Question:
For those who have had Tummy Tucks...

I had my tummy tuck December 11, 2002, and I still have a lot of swelling on my lower stomach. My lower stomach feels soft and squishy and it has been like this for a while. I saw my plastic surgeon about this about a month ago, but he says it is normal. It has the water bed effect and I thought it may have been a seroma. It's still like this and it has almost been three months. Did anyone else who has had a tummy tuck lower stomach feel squishy like this three months later?    — Lisa N M. (posted on March 2, 2003)

March 2, 2003
That squishyness could be pockets of fluid that need to be drained. You should not have this 3 months post op. The only other thing it could be is that your surgeon did not take off enough skin. I am pre op rny but a good friend of mine, 18 months post op rny, had a tt mid January and had the same squishy areas in the same place as you. Hers were drained (more than a litre total) and the area is firmer and flater now. Ask your PS if this could be possible for you. Good luck
   — mary ann T.

March 2, 2003
I had my tummy tuck Feb 4 and my surgeon told me to expect swelling for at least 6 - 10 weeks. I, too, am squishy but I think he didn't take quite enough off. I just had to have my incision opened as I had a bad pocket of infection and fat necrosis that needed to drain. Once again, he told me that it takes months to really heal and to be patient. Good luck to you.
   — Patty_Butler

March 2, 2003
An ultrasound is a quick and painless way to determine if there is fluid under the skin. A radiologist can often drain it using ultrasound guidance at the same time.
   — DrL

March 2, 2003
I had my tt in November. I still experience swelling, and it is totally normal to experience swelling for six months or more. My surgeon told me not to be alarmed. I get swelling both on the top (stomach) and on the bottom still.
   — twenc

March 3, 2003
I had my tt done in August, 2002. I had 3 seromas and my doctor drained each one everytime he found them. It sounds like you do have a seroma and I'm surprised your doctor wouldn't want to drain it. It hurts but my stomach looks great. Very tight. You should say something to your doctor about the seroma and ask him why he won't drain it.
   — Patty H.