Following lipoedema surgery with WAL liposuction, patients will experience fatigue. This fatigue may be more or less significant, depending on a number of criteria.
Things to consider before intervention
It will depend first and foremost on your state of health before the operation. If you feel tired, or are just recovering from a winter illness, for example, you may find it more difficult to recover from the operation. You will need to have a pre-operative blood test to identify any anaemia. If this is the case, you may be advised to increase the dosage of your iron treatment, or even postpone the operation.
Elements related to the intervention
The greater the volume aspirated, the greater the post-operative fatigue. Dr. Nicolas Zwillinger divides the treatment of lipedema into 2 or 3 operations, depending on the stage of lipedema diagnosed, the areas affected and the volume to be aspirated. An operation that is too extensive could result in significant and prolonged asthenia, and is therefore strongly inadvisable.
Anesthesia can have an impact on your post-operative fatigue. In fact, it has been found that general anesthesia causes significant fatigue during the first week, unlike spinal anesthesia, which has a lesser impact on convalescence.
We recommend an interval of at least 3 months between operations, to allow the body to recover and avoid physical and psychological fatigue after the second operation. In the event of intense fatigue following the first operation, it is advisable to perform the second stage (WAL liposuction of knees, thighs and saddlebags) 4 to 6 months after the first operation.
Post-operative recovery time may vary according to the areas operated on. We estimate a convalescence period of 2 to 3 weeks for ankle/calf and lower-knee surgery, and 10 days to 2 weeks for thighs, upper knees or arms. These times are indicative and may vary from patient to patient.
The more advanced the lipedema, the longer it is likely to take to recover.
Factors influencing fatigue after surgery
It is essential to eat and drink well after the operation, to allow the body to recover properly, and post-operative iron treatment is an essential part of recovery.
Resuming work after WAL liposuction surgery will depend on the type of job you do. However, it is important not to underestimate the fatigue caused by the operation and anesthesia, and the difficulty of maintaining the same position for prolonged periods (sitting, standing) in the early days. It’s important to take time out to rest and vary positions to reduce feelings of heaviness and promote blood and lymph circulation.
The journey to and from work needs to be anticipated, as journeys of more than 30 minutes on public transport, where it is not always possible to sit down, can make returning to work more complicated. Similarly, for some patients, post-operative oedema can make driving difficult.
To facilitate your convalescence, you need to be well accompanied and supported from the moment you return home (the same day or the day after your surgery). For the first few days, your walking pace will be much slower, stairs will be difficult to get up and down, and everyday tasks (shopping, children, housework, etc.) will be harder to perform. We advise you not to be alone for at least 48 hours, but ideally for 7 days.
In this article, we set out the various factors to be taken into account regarding post-operative fatigue following WAL liposuction surgery. Do you still have questions? Don’t hesitate to make an appointment.
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