Is this amount of swelling normal after a TT?

I just wanted to check in for some advice. i had a tummy tuck recently and the drains were removed last Thursday. Since yesterday the swelling has gotten worse. I cannot button my pants, I cannot even bring the two end s of the pants together to close them. I am 4lbs heavier today than last night. Please let me know if this is normal and when the swelling will be resolved. And if you can help me to understand why this is happening, I would appreciate it. My surgeon does not use compression garments so I wonder if my swelling is increased because there is nothing to push back against the swelling.

Thanks for your input.

Normal. My doc said swell hell starts at around three weeks out and lasts for several weeks, sometimes months. Less severe swelling can go on for a year. I'm three months out. Start out normal in the am and get increasingly puffy as the day goes on. I still where my compression garment to sleep most nights, and it helps. 

Thank you emelar. I am glad to hear this is normal.

I was swollen off and on for around 6 months. Right after I got home I measured my waist and it and if I am remembering correctly, it was 5 inches larger. I freaked!! (I'm a numbers girl). After about 3 weeks I did lose 3 of the 5, but the last two inches of swelling took months to go away. 

I like to hear others say they are into numbers. I'm such a numbers girl.

And I had my TT three months ago and still get swollen too.

Laura, I understand why you would freak! I surely hope my swelling resolves quickly. I am not a patient person, LOL! I had no idea that there would be this level of swelling so when it happened it shook me up. I was scheduled to drive to Indianapolis the day after my post op visit with my surgeon. As he removed the drains, there was a lot of swelling the next day and I did not know if it was normal and if I could drive to Indy. I thought it had to be drained.

Do you recall the scene from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory when Violet eats the gum that makes her turn blue and swell up? Her belt comes popping off because her waist swells up so much. Well, this is teh visual I have running through my head, except it is not my belt that pops open!

My surgeon was terrific. His P.A. called me from the OR to let me know everything was OK. Truly happy that I chose Dr. Capella for my surgery. And I am already thinking that I might have more body work done, when just a few days ago I was wondering if I had made the right decision in getting the TT.

I do wish that the recovery was quicker. I am looking at my numbers, too!

Yes, very normal. My waist was also several inches bigger after surgery, and it took about six weeks for the majority of it to settle down. I am six months out now, and I still have problems with swelling. My waste will go up about three inches by the end of most nights. Sometimes I look five months pregnant!

For those first two months after my LBL, I just lived in yoga pants

Angela, nice transformation! congratulations! Gee, 6-mos and you are swollen by the end of the night,? I had no idea that it would take so long for the swelling to subside.

Can anyone tell me why there is so much swelling?

Im one week out from my LBL and I cant even fit into my yoga pants   LOL!  Im just wearing a lot of my husbands old boxers or old beach coverups I had planned to replace this summer.  I also got a few nice soft cotton nightgowns on clearance (all dark colors in case I leak on them) to use for the postop period.  And Im wearing legwarmers and fuzzy socks.  Yes, I look a hot mess, but I dont care, and my 5 year old thinks its hilarious!  

I could not wear my pre-op pants for about 6 weeks post tummy tuck.

i wore my binder or spanx for months because it made me feel more tightened up.

even after my doc said to stop wearing the binder, I used it in the evening because it helped with swelling.

Hang in there, it gets better!!!