surgery, I'd be absolutely laughing as my foot arm is beautiful, bad arm is starting to give me a bit of grief now sitting here, argggggh haha :( All good, it's worth it :P Happy reading and healing to all :)
Had a breast reduction surgery with Nick, and it’s been absolutely awful. The scarring is severe and keloid (I have had many tattoos and cuts before, never ever scarred like this). He even admitted to me that they looked “terrible” but has done nothing to help, no recommendations, nothing. Ruined my life.
