Can you recover from surgery alone?

[elfindeverano]

I’m a single person and I live alone. I want to have surgery (breast) at some point next year but I’m worried about the recovery at home by myself.

You’re released on the day of surgery, but then you need to rest and recover at home.

I’ve watched many Vlogs on the surgery and you can’t lift anything above about 500g (1 pint of milk roughly) for about a week, and have limited arm movement…. As a result some women say they couldn’t even properly wipe themselves behind after the toilet (sorry, I know that’s gross, and I hate the idea of that happening), and had to ask their partner to help!

Has anyone recovered from a surgery at home by themselves? Or did you need your stay an extra few nights in hospital?

YABU - no you can’t recover alone
YANBU - it’s completely possible to recover alone

I think it would be extremely difficult but there are things you could do to make it easier like fitting a bidet, stocking up on healthy ready meals or other easy food, and looking into hiring a nurse or helper for the first week or so.

Extra few nights in hospital is very expensive if we are taking private and if it’s normally day surgery there may not be the option.

you can book carers for post hospital stays.

I’ve had surgery but not that sort.

Yes. You can. Just plan well.

If you have a ga the hospital will expect you to have someone with you for a day or so, assuming you are discharged quickly. You may need to make contingencies for cooking and accessing food, plates, pans etc if you cannot stretch or lift. likewise plan dressing and type of clothes for easy on/off with minimal effort. A friend booked a private carer to come in to help with washing, dressing etc and slept downstairs. If you will not be able to drive have a list of friend’s numbers and taxis to get you to appointments.

Would you be having any other treatment at or around the same time? And it is because of illness or for another reason? And one boob or two?

if you're not ill then you should be able to manage I think, by getting help for the things you can't manage, especially if it is just one side. I wouldn't try to do it without any help at all. I think you would have to have somebody there for the first night, in case of complications following anaesthesia. Make sure you clean and tidy thoroughly beforehand, get on top of the laundry, change your bed, and get in some really really easy meals, or be prepared to get takeaways delivered.

I had a full hip replacement and went home on my own. I live alone.
I had good friends who took me to/from the hospital and for physio, but otherwise l was on my own.
If you have to, you manage. It's not ideal, but you do.

I had kidney surgery and was living apart from now-DH at the time.

It was hard but doable.

First, buy in more stuff than you think you will need. You will not want to have to trek to shoos.

Batch cook and freeze small portions. You will need nutritious food but may lose appetite.

Buy in more painkillers than you think you need. Also possibly some surgical dressing bits.

Let a neighbour know and ask if you can call on them for emergencies. I don't want to sound scary but I had a post op complication and needed someone to bring me back in.

It is doable though. Good luck!

Thank you. I’m not ill - my surgery is an elective breast augmentation - but I might feel ill afterwards.

My biggest worry is the limited movement in the arms. I can buy in ready meals and small bottles of water (so I don’t have to lift much), and have button up clothing.

Yes you can. I had combined cosmetic surgeries in Turkey last year. I was in Turkey by myself for 8 days post op & then at home for a week. It was fine.

I broke my shoulder last year and managed alone.

I had a hysterectomy earlier this year and had no help afterwards apart from a lift back from hospital. If you are VERY organised it is doable. I batch cooked well in advance and stored my fridge/freezer/cupboards with easy to heat tasty foods and snacks. LOADS of them! Also booked a Tesco delivery weekly as far ahead as I could because they are hard to come by here. I do live in an accessible bungalow which probably helped a lot too.

I think if you are quite independent it's better in a way, I HATE being fussed over and told what to do. I'm also boringly sensible!

I had maxfac surgery a few years ago and was absolutely fine recovering by myself. There were some hairy moments in the first three days but I just made sure I had necessities by my bedside - meds, shakes etc.
The hospital won't let you go home by yourself, though so you will need to ask a friend to collect you. They generally are quite strict on people not wandering off after general anesthetic.

Yes you will be fine, lots of women have cosmetic surgery and recover on their own afterwards.

I went abroad with my friend after she had a breast argmenration and she had to leave the clinic after a few hours and we went straight home, it was a little difficult for her but she managed.

I would just be prepared, have lots of bottles of water in easy reach, easy meals, easy clothes to change into and pain medication on hand which I'm sure your clinic will advise on. Join a cosmetic surgery Facebook group, the women on there give lots of practical advice, I'm on one and there're loads of tips. Good luck.

I did exactly what you're thinking of doing OP.

It was a GA and I got a taxi home alone the next day after telling them a friend was going to be there. They didn't ask for proof. I did have a friend for a few hours but there was nothing she needed to do.

I didn't find it a problem not being able to lift my arms high, I just stayed at home in button up tops for a few days and didn't wash my hair. I didn't lift anything very heavy.

Also recovered from a facelift alone, and a keyhole appendectomy, and was able to look after my dc alone after thoes operations after a couple of days. I planned carefully though.

Good luck!