Tummy Tuck Q&A
94%
WORTH IT RATING
"Worth It Rating" shows the % of consumer reviewers
that stated the procedure was "Worth It" or not.
See more RealSelf Worth It Ratings
or Add Your Review

View Before and Afters
Average Tummy Tuck Cost: $7,925
Learn about Tummy Tuck
7,726 people and 863 doctors are talking about Tummy Tuck
Get Free Email Updates
Is It Too Early to Go Back to Work?
asked 1 year ago by baby1 in Sacramento, CA
Latest answer by Ricardo A. Meade, MD
Question viewed 434 times
Tags: female, swelling, timing, work
I had breast augmentation and tummy tuck w/ smart lipo. I returned to work after 38 days. My work involves heavy lifting, pushing and pulling. I am an operating room nurse. When I came home after 3days of working, my abdomen is swollen and stinging. Will it affect the result and is it too soon to go back to work?
7 answers to Is It Too Early to Go Back to Work?
+2
Always speak with your PS about work release and be specific about job duties.
As long as your PS has released you for those specific work duties and weight lifting it is ok to return to work. If you are feeling pains, you should call your PS and discuss this with him/her just to make sure what you are doing is Ok and not causing any damage.
see video
Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon
Chicago Plastic Surgeon
+1
Returning to work aftera a tummy tuck
Normally, my recommendation is to wait 6 weeks before fully exercising strenuously. This applies to work or any situation that is strenuous. Otherwise swelling can be worstened and can even cause scars to have complications. Returning prematurely should be taken very seriously so consulting with your board certified plastic surgeon is essential.
+1
Breast augmentation and tummy tuck - return to work
You did well to return to work at 38 days. There is definitely a benefit to getting back to your routine - it is certainly possible to stay off too long.
I do think, however, that you should try to avoid heavy lifting for another couple of weeks to allow your muscle repair to heal.
Good luck!
+1
When to go back to work after a tummy tuck
A tummy tuck is a safe and effective procedure to contour the abdomen, create a tight beautiful waist, and remove extra fat, skin, and stretch marks.
In our practice, we feel that as every patient is different, so is every tummy tuck. When we perform the initial consultation, we carefully review their concerns to determine what are the areas that they are most concerned with aunt, the treatment plan to specifically address these areas. In this manner every tummy tuck that we do is...
more
+1
Returning to work after a tummy tuck
My policy is let patients return to office duties at 2 weeks, but physical jobs, like yours, may take longer. Certainly, after 4 weeks, most people can do most of their duties. However, I wouldn't recommend that you move heavy patients or items in your job as an OR nurse. Get help with these tasks for a few more weeks, or see if you can be assigned to a light duty position for a month.
Best wishes,
+1
Returning to work
You are just shy of 6 weeks, and I usually let patients return to most activities by then, but it really depends up0n how you are healing. Speak with your doctor.
+1
Back to work after tummy tuck and liposuction
After 4 to 6 weeks, most of the healing is complete so most activities, including work, can be resumed. However, it takes up to 1 year for the swelling to resolve and scar tissue to soften. It is common to have days where the lower abdomen is a bit more swollen than other days. It is unlikely to impact your result.
Karol A. Gutowski, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon
Chicago Plastic Surgeon


