Tummy tuck recovery is not complicated if preparations are made ahead of time. There definitely will be some pain involved which is well controlled by prescribed pain medication. The most benefit will come by making preparations ahead of time, including a competent adult who can assist with normal routine tasks for the first few weeks.Because of this, you will need to give your body ample time to recover from the procedure to make sure that you see the maximum results from the surgery. The first step in the recovery process is to arrange for some in-home help for the first week or two following surgery. Especially if you have young children who will need to be cared for, you need someone available in your home that can lift items and assist your children in any way they might need.
Since it falls under the plastic surgery field, the tummy tuck and its results need to be visually pleasing. This means that there should be minimal scarring and, as much as possible, no defects which are very noticeable. If the defects are noticeable, the person might need to go back for another procedure to get rid of the defects, if this is possible.
She took all the surgical tape off, as well as all the bandages. She told me to call on Monday and let her know the output on the remaining drain and if it was low enough, it would be taken out. Dinner was pizza delivery. Yesterday was emotional for me.
In either case, your physician will be monitoring you as you come out of general anesthesia, or the local anesthesia wears off. You will have swelling in the abdominal area, and it will be sore. You will be given antibiotics and painkillers to assist in your tummy tuck recovery. It is important that you communicate any allergies you have and any other vitamins, herbs or medications you take so that the medications prescribed for your recovery will be right for you. As with all antibiotics, it is important to take the full course of medicine, as prescribed.
Since the visibility of the area is dependent on how much the person might expose it, how good it looks like might be a priority. Swelling and bruising are acceptable for just the first few weeks after the operation. Any swelling or bruising for more than this should be brought to the attention of the doctor. The doctor will also describe any pain and discomfort that the patient might feel, if the patient feels that there is more, he or she should bring it to the attention of the surgeon.
Don’t worry about dieting or trying to lose weight, and keep in mind that you may experience some swelling during your recovery, so it’s normal not to see your full results just yet. Continue to fuel your body with fresh fruits, veggies and whole grains, and you should see your results begin to take shape over the next several weeks.
Drains will be removed during the first part of this week. Patients should continue to drink lots of water, eat a healthy diet, and limit their sodium intake. Pain, bruising, and tightness will diminish significantly, though soreness and fatigue will likely persist for several weeks or months. Swelling will not yet subside.
If you have drains fitted they should be emptied before they become half full. It's also important that you keep a record of how much liquid was removed and from which side if you have two fitted. If you have been told to wear a pressure garment or binder it's OK to adjust it, but you must make sure that you keep even comfortable pressure on your abdomen and not have it too tight or too loose.
