Question:
What is the recovery for a Tummy Tuck?
How long would I be out of work and is it has painful as everyone said it is? Just had 2 hernia repairs due to hurt at work and acaully thought that was worse then the gastric bypass, not the fact they had to open the incision back up due to the one was a size of a softball, so now I have to check on TT, because the hernia surgery was a workmens comp case which, ruined it for the TT having both surgerys at once. So now back to square 1 again. thanks for any help. christine clymire 8/7/2003 147lbs lighter :) — blainejrjeni (posted on October 16, 2004)
October 16, 2004
I am 2 months postop from my tummy tuck. I was off 2 weeks from my desk
job and then I went back to work 1/2 and 3/4 days for the next two weeks.
I swelled really bad when I started to sit at my desk and thats why I only
worked partial days at first. <p>
My pain wasn't that bad, but I was also on Loritabs every 4 hours. I also
didn't have to have any muscle tightening due to age and no children. They
just removed 8 pounds of skin.<p>
Good luck. I hope you are recovering well from your hernia surgery.
— ckreh
October 16, 2004
I hadf 3 weeks to recover from my TT . I was ok when I went to work,
(teaching), but would have loved another week if I could have had it. I
might have been able to get by with 2 weeks if I had to. Good luck!!
— Fixnmyself
October 16, 2004
I had TT/hernia repair July 19, almost 3 months ago. I am still swollen,
experiencing some pain and still wearing a binder except when I shower. If
I try to sleep without it I swell up like a 7 month pregnancy.(they took 17
pounds off) I am a paralegal and went back to my sedentary desk job after 2
weeks but I am part-time and do not believe that I could have done
full-time until maybe 4-6 weeks out. It was a very painful surgery for me
and much worse than the open RNY pain-wise. Everyone is different. I still
have an active prescription for painkillers but rarely need them at this
point although they do help when I swell badly and the pain gets
intolerable with no help from tylenol. The results are unbelievable
though, I am 48 and have had 4 children and my stomach is way flatter than
my 30 year old daughter's. LOL!
— donnalawbabe
October 16, 2004
I think I'm not the norm, but neither do I think I'm unique. I had an
extended abdominoplasty, hernia repair, brachioplasty and the skin that
flopped over the sides of my bra removed all done on July 15 (about 15
pounds of skin and fat removed). I had NO pain. I took pain meds a few
times in the hospital, but only as a precaution to prepare for getting out
of bed. The first two or three times to get out of bed was hard because I
didn't have either my ab muscles or arms to help. But by two days out, I
was fine. I didn't take as much as a Tylenol after the day following
surgery. My surgeon insisted that I take three weeks off work (I was
trying for two weeks, he was trying for four--we compromised on three). I
could easily have gone back by the two weeks, maybe even sooner. I was
just a bit tired (but not enough even to take naps), but not in pain. I
was walking a mile twice a day within the first week, standing up straight,
climbing stairs, and sleeping in my own bed. I did wear a binder or panty
girdle all the time for about two and half months after the surgery and
that really helped with the swelling. I do get a little swollen by the end
of the day now that I've stopped wearing support garments, but it's not
bad. I've said that I've had a harder time getting over the flu than I had
getting over this series of surgery. Hopefully it will be the same for
you.
— Vespa R.
October 17, 2004
I just had abdominoplasty, lateral thigh lift and buttock lift on Thursday.
I am up and feeling wonderful. I am off of the pain medications, which
was vicodin. My surgeon said that I could return to work in two weeks,
since my job is sedintary. I am not sure that I am the norm, but I feel
fantastic. Good luck to you.
— [Deactivated Member]
October 17, 2004
I had a LBL which is A LOT more work than a tt, I was out of work for 3
wks. The recovery was slow, but, their wasn't a ton of pain, just soreness
for the first 3 mos. Best of luck.
— heathercross
October 17, 2004
I don't consider myself a wimp when it comes to pain, but this was a rough
one. I had an abdominoplasty with significant muscle reconstruction in my
upper abdomen, repair of a small umbilical hernia and removal of 5-6 lbs of
tissue. I was pretty much into taking pain medication 3-4 times per day
the first week or so at home. I had this done on August 2, and went back to
work 9/1. I was walking bent over, and kind of slow, for about 2 weeks. My
lap RNY was a walk in the park compared to the abdominoplasty. You just
can't rush this one, as far as getting back to normal! I really think the
recovery depends on how much work is done underneath it all. But, hey, it
is soooo worth it!
— koogy
October 18, 2004
I had a hip to hip incision with full muscle tightening and they removed 5
pounds of skin and I could have went back to work at 2 weeks. I didn't
think the pain was at all bad in comparison to the RNY. I would rate it at
a 4. However, everyone is different.
— Patty H.
October 18, 2004
In 1994, I had a hysterectemy and a hip to hip tummy tuck at the same time
which took 9 hours. I came home with 2 drains which they pulled about a
week later. At about two weeks, my friends put my binder on me then took me
for a 12 hour motorcycle ride. I went back to work in 3 weeks, but could
have at 2. I worked in a hospital setting and did a lot of walking when
necessary. It's painful but worth it.
dianne owen
pittsburgh
— dianne O.
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