I am 1 month post-op from my cleft lift, which is the 3rd surgery I had (closed excision followed by debridement). Just had my final appointment with the surgeon and he gave me the 100% all clear! For the first time in years I've been able to sit comfortably and not need to stuff in a daily gauze pad. The surgery wasn't the easiest. A couple days post-op were fine, but I developed a lot of swelling and had significant pain for about a week and a half. The heavy narcotics caused bad constipation. Then I developed multiple yeast infections due to the antibiotics. Then a small part of the scar split and I bled in large amounts, right through my clothes. Still, after a little over 3 weeks, I was almost 100%, and just needed the surgeon to tell me it was safe. He said everything healed great, and pulled out a couple stitches that worked their way through the scar. I wouldn't hesitate to tell anyone else to get a cleft lift! In case anyone was wondering, I have BC/BS, and my surgeon was a listed provider. The total cost was $11,000, and I had about $300 in copays, and spent another $150 in gas for all the trips.
