How Soon Can I Drive After Brachioplasty Surgery?
Driving after arm lift surgery (brachioplasty) is usually safe at two to three weeks post-op. Patients must arrange a ride home from the hospital and attend all their check-up appointments. Surgical complications may delay the start of driving.
You will need a ride home from the hospital
Some surgeons perform arm lift surgery as a day procedure. Other surgeons advise staying in the hospital overnight, or, in some cases, longer. Regardless of when you’re discharged from the surgical centre, someone must drive you home.
There are several reasons why you won’t be able to drive yourself home after arm lift surgery.
Feeling sleepy after general anaesthesia
All patients undergo general anaesthesia during brachioplasty surgery. While the operation takes one to three hours, the effects of general anaesthetic can linger for up to 48 hours. Mental fogginess, slowed reflexes, and sleepiness are just some of what you can expect after waking from the operation. It would be impossible to drive safely in this state.
Soreness and swelling
Driving a car requires complex movements, from turning the steering wheel and making sharp turns to moving the gear selector. After an arm lift procedure, both arms will be sore and swollen, which makes the simple act of driving quite uncomfortable. Your surgeon will advise you to avoid unnecessary physical strain for several weeks. Therefore, driving is off-limits until two or three weeks into recovery.
Side effects from pain medication
Arm lift patients taking prescribed painkillers should not drive while on the medication. Opiate medications affect the functioning of the central nervous system. Many are known to cause dizziness, drowsiness, mood changes, and other side effects that impact psychomotor or cognitive performance.
Getting in the car to leave the hospital
When your surgeon clears you to leave the hospital, your chaperone should be ready to go. They may need to open the car door for you, gently assist you with getting seated in the vehicle, help put your seatbelt on, and shut the door behind you. When you arrive at your destination, your driver will also need to give you a helping hand getting out of the car and into your home.
Attending check-up appointments with your surgeon
Patients must be carefully monitored by the surgeon after arm lift surgery. Attending all check-up visits is integral to a safe, uneventful recovery. Some follow-up visits take place during the first two to three weeks post-op. This is a period when you will not be cleared to drive, so you will need to arrange for someone to bring you to and from those appointments.
Grocery shopping
You won’t be able to drive yourself to the supermarket or carry heavy bags of groceries for two to three weeks after arm lift surgery. It’s a good idea to go food shopping and prepare frozen meals before your surgery date arrives. If you run out of groceries or want to order takeaway from your favourite restaurant during the first two to three weeks of your arm lift recovery, someone will likely need to make the trip for you.
Arranging transportation for children
If you have young children, you will need to ensure they have adequate transportation since you won’t be able to drive for several weeks after a brachioplasty operation. If your children are accustomed to taking public transportation, that can greatly ease your burden arranging rides.
Getting to and from school is just one piece of the puzzle. Children may need rides to after-school activities, playdates, sports practice, or an unplanned doctor visit. Arm lift patients often rely on household members, friends, or neighbors to act as chauffeurs. Ride-shares with other parents are another option.
Surgical complications may delay getting behind the wheel
Most patients recover well after brachioplasty surgery. Yet a risk-free recovery is never guaranteed. While many patients get behind the wheel a few weeks after the operation, this isn’t the case for everyone.
Complications such as wound healing problems and infection are possible. If any of these issues arise, it may delay the healing process. That could mean spending additional time away from driving. Again, family members or friends may need to step in to assist driving you to your medical appointments.
Your first time driving after arm lift surgery
Getting behind the wheel for the first time after brachioplasty can be daunting. It would be wise to go for a test drive first and bring someone along in case you find you’re not quite ready to drive yet.
Choose a quiet area away from heavy traffic, drive slowly, and practise turning your steering wheel to ensure you feel comfortable enough to navigate safely.
Never push yourself to drive if you don’t feel up to it. If it is too uncomfortable to turn the steering wheel or drive defensively, you’re not ready to drive yet. That said, many arm lift patients feel well enough to resume driving within two to three weeks.
What happens if I don’t have anyone to drive me after surgery?
Not everyone is fortunate enough to have driving assistance from family or friends as they heal from arm lift surgery. Some patients have limited outside help due to living alone, recently relocating to a new area, a small social circle, family members that live far away, or a variety of other personal reasons.
Even patients with close familial or interpersonal relationships sometimes have trouble arranging rides in the first two to three weeks of recovery. Household members or friends may have demanding careers, childcare duties, upcoming travel plans, or a busy schedule of their own.
Finally, some patients prefer to keep their arm lift surgery private from friends and loved ones, narrowing their pool of potential drivers.
Regardless of your circumstance, it is vital not to miss follow-up appointments with your surgeon. If you can’t arrange someone to drive you, consider hiring a taxi service, a chauffeur, or an aide. Public transportation, if it is easily accessible, is another option to consider. Uber Health, a non-emergency medical transport service, launched in Australia in 2022 for patients that need rides to doctor appointments.
What else do I need to know about driving after arm lift surgery?
We spoke to Dr Bernard Beldholm, a specialist general surgeon in Newcastle that performs arm lift surgery. He had this to say:
“Many of my arm lift patients are excited to regain independence and start driving again. While some surgeons clear their patients to drive after a week, I advise all my patients to wait two to three weeks before attempting to drive. This is a general rule and may not apply to everyone. Every patient is different.”
