Question:
Need reassurance! I'm 5 days post-tummy tuck, and bumpy, not smooth.

Was everyone else bumpy, not smooth? I mean, could you see some swelling around your abdomen? I am having good fluid output from my JP drains. (I have four - two in front, two in the buttocks - I had lower body lift.) Also, what was the average weight gain while in the hospital? I know I shouldn't have, but I stepped on the scale this morning, and it says a 14 pound weight gain! And they took off 8 pounds of skin! How long to get this fluid off? How long were you bumpy and not smooth?    — raye (posted on December 23, 2003)

December 23, 2003
Fluid build up could take a while. Just wait and be patient. I still had fluid two months out. Are you wearing your binder as directed and are you straining your drain as directed? WHat does your doctor say about all of this? I was not bumpy though. I am not sure what you mean.
   — Teena A.

December 23, 2003
Original poster here - I guess by bumpy I mean unevenly distributed. Swollen in one place, but not another. Did you have weight gain in hospital?
   — raye

December 26, 2003
I went into the hospital at 140. The next day, I weighed 145!! You had more extensive surgery then I did (they removed 5 pounds of skin from me) so my guess is you were probably in surgery longer therefore having more fluids pumped into you. Give it some time. It took about 2 weeks for me to get all the fluid out. You'll probably need 3 weeks at a minimum.
   — Patty H.